Nasi Goreng Seafood

I Still remember a retreat I took in  1997 while I was still at University, we talked about   the new  way the catholic community can find a different spirit language tongue as a new way to pray and associate with God. In a funny way the priest said that a lot of catholic people try to speak tongue language but inside them, they still pray “Hail Marry”.

This is how I feel about the way I cook, you can call it a different name but the finish dish is exactly the same

When I cook Paella (Spanish dish), I always interpret it in the Indonesian style as a Nasi Goreng Seafood. Back in my childhood Nasi goreng was our ordinary breakfast. No weetabix for me.

NASI GORENG SEAFOOD

INGREDIENT

·         400 grams of cooked rice

·         10 big prawns (fresh)

·         5 small Squids cleaned and cut into 2 cm pieces

·         2 chicken breast or 4 chicken thighs skinned cut into 2 cm pieces

·         6 chicken livers boiled and cut into 2 cm pieces

·         20 mussels

·         5 big red chillies

·         5 garlic cloves

·         1 tbsp oyster sauce

·         1 tbsp sweet soy sauce

·         1 tsp salt

·         1 tsp ground white pepper

·         Handful fried cashew nuts

·         Fried shallots (for garnish)

·         4 tbsp Vegetable oil

·         ½ litre chicken stock

1. Put chillies, garlic and shallots into a food processor to make a paste, or use a pestle and mortar.

2. Heat the oil in a large wok or paella dish, fry the paste until fragrant. Add prawns, squid, chicken stock and add the mussels.

3. Add chicken and chicken liver and bring to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the rice, white pepper, oyster sauce and soy sauce, stir the rice add more chicken stock if the rice is looking too dry,  cook for another 3 minute.

4. serve with cashew nuts and fried shallot.

 

“Harry” the Tuna

One of my friends said to me, “we should try fish, what will you cook if I buy some fish? I said “lets see, if they have a big fresh Tuna on that stall”.

The biggest Tuna in there cost £6.99, “hmm.. a bargain” as I love a bargain and even my friends said Ohh my God, we will cook Harry,(as she call the Tuna), so in my friend’s kitchen, I started preparing “Harry” the Tuna.

IKAN PANGGANG RICA RICA

Ingredients

·         Fresh large Tuna ( approx 2 kg)

·         10 big red chillies

·         6 birds eye chillies

·         5 garlic cloves

·         8 shallots

·         3 lemongrass stalks

·         3 cm galangal

·         5 cm fresh ginger

·         Juice of 3 limes or lemons

·         ½ tsp shrimp paste (terasi)

·         3 Kaffir lime leaves

·         ½ tsp salt

1. Thoroughly clean the fish (or you can ask fishmonger to clean it for you)

2. Put chillies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, galangal, ginger, salt, shrimp paste and kaffir lime leaves into food processor to make a paste.

3. Place the fish on the kitchen foil, add lemon juice and spread the spice paste evenly over it, rubbing it inside the fish and where the skin has been slashed.

Wrap the fish with kitchen foil , put in the oven or BBQ  220 degrees for 45 minutes.

NICE FOR BBQ

Chinese Influence in my Family

July 1998, finally my sister married her boyfriend, after a two year battle with our parents because he is Chinese. I am at a loss as to why my parents didn’t realise that Chinese and Javanese people had already mixed hundreds of years ago and my families favourite dish is “Bakmi Jawa”, a Chinese dish with touch of Javanese

This Dish wasn’t difficult to make because basically it is the same as how to make simple noodles but it tastes better if you are using free range chicken and cook it on charcoal.

Bakmi Jawa

Ingredients

·         ½ Free range chicken (skin removed)

·         ½ kg Fresh noodle

·         ¼ kg white cabbage cut into 1 cm pieces

·         4 tomatoes

·         2 raw eggs (beaten)

·         3 boiled eggs

·         4 spring onions

·         Parsley for garnish

·         2 tbsp Sweet soy sauce

·         5 Shallots

·         4 garlic cloves

·         4 candle nuts

·         1 tsp ground white pepper

·         1 tsp salt

·         6 tbsp Vegetable oil

1. Clean the chicken and remove excess skin and fat. Boil the chicken for 30 minute, remove the chicken and keep the stock,  fry the chicken in 3 tbsp of the oil until golden brown and shred into small pieces.

2. Put shallots, garlic, white pepper and candle nuts into food processor to make a paste, then put the paste into a large wok with the oil. Fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Tip in the chopped spring onions, chicken stock and soy sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add the cabbage, tomatoes and noodles, simmer for 4 minutes until all ingredients are tender. Add the 2 beaten eggs and bring to the boil for 3 minutes.

4. Spoon into bowls and serve with chopped parsley, thinly sliced boiled eggs and fried shallots.

EVERY BODY I KNOW.. LOVES THIS DISH

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RENDANG JAWA (Javanese Rendang) By Bobby Ananta

 

Why spend a fortune on a meal out, when you can shop for fresh ingredients locally and still sit down to an amazing meal. Hey ho this isn’t just about saving money, my experience on my friend Keycee’s Birthday Meal was a nightmare when the bill arrived for 12 people.  

Last year I did 8 main courses for my birthday party and they were  all Indonesian dishes. Now I will share all the recipes and how to create Indonesian food that you can enjoy without a doubt.

One of the dishes that is everyones favourite is Beef Rendang

JAVANESE BEEF RENDANG

Ingredients

·         2 kg Braising steak

·         8 shallots

·         5 garlic cloves

·         6 large red chillies

·         4 cm fresh ginger

·         1 lemongrass stalk

·         1 tbsp coriander seeds

·         1 tsp white pepper

·         5 cloves

·         3 bay leaves

·         ½ tsp cumin

·         1 tsp salt

·         2 cm tamarind

·          50 g Coconut sugar

·          500 ml coconut milk

·          5-10 tbsp Grated coconut

·          Vegetable oil

·         2 litres of Water

1. Cut braising steak into 5 cm pieces, put shallots, garlic, chillies, ginger into food processor, blend to make a paste, then set aside until ready to cook.

2.Heat the oil in the large non stick casserole dish, add lemongrass stalk and cloves, add the paste and braising steak and  water then cook over low heat for about an hour. Add ground white pepper, tamarind, salt, coconut sugar, bay leaves and coconut milk .

3. Fry grated coconut, cumin and coriander seeds until they look golden brown, then grind, add into the pan and let it cook for another two hours on a really low heat, stirring occasionally.

*serve with steamed fragrant rice... yummiiiii x x x

A tip from Mom:

”If you cook Rendang Daging don’t ever use too many cumin seeds or if you like You can replace cumin seeds with fresh turmeric and extra lemongrass.

ENJOY IT.

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