Steamed/Deep-fried Bass in Spiced Nut Sauce (Steam/Goreng Ikan Kakap Putih Saus Kacang)

1.5 lb sea bass, cleaned
6 candle nuts or 9 macadamia nuts
2 quarter-sized slices of fresh ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 seeded plum tomato, sliced
4 tiny hot red chilies, seeded
5 shallots
2 scallions
1/2 small red onion
1 tbsp peanut oil
aluminum foil to make 14-inch square
4 tbsp dark sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) for deep-fried only

In a food processor, chop the nuts coarsely, then add the ginger, salt, tomato slices, chilies, shallots, scallions, and red onion. Whirl to make a paste, then stir in the peanut oil. Place one-third of this mixture in the middle of the aluminum square, place fish on top of the paste, and place another one-third of the paste in the cavity of the fish.

Scrape remaining paste over fish and fold to make a secure package. Place package over boiling water in a large steamer and steam, covered, for 30 minutes. Replenish water from time to time, if necessary.

Another way to cook this fish using the same ingredients is to deep fried the fish, and cover the whole fish with peanut sauce afterward (just fried the rest of the ingredient and add some dark sweet sauce).

Grilled Fish in Red Sauce (Ikan Bakar Saus Tomat)

1 Snapper (about 375g), cleaned and scaled
salt, to taste
2 tbsp white vinegar
6 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium onions, chopped
1 tbsp sambal ulek
1cm piece of blachan, dry roasted
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped

Make 4 evenly spaced gashes on either side of the snapper. Rub the whole fish with the salt and vinegar. Set aside for 10-12 minutes. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a pan. Shallow fry the fish on both sides for 5-7 minutes, until cooked.

Alternatively, you can grill the fish. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium pan and add to the onion. Cook until soft. Add the sambal ulek and blachan. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and black pepper. Cook over a medium heat until the sauce is thick and pulpy. Stir in half the coriander.

Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve hot, sprinkled with the remaining coriander.

Shrimp Curry with Quails' Eggs (Gulai Udang)

900g fresh prawn (shrimp) tails, peeled.
3 Quails' eggs
3 tbsp vegetable oil

4 shallots or 1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 piece galangal or fresh ginger, 2.5cm long, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 piece lemon grass, 5cm or 2in long, finely shredded
1-2 small red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp fish sauce

400g canned coconut milk
300ml chicken stock
115g Chinese leaves, roughly shredded

2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

2 spring onions (scallions), green part only, shredded, to garnish
2 tbsp shredded coconut, to garnish

Boil the quails' eggs for 8 minutes. Refresh in cold water, peel by dipping in cold water to release the shells and set aside. Heat the vegetables oil in a large wok, add the shallots or onion, galangal or ginger and garlic and soften without coloring.

Add the lemon grass, chilies, turmeric and shrimp paste of fish sauce and fry briefly to bring out their flavors. Add the prawns (shrimp) and fry briefly. Pour the coconut milk in a strainer over a bowl, then add the thin part of the milk with the chicken stock.

Add the Chinese leaves, sugar and salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 6-8 minutes. Turn out onto a serving dish, halve the quails' eggs and toss in the sauce. Scatter with the spring onions (scallions) and the shredded coconut.

Duck with Green Chili (Babek Kalio)

1 whole duck, about 1.7 kg jointed*
10 medium green chili peppers, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tbsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp ground coriander
3 tbsp raw cashew nuts
1 tbsp ground ginger
4 tbsp chopped garlic
a few black peppercorns
a little water
4 tbsp peanut oil
2 bay leaves
1 stalks lemon grass, sliced and bruised
a pinch of shrimp powder
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
250ml water
*or chicken

Combine the chili peppers, onion, ground turmeric, ground coriander, cashew nuts, ground ginger, garlic and black peppercorns in a blender or food processor. Add a little water (use as little water as possible) and blend to a paste. Set aside. Heat the peanut oil in a large pan over a medium heat.

Add the bay leaves, lemon grass and paste. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the duck and shrimp powder. Cook, stirring, until the duck is sealed on all sides. Add the water and cook over a low heat for 15-20 minutes, until the duck is almost done.

Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to serve. Before serving, skim off any excess fat, add the tamarind pulp and heat through gently. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Beef Sate with a Hot Mango Dip (Sate Bali)

450g sirloin steak, 2cm thick, trimmed
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
50g raw cashew nuts
1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 shallots, or 1 small onion, finely chopped
1 piece fresh ginger, 12mm long, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp tamarind sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp rice or white wine vinegar

Hot Mango Dip
1 ripe mango
1-2 small red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp fish sauce
juice of 1 lime
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves

Slice the beef into long narrow strips and thread, zig-zag, onto 12 bamboo skewers. Lay on a flat plate and set aside. For the marinade, dry fry the seeds and nuts in a large wok until evenly brown.

Place in a pestle and mortar with a rough surface and crush finely. Alternatively, blend the spices and nuts in a food processor. Add the vegetable oil, shallots or onion, ginger, garlic, tamarind and soy sauces, sugar and vinegar.

Spread this mixture over the beef and leave to marinate for up to 8 hours. Cook the beef under a moderate grill (broiler) or over a barbecue for 6-8 minutes, turning to ensure an even color.

Meanwhile, make the mango dip. Process the mango flesh with the chilies, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and salt until smooth, then add the coriander. Serve this dish with a green salad and a bowl of plain rice.

Beef in Tamarind Sipcy Sauce (Daging Asam)

750g rump beef, diced
1 tbsp peanut oil, extra
3 green shallots, sliced
2 medium red chilies, deseeded and sliced
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
1 tbsp tamarind concentrate
1/2-3/4 cup beef stock
3 Okra (lady's fingers or gumbo)

Paste
2 French shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp terasi
2 tsp peanut oil

Crush or pound paste ingredients in a food processor. Heat oil in a wok or saucepan. Add beef and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until brown. Add paste and shallots and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add chilies, kecap manis, tamarind and stock.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add eggplant and cook for another 5-6 minutes or until beef is tender and sauce has reduced. Stir through green shallots, and serve with steamed rice.

Spicy Roast Chicken (Ayam Bakar Berbumbu)

8 chicken drumsticks
250ml thick coconut milk and 500ml thin coconut milk from 1.5 coconuts
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
2 kaffir lime leaves
4 tbsp oil
salt and sugar to taste
3 tbsp sweet soy sauce mixed with 3 tbsp oil

Ground spices :
10 red chilies
15 dried chilies, soaked
10 pips garlic
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp coriander seeds
1.5 cm saffron
3/4 cm galangal
5 candlenuts

Heat oil in the wok, saute ground spices, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves till fragrant. Add chicken drumsticks and thin santan, and cook till chicken is half done.

Add thick coconut milk and cook till gravy become thick and chicken is well done. Remove and leave to cool. Glaze chicken drumsticks with sweet soy sauce and cooking oil mixture. Grill till brown. Remove and serve hot.

Grilled/Broiled Cashew Nut Chicken (Ayam Khas Bali)

4 chicken drumsticks,

Marinade ingredients (grind)
50g raw cashew or macadamia nuts
2 shallots, or 1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small red chilies, chopped
1 piece lemon grass, 5cm long
1 tbsp tamarind sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce - optional
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar
Chinese leaves, to serve
1 tomato, sliced to garnish
1/2 cucumber, sliced to garnish

Using a sharp knife, slash the chicken drumsticks several times through to the bone, chop off the knuckle end and set aside.

To make the marinade, place the cashew or macadamia nuts in a food processor or coarse pestle and mortar and grind. Add the shallots or onion, garlic, chilies and lemon grass and blend. Add the remaining marinade ingredients. Spread the marinade over the chicken and leave in a cool place for up to 8 hours.

Grill (Broil) the chicken under a moderate heat or over a barbecue for 15 minutes on each side. Place on a dish lined with Chinese leaves and garnish with the sliced tomato and cucumber. Ready to serve.

Chicken Rice with Pineapple (Nasi Kebuli Ayam)

500g boneless chicken, diced into 1cm cubes
3 cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt

2 cups long-grain rice, washed and drained
1/2 small pineapple, peeled and sliced and cut into small pieces
fried shallot to serve
2 tbsp butter or oil

13 French shallots, peeled and finely chopped
7 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2.5cm piece of root ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp white peppercorns
1/2 tsp cumin
a little nutmeg, freshly grated
8cm cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods, bruised
2 cloves
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised

Heat butter or oil in a wok or heavy saucepan. Add all seasoning ingredients and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and continue sauteing for 3 minutes over high heat. Add chicken stock and salt and simmer until chicken is tender. Strain stock and put chicken pieces aside.

Place rice in a rice cooker or heavy stock pot, add 2.5 cups of the reserved chicken stock and bring to the boil. Cover pan and simmer until rice is almost cooked and liquid is absorbed. Add diced chicken and cook over low heat until rice is thoroughly cooked.

Serve on a platter garnished with fried shallots and pineapple.

“Bad” Foods You Should Eat on a Diet

It turns out that many of the “fattening” foods you avoid while trying to slim down actually have unique fat releasing properties that—in moderation, of course—can help you lose weight more quickly. These are foods we all love to eat, and now there’s no reason to avoid them!

1. Red Wine

Many studies show that a small glass of wine a day is good for your heart, and cutting-edge research suggests that resveratrol, a potent anti-aging chemical found in red wine, is a fat releaser too.

In one study of more than 19,000 women of normal weight, light to moderate drinkers had less weight gain and less risk of becoming overweight than those who drank no alcohol. An animal study found that resveratrol improved exercise endurance and protected against obesity and insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

2. Chocolate

You welcome any new excuse to add more chocolate to your life. You probably know that cocoa is packed with antioxidants, but recent research reveals that they may also help you release fat. A 2011 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that obese, diabetic mice that consumed a diet high in epicatechins, the antioxidants found in cocoa lived longer. The cocoa reduced degeneration of the arteries in their heart and it blunted fat deposition.

3. Cheese

Raise your hand if dairy is one of the first things to go when you start a diet. How can you lose weight and eat pizza?! The fantastic news here is that this couldn’t be further from the truth. One University of Tennessee study showed that eating three servings of dairy a day significantly reduced body fat in obese subjects. And dairy is one of the best sources of calcium, another fat releaser. Research shows that people who don’t consume enough of this bone builder have greater fat mass and less control of their appetite.

4. Coconut Oil

Saturated fats are usually considered no-nos for dieters, but you shouldn’t shun this sweet, rich oil. It was shown to do some nifty things for abdominally obese women in a 2009 study out of Brazil, including decreasing waist circumference and improving the ratio of their good “HDL” cholesterol to bad “LDL.” In populations where coconut oil is commonly eaten, high cholesterol levels and heart disease are uncommon.

5. Nuts

The power of MUFAs—monounsaturated fatty acids—to help reduce belly fat since 2006. They’re found in certain nuts and seeds (as well as olives, avocados, and dark chocolate). But after diving into the most current research, I also discovered the power of PUFAs—polyunsaturated fatty acids, found in fish as well as in many nuts and seeds—to boost metabolism and calorie burn.

Basically, when it comes to a healthy, filling snack, you can’t go wrong with nuts—they’re packed with fat releasing unsaturated fats, filling fiber (another fat releaser), and a host of other healthy nutrients. Although the benefits of nuts are becoming increasingly well known, but people still avoid them because of their fattening reputation. Study shows that far better off munching on nuts than pretzels or any fat-free packaged, processed food.

Chicken Marinated with Coconut Milk and Spices Aceh Style (Kari Ayam Aceh)

1 whole chicken
coconut milk (from 2 coconuts)
2 stalks lemon grass (bruised)

Blend (add 125ml coconut milk):
4 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp ground coriander
7 red chilies (seeded)
3cm ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp lime juice
salt to taste

Split open the chicken from the breast and flatten it out like a butterfly. Discard loose skin and fat, or you can also cut it into 4 pieces. Broil the chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Marinate the chicken in the blended paste for 15 minutes.

Put the chicken in a large wok. Cook over moderate heat for 10 minutes uncovered. Add the remaining coconut milk and lemon grass. Bring to boil and cook for another 30 minutes, basting occasionally, till the chicken is tender and almost all the liquid has evaporated. Serve warm.

Spicy Fried Eggplant (Terong Goreng Pedas)

2 eggplant, cut into 1cm slices
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 small chilies, deseeded and finely chopped (reduce to less spicy)
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
1/4 cup water
1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
2 green shallots, sliced

Brush eggplant slices with oil, reserving 1 tbsp of oil. Heat a large non-stick frying pan. Add eggplants and cook 1-2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove and set aside. Heat remaining oil.

Add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Add garlic, chilies, coriander, tamarind, water and sugar. Return eggplant to pan and cook until sauce reduces. Garnish with green shallots. Serve with steamed rice.

PEANUT BUTTER vs. ALMOND BUTTER

The winner: Almond butter Almond butter has more calcium and magnesium, a mineral that's often lacking in runners' diets and is important for muscle contraction. While the two nut butters contain about the same amount of fat, the almond variety has 60 percent more monounsaturated fat.

"When consumed in place of saturated fat," says Dulan, "monounsaturated fat lowers harmful LDL levels to help decrease heart disease and stroke risk." Almond butter also has three times more vitamin E, an antioxidant that may reduce cancer risk.

Cucumber Sambal (Sambal Selamat)

1/2 cucumber, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 shallots, finely sliced
100ml rice or white wine vinegar

Place the garlic, fennel seeds, sugar and salt in a pestle and mortar and pound finely. Alternatively, grind the ingredients thoroughly in a food processor.

Stir in the shallots or onion, vinegar and cucumber and allow to stand for at least 3 hours to allow the flavors to combine.

Deep Fried Sweet Potato Balls (Onde Onde)

Bottom layer :

600g sweet potato, steamed and mashed
50g plain flour, sifted
50g glutinous flour, sifted
1/2 grated coconut (white part only), steamed for 15 minutes
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp castor sugar
6 tbsp sesame seeds, for coating
5 cups oil for deep-frying

Filling, mixed :
1 pc brown sugar chopped
2 tbsp sugar

For the skin, mix all the ingredients (except the sesame seeds, oil and sugar for the filling) to get a pliable dough. Add a little water if it is too dry or add a little more flour if it is too soft.

Divide into 30 portions. Form each portion of dough into balls, make a small hole and put in some filling. Seal and form into ball again.

Dip in water and coat with sesame seeds.

Heat oil and deep-fry the balls on medium heat till golden brown. Dish up and drain, and serve as a snack or dessert.

Steamed Glutinous Rice and Egg 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 castor sugar until sugar dissolves
1 tbsp cornflour
250ml thick santan from 1 coconut
4 pandan leaves (screwpine leaves), pounded to extract juice
1/4 tsp salt

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 till firm and level.

Mix all the ingredients for the top layer to get a nice green color. Strain mixture over the glutinous rice layer. Steam over low heat till custard is cooked and firm (insert a fork to check whether custard is cooked). Leave to cool completely before cutting into pieces.

Chicken Stew with Aromatic Coconut Gravy (Opor Ayam Solo)

1 whole chicken (cut into 8 pieces)
1 liter coconut milk
3 bay leaves
100g galangal (bruised)
salt and pepper to taste

Spice mixture, blend:
6 shallots
3 cloves garlic
100g candlenuts,
10g coriander
5g fennel

Boil chicken with 500ml. of coconut milk and bay leaves for 20 minutes. Add galangal. Stir occasionally till the oil floats. When chicken is about done, add remaining coconut milk together with the spice mixture.

Stir till boiling. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Food etiquette rules over the world: Thailand

Knowing what the etiquette rules are won't just save you from some awkward situations, it can also help you make friends. Here are few rules to keep in mind.

In Thailand, don't put food in your mouth with a fork.

Instead, when eating a dish with cooked rice, use your fork only to push food onto your spoon. A few exceptions: Some northern and northeastern Thai dishes are typically eaten with the hands—you'll know you've encountered such a dish if the rice used is glutinous or "sticky."

Also, stand-alone items that are not part of a rice-based meal may be eaten with a fork. But, says food Etiquette expert, the worst thing to do at a traditional, rice-based meal would be to use chopsticks, that is awkward and inconvenient at best and tacky at worst.

Dried Shrimp Sambal (Sambal Ebi)

3 table spoon ebi (dry small shrimp)
3 fresh chili, thinly sliced (reduce to less spicy)
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbs fried peanuts, crushed
1 cup of hot water
1 tbs fragrant citrus juice
1/2 tea spoon salt
sugar to taste

Soak ebi with hot water for 5 minute, drain Add the rest of the ingredients together with the ebi: fried peanuts, chili, salt, tomato. Add water, citrus fruit juice, sugar and salt. Serve.

Javanese Style Beef Steak (Bistik Jawa)

400 g beef steak meat (sliced, according to your taste)
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp nutmeg powder
salt to taste

2 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks (or other vegetables you like)
1 small canned of corn
5 potatoes, cut into french fries style
Boiled egg, peeled and cut in half

Sauce
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tbs tomato sauce
3 tbs sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
1 tbs of pepper
1/2 cup of water

Season the steak with salt, pepper and nutmeg, set aside for 30 minutes. Heat oil, and fry the steak until it turns into golden brown.

Make the sauce by frying the garlic and onion from leftover oil. Add the sweet soy sauce, tomato sauce, pepper and 1/2 cup of water. Cook the sauce until it's thick.

Vegetables: cook the carrots in boiling water until tender. French fries: fry the potatoes. Set aside.

Arrange the steaks, carrots and corn, boiled egg and french fries. Pour the sauce around the steaks.

Vegetables with Spicy Peanut Sauce (Pecel)

100 g bean sprouts, cleaned
100 g spinach, cut
100 cabbage, shredded
add any vegetables you like (cucumber, cooked peeled corn, bitter gourd, etc)

200 g peanut, peeled and fried (or peanut butter jams)

Spice Paste
2 cloves of garlic
2 red chillies, seeded and fried
5 eye’s bird chillies, seeded and fried
5 cm kencur (kaempferia galangal), peel off the skin
1 tbs dried prawn paste (terasi), optional
7 kaffir lime leafs
2 tbs tamarind mixed and squeeze with 100 ml lukewarm water and drain.
50 g palm sugar or to taste
1 tsp sugar
fried prawn crackers

Fry garlic and the chillies. Set aside. If you use peanut butter jams, simply grind or blend jams with the rest of ingredients of spice paste. Continue blending to make it smooth. Add some of warm water to make the sauce thicken

Cook all the vegetables. Set aside.

Serve: Arrange the vegetables, pour with the peanut sauce, add some fried prawn crackers. Ready to serve.

Fresh Vegetables Soup (Sayur Sop)

2 carrots
100 gram cabbage, cut into small pieces
100 gram bean, cut 3 cm long
200 gram potatoes, cut into medium cube
2 chicken hotdog (optional), thinly sliced
5 chicken wings for broth
2 stalk of celery leaves, chopped
1 stalk of spring onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of fried shallots
800 ml water
salt and sugar to taste

Note: you also can add broccoli, read beans, sweet corns and many more!

Spice Paste
3 shallots (or half medium red onion)
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of pepper

Place chicken wings in boiling water for 20 minutes to prepare the broth. Add the carrots.

Heat oil in the pan and fry the spice paste until its fragrant, and put it into the broth. Add the rest of the ingredients, salt and sugar to taste. Continue cooking until all vegetables well cooked. Add some water if it's necessary.

Serve with fried shallots.

Sliced Beef with Thick Sweet Sauce (Semur Daging Manis)

250 g beef, cut into thin slices
3 potatoes, peeled and cut
2 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
5 tbs of sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
1/2 tbs of pepper
1/2 tbs nutmeg powder
500 ml water
2 tbs fried shallots
salt to taste
Cooking oil

Heat the oil in a wok, fry the potatoes. Set aside. With the leftover oil, sauté the onion, garlic until fragrant. Add meat and fry until it changes colour. Add water, sweet soy sauce, salt, pepper and nutmeg powder.

Reduce heat, cover the wok and cook the beef until its tender. Add a little water from time to time to get the desired tenderness. Add the fried potatoes. Sprinkle with the fried shallots.

Best serve with steamed rice.

Green Mango Salad Indonesian Style (Salad Mangga Muda)

1 green/un-riped mango, peeled, thinly sliced
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 birds eye chili (reduce to less spicy)
1 green onion (chopped) - optional
1 tbs basil (chopped)
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs lime juice
1 tbs palm sugar
1 tbs roasted peanuts (chopped)

Mix the mango, shallots, chili, green onion, basil in a large bowl. Mix fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar in a small bowl. Toss the salad with the dressing and garnished with the peanuts. Ready to serve.

Spicy Mixed Vegetables in Coconut Milk (Sayur Lodeh)

200 g long beans (Kacang Panjang)
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes
200 ml thick coconut milk
400 ml light coconut milk or you can substitute with 200 ml water
2 cm fresh galangal
1 fresh kaffir lime leafs (daun jeruk purut)
1 Salaam leaf (Bay leaf)
Sugar and salt to taste

Spice Paste
2 red chillies (optional, depend on your taste)
2 bird's eyes chillies (optional)
3 shallots
4 cloves of garlic
2 Candlenuts (kemiri)
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1 cm of fresh Kencur or 1/8 teaspoon Kencur powder
2 cm fresh turmeric or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
A pinch of dried shrimp paste (terasi/balacan), toasted
Salt to taste

Grind or blend the spice paste. Then sauté until it's fragrant, add the galangal, kaffir lime and salaam leaf.

Add the light coconut milk/water and sugar. Continue mixing for few minutes until all spices are absorbed.

All all the vegetables, add thick coconut milk. Continue cooking until its boiling, do not overcooked the vegetables.

Cooked Vegetables with Spiced Grated Coconut (Urap-urap Sayur)

100 g bean sprouts
100 g cabbage, shredded
50 g green bean (buncis), cut into 2 cm
100 g spinach, cut into 2 or 3 cm
200 g fresh grated coconut

Spice Paste
4 cloves of garlic
3 red chillies, seeded
2 bird's eyes chillies
2 cm Kencur, peeled and sliced
50 g Palm sugar
4 fresh Kaffir Lime leafs, finely shredded
Salt to taste

Grind or blend all spice paste ingredients. Heat oil and sauté the spice paste until fragrant. Then add the grated coconut, mix it well for few minutes, then set aside.

Cook all the vegetables, set aside and cool them off.

Serve: Combine the vegetables with the spiced grated coconut.

Beef Curry (Gulai Sapi)

300 g beef
500 ml coconut milk
1 stalk of Lemongrass, crushed
3 fresh Kafir Lime leaves
2 Salaam leaves (bayleaf)
1 tbs coriander leaves (optional)
100 g green soya (kacang hijau), clean and cooked
1 block beef seasoning mixture
salt and sugar to taste
2 tbs fried shallots

Spice Paste
6 shallots
4 cloves of garlic
5 Candlenuts (Kemiri), or 7 almonds as a substitute, crushed and fry without oil
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 cm fresh Galangal (Lengkuas/Laos)
1 cm ginger
1/4 tsp cloves powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 eye's bird chillies (or paprika powder for less spicy)

Cut the beef into small pieces, cook under boiling water until the meat is tender. Leave the broth for about 1 cup.

Grind or blend the spice paste.

Heat the oil, and saute the spice paste. Add lemograss, kaffir lime leaves, salam leaves. Mixed well.

Put the spice paste into the meat, then pour the coconut milk and let it boil until the spice is absord. Add the beef seasoning mixture, coriander leaf, sugar, and salt. Continue cooking.

Serve it with lontong (race cake), garnish with fried shallots.

Spicy Vegetables Salad with Shrimp paste (Rujak Cingur)

50 g bean sprout, cleaned
50 g shredded cabbage
1 stalk water spinach
100 g egg noodle
1 cucumber
1 un-ripe/green Mango
1/2 Pineapple
2 fried tofu
2 fried tempe (bean cake)
200 g cooked beef lips (Cingur)
Lontong (rice cake)

Sauce :
100 g fried peanut
4 tablespoon petis (black fermented shrimp paste)
2 or 3 bird's eyes chillies (optional, you can make less spicy if you want to)
1 tbs of fried sliced garlic
1 tsp roasted terasi (dry shrimp paste) - optional
1 tsp palm sugar
1 tsp tamarind

Clean all the vegetables, then cook. Set aside.

Peel and clean all the fruit and slice into small slices. Set aside.

Prepare the sauce by grind or blend all the ingredients, add a little of water to make it thicker.

To serve, cut lontong into small slices, arrange it on the plate, add cooked vegetables, the fruits, fried tofu, tempe, cingur (cooked beef lips) and pour with the sauce. Garnish with prawn cracker.

Spicy Grilled Shrimps Satay (Sate Udang Bakar Pedas)

700g, whole raw shrimps
175g cherry tomatoes
1/2 cucumber, cut into chunks
1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 small red chili, seeded and chopped
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

Pound the garlic, ginger, chili and sugar to a paste using a pestle and mortar. Add the soy sauce, vegetable and sesame oils, lime juice and salt. Cover the shrimps with the marinade and allow to marinate for as long as possible, 2-3 hours.

Thread the shrimps, tomatoes and cucumber onto bamboo skewers. Grill the shrimps for 3-4 minutes, scatter with the coriander and serve.

Shrimp and Beansprout Fritters (Bakwan)

Ingredients A :
120g plain flour sifted together with 1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
150ml water
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp pepper

Ingredients B :
120g beansprouts, tailed and halved
1 big onion, diced
1 stalk spring onion, diced
2 red chilies, chopped
5 cups oil for deep-frying
200g shrimps, shelled with tail intact

To make Ingredients A, mix sifted flour with egg and water till well-combined. Add Ingredients B, salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a wok. Dip a soup ladle in the hot oil for a little while to heat it up.

Then remove it from oil, and fill it with batter and a few shrimps on top. Dip the ladle in hot oil and leave to fry till the fritter floats free.

Fry till golden brown. Dish up and drain. Repeat till all the batter is used up. Serve fritters with chilly sauce.

Seafood Curry (Kari Seafood)

400g fish fillets
200g green prawns, heads removed and peeled
200g squid, cut into 1/4-inch rings

1 tbsp peanut oil
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
2 lime leaves, shredded

Paste:
2 French shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp root ginger; chopped
3 chilies, deseeded and sliced
1 lemongrass stalk, sliced
salt and sugar to taste

Grind or pound paste ingredients in a mortar with pestle or in a food processor. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add turmeric and coriander and cook until aromatic.

Add coconut milk, water, lime juice, palm sugar and lime leaves. Bring to the boil, add seafood and cook for 3-4 minutes or until seafood is tender.

Serve seafood with noodles or rice.

Terik Daging (Spicy Beef with Coconut Sauce)

600g beef (chuck or topside), cubed
1/2 cup thick coconut milk and 1.5 cups thin coconut milk from 1 coconut
2 kaffir lime leaves
4 tbsp cooking oil
4 tbsp toasted peanuts, pounded

Spices, ground :
10 shallots
5 pips garlic
5 red chilies
1 cm kunyit
1/2 cm galangal
1 lemongrass
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp pepper
5 candlenuts
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt or to taste

Heat oil in wok and saute ground spices till aromatic. Add beef and daun kaffir lime leaves, and fry till beef loses its pink color. Add thin santan and bring to boil. Lower heat and leave to simmer till the beef is tender. Add thick santan, pounded peanuts, brown sugar and salt to taste. When gravy is thick, remove from heat. Serve with warm rice.

Spicy Fish Fritters (Perkedel Ikan)

500g boneless fish fillets
4 green shallots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp root ginger, chopped

1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
1 egg
1 tbsp cornflour
Cooking oil

Dipping Sauce:

1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sambal ulek

Combine shallots, garlic, ginger; fish, soy sauce, kecap manis, egg and cornflour in a food processor. Process until mixture comes together and is smooth.

Using wet hands shape mixture into small patties. Mixture tends to be wet so cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan or wok. Cook patties for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden. Combine ingredients for dipping sauce in a small dish. Serve fritters with dipping sauce.

Fried Carrot Balls (Gorengan Bola-Bola Wortel)

350g carrot, peeled and sliced
1 egg, beaten
2 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tsp sesame oil
3/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup sesame seeds
salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking oil, for deep frying

Place the carrot in boiling salted water for 15 minutes until tender. Drain and mash well. Place the ginger in a garlic crushed and squeeze the juice into the mashed carrot. Add the spring onions, sesame oil and egg and season to taste.

Shape the carrot mixture into small-sized balls. Roll the balls in the combined flour and sesame seeds, shaking off the excess. Heat 3-4 cm oil in a pan; add the carrot balls and coo in batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden.

Remove the balls from the pan, drain on paper towels, then return to the oil and cook for another 30 seconds. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Fried Red Soya Beans (Lentho)

100 g of red soya bean
50 g of tapioca flour
30 g granted coconut
1 teaspoon coriander
3 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
A pinch of pepper
salt to taste

Bring to boil red bean. Cook until its soft enough. When it's cooked, take out from the water and let it cold.

Grind or blend the shallots, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper into paste. Add the red bean and smashed coarsely.

Add the tapioca flour and the granted coconut. Mix well all the ingredients.

Form into oval small dough. Fry in deep wok over medium heat until crispy. Remove from the wok and serve.

The Perfect Sunny-Side Up Fried Egg

Even if you don't cook much, it's not hard to fry an egg, right? Yes and no. It's the simple things that get us pretty heated about the best technique. It is possible to prepare a sunny-side up egg to perfection (tender cooked-through white and runny yolk). Here are five tips to get there:

1. Squash your impatience; go zen. Sunny-side up eggs need slow cooking over low heat.

2. Use medium heat to get the pan hot. If using cast-iron, heat it dry, then add olive oil and butter (for nonstick, heat the pan with the fat in it).

3. Turn the heat low and crack the egg in. If it splutters noisily, cool the pan off the heat briefly. Cover the skillet and cook the egg slowly, about 2 minutes. No browning. Check it. If the white around the yolk looks loose, cook it, covered, another 30 to 60 seconds, but check often, because you don't want the thin film of white covering the yolk to turn milky white.

4. Some pros recommend basting the whites with fat from the pan to help cook them through. That's fine, but tilting the pan to scoop up some hot fat makes the egg slide, too.

5. To make landing the egg foolproof, hold the skillet over the plate (hopefully with a piece of toast waiting for it).

Fried Stuffed Tofu (Tahu Isi)

6 medium tofu, cut into triangle, fried half done

Filling
150 gram of minced beef/chicken/prawn
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 carrots cut into small cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Flour Mixture
100 g flour
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp coriander, pan-broil
3 candlenuts
2 cm kaempferia galanga (kencur)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
125 ml water

Heat the oil in deep wok and fry the tofu until brown in both sides. Set aside. When they are already cold, scoop out the middle part to make a hole for filling.

Filling: in remaining oil, stir fry the onion and garlic. Add the meat, stir well until brown. Then add carrots. Pour some water, just enough to make the carrots tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. When it is about to be done, mix corn flour with small amount of water and pour it to the filling, this will make the filling becomes a bit thicker. Cook about 10 minutes until water is absorbed.

Take a spoon of it and stuff it into the hole of tofu one by one until all is done. Put aside.

flour mixture: In a small bowl mix all ingredients. Add a little water if necessary.

Dip the stuffed tofu into flour mixture before frying it, you will get a crunchy fried tofu skin.

Deep fry stuffed tofu under medium heat until golden brown. Serve with green bird chillies or chilli sauce.

Chicken Mushroom Noodles (Mie Ayam Jamur)

250 grams dried egg noodles, cooked and set aside
Chinese Cabbage
meatballs, optional

Chicken Mushroom Mix:
2 chicken thigh fillet, cut into small piece
3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
150 gram champignon
3 cloves of garlic
2 shallots
50 ml oil
2 tbs water
½ cube chicken bouillon
a pinch of sugar

Garlic Oil:
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbs soy sauce (kecap asin)
1 tbs sesame oil
2 tablespoons oil

The Soup:
Chicken bones
½ cube of chicken bouillon
1 stalk spring onion
250 ml water

Heat the oil, and fry the chicken meat half-cook. Set aside.

Grind or blend shallots and garlic, sauté until it's fragrant, add the champignon and chicken. Continue cooking. Pout a bit water into the mix, sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), chicken bouillion and sugar. Stir well. Cook until its thickening.

Make the garlic oil : heat the oil, then add the garlic and fry it until slightly brown. Don't over burn it! Add the soy sauce, and sesame oil.

The soup: boil the bones to make a broth, then add the chicken bouillion, and spring onion.

Set a plate with 1 tablespoon of garlic oil, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, salt and pepper. Put the cooked noodle into a plate and mix thoroughly. Add cooked Chinese Cabbage. Add 3 tablespoons of chicken mushroom, garnish with fried shallot and fresh cucumber. Serve with the soup and meatball.

Fresh Vegetables Pickles (Acar Mentah)

1 small cucumber, cleaned, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
3 shallots, peeled, thinly sliced
6 fresh bird's eyes chillies, cleaned, thinly sliced (optional)
3 tbs of vinegar
2 tbs sugar
1 1/2 warm water
1 tsp salt

Mix water with vinegar, sugar and salt. Add the vegetables. Refrigerate 4-5 hours before serving.

Beef and Bean Sprouts Soup with Rice Cake (Lontong Balap Surabaya)

100 g beef meat
3 shallots or half of medium red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 block beef seasoning
250 g of bean sprouts
1 stalk of celery leaf
2 tbs of fried shallot
500 ml of water
Pinch of pepper

Lentho
100 g of red soya bean
50 g of tapioca flour
30 g granted coconut
1 teaspoon coriander
3 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
A pinch of pepper
salt to taste

Sambal Petis
1 cloves of garlic
5 bird's eyes chillies (optional)
2 tbs of dried shrimp paste (petis udang)
1 tbs of water
1 tsp of sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)

Other Ingredients
Lontong (rice cake)
200 g fried tofu
Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
2 tbs of fried shallot for garnish

The broth: Boiled beef meat with 500 ml water until you get the beef broth. Take out the meat.

Blend or grind the shallots, garlic, salt and pepper. Heat the oil and sauté the paste until fragrant.

Add the fried paste into the broth; then beef seasoning. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the celery and the bean sprout. Let it cook for few minutes.

Lentho: Bring to boil red bean. Cook until its soft enough. When it's done, take out from the water and let it cold.

Grind or blend the shallots, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper into paste. Add the red bean and smashed coarsely. Add the tapioca flour and the granted coconut. Mix well all the ingredients.

Form into small dough. Fry in deep wok over medium heat until crispy. Remove from the pan. Cut into pieces before serve.

Sambal Petis: Fry the garlic and the chillies. Set aside. Grind them with dried shrimp paste (petis udang). Add the water and sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), mix them.

To Serve: In a plate or bowl, cut lontong (rice cake) into small pieces, add the bean sprout, lentho, fried tofu and garnish with fried shallot. Pour broth, and drizzle with sweet soy sauce. If you like it spicy, add sambal petis.

Can we store frozen food long-term just anywhere in our freezer?

The door of the freezer is a handy place to store frozen items, but not necessarily the best place for long-term storage. The temperature near and on the door fluctuates every time the door is opened.

Although the food may remain frozen, the freezing process could be slowed, opening up the possibility for larger ice crystals to form inside the food and destroy its integrity.

To prevent this, store frozen foods toward the back of the freezer where a constant 0 degrees F is more likely to be achieved and use goods stored near the front or on the door sooner. And if the power goes out? Don’t open the freezer door! According to the USDA, a full freezer should remain frozen for 2 days.

Stir-Fried Vegetables (Oseng-oseng Sayur)

100 g beef (or beef ham, thinly sliced)
1 red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced
2 carrots thinly cut
6 pieces baby corn, cut into 2 or 3 cm
5 beans thinly cut
1 small onion,
3 cloves of garlic
1 block beef seasoning mixture/beef bouillon
300 ml water

Boil the beef with 300 ml water until tender, cut the meat into small pieces. Set aside. Just skip this process if you substitute with beef ham.

Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok and sauté the onion, garlic and chilli until fragrant. Add carrot, meat, beef stock, and beef bouillon. Continue cooking.

When the carrot is tender, add others vegetables.
Cook for 5 minutes and serve.

Crunchy Turmeric Vegetable Pickles (Acar Kuning)

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, cut sticks shape
1 carrot, peeled, cut sticks shape
2 bird's-eye chillies, sliced (optional)
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 cup water
1 tbs cooking oil
sugar and salt for taste

Spice Paste
5 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
5 Candlenuts (Kemiri)
1 tsp turmeric powder (or 2cm fresh tumeric, crushed)

Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, fry the spice paste. Add sugar, salt and vinegar.

Add carrot, cucumber and chillies together with 1 cup of water. Stirr well and cook until vegetables tender. To have the crunchy taste, don't overcook.

Fried Tofu with Black Shrimp Paste Surabaya Style (Tahu Tek Surabaya)

250 g tofu
4 medium potatoes, boiled
2 eggs

100 g bean sprout, cooked or half-cooked
1 spring onion, chopped
Prawn cracker or Garlic crackers

Lontong (rice cake)

Sauce:
100 g fried peanut
50 g black shrimp paste (petis)
2 cloves garlic, fried
2 bird's eyes chillies (optional)
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
50 ml warm water
Salt to taste

Cut tofu and potatoes into cubes. Heat the frying pan with enough oil to fry the potatoes. Set aside. Whisk the eggs and then add tofu. Fry the mixture. Set aside.

Sauce: grind fried peanut with fried garlic, chillies and salt. Add the black shrimp paste, sweet soy sauce, and water. Mix them well to make the sauce.

How to serve: Place rice cake/lontong, fried potatoes, and tofu omelette, then add the bean sprout and spring onion, and pour with the sauce and sprinkle with fried shallots. Garnish with prawn or onion crackers.

Potato Croquettes (Perkedel Kentang)

1/2 kg of potato, peeled and cut smaller
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 stalk of spring onion, chopped
fried shallot
1 egg
1 egg yolk
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil and fry the potatoes until they are tender. Set aside, let the oil absorbed.

Mix the potatoes with celery, spring onion, fried shallot, salt and pepper. Blend together. You can use a grinding stone or a food processor. Then add the egg, continue blending.

Shape the potato mixture into a small square. Before you do it, taste the mix to ensure it's salty.

Store them in the fridge for 30 minutes. This step is to ensure that the shape won't be falling a part when you fry the croquettes.

Cover each croquette with softly beaten egg yolk, fry with deep frying pan.

Spicy Tofu with Dark Sweet Soy Sauce (Kering Tahu)

250 g Tofu/Tahu
2 cloves of Garlic, chopped
2 big red Chillies
2 bird's eyes Chillies (optional)
2 Shallots, chopped
1 cm of fresh Galangal (Lengkuas/Laos), chopped
3 tablespoons of dark sweet soy sauce
100 ml water
Salt and sugar to taste

Cut tofu into small cube then fry half done.

In remaining oil, sauté the shallot, garlic, chillies and galangal until fragrant. Then add tofu, sweet soy sauce and water. Add salt and sugar to taste. Cook until the sauce absorbed.

Serve with steamed rice.

Fried Fish Cake (Otak-otak Goreng)

300 g boneless white fish fillet skinned
100 g tapioca flour
100 ml thick coconut milk
1 stalk of spring onion, finely chopped

Spice Paste
2 cloves of garlic
3 shallots
1 cm ginger
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cm galangal (laos)
salt to taste

Peanut Sauce
50 g fried peanut
3 pan-broil candlenuts
2 red chilli, seeded
2 bird's eyes chillies (optional)
Salt and sugar to taste
100 cc water

Grind or blend the spice paste ingredients.

Add the fish and spring onion, process until fine, put into a large bowl and stir in all together with tapioca flour and coconut milk.

Shape the mixture into long oval (or small round shape), deep fry in hot oil until cooked and golden brown.

To make peanut sauce: grind or blend all the ingredients until smooth, add water and simmer over low heat for few minutes.

Spicy Fried Sardines (Ikan Sarden Saos Tomat Pedas)

400 g sardines or other small fish, cleaned
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 red chillies, seeded and sliced
8 green/red bird's eyes chillies(reduce if you don't like it too spicy)
2 clove of garlic
3 shallots
1 cm fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 cm fresh galangal, peeled and sliced
1 stalk lemon grass, use only the white part, chopped
1 medium tomato, cut in wedges
1 tbsp tamarind juice
1 salaam leaf
1/2 tsp brown sugar
salt to taste
2 tbsp water
basil

Spice Paste :
1 shallots
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp white peppercorn
1/4 tsp coriander
1 cm fresh ginger
1 cm fresh fresh turmeric

Wash the sardines, drain and marinate with salt. Leave for 30 - 60 minutes. Heat the oil and fry the fish until golden brown.

Prepare spice paste by grinding or blending all the ingredients.

Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and saute the chillies, garlic, shallots, ginger, galangal, lemon grass, tomato, tamarind juice and salaam leaf over high heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sugar, then the spice paste and fry another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Combine the fried sardines with the spicy sauce in the wok, add water. Cook for another minute, stirring well, then serve, garnished with basil.

Steamed Glutinous with Coconut Sweet Filling (Kue Bugis/Kue Mendut)

250 g glutinous rice flour
50 g starch (tepung Kanji)
100 ml pandan leaves extract (extracted from fresh pandan leaves)
150 ml (or more) water
1 teaspoon lime stone paste (kapur sirih)
banana leaf
200 ml thick coconut milk

Filling:

100 g of grated fresh coconut
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
100 g brown sugar, fine comb
½ tsp salt
100 ml of water

Filling: Cook all filling ingredients together until sugar melts and becomes rather dry dough. Remove and let cool.

Mix glutinous rice flour, wheat starch and other ingredients until the dough is dull. Adjust the amount of water to the dough condition.

Take 1 tablespoon of dough, flatten. Fill with 1 rounded teaspoon of filling dough.
Give a little lime stone paste, put in a heat resistant container.

Steamed until cooked. While still hot (please be very careful), wrap each of the balls with banana leaves. Allow to cool and serve.

Spicy Fried Chicken (Ayam Goreng Bumbu Pedas)

1/2 kg (500 gram) chicken
Salt and pepper to marinate the chicken

1 stalk of lemongrass
2 Salam leafs/bay leaves
Cooking oil for frying

Spice (Blend) :

5 cloves of garlic
5 shallots
5 Candlenuts
5 red chillies, seeded and sliced
2 bird's eyes chillies (optional)
1 tomato, sliced
1 cm Galangal (Laos)
Salt and sugar to taste

Cut chicken into 8 pieces, marinate with salt and pepper, fry and set aside.

With remaining oil, sauté the spice paste together with salam leaves and lemongrass until fragrant. Add chicken, stir well. Add some water and continue cooking until all blended spice are absorbed.