Rissole Indonesian Style (Risoles)

For Risoles wrapper

150 g all-purpose flour
1 egg
200 ml milk
salt

For filling

150 g minced beef or 150 g chicken
3 small potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 carrots, cut into small cubes
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
1 tablespoon flour, mixed with a little of water
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 beef bouillon cube
sugar, to the taste
1 cup water

For dipping

1 egg
breadcrumbs

Wrapper: take a bowl then combine the flour, salt and egg. Gradually add the milk whisk them to make a smooth texture. When it's done, heat up non-stick pan. Take about 2 tablespoons of the mixture, pour to the pan and make it thin (just like how you make crepes). Cook it with low heat. When the edge of the skin is dry and you can peel off easily, it means it is cooked. Set aside.

Filling: heat up the wok, then sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant. Add the meat and mix them well for few minutes. Then add carrots, pepper, salt, celery and 1 cup of water. Cover. When the carrots are half-cook, add the potatoes. Continue cooking until they are tender and add 1 tablespoon of flour mixed with water to make the filling thicker. You can add a little of sugar to adjust the taste.

The Risoles: take one Risoles's wrapper then add the filling in the bottom. Leave the bottom few cm's clear. Lift the wrapper over the top and tuck it in under the filling. Fold over the left side, and then the right side and roll it up to form a tube. Repeat until all the wrappers are finished.

Dipping: dip the rissoles into beaten egg then coat them with bread crumbs. Deep fry them with low heat, set aside and use the tissue paper to absorb the oil.

Serve with fresh green bird's eyes chillies or chili sauce.

Bananas in Sweet Coconut Milk (Pengat Pisang)

2 large bananas
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Peel the bananas and cut into bite-sized pieces.

In a medium saucepan, bring the coconut milk to a boil. Add the sugar and cinnamon, stirring to dissolve.

Add the bananas. Bring back to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 3 - 5 minutes, until the bananas are tender but not mushy. Serve hot, sprinkling extra cinnamon on top if desired.

Indonesian Spice Cake (Spekkuk)

2 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
1/2 teaspoon clove, ground
4 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
1 pinch salt
3/4 lb butter, unsalted (3 sticks)
1 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs, large
3 egg yolks, large, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit; grease and flour a bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, resift the sifted flour along with the baking powder, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, and salt; resift one more time, then set aside.

In another bowl, beat the softened butter until it is soft and very pliant, about one minute, gradually add the sugar and beat on high speed until it is pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Beat in the 4 whole eggs by hand, one at a time, until the butter and egg mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture in 3 equal parts, beating on low speed (or stirring with a wooden spoon) until the batter is smooth and the flour is well combined with the butter and eggs; add the lightly beaten egg yolks and the vanilla, and continue to beat or stir until they are well mixed into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it until the surface is even; then place the pan in the middle reack of the oven and bake about one hour, test with a wooden pick; this cake will nearly double in size as it cooks.

Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, when cool enough , invert the cake onto a wire rack to finish cooling; then transfer the cake to a serving platter and sprinkle the top with sifted confectioner's sugar.

Sweet and Sour Salad Jakarta Style (Asinan Betawi)

400 g carrots, shredded or thinly sliced
400 g cabbage, finely sliced
250 g cucumber, cut into small pieces
200 g bean sprouts
400 g lettuce, shredded
400 g tofu, steamed and cut into small pieces
400 g pineapple cut into pieces
Noodle crackers, fried

Marinade sauce :
100 g sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sliced red chilies, blended
2 tsp vinegar
200 ml boiled water

Peanut sauce :
50 g peanuts, fried
25 g dried shrimps
2 tbsp sliced red chilies
50 g sugar
1 tsp salt
200 ml boiled water

Marinade sauce :
Put sugar, salt, red chilies, vinegar, and water in a bowl, mix together.

Put cucumber, cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, tofu, and pineapple into the marinade mixture, let stand for 15 minutes drain.

Peanut sauce :
Blend peanuts, red chilies, and dried shrimps into a paste. Add sugar, salt, and water into the paste, set aside.

How to serve:
In a salad bowl, arrange lettuce, marinated vegetables, and tofu on top.

Pour in the peanut sauce
Serve with fried noodle crackers.