Tag Archives: Cooking

Telur Kari (Indonesian Curried Eggs)

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imageDelicious — I made these eggs last night to serve as an accompaniment to babi lelawar (Balinese pork in a coconut sauce) and coconut steamed rice. They are so easy to make, and they taste nothing like grandma’s deviled eggs. Try this recipe.

2 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp very finely minced lemongrass, or 1/2 tsp ground lemongrass powder
2 – 3 tsp sambal ulek
2 Salam leaves
1 kaffir lime leaf, shredded
1 1/2 cups lite coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp kecap manis
6 hard-boiled, shelled eggs

Combine onions, garlic, curry powder and lemongrass in a small bowl, and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or other pan. Add onion mixture and saute until onions are just translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add sambal ulek, salam leaves, kaffir lime leaf, coconut milk, salt and kecap manis to the onion mixture. Bring to a boil, add eggs, then simmer, uncovered, over low heat until the sauce has darkened and thickened, about 25 minutes. Serve as an accompaniment to an Indonesian meal.

Serves 6 as a side.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

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Nasi GorengNasi goreng literally translates to “fried rice.” It’s another common dish in Indonesia, and believe it or not, they like it so much, they eat it for breakfast there! This dish is easy to make, but plan ahead, as you must use leftover rice (or cooked rice that’s been refrigerated for 4 hours).

1 medium boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
4 cups (give or take) steamed jasmine rice — use cold leftover rice, or rice that’s been in the fridge for a few hours
2 Tbsp canola oil
3 eggs, beaten in a small bowl
1 medium onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 leek (white part only), finely chopped
4 tsp sambal ulek
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Laos powder (or 1 1/2 tsp peeled, minced, fresh galangal)
1/2 lb shrimp (prawns), shelled and deveined
3 Tbsp kecap manis

Trim the chicken breast, and poach in turmeric water. To do this, combine the water, salt and turmeric in a small pan. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken breast (water should come up to half way on the chicken; must not be fully submerged). Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 8 minutes. Flip breast over, then simmer, covered, for an additional 8 minutes. Remove from heat and dice (rather finely). Set aside.

Heat a small frying pan that has been coated with cooking spray on low heat. Cover and cook until Fried Eggthe eggs are set (like an omelette, but don’t flip or turn). Remove from pan and cut into small cubes.

Heat oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, leek and sambal ulek. Stir fry until the onions are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin and Laos powder, and stir for another minute. Season with a bit of salt. Add the chicken and shrimp, and fry until the shrimp are no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the rice, egg cubes and kecap manis. Turn the heat up to high, and stir fry for another 5 minutes, until all ingredients are well mixed. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Steamed Jasmine Rice

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Jasmine RiceThis recipe for steamed jasmine rice is so easy, and it turns out perfectly every time. This is my standard go-to recipe for just about any Southeast Asian dish that is served with rice. Although you are supposed to rinse the rice in cold water until the water is no longer cloudy, I don’t bother. In fact, I think it upsets the moisture content for this particular recipe, causing the finished product to turn out mushy. For coconut rice, simply add 2 tablespoons shredded, unsweetened coconut before you put the lid on to steam.

1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
14 oz water
1/4 tsp salt (rounded)
1/2 tsp butter

Combine rice, water salt and butter (and 2 Tbsp of shredded coconut if you desire) in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Stir well. Put the lid on and reduce the heat to very low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Put the lid back on and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves about 4.

Asparagus with Lemon Butter

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Asparagus with Lemon ButterThe lemon is what makes this side!

1 lb asparagus, thick bottoms trimmed off
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Cook asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water, uncovered for 5 minutes.

Drain well in a colander, then return to pot and toss with butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Feta Cheese Spread

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Feta SpreadIf you like feta like I do, you’ll love this simple, tasty spread from southern Russia. Delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

1/2 lb feta cheese
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 Tbsp sour cream
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Place the feta cheese in a food processor and mince.

Transfer the cheese to a bowl. Stir in the garlic, chopped egg, dill and sour cream until well blended. Season with pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Adapted from “Please to the Table, The Russian Cookbook,” by Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman

Quinoa and Chicken Casserole

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Quinoa CasseroleQuinoa is a wonderful grain (or “pseudocereal,” because it’s not really a grain) that is light and fluffy when cooked, and has a nice mild, nutty flavor. Quinoa is related to beets, spinach and tumbleweeds, believe it or not! It is commonly used in South American dishes, and is fast becoming popular in the U.S. Following is a recipe for a great quinoa dish that I tried last night for the first time. I’m never afraid to try recipes that are featured on pantry item packaging — you know it’s got to be good if the manufacturer put it there! I got this recipe off the carton of my favorite chicken stock by Kitchen Basics — it was delicious and simple to make (think weeknights).

  • 2 cups Kitchen Basics Original Chicken Stock
  • 1 large onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 8 cremini (or white) mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2/3 cup acorn squash, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 2 tsp poultry seasoning (or dried sage)
  • 1 tsp salt (I added 2 tsp, which was about right)
  • 1/3 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa, uncooked, rinsed
  • 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet, saute onion in olive oil on medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until translucent.

Add mushrooms, squash and garlic, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken, breaking it into small pieces as it browns, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, stock and quinoa, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer ingredients from pan to a bowl, and stir in parsley and 3/4 cup cheese.

Turn mixture into 9″ x 9″ casserole dish or baking pan (lightly coat the dish first with cooking spray).

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of casserole. Bake in oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Recipe adapted from “Cozy Quinoa Casserole,” Kitchen Basics

Opor Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Curry)

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Opor AyamI love this recipe. It has all the Indonesian flavors I love (especially trassi and kecap manis — please see the glossary). Opor Ayam is a chicken stew that is common in Indonesia. It is rich and aromatic, and some would consider it a curry. It’s simple, and it’s a dish that I do on weeknights.

Ingredients

1.5 – 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp terasi
3 oz chicken stock
1 14oz can reduced fat coconut milk
1 tbsp gula jawa (or brown sugar — see glossary)
2 tbsp kecap manis
3 tsp sambal ulek
2 kaffir lime leaves, very thinly shredded

Spice Mixture

4 kemiri nuts
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp Laos powder (see glossary)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper

Preparation

Combine coconut milk, chicken stock, lime leaves, gula jawa, kecap manis and set aside.

Combine spices for spice mixture and set aside.

Combine the onions, garlic, sambal ulek and chicken and set aside.

Heat oil on medium-high in a heavy sauce pan or wok. Add the chicken mixture, and saute for 5 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink.Cooking Opor Ayam

Add the spice mixture, cook for 2 minutes, then add the terasi and cook for another minute.

Add the broth mixture, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 45 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to about half (or a little more, as Indonesian sauces are fairly dry). Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Serves 4.

Indonesian Tofu and Shrimp Curry

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Indonesian_shrimp_and_tofu_curry_2013-04-16Love this dish. It’s a little more time-consuming, but it’s worth it!

1 block (16 ounces) firm tofu
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 small onion, diced
4 tsp sambal ulek or 3 red chili peppers, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
2 tsp turmeric
½ tsp Laos powder
½ tsp terasi
5 kemiri nuts (candlenuts) grated
2 cups light coconut milk
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced in julienne strips
2 Tbsp tamarind water
2 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp gula jawa
5 salam leaves
2 stalks lemongrass, halved and lightly smashed with the flat part of a knife (optional)
1 Tbsp kecap manis
1 pb large shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 eggs, hard-cooked

On a cutting board, halve the tofu horizontally; cut each half into 12 pieces to make 24 total.

In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp of the oil. Fry the tofu pieces for about 10 minutes, gently tossing them to nicely brown them on all sides. With a slotted spoon, transfer the tofu to a bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, onion, chili paste or chilies, turmeric, and nuts. Work the mixture with a spoon to form a paste.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the spice paste. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until it releases its aroma. Add the coconut milk, red bell pepper, tamarind water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, and lemongrass, if using. Simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute more.

Return the tofu to the pan with the whole eggs. Cook, stirring gently, for 2 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through.

Remove the eggs from the sauce. Halve them and set them on top of the dish. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Serves 4.