Steamed Glutinous Rice and Coconut Milk Custard (Ketan Srikaya)

Bottom layer :
300g glutinous rice, washed and soaked for 4 hours, drained
180ml santan (coconut milk) from 1/2 coconut
2 pandan leaves, knotted

Top layer :
4 eggs, beaten with 150g caster sugar until sugar dissolves
1 tbsp cornflour
250ml thick santan from 1 coconut
4 pandan leaves (screwpine leaves), pounded to extract juice
a little green food coloring, if desired
1/4 tsp salt

Bottom layer to process first: Put glutinous rice, santan (coconut milk) and pandan leaves (screwpine leaves) into a steaming tray. Steam over high heat for about 30 minutes till the rice is soft. Remove from heat and press with a piece of banana leaf or plastic till firm and level.

Mix all the ingredients for the top layer to get a nice green color. Strain mixture over the bottom layer, the glutinous rice layer. Steam over low heat till custard is cooked and firm (insert a knife to check whether custard is cooked).

Leave to cool completely before cutting into pieces.

Nutty's Hot and Spicy Chili Sauce (Sambal Kacang Pedas)

8 fresh red chilies, seeded and sliced
8 candlenuts or 10 Macadamia nuts
1/2 tsp salt
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tbsp chicken broth, if required

Using a mini food processor, or a blender, process the chilies, nuts, salt and lemon juice to a smooth paste, adding drops of chicken broth to facilitate processing, if required.

This type of Chili sauce is to pour over Chicken Satay.

Bali style Mix Vegetables Salad (Jukut Urab)

1 bunch spinach, shredded
1 cup bean sprouts, trimmed
1/4 Chinese cabbage, shredded
150g snake beans, blanched and sliced
1-2 long red chilies, deseeded and sliced
2 tbsp shredded coconut, toasted
1/4 cup peanuts toasted

Dressing :

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp sambal ulek
1 tsp brown sugar

Combine spinach, bean sprouts, cabbage, snake beans, chilies, coconut and peanuts in a large serving dish. Combine oil, lime juice, vinegar, sambal ulek and sugar in a jug.

Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.

Banana Leaf Steamed Fish (Pepes Ikan)

500g ikan kembung (horse mackerel) or ikan selar (scad)
3/4 cup thick santan (coconut milk) from 1/2 coconut
1 tbsp salt
4 tbsp oil
some banana leaves, softened
Spices, ground :
10 red chilies
10 shallots
5 pipe garlic
1 cm lengkuas (galangal)
1 cm kunyit (saffron)
10 buah keras (candlenuts)
1.5 cm cube toasted belacan (shrimp paste)
1 daun limau purut (kaffir lime leaves)

Clean and season the fish with salt and leave for about 10 minutes. Steam fish till cooked (about 10 minutes). Leave to cool before removing the bones.

Heat oil, add ground spices and saute till fragrant. Add thick coconut oil, salt to taste and bring to boil. Dish up. Mix the fish meat with spices carefully, taking care not to break up the meat too much.

Wrap with banana leaves and steam for about 15 minutes.
Serve hot or cold with rice.

Crispy Fish Wontons (Pangsit Goreng Isi Ikan)

100g peeled green prawns
200g fish fillets, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 green shallots, sliced
2 tsp soy sauce
1 egg
1 packet wonton skins
peanut oil for cooking

The Sauce ;
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp root ginger, grated
1/2 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar

Combine prawns, fish, garlic, shallots, soy sauce and egg in a food processor. Process mixture until smooth. Place spoonfuls of mixture in the centre of each wonton skin.

Brush the edges with a little water. Fold skin in half to form a triangle and press edges lightly to seal.

Combine ingredients for sauce in a small dish and set aside. Heat oil in a wok and cook wonton for 1-2 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Serve with wonton sauce.

Spicy Snake Beans Saute (Tumis Kacang Panjang Pedas)

250g snake beans, trimmed
2 tsp peanut oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised

Paste:
2 medium red chilies, deseeded and sliced
2 French shallots, chopped
2 tsp root ginger, chopped
2 tsp garlic, chopped

Grind or pound paste ingredients in a mortar with pestle, or in a small food processor. If using a food processor you may need to add a little oil.

Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Add paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add stock and lemongrass. Bring to the boil. Add beans and cook for 8-10 minutes or until beans are tender.

Serve warm.

Spicy Saute Shrimp (Udang Bumbu Pedas)

2 lbs medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium red chilies (sliced)
1 medium shallot (sliced)
1 garlic clove (sliced)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind paste (dissolved in water)
1/4 cup water
1/2 inch gingerroot (sliced)
1 teaspoon salt
1 small tomato (chopped)
steamed rice (to serve)

Saute shrimp in 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat for 2 minutes, then set aside.

In small food processor, blend shallot, garlic, chiles, sugar, tamarind liquid, ginger, salt and tomato to form a paste.

Heat remaining oil in pan, then stir-fry paste over moderate heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add shrimp, cook 2 minutes more.

Serve warm.