Simply passion for food

SLF Special Edition " The Beauty Of Red And White "

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:04:00 +0000

SLF Special Edition "The Beauty of Red and White"

The month of August has always been the special month for Indonesia because in this month the Indonesian regained their independence from the colonists, partly due to the brave citizens of Indonesia who fought the wars aggressively and with perseverance.

To commemorate the Indonesian independence this year, Still Life Food (SLF) Photography club is proposing an event of still life and still life food photography with the theme “The Beauty of Red and White”.

This event is going to be held on August 3 until August 24, 2009, in which the event is open to all member and non-member of SLF, citizen and non-citizen of Indonesia.

The criteria of participating in this event is as follow:

1. Photo submitted must have the theme “The Beauty of Red and White” with the object of the photo must be related to culinary point of view, either it be food or non-food related objects.

2. Send your entry to this email: stilllifefood@googlemail.com with the following details:

Your name:
Your blog's name:
Your location:
The URL of the post containing the photograph :
Attach one of your best pictures in JPG format, 500pxls in width

Photos that are submitted will be judged by a team of juries who have expertise in photography in general and food photography in particular. Here they are:

1. Prio Adhi Setiawan of "Priotography"
2. Leemei Tan of "My Cooking Hut"
3. Peter G of "Souvlaki for the soul"
4. Thorsten Kraska of "My2Penn’orth"
5. Oezank Setia Nugraha of "Oezank Photography"

Concept: The judges are looking for a photo that can convey the theme visually and uniquely that can captivates and inspires the audiences right away. Any clever or fresh idea to represent the red and white in the composition is greatly sought after.

Edibility: The judges are looking for an enticing and engaging photo that tempts people's sense of smell and taste, in other words, the photo must be a drool-worthy photo in visual context.

Aesthetics: The judges are looking for terrific composition, lighting, focusing, styling, clarity and color, and direct relevance to the theme.

Originality: The judges are looking for interesting image that catch their attention. A “WOW” image that we haven’t seen it before.

We will also be looking for an “Overall Winner” to whoever gets the most highest points in all combined categories.

HOST PICK is another bonus! :)

Photos that are coming in will be accessible for viewing in the "The Beauty of Red and White" gallery which will be updated daily. Click the image below for viewing.

Let us enliven this event by sending us your best “The Beauty of Red and White” photo!

Regards,
SLF Administrators

Host entry:

by Dwiana P

By Eliza A

LET'S PARTICIPATE AND MERDEKA!!

Kimchi using western cabbage

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:14:00 +0000

It is truly unfair if I did not posting my kimchi using western cabbage today...
Wondering why?
That because I purposely brought the red-bell pepper flakes **which is the key ingredient of kim chi, across the country from Korean cold storage in Dubai to Goa-India.

I would say that this is a great nibble especially for my husband who hates cabbage **but not napa cabbage a.k.a Chinese cabbage.

The crunchiness, the spiciness and the sourish come in the same time, I have to gives them a particular credit which finally demolish my curiosity and completely indulge myself.

I do positively think that you may try it out too!
Above all, perhaps you have a look for detail step by step here

Crunchy Kimchi

Ingredients

1 medium size of western cabbage
2 tablespoons Korean red bell pepper flakes
3 tablespoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon garlic paste
½ teaspoon ginger paste
6-7 springs of spring onion (segments)
1 tablespoon rice flour
Salt and sugar to taste

Method

Cut the cabbage into a nibble size and then wash them.
In the big bowl mix 3-4 tablespoons of salt with two glass of water, soak them for about an hour.
Using a colander rinse them well, set aside let it stand to take away all the excess water

Meanwhile, dissolve the rice flour with little water to a runny liquid.
In the small fire heat the mixture to thicken *do not boil, Set aside to cool.
Combine together red bell pepper flakes, fish sauce, garlic paste, ginger paste, salt and sugar then adding small quantity of water.
Add the starch of rice flour, stir them well.
Pour the starch over the segments cabbage and then add the segments spring onions
Mix them up until the sauces are perfectly blended.

Transfers into air tight container, pressing down lightly in the surface then lay a piece of plastic wrap to prevent the air entering during fermentations then seal the container with its cover.
Store in the dark and cool place away from direct sunlight for three days
Chill them out before serve for better thrill

Crash

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:46:00 +0000

I don’t know where do I start from, but I do know where exactly to begin...
I deeply apology to all of you of being hush again and again therefore I extremely letting this Blog was unfilled for so long, yah it’s too long...

I know this is going to be not so great notes from me however I am pleased of having chance of dropping a post and letting you know, perhaps kind of asking of waiting for me until my PC getting cured.

“Do not drink sprite etc at near your PC” as my husband did it so,” it may spill all over it and it craft miserable dilemma in life”.

And so on...I humbly make it clear that at the moment we have no PC at home since one month and one week ago and so ever we could not do anything else unless pass the time and waiting for it.
I hope everything gonna be ending soon as my self really in a chaotic zone of food photographing and typing.

I wish I’ll see you guys very soon! **fingers crossed

PS: Thank you mbak Sefa for the brilliant award, I was peeping into it *wink
And Elra (dewi) Thank you so much for the superb award
I do appreciate guys!

Homecoming

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:52:00 +0000

Those were the longest time in my existence of being absent, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds, without any explanations I abandoned my self out of you all, I apologise, I do…
And seems I do not know where do I start from, hard to believe though, I do want to share of story during my vanished but my words are very diminutive by now.

I came up this time with no great story of mine even a recipe but I will do it later as my new kitchen needs to be little arranging here and there, oh! It’s not to be forgotten of highlighting our magnificent part in life, we had recently moved again to other new house.
Don’t be so bolt from the blue since we are really a “rolling stone” couple at the moment **wink

I do hope that I can bring it on my blog as soon as possible as the kitchen could not waiting touch of my passion

**Thanks to God of giving such a moment in joy even hard, we were accomplish something on our trial and again…Thanks abundantly of granted us such a wonderful rewards afterwards, we valued and sincerely grateful.

Friends, I’ll see you at the next chapter!

Me Featuring Martha's "Apple Pie"

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:21:00 +0000

I actually extremely worried when I am reading, watching, hearing and writing about Baking, somewhat I feel tremendously pretty fortunate if I have an opportunity to do baking. I am certainly trying to convince my self to take it easy and confidence when suddenly my self facing one cutie mini portable oven in our place at now.

Thought of many questions were plot, what should I do? Where do I start from? What possibly make the thing works with my limited baking skill? Trust me, those questions have been highlighted of my true unconfident and self-doubting.

Making it sense as I have never wanted to missed the thing off since I do not have my own to do baking or whatever cooking through the oven. As we stay here running by visa as living in foreign land (India) consequently most of the rental flat here, oven is excluded sitting in the kitchen.

Well, at the moment I am quite fortunate having absolutely great couple of months staying at the place where oven is presented on hand. (Read issue here)
Frankly it’s worth a lot for me to do kind of easy and simple baking in intend adjusting my self of learning and being not too panic even engraved off to so many crap questions earlier.

One of these day I felt terribly up-set when I craved at least kind of delightful savoury apple pie with tempting crush and aromatic lip-smacking filling, unfortunately I have got none here at this rainy season, what a pitiful …
Challenged my self whether I dare to make my own or just forgetting and let my self drooling over my imaginations. I forced my self! But not being super women even being shocking bakers, let me say exactly, ”I encouraged my self not to worry about”, anything could be possible, everything got a clue!

I was pretty much happy when I have got on line recipe HERE
I think it shouldn’t be difficult as the recipe tells and compose in very clear sharp however direct to the point fairly.
Knowing that my skill too shallow doing kind of pro-baking but at least I have tried my own.

This is my first trial of making apple pie, even though I have to convert the ingredients and transformed the filling to more uncomplicated way.
I was being too much anxiety about the crust as I have no clue what the right crust in a proper way.

Putting forward of letting down my self it’s not in my proposed though I was ready to get some pain even end up within dissatisfied or dump the thing off into the dust bin-I am however really dislike! Running on and off--up and down between my screen and my kitchen it was quite fun though! Placing the thing into anyhow foil tin doesn’t mean I treated it so bad, being honest of self assuming that it may giving me kind of dissatisfied return then I am ready to off.
The fact, it was surprisingly awesome for a beginner’s, I was however awesome!! Yay…**winking

I would say that it was paid off! I deserve better of my apple pie, I deserve delicious apple pie!
I know, I know…it sounds my self applause and praise my own home made apple pie, additionally it sounds I incredibly prove you that I dare to bake even in a very simple issue
(I am very confident this time!) **wink

I wish you are with me now my friend, so perhaps I don’t need to attach the photos of my apple pie with lip-smacking crush.

Anyway, do the photos speak more than the words? May be could even describe?

Chicken Madness!

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:08:00 +0000

The idea of this recipe was crop-up when I am totally insane of messing up all the sauces, spices and such. I was very much ignorant what should be packed at least at the same box or whatever container for me to get easy to find out and search. I am sure you’ll know when we’ve got to shift to a new flat, we have got to pack in such a way of an extremely tidy to avoid massive stresses and tension.
I am however more to secure set for now (at the moment) of all my treasure cooking ingredients but of course after I putting my self in deliberately confusion and frustrating

Well I’ve got to stick to my Chicken Madness recipe as a subject than being irritated narrator for you, ha!

It"s actually made of unfussy ingredients alias in very basic spices as I said so, I was very pissed off when I could not find where my bunch of spices been bundled. Here I dare to publish as my issue since the taste was down to earth-delicious, but please don’t get me wrong the fact honestly my self not to confident how to transfers to a pro-recipe with attached of an exact quantity and dimensions.

I do believe in you **to all who fully interpreting home cooking recipe--especially to whom has reading my issue from the starts, but if you don’t, please do take the risk in your pocket or may you ignore this recipe *wink.

I’ll guide you step by step fairly and getting through slowly of the faultless point, don’t worry it is death-easy recipe.

Chicken

My suggestions is Chicken breast, essentially it’s indulge!
For delightful presentations it’s advisable.
Partially in favour of terrific fun of picking up the chicken bones, may possibly treated.
My self be partial to, it’s entertaining and relieved jaws stiffness

Chilies

Dried red chili soak in water to soften, seeded.
Along with it I engaged our savours to an allurement blaze of bird eye chili just to get sting of their fierceness.
Quantities? Dried red chili uses more than bird eye chili, let me say it’s actually depending on how much chicken being used.

Note: Do not make too spicy as your chicken madness in context going to turn up in actual fact wild and insane!

Onions

Shallots (bawang merah) give you tastiest payoff at the end, red onions could be just fine substitute instead.
Quantities? Plenty

Garlic

If you’ve got an allergic to it, pay no heed to. Ignore!
As for enhancing the flavour adding just 3 or 4 cloves in every whole breast chicken it is not a big sins though *wink

Tomato

Adding 1 or 2 tomato-diced in every pattern of recipe should be perfect!
Keep in mind, this recipe is not typical of gravies so do not ruins by adding to much tomato in it.
I added one tomato to every pattern, it was giving an excellent return of my required

I believe in you! 110% ! You have had take on board of the earthy ingredients and thought of useful side dish of the day.

So on…let me strolls you to the ultimate final.

Marinating in 60 seconds

Segment the chicken breast into medium size it’s the way you should do at first, marinating them with squish of half lime and salt, let it rest in 60 seconds, only!
"Do not being too excited yet or even have a sip of your drink as you have to prepare a pan and heats up with little amount of oil".
Shallow fry those beggars, until both sides are just nice crisp
(read: not too crispy)
Once they have finished outreach a fancy crisp, remove from the pan and set aside.

**You are still in hectic zone!

This is the best sort-cut which have been suggested for, while you waiting for the beggars getting a demand crisp, may you would do a little exercise right bellow

Pounding! in the traditional way

Am I too much confident since I’ve own clay mortar and wooden pestle made from Thailand? Of course I am!
Since this was a gift of my sweet friend “M” and she brought it across the country by bubbles-wrapped them, of course I wont make her in a such rubbish disappointment by not using it at all.

Sorry! I feel my self too much nagging, he he…

Anyway, this is the special key of chicken madness by pounding the spices away to a roughly form. Be careful of your eyes as may splatter around.
Cobek may used too as it is kind of traditional grinding utensils.

Dine with me!

In a saucepan heat the oil and shirrs the pounded spices over medium heats until fragrant and then add diced tomatoes, season with salt and sugar as you desire.

When the tomatoes are dissolved, it is the time to add in crisp chicken, stir briskly to blend the chicken and the madness spices *wink

Well, at last I don’t need to tell you that you need to remove from the pan and serve! Do I?

Table for two, you and me…don’t missed the nasi panas (hot steam rice)

I hope you were having fun with me of getting through the recipe step by step, as I really had no idea how to deliver the recipe according to my experience and writing in such ideal way.

Soy Sauce Eggs

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:09:00 +0000

I always enjoy watching Kylie while cooking, she always been so magnetize when she standing behind the kitchen bar, explaining, sharing her tips and cleverness, I just simply love her
Soy sauce eggs, by Kylie Kwong: Simply Magic **today cooking! Kylie I hope you read this **wink

Soy sauce eggs is our desired side dish especially when I served Chinese porridge for my husband, and my self would be enjoy of having it simple-basic-and pure just eating it as the way as it too tempting to be ignore

Its magnificent delicious soy sauce eggs, they really are!
First attempted, it was when we were staying in the south, I really do not wanted to be unsuccessful and disappointed, the fact, I do, it might that I am not cooking with heart and soul like one of her series which I have own the DVD yet becoming my extraordinary treasure, honestly in my taste it was awful, but me and my husband could not resist when I serve them, we were just greedily eating those eggs until terminate to the last.

Apart from it, I do realize that I’ve been watching the half an hour TV show when she reveal to the world how to cook soy sauce eggs, unfortunately my brain wasn’t there, my mind more to desire of eating and drooling, I was so impressed and could not awaiting until the morning have come and starts cooking those beggars (eggs), as I said so, its was error but no waste of food, we eat them, he he

I against of being surrender, I hate of give-up, I do!
Actually, today cooking is to surprised my husband, my idea of cooking is porridge which is in his favourite, serve with slice bird eye chili in light soy sauce and toppings with crispy ikan bilis a.k.a ikan teri (dried anchovies) as side dish are soy sauce eggs and braised salted vegetables. Surpriseeeee…!

And guess what!? I have finally found her on line recipe, goodness gracious…
**Kylie you made my day, Please click here folks!
I do sorry that I twisted just little bit of your creations to be my formations, I hope you would not be mad at me because cooking is about passion, creations, twist and taste *wink
I’ve just substitute your light say sauce to be your pattern to my Chinese cooking wine to be my preferable.
I purposely made the eggs colour is darker than yours, because my husband going to serve the sauce over the porridge, its worth than discard he sauce, too gorgeous!

Now after how many trials and errors, I don’t remember of counting , rather not bothering me, Finally today is my happiest day of cooking Kylie Kwong : Simply Magic, Soy Sauce Eggs

Soy sauce eggs
Adapted from Kylie kwong: Simply Magic

½ dozen hard boiled eggs (6 pieces)
3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine
7-8 slices fresh ginger
1 ½ cup of water

In the small heavy base saucepan combine water, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, brown sugar and slices fresh ginger, bring to the boil for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat, add the eggs and simmer, covered about 45 minutes or until the stock reducing about ¼ of the stock, its actually to create your delicious sauce
Remove saucepan from stove and set aside, covered let it stand for 30 minutes, Remove eggs from the saucepan, reserving 1 tablespoon of the braising stock for garnish.
To serve, cut each egg in half lengthways and arrange on a platter.
Spoon over reserved braising stock.

Rasa Malaysia Sambal Ikan Bilis (Malaysian style dried anchovies sambal)

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:58:00 +0000

Sambal ikan bilis (malaysian dried anchovies sambal)
Its actually to accompany nasi lemak (malaysian coconut milk rice)
Nasi Lemak is the de-facto national dish of Malaysia. Nasi Lemak is usually served in the morning as breakfast. The toppings include anchovies sambal, hard-boiled eggs, fried fish and shrimp. Other common toppings include roasted peanuts and cucumber slices.
(by Rasa Malaysia at RasaMalaysia.com)

She is one of my idols if it comes to foods, authentic Malaysian cuisine, her foods, her pictures always making me drooling over and no doubt about her recipe.
I can bare out that her recipes are reliable, so get quickly head over her Blog

I’ve made my sambal ikan bilis today is not proposed of nasi lemak, we love to have it as side dish in our daily meal serve with hot steam rice (nasi panas) and omelette (telur dadar).
Since my husband being fond of it, I multiply the quantity then do keep them in the refrigerator.

I followed her recipe exactly, the fact, only the steps which refer to
“Rinse the dried anchovies and drain the water. Fry the anchovies until they turn light brown and put aside”, instead of frying, I rubbed the dried anchovies with oil all over and put them in the oven until turning to light brown.

I pounded all the spice ingredients as her thought that nasi lemak deserves better, deserves to be prepared in the traditional way.
As my mortar and pestle is a gift of my Thai friend, the mortar made from clay and the pestle made from hard wood (kruk in Thai)
I would not be wonder anymore how to make the Sambal Ikan Bilis somewhat it’s no longer remain as off the record recipe to me

Thank you for sharing the recipe RM

Click here of her nasi lemak, a truly Rasa Malaysia dish, including her Sambal ikan bilis which I’ve been succeed to present in my dining table.

Click here for other ikan bilis recipe of mine

Click! Judging and Moroccan mint tea

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:23:00 +0000

I just filled two eye-catching glass glasses with Fresh Mint Tea from fresh mint springs, lump sugar and green tea as a base, it’s aimed of Moroccan Mint Tea

Moroccan mint tea has become an almost sacred ceremony as the country national drink and according to the source that “The Moroccans enjoyed the medicinal qualities of mint and it grew in abundance in the country, so it was only fitting that they add fresh mint springs to this new tea drink to create Mint Tea”
Moroccans take so much pride in their tea, they often will be in competition with even their closest friends. The tea is then served in glass glasses that resemble American shot glasses. (By Mary Caliendo as tea editor)

The fact, its pretty refreshing of having fresh mint tea to comfort me of typing this post for Click event, theme July Coffee and Tea, host by Bee and Jai at Jugalbadi
Though the recipe is very simple yet becoming my favourite tea in the monsoon season **now in Goa

With Moroccan Mint Tea I will be one of the judges for Click event, July edition Coffee and Tea
Being a judge is a great chance to me and it will be my first experience judging the photography event which pretty nervy too me, and so, I will take this enormous opportunity to put up my self of learning a precious wisdom.

Thank You CLICK! Thank you Bee and Jai!

Glass noodles spring rolls

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:27:00 +0000

As I enlighten for my previous post **click here, that I am going to share “Bake glass noodles spring rolls”. It non-soggy and non greasy, trust me, it crispy more than ever!

And the story goes….

The oven,
My oven (actually not mine, he he...) is kind of ordinary one by means it provided by the resort where we are staying at the moment, I would say in a very cute portable type.
Therefore, kindly adjust the temperature of baking time on your oven suitably.

The filling,
I’ve made the glass noodles filling in a very simple seasoning as the spring rolls going to serve with mouth-water sweet and sour dipping sauce

The wrappers,
Keep a damp cloth over the wrappers to stay away from dryness.

Good luck!!

Glass noodles filing

1 cup shredded carrot
2 cups glass noodles after soften with water
1 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons chopped scallions,
Vegetable oil

Heat the wok on medium high heats, add in the oil
Add shredded carrot, fry about a minute
Add the noodles and the sauces, stir well to mix
Add chopped scallions then remove from the heat, let it cool

Sweet and sour dipping sauce

5 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons tamarind juice concentrate, substitute vinegar
1 bird eye chili, seeded, finely slice
Dash of fish sauce (optional) substitute salt
Touched of lemon grind (optional)

Using saucepan mix the sugar and tamarind juice concentrate
Add finely slice chili
Shimmer to low heat to dissolved and thicken
Lastly add lemon grind

Glass noodles spring rools

You need spring rolls wrappers-pastry, about 15 wraps can be more (depends on how much you make the glass noodles filling)
½ cup melts salted butter

Take a wrapper, lightly brush the wrapper with melt butter
Add a tablespoon of glass noodles filling on each wrap
Fold side in then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning to the end.
Repeat the steps to the remaining ingredients until the spring rolls are done
Bake in preheated oven to 180°C for about 10 to 15 minutes till golden brown and crisp.
You may reduce the temperature towards the end if the spring rolls are getting too brown.

Serve bake spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce

Bake Idea, Glass Noodles Spring Rolls

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:52:00 +0000

Glass noodles spring rolls,
They got you an initial impression by deep-fry, but actually they were not, I modified by baking them to sheer clear of too much oil
Using spring rolls wrappers pastry, to me it’s such a noble bright idea

My Glass noodles spring rolls actually inspired by Thai fried spring rolls which commonly selling by street vendors in Thailand.
I would delight compliment by serving glass noodles spring rolls with sweet-hot and sour dipping sauce.

Click here for the pastry wrappers and product, its quite worthy for your considerations

I’ll get you the recipe after the jump...

Click HERE for recipe

Gado-gado peanut sauce dressing

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:46:00 +0000

Gado-gado is a popular classic cooked mixed vegetables salad in Indonesian cuisine.
It is widely served in the restaurant, hotels even its humble sell by street hawker in Indonesia.
The peanut sauce dressing of gado-gado I consciously bring to the fore as preparing the blanched vegetables for gado-gado is deeply easy, I would say that left over vegetables in the fridge can be used either as gado-gado is a pretty flexible salad

There are many varieties of gado-gado peanut sauce dressing recipes but I have to ignored making the peanuts sauce which is use of ready made peanut butter as my self really adore my mother way of making succulent, wonderfully and drooling peanut sauce for Indonesian gado-gado.

Gado-gado peanut sauce dressing

Igredients

75g roasted peanuts, skin removed

75g salted-roasted cashew nuts

150ml coconut milk, fresh or tin

4 cloves garlic

2 red chillies, deseed

2 spring lime leaves, torn

¾ cups grated coconut sugar, substitute palm sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable Oil

Salt to taste

Water

Directions

Grind roasted peanuts and roasted salted cashew nuts

Combine crushed roasted peanut and cashew nuts along with coconut milk and water, whisk in well--make it just right consistency

Put the contents into a blender then process to a smooth sauce

Pour the sauce into a pot, add torn lime leaf and bring it into a gentle boil stir occasionally

Meanwhile grind the garlic and red chilli to a smooth paste, fry it with little oil until fragrant.

Add fry fragrant garlic and chili paste into a gently boil peanut sauce

Seasons with salt and palm sugar then set on low shimmer, keep stirring until palm sugar are perfectly dissolved and thicken

Removed from the heat then transfers into a container

It’s ready for gado-gado peanut sauce dressing

Can be kept in the fridge for a week or so

Unfinished Roller Coaster

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:44:00 +0000

I am still in the roller coaster
It took me up-side-down, nice and proper!

Unfinished packing turn out to be massive irritable, in a moment have to be pleasantly
Smile, hey girl life is so wonderful, you live at once, you would not reborn
Take it easy...enjoy!
Smile, Get some excitement!

I smile...
I smell the aroma of slowly boiled marinated duck in Javanese spices.
We will have fried crispy duck for dinner tonight (bebek goreng Surabaya)
Oops! I hope that I have chance to take photo and share the recipe over to you
**Finger crossed

As we have shifted to the new place, I feel relived that finally we have settled a place where we can organize all the stuffs by now, I take a deep deep breath that at the moment chapter one had done so far!
Unfortunately we have herd last week that the villa at we are staying now in a plan of modernizing for the up coming season. Oh gosh!!! So weather I like it or not we have to move to other villa which had modernized

First I started grumbling and swearing too, he he sorry…
Then I have trying my luck of demanding, he he sorry again…
And finally my demand was come up with absolutely great react!
The General Manager of this resort had agreed that he's going to lend me two of his staffs helping me out of shifting all my stuffs, the interesting part is that our villa going to face toward sales deck department which possible for me to get wireless broad-band connections for my internet, Thank you... Terima kasih
Fairly I had sent him my extraordinary Indonesian Gado-Gado, he he…
This is not a sin or even in advance of bribery, it’s practicing of Take and Give **wink

Anyway, last week we supposed to move, but all of sudden my husband have to jump to the south for a week in order that company needs him, then we have post pone it.
If no further harassment which is two days later we have to move to another villa.
I can declare, my blog gonna be blank again in somewhat it may boring too!
It actually not makes me happy, I honestly terribly sad!
Somehow, I’ll try my best to keep share in a sort post shortly ** hopefully

Treasured Fried Bee Hoon (Bihun Goreng)

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:47:00 +0000

These days I am to be a self-centre of just weightless cooking since rainy season still on.
It is Fried bee hoon (bihun goreng) and rice vermicelli to be main ingredients at the point of taking over our humbly dinner as my self have to finish the meat balls which had sent by friend of mine from Bali.

My preferable this time just cooking simple and express but of course at still delicious apart form adding such a prawns, squids or here I used meat balls and dried shitake mushrooms as my fancy treasured.

I have got few kind of fried bee hoon recipes and my pit stop for my regularly fried bee hoon is relay on this one!

Back to when I ate my first fried economic bee hoon in Singapore, firstly I was drooling at the colour, it reminded me to the most gorgeous shining dark brown.
Apparently without disappointment it was just plain fried bee hoon, however they were pretty tasty to my taste.

An actually of economic bee hoon its really have no fancy treasured in it **don’t even expect of it, just coloured bee hoon, later you have got to select your own sides item to companion, such a chicken wings, fried fish cake or fried egg and absolutely got to pay an extra dollars.

Since then I have tried to figured it out how to simply seasons fried economic bee hoon to my homemade fried bee hoon with Treasured, **of course after getting through of so many failure sections.

For me, cooking in a simple way doesn’t mean as unpleasant or brings you to an unsatisfied at the beginning until the end of the dish.
It is about how do you take pleasure in it and share with your loved one!

Fried bee hoon (Bihun Goreng)

Ingredients

150gr dried bee hoon (rice vermicelli) soak in hot water to soften
10 pieces meat balls, segment to your choice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
5-6 dried shitake mushroom, soak in water--thinly slice
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
Dark soy sauce, to coloured
Spring onions to garnish
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Water

Method

Heat up the wok with vegetable oil over medium heat.
Add in chopped garlic stir until aromatic and then follow by adding sliced mushrooms and segment meat balls
Add bee hoon, at the same time add little water to keep the noodles at standstill moist.
Seasons with light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chicken bouillon and salt to your taste.
Stir vigorously until all ingredients are perfectly well blended
Remove from the heat then transfers to a serving dish.
Garnish with slice spring onions before serving

Notes:
Substitute choice of Sea food such prawns and squids are to be other alternative
Adding scramble eggs and choice of vegetables are another thrilling variety
Serve with choice of fresh slice cucumber in rice vinegar season with salt and sugar, brings you to the peak!
Others, perfect them with slices red chilies in light soy sauce as final satisfactions!

In The New Place and Shallow-fry Marinated Prawns Recipe

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:22:00 +0000

We had shifting to the north side of Goa, now we are staying here until end of August while waiting of ON season in Goa buzz again at the beginning of September.
Our previously resident is in the south of Goa the fact is about 1 ½ hrs driving by road to the North, since we both had being our self “moving company” wink, It was pretty exhausted for us doing packing and unpacking.

Now we are staying at one of the resort which where my Husband working **for free! its totally awesome, ha ha
We have got T1 studio type of villa which has one bed-room, living-room, kitchen and two balconies, then again, it is quite sufficient and comfy for both of us as we have to hang about during monsoon season.

Yes! I know my Blog page was quite dull and boring during our move about, I really have no chance doing blogging, I was fall of sick because of tiredness, another issue was we had to set back our internet connections which from broad-band within in the high speed to a pretty tortoise speed, ha!

Now here I am, come into visible again and bring up for you one of dead-easy fried prawns recipe.

Prawns is one of tasty creatures, he he…don’t you agree with me? Even though you just seasons them with sea salt and shallow-fry them, believe me! They are still in the delicious food zone *wink

I used to make this recipe to go together with my belachan fried rice so instead of adding prawns into fried rice, I just make plain belachan fried rice then I process the prawns into this way as side dish. Belachan fried rice recipe here

Shallow-Fry Prawns marinated in garlic powder, ground black pepper seasons with rice wine

Ingredients

12 pieces tiger prawns
1 teaspoon garlic powder substitute fresh mince garlic
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons rice wine (I used Hua Tiao Chiew cooking wine)
Sea salt
Oil for shallow-fry

Directions

Peel off the skin of prawns, remove the head, and devein--tail attached then clean well.
In the bowl marinate the prawns along with garlic powder, ground black pepper and sea salt let it stands about 15 minutes.
Heat up the skillet, once its heats up pour enough oil in use of shallow-fry
Add marinated prawns and then fry until reducing the juices (don’t be so surprise as prawns it self going to produce the juices **you will see your shallow fry process quite watery, it is just typical)
After the juices are totally relieved, stir frequently to a almost crisp and then seasons with rice wine.
Continue to stir about 30 seconds then remove from the pan and serve.

In Yellow, with no coconut milk “Eggs and Okras Curry”

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:38:00 +0000

Dependable on BABA’S, “oh I still believe until today, I will not leaving him! perhaps if one day I able to make my own then good bye BABA’S...

Yes BABA’S is my curry powder, what else!
I used to go with it all the time, since we moved to Goa-India and I have to cook more to a typical home cook.
Going along with him in whatever fish curry, prawns curry, beef curry and eggs-okras curry is my particular choice, eventhough I have to brought it along across the country--up till now my preferable fall into BABA’S curry powder.

Anyway I got to tell you about the ingredients it self which written behind the packet Coriander, Chilli, Cumin, Turmeric, Fennel, Dhal, Fenugreek, Pepper and other spices

"Got an Idea guys?

I do believe that you can create your very special one according to BABA'S trace above

Other than, you can Click here

For my eggs and okras curry I purposely used the type of fish curry powder to be my halt pattern (serbuk kari ikan dan udang) cause to against between eggs--okras and the fish curry powder it was transforming into the most drooling tempting aroma.

Eggs and Okras Curry

Ingredients

5 hard boiled eggs, peel off the skin
6-7 pieces okras, cut according to your choice
6 curry leaves
1 ½ tablespoon curry powder, mix with water to a paste
1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
1 tablespoon tamarind juice
Pinch of cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil
Water

Directions

Mix the curry powder with water to a paste, set a side
Heat up the pot with little oil to a medium fire.
Add ginger-garlic paste and pinch cumin seeds, fry until aromatic
Add the curry paste and stir consistently until the raw smells are gone, about 2 minutes
Add enough water, then let it boil **be careful do not adding to much water as your curry might to watery
Once the gravy boiled add curry leaves and hard boil eggs, stir two or three times then continue to a boil, about 30 seconds.
Lastly adding okras and stir, keep boil until the okras are crunch but not raw, approx a minute.
Remove from the heats then serve

Appreciations my Thanks for CLICK and Yellow colour of HOPE for Bri

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 11:41:00 +0000

To begin my expression is not simple as I think before where in every time I particularly log in to Jugalbandi to checked out the result of kindly magnificent concept fundraiser for Bri
going on (Bri has choosen fight like hell of Cancer)

More about it click HERE

Unimaginably started from last night my broad-band **again was down! The fact as every monsoon season we used to have such this kind of matter.
We could not even opening any site at all until this morning as usual after I have done all my house works, I had tried my luck log into my blogger--it was react surprisingly as blogger giving the login-box, hmm seems our broad-band back to normal **again

It was about five comments written in the dashboard of thoughtful congratulations about I won my picture at CLICK May host by Jugalbandi --theme Beans and Lentils and one of them was Bee one of the brilliant host had dropped such a surprised as they have something for me at Jugalbandi, congrats!

I just wonder what is this all about…

“Oh! I won my Splatter Red-kidney Bean as First place Spectra and Winner Concept "
Thank you guys! Jugalbandi-Bee and Jai, I am so honoured **incomparable credit to me, I do appreciate your tough works.

To all judges of putting such a thrilling enthusiastic works, Thank you!

Finding la dolce vita, Whats For Lunch Honey, Gopal Seshardinathan, Evolving Tastes, Jugalbandi (host) Bee, Jugalbandi (host) Jai

All the winner are HERE, My entry is HERE

To be part of blogger in the blogosphere is enormous meaning to me and to be part of Click Yellow for Bri is amazing.

CLICK June 2008 special edition is honor for beautiful Briana Brownlow at Fig with Bri
Bee and Jai @Jugalbandi are organised a fundraiser helping Briana Brownlow, they are co-ordinate the effort through the magnificent team as exemplify LOVE-IN-ACTION

"I sincerely believed these team are truly angels which God have lend his hands through their hands to help each other, to help Bri"

You guys have put together an outstanding concept for Bri, God Bless!

My picture below is not my entry, its more to a bear of a resemblance to my Hope **big Hope for Bri "You are in my prayer"

I took this morning while Monsoon season overtaking until mid of September.

“Because Yellow is Colour of HOPE”

Yellow is the happiest colour in the spectrum. It signifies hope and enlightenment. Though the work of the LiveStrong Foundation, it has also come to signify the fight against cancer.

To Contribute please Click HERE

[Weekend Herb Blogging] Indonesian SambaL Terasi

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 06:39:00 +0000

Sambal is used as a condiment or as a side dish for an Indonesian mostly, it can be very hot for the inexperienced.
Adding sambal to the dish may heat up and raising your appetite, sambal also very popular throughout Indonesia and we used to have as many Indonesian fond to the most

Terasi is Indonesian variant of dried shrimp paste which is important ingredient for "Indonesian Sambal Terasi".
In my image above terasi which almost looks like granules but actually it was a big chunk then I mashed them up and toasted over the fire to get better flavour and reducing the pungent aroma.

Terasi has very much strong smell and saltiness but if you add up at your particular recipes its became perfect combinations ever!
Toasted terasi can be last very long only if you keep in the covered container within dry cool place or even in the fridge.

Click here to get to know several kind of Indonesian Terasi.

Sambal terasi can be make and serve fresh which mean by using a stone cobek (mortar and pestle) by grinding fresh chilies and fresh tomatoes to a smooth form other wise leave some lumps and of course adding terasi in it--if you do not have a Mortar and Pestle, a blender or food processor may be used.
To me, making Indonesian sambal terasi it would be not so fantastic without using particularly bird eye chili a.k.a cabe rawit.

Since I am living far away from my beautiful Indonesia which possible at anytime making sambal terasi, therefore my Indonesian sambal terasi which I wrote down below is kind of fry-up first then can be kept refrigerate.

I take my part for Weekend Herb Blogging started by Kalyn, of Kalyn's Kitchen and hosted this week by Maninas at Maninas "Food Matter"
Presented an authentic Indonesian sambal terasi is an excitement to me apart from it I can simply describe as “Indonesian fantastic condiment”.

Indonesian Sambal Terasi (**cooked, Indonesian style spicy condiment)

Ingredients

75gr bird eye chilies
5 pieces red chilies, deseeds
1 teaspoon terasi a.k.a dried shrimp paste, toasted
3 tomatoes, remove the skin and chopped
Grated coconut sugar, substitute palm sugar to taste
Salt to taste
Vegetable Oil

Directions

Grind bird eye chiles and red chilies using grinder machine into a smooth paste, add little water to make the thing keep turning--set aside.

Meanwhile heat the oil in the pan over medium heat, add in the grind chili, stir about 25 minutes or until the chilli are cooked

Add chopped tomatoes then stir frequently until the tomatoes are really dissolved.

Add grated coconut sugar and toasted terasi (dried shrimp paste) keep stirring until all ingredients are well blended

Seasons with sea salt then continue to stir until the sambal turn to a colour--slightly deep red and aromatic **about 2 minutes.

Removed from the heat and let it cool--transfers into covered container, Keep refrigerate

Notes:

Sambal terasi may last about a week even more, if you aware of using a clean spoon every uses.
Using bird eye chilies which may be too much spicy otherwise simply using the red chilies purely instead

Hunger-craved Crispy fried Snapper serving with Indonesian Sambal Terasi

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:13:00 +0000

Fried fish is always paying an extra treatment to our lunch and it’s more attractive if it goes together with my Indonesian style sambal terasi.

Picked up a medium size snapper in the local fresh market yesterday was totally unplanned as sale was going on that day. They were nicely array as the peddler expected all the fish are sold out, seeing as the rains have not stopped downpours from the skies.

what a comic story, after I got it on sale then

I have to crispy-fried
poor fellow..

Seems pretty out-standing if I twist to a luscious steam fish with gingery aromatic and sprinkle with sesame oil, it was my plan! Since we both craved for an Indonesian sambal go along with it unfortunately the plan other wise changed.

“Crispy fried those beggars then dip it with the famous Indonesian sambal terasi, ha ha…” it would be brilliant idea whichever fulfilled our hunger-craved.

**although not to worry since we don’t care presented a whole snapper freak out on our dining table, had it, even as the bones are pretty irritated, ha!

Crispy Fried Snapper

Ingredients

400gr snapper, scale and clean then score the flesh
½ teaspoon mix ground white pepper and black pepper
½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
Sea salt to taste
Oil for frying

Directions

Rub all over the fish with salt, turmeric powder and mix ground white pepper and black pepper.
Let it stand about 15 minutes to absorbent the ingredients

Heat up the pan with oil over medium fire, once its heats up carefully place the fish over the hot oil--aware may the oil splatter around.
The oil should cover half of the fish-it would sufficient to make the fish crisp enough.

Turn over cautiously once at one side get done crisp **both sides should be in golden brown and crisp.

Remove form the hot pan the serve hot with steam rice, Indonesian sambal terasi and fresh cucumber if its available

Notes:
If you are comfortable of deep-fried, may you got to do it!

The second part of our outbreak-lunch with "the famous Indonesian sambal terasi" will be right back after the jump...

Welcoming Indian Monsoon To my Food Photography accompany a cup of chai.

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:03:00 +0000

Since I live in Goa-India, of course I experienced Indian Monsoon where the rain downpours from the sky to make Goa is probably its most beautiful with greenery sprouting all around.

During monsoon Goa will always rain, rain and rain, the tropical thunderstorm would be performing either and the skies without absence of colour in otherwise dull grey.

Goa reveals the peak of monsoon would be between June to late September which is in July is the month that receives full blast of rainfall.

In last week which in my opinion perhaps, where Goa monsoon starts giving its little hint of being ready as typical Goa Monsoon about to land, I saw the skies really performed quite freaking me out during our BBQ picnic right down to the beach, somewhat I heard from the radio in the car while on the way to picnic place that north part had received beautiful shower rain of monsoon and few part in south either.

I believed all peoples must be so relieved had chanced to get away from the heats!
**Today the vista still looks so gloomy as dark clouds still always overlook the sky.

I ever thinking of my food photography from my blog lately, how its gonna looks like since I do not have studio and supportive natural lighting which I revealed here

Encouraging my self is the most principal thing, discovering what i demand is natural react!And do find out what the trick behind and what make the thing works!

I shouldn’t depending on what which doesn’t give me a good offer, find out something else at least making me little bit satisfied, don’t forget always appreciating your hard works!

Click here for night setting food photograph examples which was using an ordinary bulb

Should I rush and run after the sun to get natural lighting which always being good pal at summer time?

Oh no…no, I shouldn’t be! I don’t need to be! neither I should not bring to an end on what had become my pleasant hobby!
I ought to except and adjusting the monsoon circumstances currently--gloomy, cloudy, dull-grey **no natural light as at the moment gone to onother part of the globe.

ooppss!! did you see the bulb? seems almost dangerous and pretty awful though!

it almost easily drop! **boom! oh seems somebody wonder by now...

hmm dont worry its quite steady, i am sure and most probably until next year, he he...**its worth to employ for my nighty photography, ha ha!

Below is Indian Papad which I took at night using an ordinary bulb, I believe you see the different between taking photograph using a artificial light and natural light, I know you do!

I do realized that I am not professional food photographer neither **just food photographer, it far from those title, I am not doing it for commercial purpose too! hence I have nothing to loose for it.
I am doing it because I love to take picture and I do enjoy cooking, treasured what I am facing off as my hobby lately.

Therefore no reason for me to keep my spirit off, at all! doesnt mean no natural light is no soul on photography, to me its more to another adrenaline challenge which make us more imaginative and artistic.

Chai of the day

Ingredients

1 tea bag (I prefer nothing to loose flavour)
1 teaspoon of Excitement sugar
1 cup of appreciate water
½ cup cherish milk

Directions

Liking to what you like.
Add all the ingredients above to be an extraordinary element of your self.
Enjoy your hard works and value your creativity, always!

Don’t let the situations steal away your hobby and liking

Keep cooking!
Keep sharing!
Keep clicking!

Desirable Squids, Morinaga Tofu and shitake mushrooms ever!

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Adore to somebody foods and recipes it’s a natural feeling, being fond of it--eager to it, I believe you would illustrate of the best sensation food you ever tasted before!

Since then, I was pretty often without hesitation and humbly polite asking of other people foods especially the recipes, how to make it and what the trick is, even though I felt the person who I asked for is appear being innocent speechless--kind of blur where it has to start from.

Shall we sitting together and let me know what it is all about?
I'll stick my memory on rather than piece of paper *wink

Anyway there is a friend of mine always being kindly and compassionately about his flawless foods especially typical authentic Chinese food. Since last 2006 we have separated by the ocean, he and his wife have to moved out to other country for other job but our regularly conversations subject via chat messenger is **Foods and beyond **wink! Thanks to you Jo! I have never imagined how I can modify the recipe without your original one! And it was absolutely indeed.

Squids and coated Morinaga Tofu in Gravy

Ingredients

200gr squids
150gr Morinaga tofu (substitute silk tofu)
4 dried shitake mushrooms (soak in water, thinly slices)
6 pieces asparagus cut to angle lengthwise (optional)
1 red chilli, deseed thin slices
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 teaspoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2cm ginger into Julianne
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups of water
Salt and sugar to taste
Corn flour to thicken and coated.

Directions

Clean well the squids-removed the skin off-score the flesh to a pineapple skin pattern, set aside

Cut off Morinaga Tofu into medium size cubes, coat them one by one with corn flour and shallow fry them--handled gently as it too delicate. Set aside.

Meanwhile heat the wok over medium heats, fry ginger Julianne to crispy brown then add garlic--stir together until aromatic

Increased the fire and then add the squids-when the thing starts to curls add shitake mushrooms-stir well.

Seasons with ground white pepper oyster sauce, fish sauce, light soy sauce, rice wine salt and sugar to taste--do a very quick stir!

Add asparagus (optional), keep stirring.
Add the water, let it boiling for a while then thicken with corn flour mix with water.

Add coated Morinaga Tofu and gently stir
Remove from the heat then transfers in to a serving plate.
Serve hot with steam rice.

Click Bean's and Lentils (Little story Telling) Splatter Red-kidney Bean's

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Sat, 24 May 2008 11:56:00 +0000

I guess isn’t too late for me to send my picture over to Click event for this month, knowing that I don’t have great idea lately due to my engaged of my little kitchen because my “D” got demanding-food syndrome (ha ha..) very much about what should I cook, I think as always!

Today I preparing Prawn porridge with Julianne ginger (as aroma and flavour) serve with gingery braised egg sauce and the side dish is silk tofu-shitake mushrooms in abalone sauce, quite drooling though!
(Now the porridge still in slow cooking process)

I leave it alone while typing for my entry of Click event **I smell the aroma of ginger from my porridge

Talking about my idea for monthly Click event host by Jugalbandi which had been announced for this month (May) theme is Bean’s and Lentils, Bee and Jay are always being a great duo as most brilliant as they had came out with the most fabulous ideas.

Seems pretty tough for me to get Bean’s and Lentils idea-thought how am I going to take a lovely one and send over to Click event gallery

Firstly looking at what kind of beans I had in my dry stored?
Secondly until I finally found Red-kidney Bean and White Soy Bean! ahhh…gonna be interesting for my idea today since I got all of sudden idea about the way I present my “Red-kidney Beans” for my (still got time) Click event entry.

I had chosen roasted papad taking a role as well and being supportive element to my Splatter Red-kidney Beans **I rolled up into cone shape and then roasted it out through the fire

See, I had done so far!

My studio? Not a studio actually--please do not thinking that I had sophisticated one!
Somewhat I never thinking and dreaming of one too at the moment, it’s too complicated for me, however I would love to tell you when one day I have one, proper one! **Fingers crossed

My works place for my Blog especially in Food Photography to be honest more to a crap one, ha ha (truthfully!) I had been setting up to all my most food photography in the leaving room where I getting so much natural lighting from my quite big two windows and balcony door, does it sounded pretty fortunate? Oh..I do have no idea because very often I scratched my head about how to manage these fantastic natural light in intended of my demanding result at the end.

I am not very clever of Photoshop either (come on this is 2008) **but I do love too, the fact is my IT not that well, ha!

Mostly I just do tuning of my pictures which I feel that this is the easiest way to get along with, my humbly simply Photoshop at the moment is the one I got it free downloading soft ware at web site *wink, having fun with effect also such a great presentations to an image either! Cropping the image not a fancy one to me however I did it too! Even though not so often.

Yes! now you know that my self is might be a kind of old-fashion one when its come to do some IT works through a mind blowing and sophisticated soft ware such a Adobe Photoshop!

Revealing the truth that I did mostly my pictures in very simple way according to my sight, played the gear is more comfortable for me at the moment since the natural lights are being always so supportive to my works, Photoshop oh yeah its great indeed! one day…one day-not closing to a possibilities.

So I think, I have had completed of some describing point as my little story telling about how I had done my food photography works so far as foodie blogger.

Be who you are and take your role, its the best persuaded!
Be creative! as the way you should be!

Kolak an equivalent sweet soup of classic Indonesian dessert

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:12:00 +0000

Kolak is very popular as classic Indonesian dessert, in fact it’s usually eaten as appetizer instead, it’s could be serve warm or chilled somewhat I prefer chilled.
To give the soup which made of coconut milk more appetizing fragrant and flavour we used to add in pandanus leaf, there are also some various maker of kolak have a preference adding jackfruit if its comes to a season as wish-for to get more mouth-water equivalent sweet soup as a dessert.

To be honest I am not a huge fans of sweet-tooth the fact I do love dessert but if it contains too much sweetener, I would rather have something else which in sourish.

I feel like to have chill Kolak labuh kuning (Classic Indonesian sweet pumpkin soup) as my company of my late afternoon, having it peace while watching some program on TV oh! "Please don’t compare with your lime sorbet or I will go for both" wink..

I had little puzzled with my pumpkin past few days ago, it just sitting nicely in my fridge before I decided to make "Pumpkin Kolak”
Thinking of pumpkin pannacota, but I had no cream stored, going to get it? I was so lazy knowing today still in summer time--too hot outside like in the oven.

However Kolak is the best choice as my craving for Indonesian dessert back then.
As I said so that I would have just equivalent sweetener to my leisure time dessert, I purposely cut down the sugar to my Kolak and substitute with organic honey.
Adding up thinly slices of lemon into my organic honey it’s such a great idea ever comes to my head. Hope that you can picture at your present place now, he he…

Kolak labuh kuning
(Classic Indonesian pumpkin sweet soup drizzle with honey lemon)

Ingredients

400gr pumpkin, cut into medium cubes
200ml thick coconut milk
800ml of water
½ teaspoon sea salt to taste
2 springs of pandanus leaf, torn with fork then tie to a knot

Directions

In the deep pot mix coconut milk into the water season with sea salt, stir well then add pandanus leaf and cubes pumpkin.
Heats the pot up which containing the ingredients above over medium fire, stir frequently and gently to avoid coconut milk gets lump about 20 to 30 minutes or until the pumpkin get soften but not too soft.
Off the fire let it cool then transfer into a container, refrigerate to chilled

Honey lemon drizzle

1 1/2 cups organic honey
1 medium size lemon

Wash the lemon then thinly slices, add into organic honey and let them stand about 30 minutes or awaiting your kolak about to chilled

Serving

Scoop out the chilled kolak into a serving dessert bowl.
Drizzle with organic honey lemon about 1 tablespoon,
Actually it's depend on how much sweets you want to be

Carrot Cake *not Cakes! as Char Tow Kueh

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:56:00 +0000

As we are mostly really being huge fans of our country special dishes and impossible take them away from our life, ever!, miss them so much especially to whom who stay abroad which hardly to get those craving mouth watering foods even which does not have demanding ingeredient of your desire one, then what you can do? You’ll do everything in your power to get them back! Cook it, dish up at our dining table--no matter how much you have to purchased and no matter how tough you have to bring them over--I believe you would do it.

Obliterating my hubby crave for his heavenly Singapore Char Tow Kueh is pretty easy to cook apart from brought them over across the country, ho ho!
With ready made “Carrot cake” which picked up from regularly supermarket in Singapore, I able turning over into his outstanding appetizer to be his company besides me, ha!
"Oh! Feels like at home, you pass babe, exellente! yeeaahh..."
ehemm! thanks anyway…

Please don’t get wrong idea with Singapore carrot cake, I know you might pictured it as cakes made of those carrots, oh no no…what I am talking about here is Singapore carrot cake made from fragrant rice flour, tapioca starch, carrot and some seasonings then produce the cakes.

Well, my carrot cake a.k.a Char Tow Kueh as “D” humbly request is followed by cooking instructions behind the packet and i did little bit modified to get more savoury.
Take him into unforgettable Chai Tow Kueh, hmmm it was my big intend, ha ha

Carrot Cake ( stir fry) a.k.a Char Tow Kueh

Ingredients

1 packet ready made carrot cake, about 500gr-cut into small cubes
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon chilli paste (optional)
1 tablespoon tong chai-finely chopped
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
Dash of fish sauce
Dark soy sauce to colour
Spring onions to garnish
Vegetable oil

Directions

Heat the oil, add garlic and tong chai until fragrants.
Add chilli paste keep stirring abot 30 seconds
Add small cubes carrot cake stir gently as carrot cake is too delicate
Seasons with dash fish sauce, sweet soy sauce and dark soy sauce to coloured
Stir frequently and gently until all ingredients are well bended.
Remove from the heats transfer into a serving plate then garnish with chopped spring onions
Serve hot

notes

I skip the egg for my special request fried char tow kueh
Chai poh (dried radish) commonly add to char tow kueh if unavailable tong jai being great alternative
Making it in slightly lighter colour is preferable choice

DMBLGIT, I am so honoured being a winner! and being a Good Lookin!

irarodrigues08@gmail.com (busylittlebee) — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:06:00 +0000

I just came back from my Dubai Trip last four days ago, I have no chance to do blogging yet, since there was a big reason as usual that my house things could not be awaiting for me “cleaning!” seems my house in a big mess, my plant almost dying (nobody water them, so sad) other problematical of doing blogging was last two days ago my broadband totally down! We were call the staff (BSNL) to find out what was going on--unfortunately there was technical problem which should be done in 48 hours, goooshh! and 48 hours is today after quite long waiting to type some my words, yay..!!
That was the reasons why I have to wait for this moment.

and now...

I would like to take this great opportunity to say my Special thanks to Sara of ms.Adventure in Italy for hosting DMBLGIT April’08 (fantastic monthly competitions of food bloggers) also big Thanks to all judges--Helen of Tartelette,Sara of The Kitchen Pantry, Susan of Food Blogga and Robyn of The Girl Who Ate Everything, must be tough job for you guys to decide and chosen who the winner in each category because all food blogger are tremendous excellent and talented in their concerned.

To be honest this my first entry to go DMBLGIT and I was so surprise when they award me in Second Place for DMBLGIT April’08 for my "CRISPY, SPICY AND GARLICKY DRIED ANCHOVIES" ,
I am so honor and very proud of it, thank you very much!!
Check out all the winner here and my post here