Kecap Manis

The word kecap (sometimes spelled ketjap) has the same Chinese origins as our beloved ketchup, although the actual products are entirely different. Javanese kecap manis is a specially flavored and sweetened soy sauce. Since I couldn’t find kecap manis in even the most exotic markets, I’ve provided a recipe but have run up against two other exotic ingredients, salam leaves (a kind of tropical bay leaf—Eugenia polyantha) and palm sugar. If you’re still deter