This is one dish which is made at least twice a month at home. The creaminess of ground candle nuts, the caramalisation of kecap manis, The Heat of the Sambal it’s served with, balance with herbed rice so well. A very easy dish to make and eat. 😊. Make a side dish of TUMISAN. ( Indonesian stir fry vegetables) and you are sorted for a comfort meal. Try and use thigh pieces of chicken, with or without the skin.
THE PASTE.. (A) 10 candle nuts.. Lightly sautéed. 12 cloves garlic 6 shallots 2 cms fresh turmeric 1 inch pc ginger 1 tbsps coriander seeds, slightly roasted. Grind the above ingredients with 1/4 cup oil. Add 1/4 cup water if needed for a smoother paste. Put this paste in a nonstick pan and cook on low fire till it’s completely dry.
Now.. In a bowl, take about 8 medium size chicken thigh on bone. Add.. 1/2 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp salt 1 tsp mushroom powder or msg(1/2 tsp) 1 tsp of black pepper powder. 1 tbsp oyster sauce. Paste of candle nuts…( A) Rub the chicken well, cover and keep aside for an hour.
Now take a non stick pan, Put the chicken pieces along with the marinate and cook till 80 percent done, while flipping periodically. Add about half cup water, mix and cover for few mins, till the water is almost finished, and chicken is cooked. Now add 4 tbsps of kecap manis, 1 heaped tbsp of margarine. Mix and cook till gravy is thick and coats the chicken. Serve with fresh chillie Sambal, some cucumber, and white rice. Finger licking good.
** in lieu of candle nuts maybe cashewnuts will do. ** if you don’t have kecap manis, try mixing soya sauce and honey together. **This recipe is adapted from a local Indonesian you tube channel.. Mrs Devina. I have just tweaked it a little.
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, 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
**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.
This pilaf comes from the middle eastern region of Jordan. Also considered their national dish. Normally cooked in JAMEED( yogurt sauce) with minimum usage of spices. This is a version I came across on the net long back( would like to credit the blogger, but sadly unable to find it, glad I had jotted down the recipe though) ,I have adapted a bit to our liking. The taste is not very far from Indian cooking. Served with a garlicky yogurt sauce. Its a comfort food. The non vegetarian version uses lamb mostly. My version of mansaf pulav tweaked to a slightly Indian taste..😊
2 cups of Basmati Rice..washed and soaked for an hour.
THE VEGETABLE LAYER Heat 2bsps oil Add.. 2 finely chopped onions.. saute till pale gold. Add puree of 2 tomatoes( blanched) Add 1/4 cup of soya granules( boil, and saute in little oil) Add one chopped green paprika. Add 1 brinjal cut into small cubes ( soak in slightly salted water, squeeze and saute lightly in little oil) 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms Mix everything well.. add little water and cook till a thick gravy is left 1 tsp black pepper powder or red chilli powder. Add 2 tsps of BAHARAT SPICE( recipe given below) Salt to taste. When done, keep aside.
GARLIC LABAN MOUTBOUK
Whisk 1 cup of thick yogurt with 1 tsp cornflour 1 tsp besan. ( adding these will prevent curdling)
Heat 2 tsps oil and add 1 heaped tbsp of finely chopped garlic. Saute till pale golden Add whisked yogurt And heat on low till you see bubbles appearing. Shut the flame and season with salt.
To assemble.. Heap rice on a platter and top with the vegetables, drizzle some laban moutbouk on the top and garnish with roasted almonds, pumkin and sunflower seeds. And sprinkle some of the Baharat powder on top.
This Sindhi Speciality, usually sold in carts in Ulhasnagar area, is a grilled vegetable sandwich using raw vegetables and boiled potatoes…Boiled moong dal is usually poured over it and garnished with chutneys, and some sev. A complete meal on its own, and very low on oil usage. There are many variations for the filling, but I prefer incorporating raw vegs along with boiled potatoes.Do try it out.
A sandwich, when we were children, meant either chutney with sliced tomatoes or a boiled potato toaster, which I loved. My mother would put lots of chillie, onion, kotmir and some dry masalas in boiled mashed potato, make a sandwich and toast it using a stove top hand held toaster, not forgetting the liberal use oil used to make it crisp. We happily ate those along with tomato sauce. Never once asking… where is the protein in this meal?😁😁
Ingredients and method for dal 1 cup of yellow moong dal ( soaked for 4 hours, and boiled with 1 tbsp of crushed garlic and salt) Boil till soft and mushy, don’t mash it up too much, leave a little bite to it. Adjust consistency. We want it easily pourable. Not too thin nor thick Keep aside. Ingredients for Sandwich 6 slices of bread 1/2 cup shredded carrot 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage 1/2 cup shredded raw beetroot 1/2 cup finely sliced green paprika( capsicum) Tomato slices 2 boiled potatoes.. peeled and sliced. Some chaat masala.
Mix cabbage, carrot, beetroot and paprika. Onto a bread slice place tomato slices and top with the raw shredded vegetables, lastly place boiled potato slices , sprinkle chaat masala and cover with another slice of bread. Grill the sandwich with oil or butter applied. I grilled on a stove top with a heavy cover, brushing oil to get it crisp.
Other ingredients Green chutney Khatti meethi tamarind chutney Chaat masala, red chilli powder And some sev and corriander leaves.
Assembling Cut a grilled sandwich into half Place on a plate Pour HOT dal on it. Top with green chutney, tamarind chutney, dry masala and sev. Enyoy your wholesome meal
Javanese Soto Ayam (Indonesian chicken noodle soup) Soto is a traditional Indonesian soup mainly composed of broth, meat, and vegetables. Many traditional soups are called soto, and the ingredients vary from region to region. Its a light flavoursome soup on the lines of a Burnese khowsuey, but minus the coconut milk. A DIY style of having soup. A flavoursome soup is made out of herbs, and chicken is normally boiled in it and shredded afterwards. Accompanied by some steamed vegetables. It does require some preparation but the end result is amazing. Do try this soup as cooked in my home. Its a one bowl meal.😊
Soups bring comfort during winters and make for a light meal during summers. Sadly, soups were not something made very often at home when we were kids.
Mummy made soup only if we were sick.😊.
But living in Indonesia, its been very easy to make friends with a number of soup varieties. And Soto is a favourite of mine.😊 On to the recipe…
Ingredients to be ground to a fine paste for the soup.. 15 small shallots 1 inch pc of ginger 1 inch pc of galangal( can omit) 5 to 6 garlic pods 1 inch piece of fresh turmeric 1 tbsp corriander seeds 5 candle nuts( pan roasted) or 5 cashew nuts
To be added to the soup 300 gms chicken with bone( I prefer the thigh).
Ingredients for flavouring the soup 1 lemongrass root( bashed) Few fresh bay leaves Few kaffir lime leaves
Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a sauce pan Add lemongrass root, bay and kaffir lime leaves. Saute till the herbs release thier fragrance. Add ground paste and chicken, saute till oil seperates. Add 1 litre of hot water. Add salt and sugar. Let it simmer for 10 to 15 mins. Remove chicken, shred and keep aside Strain the remaining soup and keep hot. Prepare the remaining ingredients 1 cup finely sliced cabbage( blanched) 1 cup of bean sprouts( blanched) 1/2 cup of finely chopped spring onions and celery 1/2 cup of fried onions 2 potatoes( cut into thin slices and fried, or use ready potato chips) Rice noodles, boiled and strained( about 1 big bowl) 1 bowl of shredded chicken 2 boiled eggs( quartered) Slices of lime Sambal( boil 6 red chillies, and blend with a little water, 2 pods garlic, salt.
Assembling Take a bowl and add rice noodles, cabbage, beansprouts , boiled eggs, shredded chicken, potato chips, spring onions, fried onions. Top with very hot soup. And enjoy with a squirt of lime juice and sambal.
Raita, the unique ways in which yogurt is used in India. Most often than not, fresh raw vegetables such as tomato, onion, cucumber, cilantro are chopped and added to whisked yogurt, which is then gently spiced up with salt , pepper etc. Raitas are served as an accompaniment with main meals to cool and refresh the palatte. The varieties of Raitas in Indian cuisine are endless, some like it sweet with fruits like pineapples added to yougurt , or some like it with Boondi( fried gramflour droplets ) in it. Todays recipe THE KUMAONI RAITA comes from the hilly region of north India, UTTARKHAND. And uses cucumber and mustard seeds as the main ingredient.
When you talk about Uttarkhand, immediately you think of beautiful scenic mountains , high up in the clouds, where the ice caped mountain kiss the fluffy clouds which seem like Gossamer., and beautiful valleys and Rivers. Also Known for the famous pilgramage places such as Rishikesh, Mukteshwar, Haridwar and pretty hill stations like Nainital and Mussorie. Uttarkhand has an awesome variety of food, which is simple and easy to put together. One day I would love to visit this beautiful province, whose panaromic views have attracted me so much. Sigh!
Growing up in Pune, Yogurt in our home was served plain ,or sometimes it was made into a potato or Boondi raita with a tadka of Rai and jeera,or if mummy was in a good mood,soft sweet dahiwaras were made , mostly on leisurely sunday afternoons . Those were the days when sunday was an important part of the week . That day was a movie date day for mummy and daddy, after which they took us to the local parks in Pune. Either Sambhaji park, or Peshwa park and sometimes to Bund garden . Childhood pleasures were simple but the memories left behind were priceless. Koi lauta de mere beete hue din..nostalgia.
On to the recipe, try to use cucumbers with less seeds.. My suggestion is to make the Raita in the night, to let the awesome flavours of fresh mustard seeds merge into the yogurt. Or at least make it 6 hours before serving. This is a very simple no fuss recipe which comes together in no time. The tartness of mustard seeds, reminds one of wasabi flavours. Do try it.
Ingredients 300 gms fresh yogurt 300 gms cucumbers/ kheera 1.5 tsps mustard seeds 2 tsps cumin seeds 1 green chillies 1/2 tsp turmeric powder Salt to taste 1/4 tsp asofoedita /hing 1 tbsp mustard oil 2 dry red chillies..broken into smaller pieces Red chillie powder and chopped cilantro for garnish
Method. 1. Whisk the yogurt in a bowl 2. Grate the cucumbers,DO NOT squeeze the water from cucumbers. 3. Grind together green chillies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds , turmeric powder.( I have used the mortar and pestle, to grind manually) you could use a mixer grinder. 4. Add the mustard paste to the whisked yogurt and mix well. Season with salt. 5. Add grated cucumbers. Mix well, cover bowl and refrigerate for minimum 6 hours. 6. Heat mustard oil in a small pan and add hing , dry red chillies. 7. Pour this tadka over the yogurt, garnish with red chillie powder and chopped corriander. Serve chilled. Kheere ka raita is ready to be served.
I love having this kumaoni raita with Aloo pitika and luchis and sooji ka seera.
A vegetarian dish which is simple to cook and delicious to eat, describes Ras kalaan, which originates from the southern state of Kerala, inspite of not containing any onions, garlic or ginger, is yet so pleasing to the palette. In today’s recipe I have added drumsticks, sweet potato, broccoli and green peas. Normally it is made using tubers like yam or potatoes. I like adding different vegetables to this, and at times, have even used mushroons, babycorn etc . Do try this recipe which comes together very quickly. KALAAN, A name which was so unfamiliar to me years ago, until I stumbled upon it by chance when south Indian food was a big mood with me, it was that particular year when I was cooking a lot of south Indian food. Having been born and brought up In India, I love the regional food which our great country has to offer. Back to the KAALAN, which is basically a keralite preparation, made with fresh coconut and yogurt. Its fresh and tangy taste is so refreshing , making you want to make it it often. The ideal pairing for this vegetable is rice, though I prefer having it with a roti adai(rice flour roti)or paratha. Many of us have a image about south Indian food which probably consists of Dosa, Idli, Uttapams etc. Reality is that its a vast platter of numerous dishes which delight the palette. So, on to the recipe. Feel free to replace any vegetables with your favourites.😊
Ras Kalaan Ingredients 4 drumsticks..scraped,cut into 4 to 5 pieces , and boiled. 1 small sweet potatoe, boiled and cubed 1/2 cup green peas( I used frozen) 1 cup broccoli flowerlets, par boiled. (Roughly about 200 gms mixed vegetables) 1 cup fresh grated coconut 4 dry red chillies 2 cups fresh yogurt 1 tsp methi seeds (fenugreek) 1 tsp raw rice(washed) 2 tbsps palm sugar( gur) jaggery 1 or 2 green chillies FOR TEMPERING 1 tsp mustard seeds 2 dry red chillies, broken into pcs 1 tbsp chana dal 1 tbsp urad dal Few curry leaves Salt 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Method 1. Heat 1 tsp coconut oil in a pan and add 1 tsp methi seeds and 2 dry red chillies(broken). Saute for 2 mins. 2. Grind 1 cup grated coconut, 2 cups yogurt, 2 green chillies, 1 tsp raw rice, the sauted methi seeds and dry red chillies. Grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside. 3. Heat 2 tbsps coconut oil in a pan, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tbsp chana dal and 1 tbsp udad dal, curry leaves. Saute for a while till fragrant. 4. Add the vegetables and coconut paste along with turmeric powder, salt, 2 tbsps palm sugar and half cup of water. 5. Cook for 5 to 10 mins. Untill oil seperates. Serve hot with steamed rice, or parathas.
Achari Brinjal Moju Brinjal lovers will love this dish which has its roots in Sri Lanka, and is a staple in most Sri lankan homes and restaurants. This is basically a fried brinjal pickle, which is served at meals normally with rice, but I prefer having it with a chappati.(flatbread). This dish comes together in no time . The crunch of deepfried brinjal and shallots, subtle tangyness of vinegar and mustard and sweetness of sugar give this simple dish a balance which is amazing. There are many twists to this recipe, each one having its own charm. In my recipe today, I have added dijon mustard to enhance the tartness and sweet mango pickle instead of sugar. You can add honey or sugar instead. Tweak the recipe at your will. This purple coloured vegetable called eggplant or aubergine is popular in many cuisines world wide. Be it the bhaigan ka bharta in north India, where the brinjals are flame roasted, mashed and cooked in an onion tomato gravy. Or the Greek Mousakka, where aubergine, minced meat sauce and potatoes come together to form a hearty casserole. As for me, my childhood memories of eating Brinjal are not very great😊the only way I really liked it was fried and sprinkled with dry spices. Mom would cut the brinjals into round pieces, give small cuts on the surface, and soak them in salted water for a while. Then squeeze the water out and deep fry till crisp. This was normally served with khichdi or pulav. It was much later that I developed a taste for brinjal cooked as a sabzi. And today its one of my favourite vegetable.😊 The aroma of brinjal being fried in the kitchen always draws me in to grab a few pcs of fried brinjal ..top on my list😊
1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp dijon mustard 1 tsp vinegar 2 tbsp homemade sweet mango chutney or achaar (pickle) or honey or powdered sugar. I have used my homemade sweet mango achaar. 2 tbsps fried onions 2 tbsps coconut oil Some chopped corriander leaves. Salt to taste
Method.. 1..Cut brinjals into finger stick size. Soak in salted water for an hour, squeeze dry, roll in a mixture of flour and cornflour. Deep fry till crisp. Keep aside. Also deep fry the shallots and sliced chillies.
2… Mix mustard seed powder, dijon mustard, vinegar and sweet mango chutney together in a small bowl.
3…Heat 2 tbsps of coconut oil and saute curry leaves, ginger, garlic till fragrant. Shut the fire and add cinnamon, pepper and salt..mix well
4..Add the dijon mustard mix, fried brinjals, fried shallots and chillies. Stir well and serve garnished with chopped corriander and fried onions.
** can be eaten at room temperature. ***best made at time of serving and consumed immediately.
In a world where instant is becoming a norm, whether its instant noodles or instant meals which only need to be reheated. Everyone wants to cook something that is not time consuming or tedious and at the same time, nutritious. Today’s recipe is all that, instant and quick. A premix is always handy to have around in our pantry, and if it is a homemade premix, rest assured you are stress free knowing no preseravatives and chemicals are in it. HOMEMADE is the new normal now, especially since the world wide lockdown. A vegetarian omelette premix, which is also vegan is a boon to have, breakfast and snacking or even a light meal are suitably covered. Growing up in Pune, my mom made a vegetarian omelette from besan(chick pea flour) frequently. This was our meal on days when she did not feel like cooking😊. 2 slices of white bread and a crisp besan omelette and tomato ketchup. Soul satisfying. I have added oats and flaxseed powder to the premix, making it more nutritious. This premix quantity will yield about 275 gms, which is good enough for about 15 medium omelettes. This premix stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
1 cup besan( chick pea flour) 1 cup oats 1/4 cup semolina 1/4 cup flaxseed 3 tbsp white sesame seeds 1 tbsp salt 2 tsp red chillie powder 2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp saunf ( fennel seeds) 1 tsp jeera( cumin seeds) 1 tsp ajwain( carom seeds)
Method Roast the sesame seeds for few mins and keep aside. Grind seperately the oats and and flax seeds to a fine powder. Mix together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl . Store in an air tight container
To make the omelette. In a bowl, take 2 tbsps of the premix and add about 2 or 3 tbsps of water( you might need more) mix gently and add some chopped onions and corriander leaves, and if you like it spicy add chopped chillies. Now mix and add little water to get a batter which is medium thin. Not to thin nor thick. Heat a non stick pan, brush with oil and using about 2 or 3 tbsps of batter spread out making a thin omellete. Pour little oil around the omelette. Once crisp on the underside, flip over and let it become crisp. Serve with a chutney or chillie sauce.
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