Nicoise salad with ikan teri Medan, an Indonesian twist on a French classic. (JG Photo/Petty Elliott)
Ikan teri is dried, salted fish, and is found all over Indonesia. The most well-known type is ikan teri Medan, a tiny treat that has spawned a huge industry in the North Sumatra capital.
I was surprised at the mountains of teri Medan when I visited a while ago, with an entire market dedicated to the food, with the dried fish flakes ranging in size from a grain of rice to anchovy size.
Teri Medan is much like anchovy in that it has a strong, salty flavor, but the texture is completely different. Anchovy is processed and preserved in brine, allowing it to remain moist and juicy, while teri Medan is crunchy, having been dried under the sun and roasted or fried.
Anchovies are a popular topping for salads or pizzas in Mediterranean cooking, and teri Medan is just as versatile in Indonesian cuisine. It can be found in many different types of sambal (chili sauce), stir-fried vegetables and nasi goreng (fried rice). I really like sambal ijo , or green sambal, which I make by blanching large green chilis, sauteing some shallots and large chilis, putting it all in a blender and adding a touch of lime juice, black pepper, plenty of extra virgin olive oil and a touch of teri Medan. It has the look of pesto but with classic sambal ijo flavor. It’s delicious with any pasta dish with grilled fish or chicken breast, or as a sandwich spread, with a great balance of spicy, sour, salty and umami (savory) flavor from the teri Medan.
For this week’s recipe I have something French with an Indonesian twist: Nicoise salad with teri Medan. Nicoise salad typically containing tomatoes, cucumbers, broad beans, artichokes, raw onions, olives, boiled eggs and, most importantly, anchovies. For this recipe, I’ve replaced the anchovy with teri Medan and the red wine vinegar with lime juice. Enjoy!
Nicoise salad with teri Medan
This is very easy to make and delicious. I used mustard to give it a bit of a spicy flavor, but you can replaced it with chopped chilis if you prefer. Serves 6.
Ingredients
•400gr baby or small potatoes, peeled and cubed; 100gr mini French beans; 6 boiled eggs; 3 medium tomatoes, washed, dried and cut into quarter wedges; 300gr cherry tomatoes; 100gr green olives; 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons teri Medan, deep fried for 5 seconds; 2 small head of romaine lettuce, washed, dried, torn, set aside; small handful basil leaves.
•For the dressing: 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 cloves of garlic, finely grated; 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped.
•For the seasoning: 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; salt and black pepper.
Directions:
1.Boil the potatoes for around 12 minutes or until soft.
2.In the last 4 minutes before the potatoes are finished cooking, add the French beans and strain. Set the potatoes aside to cool and put the beans in a large bowl with cold water and ice. Leave for 5 minutes, then drain the beans. Set aside.
3.Put the eggs in a pan of cold water and bring to a simmer and cook for 6 minutes, then put into a bowl of cold water. Leave for 5 minutes, then peel and quarter the eggs.
4.To make the dressing, simply mix all the ingredients in a jar. Season with salt and black pepper. Close the lid and shake for around a minute or simply mix the ingredients well.
5.Arrange the lettuce and basil on a large serving plate or 6 individual serving plates.
6.Toss the tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, olives, cooled potatoes and French beans with the salad dressing and pour over the lettuce and basil.
7. Add the sliced eggs on top, sprinkle with teri Medan and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately.
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