Fantastic Cooking Recipes

Kielbasa Alfredo Pasta Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Fri, 8 Oct 2010 05:45:00 -0700

Ingredients

1 (10 ounce) package wide egg noodles
1 teaspoon butter
1 (16 ounce) package kielbasa (Polish) sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo Sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced kielbasa, and fry until toasty at the edges. Drain excess grease, and stir in the alfredo sauce. Stir in the noodles, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Prep Time: 10 Min

Cook Time: 20 Min

Ready In:30 Min

6 serving

source : allrecipes.com

Fantastic Chocolate Cherrybombs

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:28:00 -0700

Juicy, luscious and spewing with decadent fluffy whipped cream.
Each scoop comes with just enough chocolatey goodness layered in the base.
For those who love having their cherries on top; we've got 7 individual yummy cherries exploding with flavoursome liquid centers!
There are secret crunchy bits hidden in between as well.
I then smother a dark black cherry compote all over to tie it together.

I had a 'naming' session for these with a bunch of different friends in the past couple of months and WOW... the horror! *laughs* Any ideas guys? The winner gets a box on the house and a big big hug yah!

*note: whoever pulls out a "Black forest" is gonna get "kirsch-ed" in the head :P No...no.. I'm looking for something original!

Now now...stop drooling and come on over to the Delectable store to check out these brand new cherrylicious boxes of yummyness!

COME!... COME! Come try!! :P

Making Pizza with My Family

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 12:04:00 -0700

I just recently took a little time off work to be with Jo in Sydney.

He says I don't blog enough and that I should put up recipes of my cooking like I used to. Okay okay.. he is right... haha I rarely get the chance to cook and photograph at the same time; so this was a fun project we did together! He understands how busy I am; but he keeps reminding me of important aspects of my life I sometimes easily take for granted.

I had such a fulfilling holiday! I got some work done in between; visited my favourite Sydney spots, got to see my friends; watch Jo graduate at uni; hung out with family, play in the kitchen and leisurely test out a couple recipes for Delectable... it was exactly what I needed!

Before I left; I thought it would be a good idea for Jo and I to make a mother's day lunch for his mom. She cooks for us ALL the time; and though she does let me be sous chef occasionally; I thought it would be nice if Jo and I could make her something for a change. Omma (mom) makes the most ridiculously delicious rice and homemade Korean dishes; ridiculously... I pile on the pounds each time i visit! She's just too good! Resistance is futile.

Instead of trying to guess what she'd like to eat; we asked her what she wanted us to make.

She said "Thin crust gourmet pizza"

....oh ... wow.. for 2 seconds she caught my face going blank! Hahaha and then I thought of instant dry active yeast..and *phew* my complexion gained colour again. She did a little laugh; and said it was okay if I don't know how to make pizza. Well, I knew HOW.. i've just never on my own made it again out of pastry school. *scary*

We went grocery shopping for a brand new pizza pan and gathered a little basket of ingredients.

Jo was so enthusiastic about the idea; he loves pizza! well.. i do too.. and so does Omma; so i guess it was the perfect suggestion!

I've made pizza dough in school once in the past; and I suppose it is pretty easy to wing a recipe like this. The whole process is really really simple to recreate at home.

1 sachet active dry yeast (70-80 grams/0.25 ounces)
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 cup luke warm water
1 3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp salt

1. Weigh sugar; flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Activate yeast in luke warm water as measurements. Allow to fizzle for 5 minutes or so. Make a well in the mixing bowl center; pour in the yeast + liquid mixture; stir to form a rough ball as below.

2. Knead dough ball for 2-3 minutes till dough is elastic and smooth. Flour hands a little to make it workable; do not dust too much flour on the kneading surface. Divide dough in half. One recipe makes 2 thin crust pizza's approximately 14 inches in diameter.

3. Lightly oil surface of pizza pan with olive oil and press out one dough ball to form a small disc. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.

4. Press out dough disc to reach corners and form a thin base crust. If it continues to shrink inwards; allow to rest; and press out again.

5. Toppings!! tomato base first; and then meats; veges... top with cheese and Italian herbs. Remember to thinly slice your components and never pile the pizza too thick! a little cheese goes a long way ;)

6. Bake in preheated 170 degree oven for 40 minutes; till crusts are golden; cheese is bubbly and deliciously melted; ahhh!! i love pizza! haha

We were tempted (more than a couple times) to pop an 'instant' pre sauced pizza base into our trolley at the supermarket; but thank goodness we didn't succumb! This recipe is MUCH much Yummier!

Jo measured the ingredients while I activated the yeast.

It was really nice to be cooking with Jo again. He's a chemist; a perfectionist at recipe measuring haha. As I watched and photograph him kneading the dough; I recalled how much he used to help me in the kitchen when I had just began venturing into the cake business 3 years ago in Australia. He's sweet, kind, intelligent, funny, helpful, loves cake and makes excellent pizza from scratch... i'm one lucky lucky girl!

Making Yogurt in the Microwave

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:06:00 -0700

This summer, prices for a gallon of milk has gone down tremendously - only $1.49 for a gallon. Thus making homemade yogurt less expensive.although it is already so much less than the store-bought ones. Making your own helps you control the amount of fat you consume but i find that whole milk yogurt is richer and tastes the best. Fruits and berries are of abundance and cheap too, so do add as much or varieties into your yogurt, it is a real treat. Yogurt-making in any other way is a lengthy project, but using the microwave to make yogurt can save you some time in the process

Ingredients:

Glass bowl

4 cups fresh milk
1/4 cup powdered milk (adding this gives a better texture)
2 tbsp. plain yogurt with active cultures - from the supermaket is fine or leftover from a previous homemade batch

Food thermometer

Microwave

Plastic wrap

Dish towel

Method:

Take the plain yogurt out of the fridge and leave it out on the counter - it has to be at room temp. (Yogurt will take a longer time to set if cold yogurt is used)

Pour 4 cups of fresh milk into a glass bowl that is safe to use in a microwave. Choose skim milk for a nonfat yogurt or whole milk for a richer yogurt. (i put the milk in the container that the completed yogurt will be stored in the fridge - save me washing the glass bowl)

Add 1/4 cup powdered milk and stir well.

Put the bowl of milk in the microwave and heat it on high power for 3 - 4 minutes. The temperature of the milk should reach 175 - 180 degrees F. (Time to reach 175 - 180 f depends on the wattage of your microwave) After 4 minutes or more, check the temperature with a food thermometer.(Cooking the milk is to kill unnecessary bacteria present)

Allow the milk to cool down for a few minutes. Keep the thermometer in the bowl and let it cool down until the temperature reads 100 degrees F(Higher temp will kill the culture)

Add 2 tbsp.plain yogurt with active cultures to the milk. This serves as your starter. Stir well.

Cover the bowl with milk and yogurt with plastic wrap (my container has a lid, so i just close it with the lid)and wrap a dish towel around it to provide additional insulation.(It is hot now, summer, so i do not need to wrap with a dish towel, i left it on the counter).

The yogurt will be set eventually and when set, put in the refrigerator to chill, it will set further.(If you like your yogurt sour, keep it longer on the counter before chilling in the fridge)

Enjoy with fruits, granola etc, anything your heart desires.

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received this ALL-BRAN Bran Buds from Kellogg's and i have been enjoying it with my yogurt every morning. Thank you Kellogg's.

.

Serves

Mexican Dish : Chiles rellenos - Stuffed peppers

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 9 Sep 2010 08:14:00 -0700

"Chiles rellenos" are such a traditional Mexican dish.... I remember when I started dating my husband on 2006 (For those who do not know we met online "e-harmony") I was in Mexico and he was living here, in Wisconsin.... And in one of our conversations, I remember him saying: "I wonder what you are going to cook when we marry, because I don't like Mexican food" I told him I was convinced he would LOVE Mexican food once he really tried it but he was pretty sure he had tried "all kinds of Mexican food" here in Wisconsin, he said he had gone to "very authentic restaurants" (they claimed to be authentic) and he says that he saw Mexican people in the kitchens (well, they were employees there, but it doesn't mean they were really cooking Mexican food) One of the things he told me he hated the most was "guacamole", he basically disliked avocado.... Little did he know how much he would love it one day!

So, on his first trip to Mexico, I made sure he ate not just "our real tacos" (which by the way he couldn't stop eating) but I wanted him to try some other Mexican dishes I knew would change his opinion about "Mexican" food.... So, he tried "Chiles rellenos" and it was "love at first bite" he couldn't believe how delicious that dish was, he was all aaahs and ooohs and wows while he ate.... and that is why I want to share with you such great recipe:

"Chiles rellenos" are roasted poblano peppers, stuffed with "picadillo" (a ground beef "guisado" -stew type of thing but not with too much liquid in it-) or stuffed with "queso fresco" (Mexican style fresh cheese) and then passed through an egg batter and finally fried in very very hot oil.

Here is what you need to make them: (4 people)
For the peppers:
4 poblano peppers (get 6 just in case any of the peppers gets torn if it's the first time you are handling these)
2 eggs (divided)
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp. of salt

For the stuffing:
Queso:
1 8 oz. queso fresco (you can easily get this in a "hispanic or Mexican" grocery store)

OR

Picadillo:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 potato (cubed)
1/2 white onion (chopped)
1 clove of garlic (chopped)
1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cube of chicken bouillon
1/4 cup of finely chopped cilantro (fresh)
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

This dish needs to be made with some time, because of all the steps involved and especially if it's the first time you make them, I would say take your good 2 hours (is not too much work but it takes time, trust me, it's all worth it)

First roast the peppers, One or two at a time, cook peppers directly on the grate for about seven minutes. Periodically turn with tongs or a fork to cook all sides of the skin. (don't worry if it looks black, that will go away when you peel it)

Roasting Poblanos Using the Oven or Broiler

To roast peppers in the oven, preheat the oven to 450° F. Spread the peppers in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook until the skin blisters and begins to darken, about five to ten minutes.

Put the peppers inside a plastic bag so they can "sweat" and then you can remove the skin easier (for about 8 mins.)

While the peppers are "sweating" make the stuffing, if you are using queso, then skip this step and just cut the queso fresco in 1/4" slices, your stuffing is ready.

If you are going to make "Picadillo" (which I highly recommend you go for it!! You can actually make some chiles with cheese and some others with ground beef and then choose which one is your favorite) then you need to:

1. Sautee the onion and garlic (properly season with salt and black pepper)
2. Add the ground beef (brown it, season it with a little more salt and pepper and make sure it doesn't clump, keep it moving so it is really ground) -cover the pot with a tight lid so the meat releases its juices- (medium heat)
3. Once the meat has browned, get rid of about 70% of the liquid, keep it moving so it fries a little bit and the liquid reduces and add the cubed potato, let it all cook until the potatoes are almost cooked all the way through
4. Add the 1/2 cube of chicken bouillion and the crushed tomatoes, cover, reduce the heat and let it all simmer until the potatoes are cooked all the way through.
5. Remove from the fire and add the chopped cilantro.

Once your stuffing is ready, you can go back to your peppers, peel them (remove the thin burnt layer of skin) and get the seeds and veins out (use plastic gloves because the heat of the peppers is all in the seeds and you can get your hands burnt (TRUST ME!), do this very carefully, trying to keep the flesh of the pepper intact and by opening a 1 1/2 inch slit on one side of the pepper with a sharp knife.

Stuff your peppers with about 3 slices of cheese or 3 tablespoons of picadillo (it also depends on the size of the pepper) they shouldn't be too full that the food comes out or too thin that there isn't enough stuffing inside.

Put the all purpose flour in a bowl and in a separate bowl beat the egg whites until they form peaks, still beating on high with your electric mixer slowly fold in the egg yolks, so the batter stays really frothy.

Now in a pan (deep enough for your oil but not too deep that is hard for you to handle the peppers, you can use something as deep as a wok) start heating the oil, this is one of the main secrets of chiles rellenos, the oil should be really, really hot, ALMOST bubbling, you can test it by adding a little bit of the egg batter and it should fry pretty quick and you should see it "sizzle" immediately. While the oil heats up pass your chile relleno (carefully) and ONE at a time by the flour until the pepper is lightly coated with flour, then immerse the pepper in the egg batter (trying to keep the open side of the pepper up) you can handle the pepper by its tail and tip, quickly put the pepper in the oil and turn it so it is all fried up, the fried egg will prevent the food from coming out of the pepper, once it's all fried and it looks beautifully golden all around put your chile relleno on a plate (lined with paper towel to absorb the excess of oil), Do this for each pepper and THERE YOU GO! Your very own CHILES RELLENOS!

You can serve chiles rellenos with rice and refried beans or rice and lettuce salad, corn tortillas are a MUST. I will share the recipe for a very easy rice tomorrow.

Provecho!

Paloma.

Glutinous Rice Wine

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 9 Sep 2010 07:06:00 -0700

I have to confess that i have shyed away from brewing glutinous rice wine at home for the longest ever, all because of all the superstitions pertaining to brewing wine at home. I finally buck up courage together with inspiration from my friend, Claire and tried making 2 batches, one plain and one with red rice yeast. Claire came to help and all we had to do was to blend the yeast and start assembling the rice for brewing. I had prepped the rice earlier by cooking it in the rice cooker, so that it will be cooled enough for assembling when Claire arrived. I was so excited that i forgot to take pictures of the assembling. I did not take pictures perhaps i was skeptical that the wine will be a success as i know that i will break all rules and superstitions - I did not have a mouthful of sugar when i started making, i talked alot and made it in broad daylight, i did not leave the pot under the bed with a rusty knife on top, i let the 2 pots(crockpots) sitting on the dinning table, perhaps if you make the wine in a glass bottle, it will be better to put it away from the light. According to one of the myths - one should leave the pot alone without peeking, i, of course, have been opening the lids of both the pots and checking for green stuff growing and have been tasting the wine as days go by. Despite of being so rebelious, the wine turned out so sweet and not too alcohlic. The one with the red rice yeast tasted better than the plain one and had more wine, perhaps the extra yeast present in the red rice gave the extra kick and for the extra wine, i think i had sprinkled in an extra cup of water. The whole process was worth it and now my younger friends can have Rice Wine Chicken during their confinement, just inform me and i will brew some.

Ingredients:

8 cups/2.2 lbs/1 kg long grain white glutinous rice
1 pc wine yeast (bigger kind brought from Malaysia)
1 pc wine yeast (small kind available in any asian stores here in the States)
1 cup red rice yeast (also available in the asian stores here)
2 cups filtered water for sprinkling.

Method:

Wash the glutinous rice, drain, and place in rice cooker with enough water to cover the surface(it is just like cooking regular jasmine rice). Put to cook, and when rice is cooked, remove from the rice cooker, then spread it onto foil covered baking sheets and leave to cool completely.(make sure new foil is used to cover the baking sheets) Rice must be completely cold before use.

Using a clean coffee grinder, grind the wine yeast and red rice yeast into powder.

To assemble:

Sprinkle a little wine yeast mixture on to a crockpot and then layer with rice(wet hands with the filtered water and flatten a handful and use it for layering).

Sprinkle with more rice yeast all over the rice and then sprinkle with the filtered water.

Repeat the layering - rice, rice yeast and water until all the rice is done.

Lastly pour the remainder of the filtered water.

Cover crockpot with a clean cloth and then the lid.

Leave it to ferment for 7 days, then open lid and give mixture a good stir with a clean wooden spoon.

Cover crockpot with the clean cloth and lid and leave to brew for another 14 days(the total brewing time is 21 days - if you prefer a stronger alcoholic wine leave for another 7 days).

Wine can be harvested on the 21st or 30th day.

Prepare a sieve or a colander and line it with a clean cloth. Put it over a pot to catch the wine.

Put the brewed wine mixture onto the cloth and let the wine dripped.(patience in letting the wine drip slowly will result in very clear wine).

When all the wine has dripped and the residue is quite dry, remove the residue and store it in a jar or air tight container for many more other recipes.

Bring the wine to a quick boil (my wine started to boil at 180f and of course it is cos i am one mile above sea-level)

Let the wine cool before bottling.

Wine is now to be enjoyed in any way you wish.

Serves

Bran Muffins with Dried Apricots

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 9 Sep 2010 00:55:00 -0700

(12 standard muffins)

Usually bran muffins contain raisins. I didn't have any in the house and didn't feel like going out in this heat, so I chopped up some dried apricots instead.

I ended up making two batches of these, with a few tweaks the second time. (The first batch was a bit sweeter than I like.) This was fine because I only made half the recipe each time. The final batch was moist, not too sweet and very good imo.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup wheat bran
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp lemon zest, finely minced
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup chopped dried apricots, dried fruit or raisins
1/4 cup agave nectar or honey
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the muffin tins with paper or grease and set aside.

Combine the bran, flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, ginger, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda and dried fruit in a bowl. Mix well.

In another bowl whisk together the agave nectar, molasses, applesauce, yogurt, oil and eggs. Pour this over the dry ingredients; stir until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, dividing the batter evenly between the 12 cups. The batter will come up right to the top.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

Raya is here again!

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Wed, 8 Sep 2010 18:40:00 -0700

A year has gone by so quickly! I remember over the last season how we scrambled over finishing our raya hamper baskets and organizing myself for the seasonal changes in the store.
I've done a something a little different in comparison to our sets last year; instead of purely doing hamper baskets, I tried to incorporate more full cakes as gifts in this season's raya. It was really well accepted and I'm probably going to develop more on this for festivities to come.
The Delectable outlets have been spilling with our packed corporate orders ready to be shipped and picked up... the raya craziness is almost over now.. and I've already been making plans for mooncake festival! You see many many mickey mice? haha yep; that's all Ive been looking at all week! Working annually with Disney Asia on gifts is super fun! We're allowed to add plenty colours and fun trinkets! Their unconventional styles makes it exciting for me each season throughout the year.
Anyhoo...speaking about mooncake festival; I've planned something specifically for the season too! ;) The specials will be out on shelf in the next couple of days! It's best to keep updated with our specials on (follow) twitter and via (add) facebook.

To all my Muslim friends celebrating the new year; Selamat Hari Raya!
Have a safe drive home to the family and I wish you love; good cheer and yummy raya food! RENDANG!!! I want SOME! haha
Will probably make a stop at the Bangsar ramadan bazaar tonight. MmMm raya goodies!

Pepes Tahu Telur Asin

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Wed, 8 Sep 2010 09:48:00 -0700

Bahan:

1 bh tahu cina, Haluskan
2 tangkai daun bawang, potong halus
1 bh cabai merah, potong serong tipis
2 butir telur
200 ml santan dari 1/2 butir kelapa
3/4 sdt garam
1/4 sdt gula pasir
10 butir telur asin
daun pisang untuk menbungkus

Bumbu halus :
6 butir bw.merah
2 siung bw.putih, goreng utuh
3 butir kemiri, sangrai sampai matang betul
3/4 sdt ketumbar, sangarai

Cara membuat :

1. Campur bumbu halus, daun bawang dan cabai merah. Aduk rata.
2. Masukkan telur, santan, garam dan gula. Aduk rata. Tambahkan tahu yang sudah dihaluskan.
3. Ambil daun pisang, beri adonan tahu
4. Pecahkan telur asin di atasnya, bungkus daun pisang dan sematkan dengan lidi
5. Kukus selama 30 menit sampai matang.

Sumber: http://be-chef.blogspot.com/2009/02/pepes-tahu-telur-asin.html

Chocolate Sour Cream Cheesecake

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Wed, 8 Sep 2010 07:31:00 -0700

(1 x 9" cheesecake)

This dense chocolate cheesecake is very nice with raspberries, raspberry sauce and whipped cream, and I served this one with all three.

Bringing the ingredients to room temperature first, using a paddle instead of the whisk attachment for your mixer and baking it at a low temperature seems to result in a cheesecake with an even smooth surface; at least most of the time.

I brought this cake to the office for Amanda's birthday!

Preheat the oven to 400°F

crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tbsp butter, melted

Combine the crumbs and butter and press firmly into the bottom of an 9" spring-form, and a little more than an inch up the sides. Bake for about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and turn down temperature to 220°F.

filling
1 1/2 lbs neufchatel or cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder, (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups sour cream, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature
8 oz semisweet chocolate, melted

*If you have a flat paddle for your mixer, use that because it tends to aerate the mixture less. Less air means less of a chance for a cracked surface.

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and sour cream and beat until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Scrape down the sides.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat only long enough until they are combined, being careful not to over beat. Again scrape down the sides.

Add about 1 cup of the cheese mixture slowly to the melted chocolate and stir until well combined. Return the chocolate mixture to the remaining cheese mixture and stir until the colour is uniform.

Pour this mixture into the spring-form. Bake for 1 hr and 45 min. Turn off the heat and allow the cheesecake to cool completely in the oven; about 4 hours.

topping
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (chocolate chips work well)

Heat the cream until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Spread evenly over the top of the cheesecake and allow to set.

raspberry sauce, (optional)

1 10 oz bag frozen raspberries, thawed
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar, to taste
1 -2 tbsp Framboise liqueur, optional

Place the raspberries and sugar in a saucepan and allow to come to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a sieve. Stir in the Framboise liqueur, if using. Cool.

serve with (optional)
fresh raspberries
whipped cream

Fantastic Way to Make Delicious Easy Rice

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Tue, 7 Sep 2010 08:04:00 -0700

This rice recipe I will share with you is really, really simple...

Rice is a very "Mexican thing to eat" (not only Asian people eat rice) ... If you go to a Hispanic Store you will find HUGE bags of rice, and trust me.... As a Mexican I know if we buy a bag like that, we will go through it really quick

Rice goes great with most Mexican dishes, its mild flavor goes great with the way we cook meat, peppers, etc... Besides, it is a great "filler".

This recipe makes a lot of rice (for about 6 people, so you can cut it by half to try it first)

Ingredients:

2 cups of Long Grain Rice
3 1/2 cups of chicken broth (another way of measuring the liquid for the rice, is that there should be about an inch of water above the level of the rice)
1 or clove of garlic
1/4 white onion (chopped) - or 1/2 white onion if the onion is small.
1 tomato (fresh) or 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce
1/2 cube of tomato bouillon.
1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil (it can be olive oil)
1 cup of canned mixed vegetables or canned cubed carrots -rinse well- (optional)
1 stem (with leaves) of cilantro
1 serrano pepper (optional)
Salt to taste (about 2 tsp.)

Directions:

1. Fry the rice in the oil until it is not translucent any more, it should be an opaque white. (medium heat)

2. Add the onion and garlic and turn the rice around with a spoon (wooden spoon is ideal) keep frying until the rice turns into a light golden color.
3. Add the chicken broth and tomato (fresh or canned), season with salt and add the tomato bouillon, leave it uncovered until it starts boiling.

4. Once it is boiling, add the canned vegetables and the serrano pepper.

5. Cover the pot of the rice and decrease the heat just so it simmers for about 25 minutes. (see next step though)
6. Check the rice after the first 15 minutes of simmering test it for doneness and check the water, if it seems to be too dry and the rice is still hard add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.

7. Add the cilantro and cover again, let it keep cooking for the remaining time (still low heat).

8. Remove from the fire and serve.

Provecho!

Paloma.

Avocado, Shrimp and Tomato Salad

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Tue, 7 Sep 2010 07:38:00 -0700

(2 servings)

We still have not really hit the triple digit temperatures, although it feels like it to me. It's just hot and I have no desire to leave the house unless it's absolutely necessary.

I made this delicious cool salad, and momentarily forgot about the heat.

1 medium avocado, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 1/2 - 2 cups cold cooked shrimp
1/4 cup Green Goddess Salad Dressing
*tsp of fresh lemon juice, optional

Divide the avocado, tomato and shrimp between two plates. Drizzle with the salad dressing and serve.

*If you are not serving this salad right away, sprinkle the lemon juice evenly over the avocado slices - this will keep them from changing colour.

Potato, Leek & Corn Chowder

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Tue, 7 Sep 2010 07:35:00 -0700

(6-8 servings)

My car was about two months overdue for an oil change. I finally brought it in the other day, and it only took about 45 minutes. The mechanic told me afterwards the oil hadn't really discoloured all that much which made me feel a lot better.

While I waited for the car, I flipped though quite a few magazines. I came across a couple of good looking soup recipes, one was for a garlicky potato soup and another one was for corn chowder. On my way home I picked up some corn, leeks and potatoes, having decided I'd make a soup loosely based on memory, combining both of those soups which had looked quite tasty to me.

I don't remember the last time I cooked with leeks, because cleaning them always seemed intimidating to me; I usually end up using onions or shallots instead. The potato soup had used leeks, so I decided to bite the bullet and get some. When I got home, I googled "cleaning leeks", and quite a few helpful hints popped up. Soup Addict, suggested using a salad spinner, and this ended up working quite well for me.

I'm really pleased with how this soup turned out. I had a bowl for lunch and will have it again for dinner. I'm also taking some of it to a friend who isn't feeling well. I hope she likes it. :)

1/4 lb lean bacon, diced
4-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2-3 leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped (mine was orange)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 lbs red waxy potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice (you can leave the skin on if you like)
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp Better Than Bouillon, Chicken Base
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 bay leaf
3 1/2 - 4 cups fresh corn, shucked (about 4 large ears)
2/3 cup heavy cream
freshly ground black pepper
salt, to taste, if needed

Heat the bacon in a soup pot and cook until it gets crispy. Remove some of the rendered fat if there's too much. Add the garlic and fry for a minute, then add the leeks and peppers. Cook them for a few minutes until the leeks begin to soften.

Add the potatoes, chicken broth, wine, thyme, bouillon, paprika, and bay leaf. Lower the heat, and gently simmer for about 40 minutes.

Remove about 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and puree in a blender or food processor; return to the pot.

Add the corn, stir in the cream, and adjust the seasoning with the pepper and salt. Simmer gently for about another 5-10 minutes and serve.

Spaghetti with Garlic, Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Mon, 6 Sep 2010 06:53:00 -0700

(serves 3)

I bought a jar of sun-dried tomatoes on a lark. They were packed in olive oil and looked interesting. I was planning on saving them for when the supply of fresh juicy tomatoes began to dwindle, but I couldn't help myself and opened the jar.

Those sun-dried tomatoes were delicious; sweet and slightly chewy. I just had to make some pasta!

1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti
3 tbsp olive oil, or the oil the sun-dried tomatoes were packed in
8-9 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp anchovy paste (if not using, then add salt to taste instead)
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
3 tbsp fresh basil, sliced into strips
freshly ground black pepper

freshly grated or shredded parmesan cheese

Cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and saute the garlic until it's golden brown; about 5 minutes. Add the anchovy paste if using and the sun-dried tomatoes and stir well. Then add the basil and stir to combine. Season with the pepper and/or salt if you aren't using the anchovy paste.

Drain the spaghetti and add that to the skillet and toss until it's evenly coated. Divide evenly among three plates and pass around the parmesan cheese.

Pesto

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Sun, 5 Sep 2010 23:24:00 -0700

(about 1 cup)

This seems to be that time of year when some gardeners feel a bit overwhelmed by an abundance of goodness in their gardens. My neighbour very apologetically dropped off a huge bunch of basil. He told me the plants had taken over his herb garden.

To say the least, I was thrilled to take the basil off his hands. I love the smell of it!

The following recipe can be doubled or even tripled, because pesto freezes really well. Just think, you could defrost some it and add a bit of sunshine to your hot spaghetti, long after those pesky plants took over the garden.

2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the basil, cheese, pine nuts and garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Turn on the motor and slowly pour the oil down the chute. You might have to stop it once or twice to scrape down the sides. Process until smooth.

Adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper.

Meyer Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Fri, 3 Sep 2010 22:52:00 -0700

(12 standard muffins)

When I first saw the Meyer lemons at the market I had visions of buttery pound cake in my head. I think these muffins turned out to be a good compromise. They are more "sugary" than my previous muffins, however they aren't laden with a ton of butter; I used olive oil.

Meyer lemons came from China where they were grown as ornamentals. They are thought to be a cross between a lemon and an orange or mandarin. The fruit is a bit larger than a standard lemon, with a beautiful golden hued peel. It's also less acidic and considered more flavourful than a conventional lemon.

muffin batter
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup poppyseeds
zest from the entire Meyer lemon, minced (reserve 1 tsp)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup agave nectar or honey
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup lemon yogurt
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
2 eggs

glaze
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice
1 tsp Meyer lemon zest, minced

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the muffin tins with paper or grease and set aside.

Combine the flours, flaxseed, poppyseeds, lemon zest, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Mix well.

In another bowl whisk together the agave nectar, applesauce, yogurt, oil and eggs. Pour this over the dry ingredients; stir until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, dividing the batter evenly between the 12 cups.
Bake for about 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Remove.

While the muffins are in the oven prepare the glaze. Stir together the sugar, lemon juice and zest until well combined.

Prick each hot muffin deeply a few times with a toothpick. Brush the glaze over each muffin allowing it to soak in, until it's all used up. Cool in the tins.

Wine Steeped Chicken Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Fri, 3 Sep 2010 11:28:00 -0700

I have heard and even cooked Drunken Chicken before but when i saw what my friend, Jinni brought to a Summer Potluck, i had to ask for the recipe. The dish was so delectable and the chicken rolls so delicately sliced and presented that i keep on coming back for more. Jinni had a very light hand and the rolls were not very drunk. I like the flavor very much, unlike the drunken chicken i made before, the chicken was drunk and the alcohol too overpowering. Now that i have brewed some very light and sweet tasting glutinous rice wine, i decided that i had to "rock and roll " up some chicken thighs. The result was so satisfying and i am sharing my version of the recipe. Thank you, Jinni. I will be cooking alot more recipes using the home-brewed wine and the residues. Please do come back and thanks for visiting. Will be posting step by step on how to roll the chicken thighs.

Ingredients:

6 boneless chicken thighs with skin

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 - 1 cup home-brewed glutinous rice wine (or use Wine that you will drink - I have tried with Japanese Plum Gekkeikan and it was very good)

Garnishes:

Sliced Cucumber, Carrot and Daikon

Spring Onions Shreds

Method:

Lay 2 pieces of boneless chicken thighs with skin down on a large piece of plastic wrap. Try and arrange the chicken skin neatly spread and meat as level as possible.

Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

Roll the meat up by holding the 2 ends of the plastic wrap, twist and roll it tightly like you would roll a sausage. Fold the two twisted ends in to secure.

Repeat with the other chicken thighs - 2 thighs to a roll.

Wrap the rolls up with aluminium foil and steam the rolls for 30 - 40 minutes until cooked through. Let it cool.

Mix the chicken stock and wine together in a large container and let the cooled chicken rolls(removed the foil and plastic wrap and discard) steep in this solution for a day or overnight.

Slice chicken rolls into 1/4 inch slices and serve cold or at room-temperature.

The stock and wine solution can be cooked down and reduced to a stock and drizzle over chicken rolls or use for dipping.

Serves

Hot Balinese Black Rice Puding

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 02:29:00 -0700

It’s hard to find a foreign visitor to Bali who does not fall in love with the wonderful nutty flavor and melt-in-your mouth smooth texture of Black Rice Pudding, served with swirls of delicious coconut cream on top.

Ingredients:

1 cup (200 g) uncooked black glutinous rice (see not)

¾ cup (150 g) uncooked white glutinous rice

6 cups (1 ½ liters) water

2 pandanus leaves, tied into a knot, or 1 drop pandanus extract

¼ cup (50 g) shaved palm sugar or dark brown sugar

Pinch of salt

½ cup (125 ml) coconut cream

Cooking Direction:

Rinse both types of glutinous rice in several changes of water until water runs clear, and soak overnight.
In saucepan, bring the glutinous rice, water and pandanus leaves or extrac to a boil over medium heat and simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice is soft and cooked, with porridge-like consistency. Discard the pandanus leaves, if using. Add the palm sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes before removing the heat.
Combine the coconut cream and salt in a bowl and mix well
To serve, spoon the pudding into individual serving bowls and top with the salted coconut cream.

Note: Black glutinous rice is a variety of glutinous rice found mainly in Indonesia. Normal glutinous rice may be substituded, although the texture is not quite the same.

source: Authentic Recipes from Indonesian, Heinz von Holzen and Lother Arsana

Delicious Cheesy Vegetable Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 02:26:00 -0700

Ingredients:

2 cups boiled whole wheat pasta (penne or fusilli)

3/4 - 1 cup mixed vegetables (sliced or cubed and par boiled)

1 onion, finely chopped

2 crushed garlic flakes

2 tbsps grated cheese (mozzarella or amul cheese cube)

1 tbsp butter

3/4 tbsp maida/all purpose flour

1 onion, finely chopped

1/4 tsp mixed dried herbs or oregano or parsley

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 cup low fat milk

salt to taste

1) Cook penne or fusilli in salted rapidly boiling water, add a tbsp of oil and cook until al dente, drain completely. Sprinkle a tbsp of olive oil and keep aside.
2) Heat butter in a vessel, add chopped onions and garlic saute till transparent.
3) Add the maida and saute for 2-3 mts. Add the par boiled vegetables and combine. Slowly add the milk and go on combining till it forms a creamy consistency. Add a tbsp of grated cheese, salt, mixed herbs and pepper to taste and combine. Add the cooked pasta and combine.
4) Remove onto a baking dish, sprinkle cheese and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C for 10-12 mts. Serve hot.

Jakarta Food : Gado-Gado

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 02:23:00 -0700

Ingredients:

1 cup (50 g) bean sprouts, seed coats and tails discarded

2 cup (180 g) spinach, rinsed, though stems discarded

1 carrot, sliced

1 cup (100 g) green beans, cut into short lengths

¼ head cabbage, leaves separated and slice

1 cup (100 g) greens beans, cut into short length

¼ head cabbage, leaves separeated and sliced

2 cakes (about 7 oz/200g each) deep-fried tofu, sliced

2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges

2 tablespoons Crispy Fried Shallots , to garnish

Krupuk Shrimp Crackers to serve (optional)

Gado-gado dressing:

1 cup (150 g) roasted unsalted peanuts

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 to 3 bird’s-eye chilies or red finger length chilies, deseeded

1 in (2 ½ cm) freh kencur root, peeled and sliced

1 kaffir lime leaf

3 tablespoons sweet Indonesian soy sauce (Kecap Manis)

½ teaspoon salt

2 cup (500 ml) water

1 teaspoon freshly squeeszed lime or lemon juice

Cooking Direction:

Prepare the Crispy Fried Shallots by following the recipe on categories pages: pickles sambal and dipping sauce
To make the gado-gado dressing, coarsely grind the peanuts, garlic, chilies and kencur in a mortar or blender , adding a little water if necessary to keep the mixture turning. Place the ground mixture in a saucepan with all the other dressing ingredients, except the lime or lemon juice, and simmer uncovered over very low heat for about 1 hour. Stirring frequently to prevent the sauce from sticking to thr pot and burning. Remove from the heat and set aside. Add the lime or lemon juice, mix well and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the Crispy Fried Shallots over the sauce just before serving.

Source : indonesianfoodrecipe.com

Mince Meat Fettuccine (Pasta)

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 02:19:00 -0700

Used up left over kheema curry to prepare pasta for Nehal’s dinner. Made for a quick and flavorful meal.

Ingredients:

4 cups boiled fettuccine

1 tbsp olive oil

3-4 garlic flakes, crushed

1 onion, finely sliced

1 large tomato, blanched, skinned, chopped

1 tbsp italian seasoning or oregano/thyme/rosemary herbs

1 1/2 cups mince meat curry

salt to taste

1) Cook fettuccine in salted rapidly boiling water and a tbsp of oil until it turns soft yet firm. Remove from heat and strain. Add cold water and strain again. Leave the fettuccine in the strainer for 10 mts. Sprinkle a tbsp of olive oil and keep aside.
2) Drizzle olive oil in a vessel, add the crushed garlic and sliced onions and saute for 4 mts. Add the chopped tomato pieces and saute for 2 mts. Add the cooked mince meat curry and combine and cook for 2 mts. Add the dried italian seasoning and combine.
3) Add the strained fettuccine and toss the contents to combine. Turn off heat and remove onto serving bowl.

To prepare Minced meat (Kheema) curry:
Heat one and half tbsps oil in a pressure cooker. Add 1 large chopped onion and saute till transparent. Add a tsp of ginger garlic paste and saute further for another 3 mts. Add 1/4 kg washed minced meat and cook for 7-8 mts on high heat, stir once in while. Add 1 tsp red chilli pwd, 1 tsp coriander pwd, 1/4 tsp cumin pwd, 1/4 tsp garam masala pwd and salt to taste. Combine well. Add a cup of water and pressure cook till the kheema is completely cooked and soft. This could take about 15-18 mts. Add a tsp of kasuri methi and combine. Turn off heat. If the curry is watery, cook till the water evaporates.

Source : sailusfood.com

Spinach Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 02:14:00 -0700

Simple to prepare. Par boil 1 1/2 cups of chopped spinach for 3 mts. Strain the water completely and keep aside. Heat a tbsp of butter in a pan, add a tbsp of all purpose flour/maida and saute for 3 mts. Add a cup of milk and go on stirring till there are no lumps, approx 5 mts. Add 2 tbsps of grated cheese (I used Amul cheese cube) and pinch of salt and black pepper pwd to season. Combine. Add the boiled spinach and combine and turn off heat.
Apply butter on two slices of bread (on one side) and spread this spinach filling all over on one slice, place the other bread slice and toast till golden. Serve warm.

You can add grated carrot and boiled sweet corn too at the time of adding the spinach to the sauce.

Source : sailusfood.com

Fish Food : Pindang Bandeng

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 02:11:00 -0700

Ingredients:

3 sliced Shallots
3 slices Garlic cloves
2 tsp. (10g) Tamarind (soaked in 1/4 cup hot water)
2 cups (500g) Water
1 bruised Lemon grass
2 tbsp. (30g) Oil
salt (as needed)
1/4 cup (62ml) Sweet soy sauce
1 Salam leaf
3 Holland red peppers (cut into 1/4" rings)
10 birdseye chilis
1/2 inch Galangal
3 lbs. Milk fish (or 2 whole)

Instructions:
1. Cut each fish into 2 crosswise.
2. Rub each piece with salt and some tamarind juice and let them marinate for 15 minutes.
3. Heat in a wide saucepot, add oil. Saute shallots and garlic until shallots are softened.
4. Add birdseye chilis, Holland red peppers, lemon grass, salam leaf, and galangal.
5. Stir for a minute then add water, sweet soy sauce, tamarind juice, and milk fish pieces.
6. Simmer until fish pieces are cooked and tender.
7. Serve hot with rice.

Source : asiarecipestips.blogspot.com

Fragrant Fried Fish Cakes

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 02:09:00 -0700

These Javanese fish cakes are flavored with coconut, spices and shallots, and can be prepared several hours in advance and kept refrigerated before the final deep-frying.

Ingredients:
1 cup (100 g) freshly grated coconut or 1 cup (80 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 lb (500 g) white fish fillets, skinned and cut into chunks
2 eggs
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (250 ml) thick coconut milk oil, for deep-frying
1 portion Pickled Shallots (see our sambal recipe categories) to serve
½ portion Sambal Soto (see our sambal recipe categories) to serve

Spice Paste
2 candlenuts, roughly chopped
½ in (1 cm) fresh galangal, peeled and sliced
½ in (1 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
3 shallots, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled

Cooking Directions

Prepare the Pickled Shallots and Sambal Soto by following the recipes on sambal recipes categories
Dry-fry the grated coconut in a skillet over low heat, stirring constanly until golden brown, about 10 10 minutes for fresh coconut to burn. Set aside to cool in a small bowl.
Make the Spice Paste by grinding all the ingredients in a mortar or blender, adding a little oil if necessary to keep the mixture turning. Add the fish chunks and grind until fine.
Place the ground mixture in a large bowl. Add the eggs, sugar and salt, and mix well . shape the mixture into small balls, then flatten with your palm and shape them into patties.
Heat the oil in a wok and deep-fry the patties until cooked and golden brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels , serve hot with serving bowls of the Pickled Shallots and Sambal Soto on the side.

Source : indonesianfoodrecipe.com

Kids Food : Zebra Cake

noreply@blogger.com (leha mulyadi) — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 02:04:00 -0700

This recipe is long overdue. For Christmas I had prepared a Zebra cake following Farida’s step by step zebra cake pictorial. An impressive cake that turned out delicious. Since I used a small cake pan, only half of the batter could be accommodated, hence I made two small cakes with the below recipe.

other pattern

Ingredients: 4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup oil (corn, vegetable or canola)
2 cups maida/all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 tsps baking powder
2 tbsps dark cocoa powder

1) Combine eggs and sugar in a bowl till light and creamy. Add milk, oil and vanilla essence and beat till smooth.
2) In a separate bowl, combine maida and baking pwd. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until the batter is smooth and the dry ingredients are completely incorporated. Do not overbeat.
3) Divide the batter into two. Add the cocoa pwd to one portion and combine well.
4) Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease the baking pan. The most important part is assembling the cake batter in a baking pan. Pour 3 heaped tablespoons of plain batter into the middle of the baking pan. Then pour 3 tablespoons of cocoa batter in the center on top of the plain batter. Continue alternating with plain and cocoa batter without pausing for the batter to spread.
5) Bake for 40 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake it should come out clean when ready. Remove from the oven. Run a small thin knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Leave aside for 15 mts and invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Turn the cake back over and cool further.

Source : sailusfood.com