Toba Tabo

29/05/2026

www.tobatabogroup.com

In Bangka Island, off Sumatra (one of 17,000 islands in Indonesia and bigger than the UK), seafood was central in our cuisine. I cooked this for the first time when I was 7 years old with my Mum. She asked me to grind the ingredients to make the paste. Many years later the recipe is fresh in my mind.

It is Friday so langoustine should be available for anyone who wants to try this recipe!

Bangkanese Pindang with Langoustine or King Prawns — serves 3–4

Ingredients
- 500 g langoustine or king prawns, heads on if possible (cleaned)
- 1.2–1.5 L water or fish/prawn stock (use reserved prawn heads/shells if available)
- 1 teaspoon of Laksa paste
- 2–3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
- 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised and cut into 4
- 2–3 cm galangal, thinly sliced
- 2–3 cm fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp turmeric powder)
- 2–3 bird’s eye chilies, slit
- 2 medium tomatoes, quartered (included in the spice paste — see step 2)
170g green bean - steamed
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste (or 1–2 tbsp tamarind juice/soaked pulp, strained)
- 1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar), or to taste
- 1½ tsp salt (adjust)
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi/belacan), toasted and pounded (optional)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil

Spice paste (blend or pound)
- 5 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
-2-3 cm turmeric
- 3 candlenuts (or macadamia/almond substitute)
- 3–4 red chilies (deseeded if you want milder)
- 1 tsp toasted coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 2 medium tomatoes, quartered (use here)

Finishing garnish (no fresh coriander)
- 4–6 Thai basil or kemangi (lemon basil) leaves, torn — or
- 1–2 spring onion thinly sliced — or
- 1–2 tbsp fried shallot crisps
- Fresh lime wedges (optional)

Method
1. Prepare prawns: Rinse and pat dry. Reserve heads/shells for stock if using.
2. Make spice paste: Pound or blitz shallots, garlic, candlenuts, turmeric, red chilies, toasted coriander, laksa paste, white pepper and the quartered tomatoes to a smooth (or slightly coarse) paste. The tomatoes add body and mild acidity to the paste.
3. Sauté paste: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pot over medium heat; fry the spice-tomato paste & laksa paste until fragrant, slightly darker and oil separates (about 4–6 minutes). Add toasted shrimp paste now if using and fry briefly.
4. Build broth: Add water or prawn/fish stock, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, bring to a gentle boil, then simmer 8–10 minutes to infuse flavors.
5. Season: Stir in tamarind paste, palm sugar and salt; taste and adjust so the broth is balanced sour–salty–sweet.
6. Add chilies, prawns and steamed green bean; Add bird’s eye chilies, then gently add langoustine/prawns; simmer 3–4 minutes until prawns turn pink and are just cooked through. Then add steamed green bean and stir gently with the prawns. Avoid overcooking.
7. Finish: Remove from heat. Tear in a couple extra kaffir lime leaves or squeeze ½–1 lime for brightness if desired. Adjust seasoning.
8. Serve: Serve it hot with steamed rice. Garnish with torn Thai basil/kemangi or sliced scallions and fried shallot crisps; offer lime wedges at the table.

Timings
- Prep: 15–20 minutes
- Cook: 20–25 minutes

Quick tips
- If you prefer a clearer broth, briefly simmer the fried paste then strain before adding prawns.
- Use prawn shells to make stock (simmer 10–15 minutes) for deeper flavor.

28/05/2026

www.tobatabogroup.com

Lovely stock in:

Wooden pestle and mortar for all your pastes:

Bamboo ramen spoon

Long cooking chopsticks

Bamboo steamers for steamed dumplings, BAO buns and siumay as well as veggies!

27/05/2026

This dish is widely popular across Indonesia and goes well with steamed Jasmine rice and veggies. Most Indonesians would eat meat or fish on some days and a dish like this on others!

Tofu and Tempeh in Chilli Relish recipe (Sambal Tomat Tahu Tempeh)

Ingredients (serves 3–4)
- 200g firm tofu — cut into 2 cm cubes
-200g tempeh - cut into 2 cm cubes
- 6 ripe tomatoes — quartered
- 5 bird’s eye chiles (adjust) — thinly sliced
- 2 red chilies — thinly sliced
- 4 shallots — thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves — thinly sliced
- 1 stalk lemongrass — white part finely sliced (or bruised and thinly sliced)
- 3 kaffir lime leaves — stem removed, thinly sliced (or torn)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for sambal) + oil for frying tofu & tempeh
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi), optional — toasted and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Singlong palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1–2 tbsp tamarind juice (or 1 tsp tamarind paste diluted)
- 1 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1–2 tbsp lime juice

Method
1. Prepare tofu: Pat tofu dry. Shallow-fry in oil until golden on all sides (6–8 min). Drain and set aside.
Fry tempeh until golden and set aside
2. Prep aromatics: Slice shallots, garlic, chiles, lemongrass; quarter tomatoes; thinly slice or tear kaffir lime leaves.
3. Sauté aromatics: Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium. Fry sliced shallots and garlic until softened and fragrant (2–3 min).
4. Add sliced chillies and toasted shrimp paste; stir 1–2 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, lemongrass and kaffir leaves cook 6–8 minutes until tomatoes soften and release juices but still retain some texture.
6. Season: Stir in palm sugar, tamarind juice, and salt; simmer 1–2 minutes and adjust seasoning.
7. Combine with tofu & tempeh: Gently toss fried tofu & tempeh into the sambal to coat, cooking 1–2 minutes so flavors meld.
8. Finish: Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
9. Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature with steamed rice.

Notes
- If using whole lemongrass stalk, bruise before slicing to release aroma.
- Remove seeds from chillies for milder heat.
- For a saucier sambal lightly mash some tomato pieces while cooking.

23/05/2026

Our oldest daughter is with us for a long weekend! She managed to get time off from work. Eating together is our special time where I cook a special menu to enjoy while sharing our stories. My dear customer Laila gave me some of her kale which I mixed in with my recipe. Thank you, Laila! 🌷

Here’s a concise, complete recipe that adapts pindang patin (a sour-spiced fish stew from Sumatra) to use pork instead of catfish. Serves 4.

Pork Pindang - Pindang Babi

Ingredients

700–800 g pork shoulder or belly, cut into 2–3 cm cubes
1.5 L water (or enough to cover)
2 tablespoons Laksa Paste
2–3 kaffir lime leaves (or zest of 1 lime if unavailable)
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and tied (white part only)
2–3 cm fresh turmeric, sliced (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
2–3 cm fresh ginger, sliced
1 small palm sugar or 1 tbsp brown sugar (adjust to taste)
1–1.5 tsp salt (to taste)
1–2 tbsp tamarind paste (or adjust to preferred sourness)
4–6 bird’s eye chilies (whole or sliced) or 1 red chili, sliced (adjust spicy level)
1 medium tomato, quartered
150 g Kale, cut into 3–4 cm pieces (optional)
2–3 tbsp cooking oil

Spice paste (blend or pound)

6 shallots
4 cloves garlic
Turmeric
Ginger
4 red chilies (or 2 red chilies + 4 bird’s eye chilies for heat)
1 tbsp toasted shrimp paste (terasi/ belacan) — optional but traditional; omit or replace with 1 tsp fish sauce if you prefer pork-only flavors
2 cm fresh turmeric (or 1/2 tsp powder)
1/2 tsp ground coriander (optional)

Instructions

Make spice paste: blend shallots, garlic, chilies, turmeric, ginger, shrimp paste (if using), and coriander with a splash of water into a coarse paste.

Sauté paste: add oil and sauté the laksa paste and the spice paste over medium heat until fragrant and the oil separates, ~4–6 minutes.

Build the broth: add the pork to the pot, add water, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves (or zest). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim foam as needed.

Simmer: cover and simmer for 40–50 minutes or until pork is tender (time depends on cut).

Season and sour: add tamarind paste, palm/brown sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust: more tamarind for sourness, sugar for balance, salt for seasoning.

Add vegetables: add tomatoes, kale, and chilies. Simmer 5–8 minutes until kales are tender.

Finish: remove lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves (if whole). Adjust seasoning. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Notes and substitutions

Pork cut: shoulder gives good tenderness; belly adds richer mouthfeel. Trim fat to taste.
Tamarind: start with 1 tbsp, increase gradually—pork needs slightly more acidity than fish to balance. Lime juice can be used at the end (2 tbsp) if you prefer a brighter sour note.
Shrimp paste adds umami; skip for fully pork-forward flavor or if allergic. A dash of fish sauce (1 tsp) or soy sauce (1 tsp) can add depth.
Spice level: increase bird’s eye chilies if you want it very spicy; remove seeds for milder heat.
Make-ahead: flavors deepen after a few hours or overnight; gently reheat before serving.
Enjoy your pork pindang-style stew.

20/05/2026

Dear all,

We are closed on 21st of May, Thursday! See you on Friday!

Cheers,
Toba Tabo

20/05/2026

The British fishermen who feed 50 million Koreans but have never tried the food:

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19/05/2026

www.tobatabogroup.com

Now in stock!

Napa cabbage for a delicious stir fry or make your own kimchi!

Fresh beansprouts!

Sempio Ssamjang!

Mae Ploy Massaman Curry Paste for Southern Thai Malay taste!

Chinese black beans!

Pocari Sweat in bottles!

Ultra One Piece Ice Tea!

Shizuoka Original Green Tea Cola

16/05/2026

www.tobatabogroup.com

The weekend is here!

Many of the 280 million people in Indonesia live near the sea on one of its 17,000 islands.

In Bangka Island, where I grew up, we ate seafood on a daily basis.

I hope Scots can start to do the same with our amazing seafood instead of sending it all to France and Spain 🙂

Very simple Indonesian recipe for Clyde Firth Langoustines

- Fill a pot with enough water to cover the langoustines.
- Add salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add a few slices of fresh ginger, 1–2 stalks of lemongrass (smash and slice the white part), and 3–4 crushed garlic cloves.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Add the langoustines to the boiling water.
- Boil for a few minutes until shells turn bright orange and flesh is opaque.
- Remove immediately and serve.

Optional: squeeze lime.

Have a great weekend! 🌷

15/05/2026

Sambal Tomato Tofu recipe

Ingredients (serves 3–4)
- 400 g firm tofu — cut into 2 cm cubes
- 6 ripe tomatoes — quartered
- 5 bird’s eye chiles (adjust) — thinly sliced
- 2 red chilies — thinly sliced
- 4 shallots — thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves — thinly sliced
- 1 stalk lemongrass — white part finely sliced (or bruised and thinly sliced)
- 3 kaffir lime leaves — stem removed, thinly sliced (or torn)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for sambal) + oil for frying tofu
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi), optional — toasted and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1–2 tbsp tamarind juice (or 1 tsp tamarind paste diluted)
- 1 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1–2 tbsp lime juice

Method
1. Prepare tofu: Pat tofu dry. Shallow-fry in oil until golden on all sides (6–8 min). Drain and set aside.
2. Prep aromatics: Slice shallots, garlic, chiles, lemongrass; quarter tomatoes; thinly slice or tear kaffir lime leaves.
3. Sauté aromatics: Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium. Fry sliced shallots and garlic until softened and fragrant (2–3 min).
4. Add sliced chiles and toasted shrimp paste; stir 1–2 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, lemongrass and kaffir leaves cook 6–8 minutes until tomatoes soften and release juices but still retain some texture.
6. Season: Stir in palm sugar, tamarind juice, and salt; simmer 1–2 minutes and adjust seasoning.
7. Combine with tofu: Gently toss fried tofu into the sambal to coat, cooking 1–2 minutes so flavors meld.
8. Finish: Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
9. Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature with steamed rice.

Notes
- If using whole lemongrass stalk, bruise before slicing to release aroma.
- Remove seeds from chilies for milder heat.
- For a saucier sambal lightly mash some tomato pieces while cooking.

13/05/2026

www.tobatabogroup.com

This morning, before opening the shop, I went to the allotment, tidied up, sowed some new seeds and harvested some of last year's leeks. Over the nine years I have lived on Bute, I have come to really love and appreciate the various veggies that can cope with Scottish weather and with the messy seasons we have nowadays. Leeks are so tough! They are also delicious sauted with a little chopped bacon and served with steaming aromatic jasmine rice and with an Indonesian omelette!

13/05/2026

www.tobatabogroup.com

Our customers really are the best. This is what our lovely loyal customer Charlie made and gave to us! Thank you Charlie!