Indonesian Layer Bake

6 oz. medium bulghar wheat
1 pt. water
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 t. fine sea salt
2 T. peanut or sesame oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 large carrot, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
1 T. finely chopped fresh ginger
2 zucchini, cut on a slant into bite-sized pieces
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
2 sticks celery, cut into matchsticks
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
6 baby sweetcorn, whole or halved lengthwise
2 oz. fine beans, top and tailed, and halved if too long
2 oz. mung bean sprouts
1 T. soy sauce

Sauce:
Peanut oil, sesame oil, or butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 t. chili powder (use more or less, to taste)
2 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
8 oz. peanut butter (use an unadulterated chunky variety)
1 T. tomato puree
1 T. honey or sugar
1 T. soy sauce

Topping:
1 oz. whole roasted peanuts
1 oz. whole roasted sunflower seeds
Lemon slices for garnish

Put the wheat in a large, heat-resistant dish and cover it with boiling water. Add the lemon juice and stir well. Season. Allow it to stand for at least 15 minutes, then drain.

To prepare the vegetables, heat the oil in a large, deep pan. Add the onion and carrot. When the onion starts to soften, stir in the garlic and ginger.

Add the succhini, pepper, celery, mushrooms, corn, and beans, and stir-fry. Add the bean sprouts last and only just heat them through before the soy sauce is added. Remove from heat. All the vegetables should be cooked but crunchy. Adjust the seasoning.

Oil a large baking dish with a little peanut or sesame oil. Spoon in the cooked wheat and top with the vegetables.

To make the sauce, heat a little oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the chili powder and garlic. Continue to cook for 1 minute.

Spoon in the peanut butter, the tomato puree, and the honey or sugar. The mix will now be incredibly dry.

Add water, stirring in a little at first, rather like making a bechamel sauce. Gradually add more and more, until you have achieved a thick but fluid consistency. Remove from heat. Season with soy sauce.  

To finish, pour the sauce over the vegetables in the baking dish, making sure they are well covered. Scatter peanuts and sunflower seeds over the top and then bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bubbling. Serve garnished with lemon slices.

Serves 4-6.

Adapted from Entertaining with Friends, p. 26.