Tag: #coconutmilk

FUSION NASI KEBULI

main meal
Fusion Nasi kebuli

Fusion Nasi Kebuli is Indonesia’s unique take on Arabic Pilaf, reflecting the strong influence of the Arab descent community in Indonesia. Nasi Kebuli, a beloved dish, bears a striking resemblance to our own pulavs and the renowned Mandi Rice from Saudi Arabia. Traditionally, it involves cooking fragrant rice in a flavorful Yakni, whether it’s a chicken or mutton variant. However, the Sindhi community in Indonesia has introduced a delightful twist to Nasi Kebuli. They serve fragrant rice alongside a spicy, rich broth and a fiery sambal, drawing inspiration from the Hadhrami community’s culinary traditions, where broth is served on the side. It’s an intriguing fusion of flavors, and even though it might deviate from the traditional Nasi Kebuli, we’ve come to know and love it by this name over the years. Let’s just call it “Fusion Nasi Kebuli” and savor its delicious blend of influences.

**Ingredients:**
– 4 whole chicken legs with bone
– 2 liters of water
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 1 star anise
– 1 knotted Pandan leaf
– 4 cloves
– 4 bashed cardamom pods
– 1 stalk of bashed lemongrass (only the bottom hard stalk)
– 2 cups of basmati rice
– 2-3 tablespoons of ghee
– 1 sliced onion
– 2 bay leaves
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 1 star anise
– Salt to taste
– 2 teaspoons of garam masala
– 6 fresh red chilies
– 1-inch piece of fresh turmeric
– 1-inch piece of ginger
– 1 tablespoon of coriander powder
– 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds
– 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
– 2 cardamom pods
– 1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
– 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
– 2-3 tablespoons of oil
– 1 heaped tablespoon of thinly sliced garlic
– 1 cup of coconut milk
– 1 cup of shredded cabbage
– Bird eye chilies (optional)
– Potato crisps
– Fried cashews
– Raisins
– Lime for garnish

**Instructions:**
1. In a large pot, boil the chicken legs in 2 liters of water along with the cinnamon stick, star anise, knotted Pandan leaf, cloves, bashed cardamom, and bashed lemongrass. Simmer until the chicken is tender.

2. Remove the chicken and strain the broth (Yakni). Set the broth aside.

3. Wash and rinse 2 cups of basmati rice.

4. In a separate pot, heat 2-3 tablespoons of ghee. Add the sliced onion and sauté until pale golden.

5. Add bay leaves, a cinnamon stick, and a star anise to the sautéed onion.

6. Use some of the Yakni to cook the rice. Season the rice with salt and 2 teaspoons of garam masala. Keep the rice warm.

7. To make the broth, grind the following ingredients into a fine paste: fresh red chilies, fresh turmeric, ginger, coriander powder, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, grated nutmeg, and desiccated coconut.

8. Heat a separate pot and add 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Add the thinly sliced garlic and sauté until pale gold.

9. Sauté the paste in the oil until the oil releases.

10. Add about 4 cups of the Yakni broth to the sautéed paste. Once it boils, add 1 cup of coconut milk. Keep stirring.

11. Finally, add the shredded chicken and about 1 cup of shredded cabbage. You can also add few whole bird eye chilies at this point if desired. Simmer for 10 minutes.

12. To assemble, put some rice in a bowl, top it with the chicken broth. Add potato crisps, fried cashews, and raisins.

13. Garnish with a squirt of lime.

Enjoy your meal!

NASI KUNING JAWA

main meal

NASI KUNING JAWA

Nasi kuning(or yellow rice) comes from the regions of jawa. Traditionally made during festivals and especially birthdays.
In case it is made for a birthday, rice cooked with turmeric, herbs and coconut milk will be packed into a cone shaped mould and then inverted onto a base of rice in the form of a circle . The rice is then surrounded by various other food items, such as tempe( fermented soya cake), chicken, fish, fresh basil and cucumber. The person whose birthday it is slices off the top of the cone onto a plate without the rice disintegrating.. I  have done a miniature nasi kunning plate to show you all.

Normally at home, we just put the  rice, sprinkle some fried peanuts and fried onions, and surround with tempe, chicken in red sauce or tofu potato in red sauce, and sayur acar.( pronounced achaar) Fresh sweet basil is a must along with cucumber slices. Best eaten with hand.
We can call this an Indonesian thali. Recipe is slightly long, but fairly easy to make. Do try it and enjoy.

YELLOW RICE
Soak 2 cups of jasmine rice for 30 mins.
Drain.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add 1 stick cinnamon, 2 fresh bay leaves, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 1 stalk of lemon grass( only bottom white part, bashed)
.
#( incase you don’t gave fresh herbs, use star anise, tej pata and cinnamon)

Saute for a few mins and add drained rice.
Add 100 ml thick coconut milk
And  100ml of water
Mix well, add 2 tbsps grated fresh turmeric and salt to taste.
When liquid dries up, transfer rice to a steamer and steam for 15 to 20 mins. Done. Keep warm.

AYAM MERAH( RED CHICKEN)
300 gms of boneless chicken..cubed
2 tomatoes .. cut into quarters
12 shallots
4 garlic pods..do not cut
4 garlic pods cut fine.
4 red chillies.
2 kaffir lime leaves
Lime juice
Salt and sugar to taste.

Take a pan, add chicken, tomatoes, whole shallots, whole garlic, and red chillies. Add 1/4 cup of water, cover and cook till everything is soft.
Remove chicken and keep aside.
Coarsely grind the cooked tomatoes, onions, garlic and red chillies.

Heat 2 tbsps of oil
Add chopped garlic and 2 kaffir lime leaves. Saute for few mins
Add the red paste and cook till oil seperates.
Add the chicken back, season with salt and a little sugar.
Lastly add  a tbsp  of lime juice.
Keep aside.

TEMPE ORIK
300 gms tempe, cut into small batons
( can use potato or paneer)
Deep fry and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan
Add 6 sliced garlic pods( slice, do not chop)
10 sliced shallots
1 inch bashed ginger
2 green chillies, cut at a slant
2 red chillies cut at a slant
Saute for few mins, till onions turn golden brown.
Add the fried tempe( or potato or paneer)
Stir fry
Add 2 tbsp of kecap manis( or honey)
1 tbsp tamarind paste.
Salt to taste
Stir quickly and shut flame.
Keep aside.

SAYUR ACAR( VEGETABLE ACHAR)
1 carrot.
5 french beans
1 cucumber, unpeeled and seeds removed
( cut all 3 above mentioned vegetables into medium batons)
10 shallots cut into 2

Grind together with little water
3 roasted candlenuts or 4 cashews
1 inch pc  fresh turmeric
1 inch ginger
4 garlic pods
4 shallots.

Heat oil in a pan, add paste and saute well.
Add carrots, french beans, shallots, and cucumber…saute well, add 1/4 cup water and cook till vegs are done,and no water remains. Vegs should retain  a bite. Shut fire and add salt, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tbsp of vinegar.  mix well.
Done. Keep aside..

OTHER INGREDIENTS
sliced cucumbers
Thai basil leaves
Dried or roasted peanuts
Fried onions.

Assembling
Take a plater, line with a  banana leaf.
Pile rice in the center.
Surround with tempe orik, cucumber slices, red chicken,  sayur acar, basil leaves, sprinkle peanuts and fried onions . And serve.
Can serve red chillie sambal too with some fryums.

SATE LILIT AYAM/CHICKEN

main meal, snacks

SATE LILIT

Sate, or satay, is a beloved dish in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
Every province will have Thier own versions of it. Sate are loved by one and all, easily available and  almost all food stalls will serve these. Meat is normally skewered, Roasted and served with a peanut sauce.

Todays recipe is a Balinese version of Sate.
Sate lilit means wrapped around, not skewered, much like our desi  kebabs, only difference is, the meat is wrapped around slightly bashed lemon grass stalks, so you can imagine the intense fresh flavours. These Sate are not served with any peanut sauce. But served with a raw chiliie onion Sambal called Sambal matah.
Do try this simple and tasty recipe

SATE LILIT**

**Ingredients:**
– 300 g finely minced chicken
– 4 red chillies
– 3 candle nuts (slightly roasted) or cashew nuts
– 3 shallots
– 2 cloves garlic
– 1 tsp chicken seasoning powder
– 1 stalk lemongrass (bottom white part only), finely chopped
– 1-2 tbsp oil
– 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
– 2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
– 1.5 tbsp thick coconut milk
– 1 tsp salt
– 12-14 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and lightly bashed

**Instructions:**
1. Grind the red chillies, candle nuts, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and chicken seasoning powder into a paste without using water.
2. Cook the paste in a pan with oil over low heat until the oil separates and the paste is dry.
3. Mix the cooked paste with minced chicken, chopped kaffir lime leaves, grated coconut, coconut milk, and salt.
4. Take small portions of the chicken mixture and wrap them around the bashed lemongrass stalks.
5. Grill the wrapped chicken on a lightly oiled non-stick pan.

**SAMBAL MATAH**

**Ingredients:**
– 4 red chillies, finely chopped
– 5 shallots, minced
– 3 kaffir lime leaves, minced
– 1 lemongrass stalk (bottom only), minced
– Salt to taste
– 1/2 tsp sugar
– 2 tbsp very hot oil
– Lime (for finishing)

**Instructions:**
1. Combine all the finely chopped ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix in salt and sugar.
3. Pour hot oil over the mixture and mix well.
4. Finish with a squeeze of lime.

Enjoy your Sate Lilit with Sambal Matah!

My Indonesian lunch plate for lunch

KUE BANGKIT/ SALJU AKA COOKIES..EGGLESS.

snacks

KUE BANGKIT/ KUE SALJU aka COOKIES.

Bangkit…feast, Salju..snow.
Both names go. Normally served at feasts or festivals, Salju or snow because these are normally white.But recently saw a local you tube channel and was drawn to these pretty colours.
These absolutely melt in the mouth, light airy cookies are a must try. Very very popular here in Indonesia. The origin is from malaysia and some parts of Indonesia. Ramadhan is a very popular time for these cookies. Biscuits or kue kering are a very very popular constant in Indonesian culture. Hampers of prettily packed biscuits are a sight to see.
Back to the recipe, these biscuits are gluten free. Very very light. While baking, once slightly golden on the bottom, and very light to hold . Remove and cool.
Baking time 30 minutes to 40 mins . Depending on your oven.
As you first take a bite, you will the powdery texture, next you will feel the smoothness and the sweetness.
Unique textured biscuits..
Happy Ramadhan.

INGREDIENTS
500 gms tapioka flour
90 gms margarine.
150 gms powdered sugar
4 pandan leaves .( optional, but these do give a very subtle flavour)
1 tsp vanila essence or 1/4 tsp vanila powder.
40 gms milk powder.
100 ml of coconut milk.( I used a tetra pack) add few drops of food colouring, and mix.

Take a wok or frying pan, add the tapioka flour, and chopped pandan leaves. Saute this flour on low heat till the flour is really hot and feels lighter. At this point the pandan leaves should be crisp and easy to snap. Cool the tapioka flour completely. Sift in a strainer to remove any lumps. Cool.
In a mixing bowl, add margarine and sifted sugar, mix with a spatula untill its a smooth paste, add milk powder and mix and fold once more.

Add sifted tapioka in batches
Alternately with coconut milk.

Go in with your hands and mix with your finger tips…untill the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.

This will not be moist. It will be dry mix.

Take a mold( picture in comments) add the mix and press in , scrap off excess..
Remove gently onto a baking mat or tray.

Bake in a pre heated oven, at a very low mark.. I used the 150 mark.
This kue or biscuit is very different in taste, its powdery, melt in your mouth, and yummy.

Very popular during Ramadhan.

A must try…😊

KETAN SERUNDENG aka sticky rice cakes with coconut flakes

snacks

KETAN SERUNDENG..
( STICKY RICE CAKES WITH SAVOURY COCONUT FLAKES)

Ketan is a hearty snack quite popular in Indonesia.Ketan is usually made from glutinous rice. Rice is soaked and steamed  in steps, usually with an addition of coconut milk. The steamed sticky rice is then quickly formed into balls and rolled in either plain or flavoured coconut flakes, and served with a spicy peanut sauce.
Coconut which is grated and cooked with a spice paste, is called SERUNDENG, this has a long shelf life if stored in the fridge.
Serundeng is used as a topping on yellow rice, served on the side with other dishes and usually a staple at many homes. You can actually call it the podi powder of Indonesia..
Ketan is usually served as a starter or snack.
Glutinous rice or beras ketan can be used to make a sticky sweet porridge also.

Today I have made it in 2 colours, one white and one blue. The blue ketan is made using butterfly pea flower. Soaking these dried flowers in hot water gave it a lovely indigo colour.  Do try this recipe if you can source GLUTINOUS RICE.

250 gms beras ketan( glutinous rice)
1/2 cup thick coconut milk
1/2 cup water.
1 tsp salt
10 gms of dried butterfly pea flowers, soaked in half cup hot water.( about 1/4 cup) strain when water cools down.

Wash and soak the ketan for 4 hours.
Drain the ketan and put in a hot steamer.
Steam for 15 mins.
Remove into 2 bowls.
To one bowl add 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1/4 cup water and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix and keep aside for 15 mins…the liquid will be absorbed by then..
To the other bowl of ketan, add 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1/2 tsp  salt and 1/4 cup blue liquid from the strained flowers. Keep aside for 15 mins.

After 15 mins put both the soaked rice back into the steamer and steam for 20 mins.
Remove into 2 bowls, make balls while still warm.
Roll the blue ketan balls in plain grated coconut.
Roll the white ketan balls in serundeng.
Serve with peanut sauce.

To make serundeng.
Grind together..
3 garlic pods
5 shallots
4 to 5 red chillies
1 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
6 shredded kaffir lime leaves.
1 tbsps grated gur.
Small pc of fresh turmeric.

Take a pan, add 2 tbsps oil
Add ground paste and saute till cooked.
Add 1 cup grated and steamed coconut.
Saute till well mixed.
Cool and pulse in mixer to get semi powdered mix.

For white coconut..
Grated and steam coconut for 10 mins.

Tip…we normally grate and steam coconut. To keep handy in the fridge.
It does not go sour , using this method.

Peanut sauce..

100 gms fried peanuts with skin or without
1/2 tsp white pepper
Salt to taste
Veg stock powder, or msg 1/4 tsp
6 bird chillies, 6 red chillies
3 pods of garlic
30 gms palm sugar( I have boiled the palm sugar with little water , and strained to get rid of impurities.)
3 tbsps tamarind pulp or juice of 1 lime.

. Saute the red chillies, bird eye chillies and garlic in 2 tbsps oil.
2. In a mixer jar, add fried peanuts, chillies and garlic. Add salt, pepper and veg stock powder. Add some water and blend to a thick paste.

BUBUR KACANG IJO/ MUNG BEANS PORRIDGE

dessert

BUBUR KACANG IJO.

A very close cousin to our desi Payasam, this bubur( porridge) is made with green moong dal aka Kacang ijo( pronounced KA-CHANG).
Here in Indonesia Buburs are very popular, and made  with lot of pantry friendly ingredients..such as rajma, green beans, banana, glutinous rice, coconut etc. These are mainly made or sold for breakfast and tea time.
Todays recipe uses ginger as a flavouring as well as for healing and warmth.
Ginger is used alot in teas and buburs to aid in digestion and for warmth.
Have this warm and relish it. Soothing and delicious.  Perfect in the awesome rainy weather in India.

1 cup green moong beans soaked overnight or minimum 6 hours.
2 pandan leaves knotted or use 4 cloves.
100 gms ginger…peeled and bashed in big chunks.
1/2 tsp salt.
250 gms jaggery.( chopped or grated)
3 tbsps white sugar ..if required.( I used, as it yin to the yan of jaggery)😊
200 gms thick  coconut milk( I used a tetra pack)
100 ml water for coconut sauce.

Rinse the soaked moong dal
Add to a pan along with bashed ginger and pandan leaves.
Cover with enough water and boil  till soft and mushy.
( I boiled for 3 whistles in a pressure cooker)

Meantime take the jaggery in a pan and add 1/4 cup water. Boil till dissolved, and strain, to remove impurities.

Now take the cooked moong beans, another 2 cups of water, salt , jaggery water in a pan and cook further till it becomes thick. Keep aside.
To make the coconut sauce topping,
Put 200 ml thick coconut in a saucepan, add about 100ml water, a knotted pandan leaf( or 1/2 tsp vanila essence)  1/4 tsp salt.
Simmer on a low flame for 10 mins. Remove in a bowl.

To serve..
Put some warm  bubur in a bowl, top with 1 or 2 tablespoons of coconut milk..

No sugar is added to coconut sauce.
This helps in balancing the sweetness of bubur.😊



Kolak Candil.. Indonesian sweet dish.

dessert

The holy month of Ramadhan all over the world, has different traditions for breaking the fast,  one thing common will be sweetmeats, whether its dates or a glass of sharbat.
Here in Indonesia, people will mostly drink hot sweet black tea to be followed by various KOLAKS.
Kolaks are mostly soupy,  palm sugar  and coconut milk based. Various things are added, like jack fruit or banana, or sweet potato etc. Mostly served warm as the people here believe that breaking a fast with something cold will surely harm the stomach.😊
Kolaks are made with many twists. Here at home during Ramadhan helpers make different types of sweets. Will share some more recipes soon.
Today I will share kolak made with sweet potato dumplings. CANDIL ( pronounced Chandil) is balls of sweet potato. Hence the name.  Easy to make and light on the stomach. No oil goes in the preparation.

Step 1
Peel and chop 500 gms of sweet potato
( I have used orange sweet potato)
Heat a steamer and steam cook the sweet potatoes.
Avoid boiling them .
Once cooked, ( it took about 15 mins in my steamer) remove into a plate and mash using a fork.
Put in a  big bowl along with 150 gms TAPIOKA  flour. Add a pinch of salt and mix the warm mashed pototes with the flour. Knead into a smooth ball.
Divide and roll into small balls. Work quickly, I had help doing these, so it took about 10 mins for 2 of us .😊
I got about 75 small balls( good enough for a nice big bowl of kolak) keep aside.

2nd step.
In a sauce pan,  add 200 ml of coconut milk( I used a tetra Pack) and 100 ml of water.
Put in a knotted pandan leaf.
( or use 1/2 tsp of vanilla powder)
1/2 tsp of salt
Simmer, stirring continuously for 10 mins…keep aside.

3rd step.
Heat 600ml water in a saucepan
Add 200 gms of chopped palm sugar
( jaggery)
1 tbsps of  sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
1 knotted pandan leaf
Or you can add a little vanila essence at the end.
Boil till palm sugar dissolves, strain the water into another pan to get rid of impurities.
Boil once again and add a slurry of 2 tbsps tapioka flour mixed with 50 ml of water.
Bring to a boil and keep aside.

Final step.
Take a big pot, put about 1.5 liters of water, bring to a rolling boil and add the sweet potato balls. They will sink and rise within 5 mins. Keep on boil for another few mins, strain off the water, and add the balls to the palm sugar syrup. Give one boil and done.

AASSEMBLING.
Put few balls and palmsugar syrup in a bowl, drizzle few spoons of coconut milk on top…and enjoy warm.

Tip… to get things done faster, I put the sweet potato to steam on one stove, made the palmsugar syrup on another, and the coconut milk on another. 😊so I was done within 45 mins.

**The bland coconut milk balances the sweet palmsugar syrup.

Kue Putu Ayu, ( snow cakes)

dessert, Uncategorized

KUE PUTU AYU

The name KUE PUTU AYU, loosely translated means pretty putu cake.( I also call these snow cakes)
These pretty little cakes are very easy to make and come in the category of kue manis( sweet cakes)
The distinct topping of  slightly salted grated coconut is the trade mark, and balances the sweetness of the kue perfectly.
Serve these at anytime of the day..people love them .
But traditionaly these are teatime treats.
No oil or butter is added, and steaming these takes hardly 15 mins.
Even after 38 years of living in Indonesia, I am still facinated with the way sweetmeats are created here like works of art.  Delicate, pretty and oh so tasty.

Serve these warm, and if you have any leftovers, keep in the fridge, in an airtight container and consume within 24 hrs.
After reheating in the steamer .

Since this is the holi season, I have made these in pretty multi coloured hues.

Holi is the festival of colours and celebrated with great gusto by indians by playing with water spray guns, vibrant colour powders rubbed into each other faces, and water balloons. The streets of India on the day of Holi look colourful , with people having fun.

Kue Putu Ayu..recipe with egg


STEP  1.
Mix 400 gms peeled grated coconut with 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsps cornflour.
Steam the coconut in a bowl for 15 mins.
Next,
Take about 20 small moulds, grease them very lightly and press grated coconut tightly into the grooves., keep aside.( pictures given below)
Pre heat the steamer, and cover the lid with a kitchen napkin, to prevent steam droplets from dropping onto the cakes.
.
STEP 2
In a mixing bowl add:-
2 whole eggs
175gms sugar
1/2 tsp emulsifier ( optional)
Whisk the above till sugar dissolves and eggs are fluffy and stiff.( I used an electric beater, it took me about 10 mins)
Add 2 tsps of vanilla essence.
Beat once more.

STEP 3
Sift together 200 gms of flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder. ( add 1/4 tsp baking soda incase you are not adding the emulsifier)

STEP 4
Mix together 75ml of thick  coconut milk with 125 ml of water.
( I used coconut milk from a tetra pack.)

Step 5
Add flour and coconut milk alternately to the beaten eggs and sugar.
Mix at a very low speed.

Divide the mixture into as many colours of cakes you want.
I divided into 4 bowls and added 4 different colours, blue, pink, purple and green.
Now spoon the mixture into the prepared moulds.( I used plastic moulds )
And steam for 15 mins.

Done, they come out very easily.
Serve with a hot cup of coffee.
Very pleasing eye candy, and very light to eat too. Do try these.

EGGLESS KUE PUTU AYU


STEP  1.
Mix 200 gms peeled grated coconut with 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tbsps cornflour.
Steam the coconut in a bowl for 15 mins.
Next,
Take about 10 small moulds, grease them very lightly and press grated coconut tightly into the grooves., keep aside.( pictures in comments)
Pre heat the steamer, and cover the lid with a kitchen napkin
.

In a bowl add 100 gms sugar

75ml water

75 ml coconut milk( I used a tetra pack)

Whisk everything together until sugar disolves.

Add 100 gms flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda.

And mix well till no lumps remain.

Divide the batter into 3 or 4

Add colouring and mix gently.

Pour into moulds and steam for 15 mins.

Done.

Ayam Rendang

main meal

Ayam Rendang..
Rendang, which means slow cooked food, mostly beef which is cooked for hours on a very slow fire., but chicken or even jackfruit cooked on a slow fire tastes as good, this recipe is from the   the west Sumetra regions of  Indonesia. The food from these regions is normally known as Padang food, made by the minangkabao people.
Padang restaurants are popular all over the country.
They do not offer you a menu to choose from, once you are seated, a waiter will bring out   dozens of small dishes filled with various dishes. Customers take only what they want from this array, and they pay only for what they take. Usually the plates can be  about 10 to 12 varieties of food. Curries, barbequed meats, greens etc.
This food is normally eaten with hands.
And steamed rice is served.

This was a dish I fell in love with when I moved to Indonesia 37 years ago, the taste was fabulous and a little familiar to my Indian taste buds😊

My husband would get this chicken from a popular padang restaurant called sari bundo, and we would really enjoy this on many sundays.

Do try this home made version .

Indonesian chicken curry

8 pcs of chicken.( I use thigh pcs with bone)
Make cuts on the chicken to soak up the gravy.
I potato cut into 8 pcs
2 pandan leaves tied in a knot
1/2 cup fresh coconut grated, and sauted till semi dry.
Coconut milk( I used tetra pack) 200 ml
1 stalk of lemongrass( bottom white part only, bashed)
2 fresh bay leaves
5 cloves
1 pc of cinnamon
2 tbsps tamarind paste.
( I normally soak about half kg tamarind in some hot water, squeeze and strain the paste, pour into ice cube moulds. Store in the freezer and use as required, here I used 2 cubes)
1 tbsp of jaggery.

To be ground into a paste
10 shallots
5 garlic pods
1 inch pc of ginger
5 fresh red chillies
5 dry red kashmiri chillies
6 pcs of candlenuts or cashews
1 tsp white peppercorns
1 tsp corriander seeds
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg.

Heat abt half cup oil in a pan, and add bay leaves, lemon grass, cinnamon , cloves, pandan leaves and saute till herbs and spices release thier fragrance.
Add grated coconut and ground paste.
Saute till oil is seen on the sides. Add tamarind, jaggery and salt.
Also add the chicken and potato pcs.
Saute for 10 mins, add few tbsps of water and saute again. Repeat process about 5 times.
Finally add coconut milk and some water.
Stir, cover and cook for about 20 mins till oil floats on top, and a very thick gravy is left.
This rendang is always slow cooked and tastes fabulous with white rice or layered parathas.

You can even cook till no gravy is left, and then grill the chicken to get Ayam bakar rendang.
Enjoy.

Indonesian steamed cake aka Kue Pepe

dessert

Kue Pepe or Indonesian steamed cake

This 9 layered cake is very popular in south eastern countries, every country has its own take on this. Mostly its pandan flavour based. The proof of a good made KUE is the ability to peel off the layers, . This traditional  cake is easy, but a little time consuming. 7 mins between each layer, and a final 25 mins to finish off. The texture will be glutininous and a bit sticky. This kue uses no oil. Its available at most markets and bakeries. Cut into slices and wrapped neatly in plastic.
The satifaction in making  it at home is awesome.  Pls do try it.
Because I made it with mocha flavours, it resembles the goan cake Bebenica.
But I understand that Bebenica is baked. This is steamed.

Recipe credits go to my son Karan who made it for his youtube channel

.https://youtu.be/0Y1lxTavKRg

I will share the step by step photos in comments.
Ingredients.
The recipe is –

– 200 ml thick coconut milk
– 400 ml water
– 150 gms tapioca flour

– 75 gms all purpose flour
– 200 gms sugar
– 1 tsp vanilla powder (can substitute vanilla essence if you prefer)
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1 heaped teaspoon instant coffee ( dilute with 1 tbsp hot water)
– 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder( dilute with 2 tbsps hot water)

Method
Mix together tapioca flour, all purpose flour and sugar and salt, and vanila powder.
Now mix coconut milk and water, and add to the dry ingredients slowly, mix well till it forms a smooth batter.  ( can strain to make sure there are no lumps).
Divide the batter into 3 bowls. Following the ratio 2:1:1.

Now keep the bigger bowl aside.
Into remaining 2 bowls add diluted coffee and diluted cocoa powder.
Grease a rectangular container properly.

Heat a steamer, when its hot, place the container in it, and put 2 ladles of chocolate batter. Cover and steam for 7 mins. Next add 2 ladles of white batter. Steam for 7 mins. Now add 2 ladles of coffee batter. Steam for 7 mins. Keep alternating flavours till the last layer. Steam for 25 mins.
Remove the container and let it cool completely for few hrs, gently loosen it with a spatula and overturn on a chopping board which is covered with a plastic sheet.( important).
Next wrap the knife in a plastic and then cut the slices.( we find this easier)  Can try greasing the knife too.
Enjoy