Kacang Ma-Food For Confinement

Kacang ma

This is a special kind of food specially cooked for women after giving birth.That is,during their confinement period of thirty days.Can you believe it?Women eat this everyday,from day one to day thirty.Believe or not believe,but let me tell you,I never grew tired of it.In fact,I enjoy every single meal.Starting from day 1,I ate in the hospital after my mother in law learned that I have already given birth.She cooked the best kacang ma in town.At that time,I've no idea how to cook this.From then on,my husband gave me some tips on how his mother cooked,and slowly by slowly I learned some techniques.I remembered the very first time when I started cooking this,it was way too bitter and I'd put in so much wine that my brother said he felt giddy after eating my kacang ma.Nobody was interested after eating one or two spoons.My sister in law wouldn't dare to try it again when I cooked again during one party occasion.I insisted her to try several times when she refused.I kept telling her that this time was different,so she reluctantly tried it and I saw a beam on her face.She gave me a thumb up and I saw her eating more and telling me it was so good.She was a foreigner,

of different origin.She started loving it and had tried to cook it herself.Everyone said it was so good.My efforts were paid off.That was the sweetest moment that I ever had.It was just the beginning.Later,I earned the admiration from my in-laws' side.

Another sister-in-law from the west also love kacang ma very much that every time she came back here,she asked me to cook for her.

Now,this ethnic dish is not only served on confinement,but also served on several occassions,parties and during menstruating.Girls who eat this during their period,will not experienced any more pain in their next menstruation.(also like confinement,which during this time loses a lot of blood).So,girls cook this when you have your period.
Kacang ma,combined with ginger,wine and sesame,is believed to disperse wind out of the 
body.It's good for blood circulation and warmed the bloated stomach.I always enjoyed the soup.

It is the soup that is most important in cleaning the body.Actual kacang ma calls only for
sesame oil,ginger juice and wine,cooked together with chicken.I used white wine,(arrack putih).There is no need to put salt,aji-no-moto(monosodium glutamate),soya sauce or
 any other food enhancer.Least to say,no onions or garlics.The taste is already sweet and juicy.If it is bitter,is because you put in a lot of leaves and too much wine taste like you are drinking alcohol .A good kacang ma shouldn't taste like water.More gingers are accepted..Spicy is better,but if you can't eat spicy,use less gingers,but not so less cos gingers are the main ingredient in making a nice kacang ma.Wine is only to enhance the flavor as well as for blood circulation.Sesame oil played a part in driving the wind out,and the leaves are herbal remedies.Some people find it hard to consume, especially if it is still very hot. Therefore,I always liked to eat only when it has turned cold or a little bit warm.By the time that it has cooled off,is the perfect time to enjoy.If it is too hot,you cannot really feel it's uniqueness because it is very hot and yet spicy and burning your tongue.

The leaves are known as motherwort in english.The scientific name is Leonurus Sibiricus(very hard to pronounce)I'm not sure where it's origin came from,but some claimed it was from China brought here by the Hakkas.A quick search on the internet found out that it was originally grown in central Asia and south-eastern Europe.I've never seen the fresh plant.We normally buy the dried leaves.They are sold in packets in supermarkets and all groceries shop.Beware of expiry one.Buy green colour and not yellow.Dark green is more new.Very yellow means it has expired and the taste will feel weird.

Keep the leftover kacang ma in the refrigerator and when you want to eat it again,do not heat it up but double-boil it so as not to dry up the soup. Add in a little more wine if needed.I found out that it is best to consume the kacang ma on the same day because it won't be that nice on the next day,but it is still okay.Only it has lose it's flavour a bit.Maybe,you don't feel so?Tell me if you experienced this.

So much for the talking of kacang ma and let's move on to the recipe.My recipe always varies,depending on the weight of the chicken that I used when I want to cook,but let me give you the one that I've ever used quite a number of times successfully.Sometimes,I cooked small portion,and sometimes I cooked big portion.

This is medium serving,between 6-8 people

Ingredients:

11/2 kg chicken(cut into pieces)

1 kg gingers

1/2 cup white wine(arrack putih)

6 tbsps sesame oil

11/4 cup kacang ma leaves 

Preparations:   

1.Stir-fry the leaves in a small frying pan till slightly brown.(The leaves will turned into fire if it is fried for too long).Take it out.Pound finely.Set aside for later use.

2.Grate the gingers with a grater.You can also use mortar and pestle to pound it or use juice extractor.As long as you can extract the juices out.Again set aside for later use.

Method:

1.Heat up the sesame oil in a wok.Add the chicken in,stirring here and there till well mixed.  

   At this point,you can also transfer into a big cooking pot if you much preferred.

   Cover.Keep stirring every 5 minutes until the water runs dry.You can hear the noise of oil

   splattered around the cover.Now it is time to add in the leaves.Stir and mixed well.

2.Next,add in the ginger juice.Stir and mixed well.Cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

3.Lastly,add in wine.Cook for another 5 more minutes to let the wine absorbed in.

5.Dish it out onto a serving bowl.Serve with rice.

Enjoy!

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