Palapa
The Maranao condiment from Mindanao: native scallion bulbs, ginger, chilli and toasted coconut pounded into a fiery relish. A spoonful goes beside rice, grilled fish or chicken.
- Time
- 30 mins
- Serves
- 10
- Steps
- 7
- Ingredients
- 7
Method
- 01
Toast the grated coconut in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is golden brown and smells nutty. It catches in seconds at the end, so do not walk away.
- 02
Finely chop the sakurab bulbs, ginger and chillies, or pound them in a mortar.
- 03
Pound or blitz the toasted coconut until it releases its oil and turns into a coarse paste.
- 04
Heat the oil and fry the ginger first for 2 minutes, then the sakurab, until softened and fragrant.
- 05
Add the chillies and turmeric and cook 2 minutes more.
- 06
Stir in the coconut paste and cook over low heat for 10 minutes until everything comes together and darkens.
- 07
Season with salt, cool completely, and keep in a sealed jar in the fridge.
Cooking Tips
- Toast the grated coconut over medium heat, stirring constantly. It catches in seconds at the end.
- Pound rather than blitz if you can - a mortar gives a coarse paste, a blender gives a wet puree.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Sakurab (native scallion bulbs) are hard to find outside Mindanao; shallots are the usual substitute.
- Reduce the chillies freely - traditional palapa is extremely hot.
What to Serve With It
- A spoonful beside rice, grilled fish or chicken. It is a condiment, not a dish on its own.
Storage and Reheating
- Keeps 2 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge, and the flavour settles after a few days.
- Freezes in small portions for 3 months.
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