Bubur Manado / Manado Porridge (Tinotuan)

500 gr rice
adequate water
4 tsp salt
2 pcs corn
100 gr young Melinjo leaf (gnetum gnemon)
100 gr spinach wash clean
100 gr Kangkung (ipomea reptans) wash clean
200 gr cassava slice
300 gr yellow pumpkin slice
2 bunched long bean
50 gr Kemangi (see Spices and Ingredients for information)
Salt as your taste

How to:
1. Put rice in the pan and pour water untill 3-5 cm above rice. Boil untih medium cooked.
2. Add slice of yellow pumpkin, corn and cassava.
3. Continue boil untill well cooked.
4. Add all vegetables one by one into porridge. Stir untill all ingredient well cooked and porridge thick enough.
5. Remove from pan and ready too serve.

For 6-8 pax

Nasi Goreng Jawa / Javanesse Fried Rice

Ingredients:
600 gr Cooked rice
3-4 tbs soya suce
5 tbs oil for sauteing
30 gr bean sprout

Finely pounded spices into paste:
5 shallots
2 clove garlic
3-5 red chilli or as request
1/2 tsp shrimp paste

on top:
2 slice of cucumber
Turn over egg
shrimp cracker
fried oniom
cucumber and carrot pickel

How to:
1. Saute spices paste with 5 tbs oil on the medium heat untill good smell.
2. Add rice and bean sprout. Stir well.
3. Add soya sauce. Stir well.
4. Seasoning.
5. Remove from pan and ready to serve.

For 6 pax

Perkedel Kentang

Ingredients:
1/2 Kg potatoes, peeled
1 egg, separate the eg yolk
1 tbs fried onion, finely pounded
1/4 tsp ground pepper
Adequate ground nutmeg
1/2 celery stalk, sliced
Adequate salt
oil

How to:
1. Deep fried potatoes with high heat untill golden brown. Remove from pan. Mashed.
2. Mix mashed potatoes with egg yolk, fried onion, ground pepper, ground nutmeg and celery.
3. After mixed, formed into small eclipse forms.
4. Wrapped the eclipse potatoes with white egg before deep fried.
5. Deep fried untill golden brown.

For 4-6 pax

Soto Ayam / Chicken Clear Soup

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
2 tbs fried oil
Adequate water
1 bunch leek, sliced
3 tbs soya sauce
2 clove garlic, sliced and fried
lemon

Finely pounded spices into paste:
7 Shallots
2 pcs clove
1 Slice ginger
1/2 finger of turmeric

How to:
1. Clean chicken (boneless) and boiled untill cook well. Remove from pan.
2. cut chicken into small pieces and put it again in the chicken stock at least 1 ltr.
3. Saute all spices paste untill good smell. Add to chicken stock.
4. Cooked untill boiling point. Seasoning.
5. Serve with sliced of leek, fried garlic, soya sauce and lemon squash.

For 4-5 pax.

Sambal Soto Banjar / Banjar Clear Soup Sambal

Ingredients:
16 small chilli, steamed.
3 clove garlic
Adequate salt
oil

How to:
1. Finely pounded small chilli, garlic and salt.
2. saute with 4 tbs oil on medium heat untill well cooked.
3. If you like more clear, add more 1-2 water.

Soto Banjar / Banjar Clear Soup

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces.
2 ltr water
250 cc fresh milk
1/4 nutmeg
10 cm cinnamon
2 clove
salt

Finely pounded spices into paste:
8 shallots
5 clove garlic
1 tsp pepper
oil

How to:
1. Put 2 ltr water, chicken and adequate salt in the pot. Boiled untill well cooked and tender. Keep the water approximaly 1 3/4 liter.
2. Boneless the chicken. Cut into dice.
3. In the pan, heat 3 tbs oil with medium heat.
4. Saute spices paste untill good smell.
5. Add sauted spices paste, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to the pot. Pour fresh milk. Stir gently untill all mix.

Note:
Soto Banjar / Banjar clear soup can be serve with several companion:
1. 12 fried Mashed potatoes.(Perkedel Kentang)
2. 100 gr thin rice noodles, soak in the hot water untill soft. Remove from bowl.
3. 6 boiled egg, cut into 8 pieces.
4. 4 tbs fried onion.
5. 2 leeks, sliced.
6. 1 celery, sliced.
7. adequate soya sauce.
8. Lemon squash.
9. Soto Banjar / Banjar clear soup Sambal’s.(sambal soto banjar)

Sambal Ayam Bakar / Roast Chicken Sambal

Ingredients:
10 red chilli
2 lime, squashed
6 tbs soya sauce
3 kemangi stalks (See Spices and Ingredients for more information)

How to:
1. Finely pounded red chilli.
2. Add lime squash, soya sauce and Kemangi. Stir gently.
3. Serve as companion of Ayam Bakar Kecap / Sweet Soy Sauce Roast Chicken

Sambal Ayam Goreng Kalasan / Kalasan Fried Chicken Sambal

Ingredients:
10 red chilli, clean from seed and boiled.
1 tomatoes, boiled
6 shallots
50 cc chicken stock
3 tsp palm sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbs vegetable oil

How to:
1. Finely pounded red chilli, tomatoes and shallots.
2. Heat oil in the pan with medium heat. Saute finely pounded spices. Seasoning (salt and sugar).
3. Pour chicken stock, cooked with small heat untill oilly.
4. remove from pan, serve as Ayam Gorang Kalasan / Kalasan Fried Chicken companion.

Kepiting Kari / Indonesian Curried Crab

Ingredients:

4 crabs
6 Shallots
2 Stalks lemon grass
2 tsp Tamarind
1/2 cup Boiling water
1 Handful coriander leaves
3 Cloves garlic
1 tbs Fresh galangal
2 To 3 birdseye chillies, -seeded
4 Candlenuts
1 t Blachan
1 t Tumeric
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbs Oil
2 cups Coconut milk

How to:

1. Cut the 4 crabs into quarters with a cleaver or large knife. With a hammer, gently crack the claws and harder sections of shell.
2. Finely chop 6 shallots and 2 stalks lemon grass. Steep 2 teaspoons tamarind in half a cup of boiling water. Chop a handful of fresh coriander leaves.
3. In a food processor, grind together 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh galangal, 2-3 birdseye chillies, seeded, 4 candlenuts (or substitute 8-10 cashews) and 1 teaspoon blachan (hard dark brown shrimp paste), 1 teaspoon turmeric and salt and pepper to taste. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large wok or pan, and fry the paste until fragrant. Add shallots, lemon grass, crab pieces and 2 cups coconut milk.
4. Simmer for quarter of an hour. Strain the tamarind water and add half to the sauce. Taste and add more if you wish. Ladle curvy into a serving dish and scatter the fresh coriander on top. Serve with plain rice.

Ayam Bakar Padang / Padang Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

400g chicken meat
1 Cinnamon stick
3 cloves
5 lime leaves
1/2 turmeric leaf
3 lemon grass
3 tbs oil
500ml thin coconut milk
100ml thick coconut milk

Finely Pounded Spices into Paste:

4 red chilies
2 cloves garlic
4 shallots
1/2 tbs coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
2cm ginger
2cm galangal
3cm fresh turmeric
3 candlenuts

How To:

1. Heat the oil, sauted spices paste with cinnamon stick, clove, lime leaf, turmeric leaf, and lemon grass until fragrant.
2. Add chiken and cook until the meat is half cooked. Add thin coconut milk, reduce the heat, cook for another 1-2 minutes to reduce the sauce.
3. Add thick coconut milk and cook to reduce the sauce, remove the chicken and allow to cool.
4. Glaze the remained sauce on the surface of the chickens, broil in the oven until the meat become golden brown.

Kolak Pisang / Braised Banana with Palm Sugar and Coconut gravy

Ingredients:

1 pandan leaf (screwpine leaf)
2 big cubes of Palm Sugar
1 can of Kolang-Kaling (Toddy Palm Fruit)
3 large cassava
15 bananas
5 large sweet potato
1 can of coconut milk, add 2 cup of water
1 1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of salt

How to:

1. Peel skin from sweet potato and cassava, wash clean, cut into small cubes, place in a boiling pan.
2. Peel the banana skin, make small cuts and place in the boilin pan along with sweet potato and cassava.
3. Cut half each kolang-kaling if desire, if not, leave it as its natural round, put into the boiling pan as well (without the water) .
4. Tie knot the screwpine leaf and add it into the pan.
5. Add sugar, salt, palm sugar, coconut milk, and the water into the pan .
6. Bring to boil everything inside the pan until cassava and sweet potato become tender, taste the soup if its sweet enough for you, turn off the stove.

Tips:

1. Serve warm or cold as desired.
2. Usually its hard to fine Palm Sugar (Gula Jawa) in Western countries even though Gula Java means Palm Sugar, yet it is differ from the Palm Sugar in the Western Market, however, you can use Palm Sugar, as desired. Gula Jawa is mostly used to make this dessert nice attractive brownish in color.
3. In some countries, Kolang-Kaling is well knows as Kolang Kaling/Buah Atap/Atap Seed/Kaong/Tropical Food/Toddy Palm Fruit.

Ikan Bumbu Bali / Grilled Mackerel with Hot Spicy Balinese Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
600g mackerel
2 cm turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1 lime
salad oil
1 lemon grass, crush
375cc water
3 tbs kecap manis (sweet ketchup)

Finely Pounded spices into paste:
75g red chilies
10 shallots
3 cloves garlic
5 candlenuts
1cm ginger
1 tbs tamarind juice
salt
sugar

How To:
1. Scrape the scales off and wash the mackerel, cut into pieces in appropriate size, add salt, squeezed lime juice and
turmeric for 10-20 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan, pan fry the mackerel.
3. Heat the oil, fry spice paste and lemon grass until fragrant. Add water and kecap
manis (sweet ketchup) and bring to boil, simmer to thicken the sauce stirring constantly.
4. Put in the fried mackerel and simmer until the fish absorb the sauce.

Sate Padang / Padang Satay

Ingredients:

200g Brisket
800g Innards (heart, tripe, intestines, liver, lung)
2 1/2 liters Water
4 Kaffir lime leaves
1 stalk Lemon grass, bruised
1 Turmeric leaf
1 piece Dried sour fruit (Garcinia cambogia)
Skewers
1-2 tbsp Oil
50g Rice flour & 1 tbsp cornflour for each 500cc stock
Fried shallots for garnishing

Finely pounded spices into paste :

8 Red Chillies
2 tsp Coriander, roasted
1 tsp Peppercorns
1/4 tsp Cumin, roasted
6 Shallots
1 tsp Chopped turmeric
1 tsp Chopped ginger
1/2 tsp Chopped galangan

Method :

1. Boil the brisket and innards until half-cooked.
2. Then add ground spices, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, turmeric leaf and dried sour fruit.
3. Add hot water if necessary.
4. Simmer until the meat is tender.
5. Remove brisket and innards and cut into 1 X 2 X 3 cm pieces.
6. Thread meat onto the skewers, making sure that every, skewer has brisket and various innards.
7. Brush with oil and grill over hot charcoal until dry.
8. Thicken the remaining marinade with rice flour and cornflour mixed with a little water.
9. Serve satay with ketupat (compressed rice cake) or lontong (rice dumplings).
10. Pour hot sauce over the meat and sprinkle with fried shallots.

Sop Konro & Konro Bakar / Makassar Beef-Ribs Soup & Grilled Beef-Ribs

Konro is a name for beef-ribs in Makasar, South Celebes.

Ingredients:

1 kg beef ribs
6 cloves

Finely pounded spices into paste :

5 - 6 kluwak nuts, peel, soak in hot water
1 tsp peppercorn, roasted
1 tbsp corriander, roasted
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp seedless tamarind
3 cloves garlic
7 shallots
salt and sugar as desired

How To :
1. Saute the ground ingredient and clove until fragrant, add beef ribs, stir and cook meat until lightly browned. Add 1 litre of water, and cook until meat tender. (Add water again, if you need it)

2. Add salt and sugar as desired, simmer over low heat 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with rice cake

Grilled Konro
If you wanna make Grilled Konro, just take some beef short-ribs of the soup, then grill.

Coto Makassar / Makassar Traditional Beef Soup

Ingredients:
2 Shallots
3 Cloves Garlic
3 Salam Leaves
1/2 Tbs Corriander Seeds
8 cup of Water
1 Lemon grass, bruised
3 Lime leaves
2 Tablespoons Oil
Salt as needed
1/3 cup Crispy fried shallots (condiment)
2 Limes, cut into wedges
1/3 cup Sweet soy sauce
Sambal soto (condiment)
2½ lbs Beef chuck (add intestine, tripe, lung, etc)
1 oz Peanuts, roasted
1/3 cup Chinese celery, chopped
1 sliced Galangal
1 Tablespoon Brown Bean sauce
1 Big Red Chilli

How To:

1. Simmer beef chuck with 8 cups of water in a pot (cook tripes and intestines separately, add to beef when they are done) until thouroughly cooked. Cut beef into big chunks then return them to the pot.
2. Ground shallots, garlic, coriander seeds, roasted peanuts, and Big Red Chilli to a fine paste. Heat a frying pan,add oil then saute spice paste for about 5 minutes. Add lemongrass, galangal, salam leaves, and lime leaves to the fryingpan and saute for 2 more minutes. Transfer this paste to the pot and simmer until beef pieces are tender.

Serving suggestion: Divide rice or "lontong" (rice rolls) into serving bowls then top with the soup. Top the soup with your choice of condiments.

Sambal Bajak

Ingredients:

10 Chillies
200 gr. Onions
3 cloves Garlic
12 Candle nuts
1 tsp.. Laos powder
1 tsp. Shrimp paste
3 tsp. brown Sugar
125 cc. Tamarind liquid
2 sprigs Lemon grass
25 gr. creamed Coconut
2 tbs. Oil
Salt to taste

How to:

1. Process Chillies, Onions, Garlic and Candle nuts in food processor into a coarse paste. Add Laos, Shrimp paste and sugar.
2. Heat Oil in wok and add the mixture. Stir-fry until Onion are soft and slightly browned. Add Tamarind, Lemon grass, Coconut and Salt. Simmer until mix becomes thick and the oil floats on top. Remove Lemon grass.
3. Let Sambal cool and then store in Jar. Refrigerate until needed. This should keep for 2-3 Months.
Instead of fresh Chillies you can use the equivalent amount of Sambal ulek. This sambal is very tasty as a replacement of the fresh Chillies in my recipe for Nasi Goreng and can be used in many more of my recipes.

Tahu Telor

Ingredients:
1 lb. purple eggplants
1 Tbs. lime juice
15 Tbs. vegetable oil

Finely Pounded Spices into paste:
100 gram red chilies
½ tsp. salt
1 tomato
½ tsp. shrimp paste
7 small-sized shallots

How to:
1. Cut each eggplant in half and cut again in 2 or 4 pieces.
2. Heat 10 Tbs. oil and deep fry the eggplant pieces. Cover the wok and let it stand for a while.
3. Open cover and turn the eggplants side to side until soft and well cooked.
4. Put eggplant pieces onto a serving platter.
5. Combine all spice paste ingredients and grind coarsely.
6. Heat 5 Tbs. oil over medium high heat and sauté the spice paste for about 2 minutes. Pour the lime juice over the spice paste.
7. Then, lastly pour the sauted spice paste onto the eggplant pieces and ready to serve.

Makes 5-6 servings.

Rempeyek Kacang

A Indonesian peanut snack which is delicious as a snack with your aperative as well as a small accomplicement with your meal.

Ingredients:

200 gr. Rice Flour
½ Tsp. Baking powder
250 ml. Coconut milk
½ Tsp. Coriander (ground)
½ Tsp. Salt
1 Clove Garlic (chopped)
Pinch of Cummin (ground)
Pinch of Turmeric (ground)
1 Candle Nut (grated)
100 gr. Raw Peanuts
Oil for frying

How to:

1. Mix the Rice flour with baking powder and coconut milk, then add Coriander, Cummin, Turmeric, Garlic and Candle nut.
2. Mix well. Now add the slightly crushed Peanuts and Stir well. This will give you a slightly runny batter mix.
3. Heat oil in shallow pan and fry batter by the tablespoon. drain on absorbent paper.

Karedok / Sundanese Salad

Ingredients:
1. Vegetables
100 g cucumber,
100 g bean sprouts
3 cabbage leaves
100 g string beans
25 g basil leaves

2. Sauce
2 red chilies
1 cloves garlic
5 small chilies
1/2 tsp kencur
200 g peanuts, roast
1 tbs tamarind juice
1 tbs palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp shrimp paste
1-2 tbs local vinegar
150 cc hot water

3. Garnish
fried emping chips

How To:
1 Parboil beansprouts and string beans.
2 Slice cucumber, cut string beans into 3cm pieces, and chop cabbage leaves into
pieces.
3 Grind red chilies, garlic, small chilies, kencur, peanuts, palm sugar, salt shrimp
paste and vinegar in a blender.
4 Add tamarind juice and hot water into 3 and mix until smooth.
5 Mix all the vegetables and 4. Serves with fried emping on top.

Sayur Lodeh / Coconut Curry Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:
1/2 head cabbage
2 carrots
1/2 turnip
250gr firm tofu
1 1/2 cups cut green beans
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water

Finely Pounded Spices into Paste:

2 tablespoon chili paste
2 teaspoon shrim paste
2 mediums onions
4 garlic cloves
2 stalks lemongrass
17 small dried shrimp, soaked in hot water to soften
1 inch fresh ginger
1 teaspoon corriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 tablepsoon oil

How to:
1. Chop all the spice blend ingredients and add them to the blender, except.
2. the chilli powder. Blend it into a paste.
3. Combine coconut milk and water to form “thin coconut milk”. Cut all the.
4. vegetables into small cubes and sticks.
5. After all the spices are blended, add chilli powder according to your.
6. tastes. Fry it in oil till the oils in the paste ooze out. Don’t burn it…
7. Add thin coconut milk and bring it to a gentle boil. Dump in all the.
8. vegetables and tofu and simmer it till the vegetables are tender. Add salt to taste.
9. Serve Sayur Lodeh with hot rice.

Sayur Lodeh / Coconut Curry Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:
1/2 head cabbage
2 carrots
1/2 turnip
250gr firm tofu
1 1/2 cups cut green beans
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water

Finely Pounded Spices into Paste:

2 tablespoon chili paste
2 teaspoon shrim paste
2 mediums onions
4 garlic cloves
2 stalks lemongrass
17 small dried shrimp, soaked in hot water to soften
1 inch fresh ginger
1 teaspoon corriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 tablepsoon oil

How to:
1. Chop all the spice blend ingredients and add them to the blender, except.
2. the chilli powder. Blend it into a paste.
3. Combine coconut milk and water to form “thin coconut milk”. Cut all the.
4. vegetables into small cubes and sticks.
5. After all the spices are blended, add chilli powder according to your.
6. tastes. Fry it in oil till the oils in the paste ooze out. Don’t burn it…
7. Add thin coconut milk and bring it to a gentle boil. Dump in all the.
8. vegetables and tofu and simmer it till the vegetables are tender. Add salt to taste.
9. Serve Sayur Lodeh with hot rice.

Acar Ketimun / Javanese Cucumber Pickle

Ingredients:
1/2 onion (sliced thinly)
1 chili pepper (slit down the side)
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
3-4 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp salt
2-3 peppercorns
1 Cucumber sliced into 1/4″ rounds

How To:

1. Bring first set of ingredients to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Place cucumber in a heat-proof jar or bowl. Pour boiling liquid over to cover.
3. Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours to allow flavors to meld.

Variations:

1. Cucumber can be peeled, seeded and sliced into half moons if you like.
2. Add 2-3 whole cloves for extra flavor.

Gulai Kambing / Spiced Lamb

Ingredients:
1 3/4 lb Lamb, fresh
2 Onion
3 Thai chile
1 x Ginger, fresh; 3/4″ knob
* 1 x Lemon grass root, 1/2″ knob
* 1 ea Lemon grass, stem
* 2 ea Garlic clove
* 8 ea Macadamia nut
* 2 ea Tomato, ripe
* 1/3 c Oil
* 1/2 t Cardamom, ground
* 1/2 t Cumin powder
* 1/2 t Turmeric
* 1/4 t Fennel powder
* 1 ea Cinnamon stick; 2″
* 4 ea Cloves, whole
* 1 x Salt; to taste
* 1 x Pepper, black; to taste
* 4 c Coconut milk

1. Calories per serving: 553 Fat grams per serving: 26 Approx. Cook Time: 1:00
2. Cut the lamb into bite-size chunks.
3. Chop the onions, chiles, ginger, lemon root and lemon grass.
4. Crush the garlic and grind the macadamia nuts. Skin the tomatoes and cut the flesh into small dice.
5. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, chiles and garlic and saute until the onion becomes translucent. Then add the lamb, ginger, lemon root, lemon grass and tomato and cook for another three minutes, stirring frequently. Add the spice powders, cinnamon stick and cloves and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then lower heat and allow to simmer until the meat is very tender; approximately 45 minutes.
7. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Pepes Ikan Nila / Western Javanese Style Steamed Tilapia in Banana Leaves Wrap

Ingredients:
500 g tilapia
1 package instant seasoning “Munik” for pepes ikan
1 lime
1 small bunch of kemangi (lemon basil)
5 or 6 bird’s eye chillies (optional)

How To:
1. Clean the stomach cavity, remove the gills and surrounding tissue, and scale them. I bought a cleaned whole tilpaia so no need to do this step, I just rinsed out.
2. Drizzle lime over fish and rub fish inside and out with lime juice. Let stand for 30 minutes.
3. Prepare 3 pieces banana leaves so you will have enough space for a half part of the seasoning and lemon basil. Wrap them up in banana leaves and tie them with a string or pin with wood tooth picks
4. Steam for 45 minutes. If you want to get softer bones of the fish, just keep steaming for 5 hours.

Suggested serve with:
raw terong gelatik putih (Thai eggplant) and other raw vegetables such as long beans, lettuce, warmed rice, sambal terasi (shrimp paste sambal).

Sup Tomat Bola Udang / Shrimp Ball and Tomatoes Soup

Ingredients:
1 Kg Tomatoes
2 Tbs Margarine
1 Onion Slices
1 Tbs Flour
1 Nutmeg Bruised
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Pepper powder
2 Tbs Sugar
500 Ml Chicken stock
5 Tbs Tomato Sauce
50 Ml Thick cream
1 Tbs Parsley Chopped

Shrimp Ball:
250 gr Minced shrimp
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Pepper powder
1 Tsp Sugar
Mix well, form into ball and deep fried. Strain and leave it cool.

How To:
1. Boil tomatoes untill tender, remove from pan. Blend with food processor, strain and leave it cool.
2. Saute onion with margarine. Add flour, stir well.
3. Add tomatoes, nutmeg, salt, pepper powder, sugar, chicken stock and tomato sauce. Bring to boil.
4. Pournthick cream and remove from stove.
5. Serve hot with chopped parsley on top.

Serve 6 pax.

Kerapu Rica-Rica / Manadonese Style Grilled Spicy Grouper

Ingredients:
1 whole of grouper (400 g)
1 lime, squeezed
3 stalks lemon grass, finely sliced
3 cm ginger, finely sliced
6 lime kaffir leaves, finely sliced
2 pandan (screwpine) leaves, finely sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp sugar
3 tbsp to stir fry

Finely Pounded Into Paste:
6 red chilies
4 bird’s eye chilies
2 cloves garlic
5 shallots
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Clean the fish by cleaning out the stomach cavity, removing the gills and surrounding tissue, and scaling them. I didn’t do this step, I just rinsed out.
2. Rub fish inside and out with lime juice. Set aside.
3. Combine spices paste ingredients with slices of lemon grass, ginger, lime kaffir leaves and pandan leaves. Stir evenly.
4. Rub fish inside and out with 1/3 part of spices mixture, let stand for 15 minutes.
5. In a pan, stir fry remaining spices mixture with tomatoes until fragrant. Add fish. Spoon the spices mixture over fish, flip it over occasionally until spices permeated.
6. After the fish is done, it would have a better taste, if you bake in the oven or grill/barbque with a charcoal barbeque stove.

Place a little olive oil in or spray on with vegetable oil a grill pan and heat until very hot. Grill until done. Set aside. Let lam chops stand for few minutes and cover with tin foil to keep it warm and juicy.

Sambal Lado Mudo / Western Sumatran Style Green Chili Paste

Ingredients:
15 green chillies, steam for 5-6 minutes
10 shallots
3 bilimbis
30 g dried anchovies
5 tbsp vegetable oil
2-3 tsp fresh lime juice
salt an sugar to season

How To:
1. In a food processor or blender, place steamed green chillies, shallots, and bilimbis. Do not process too smooth, just roughly blended.
2. In a skillet, place oil and heat it over medium-high. Fry dried anchovies until cooked. Remove the anchovies.
3. Heat the remaining oil in same skillet, stir fry the blended ingredients until wilted. Add fried anchovied, stir evenly. Add lime juice, sugar and salt, stir evenly. Remove from the heat. Ready to eat as a condiment.

Cah Kailan Teri Medan / Kai-lan in Tiny Silver Anchovies Sauce

Ingredients:
500 g kai-lan (alternate names: gai-lan, Chinese broccoli, Chinese kale)
25 g tiny silver anchovies (Indonesian’s name: teri medan, teri nasi)
3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 cm ginger, bruished
1 tbsp oysters sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in a small amount of water
300 ml water
1 tsp sugar
ground white pepper as desired
sugar and salt as desired to season

How To:
1. In a pot, add water and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp sugar. Blanch water spinach in boiling water, drain and quickly cooling them in cold water. Place on a serving plate.
2. In a pan, add a small amount of olive oil or other oils are accepted, stir fry garlic and ginger until fragrant at over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low heat, add oyster sauce, 300 ml of water, tiny silver anchovies, ground white pepper, and sugar to season. I didn’t add salt in it, but if you like you can add salt as desired. Cook until well-permeated. Add cornstarch mixture to anchovies sauce mixture and stir until thickened.
3. Serve by pouring sauce over kai-lan on a serving plate.

Ayam Panggang Bumbu Besengek / roasted chicken in spicy sauce

ingredients:
1 chicken (1200 gr)
7 shallots
2 white onions
1 lemongrass, chrushed
150 ml coconut milk
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp tamarind

Finely Pounded Spices:
4 candlenuts
1/2 tsp Coriander
6 cm turmeric
3 cm galangal
1 red large chili pepper
1 tsp palmsugar
salt to taste
1/2 tsp shrimp paste

How To:
Pound or grind the ingredients for the bumbu into a paste. Halve the chicken. Heat in a wok the oil and fry the bumbu for 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk, the lemongrass and the chicken and let it simmer slowly for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken and roast it for 15 minutes above a charcoalfire. Mix the asem with the sauce and serve the sauce with the chicken.

Singgang Ayam / roasted grilled creamy chicken

Ingredients:

1 chicken (900 gr)
2 lemongrass
6 jkaffir lime leaves
1 kunyit leave
375 ml thick coconut milk

Finely Pounded Spices:

1 tbsp black peppercorns
4 cm galangal
2 cm Turmeric
3 cm ginger
4 shallots
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt

How To:
1. Pound or grind the ingredients for the bumbu into a paste.
2. Slice the chicken open and flatten it. Heat in a wok the santen and stir in the bumbu and let it simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Then add the chicken, the jerut purut, de sereh and the kunyit leave and let it cook slowly for 3 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken and roast/grill it slowly for 15 minutes above a charcoalfire until golden brown and done.
5. Sprinkle the chicken during grilling with the sauce.

Lapis Manado / deep fried beef strips in spicy sauce

Ingredients:
750 gr sirloin beef
3 cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
500 ml water
oil

Finely Pounded Spices into Paste:
7 red Small Green Chilli
3 cm bitterroot
3 cm Turmeric
3 cm ginger
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp pepper

How To:
1. Heat spices paste in a wok 1 tbsp oil and fry the bumbu for 3 minutes.
2. Add the meat, the cloves, the salt and the water and let it simmer slowly for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the meat from the wok and let the stock simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens and forms a sauce.
4. Slice the meat in thin strips.Heat in a wok the oil and deep fry the meat for 3 minutes.
5. Remove the meat and let it drain on kitchen paper. Put the meat on a plate and pour the sauce on top and serve.

Gulai Kancah / stewed beef and liver

Ingredients:
400 gr beef
300 gr liver
750 ml water
2 pieces garcinia / Malabar tamarinde
2 lemongrass
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 kunyit leaf

Finely Pounded spices into Paste:
1 tsp black peppercorns
15 red small green Chilli
6 shallots
4 cloves garlic
4 cm galangal
3 cm turmeric
3 cm ginger
1 tsp salt

How to:
1. Cut the meat into pieces.
2. Heat spices paste in a wok the water and add the beef, de asam gelugor, the sereh, the jeruk purut, the kunyit leaf and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Add the liver and let it simmer slowly until the meat is tender and the liquid has nearly evaporated.

Tips for Buying Seafood

When buying seafood and fish, it is possible to find them fresh or frozen. But is the frozen seafood as good as fresh? Well, with the technological advances, today it is possible to immediately process and freeze fresh catches, usually right on the fishing vessel. The process of flash-freezing is employed, in which the water contained inside the food items is subjected to very low temperatures (below its melting/freezing point), causing water inside the foods to freeze in a very short period of time. Therefore, frozen seafood can even be superior in quality to fresh seafood products.

So, if you leave in a place where you cannot easily find a fresh seafood seller, to buy frozen seafood and fish is a good option. Personally I buy frozen fish and seafood for practical reasons, if I spontaneously decide to prepare a seafood recipe, I always have something in my freezer, I don´t have to worry go shopping.

Frozen of fresh you should pay attention to some aspects when buying seafood. Below you can see some tips on how select fish or seafood.

Frozen Seafood Buying Tips

* Frozen fish and shellfish should be packaged in a close-fitting, moisture-proof package. Don’t buy frozen seafood if its package is open, torn or crushed on the edges.

* Select packages from below the load line of the freezer case in the store’s freezer.

* Avoid the package defrosting during the transportation. You can transport seafood in an ice-packed cooler from the store to your home.

Fresh Seafood Buying Tips

The first aspect you should consider when buying fresh fish or seafood has to do with the seafood seller/store. Pay attention to the cleanliness, appearance and smell (strong fishy odor is a sign of spoilage) of the local. As general rule, fresh fish and seafood should be storage at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which can be kept by refrigeration or ice.

Besides of that when selecting fresh fish or seafood pay attention to the following characteristics that indicate the freshness of the product, in order to safely enjoy their fine taste and good nutrition.

Fresh Fish Guidelines:

* Fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy or ammonia-like.

* The eyes of a fresh fish should be clear, bright and a little protruding. Cloudy, pink and sunken eyes indicate the fish has lost its freshness.

* The gills of the fish should be bright red or pink and free from slime.

* Fresh fish should have firm and elastic flesh. Test it by pressing with the finger the flesh delicately. It should spring back.

* Fish with shiny skin and scales that adhere tightly is another indicator of freshness.

* Fish fillets should have firm and elastic flesh, a fresh-cut, moist appearance, displaying no darkening or drying around the edges. It should be little evidence of bruising or reddening of the flesh from retention of blood. In addition, prepackaged fish fillets should contain a minimum of liquid because when seafood is stored in liquid deteriorates quickly.

Fresh Shellfish Guidelines:

* Fresh mussels, oysters, clams are sold live because when they die, their internal organs start to deteriorate. This way fresh shellfish should have unbroken shells and should be closed. If the shells gape slightly, tap them: the shells should close up. If they do not close up, throw them away.

* The shells of fresh, live shellfish should be shiny and moist. It should smell sweet and mild, like a fresh sea breeze.

* Fresh lobster and crabs are also sold alive, because they spoil quickly when they die. Thus when selecting them they should show leg movement (they will not be very active if they have been refrigerated, but they should move at least a little bit).

* Raw shrimp meat should be firm and should smell mild. The shells should not have blackened edges, black spots or other dark areas, because this indicates loss of freshness.

* When buying fresh squid, select those with clear and full eyes, the skin should be cream-colored with reddish brown spots (when they start losing freshness the skin turns pinkish) and the meat should be very firm.

* Fresh shucked oysters should have a fresh smell. A clear slightly milky or light grey liquid should surround freshly shucked oysters.

* And last but not least, when shopping buy your fresh fish or seafood last and then take them home straight away to storage them appropriately

Sticky Rice Cake

Ingredients:
Rice Cakes 1 cup glutinous rice flour
½ cup tapioca starch
¾ cup water
¼ tsp. salt

Sauce 3 cups water
1 cup coconut milk
½ cup palm sugar syrup
1 pandan leaf
Pinch of salt

How To:
To make Rice Cake:
1. Place rice flour and tapioca starch in a deep mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
2. Add water and salt, mix well and knead dough until it can be rolled and shaped. Dough should not be to dry.
3. Roll small rice cakes ½-inch in diameter. Cut diagonally 1-inch in length.
4. Bring 8 cups of water to a oil. Put it the rice cakes, bring back to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set the rice cakes aside.

To make the sauce:
1. Combine water, coconut milk, palm sugar, pandan leaf, and a pinch of salt in a small stockpot. Bring to a boil.
2. Add rice cakes and simmer for 20 minutes.

Cool and serve at room temperature, topped with a tablespoon of fresh grated coconut.

Helpful hints: When preparing the rice cakes, use the amount of water given in the recipe only as a guideline; the quality of flour varies greatly and affects the amount of liquid it absorbs. Add sufficient water to result in a soft, smooth dough. If the rice cakes are dry when shaped, they will be very tough after cooking.

Makes 3 servings.

Sticky Rice Rolls served with Palm Sugar Syrup | Kue Lupis

Ingredients
200 gr. glutinous rice flour
1 Tbs. slaked lime water
banana leaves
¼ grated coconut
pinch of salt
Palm sugar syrup

How To:
1. Soak the glutinuous rice in water for an hour and drain. Add the slaked lime water to make the rice rolls more solid, and stir.
2. Take a piece of banana leaf and fill it ¾ full with glutinuous rice (just like making rice rolls). Secure the ends and tie rolls with string so that they will not burst during the boiling.
3. Put the rolls in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 4 hours, drain and allow the rolls to cool. Add more hot water during the cooking when necessary.
4. Serve the rolls by cutting it into 2 cm thick slices.
5. Sprinkle the grated coconut which a pinch of salt has been added on top of the rolls and pour the palm sugar syrup over them.

Sticky Rice Rolls served with Palm Sugar Syrup | Kue Lupis

Ingredients
200 gr. glutinous rice flour
1 Tbs. slaked lime water
banana leaves
¼ grated coconut
pinch of salt
Palm sugar syrup

How To:
1. Soak the glutinuous rice in water for an hour and drain. Add the slaked lime water to make the rice rolls more solid, and stir.
2. Take a piece of banana leaf and fill it ¾ full with glutinuous rice (just like making rice rolls). Secure the ends and tie rolls with string so that they will not burst during the boiling.
3. Put the rolls in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 4 hours, drain and allow the rolls to cool. Add more hot water during the cooking when necessary.
4. Serve the rolls by cutting it into 2 cm thick slices.
5. Sprinkle the grated coconut which a pinch of salt has been added on top of the rolls and pour the palm sugar syrup over them.

Stuffed Pancake Roll | Dadar Gulung

Ingredients:
Stuffing 2 cups fresh-grated coconut
10 Tbs. grated Java dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half
¼ tsp. salt

Pancake 1 cup rice flour
½ cup cornstarch
1¾ cups coconut milk
½ tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
3 drops green food coloring (optional)
Vegetable oil

How To:

Stuffing:
1. Mix the grated coconut, grated Java dark brown sugar and granulated sugar, cinnamon and ½ tsp.salt together.
2. Fry the mixture in a dry pan over medium/low heat, constantly stirred for approximately 5 minutes, or until the mixture is dry.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick, and set it aside.

Pancake:
1. Mix the rice flour, cornstarch, coconut milk, ½ tsp. salt, green food coloring and egg into a smooth batter.
2. Lightly oil an 8-inch frying pan, and pour 3 tablespoon of the batter into the pan. Make sure the pan is equally covered with the batter so it becomes a thin layer pancake. Fry for one minute, turn the pancake over and fry for another minute. Remove and set aside.
3. Place 2 Tbs. of the coconut mixture on the near edge of the pancake. Fold over once, then tuck in the left and the right sides and fold over once more. Press gently to distribute the filling evenly.

Serve at room temperature. Makes 10-12 servings.

Stuffed Pancake Roll | Dadar Gulung

Ingredients:
Stuffing 2 cups fresh-grated coconut
10 Tbs. grated Java dark brown sugar
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half
¼ tsp. salt

Pancake 1 cup rice flour
½ cup cornstarch
1¾ cups coconut milk
½ tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
3 drops green food coloring (optional)
Vegetable oil

How To:

Stuffing:
1. Mix the grated coconut, grated Java dark brown sugar and granulated sugar, cinnamon and ½ tsp.salt together.
2. Fry the mixture in a dry pan over medium/low heat, constantly stirred for approximately 5 minutes, or until the mixture is dry.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick, and set it aside.

Pancake:
1. Mix the rice flour, cornstarch, coconut milk, ½ tsp. salt, green food coloring and egg into a smooth batter.
2. Lightly oil an 8-inch frying pan, and pour 3 tablespoon of the batter into the pan. Make sure the pan is equally covered with the batter so it becomes a thin layer pancake. Fry for one minute, turn the pancake over and fry for another minute. Remove and set aside.
3. Place 2 Tbs. of the coconut mixture on the near edge of the pancake. Fold over once, then tuck in the left and the right sides and fold over once more. Press gently to distribute the filling evenly.

Serve at room temperature. Makes 10-12 servings.

Sweet Coconut Rice Balls | Klepon

Ingredients:
1½ cups glutinous powder
¾ cup lukewarm water
2-3 drops green food coloring
8 tsp. grated Java dark brown sugar
1 cup fresh-grated coconut, mixed with ½ tsp. salt

How To:
1. Mix the rice powder with the lukewarm water and green food coloring into a firm but flexible dough.
2. Pull off one full teaspoon of the dough and shape it into a ball with approximately 1-inch in diameter.
3. Push a finger into the center of the ball to make a hole, and put in approximately ½ tsp. of the grated sugar. Seal, and roll it back into the ball shape with the palms of your hands. Prepare all the balls and set them aside.
4. Prepare a pot half filled with water and bring it to a boil.
5. Drop the balls into the boiling water. Remove the balls with a spoon once they float to the water surface and then roll the balls in the grated coconut.

Serve at room temperature. Makes 30 rice balls.

BLACK RICE DESERT (BUBUR PULUH HITAM)

Ingredients:
240 g Black glutinous rice (washed & drained)
60 g White glutinous rice (pulut) (washed & drained)
7 c Water
2 Pandan leaves, knotted
1/2 c Sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 T Tapioca flour or cornflour Combined with 2 Tbs water to Form a paste
1/2 c Thick cocnut milk
Pinch of salt

How To:
1. Put rice in pot with water and pandan leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, remove pandan leaves and simmer for 45 minutes until liquid is thick. Add sugar and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and thickening. Remove from heat.

Serve in small bowls topped with 1-2 tablespoons thick cocnut milk.