Gulai Kering Kentang Buncis (Potatoes and Green Beans Dried Curry)

Creamy, spicy, slightly sweet with aromatic pungent from lemon grass and lime leaves. Who doesn't like that? Need I mention that it is also packed with carbohydrate or simply fried potatoes? What a comfort! 

This dish is a lovely combination of root vegetable (potatoes are root "vegetables" right?), green beans, coconut milk and spices. It was created years ago when I was a university student at the time, feeling homesick and longing for flavours from home. So I gathered whatever ingredients I could find in the kitchen and it was a success. The dish was frequently requested in potluck parties to showcase Indonesian cookery. Though I am no longer a student, it is still served in our everyday meal right at home. Pair it with sambal telur and you will have a complete Indonesian meal!

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 lb green beans, cut into 1" length 
• 3 potatoes
• 5 lime leaves
• 1 lemon grass
• 8 Thai hot peppers, sliced thinly
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp oil plus enough oil for frying potatoes
• 1 cup (250 mL) coconut milk 
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) water
• juice from 1 lime

METHOD: 

1. Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Season with a pinch of salt
2. Meanwhile, in a pan, heat enough oil to fry the potatoes. Once hot enough, fry the potatoes till golden brown. Drain the excess oil with paper towel
3. Slice off the very bottom of the lemon grass stalk, and peel off any dried-out layers. Mince the soft inner part of the lemon grass to help release the aromatic oil 
4. In a separate pan, heat up 3 tbsp of cooking oil and saute sliced onions till soft, around 3 to 4 minutes 
5. Add in lemon grass, Thai hot peppers and tear the lime leaves with your hand to release the citrus flavour. Saute for another 3 minutes 
6. Add in green beans, turmeric powder, salt, sugar and water. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 minutes 
7. Stir in coconut milk and let it boil for 5 minutes then add the fried potatoes 
8. Cook for additional 5 minutes and finally, stir in the lime juice 

Like any other Asian dishes, this dish shall be enjoyed with a plate of warm steamed rice or naan bread. 

Fennel, Beets and Apple Salad

I first tasted beets about 6 years ago. This may come as a little bit of surprise to you for someone who is a foodie. Well, I have seen and known beets for all my life but never touched this root vegetable. It is not welcomed at my parents' home. When I was young, I liked to accompany my mother to a morning market and asked why we never cooked the red-looking vegetable. The response that I always got from her was "You won't like it. It tastes earthy, like mud soil". Hmmphh...so there the story goes.

I then tasted beets when a friend of mine invited me for a dinner and she served beets as a side. Well, I did not want to be rude so I politely took the offer and man, I love this root vegetable! It's sweet, earthy (no, it does not taste like muddy soil) and wish that my mom cooked for us at the early age.Ever since my first experience with beets, I frequently cook beets in the fall and winter time. i like to serve as a side to roasted chicken. It is also good as a salad. So here is my recipe for fennel, beets and apple salad. This salad is perfectly balanced with sweetness from beets, licorice flavour from fennel and tartness from apple and the dressing. 


Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 fennel bulb
• 4 medium sized beets
• 1 apple (can be gala, Granny Smith)

For dressing: 

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp whole grain or dijon mustard 
• 2 tbsp oilive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste

METHOD: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit
2. Place beets in an aluminum foil and wrap around to make a pouch. Bake for about 1 hour or until the beets are fork tender
3. Once beets are cooked, leave to cool. Once cool, rub with the palm of your hands to remove the skin
4. Cut the beets into desired sizes
5. Trim the fennel bulb, quarter, core and thinly slice the bulb crosswise
6. Quarter, core and thinly slice an apple crosswise
7. To make dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk 
8. Combine fennel, beets and apple in a bowl. Toss the salad together with the dressing 

Mutton cutlets

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a lovely Christmas & New Year's eve surrounded by family and loved ones. Our blog is a year old and what a year it has been - many milestones and reasons to celebrate. This year, we hope to make our blog better and welcome your comments and feedback so we can grow and improve.

Over the holidays, my mum and I made several appetizers some new, others old favourites. This one is a simple recipe for mutton cutlets. You can use pork, beef or chicken. These are great to make and freeze and can be thawed out run through an egg wash, dipped in breadcrumbs and shallow fried in oil just before serving.

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground lamb
• 4 small onions chopped fine
• 1 inch piece ginger chopped fine
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 4 large potatoes boiled and mashed
• 1 tsp garam masala 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 2 green chilies chopped fine
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup of oil for frying

METHOD: 

1. Heat a saucepan and add 1 tbsp of oil, add onions, ginger, garlic and chili and saute until onions are transparent
2. Add meat to the pan and break up large chunks into smaller pieces. Season with salt and spices and stir until meat is cooked
3. Set aside. Peel and mash boiled potatoes. When meat mixture has cooled, add to the potatoes and mix until combined
4. Roll into balls and flatten. Size varies according to preference. 
5. Beat egg with a fork and set aside. Put breadcrumbs in to a bolw. First dip and coat the cutlet in egg and then roll in breadrumbs
6. When all the cutlets have been made heat oil in a small pan, when the oil is hot, add cutlets to the pan and fry intil golden brown
7. Serve with hot sauce or ketchup

Indonesian Style Chicken Soup with Potatoes

I wish you all a Happy New Year and may the year bring you good health, happiness and prosperity. Our promise to you is to share more recipes on this blog! 

Indonesia, a country located in South East Asia, is one of the largest Muslim countries in the world. It comprises of more than 17,000 islands and is ranked the 4th most populous country worldwide. This nation is most well known with its beautiful diving sites, white sandy beaches and the foremost, Bali island. When it comes to agriculture, this county is also called the spice islands. Indonesia produces top qualities of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla beans, cloves, coffee and many more. Spices and hot peppers are used abundantly in the cooking. As a Chinese descent born and raised in Indonesia, I must say my palate is well trained towards eating fiery and spiced food.

Winter is officially here and after 2 weeks of eating and entertaining, I was longing for a bowl of comforting soup.I decided to make Indonesian style Chicken Soup with Potatoes and my husband loved it! He proclaimed that this recipe must be featured n the blog. This basic soup is served quite frequently at my home in Indonesia. It is packed with flavour contributed from spices and taste best when left overnight. You can also add in your favourite ingredients for a hearty meal: pot barley, celery, green peas or even pasta.

Instead of making the regular chicken noodle soup or eat canned soup, I highly recommend you to make this Indonesian style Chicken Soup to feed your cold. Spices used in this recipe not only open up your appetite but it also boost your immune system, which is crucial for recovery.


Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 L water
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 whole chicken (2 lbs), cut into bite sized
• 1 tomato, quartered
• 5 Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 onions, quartered
• 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 8 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick, 1 to 2 inch long
• 1/2 whole nutmeg, crushed
• 5 cardamoms
• 1 star anise 
• 1 tsp whole black peppers, crushed 
• 1 tbsp salt

METHOD: 

1. In a pot, boil 2 L of water with chicken broth
2. Place cinnamon stick, nutmeg, cardamoms, star anise and crushed black peppers in a cheese cloth and tie up
3. Once boiled, add in chicken pieces, spices in cheese cloth, tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic and salt. Return to boil
4. Once boiled, lower down the heat and skim off gray foam on the soup surface with a ladle
5. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes and add in potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes