A few days ago, my mother-in-law wanted to eat "ketupat sotong". It is actually cuttlefish stuffed with cooked glutinous rice and simmered in coconut milk. Thinly sliced shallots, garlic and juliened cut ginger are then added to the broth. Last but not least, a pinch of spice called halba is also added. It's heaven on earth. But it has to be the right sized cuttlefish and fresh..Exactly when the cuttlefish seasons is, I am not sure but old folks here in kampungs has a way of telling when there would be an abundance of cuttlefish in the sea. Simply look at the cashewnut trees. If you could see sprouts of new fruits coming out at the end of the branch, then that would be just the right time of sotong seasons..
RECIPES:
KETUPAT SOTONG
10 medium sized cuttlefish, cleaned
1/2 kg glutinous rice
10 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
about an inch of fresh ginger
3 coconuts-only use white flesh to extract coconut milk
toothpicks
Extract coconut milk in 2 parts, thick and thin. 2 cups of water added to the grated coconut flesh. You could use a blender, then squeeze and strain the thick coconut milk. blend the coconut again but with 1 cup of water to get the thin milk. Use the thin milk to cook the glutinous rice in a rice cooker. add more water if needed. salt abit. when the rice is cooked, place in a plate to cool it off.
Thinly slice the shallots and garlic. Cut the ginger juliened. Start stuffing the cuttlefish. Stuff firmly till half of the cuttlefish. Take care not to push the rice too hard into the cuttlefish or you might break the skin.Then top it with the head part of the cuttlefish. Using a toothpick, close the cuttlefish.
Place the cuttlefish in a pot. Add the thick coconut milk. Add too the shallots, garlic, ginger and halba. Salt to taste. Cook it over a medium heat, The milk should cover the cuttlefish so that they would be evenly cooked. Stir carefully. Cook about 10-15 mins. To serve, take a cuttlefish out, let it cool abit and slice it bite sized.
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