Fiddlehead Ferns Stir Fry

Fiddleheads green are the furled fronds of a young fern and the vegetable has been part of traditional Indonesian food ever since. 

In the Island of Sumatra *is an island in western Indonesia, fiddlehead ferns are normally cooked in a rich coconut base, this dish called “gulai pakis” or gulai paku. 
I normally have "gulai pakis" at Padang Restaurant, is a restaurant which serves special various dishes from Padang-Sumatra.

Fiddlehead fern is a good source of protein and it gives enormous benefit for a vegetarian, it has beautiful edible fern, sexy curls and the soft texture has its own delight when its cooked. 

In Bali, fiddlehead ferns are normally cooked as traditional warm salad called “Jukut Paku”, blanched fiddleheads ferns are mix with spiced grated coconut. 

This is my own way of cooking the fiddleheads fern, it’s a very simple home-style recipe, Fiddlehead ferns stir fry topping with crispy anchovies serves with brown rice.

I have the safest way to cook it up, of course after it rinsed, by 10 minutes boiled and then process according to your recipe.

Fiddlehead ferns stir fry topping with crispy anchovies (Tumis Paskis)

Serves 2

Ingredients

350g fiddleheads ferns (Pakis)

15 green chillies

7 cloves garlic

5 shallots

3 medium thin slice fresh galangal root, substitute galangal powder about 1 teaspoon

½ cup dried anchovies (I use Teri Medan)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sea salt to taste

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Water 

Slice cucumber to serve

Steamed Brown rice to serve

Preparation

Rinse well the fiddlehead ferns through a colander under cold running water, set aside

Slice up galangal root into matchstick, keep aside

With a kitchen knife, peel and slice shallots, keep aside

Using mortar and pestle or cobek, coarsely pounded garlic and green chilli, keep side

Deep fry the dried anchovies until crispy, keep aside in a air tight jar

Direction

In a pot place the water and sufficient amount of sea salt to a rapid boil, add fiddlehead ferns and continue to boil about 10 minutes. Pour cooked fiddlehead ferns through a colander, rinse well with cold running water and drain. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok, add in slice shallots, galangal matchsticks, coarsely pounded garlic and green chilli, stir fry about 3 minute or until aromatic.

Add in fiddlehead ferns, quickly stir fry about 3-4 minutes and season well with sea salt. 
Make sure are well combine.Transfer in a serving plate. 

To serve: In a plate, reserve a portion of brown rice, a portion of fiddlehead ferns stir fry and topping with crispy deep fried anchovies, sides with sliced cucumber--serve immediately