Question: How to make Ketjap Manis by myself!!!!

December 20, 2010
Hi i wonder how i can make this because it seems like that i cannot buy this in China,or is there some substitute for this product????

Answers

Vera's picture

It's really hard to find cause I can't find it in other country in south east asia also. Ingredients to make it are:
1kg white or black soy bean
3kg tempe yeast (tempe=unrefined soy bean curd)
3 pieces of bay leafs
2 pieces of lemon grass
2 pieces of orange leafs
4 cm of galingale/laos
1 tea spoon of pokak (i don't know pokak in english)
6kg of palm sugar
1 litre of water to boil the palm sugar
800 gram of salt for 4 litre of water

How to make:

Wash and put the soy bean in 3 litre of water in one night. Boil until the soy bean skin soft and cool it down.
Add tempe yeast to the soy bean which already cold and stir them and put it in room temperature (25-35 C) for 3-5 days.
After the soy bean coffered with white fungus, add the salt liquid. Put in a container and let it for 3-4 weeks in room temperature. (the maximum proses for the salting is 2 months.
Pour clean water and boil it until it boiling and then filter it.
Add palm sugar and spices which already grind except for the lemon grass, bay leaf and orange leaf.
Boil and stir it until is boiling.
Cool it down and filter again and you have your own kecap.

Jessika (Chefs at Home)'s picture

Hi, here is the recipe for a smaller quantity:

Makes about 2 cups

•Brown sugar -- 1 cup
•Soy sauce -- 1 cup
•Water -- 1/2 cup
•Galangal, sliced in discs -- 1-2 slices
•Star anise -- 1 piece

How to make:
1.Put the sugar in a small saucepan and place it over a medium-high flame. Stir until the sugar begins to clump together and then melt. Continue stirring until the sugar is completely melted, but do not allow it to burn. Remove from heat--the sugar will continue to cook for a while--and allow it to cool slightly.
2.Stir in rest of the ingredients. CAUTION! The sugar is still hot, and the liquid may splatter.
3.Return the saucepan to medium heat, bring it to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar and reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency.
4.Strain, cool and store refrigerated.

Variations
•Use palm sugar instead of brown sugar if you can find it.
•Add 1-2 teaspoons of molasses for a richer flavor.