Kitchenesia.com - From rendang to kambing guling (roasted goat), red meat has been an integral part of feasting in Indonesia cultures. In this country, red meat is a celebratory food.
While consuming red meat is a thousand-year-old tradition in Indonesia, there seems to be a lag in serving lamb meat in daily diet.
Sport Nutritionist Emilia Achmadi addressed the case in an event called “Lambassador”, organized by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Indonesia, Wednesday (12/15) at Warung Turki, Jakarta.
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She revealed that people tend to eat less lamb meat for it has already a ‘bad rep’.
“The age-old assumption of ‘red meat is a killer’ needs to stop. Red meat is rich in nutrients that are often overlooked because of that false assumption.”
The nutritionist also emphasized the importance of putting lamb meat in daily diet due to its richness in zinc and iron.
Lamb Meat: Chef Sezai Zorlu’s Key to Stay Energized
“Poor consumption of iron-source, such as lamb meat, could result in anemia. The same nutrients are also vital for cholesterol management and bone health.”
Turkish chef-cum-restaurateur Sezai Zorlu admitted to include the red meat consumption in his daily diet. As a busy man, red meat is his secret to stay on top of the game.
"But the benefits of red meat are canceled if you process it wrong. For example, using deep frying. That’s a big no-no,” said the founder of Warung Turki and Turkuaz restaurants.
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In a live cooking demo, Chef Sezai Zorlu demonstrated how to cook Adana Çorbası. It is a lamb meatballs soup with chickpeas and home-dried mint leaf, one of the signature foods in Warung Turki.
As an Ottoman-specialty chef, only few left in the world, Chef Sezai Zorlu desires to make his guest eat like an Ottoman sultan. Thus, he always pursues the best quality ingredients for his food.
Australian Lamb Is Halal-certified by Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI)
Australia produces some of the best lamb meat in the world. They are free-range, grass-fed, and raised on abundant pastureland. The environment provides clean water, fresh air, and lush green grass.
These factors contribute in making the Australian lamb more mild tasting and naturally lean and tender.
Besides its excellence, Chef Sezai Zorlu also chooses Australian Lamb because it is halal-certified by Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI).
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“Religion plays pivotal role in Indonesia and Turkey’s food cultures. Not only my food ingredients are high quality, they should be halal-certified, as well. Therefore, I choose Australian lamb for they meet my standard,” said the Jakarta-based Turkish chef.
For recipes and more information about Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Indonesia, go to @trueaussieid on Instagram, Youtube True Aussie Indonesia Official, and www.trueaussiebeefandlamb.id, and www.lambassador.asia.
