Indonesian on Dan Tasse dot com

Gado-gado 3

Mon, 03 May 2021 01:21:00 +0000

4 garlic cloves

1 lemongrass stalk

2 tbsp sambal oelek

2 small pieces galangal or peeled ginger

4 medium shalots

1/3 cup oil

2 tsp salt

7 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp sweet paprika

2 tbsp thick tamarind water

1 1/2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup coconut milk

1 tsp turmeric

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

1/2 cabbage, in chunks

1 cup bean sprouts

1 cup green beans, trimmed

1 small cucumber, thickly sliced

4 hard boiled eggs, quartered

4 oz firm tofu, in slices

cassava chips or fried croutons or wonton skins

3 tbsp cilantro

fried shallots

Puree garlic, lemongrass, sambal, galangal, and shallots, adding a little oil if needed. Cook paste on low heat for 40-50 min or until the oil starts separating, stirring regularly. Add salt, sugar, paprika, and tamarind water. Cook 10 min more.

Crush peanuts roughly in a food processor, simmer with a little water 20-25 min or until the water has mostly evaporated. Add to the spice paste, then add coconut milk, keep warm.

Put turmeric in water, cook potatoes in turmeric water until tender, drain. Blanch cabbage for 1 min, blanch bean sprouts 30 sec, blanch green beans 4 min.
Pile everything together and serve.

Source: Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

Magadip

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:33:00 +0000

Aromatic Chicken

1/4 c. thin-sliced onion
2 tsp salt
1 c. water
1 tbsp coriander
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 slice ginger (about 1 tsp)
One 3 1/2-lb chicken, cut into frying pieces (Dan’s note: or just chicken cubes, or lamb cubes)

In a blender, make a smooth sauce of the onion, salt, and 1/2 c. water. Mix the spices (not the ginger) in a dry saucepan. Toast lightly over medium for about 2 minutes. Add the onion sauce and the rest of the water (1/2 cup) to the pan, along with the ginger and the chicken pieces. Cook over medium for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and half the sauce has evaporated.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Lapis Daging Bogor

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:30:00 +0000

Sliced Steak Fry

1/2 lb flank/sirloin steak, sliced thin
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. thin-sliced onion
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
1 tbsp butter
1/4 c. water
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 1-inch cinnamon stick
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 c. coarse-chopped tomato

Coat the steak slices with the egg. Fry the onion and garlic in the butter for 2 minutes. Add the steak, fry for 2 minutes more, or until the pink color begins to change. Then add the water, sweet soy sauce, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and tomato. Mix well, continue to fry for five minutes, or until sauce has thickened.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Mangut Ikan

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:27:00 +0000

Palembang Fish in Coconut Milk

1 lb Sea bass or other similar fish, cleaned, with tail and head intact (Dan’s note: I’ve used salmon fillets too)
5 tbsp peanut or corn oil
1 tsp dried red hot chili
1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 kemiri nuts, crushed
1/4 tsp shrimp sauce/paste
1 1/2 c. coconut milk
1/4 c. sliced onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 c. sliced red/green peppers
1/2 c. fresh/canned pineapple cubes
1 salam (bay) leaf
1 piece of laos (galangal)

Fry the fish in 1/4 c. oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side, or until crisp/brown. Remove and set aside.
In the blender, prepare a sauce of chili, coriander, cumin, salt, sugar, turmeric, kemiri, shrimp paste, and 1/2 c. coconut milk. Fry the paste in the remaining 1 tbsp oil for one minute.
Add onion, garlic, peppers, pineapple, salam, laos, and the rest of the coconut milk. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring well.
Add the fried fish to the sauce and cook, basting frequently, for 5 minutes. Sauce will thicken.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Tahu Kering

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:23:00 +0000

Soy bean cake fry

4 chinese tofu cakes
1/2 cup peanut or corn oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 c. sliced onion
2 semihot red chilies, sliced thin diagonally
1 salam (bay) leaf
1 piece laos (galangal)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp tamarind, dissolved in 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce

Cut the tofu, 1/4 inch thick and 3/4 inch square. Fry in oil for 5-7 minutes or until light brown and dry. Set aside.
Remove all but 1 tbsp oil. Fry garlic, chilies, onion, salam, and laos until brown. Add tofu slices, sugar, salt, tamarind liquid, and sweet soy sauce. Fry for 5 more minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated and the flavors are distributed.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Sayur Lodeh

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 04:31:00 +0000

Eggplant Stew
1 red pepper, cubed
1/4 c sliced onion
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 salam (bay) leaf
1 piece galangal
1/4 tsp shrimp paste
1/2 tsp tamarind in 1 tbsp water
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 kemiri nut, crushed
1 cup chicken or beef broth
1 cup coconut milk
1 lb eggplant, in 1-inch cubes

Put everything except the coconut milk and the eggplant in a saucepan, boil, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and the coconut, cook 10 more minutes, basting frequently.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Acar

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:57:00 +0000

Cucumber and potato salad

4 large potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb)
1/2 c. peanut or corn oil
5 hard-boiled eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/2 c. smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 c. water
3 c. peeled and thin-sliced cucumbers

Peel and slice potatoes into long, thin pieces. Fry in oil until brown and soft. Drain well, set aside.
Make the sauce by mixing egg yolks, peanut butter, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and water.
Slice egg whites, mix with cucumbers, potatoes, and sauce. Serve at room temperature.

Dan’s note: This was mostly great, but a few times I’d get a bit of something that was really bitter and metallic and bad. I don’t know what it was. … look out for that.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo, p. 185-186

Sayur Manis

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:53:00 +0000

Coconut creamed vegetables

2 c. coconut milk
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 c. sliced onion
1 slice ginger (about 1 tsp)
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
3 red or green semihot chilies, sliced in half
1 stalk lemon grass
1 lb long Chinese string beans, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 lb Chinese broccoli, stems trimmed and discarded

Put everything but the beans and broccoli in a saucepan, boil, add green beans, and simmer 5 minutes. Then add broccoli, cook 10 minutes. You can add some tomato cubes if you like.

Dan’s note: it’s pretty salty. I think that’s the point. Keep the salt in, though, it makes it good.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo, p. 184-185

Sambal Goreng Tomat

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:50:00 +0000

Tomato Stew

1 lb ripe, firm tomatoes, cubed
1/4 c. sliced onion
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp dried red hot chili
2 tbsp peanut or corn oil
1 c. coconut milk
2 bay leaves
2 pieces of laos
1/4 c. dried shrimp, soaked for 10 minutes and drained
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. tamarind, dissolved in 1 tbsp water

Fry onion, garlic, and chili in oil. Add everything but the tomatoes. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, cook for 3 more minutes, basting frequently. Don’t overcook; make sure the tomatoes stay firm.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo, p. 183-184

Orak arik jagung

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:46:00 +0000

Scrambled corn and assorted vegetables

2 tbsp thin-sliced onion
2 cloves thin-sliced garlic
1 tbsp peanut or corn oil
1/4 lb small shrimp
1/2 lb ground beef
1 green semihot chili, sliced thin
1 c. shredded cabbage or broccoli, in 2-inch pieces
2 scallions, sliced thin
12 oz corn (or a few ears’ worth)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. carrots, cut in matchsticks
2 eggs, beaten

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil for 1 minute. Add shrimp and beef, fry for 3 minutes or until beef browns.
Add everything but the eggs, fry for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, fry for 3 minutes more or until dry but not overcooked.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo

Sambal Goreng Ati

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:41:00 +0000

Chicken Livers Saute with Snow Peas

1/4 lb fresh snow peas
1 lb chicken livers
2 c. water
1/4 c. thin-sliced onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 tbsp peanut or corn oil
1/2 red sweet pepper, sliced thin
1 c. coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp shrimp paste
2 salam (bay) leaves
1 piece of laos (galangal)
1 tsp tamarind, dissolved in 1 tbsp water
1 tsp dried red hot chili

String and refrigerate the peas in water, drain.
Boil the livers in water for 2 minutes. Drain and cut into lobes.
Fry onions and garlic for 1 minute, add the sweet pepper and fry for another minute. Add everything else but the peas. Cook 5 minutes, basting to distribute flavors. Add peas, cook for 2 minutes more.

Source: The Indonesian Kitchen by Copeland Marks with Mintari Soeharjo, p. 91

Veal sambal

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:49:00 +0000

Veal Sambal Recipe

http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipedetail2.jsp?recipe_no=23213

Ingredients:
2-lbs. lean veal stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups water
1 tsp. salt
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled, sliced into thin sticks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, sliced into thin sticks
1/2 large red onion, quartered
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 large can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 large fresh Jalapeno peppers, seeded, finely chopped
2 large fresh fingerhot peppers, seeded, finely chopped
2 thumb-size pieces of fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. molasses
2 tbs. dark sesame oil
1 large mango, pureed
1 large bok choy, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 box of your favorite Oriental noodles, or spaghetti, cooked al dente.
Garnishes: cilantro sprigs, chopped peanuts, mango slices, tangerine
segments

Directions:
In a 4-quart pan, place the veal, water, salt, 4 cloves garlic, and large pieces of the celery, carrot, and onion. Bring to boil and simmer covered for 1 hour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and chill until needed.

Strain the broth, discard the veggies, and wash the pan. Return the broth to the pan and reduce the volume to one cup.

Cook the pasta, drain, and add one tablespoon sesame oil to the noodles and toss to coat. Return noodles to the pot and cover until needed.

In the same 4-quart pan with the broth, add all of the remaining ingredients except the veal, sesame oil, mango, bok choy, and noodles. Stir well and adjust seasoning to your taste. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the noodles and toss the bok choy in the hot sauce until it is just wilted. Cover, and heat for a few minutes until the meat and sauce are hot.

Add the noodles to a large pasta serving bowl. Add the finished stew to the pasta and toss well. If desired, garnish with any or all of the above selections. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

–
A stew featuring a fusion of Thai and Indonesian flavors. The very spicy Indonesian sambal sauce is tempered by a Thai tomato-mango base.

Dan’s note: good. A little watery, but not really. If you just add the noodles (I used penne) to the broth, it just makes a big soup. But yeah, all the flavors work together well. And I didn’t even have any sesame oil or molasses!

Selada

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:46:00 +0000

Cucumber and Egg Salad

(Selada)

SERVES 4

This refreshing salad is commonly served at Minangkabau wedding ceremonies in Indonesia. Hard-to-find ingredients can be found at your local Asian market.

5 pickling cucumbers, peeled, trimmed, and
thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Peanut oil
2 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly
sliced
4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, whites and yolks
separated, both sliced
1 oz. raw shrimp chips, fried (Krispy Kritters)
1/2 oz. raw melinjo nut chips, fried (Krispy Kritters)

Toss cucumbers and 1 tsp. of the salt in a colander and set aside to drain for 1 hour. Meanwhile, pour oil into a deep skillet to a depth of 1" and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in 2 batches, fry potatoes, stirring often, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Fry shallots in same oil, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp, 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Put vinegar, pepper, sugar, and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt into a medium bowl. Squeeze out excess water from cucumbers, add to bowl, and toss well. Scatter egg whites over cucumbers, then scatter yolks, then potatoes, then shallots on top. Set salad aside at room temperature for 1 hour. Garnish each serving with fried shrimp and melinjo nut chips and serve with Steamed White Rice, if you like.
First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan’s notes: nice. Buy raw shrimp chips and fry them, it’s awesome, they puff up super-fast. This got greasy, but just because I didn’t really know how to fry the potatoes.

Tahu dan Tempe Bumbu Rujak

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:46:00 +0000

Tahu dan Tempe Bumbu Rujak
(Indonesian tofu & tempeh in spicy coconut sauce)

Yield: 4-6 servings
6-7 shallots, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
3-5 tbsp Sambal oelek
5-6 candlenuts or almonds
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tbsp oil
3 stalks lemongrass, white part only, crushed with a mallet or knife
4-6 Kaffir lime leaves
1" piece Galangal, sliced into thin discs
1 lb tempeh, cubed
1 lb tofu, firm, cubed
2 cups coconut milk
2 tbsp sugar
salt, to taste

METHOD
Basic Steps: Puree ? Sauté ? Simmer

Place the shallots, garlic, sambal oelek, nuts, tamarind and turmeric into a blender or food processor and puree. Add a little water if necessary to bring the ingredients together.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium high flame. Add the shallot puree and sauté till fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Add the crushed lemongrass and lime leaves and sauté 1-2 minutes more.
Add the tempeh, tofu and coconut milk. Season with sugar and salt, reduce heat and simmer until coconut milk has thickened, 15-20 minutes. Serve with rice.

VARIATIONS

* The cubed tofu can be deep-fried first if you like. Pre-fried tofu cubes can be found at many Asian markets.
* One medium-sized white onion can be substituted for the shallots.
* Use all tofu or all tempeh if you prefer.
* Ayam Bumbu Rujak: Use one chicken, about 2 1/2 lbs and cut into serving pieces, in place of the tofu and tempeh. The chicken can be browned first in hot oil if you like.
* Telur Bumbu Rujak: Use 6 or 7 hard-boiled eggs in place of the tofu and tempeh.

NOTES

* This simple vegetarian dish uses tempeh, a fermented soybean cake, that is popular in Indonesian cuisine.
* The lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal are for seasoning and are not meant to be eaten. They can be removed before serving if you like.
http://whats4eats.com/recipes/r_ve_tahutempebumbu.html

Dan’s notes: I forgot the galangal. The lemongrass and lime leaves made it very lemoney, and that wasn’t so good; I’d cut down the lemongrass.
It is good with one stalk of lemongrass and only a couple lime leaves, and all tofu, no tempeh.

Sayur Lodeh

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:42:00 +0000

Sayur Lodeh
(Indonesian vegetables in coconut curry)

Yield: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS PREP AMOUNT
3 Tbsp oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp galangal or fresh ginger, minced
1-3 chili peppers, sliced
1 piece lemongrass, white part of stalk only, minced
1 tsp coriander seed, ground
1/2 tsp turmeric

Coconut milk 2 cups

1 potato, peeled, diced
1 carrot, peeled, sliced into rounds
1 cup green beans
1 onion thinly sliced

1 cup chinese or Napa cabbage, chopped
2-3 scallions, chopped in 1" pieces
Salt & pepper, to taste

METHOD
Basic Steps: Stir Fry ? Boil ? Simmer ? Season

Heat oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium flame. Stir fry first set of ingredients 2-3 minutes.
Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.
Add potatoes, carrots, green beans and onions. Lower heat and cover. Simmer till potatoes are almost cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
Remove cover and add cabbage, scallions and salt and pepper. Simmer just till cabbage is tender, about 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve.

VARIATIONS

* You can substitute other vegetables if you like, just add the sturdier, longer cooking vegetables first and the more delicate vegetables in the second simmering. This prevents over or undercooking.
* Add some cubed tofu or some shrimp with the cabbage and scallions if you like.

NOTES

* This dish is also popular in Malaysia.

Dan’s notes: All right, but kind of watery and bland. Might help to add some more flavorings (like cloves/bay leaf). Can’t simmer longer, though, because the vegetables will get all soft.

Satay 2

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:40:00 +0000

Satay #2

Marinade for Chicken:
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Spicy Peanut Sauce:
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon red curry paste, or mussamun curry paste
2 teaspoons roasted chili paste (nahm prik pao; optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter or very finely ground peanuts
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice or tamarind liquid

About 60 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Tangy Cucumber Pickles

Quick & Easy Thai
by Nancie McDermott from Chronicle Books

This dish looks inviting, tastes fantastic, and is fun to eat. To make in advance, marinate the meat, put the cucumber pickles together, make the sauce, and then cover and chill. Let your first guests skewer the meat and get it grilling while you gently reheat the peanut sauce. This way you will have time to make a quick batch of the traditional satay accompaniment: toast! Thais often serve satay with a side of toast points, the better to enjoy the fabulous peanut sauce.

Combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and curry powder in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Cut chicken thighs into generous, bite-sized chunks, and cut breast meat lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Add the meat to the marinade and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

To prepare the peanut sauce, bring the coconut milk to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the curry paste and roasted chili paste and cook 4 to 5 minutes, mashing and stirring occasionally to dissolve them. Add the chicken broth, fish sauce, palm sugar, peanut butter, and lime juice and cook 1 minute more, stirring well to make a smooth sauce. Remove from heat, transfer to a small serving bowl, and set aside to cool. The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate, reheating gently just before serving time.

Thread meat onto tips of bamboo skewers, and cook on a lightly oiled, hot grill or under a broiler, turning often, until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve at once with the peanut sauce and Tangy Cucumber Pickles.

Dan’s note: the peanut sauce is very good. Don’t need the water, though, I don’t think.

Sambal Goreng Telor

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:39:00 +0000

Sambal Goreng Telor

A traditional Indonesian egg dish served with a meal.
Ingredients:

5 Eggs
2 Tablespoon Oil
3 Shallots
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Trassi
1 red pepper
2 1/2 cm Galangal root
1 Bay or Salam leaf
1/2 teaspoon Tamarind paste
2 teaspoons Sugar
1/2 cup Coconut milk
100 gr. Shrimps
Preparation:

Hard boil eggs for 10 minutes. Heat oil in Wok or frying pan.
Fry diced Onion, Garlic, Trassi, Pepper and Galangal slowly for 10 Min.
Add Bay leaf, Tamarind, sugar, Coconut milk and œ cup of water and cook for 5 min. Add shrimps and slow cook for a further 5 min. Peel the eggs and heat through in the sauce. Slice eggs in halve lengthwise and arrange on dish.
Pour hot sauce over eggs and serve.

Dan’s notes: Tasty, but nothing special. Tastes like the sum of its parts.

Satay

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:39:00 +0000

Satay

For marinade:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, (cut in large pieces)
1 tbsp ginger powder
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Ketjap Manis- sweet soy sauce (thicker and sweeter than regular… found in an Asian grocery store. Or you can try to substitute something like 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp molasses, 1 tsp brown sugar, and 1 tsp water)
2 tbsp water

For peanut sauce:
2 tbsp oil
2-3 tsp cumin
1 onion
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 cup peanut butter (300g)
1 cup ketchup (300g)
milk or water
1 tsp ginger powder
Sambal Oelek (or other spicy pepper sauce) to taste

Slice the chicken into little chunks. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate overnight, or at least for a couple hours. Grill the chicken on skewers, or just saute it if you don’t have a grill.

To make the peanut sauce: heat the oil, add the cumin, then the onion, garlic, and 1 tsp Sambal Oelek. Cook for 5 minutes, add the peanut butter, cook for a few more minutes, and add the ketchup. Add some milk or water if it’s too thick. Add the ginger and mix well.

Serve the chicken with the peanut sauce. You’ll probably have a lot of peanut sauce left over. Eat it on just about anything- it’s pretty good. Or just make less peanut sauce.

Rendang Daging

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:36:00 +0000

Rendang Daging
(Indonesian beef simmered in coconut milk)

Yield: 4-6 servings
3 tbsp oil
1/2 cup onion or shallots
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3-20 chili peppers, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
2 lb. beef, chuck or round, cut into thin slices

4 cups coconut milk
2-3 rounds ginger or galangal
2 stalks lemon grass, bottom 3-4" only, pounded flat
1 tbsp sugar
salt, to season

Blend the onion, garlic, chilies, turmeric and salt to a puree in a food processor or blender. You may have to add a little water.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high flame. Add the onion puree and sauté till fragrant and excess water is cooked out. Add beef and continue to sauté till meat is lightly browned.
Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, until beef is very tender and sauce is reduced to a thick gravy. It will be necessary to add a little water now and then if the sauce becomes too dry before the meat is tender.
Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and sugar and serve with steamed rice or ketupat (rice cakes).

VARIATIONS

Rendang Kambing: use lamb instead of beef.
Rendang Ayam: use boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
Rendang is typically made fiery hot with chilies. Adjust the amount to your liking.
The onions and garlic can be eliminated. Simply mix all the rest of the ingredients together, skip the sautéing step, and simmer till the meat is tender.
The following ingredients can be added with the onions and garlic if you like: toasted, shredded coconut, 2 tsp cumin, 2 Tbsp coriander.
One or more of the following ingredients can be added with the coconut milk if you like: 3-4 kaffir lime leaves, 3-4 whole cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon, curry leaves, 1-2 Tbsp tamarind paste, 2-3 crushed kemiri (candlenuts), 1-2 slices ginger, 2-3 bay leaves.

NOTES
Rendang is a “dry” meat curry that originated in the Padang cuisine of west-central Sumatra. It has become popular throughout the Indonesian archipelago as well as in Malaysia and Singapore. This intensely flavorful dish is often served on special occasions. The ingredients used to season it vary widely from region to region. Pick and choose as you like.
The oil will probably separate from the coconut milk and rise to the top of the dish. While rendang is typically served fairly oily, you can skim excess from the top. Some cooks hold back half the coconut milk and stir it in toward the end to minimize oiliness.

Dan’s notes: This is great. I added a couple cloves and a bay leaf. When it simmered way down it was really flavorful. It is really oily, though. I skimmed off a bunch of oil and it was still oily.

Sambal Goreng Kentang

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:36:00 +0000

Sambal Goreng Kentang
A very spicy side-dish or snack made from potatoes, mixed with onion, garlic and peppers.
Ingredients:

3 large potatoes
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
1 dessertspoon palm sugar
1 dessertspoon tamarind paste
1 tablespoon kecap manis
1 dessertspoon chopped parsly
oil

Preparation:

Peel and halve the potatoes. Slice into thin slices or match-sticks. Wash and dry in a tea-towel. Deep fry until golden brown. Set aside.
Finely chop the onions and garlic. Soften in a frying pan or wok, add the sambal ulek, gula djawa, tamarind and kecap manis and fry for a further 3 minutes.
Mix in the potatoes and spoon into a serving dish, garnish with the chopped parsly and serve.
Notes:

For even quicker results the potatoes can be replaced with ready bought potatoe crisp or match-sticks.
The sambal ulek can be replaced with finely sliced chillies, which will have to be fried with the onions & garlic.
The palm sugar can be replaced with a dark brown, soft sugar.
The tamarind paste can either be extracted from a block of pulp, as discribed in my ingredients page, or you can use it from a jar of ready made paste.

Dan’s note: tasty- they’re superfried, of course they’re tasty! But fried potatoes twice seems unnecessary. Maybe you could skip the first deep-frying, and just saute them with the sauce? Hmm…

Rempah

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:33:00 +0000

Rempah
http://www.indochef.com/indo_07.shtml
Beef and Coconut patties Indonesian style.
Ingredients:

200 gr minced beef.
100 gr desiccated coconut.
1 garlic clove.
1 teaspoon coriander.
1/2 teaspoon cumin.
1/4 teaspoon laos powder.
1/4 teaspoon blanchan.
1 egg.
50 gr cornflour.
100 gr. peanut oil.
Preparation:

Moisten the coconut with about 4 tablespoons of hot water. Add all remaining ingredients except cornflour and oil. Mix until ingredients are well blended and smooth.
Make mixture into 12 to 16 small balls. Roll through cornflour, shake of any excess and fry in hot oil for about 5 min.
Serve hot.

Dan’s notes: good, but sort of bland. They just tasted like plain fried meatballs (whatever you imagine that to taste like)

Pisang goreng

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:30:00 +0000

Pisang Goreng
(Indonesian batter-fried bananas)

Yield: 4-6 servings

6 ripe bananas, peeled, cut in two pieces
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 egg, beaten
Oil for deep frying

1. Mix flours, baking powder and salt well in a bowl. Beat in coconut milk, water and egg until batter is smooth. Let batter rest from 15 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a deep skillet or deep fryer to between 350° and 375°. Using a fork, dip bananas in batter to cover. Let excess drain off and deep fry, turning, until well browned. Drain on paper towels and serve.

VARIATIONS
* Substitute coconut milk for half the water if you like.
* Use 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and eliminate the rice flour if you like. But the rice flour adds a crispness that will be missing.

NOTES

* The fritters are excellent served with ice cream and drizzled with honey. You can also serve them in a dish with a little coconut cream.

http://whats4eats.com/recipes/r_de_pisanggoreng.html

Dan’s notes: I used plantains. They were awesome. Best when they’re still a little yellow-green, so they’re not soft. I tried it with ripe bananas and they became one icky fried mass. Maybe a little less liquid in the batter.

Pilus

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:29:00 +0000

Pilus
(Indonesian sweet potato puffs)

Yield: 4-6 servings

1 lb. Sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tbsp brown or palm sugar
1 tsp salt
Oil for deep frying

1. Boil sweet potatoes in water to cover until cooked all the way through, 8-12 minutes.
2. Drain sweet potatoes. Mash or put through a ricer. Return potatoes to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over low heat for 5-6 more minutes, stirring constantly, until mass begins to dry out. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Beat in remaining ingredients except oil till smooth. Add more flour if batter seems too moist.
4. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 350 - 360°. Drop large spoonsful of batter into oil. Brown well on both sides, turning occasionally. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
5. Serve with a sambal or sriracha chile sauce.

NOTES

* The second reheating and cooking of the sweet potatoes is necessary to dry them out somewhat and make sure the batter will not be too moist.

Dan’s notes: I didn’t turn the batter in the deep fryer, and it stuck to the basket. Hmm. Also, it seemed to need a whole lot more flour than 1/4 cup; it was still pretty soupy at 1/4 cup.

Nasi Goreng 2

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:28:00 +0000

Nasi Goreng Indonesian Fried Rice

2 cups rice
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup oil
4 onions chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chicken strips
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked shrimp
1 cup cooked crab meat
1 cup cooked cubed ham
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp crushed dried chiles
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/4 cup peanut butter

Combine rice, salt to taste and chicken broth in saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat 20 min. until rice is tender.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic. Cook 10 min., stirring frequently. Add chicken, shrimp, crab meat, ham, coriander, cumin, chiles, mace, and peanut butter. Mix thoroughly. Cook over low heat 10 min. stirring gently. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

http://www.internationalrecipes.net/recipes/view.pl?64

Dan’s notes: super peanutty, and very sticky. Not what I thought of when I thought “fried rice”.

Loempia

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:27:00 +0000

Loempia

This is the Indonesian version of the spring roll, a version of which you find in most asian country’s. For the filling you use meat, chicken or seafood and a selection of vegetables.
Ingredients:

200 gr. lean Chicken.
1 medium red Onion.
1 clove garlic.
2œ cm. Ginger root.
1 tsp. Sambal Ulek.
1 tsp. Trassi.
300 gr. White Cabbage.
250 Gr. Bean sprouts.
1 small tin Bamboo shoots.
1 large Carrot.
1 tbs. Kecap Manis.
2 tbs. Peanut oil.(groundnut)
Oil for deep frying
Preparation:

Boil the chicken and after cooling, slice in strips. set aside.
Wash and slice all the vegetables. set aside.
Heat your wok and add the oil. Slice Onion and ginger, mince garlic and soften in the wok. Add the Sambal and trassi and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the vegetables, chicken and ketjap manis. Toss until vegetables are soft and just cooked. Follow instructions as below.
Cook in hot fat for about 5 minutes, Making sure both sides are browned equally. Serve with peanutsauce or just Kecap manis and sambal.

To make the Loempia’s, spread out 2 spring roll sheets as shown on this site.
http://www.indochef.com/indo_32.shtml
Fold the “A” corners over the filling, followed by the “B” corners. Make sure the filling is packed in tight. Next fold over side 1 and 2. Put side 3 over and spread some beaten egg on top to stick down side 4.

Dan’s notes: awesome. These turned out just like restaurant egg rolls. Wow. Serving with “sambal manis” is pretty good. This made about 8 egg rolls.

Nasi Goreng

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:27:00 +0000

Nasi Goreng

http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipedetail2.jsp?recipe_no=347

Ingredients:
3 eggs
salt and pepper
oil for frying
250 g (8 oz.) raw prawns
500 g (1 lb.) pork or lean beef steak
2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (trasi)
4 cups cold cooked rice
6 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 green cucumber, thinly sliced

Directions:
Beat eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Heat very little oil in a frying pan and make an omelette with half the beaten eggs. Turn out on a plate to cool. (Do not fold omelette.) Repeat process with remaining eggs. When cool, put one omelette on top of the other, roll up and cut into thin strips.
Shell and devein prawns, cut beef or pork into fine strips. Chop onions roughly and put in a blender container with garlic and trasi. Cover and blend to a paste. (If blender is not available, finely chop onions and crush garlic. Dissolve trasi in a little hot water. Combine these three ingredients.) Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the blended ingredients until cooked. Add prawns and meat to pan and fry, stirring constantly, until they are cooked. Add 2 tablespoons more oil and when hot stir in the rice and spring onions, tossing and mixing until very hot. Sprinkle with soy sauce and mix evenly.
Serve the fried rice garnished with strips of omelette and cucumber.

Dan’s notes: good! 4 cups is a lot of rice. I just made it with chicken; it’s probably better with shrimp and pork/beef.

Gulai Masin Ikan

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:26:00 +0000

Yellow Fish Curry

(Gulai Masin Ikan)

SERVES 4-6

This dish epitomizes the cuisine of Indonesia: earthy, wild, lush and vibrant. This recipe can also be made with mackerel, perch, or squid.

1 stalk lemongrass
5 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1" piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2" piece fresh or frozen and thawed
turmeric, peeled and chopped
3 shelled candlenuts, chopped
2 tbsp. peanut oil
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
20 green bird’s-eye chiles, stemmed
1 1 1/2-2-lb. whole red snapper, cleaned
2-3 kaffir lime leaves
Salt

Bruise lemongrass with dull side of cleaver or large kitchen knife, tie it into a knot, and set aside. Crush together shallots, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and candlenuts with a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste and set aside.
Heat oil in a wok or medium wide pot over medium heat. Add shallot paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk and chiles and bring to a simmer. Add fish, lime leaves, and lemongrass and cook, gently stirring and occasionally basting fish with sauce, until fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove and discard lemongrass and lime leaves just before serving. Serve at room temperature, with Steamed White Rice, if you like.
First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan’s notes: This is great! And easy! (once you clean the fish…) the chiles are awesome; actually do put 20 chiles in, because once you cook them in the coconut milk and stuff, the flavor is just right, and then when you eat one, it’s fiery but not painful.

Gado-gado 2

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:25:00 +0000

Gado Gado Recipe

Ingredients:
SAUCE:
1/2 ts Galangal powder (Laos)
1 Fresh hot red or green chile, sliced
1 Clove garlic, sliced
1 tb Dark brown sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1 c Coconut milk
1/2 ts Shrimp sauce
4 tb Natural peanut butter
1 tb Tamarind liquid
1 Square inch lemon peel

VEGETABLES:
1 c String beans in 2-inch pieces
1 c Julienne of carrot
2 c Shredded Napa cabbage
1 c Fresh bean sprouts
1 c Cooked, sliced potatoes
1 c Sliced cucumber

GARNISH:
1 Piece tofu, fried brown, cut into nine cubes
1 sl Tomato
2 Hard-cooked eggs, sliced
2 md Onions, sliced, fried until golden

Directions:
Put all the sauce ingredients except the lemon peel in a blender or food processor and puree. Place in a saucepan with the lemon peel and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until thickened and darkened. Set aside and keep warm.

Blanch the beans and carrots for 3 minutes, then run under cold water to stop cooking. Blanch the cabbage and sprouts for a few seconds and run under cold water. Arrange the vegetables in layers on a platter- -cabbage, beans, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers and sprouts on top.

Garnish: Scatter the tofu cubes over the sprouts. Garnish with egg and tomato slices around the edges, then pour the sauce over and sprinkle all with the fried onions.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Entered: 6/13/05
Submitted By: Smith Rick
E-mail: rick@dragons.net

Dan’s notes: A little too lemony. The sauce is nice because it’s pretty complex; it doesn’t just taste like peanut butter. But it is pretty lemony. I didn’t like it as much as the other recipe.

Gado-gado

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:24:00 +0000

INDONESIAN SALAD (GADO-GADO) Recipe

Ingredients:
DRESSING
1/2 c Flaked coconut
1 c Hot water
1 Onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 ts Peanut oil
2/3 c Peanut butter
1/2 c Water
1 Tb Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Chili powder
1/8 ts Ground ginger

SALAD
1 c Bean sprouts
1 c Cabbage, shredded
4 oz Bean curd, drained cut into 1" pieces
2 Tb Peanut or vegetable oil
1 c Potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced
1 c Green beans, cooked
1 c Carrots, cooked & sliced
1 Cucumber, sliced
2 Hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced

Directions:
To prepare Dressing, place coconut in blender container. Add 1 cup hot water. Cover and blend on high speed about 30 seconds. Cook and stir onion and garlic in oil in 2-quart saucepan about 5 minutes. Stir in coconut and remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

To prepare salad, pour enough boiling water over bean sprouts and cabbage to cover. Let stand 2 minutes. Drain. Cook bean curd in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, turning pieces gently, until light brown. Remove with slotted spoon. Drain. Cook potatoes in same skillet until light brown. Drain. Arrange bean sprouts, cabbage, bean curd, potatoes and remaining ingredients on platter. Pour warm Dressing over salad.
Serves 6.

Dan’s notes: gets a little bit watery. Maybe not add so much water in the sauce. Other than that, a good bunch of vegetables. I like it.

Boeboer ajam

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:23:00 +0000

Boeboer Ajam

This dish is best described as a savoury “rice-pudding”. It makes a tasty lunchtime dish, or, if you’re one of the converted, a nice breakfast dish to see you through the rest of the day.
Ingredients:

1 Chicken (approx. 800 gr.)
1 1/2 Ltr. water.
400 gr. Rice.
2 Tbs. Chinese light Soy.
2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
salt & pepper to taste
Garnish:
Chopped Parsley or Coriander leaf.
Omelet strips (made from 2 eggs)
Bawang goreng. (deep fried Onions)

Preparation:

Quarter chicken and put with water on low flame for 1 hour to make stock. Remove
chicken. Put the crushed shells from the eggs used for the omelet in the stock and
stir well, on low flame, for a minute. Pass stock through a muslin cloth to clarify.
Wash the rice and boil in the stock for œ hour until done. (must be sticky and thick). Add the soy, garlic, salt, pepper and shredded chicken and simmer for a further 15 Minutes.
Decorate with omelet, onions and parsley or coriander. serve hot.

Dan’s notes: easy and great! When it says “sticky and thick” it kinda means “soupy, like risotto-style, but almost done”. Didn’t pass stock through the muslin cloth, it turned out fine.

Ayam Panggang

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Grilled-Chicken Curry

(Ayam Panggang)

This recipe has been passed down through generations of the family of Ibu Rohati, a Padang native we met while exploring Indonesia and the ancient Minangkabau culture. Check your local Asian market for Indonesian ingredients.

1 stalk lemongrass
1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
3 shallots, peeled and chopped
3 red holland chiles, stemmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1" piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1" piece fresh or frozen and thawed galangal,
peeled and chopped
1/2" piece fresh or frozen and thawed
turmeric, peeled and chopped
4 shelled candlenuts, chopped
1 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. peanut oil
1 3 1/2-4-lb. chicken, cut in half
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Bruise lemongrass with dull side of cleaver or large kitchen knife, tie it into a knot, and set aside. Dissolve tamarind pulp in 1 cup hot water. Strain through a sieve, pressing pulp through with a rubber spatula. Set liquid aside and discard seeds.
Crush together shallots, chiles, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts, and coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spice paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes. Push paste to outer edge of skillet, add chicken, skin side down, and cook until skin begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken, then stir in tamarind liquid and lemongrass, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces by one-quarter, about 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and simmer, basting chicken frequently, until it is cooked halfway through, about 10 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and continue simmering sauce until thickened and pastelike, 7-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat grill. Grill chicken over medium-hot heat, basting with sauce and turning halfway through, until completely cooked, 15-20 minutes. Serve at room temperature, with Steamed White Rice, if you like.
First published in Saveur, March 2002

Dan’s notes: tasty! I cooked it with the bone in (except the breasts) and then cut it off the bone and served it as shredded chicken with the sauce. The breasts dried out a little bit, so maybe keeping them on the bone would be a good idea too. Second time I made it (grill and everything) it wasn’t so good.

Acar Ketimum

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:19:00 +0000

Acar Ketimum
(Indonesian cucumber pickle)

Yield: 4-6 servings
1/2 Onion sliced thinly
1 Chili pepper slit down the side
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
3-4 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp salt
2-3 Peppercorns
1 cucumber, sliced into 1/4" rounds

1. Bring first set of ingredients to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Place cucumber in a heat-proof jar or bowl. Pour boiling liquid over to cover.
3. Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours to allow flavors to meld.

VARIATIONS
* Cucumber can be peeled, seeded and sliced into half moons if you like.
* Add 2-3 whole cloves for extra flavor.

NOTES
Pronounced “aCHAR kehTEEmoon”. Serve as a side dish for grilled foods, especially satay ayam.
http://whats4eats.com/recipes/r_pi_acarketim.html

Dan’s notes: simple and good.

Acar

Thu, 22 May 2008 17:17:00 +0000

Acar

This is a very light salad. The dressing is reminiscent of the cucumber
salads served in many Japanese restaurants.

Recipe By : Craig Claiborne - The New New York Times Cookbook

1/2 cup water – cold
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 slice ginger root – crushed
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons salt
1 each yellow onion – thinly sliced
5 cups cabbage – thinly sliced
1 cup carrot – finely shredded
2 cups cucumber – thinly sliced

In salad bowl combine first five ingredients. Add vegetables. Toss
thoroughly and refrigerate at least one hour.

Dan’s notes: simple but good. Not great. It’s just a salad of thinly sliced things with a vinegary dressing. Still, not bad.