Sate Ayam & Gado Gado

This is one of my favourite dishes.  It's from Indochef and so delicious that I just can't get enough. Sate Ayam is similar to kabobs, but so much better!! Gado-Gado is an Indonesian vegetable salad. The vegetables used are a suggestion, you can use nearly anything that is available to you. Use at least 3 different vegetables.
 

Sate Ayam and Gado Gado

Sate Ayam 

Ingredients:
        

        1 lb Chicken

Marinade:

        1 Onion
        1 clove Garlic
        1 oz Dark Soya Sauce
        1 tsp Coriander Powder
        1 teaspoon Lemon Grass
        1 teaspoon Hot Chili Paste
        1 glass Red Wine (optional)
        1 oz Water

Directions:

1. Dice the meat into 3/4 inch square cubes.
2. Put onto bamboo skewers (about 4 per stick).
3. Combine all the marinade ingredients into a food processor and make into a smooth paste.  
4. Pour this over the prepared sate's and leave to marinade for at least 2 hours.
5. Cook the sate's on the barbeque or under the grill for 5-10 minutes until done.
6. Serve with hot Peanut Sauce.
7. 
   

Gado-Gado:

Ingredients:

        White Cabbage, diced

        Green Beans

        Bean Sprouts

        2 Eggs, hard boiled

        Peanut Sauce

        Tomatoes

        Prawn Crackers

Directions:

1. Separately cook all the vegetables lightly.  They must still retain a nice crunch.
2. Drain and arrange the vegetables in layers on a dish.
3. Pour the peanut sauce over the vegetables.
4. Decorate with the sliced egg and tomatoes.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle the crackers over the sauce.

Best enjoyed when the salad is cooled down.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Beef Rendang or "Rendang Daging" - Spicy Beef Stew with Coconut

Beef rendang or “rendang daging” is of Indonesian origin. It's a time-consuming dish, but well worth it - save some leftover as it only gets better overnight.

Beef Rendang

Ingredients:

        1 1/2 lb Boneless Beef Short Ribs (cut into cubes)
        5 Tbs Cooking Oil
        1 Cinnamon Stick (about 2-inch long)
        3 Cloves
        3 Star Anise
        3 Cardamom Pods
        1 Lemongrass (cut into 4-inch length and pounded)
        1 cup Thick Coconut Milk
        1 cup Water
        2 tsp Tamarind Pulp (soaked in some warm water for the juice and                             discard the seeds )
        6 Kaffir Lme Leaves (very finely sliced)
        6 Tbs Kerisik (toasted coconut)
        1 Tbs Sugar/Palm Sugar or to taste
        Salt to taste

Spice Paste:

        5 Shallots
        1 inch Galangal
        3 Lemongrass (white part only)
        5 cloves Garlic
        1 inch Ginger
        10-12 Dried Chilies (soaked in warm water and seeded)

Directions:

1. Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor until fine.
2. Heat the oil in a stew pot, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry them until aromatic.
3. Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass and stir for 1 minute.
4. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked.
5. Add the kaffir lime leaves, kerisik (toasted coconut), sugar/palm sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.
6. Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up.
7. Add salt to taste. If not sweet enough, add more sugar to taste.
8. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight.

Cook’s Note:

To prepare the kerisik or toasted coconut, just add the grated coconut to a dry wok and stir continuously until they turn golden brown.

This is good with white rice to tame the spiciness.  

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Roti Kukus (Indonesian Steamed Cake)

They are soft, moist and spongy. and so good. It's been a while since I've had them but they are so good!

Roti Kukus

Ingredients:

        3  Egg Yolks
        1  Egg White
        1 3/4 cup  Caster Sugar (substitution below)
        1 3/4 cup Flour
        1/2 cup Sprite
        1 tbsp Cocoa Powder

Directions:

1. Prepare steamer. Line roti kukus molds with parchment paper.
2. Beat egg yolks, egg white, and caster sugar until thick and pale.
3. Fold in 1/3 of the flour, then 1/2 of the sprite.
4. Gently mix
5.  Repeat with remaining flour and Sprite, ending with flour.
6. Mix thoroughly until there is no lumps in the batter.
7. Divide 1/3 of the batter into a small bowl and add cocoa powder. 
8. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
9. Spoon white batter into moulds.
10. Swirl a little of the chocolate batter.
11. Steam for 15-20 minutes on high heat.

Notes:

    It is best to steam them in small quantity at a time. Unlike common cake batters         which should be baked immediately, this batter can stand quite long.
    Do not open the steamer during the first fifteen minutes. Peeking can cause the         rising of the cake to stop.
    Muffin molds may be used for this cake and it turns nice too.

    Spread Irish butter on the cakes.

Makes 10 cakes.

Substitutions:

Castor sugar may not be easy to track down, but it is easy to make. In fact, it's really nothing more than granulated sugar that has been ground to a super-fine consistency. 

Here's how to make your own castor sugar in seconds:

Preparation:

1. Place granulated sugar in a food processor or blender.
2. Pulse until it reaches a super-fine, but not powdery consistency.
3. Allow the sugar to settle for a few minutes.
4. Then, use in place of the castor sugar for your recipe.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Indonesian Chicken

This was a week of recipe testing.   I found this one over at A Year of Slow Cooking . I tweaked the recipe a little and it turned out delicious!

Indonesian Chicken

Ingredients:

        3-4 lbs Chicken

        2 Tbs Soy Sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat-free are GF)

        2 cloves Garlic, chopped

        2 Tbs Sugar

        1 1/2 tsp Sesame Oil

        1/3 cup Peanut Butter

        1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

        1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
        Red chili flakes, sprinkles

        Sesame seeds and lime wedges, for garnish (optional)

Directions.

1. Put the peanut butter into your crockpot and turn it to high so it can begin to melt.
2. Add the remaining sauce ingredients.
3. Stir to mix.
4. Add the chicken.
5. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. This is done when the chicken is cooked through and has reached desired tenderness. The longer you cook it, the more tender it will become, but it may fall off the bone if you cook too long.

Tip:
    If your crockpot isn't at least 2/3 full, keep an eye on it so the peanut butter doesn't burn.        You may need to stir a few times.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Cah Kangkung Udang

I want to apologize.  I can't believe it's been so long since I did a food blog.  I promise I will try not to have the blogs so few and far between anymore.

Doesn't this look amazing?

My son, William, saw this on another food blog I used to use, and wanted to make it on his night to cook.  He did an awesome job with just a little help from me.  It was delicious!

Cah Kangkung Udang is an Indonesian dish made by a wonderful Indonesian woman I knew.

Cah Kangkung Udang

• Ingredients:

        7 ounces Large Shrimp

        10 oz Spinach

        1 Onion

        2 Chilies, or adjust to taste

        2 cloves Garlic

        1 Tbs Butter

        2 Tbs Soy Sauce

        1 Tbs Sesame Oil

        1 Tbs Oster Sauce

Directions:

1. Wash spinach and cut to size. 
2. Finely chop onion and garlic.   
3. Seed and chop the chilies elongated  
4. Heat the butter in a pan. 
5. Put chopped onions, garlic and chilies in the hot butter.  
6. Saute until fragrant. 
7. Add the shrimp.  
8. Stir well. 
9. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and oyster sauce.  
10. Cook briefly (1-2 minutes). 
11. Add the spinach. 
12. Stir fry briefly until the leaves are flaccid.

Serve with hot rice.

Serves 3-5.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid