Salero Kito Padang

Jackfruit – everyone’s getting all up in the soft pulpy interior of those spiky Southeast Asian footballs right now and for good reason. In texture, it’s similar to an artichoke heart with a flavour something like that of a custard apple. But cook it up with coconut and a spice mix of turmeric, star anise and galangal and you have yourself a fresh and fragrant curry of kings. Jackfruit curry is just one of the many excellent things you can get ladled over fluffy rice at Salero Kito – an easily overlooked Indonesian tuckshop in Tivoli Arcade. A mere $11 gets you three curries. Go for beef rendang properly cooked down till the coconut milk, coriander seed, lemongrass and turmeric sauce is nothing but a delicious furry jacket. You have to really like your offal to enjoy the lamb’s brains, which retain much of their tenderness, and slightly fishy flavour. Treat the sambal with caution. The red chilli sauce is hot – and not just white people hot. We use it to turn a deep-fried egg into a protein spice bomb. It’s the lunch of kings for the coins from under your couch.