Me, My Food and I

(Sea Salt and Rosemary) Focaccia

2013-05-17T15:36:00.004+01:00

After few months of absence at Random Recipe challenge, I am so glad to be participating again. The theme this month is all about bread.... And lucky me, the only cookbook I brought with me is River Cottage Baking: Breads and Puddings. I have truly enjoyed baking home-made breads and with practise, I've gained more confidence and now I can't stop baking breads at home.

The recipe I selected at random is Focaccia. I love this Italian bread, especially simple ones like this, topped with the classic olive oil, sea salt and rosemary. I think focaccia is best enjoyed warm, few minutes after it's out from the oven... lovely by itself or you can make a dipping with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar... delicious!

This is a pretty easy recipe and if you want to, you can make the dough using a food mixer; but I like playing with my food and I find kneading to be a great workout :)

As you can probably tell from the picture below, I didn't use fresh rosemary because I have no idea where to find it here. So, I used dried rosemary instead and it worked just fine... And one quick note on the recipe below: it states that you need 325 ml of water, but I ended up using 375 ml to get the nice smooth and elastic dough. But obviously only add extra water if yours needs it.

Focaccia

Recipe from River Cottage Baking: Breads and Puddings

Makes 1

500 gr strong white bread flour

5 gr powdered dried yeast

10 gr fine salt

325 ml warm water

About 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra

To finish

A generous drizzle of olive oil

A sprinkle of flaky sea salt

A couple of rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped and finely chopped

Equipment

Lightly oiled, shallow baking tray, 26 x 36 cm

To knead by hand, in a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, salt, water and oil, and mix to form a sticky dough. Then, transfer to a clean work surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and silky.

Or, if you want to, you can make the dough using a food mixer that's been fitted with a dough hook. Add the flour, yeast, salt and water to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until combined, then add the oil and leave to knead until smooth and silky.

Shape the dough into a round and coat it with a little extra oil. Leave to rise in a bowl, covered with clean tea towel or plastic wrap. Leave for 45 minutes to an hour.

When the dough has doubled in size, tip it onto the work surface and press into a rough rectangle. Then place in the prepared baking tray. Press the dough with your fingers, right to the corners. Cover the tray with tea towel or plastic wrap, and leave to rise again for half an hour or so. In the meantime, pre heat the over to 250 C.

When the bread looks puffed up an airy, use your fingertips to poke deep holes across the whole surface, almost to the bottom. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seas salt and the finely chopped rosemary. Bake for about 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 200 C and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Take the bread out of the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack for few minutes before serving.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Steamed Cupcakes

2013-04-19T16:02:00.001+01:00

I got so excited when I found mom's recipe collections... It's like finding a treasure chest full of gold (I wonder if mom has that too... because that would be awesome!). There are clippings from magazines and newspapers, hand-written recipes and recipes typed with typewriter. Seriously, gold stuff.

One of the recipes that caught my attention straight-away is sweet potato and coconut steamed cupcakes... It may sound unusual to steam cupcakes, but they're so delicious, I've got to share it with all of you.

Unlike regular cupcake batter, this one has yeast in it and the batter needs to prove like making breads. But the yeast here it really is the only raising agent. The cupcakes will bloom up and crack as they cook in the steamer. I prefer the cupcakes when they're still warm... soft with a nice chewy texture.

Just a note, because of the coconut content, if you happen to have some leftovers, they need to be stored in the fridge and re-steam before serving.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Steamed Cupcakes
Recipe by Mom
Makes about 35 mini cupcakes

200 gr sweet potato
500 gr plain flour
325 ml water
125 gr palm sugar, or substitute with dark brown sugar
125 gr caster sugar
2 eggs
300 ml coconut milk
11 gr dried yeast

Start by steaming the sweet potatoes until they're cooked. Peel the skin and finely grate them.

In a sauce pan, add 250 ml of water with the sugars and cook on medium heat, just until the sugars dissolved. Take it off the heat and let it cool.

In the mean time, in a small bowl, add 125 ml of water with the dried yeast and 4 tablespoons of the flour. Give them a mix and leave for 10 minutes. The mixture will be foamy which is a good sign, meaning the yeast is alive and working.

Using a hand/free-standing mixer, whisk the eggs for few minutes until it doubles in volume and form ribbons when dripped from the whisk. Add the yeast mixture, cooled sugar, remaining flour, baking soda, sweet potato, coconut milk and whisk again until all is nicely combined. Cover the batter with cling film or clean tea towel for 45 minutes to an hour. Now is a good time to line your little cups with mini cupcake/muffin paper cases, and also to prepare your steamer.

When the batter has doubled in size, it is now time to fill the little cups. The easiest way to do this is by using a spoon. Try to handle the batter delicately as we want to keep as much air as possible. It's about a couple of heaped tablespoons for each little cup, but that really depends on the size of cups you're using. Steam the cupcakes for 12 - 15 minutes. To test if the steam cupcakes are ready, insert a skewer into the cake and see if it comes out clean without wet batter.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store the leftovers in the fridge and they can be re-steamed before serving.

Zebra Cake 2.0

2013-04-14T04:12:00.000+01:00

To be honest, there's nothing wrong with the previous zebra cake recipe. It is a delicious dense cake. But that's also the problem. With denser cake like this, I find that I can only eat one slice at one seating and that's just not ideal for someone greedy like me.

I don't know about you, but I find greed to be a great source of inspiration and motivation. So after playing about with the recipe and experimenting... a total of five cakes; Mom and I, we came up with the recipe which will give you a moister and lighter cake. Using my mom's own recipe for zebra cake, I updated the flavour a little bit. I was a bit skeptical when I first read the recipe, but who am I to question my mother, who was a pastry chef.

The base for the cake batter is basically a meringue, with ovalette added to the egg whites. Ovalette is a gel type stabiliser which gives extra volume and stiffness to the egg whites. But if you can't find it, cream of tartar can be substituted. To the meringue, the rest of the ingredients are then added.

To create the distinctive zebra stripes pattern inside the cake, I've given up using piping bags. Patience is virtue I just don't possess. I use soup ladles which is much quicker and it works just fine!

And one last note, the cake isn't too sweet which I like, but do add more sugar if you want it sweeter.

Zebra Cake 2.0

Recipe by Mom

250 ml egg whites, approximately from 5-6 large eggs
1 tsp ovalette
180 gr caster sugar
125 gr plain flour
100 ml water
125 ml vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon instant espresso

Grease, line, grease again and flour a 23 cm round cake tin. Preheat the oven to 180 C.

In a free standing mixer, whisk the egg whites and the ovalette until they are holding soft peaks. Keep whisking and gradually add the sugar a little at a time.

When you have a firm meringue, put the mixer on low and slowly add the flour and water. When everything is incorporated, stop the mixer and fold in the vegetable oil using a spatula or a big spoon.

Divide the batter into two. To one batter, add the vanilla extract; and to another, fold in the cocoa powder and instant espresso. Using two ladles of the same size, one for each batter, ladle one batter in the middle of the cake tin. Then ladle the other batter right in the middle of the first batter, and keep alternating the batter, creating a loosely speaking target pattern.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes. When the cake is done, let it cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning it out. Make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy the cake. I stop eating after three slices, just so you know.

Slow Roast Shoulder of Lamb and more...

2013-03-29T15:19:00.002Z

These are some dishes I cooked a while ago, but for some reason never got around to post them. And with Easter approaching in a couple of days time, and you still don't know what you'll be cooking, here are some delicious ideas.

When I think of a roast for Easter Sunday, I immediately think of lamb. I adore lamb and my favourite cut is the shoulder. The reason being is it's cheaper than the leg... Yes, shoulder of lamb is a tougher cut, but slow-roasting it makes it so, so tender...

I marinated the shoulder of lamb in a mixture of all-things-that-are-delicious-with-lamb, such as lemon, garlic, chillies, rosemary, anchovies and olive oil. A proof that too much of a good things can be wonderful indeed. Simply whiz all the ingredients in a blender until smooth and massage it to the lamb. Let all the flavours marry overnight in the fridge.

The next day, the lamb would have absorbed all those wonderful flavours. Take the lamb out of the fridge about an hour before cooking to come to room temperature. Chop one red onion into wedges and throw them in the roasting tin, along with few cloves of garlic, unpeeled. Season with generous amounts of sea salt and freshly grated black pepper. Then it can go into a hot oven for half an hour or so to get the colour going. Then take it out and cover it with tin foil, and put it back in the over, lowering the oven temperature. Three hours later, you will get this absolutely delicious, tender roast lamb... I am salivating just thinking about this dish... When the lamb is out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes, covering with foil to keep warm while you prepare all the trimmings.

Not that it needs it to be honest, but I quite like the idea of having a refreshing dip/sauce to go with the roast lamb. I love tzatziki and it goes beautifully with lamb. In a bowl, simply mix Greek yoghurt, diced cucumber, minced garlic, lots of finely chopped fresh mint leaves and fresh coriander/cilantro and lemon juice, a little salt and pepper, and that's it. You can definitely make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. I actually like my tzatziki fridge cold and with the hot lamb... heaven!

Now salad, again very easy... It's Greek inspired cherry tomatoes, olives and feta salad with red onions and parsley, which I simply dressed with red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and dried oregano.

And last but not least, dessert. I don't have a sweet tooth (that is one big huge fat lie...), but most of my friends always insist on something sweet at the end of the meal, and I am very happy to accommodate their needs. My vanilla and lemon curd tart is super easy to make, especially if you use good-quality store bought shortcrust pastry. Make this ahead of time, in the morning or even the day before and just keep it in the fridge until when you and your friends are ready...

And I have a video too when I make the roast lamb, tzatziki and the salad. So I hope you enjoy it :) And the recipe for the vanilla and lemon curd tart can be found below.

Happy Easter weekend everyone! x

Vanilla and Lemon Curd Tart

Serves 4 - 6 (I managed to cut it into ten slices)

375 gr ready-made shortcrust pastry

Zest and juice of 4 lemons

200 gr caster sugar

100 gr unsalted butter, cut into little cubes

4 eggs, lightly beaten

The seeds from 1 vanilla pod, or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

If you are using ready-made shortcrust pastry, bake it in a 26 - 28 cm tart tin according to the packet's instruction. Though if you're feeling adventurous and want to make your own pastry, find the recipe and instruction, here.

To make the vanilla and lemon curd, put the lemon zest, juice, sugar and butter into a heatproof glass bowl. Sit the bowl over a pan of simmering water and do make sure that the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl. Stir the mixture until the butter has melted.

Add the eggs and the vanilla seeds to the buttery lemon mixture and whisk to combine. Then cook for ten minutes or so. At first the mixture will look wet, but I promise it will thicken.

Pour the vanilla and lemon curd to the pastry case. Let the curd cool a bit before putting it in the fridge to set for 4 - 6 hours or overnight. And you know what to do next...

Tuna in Spicy Kaffir Lime Leaves Sambal

2013-03-23T10:27:00.000Z

One of the things that I have been doing whilst home is testing and stealing mom's recipes. This is another one of her recipe that I absolutely love and I think you will too.

I love tuna fish and when it's cooked in this spicy, but at the same time, refreshing sambal, it is out of this world. The tuna is first fried in some vegetable oil and then shredded. Just use regular tuna here please; don't waste your money and getting the grade A tuna or often called sushi/sashimi grade tuna which are best enjoyed rare.

Now, the all important spicy kaffir lime sambal. Start with basic sambal mixture of red chillies, garlic, shallots and tomatoes; and to that add some galangal. Put all of them in a blender to create a smooth paste. If you haven't come across galangal before, it looks almost like ginger (they could be cousin) and it has a mild, peppery flavour.

Cook this paste in some vegetable oil in a pan big enough to hold the shredded tuna later. To that add a couple of stalks of lemongrass which need to be bruised a bit to release its flavour; and the magic ingredient, lots of kaffir lime leaves which I like to snip into little pieces so that they disperse in the sambal. The combination of the aromatic citrus of the kaffir lime leaves with the sambal is just beautiful. You may need to add a bit of water if the sambal looks like it's drying out. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and sugar. For this particular sambal, I like it quite zingy, and this is my own addition, lime juice.

When the sambal is cooked, throw in the shredded tuna and toss it around so that it's all coated with the sambal. Serve over hot white rice. Yum...

Chicken Liver and Potato Sambal

2013-03-05T12:41:00.000Z

Sambal is a staple at all Indonesian tables. This chilli based sauce is the condiment of choice for almost any dishes. And with so many varieties of sambal in Indonesia, I don't think there is one, single authentic traditional recipe for a sambal. Depending on the dish you make, or different regions in Indonesia, and even in different households will have their own way of making sambal.

One of my favourite dishes using sambal is chicken liver and potato sambal. Often if I can get it, I would add chicken gizzards too. Yum. I know it's not for everyone, but I happen to I love offals...

In Indonesia, potatoes are eaten as a side dish/vegetables rather than a main source of carbohydrates. So eating this potato sambal with white rice is perfectly common. And I do love a double-carbohydrate moment.

There's no such recipe here, because whenever I make this, I don't measure the ingredients. But this is how I make my sambal. In a blender, I put in some peeled shallots, garlic, red chillies and tomatoes and blend until smooth.

Heat some vegetable oil in a pan and fry the chilli mixture. I then add ground cumin and ground coriander for extra spice. And for balance and also because I don't want my sambal too spicy, I add palm sugar or light brown sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. I often add some chopped tomatoes as well for texture. Cook for a few minutes and stir until the colour turns darker.

For the potatoes, I simply peel and cut them into little cubes, fry and set aside. Fry the chicken livers as well (and gizzards, if using). When you have all the components ready, mix all of them together so that the sambal coats everything nicely. Serve with rice.

Espresso and Baileys Ice Cream

2013-02-19T07:21:00.001Z

When I saw Nigella makes her espresso ice-cream in Nigellissima, I knew that I have to make it. Problem is I can find neither instant espresso powder nor espresso liqueur where I am in Medan. I've been to all the major supermarkets and I found no luck. Luckily, a great friend of mine, Merlyn was visiting Indonesia for Chinese New Year and I asked her to get me a jar of instant espresso powder.

The parcel arrived on the weekend and wasting no time, I immediately got on to making the ice-cream. This is a very easy ice-cream to make. I mean like embarrassingly easy. There's no need to make a custard, because the base for the ice cream is made of sweetened condensed milk. You just need to whip all the ingredients to a soft peak and freeze it. And churning is not at all required. Easy.

Instead of espresso liqueur, I used Baileys which I love and it adds to the creaminess. Other coffee liqueurs like Tia Maria or Kahlua or even dark rum would be delicious too I'm sure. And not that it needs it, but I sprinkled my ice-cream with some crushed coffee biscuits as seen on the picture below.

I am also submitting this ice-cream for this month's Bloggers Scream For Ice Cream (BSFIC) challenge, hosted by Kavey Eats. To celebrate the challenge's first birthday, you can pick any theme from the past year. This espresso and baileys ice-cream falls into two themes, condensed milk and booze...

Espresso and Baileys Ice Cream
Recipe inspired by Nigella's One-Step No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream
Nigella's recipe can be found here.

1 can (385 gr) sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons instant espresso powder
500 ml double cream
50 ml Baileys

If using a free standing mixer, this is just so easy. Put all the ingredients into the mixer bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Put in an airtight container and freeze. You can make this ice-cream early in the morning and it'll be ready in the evening; or make it later in the evening, freezing it overnight and have it for breakfast :)

Banana Rolls

2013-01-31T06:37:00.001Z

It is quite funny that I was once terrified at baking breads and now I can't seem to stop. After several attempts and professional guidance during my work training, I have built my confidence and discovered the joy of baking breads at home.

This is another one of mom's old recipe and is a great way of using ripe bananas. These rolls look like a sweet version of sausage rolls. And what I haven't mentioned in the title is, they are actually banana and cheese rolls. The ripe banana is very sweet and the saltiness from the mild cheddar makes the two so good together. I love it. But if adding a bit of cheddar to banana is too weird for you, add some chocolate chips instead :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

P.S. I am looking for baking ideas with polenta/corn meal. Anyone?

Banana Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

500 grams strong white flour

100 grams caster sugar

2 egg yolks

7 grams fast-actioned dried yeast

75 grams soft butter, unsalted, plus more

200 ml whole milk

12 ripe small bananas or 6 medium ones, cut in half

1 egg, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yolks, dried yeast and butter. Add the milk a little at a time and using a wooden spoon or a clean hand, mix until you have a lump of dough. Tip the dough to a clean work surface and knead it until you have a smooth and elastic dough. This might take about ten to fifteen minutes. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook and 'knead' for five to seven minutes. Do check it often to prevent over-working, which can result in hard, doughy bread. If the dough looks dry, add a bit more milk.

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a buttered bowl and cover with a tea towel or cling film. Let the dough prove for an hour. The dough should double in size after this time.

Once the dough has doubled in size, take it out of the bowl to your work surface and knock out the air, by punching it. I love this bit. And knead it again for several times. Divide the dough into twelve roughly equal portions and shape them into little balls. Cover them with tea towel or cling film and let them rest for thirty minutes.

Now take one dough and with a lightly floured rolling pin, flatten them into an oval shape. I find this easier if I start from the centre of the dough to the top and then the bottom. Try to keep the dough at an even thickness and try to roll the dough as little as possible to keep it tender. A tip I learned from mom.

When you have your oval shaped dough, place a banana (or half a banana) at the top and with a knife, make several straight slits from the middle of the dough to the bottom, but not all the way through the edges. Roll the dough so that the banana is wrapped around it and place on a buttered baking tray, seam side down. Continue with the rest of the dough. Cover the rolls again with tea towel and let the prove for the last time for another thirty minutes. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 180 C.

Brush the rolls with an egg wash and bake them for fifteen to twenty minutes. Take them out of the oven and whilst they're still warm, brush with softened butter all over the surface to give them shine and lovely flavour, of course :) Let them cool a little bit which gives you plenty of time to put the kettle on for a cup of tea or coffee, and enjoy.

Chinese Red Bean Steamed Buns

2013-01-06T07:14:00.001Z

When I was working with international students, one of the questions I get asked a lot is, "Do you speak Chinese?" And the answer to that question is "No". And very often, people don't even bother asking the question, and just start a conversation with me in Chinese. I listen to them until they're finished, well, to be polite, then I told them that I don't speak Chinese and they gave me this look of shock and disbelief. Some think I lie to them, and continue the conversation anyway, insisting that I reply to them in their native tongue.

My Mandarin is very limited, I can tell you. OK, that's a lie. It's pretty much non-existent. I can say 'ni hao' (hi/how are you), xiexie (thank you) and apart from naming some Chinese dishes in restaurants, that's about it. Oh, I also know how to say "I don't speak Chinese" in Mandarin which I thought was a good idea, but that's just caused even more confusion.

Growing up in a Chinese family, I suppose it is one of my parents' biggest disappointments that none of their children speaks the language of my ancestors. But that's not entirely my fault. I went to English speaking school when I was young, and at home we only spoke in Indonesian. Years later when I was a teenager, my dad mentioned that China is a growing major power and that speaking Chinese would be an asset. I opted learning French instead.

But this year, I am hoping to learn more Mandarin. This is not a new year's resolution and I certainly make no promises that I will master this language anytime soon. But, I'll definitely give it a good go and if I can have a small conversation with my extended family, when I get to visit China one day, that would be wonderful.

Now, on to these steamed buns or known as 'bao' or 'pao' which thankfully requires no ability to speak Chinese whatsoever. I love them and I am so happy that I can make them myself now. Just like baking bread, it is very rewarding. The dough is easy to make, and once you know how to make the bun, the possibilities for the filling are endless. This time I went for a sweet one by using red bean paste. Before I go any further, I will confess that I bought ready-made red bean paste from a bao place. You may be able to find it in your local Asian grocer as well or online. Rumour has it that making red-bean paste is a long, time consuming process and you know me, I've got very little patience....

Whilst at the Asian grocer, also look for bao/pao flour. Plain/All-purpose flour can be substituted but you will end up with a yellowish buns.

And don't worry if you don't have the special bamboo steamer you see in bao shops. I don't have one either. I used a wok filled with water and using a tall wire rack which I cover with strong foil and poke a bunch of holes on the foil using a skewer. That's my base. My wok comes with a lid which is handy, but if yours doesn't, use any large pot lid that will fit on your wok.

Meat eaters, obviously you can fill these buns with char siew (Chinese BBQ pork) or sausage meat cooked with some finely chopped carrots, shallots, garlic, fresh coriander leaves and seasoned with soy sauce, white pepper and few drops of sesame oil... well, just a thought... :)

Chinese Red Bean Steamed Buns
Makes about 20 buns

500 gr bao flour, plus more if required
80 gr caster sugar
7 gr fast acting dry yeast
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
200-250 ml water
500 gr red bean paste

Sift the flour and combine with sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add the water, start with 200 ml and mix to a rough dough. Mix in the vegetable oil. If necessary, add the extra water or if it's too sticky, add a bit more flour. Turn the dough out to a clean work surface and knead it until it is as smooth as you can make it. This might take about ten minutes or so. Shape the dough into a round and put it in an oiled bowl. Cover with cling film or a damp tea towel and allow to proof for an hour or until doubled in size.

In the meantime, cut baking parchment into twenty squares measuring roughly 7 cm x 7 cm for placing the buns on while steaming. Also, divide and roll the red bean paste into twenty little balls.

When the dough has doubled in size, give it a punch down to remove some of the air. Words can't describe how much I love doing this... Anyway, knead it a little and cut the dough in two. Roll one dough into a log. For no special reason, but this makes it so much easier to divide. With a pastry scraper, cut each log in to ten and roll into little buns.

Take one little bun and flatten it with the palm of your hand or a rolling pin. Take the red bean paste and put it in the centre of the flatten dough. To make a round bun, seal the dough by gathering all the edges and give it a gentle twist to seal. Roll it on a work surface to make the bun really smooth. Place on the prepared baking parchment, seal-side down.

If you plan to make a pattern, it is a bit tricky but not at all difficult. Just a lot of pinching action. But make sure you pinch the bun tightly. Otherwise, they'll open up during the steaming.

Let the filled buns, rise again for 15-20 minutes which give you time to prepare the steamer of your choice. Steam the buns in batches, making sure they're not too close to each other. Let them steam for 10 minutes. Just like an oven, the heat of your steamer might be different to mine. So, do a test run using one bun. And a tip from mom, do not peek at all during the steaming process. If you do, there's a risk that the buns will shrink and become wrinkly...

They're best served warm. Any leftover buns can be stored in an airtight container and re-steamed later. I hope you give this a try.

Chelsea Buns

2012-12-29T14:44:00.000Z

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have recovered from all the excessive eating and drinking. Yes, Christmas is done, but at my home, season's eatings continues... with these lovely Chelsea buns. I did some history research before baking these buns and found out that the buns go way back to the early 18th century; gaining its name from a bakery, the Bun House, in Chelsea area in London. So, it's not associated with the football club as some friends suspected.

I used a mixture of raisins and golden raisins for the filling here. But, had I some currants and dried cranberries, I would have thrown them to the mixture as well. Some lemon or orange zest would definitely add to the flavour as well.

Serve them warm with soft butter, or if you're like me, some vanilla and lemon curd... heavenly.

Chelsea Buns
Recipe from The Great British Bake Off
For the list of ingredients and instructions, click here.

I am quite glad that 2012 is soon coming to an end. This year has not exactly gone to plan, and it sucks! But someday I know I will appreciate all that happened. In the meantime, I will be patient, continue learning and seize every opportunity along the way...

I also want to take this moment to thank all of you wonderful readers and friends from all parts of the world, for reading, commenting, blogging, tweeting and sharing your stories with me. I wish you a very happy new year! Have a great one my friends...

Cheese, Corn and Kaffir Lime Leaves Crisps

2012-12-18T15:30:00.001Z

With time on my hands right now, I have been spending my time experimenting in the kitchen... discovering, testing and stealing recipes from mom's recipe scrap book... it's like opening a treasure box and finding so many charming, old-fashioned recipes. Many of which I remember eating as a kid. I can feel some of the cakes will make a comeback very soon... so watch this space :)

One of the recipes I discovered is for a home-made crisps that are flavoured with cheese and corn. It is very good and it's only right that I share it with all of you. The original recipe uses curly-leaf parsley (you can probably guess that this is in the '80s territory). I did try it with parsley first time round, but it just didn't do it for me. It does give a nice colour, but contribute very little in terms of flavour.

After some discussion, mom and I then opted for kaffir lime leaves... and I think we made a great decision here. It is intensely fragrant with a distinctive citrus scent. You will need to go to your local Asian store to get them, but it is definitely worth it.

Making the dough for the crisps is exactly the same as making a pasta dough. Mom has a pasta machine which makes it very easy. But making it in the traditional way isn't difficult. Therapeutic in fact... well, for me anyway. Or you can also make the dough in a food processor. Once the dough is made, you can shape the crisps any way you want. This time, they look like rigatoni pasta.

You may notice the beef bouillon in the recipe which you can replace with the vegetable kind to make these crisps vegetarian friendly. I wouldn't leave it out completely though, as you wouldn't get the savoury saltiness, which makes the crisps so addictive. These crisps didn't last very long in our house, that I can tell you :)

Cheese, Corn and Kaffir Lime Leaves Crisps

500 gr tapioca flour/starch
100 gr finely grated mild cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons beef bouillon, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
150 gr fresh corn kernels
1 egg + 1 yolk
2 tablespoons kaffir lime leaves, finely cut

Start by making a purée by blending the corn kernels, egg, yolk and salt in a blender.

Now, if you have a pasta machine, combine all the ingredients and simple mix until it becomes a dough. If you are using a food processor, again, combine all the ingredients and pulse until everything is combined. Then take it out from the processor to your work surface. At first, the mixture may seem wet, but as you work it with your hand, it will come together as one nice lump.

If you are making this the traditional way, combine the flour, cheese, crushed bouillon and kaffir lime leaves in a bowl or a work surface. Make a well in the centre and add the eggy corn purée. Using the tips of your fingers, mix the eggy mixture with the flour, incorporating a little at a time, until all is combined. Knead the dough until it is smooth.

Roll the dough as you would make fresh lasagne sheets and cut it in any shapes you want.... strips, triangles, stars, etc...

Heat some vegetable oil in a pan and fry the crisps for a few minutes until they are golden. Take them out and place on some kitchen towels to absorb the excess oil. Wait until they are completely cool before storing in an airtight container. They will keep for a few days, but I doubt they'll last that long...

Cognac and Raisins Ice-Cream

2012-12-11T12:23:00.000Z

This is supposed to be my favourite time of year... If I were back in the UK, I would be cooking hearty stews and casseroles, baking seasonal goods, inviting friends over for some mulled wine and home-made sweet mince pies, you know, the rest of the festivities. Not that I cannot make stews or mulled wine here, but being in a tropical country where I am at the moment, it's just not the same... well, there's tropical thunderstorm every now and then, but that's not enough for me to crave a bowl of stew.

People say nobody comes to England for the weather, but that's exactly one of the reasons I love England.... its gloomy weather. Forget the sun, the white sandy beaches, coconut trees, etc... damn it, I want grey, cloudy, damp, snowy day! Yes, I am feeling homesick. I know It's a weird thing to say when I am at 'home', referring to the place where I was born... Saying that, I haven't actually live here for over ten years and even though I am physically here, my heart is a few thousand miles away. I look forward to coming back home, hopefully soon.

Anyway, enough with my rant... now to this delectable cognac and raisins ice-cream. I think this is my way of comforting myself with all those familiar flavours, but very much enjoyable in this hot climate. But to be honest, I would still eat ice-cream even in the coldest winter's day. Perhaps, I could also call this "sweet mince pie ice-cream" because that's exactly what it tastes like. Utterly delicious.

Making home-made ice cream is easy, especially if you have an ice-cream maker. But like me, if you don't have an ice-cream machine, do not worry. Just follow my simple instructions below.

Cognac and Raisins Ice-Cream

50 g raisins

50 g golden raisins

100 ml cognac

4 yolks

80 g caster sugar

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoon corn flour

seeds from 1 vanilla pod

450 ml milk

the zest of 1 orange

300 ml double cream

toasted flaked almonds, for sprinkling (optional)

Start the night before by macerating the raisins and cognac in a bowl. The next day, strain the plump and drunk raisins and set aside the leftover cognac for the custard.

To make the custard, bring the milk to a simmering point on a low heat. In another bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, vanilla seeds, ground cinnamon and corn flour until well blended. Slowly pour the hot milk on to the yolk mixture, whisking all the time.

Return this mixture to the pan and over a low heat, gently stir with a wooden spoon until thickened. This might take ten minutes. You know the custard is thick enough when you can draw a line on the back of the wooden spoon. Take the custard off the heat and let it cool. Add the reserved cognac and stir. Cover the top of the custard to prevent skin forming.

When the custard is cold, start whipping the double cream and orange zest until it's firm but still soft. Fold in the cold custard. Now, if you have an ice-cream maker, simply put this mixture in it and churn away... Otherwise, put the custard mixture in a container and then to the freezer. Every hour or so, take the ice-cream out and whisk. This is necessary so that you won't get ice crystals and to ensure the ice cream is smooth. Do this two or three times and then let the ice-cream freeze completely.

Scoop the ice-cream into a bowl and sprinkle with some toasted flaked almonds if you wish, or some crushed amaretti biscuits will be nice too.

This ice-cream is also my first entry for the Bloggers Scream For Ice Cream by Kavey Eats. The theme this month is boozy ice-cream (two of my favourite things combined into one)... so if you're making boozy ice-cream this holiday season, do take part in the challenge...

Lemon and Vanilla Buttermilk Cake

2012-12-06T12:37:00.000Z

I've been experimenting with lemony cakes and after several tests, I feel I must share with you the recipe for this lemon and vanilla buttermilk cake, because it is utterly delicious. I love the combination of lemon and vanilla. They are among my favourite flavours of all time. I always add vanilla seeds when making lemon curds. They simply compliment each other.

This is a very easy cake to make. And of course, if you don't have buttermilk, natural plain yoghurt will do the job just fine. Or you can always make buttermilk substitution by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to a cup (250 ml) of milk. Just give it a stir and let it stand for ten minutes or so until it thickens. Easy, right?

In essence, this cake is actually a lemon drizzle cake. Not only you get the lemon flavour in the cake from the zest, but also as the cake is out from the oven, it is then drenched with a lemon syrup... making this cake incredibly moist.

I must apologise that if you are going to comment on this post, I have put the annoying word verification back on again as today. I received so many random anonymous comments and they're just beyond ridiculous now. Just this morning, I got over seventy spam comments. If anyone have any tips or suggestions on how to stop this, please let me know. Thank you in advance.

Lemon and Vanilla Buttermilk Cake

3 eggs, free-range or organic
200 gr caster sugar
150 gr buttermilk
250 gr cake flour (or use 175 gr plain flour + 75 gr corn flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon of vanilla paste (or the seeds of a vanilla pod)
150 ml vegetable oil
Icing sugar, for dusting

For the lemon syrup
the juice of 2 lemons
50 gr caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 180 C. I use a 23 cm bundt tin for aesthetic purpose, but there's no need to. You can use a regular 23 cm round tin. Grease and flour or line the tin of your choice.

In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, lemon zest and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. With a spatula, slowly fold in the vegetable oil until all is incorporated to the batter.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean when poked to the centre of the cake.

Make the syrup by cooking the lemon juice and sugar in a small pan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and until it thickens.

When the cake is out from the oven, using a wooden skewer, make lots of little holes all around the cake. Drizzle the syrup all over the cake. It's best to do this when the cake is still warm as the cake will absorb the syrup better. Let the cake cool in the tin. When ready to serve, take it out from the tin, to the serving platter, and dust with icing sugar.

First Roast Turkey of the Season

2012-11-19T04:02:00.001Z

I am always honoured when people ask me to cook for their parties... and when such cooking opportunity presents itself, like the saying, I grab on to it and don't let go...

I was asked to roast a turkey for a birthday party and I think the timing couldn't be more appropriate as the Season's Eatings is upon us and for my American friends, Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner...

I did not grow up eating turkey in Indonesia. Indonesian turkeys are often prized as "show birds", not for eating. I had my first turkey when I lived in the States where I also celebrated my first Thanksgiving over ten years ago now... and it's such a great tradition (what is not to like about a day full of eating?), I carry on celebrating it every year. I get some questions about roasting turkey from Indonesian friends, so I hope this post would help.

Here's the truth: brining works! and I confess I used to think brining is just a waste of time. But, I gave it a go a couple of years ago and I am a convert. Brining does make a difference. It ensures the turkey is juicy and so tender... and the great thing is, the prep takes no time and effort. Last Christmas I used a more elaborate brine with herbs and spices and all things Chrismassy a la Nigella. But, the brine I most often use is just a simple salt water solution. The ratio is 60 grams of salt for every litre of water. And you don't need an instruction on pouring salt to a bucketful of water...

Brine the turkey overnight in the fridge. The next day, remove the turkey from the liquid and pat dry with kitchen towel. The turkey is seated inside a roasting tin, on a platform of celery sticks and carrots which will add to juices for the gravy later. I smeared the turkey all over with softened butter, over and under the skin; and I put lemon halves, garlic cloves and fresh thyme inside the cavity.

Preheat the oven to highest heat and roast the turkey for 15-20 minutes to get the colour going... then I turned it down to 180 C and cook for a further 30 minutes per kilo.

I don't own a meat thermometer, but it's pretty easy to tell if the turkey is fully cooked. I use the jiggling the leg method, which means if the legs (drumsticks) jiggle easily, well, it's cooked. Also the juices should run clear when pierced with a fork or knife at the base of the legs and thighs.

Let the turkey rest under a blanket of foil to let all the juices go back to the centre, even though it is very tempting to eat it straight away... Now, the carving of the bird.... I dread this task every time because I am a terrible carver, I admit. So, you shouldn't really be getting carving advice from me. You need Martha Stewart.

Anyway, back to the turkey I cooked for the party as pictured above... it was a huge success and all the compliments are music to my ears. Come on, you know you love the compliments too :)

American readers and friends, how will you cook your turkey this Thanksgiving day? and do you brine your turkey?

Have a great day!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Zebra Cake

2012-11-12T02:02:00.000Z

Update: Since this recipe, I have been experimenting to create a much lighter zebra cake and equally delicious. And I think I have figured out the recipe. Please check it out here, Zebra Cake 2.0

Ah, don't you just love the name? I do. I am easily amused as you can tell :) This zebra cake with its distinctive stripy pattern is nothing new actually. I remember my mom baking plenty of this cake when I was a kid. And now, I am very pleased that I can bake it myself and share this cake with her.

I used to think that there's go to be an intricate technique to create the stripy pattern inside the cake. But I can tell you, if you haven't made this cake before, it's actually pretty simple. All that's required is a little patience, which I don't have. So, If I managed, so can you....

This easy recipe is from the gorgeous Lorraine Pascale.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Zebra Cake
Recipe by Lorraine Pascale

250 ml vegetable oil
250 gr caster sugar
100 ml semi-skimmed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 medium eggs
175 gr self-raising flour

For the vanilla mix
175 gr self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

For the chocolate mix
25 gr cocoa powder
125 gr self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
zest of half an orange

Line a 23 cm cake tin and preheat the oven to 180 C. In a big bowl, add the first six ingredients and mix well to combine. Then, split this batter into two.

In the first bowl, make the vanilla batter by combining more self-raising flour and baking powder. Mix it all together.

To the other bowl, add the cocoa powder, self-raising powder, baking powder and orange zest to create the chocolate mix.

Now put each batter in piping bags, snip off the end and start building the cake. To begin, put a dollop of the vanilla batter in the centre of the cake tin. And then inside the vanilla batter, put the chocolate batter. Followed by the vanilla and the chocolate and so on... creating a target pattern. Though saying that, mine is a bit wonky as pictured below, but does it bother me? nah...

Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes. Let it cool slightly, cut into slices and enjoy...

Gâteau à la Crème Fraîche

2012-10-30T06:54:00.000Z

A few days ago I experimented with a couple of brioche recipes. The first one was supposed to be a straightforward recipe for a brioche loaf... I made the dough the night before and I let it prove in the fridge overnight. The following day, I shaped the loaf, I let it had its second rise... then, here's my big mistake... I went to the gym, thinking I'll make it home on time to bake the loaf... but no... traffic was just mental and when I got home, it was without a doubt: over-proved. (I imagine myself as a contestant in the Great British Bake Off and Paul Hollywood looking at me in disgust for my over-proved brioche) I baked it anyway and it came out flat as expected....

Thankfully I didn't make the same mistake for the second brioche experiment... Gâteau à la Crème Fraîche. This is one of the recipes that I've been wanting to try for ages and I'm glad that I've done it. The recipe is from the Oxfordshire based French chef, Raymond Blanc from his book Kitchen Secrets. When I first saw the recipe and the stunning picture in the book, I thought this will be a complicated one.... and it's not. But do tell people you slave for hours making this exquisite tart and enjoy all the compliments :)

I made the brioche dough using an electric mixer attached with a dough hook which makes life so much easier. But if you want to do it by hand, I think you can do, but just to warn you, the dough is wet and sticky.

Gâteau à la Crème Fraîche

Recipe by Raymond Blanc

For brioche dough

250 gr strong white bread flour

3 pinches sea slat

30 gr caster sugar

12 gr fresh yeast (I used 6 gr dried yeast)

4 medium eggs, lightly beaten

150 gr unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes

For the crème fraîche filling
4 yolks
45 gr caster sugar
the zest of 1/2 lemon
the juice of 1/4 lemon
150 gr crème fraîche or sour cream

To finish
2 yolks, lightly beaten (recipe states 2, but 1 yolk is actually plenty)
caster sugar for sprinkling

In a bowl of an electric mixer attached with a dough hook, place the dry ingredients, keeping the salt and yeast apart, as salt will kill the yeast when they're put together. Let them mix on a low speed and slowly add the lightly beaten eggs until fully incorporated. Then add the speed and mix until the dough is coming away from the side of the bowl. Now you can add the cubes of butter and keep mixing until all of the butter has disappeared.

Gave the dough a little scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover with cling film or tea towel, and let it rise for an hour. Then, put it in the fridge also for an hour. The dough will be much easier to handle when it's cold as the butter solidifies a bit. Make the filling by simply mixing all the ingredients in a small jug, and set it aside.

Now time to shape the dough in the tin. You can use a tart tin to make the edges look pretty but I left mine few thousand miles away, so I just use a regular round cake tin, about 30 cm in diameter. Place the dough in the centre and using a lightly floured hands, flatten the dough, pushing in from the centre until it covers the bottom of the tin. Cover again with cling film or kitchen towel and let it prove for 25-30 minutes at room temperature. In the meantime, pre-heat your oven to 200 C.

Using a lightly floured hands, push the dough and make a well in the centre. Pour the filling and brush the rim with the yolk(s). Bake in the middle shelf for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the sugar all over and bake for another 15 minutes until the edges turned golden brown and the filling is almost set. Remove from the tin and let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm with a nice cup of tea...

What I've been up to...

2012-10-23T03:55:00.000+01:00

Greetings dear blog readers!

I am so sorry for the long blog hiatus and I do hope you are doing well. I have missed you all and I cannot wait to catch up with my blog reading list. There are loads!! I had some peeks and there are so many delicious posts. I may need to get another round of sea salt caramel mocha frappuccino (my current favourite drink) to stop me from drooling all over my laptop later.

But before I start reading (and drooling), I want to share with you what I've been up to the past few weeks and my experience working as a culinary trainee at the pastry kitchen at the JW Marriott hotel Medan.

To just suddenly work in a kitchen surrounded by professional chefs, it was quite daunting to say the least. I was nervous. I have no formal culinary qualification. I taught myself to cook and bake by reading countless cookery books, watching many hours of cookery shows and experimenting at the leisure of my own kitchen. I just couldn't help but feel how if suddenly I realise that I couldn't actually cook or bake. You know, that kind of thoughts...

But at the same time, I was very excited to learn... The first few days I felt I was the annoying new kid who asks for everything. But then, I would rather be the annoying kid who asks a lot than to just assume and later make a complete fool of myself. Especially since the recipe books only come with the list of ingredients with no instructions, required oven temperatures or timing.

Freshly baked rolls...

The kitchen is a shared space as well as all the equipments and tools. I am not used to this. Living on my own for several years, I enjoy having my own territory. The kitchen has always been my private place... where the magic happens. At home, I know my way around the kitchen very well. But here, very often I cannot find, oh for example a knife or a mixing bowl or the spatula that I wanted or it was being used by someone else. Very annoying. I was faced with the dilemma either to keep looking or wait and waste valuable time; or I could just used a different type of knives, dishes or spoons. I was quite naive at first thinking that I must use the right tool for the right job. Well, whenever possible, yes, I actually would. But, to be honest, as long as I can get the job done properly, it doesn't really matter, does it? So what if I cannot find the paring knife... the cheese knife would do just fine :)

Ciabatta

There were plenty of daily tasks and I used to think that there weren't enough hours in a day to get everything done. But it took me to a good week to realise that even though the tasks change daily and also depending on the shifts; there's a pattern to the routine, especially when setting/clearing up the daily mise en place. Once I realised this, I was in competition with myself (my kind of competition and it's the best kind) to get the job done as efficiently (and of course, properly) as possible. Then, I can get on with the rest of the tasks which also require a simple but useful tactic. For example, when making a chocolate mousse, I always start by boiling some water in a couple of pans. So that I don't have to wait for the water to boil later (I hate waiting and nothing worse than waiting for water to boil). Then I use this time to weight the rest of the ingredients, cracked some eggs, get some iced-cold water to soften the gelatine and lightly whipped the double cream. Once the water is simmering, I can start melting the chocolate and make the sabayon. This may sound a bit neurotic, however true, whilst whisking the eggs and sugar vigorously until they thicken, I make a sort of mind map to my next task; planning ahead and prioritising my workload, because at some point during my shift, I do want to take a break :) Anyway, after adding the now soften gelatine to the sabayon, followed by the melted and slightly cooled chocolate, I can start preparing the dishes and piping bag for the mousse. And if the chocolate mixture is still a bit warm to fold the cream in, I can start preparing the ingredients to make other mousses or sauces or perhaps, a bit of a clean up. What I'm trying to say is time management is the essence.

By the third week, in one afternoon I found myself making hundreds of mini quiches, donuts, sausage rolls, croissants, sweet buns and Danish pastries. It was madness but oh-so much fun! However exhausting, I was always excited to learn, absorbing everything like a sponge. I baked so many different types of breads... from the everyday white and brown toasts to various rustic French and Italian breads.

My first attempt at making baguettes... Not too bad I say.

I have also discovered that working in a kitchen is not that glamorous... unless your definition of glamorous is smelling home like bread, butter and sweat... :) and I still haven't managed to not cover myself in flour...
Oh yeah, before I forget, there's a great kitchen mantra "I taste the food I make" and I certainly tasted a lot! Not just my creations but also everyone else's... :) I will have to spend more time at the gym to make up for it now...

Bread basket for brunch service

Six weeks gone too quickly and I am sad that I had to leave the work experience earlier than planned due to other commitments. But during this however short time, not only I gained valuable knowledge and hands-on experience in a professional kitchen, I met so many people whom now I call friends...

To all the staff, my friends, at JW Marriott hotel Medan, I thank you for the opportunity. And last but not least, I want to thank Louise from Fraiche Recruitment for putting this idea into my head and for your encouragement. I hope this will be the beginning of something great...

My Birthday Cake

2012-10-16T03:19:00.001+01:00

So it was my birthday a couple of days ago and I just wanted to share with you the birthday cake that my mom made.

This is a three layers of the lightest vanilla sponge filled with strawberry jam, frosted with buttercream and grated cheese. It's a very old fashioned cake, but what's wrong with that?

I don't have the recipe yet for this cake. I have to dig deep into my mom's recipe scrap book. I had such a lovely day with my parents and other friends. Especially this was the first birthday that I celebrated at home in ten years...

I had been pretty busy the past few weeks with the work experience (more about that in the next post). But I am very pleased to tell you that blogging will be back to normality very soon.

Take care my friends and thank you for your patience.

Have a great day.

P.S. if you're wondering, I am now 25 years old... :)

Random Recipes: Bebek Bacem Masak Andaliman

2012-08-22T11:44:00.000+01:00

Sorry blog and dear readers for I have abandoned you. I want to let you know that I think of all of you all the time... Truth is I don't have internet connection at home and I can't hang out at the mall or Starbucks all the time using their free wi-fi.

I am very much enjoying this long holiday period and I am using my time effectively. Very soon I am going to start working at JW Marriott hotel as a trainee chef. I am so looking forward to this hands-on kitchen experience. This is just temporary for a few weeks until I return to the UK, but still... it will be awesome, I know.

I have not been cooking, surprise surprise. I have been enjoying eating out and spoiled with mom's delicious cooking. But I did make time yesterday to cook my entry for this month's Random Recipe challenge.

All my cookbooks are currently in a box at a store room few thousand miles away. So, I am using my mom's collection. The randomly chosen book is Lauk Bumbu Bacem by Indonesian cokery writer, Aan Roswaty. And the randomly chosen recipe is the delicious bebek bacem masak andaliman. Now, let me explain the lingo.

Bacem is a slow-cooking technique where the food is submerged in bumbu, a paste made of spices, and some liquid until it's completely dry or you are left with a thick sauce. Bacem cooking is very popular for tofu and tempeh. But it is also often used for poultry, meat and offal. For this dish, bebek or duck is the star ingredient. And andaliman is Indonesian for Szechuan peppercorns.

This takes hardly any effort to make as you can read below. I suggest you stay in the kitchen during the cooking process. The aroma is just amazing... and because the duck is cooked long and slow, it became very tender and the thick spicy sauce is finger-licking good.

I gotta go now... cappuccino is running low...

Bebek Bacem Masak Andaliman

Recipe by Aan Roswaty

1 duck, cleaned and cut into portions

2 asam gelugur, don't have this so I used a couple tsps of tamarind paste instead.

2 lemongrass, bruised

4 lime leaves

1 litre coconut milk

1 teaspoon caster sugar

vegetable oil

for the bumbu

8 red chillies de-seed if you want it milder

1/4 teaspoon andaliman

4 candle nuts

2 cm piece of ginger

2 cm piece of galangal

7 shallots

4 cloves of garlic

salt, to taste

Start by making the paste my mixing all the ingredients in a food processor to a thick paste. Rub this all over the duck. Add the duck and the rest of the ingredients to a pan and cook over medium-heat until the duck is cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add a little bit of oil and cook further.... taste and season accordingly.

Indonesia so far... part 3, seafood

2012-08-01T17:49:00.003+01:00

Hello dear readers! I hope you are all well. I am back in Indonesia, in Jakarta to be exact. It's day four and I almost beat this damn jetlag. Though it's not so bad this time because the Olympics is on all day and I have something to watch late at night. Come on team GB (and team Indonesia)!

It's been so lovely being reunited with family. I am gonna be here for several weeks and whilst I am figuring out what I am gonna do next, I hope you'll enjoy reading my travelog series. At the moment, I am staying in a hotel, but when I am at home in Medan, I'll be sure to start cooking again. One of the things that I've done is signed up for a gym, because I intend to eat a lot :)

When visiting the biggest archipelago in the world, you must try some of the fabulous and sumptuous seafood. Here are some of my favourite seafood dishes:

Grilled stingray with sweet soy and limes has been a favourite of mine since I was little. It is sweet and fresh and my favourite part is nibbling on the soft bones. Source of protein and calcium at the same time? :) Sometimes you'll find a variation of grilled stingray that is topped with sambal which is also delicious, but that depends if you can stand the heat or not.

I am not normally into anything poached, except for for poached eggs, but even that I don't have it very often... primarily because I am hopeless at poaching eggs. But anyway, these poached shrimps are also an exception. They are surprisingly delicious. They are poached in some sort of magical flavourful fish broth until just firm which allowed the sweetness of the shrimps to come through. They are topped with fresh coriander.

Salted egg yolk prawns and squids are next on the list. Both are coated in salted egg yolk batter before deep fried and served with more salted egg yolks, spring onions and slices of red chilli. A quick note, the squids are often served in rings. However, the prawns are often served whole.. heads, tails and all. I actually really liked the heads as the pack lots of flavour, but it's probably too much for some. If you had a chance, you must also try salted egg yolk on crab... yum.

Please do not be alarmed by the picture below... I admit the fish does look scary, but it is so delicious. This is Chinese style steamed fish. The fish is called ikan jurung which I honestly don't know what it's called in English. But obviously this is not the only fish that are often used for steaming... other fishes like, snapper, tilapia or bream are quite popular as well. The fish here is steamed in Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, shallots, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, Chinese oyster mushrooms and topped with sliced spring onions at the end.

Saving the best for last is kepiting saus Padang (crab in Padang's chilli sauce). This is without a doubt is my new favourite Indonesian seafood dish of all time. This is so delicious, just the thought of it makes me drool. The crab meat is sweet and the sauce... oh, the sauce is out of this world. It's a tomato and red chilli based sauce that's flavoured with lots of garlic, ginger, shallots and spring onions. I really look forward and cannot wait to eating this crab dish again when I am back in Medan.

The eating continues...

Please click on the link if you missed part 1 and part 2.

For all the memories and to new beginnings

2012-07-26T00:56:00.001+01:00

Now that all the packing is all done, it has finally hit me to the fact that I am leaving; and when I thought I am not the emotional type, I was clearly in denial... I am missing this place already... a place now I called, home.

I came to Sunderland seven years ago to start university. I was just seventeen and freshly graduated from high school in the States. I guess I wanted an adventure and oh... I got a great one! The past seven years have been truly amazing. I still remember my first days here. I used to live in a student accommodation which was quite far from the town centre, and not knowing the area and with no internet access at the time, I thought the little shops around the accommodation were the only places in Sunderland. There was a small supermarket, a fruit grocer, a couple of pizza joints, a Chinese take-away place, a pasty shop and a tanning saloon. I immediately thought that I made a very bad decision and I didn't know how I would cope living here for the next three years. And out of the seven rooms in my accommodation block, I was the first one to arrive, so I also didn't have anyone to talk to. Like a stereotypical student, I spent my first couple of days eating tinned baked beans and pot-noodles....

Soon enough, I began exploring outside this little street and I found the town centre where there's life and civilisation. Hooray! I went to the university for orientation and I made new friends. Not so many. There were only nine of us in the course and by the time of graduation, there was only three of us who made it to the ceremony. Through sport clubs, societies, local choir and church, I made plenty more friends; and soon enough my then American accent was influenced by the local 'mackem' accent.

I also experienced many life 'first' moments here. Like, tasting your first long island iced tea. You know that a mixture of vodka, gin, tequila, rum and coke would not end up well, but you drink it anyway. I'm not gonna go into the gruesome details of what happened when I woke up the following morning. Believe me it's not nice and I am disgusted just thinking about it. And to this day, I still don't know the full details of the things that happened that evening. Perhaps, it's better for me (and you) not knowing the details.

When I graduated four years ago, I started working for the university and I moved to my current flat. This was the second flat that I viewed and because I loved it so much, with no hesitation I signed the contract and I started to make the empty flat my new home...

And tonight, looking at the flat empty once more, I began to reminisce all the memories. The lovely dinners, the surprise parties, the day my friend Adam tasted chicken for the first time in his life, the break-ups, the hook-ups, the night I decided to start a blog and all the good times my friends and I spent here. Oh my, who am I kidding... I am sentimental. Sorry.

During all this time, I am very fortunate to have all the support from my friends... I will miss all of you. And if I don't say it enough, I want to say to say the deepest Thank You from the bottom of my heart. And to all of you with your kind comments and emails. I also Thank You.

But I think this is the right time for me to leave and it's time for a change... a new adventure. In a few hours time, I will be heading to London and will be spending a couple of days there. I look forward to watch the Olympics opening ceremony with the crowds. It will be incredible. I am already buzzing with excitements. Then on Saturday, I will be flying back to Indonesia to spend time with family. I don't know where life will take me from there... well, I do have plans (one of the plans is to attend culinary school), but we all know what happen to plans... So, I am keeping an open mind to possibilities that will come. And just in case if I get homesick, with me I take a jar of marmite, golden syrup and English mustard :)

Earlier I cracked open a bottle of champagne that I've been saving... and I made a toast, "for all the memories and to new beginnings"...

I'll be back again soon... x.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Duck Ragu... well, sort of...

2012-07-20T23:55:00.000+01:00

I have been wanting to try this recipe for a while and I am so glad to have finally done it this weekend. With a total of five hours preparation and cooking time, yes, this recipe is time consuming. But, there's hardly anything to do while the duck is roasting in the oven or when the ragu is simmering gently. And it's perfect for me at the moment, since I am in the middle of moving, cleaning and packing. I can do all the housework and every now and then, I just need to stop by the stove to stir the ragu.

When testing a recipe for the very first time, I normally stick to the ingredients and instructions. And from there, if anything needs changing, I'll then adjust it to my liking. However, Gwyneth's recipe for this duck ragu calls for duck bacon which I could not find here in Sunderland. I could perhaps order it online, but they do not come cheap. So, instead, I used pancetta which is more accessible and affordable.

The recipe also calls of Italian red wine, perhaps something like Chianti which I often use when cooking beef ragu. But what I had was Cotes du Rhone which I like to drink; or use when cooking boeuf bourguignon and then drink with the stew later.

The process of making the ragu is pretty simple. You begin by roasting the duck in the oven for a couple of hours. The cooked and cooled duck is then shredded and added to a slowly cooked tomato sauce which includes the pancetta (or duck bacon, if you're fortunate enough), finely chopped onions, celery, carrot, garlic, rosemary and the red wine. Tomato paste is also added at the last stage of the cooking.

You can find the amount of ingredients by clicking the link below. This makes quite a lot of ragu and if you have some leftovers, it gets better the next day. Serve the duck ragu with tagliatelle pasta.

Have a great weekend!

Gwyneth Paltrow's Duck Ragu
Serves 4 - 6
For list of ingredients and instructions, click here.

Graduation Day and Hazelnut Prune Cake

2012-07-11T12:04:00.002+01:00

It was my graduation day a couple of days ago and I had a fantastic day. Well, why wouldn't I? I was surrounded by family and friends I love dearly. This is my second graduation and I personally think the second time round was better. Like many things in life, the first time was good, but I was nervous... Now that I know the drill, I can just get on with it and enjoy...

Although, it was still nerve-racking when I was told that I was going to be the first one up on the stage to start the ceremony. Yeah, no pressure at all! Thankfully I did not trip or embarrassed myself in anyway like I would normally do. When my name was called by the Dean, I walked on stage, I shook hands with the Vice-Chancellor, the Chancellor (Steve Cram, BBC Chief Athletics Commentator and World Champion), I thanked my lecturers and I waved to my friends and family and fellow graduates. It was only for ten seconds or so or perhaps less, but it was just a great feeling hearing all the cheers.

In case if you are wondering I graduated in Master of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies from University of Sunderland. My dissertation focuses on the exploration of identity via food choices and eating culture (it's about food... Shocking! I know). The graduation was held at Sunderland's football ground, the Stadium of Light. And here's a narcissistic picture of me on the day:

OK, enough about the graduation, now time for cake. Packing is going and I am very pleased that it's almost done. I was cleaning my cupboard the other day and I found a bag of prunes that needs using and I just hate wasting food. I can't do it and won't do it. So, thank you to Google and Dan Lepard that I found this great recipe. It is not a summer cake, I know. Very Christmassy in fact.

The cake is moist from the prunes and not too sweet which I like. And after it bakes, the top is drenched with delicious brandy. Enjoy with your morning coffee whilst blogging like what I'm doing now; or in the afternoon with a glass of chilled sweet wine, Dan suggests.

Hazelnut Prune Cake
Recipe by Dan Lepard
For list of ingredients and instructions, click here.

Random Recipes #18 - something a little different...

2012-07-05T22:29:00.001+01:00

Hi. My name is Michael Toa and I am a cookbook junkie.

For a couple of months, during my long holiday on the other side of the world, I have missed Random Recipe challenge. Now that I am back, although only for a short while before I head off again (I feel somewhat like a jet-setter, but clearly I am not), that simply needs to change. No more excuses.

The brilliant Dom has challenged us with something a little different. Instead of cooking a recipe from a random page of a cookbook, we have been asked to show each other our cookbooks collection. And I am very happy with the theme of this month's challenge. Not only because I am incredibly nosy - I love seeing what's inside other people's fridge for example - but also, I feel it's the appropriate time to showcase my cookbooks collection before they all go in a box and move to a new home... More on that later...

I don't have a bookshelf... well, I actually do, but I don't put my cookbooks there. The bookshelf is for my kitchen knick knacks. All of my cookbooks reside on the window shelf in my bedroom. I do find great pleasure in reading cookbooks, especially ones that are filled with personal stories; because I believe that the process and the story behind it, makes the food even more exciting.

I suppose there is no order as such in how I arrange my cookbooks, but I do like to group them together by the author. The section on the far right is the Food Network collections from my teen years which include Food Network all star cookbook, Rachael Ray, Dave Lieberman and Giada de Laurentiis. Giada's Everyday Italian is the first cookbook I owned. Moving on, is the Jamie Oliver section. I don't have all of his books but most of them I think. Jamie's Dinners is often my go to book when I am in need of inspirations. I do take a very good care of my cookbooks. I don't like creases and no greasy fingers, but the one book that's pretty worn out is Jamie Oliver's My Guide to Making You A Better Cook as you can probably tell from the fading cover. For one year, a couple of years ago, this was my bible and I am very proud that I have successfully cooked every single recipe in that book. Right after Giorgio Locatelli's Made in Sicily is the all important section: Nigella Lawson. I LOVE (notice the capital 'LOVE') all of her cookbooks.

Continuing on to the rest of the cookbooks...

I am appalled to say that even though I have Nigel Slater's Toast and Eating for England (both are excellent reads) I have none of his cookbooks (friends reading this, yes, it's a hint). Every so often, some cookbooks are located next to my bedside table for easy access when I am on the bed. These are often new books or current reads. This week I've been sharing my bed with the following books.

I am anxiously waiting for the postman to deliver a couple of new books: The Little Paris Kitchen by Rachel Khoo and Giles Coren's How To Eat Out which I know I will very much enjoy reading.

In my living room, under the coffee table, that's where I keep my magazines, cuttings and supplements from Sunday papers. I subscribe to GQ because obviously I am man about town and I like to look at nice things I can't afford; and also Jamie Magazine which is the source of many of my cooking inspirations.

Well, that's all friends. Tomorrow, all the books and magazines will be living temporarily in a box until they move to their new home somewhere in London...

Thank you Dom for this month's brilliant theme. Have a great day everyone... and now back to never-ending packing... *sigh...

Indonesia so far... part 2, noodles

2012-06-19T15:37:00.000+01:00

I had an absolute brilliant couple of weeks at my hometown in Medan, North Sumatra. I got to see my parents, slept in my old room, met more extended families, this time from my father's side and I got to play with my dog, Molly. Most importantly, I was reunited with so many delicious dishes in Medan.

Perhaps I've told you this before, but I'll tell you again, Medan is well-known for, one, its dreadful traffic. I am so glad my driving license has expired and I don't have to drive here. It's a thrill I do not want to endure. The second thing Medan is known for is the delicious foods this city has to offer.

I am spoiled for choice. And with so many eating occasions and very minimal exercise, no surprise that I gained weight here. But I'm not gonna worry about that now. I am still on holiday mode.

Rice is THE staple food of Indonesia. No matter where you go, you will find rice. And I do like rice, but if I had to choose my favourite carbohydrate, it's got to be noodles. Be it Chinese, Japanese, Italian or Indonesian, I love noodles. I suppose it's got to do with the slurping sensation which I find very satisfying. So, in this second part of my trip in indonesia, I'm going to share some of the delicious noodles I had here.

Before we go any further, feel free to make yourself a cup of coffee first or grab a light snack because this is gonna be a somewhat long post.

Now, if you're ready, let's begin!

Tiong Sim Noodle

There is just no way for me to visit Medan and not eating Mi Tiong Sim (Tiong Sim Noodle). It is located at Selat Panjang street and my family have been eating here for as long as I can remember. The noodles here are handmade and they are very thin which is a distinct feature of this dish. The cooked and seasoned noodles are topped with Chinese barbecued pork (char siew pork), pork dumplings, shredded chicken, slices of spring onions and crispy shallots. A fragrant pork broth will also be given on the side. Absolutely beautiful.

Kwetiau Mesjid

Another childhood favourite is kwetiau mesjid. Kwetiau means flat rice noodles. And mesjid, meaning mosque, refers to the name of the street where you can find this great dish. Again, we've been coming here for many many years. The dish is very simple and straightforward. There's kwetiau, veg, bean sprouts, duck egg and impeccable seasonings. Served on a plate that's been covered with banana leaf. Another example of some of the greatest things are the simplest.

Kari Bihun Tabona

Next is kari bihun or rice noodles with curry from a place called Tabona at Mangkubumi street. The curry is golden and fragrant and slightly spicy but just enough, to keep you wanting more. And the rice noodles are just the perfect vehicle to soak up all the spices. You can choose between chicken or beef curry here and I recommend both! With the beef curry pictured above, you can also ask for the offals which I love, but it's entirely optional.

Ak Bihun

Another fantastic noodle dish using rice noodles is Ak Bihun (rice noodles with duck). This noodle dish is one of my favourite breakfast item. You think eating duck meat is too rich for breakfast? Well, the duck here is poached so it is not at all fatty. Each bowl is filled with rice noodles, plenty of duck meat, veg, minced crispy garlic, fresh coriander, spring onions, with the broth served on the side.

Noodles with shiitake mushroom - Khek-style noodle

Now that I've mentioned noodles for breakfast, above are another two of fantastic noodle dishes, perfect to start your day or just about anytime in my case. The picture on the left is known as mie jamur or noodles with shiitake mushroom but obviously, there are other delicious ingredients as well which include melt-in-you-mouth pieces of pork, spring onions, crispy shallots and fresh coriander. The one on the right is khek-style noodle with loads of delicious sweet pork and a little heat from ground white pepper and spring onions.

Laksa

Next on my list of favourite noodle dishes is laksa. Laksa is a sour and spicy noodle soup that is widely popular is Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Depending on where you go to, you might find laksa that has a coconut based broth which is nice, but a little too sweet to my liking. I prefer Medanese laksa, pictured above, that uses tamarind and chilli based broth, and plenty of holy basil, making it lighter and fresher. This particular seafood laksa with sardines uses thicker udon-style noodles which is great for slurping. Yum.

Blitar-style noodle soup - Noodle soup with water spinach

Literally translated, mie sop means noodle soup. Mie sop is one of the most popular street food in Indonesia and there are so many variations, that it is impossible to sum everything up only in one paragraph. But, I'll share with you a couple of examples of sublime noodle soups I had here. The picture on the left is Blitar-style noodle soup from Java (but the vendor is in Medan) with rice noodles, shredded chicken and an extra plate of chicken for me :) And the one on the right is new for me and I can tell it going to be an old favourite soon, mie kangkung. This is so simple but yet incredibly delicious. There's egg noodles, chicken, bean sprouts, water spinach (kangkung) and then... the broth... it's dark, packed with flavour and it is just amazing. So delicious. Just the thought of it makes me salivate.

The eating continues...