Kecap manis (sometimes also called "ketjap manis") is a very thick and sweet soy sauce that is used as an ingredient and condiment in many Indonesian dishes. If you can't find it at the ethnic food store or oriental supermarket or just don't want to buy it in large quantities, then you can make it yourself on the stove or in the microwave.
Ingrediants
For 500 ml of sauce
- 250 ml of soy sauce
- 200 g of cane, palm or molasses sugar
- 125 ml of water
- A 2.5 cm piece of ginger or galangal root (optional)
- 1 clove of garlic (optional)
- 1 star anise pod (optional)
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparations
Step 1. Choose a sweetener
White granulated sugar does not have that deep and intense flavor that is needed for this recipe. For this reason it is better to use cane sugar, palm sugar or molasses.
- Palm sugar (also called jaggery or gur) is the traditional ingredient, but very difficult to find in Western shops. If you can get it, it is by far the best choice, in both liquid and granular form.
- Brown sugar and molasses are both excellent substitutes for palm sugar, so use the ingredient you can find or prefer. You can also make an equal parts blend of raw sugar And molasses.
Step 2. Evaluate other ingredients and flavors
You can recreate the flavor of real kecap manis using just soy sauce, water and sugar, but you can enhance the taste with other ingredients to make the preparation even more authentic.
- The recipe for this article proposes to incorporate a combination of ginger (or galangal), garlic and star anise.
- You can consider other spices such as fresh murraya leaves, cinnamon and red pepper.
Step 3. Prepare the aromas
The ginger must be peeled and grated. The garlic must be chopped or crushed.
- Use a peeler to peel the ginger or galangal and then rub them on a large mesh grater to create thick strips.
- Alternatively, cut the ginger or galangal root into 6mm thick discs.
- Quickly crush the garlic clove onto a cutting board using the flat side of a knife. Remove the loose peel and use the clove as it is or chop it with a sharp smooth-bladed knife.
Step 4. Prepare a bowl of ice water
Fill a large container with cold water and six ice cubes. Store the container for now, as you'll need it later.
- Remember that this step is only necessary if you plan to make the sauce on the stove. If you prefer to use the microwave, you will not need cold water.
- Choose a bowl large enough to accommodate the saucepan in which you will cook the sauce on the stove.
- Fill the container only halfway, not to the brim.
- Keep it handy, near the stove as you go.
Part 2 of 4: Cooking on the Stove
Step 1. In a saucepan, mix the sugar with the water
Use a thick-bottomed saucepan and mix thoroughly.
Step 2. Heat the water until the sugar dissolves
Place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring the contents to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- If you mix, distribute the heat evenly and allow the sugar to dissolve more quickly.
- Scrape the residual sugar from the sides of the saucepan and bring it to the center of the boiling mixture.
Step 3. Cook the syrup until it darkens
Stop stirring it when it starts to boil and let it cook undisturbed for 5-10 minutes or until it changes color to amber.
Do not cover the pan while the syrup simmers
Step 4. Put the pan in ice water
Quickly remove it from the heat and place it in cold water for 30 seconds.
- After this time, remove the saucepan from the water and place it on a heat-resistant surface.
- Soaking the bottom of the pan in ice water stops cooking and prevents the syrup from getting hotter than necessary.
- Avoid cold water from entering the hot syrup.
Step 5. Add the soy sauce and flavorings
Put the soy sauce, star anise, ginger and garlic in the semi-cooled syrup, mix carefully to mix everything.
Work carefully while incorporating the ingredients. Even though the syrup has been partially cooled, it is still hot and could cause some decent burns if it splashes on your skin
Step 6. Return the pan to the heat
Cook the mixture over medium-high heat without bringing it to a full boil. Let it simmer.
Occasionally, stir the mixture as it warms up
Step 7. Let it simmer slowly
Reduce the heat to low and cook the sauce for another 10 minutes.
- Do not cover the pan at this stage.
- Stir in the sauce occasionally.
Step 8. Remove the saucepan from the heat
Place it back on the heat-resistant surface and let the sauce reach room temperature.
- Consider placing a lid on without sealing the saucepan, or use an upside-down plate or tea towel to protect the sauce as it cools. Doing so prevents dust and other debris from contaminating it.
- When you cook kecap manis on the stove, its consistency should be similar to that of thick syrup. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Part 3 of 4: Cooking in the Microwave
Step 1. In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the sugar with the water and the soy sauce
The container should have a minimum capacity of 1 liter, even if this capacity is roughly double what is needed to hold the ingredients at room temperature. The extra space prevents the mixture from overflowing into the microwave as it heats up
Step 2. Microwave the ingredients for 30-40 seconds on medium power
Set the appliance to 50% of its maximum power and put the sugar mixture inside. Cook uncovered for 30-40 seconds or until the sugar begins to melt.
- However, the sugar does not have to dissolve completely at this stage.
- If you have chosen to use molasses, check that it becomes much more liquid than the consistency it has at room temperature.
Step 3. Incorporate the aromas
Put the ginger, garlic and star anise in the hot mixture. Mix the ingredients well so that they spread evenly.
Work carefully. The syrup is very hot right now and the splashes could cause you burns
Step 4. Heat the sauce for another 10-20 seconds in the microwave
Keep the power at 50%.
After this second "cooking", the sauce should be much more liquid and you shouldn't see solid pieces of sugar. However, there may be some sugar granules floating around
Step 5. Mix well
Remove the bowl from the oven and stir the contents with a spoon or whisk until all the sugar has dissolved.
- You no longer have to see traces of solid sugar. This applies to both granules and large lumps.
- If the sugar hasn't dissolved after 60-90 seconds, return the container to the microwave and cook the syrup for another 10-20 seconds on medium power. At the end mix again.
- Since the syrup has never come to a boil, the kecap manis will not be as thick as the one cooked over the fire. However, the flavor will remain unchanged and the sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
Part 4 of 4: Storage and Use
Step 1. Filter the solid ingredients
Pour the kecap manis into a colander or a large mesh sieve. The thick and sticky sauce should take some time to pass through the meshes of the colander, but in the end you will be able to filter it all.
- Solid ingredients such as star anise, ginger and garlic will remain in the colander.
- Alternatively, you can manually remove these pieces with a fork or spoon without straining the sauce.
Step 2. Pour the kecap manis into a glass jar
Use a non-reactive, non-permeable container that has a lid. Glass jars (such as jam jars) are great for this purpose.
If you plan to store the sauce for more than a week, make sure the container is sterilized by boiling it in water before using it
Step 3. Place the sauce in the refrigerator overnight before consuming it
Close the jar and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours or a whole night.
- Give the ingredients a chance to blend their flavors. In this way the sauce will be richer and no aroma will prevail over the others.
- Once the sauce has rested overnight in the refrigerator, it is ready to be consumed.
Step 4. Store leftovers in the freezer or refrigerator
If you don't use all of the kecap manis, you can keep it in a sealed container, in the refrigerator, for 2-4 weeks.
