All Indonesian Restaurant

Sour Soup

2009-04-14T04:17:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Blended Spices:

4 cloves of shallot

2 cloves of garlic

3 pieces of candlenut

1 piece of red chili

1 teaspoon of shrimp paste

salt and brown sugar as desired

Grind all spices in a mortar or blend in a blender (add a little amount of water if using blender)

Solid Ingredients:

3 cm of galangale, crushed

3 salam leaves

100 gram of beef meat, small chopped

1/4 young jackfruit, medium diced

1 chayote, peeled and diced

2 corns, divided into 3 parts

2 handfull gnetum gnemon (melinjo) and the leaves (if desired)

100 gram of string bean, medium chopped

1 fresh tamarind

Cooking direction

Boil 600 ml of water in a stewpan. Add blended spices, galangale, salam leaves, beef meat, young jackfruit, chayote, corns, melinjo & the leaves. Boil until all ingredients nicely cook and tender. Add string bean, cook again for 3 minutes or until string beans cooked. Take out, served warm in a bowl.

Mung Bean (Kacang Hijau)

2009-03-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

Mung bean, also known as green bean, mung, moong, mash bean, munggo or monggo, green gram, golden gram, and green soy, is the seed of Vigna radiata which is native to India and Pakistan. The split bean is known as moong dal, which is green with the husk, and yellow when dehusked. The beans are small, ovoid in shape, and green in color. The English word "mung" derives from the Hindi moong.

The mung bean is one of many species recently moved from the genus Phaseolus to Vigna and is still often seen cited as Phaseolus aureus or Phaseolus radiatus. These are all the same plant.

Climate and soil

Mung beans are mainly cultivated in India, Philippines, Indonesia, China, Burma, and Bangladesh, but also in hot and dry regions of South Europe and Southern USA. In India and Bangladesh, they are grown during two seasons. One is the Rabi season (starting November), and the other is the Kharif season (starting March). Mung beans are tropical (or sub-tropical) crops, and require warm temperatures (optimally round 30-35°C). Loamy soil is best for pusap cultivation.

Uses

Mung beans are commonly used in Chinese cuisine, where they are called lǜ dòu ( literally "green bean"), as well as in Japan, Korea, Pakistan, India, Thailand and Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, they are called đậu xanh (again, literally "green bean"). They are generally eaten either whole (with or without skins) or as bean sprouts, or used to make the dessert "green bean soup". The starch of mung beans is also extracted from them to make jellies and "transparent/cellophane" noodles. In Vietnam, the transparent wrapping of Vietnamese spring rolls is made from mung bean flour. In Filipino cuisine, meat is sauteed with garlic, onions, and bay leaves, then mung beans are added and cooked. Mung batter is used to make crepes named Pesarattu in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Whole mung beans are generally prepared from dried beans by boiling until they are soft. In Chinese cuisine, whole mung beans are used to make a tāng shuǐ, or dessert, otherwise literally translated, "sugar water", called lǜdòu tāng shuǐ, which is served either warm or chilled, and is considered an antidote to thirst. In Indonesia, they are made into a popular dessert snack called es kacang hijau, which has the consistency of a porridge. The beans are cooked with sugar, coconut milk, and a little ginger. Although whole mung beans are also occasionally used in Indian cuisine, beans without skins are more commonly used; but in Kerala, whole moong dal (cheru payaru) is commonly boiled to make a dry preparation that is often had with rice gruel (kanji). In the Philippines, it is the main ingredient of the dessert hopiang munggo.

Without skins

With their skins removed, mung beans are light yellow in color. They are made into mung bean paste by de-hulling, cooking, and pulverizing the beans to the consistency of a dry paste. The paste is sweetened and is similar in texture to red bean paste though the smell is slightly more bean-like. In several Asian countries, de-hulled mung beans and mung bean paste are made into ice creams or frozen ice pops and are very popular dessert items. In Taiwan, mung bean paste is a common filling for moon cakes. In China, the boiled and shelled beans are used as filling in glutinous rice dumplings eaten during the dragon boat festival (端午节).

Dehulled mung beans can also be used in a similar fashion as whole beans for the purpose of making sweet soups. Mung beans in some regional cuisines of India are stripped of their outer coats to make mung dal. In other regions of India such as Andhara Pradesh, a delicious vegetable preparation is made using fresh grated coconut, green chillies, mung and typical South Indian spices - asafoetida, turmeric, ginger, mustard seeds, urad lentil. In south Indian states, mung beans are also eaten as pancakes. They are soaked in water for 6 to 12 hours (the higher the temperature the lesser soaking time). Then they are ground into fine paste along with ginger, salt. Then pancakes are made on a very hot griddle. These are usually eaten for breakfast. This provides high quality protein in a raw form that is rare in most Indian regional cuisines. Pongal is another recipe that is made with rice and mung beans without skin.

In Kerala, It is commonly used to make the parippu preparation in Travancore region (unlike Cochin and Malabar where toor dal, tuvara parippu, is used). It is also used, with coconut milk and jaggery) to make the a type of payasam.

In India the mung beans are also consumed as a snack. The dried mung beans are soaked in water, then partly dried to a dry matter content of approx. 42% before and then deep-fried in hot oil. The frying time varies between 60 and 90 seconds. The fat content of this snack is around 20%. This snack is traditionally prepared at home and is now also available from industrial producers.

Bean sprouts

Mung bean sprouts are germinated by leaving them watered with 4 hours of daytime light and spending the rest of the day in the dark. Mung bean sprouts can be grown under artificial light for 4 hours over the period of a week. Fluorescent bulbs or incandescent light bulbs would be the best to use for mung bean sprouts. They are usually sold simply as "bean sprouts," and are known as dòu yá (豆芽, literally "bean sprout/germ"), yá cài (芽菜, literally "sprout vegetable"), or yín yá (银芽, literally "silver sprouts") in Chinese, and Hokkien (Min Nan),Kongnamool in Korean, moyashi in Japanese, tauge in Indonesian, taugeh in Malay, togue in Filipino, thua-ngok (ถั่วงอก) in Thai, and giá đậu or giá đỗ in Vietnamese.

Mung bean sprouts are stir fried as a vegetable accompaniment to a meal, usually with ingredients such as garlic, ginger, spring onions, or pieces of salted dried fish to add flavor. Uncooked bean sprouts are used in filling for Vietnamese spring rolls, as well as as a garnish for phở. They are a major ingredient in a variety of Malaysian and Peranakan cuisine including char kway teow, Hokkien mee, mee rebus, and pasembor. In Korea, slightly cooked mung bean sprouts, called sukjunamul (hangul: 숙주나물), are often served as a side dish. They are blanched: placed into boiling water for less than a minute, immediately cooled down in cold water, and mixed with sesame oil, garlic, salt, and often other ingredients. In the Philippines, mung bean sprouts are made into "lumpia roll" called lumpiang togue.

Mung bean sprouts are the major bean sprouts in most Asian countries. In Korea, soybean sprouts, called kongnamul (hangul: 콩나물) are more widely used in a variety of dishes.

Starch

Mung bean starch, which is extracted from ground mung beans, is used to make transparent cellophane noodles (also known as bean thread noodles, bean threads, glass noodles, fen si (粉丝), tung hoon, miến, bún tàu, or bún tào). Cellophane noodles become soft and slippery when they are soaked in hot water. A wider variety of cellophane noodles, called mung bean sheets or green bean sheets, are also available. In Korea, a jelly called nokdumuk (hangul: 녹두묵; also called cheongpomuk; hangul: 청포묵) is made from mung bean starch; a similar jelly, colored yellow with the addition of gardenia coloring, is called hwangpomuk (hangul: 황포묵).

source: Wikipedia

Mung Bean Porridge (green beans porridge)

2009-03-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

200 gr mung bean, washed and soaked
500 ml water
100 gr palm sugar
50 ml water
50 gr sugar
5 cm fresh ginger, crushed
4 pandanus leaves

dissolved sugar and palm sugar in water, filter the sediment.

Coconut milk Souce

250 ml coconut milk
2 pandanus leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt

cooked coconut milk with pandanus leaves and salt for a while, set aside.

Cooking direction

boil mung bean until tender and cooked.
add palm sugar, ginger and pandanus leaves, cooked again until boiled.
Served with coconut milk souce

Nutmeg

2009-03-09T00:16:00.000-07:00

The nutmegs Myristica are a genus of evergreen trees indigenous to tropical southeast Asia and Australasia. They are important for two spices derived from the fruit, nutmeg and mace.

Nutmeg is the actual seed of the tree, roughly egg-shaped and about 20 mm to 30 mm (1 inch) long and 15 mm to 18 mm (¾ inch) wide, and weighing between 5 g and 10 g (¼ ounce and ½ ounce) dried, while mace is the dried "lacy" reddish covering or arillus of the seed. This is the only tropical fruit that is the source of two different spices.

Several other commercial products are also produced from the trees, including essential oils, extracted oleoresins, and nutmeg butter (see below).

The outer surface of the nutmeg bruises easily.

The pericarp (fruit/pod) is used in Grenada to make a jam called "Morne Delice". In Indonesia, the fruit is also made into jam, called selei buah pala, or sliced finely, cooked and crystallised to make a fragrant candy called manisan pala ("nutmeg sweets").

The most important species commercially is the Common or Fragrant Nutmeg Myristica fragrans, native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia; it is also grown in the Caribbean, especially in Grenada. Other species include Papuan Nutmeg M. argentea from New Guinea, and Bombay Nutmeg M. malabarica from India; both are used as adulterants of M. fragrans products.

Culinary uses

Nutmeg and mace have similar taste qualities, nutmeg having a slightly sweeter and mace a more delicate flavour. Mace is often preferred in light dishes for the bright orange, saffron-like hue it imparts. Nutmeg is a tasty addition to cheese sauces and is best grated fresh. Nutmeg is a traditional ingredient in mulled cider, mulled wine, and eggnog.

In Indian cuisine, nutmeg is used in many sweet as well as savoury dishes (predominantly in Mughlai cuisine). It is known as Jaiphal in most parts of India and as Jatipatri and Jathi seed in Kerala. It may also be used in small quantities in garam masala. Ground nutmeg is also smoked in India.

In Middle Eastern cuisine, nutmeg grounds are often used as a spice for savoury dishes. In Arabic, nutmeg is called Jawzt at-Tiyb.

In Greece and Cyprus nutmeg is called μοσχοκάρυδο (moschokarydo) (Greek: "nut that smells nice") and is used in cooking and savoury dishes.

In European cuisine, nutmeg and mace are used especially in potato dishes and in processed meat products; they are also used in soups, sauces, and baked goods. In Dutch cuisine nutmeg is quite popular, it is added to vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and string beans.

Japanese varieties of curry powder include nutmeg as an ingredient.

In the Caribbean, nutmeg is often used in drinks such as the Bushwacker, Painkiller, and Barbados rum punch. Typically it is just a sprinkle on the top of the drink.

source: Wikipedia

Clove (Cengkeh)

2009-03-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum, syn. Eugenia aromaticum or Eugenia caryophyllata) are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are native to Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisine all over the world. The English name derives from Latin clavus 'nail' (also origin of French clou 'nail') as the buds vaguely resemble small irregular nails in shape. Cloves are harvested primarily in Indonesia, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka; it is also grown in India under the name Lavang .

The clove tree is an evergreen which grows to a height ranging from 10-20 m, having large oval leaves and crimson flowers in numerous groups of terminal clusters. The flower buds are at first of a pale color and gradually become green, after which they develop into a bright red, when they are ready for collecting. Cloves are harvested when 1.5-2 cm long, and consist of a long calyx, terminating in four spreading sepals, and four unopened petals which form a small ball in the centre.

Uses

According to FAO, Indonesia produced almost 80% of the world's clove output in 2005 followed at a distance by Madagascar and Tanzania.

Cloves can be used in cooking either whole or in a ground form, but as they are extremely strong, they are used sparingly. The spice is used throughout Europe and Asia and is smoked in a type of cigarettes locally known as kretek in Indonesia. The largest brand of kreteks in the United States is Djarum, who sells the iconic Djarum Black. Cloves are also an important incense material in Chinese and Japanese culture.

Cloves have historically been used in Indian cuisine (both North Indian and South Indian) as well as Mexican cuisine (best known as "clavos de olor"), where it is often paired together with cumin and cinnamon. In north Indian cuisine, it is used in almost all dishes, along with other spices. It is also a key ingredient in tea along with green cardamom. In south Indian cuisine, it is used extensively in biryani along with "cloves dish" (similar to pilaf, but with the addition of other spices), and it is normally added whole to enhance the presentation and flavor of the rice. In Vietnamese cuisine, cloves are often used to season pho broth.

Its essence is commonly used in the production of many perfumes.

During Christmas, it is a tradition in some European countries to make a pomander from cloves and oranges to hang around the house. This spreads a nice scent throughout the house and the oranges themselves act as Christmas decorations.

Medicinal and Nostrums

Cloves are used in Ayurveda called Lavang in India, Chinese medicine and western herbalism and dentistry where the essential oil is used as an anodyne (painkiller) for dental emergencies. Cloves are used as a carminative, to increase hydrochloric acid in the stomach and to improve peristalsis. Cloves are also said to be a natural antihelmintic. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy when stimulation and warming are needed, especially for digestive problems. Topical application over the stomach or abdomen are said to warm the digestive tract.

In Chinese medicine cloves or ding xiang are considered acrid, warm and aromatic, entering the kidney, spleen and stomach meridians, and are notable in their ability to warm the middle, direct stomach qi downward, to treat hiccough and to fortify the kidney yang. Because the herb is so warming it is contraindicated in any persons with fire symptoms and according to classical sources should not be used for anything except cold from yang deficiency. As such it is used in formulas for impotence or clear vaginal discharge from yang deficiency, for morning sickness together with ginseng and patchouli, or for vomiting and diarrhea due to spleen and stomach coldness. This would translate to hypochlorhydria. Clove oil is used in various skin disorders like acne, pimples etc. It is also used in severe burns, skin irritations and to reduce the sensitiveness of skin.

Ayurvedic herbalist K.P. Khalsa, RH (AHG), uses cloves internally as a tea and topically as an oil for hypotonic muscles, including for multiple sclerosis. This is also found in Tibetan medicine. Ayurvedic herbalist Alan Tilotson, RH (AHG) suggests avoiding more than occasional use of cloves internally in the presence of pitta inflammation such as is found in acute flares of autoimmune diseases.

In West Africa, the Yorubas use cloves infused in water as a treatment for stomach upsets, vomiting and diarrhoea.The infusion is called Ogun Jedi-jedi.

Western studies have supported the use of cloves and clove oil for dental pain, and to a lesser extent for fever reduction, as a mosquito repellent and to prevent premature ejaculation. Clove may reduce blood sugar levels.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clove

Cinnamon (Kayu Manis)

2009-02-22T19:13:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, synonym C. zeylanicum) is a small evergreen tree 10–15 metres (32.8–49.2 feet) tall, belonging to the family Lauraceae, and is native to Sri Lanka.

The leaves are ovate-oblong in shape, 7–18 cm (2.75–7.1 inches) long. The flowers, which are arranged in panicles, have a greenish color, and have a distinct odor. The fruit is a purple one-centimeter berry containing a single seed.

Its flavor is due to an aromatic essential oil that makes up 0.5% to 1% of its composition. This oil is prepared by roughly pounding the bark, macerating it in seawater, and then quickly distilling the whole. It is of a golden-yellow color, with the characteristic odor of cinnamon and a very hot aromatic taste. The pungent taste and scent come from cinnamic aldehyde or cinnamaldehyde and, by the absorption of oxygen as it ages, it darkens in colour and develops resinous compounds. Chemical components of the essential oil include ethyl cinnamate, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, beta-caryophyllene, linalool, and methyl chavicol.

The name cinnamon comes from Greek kinnámōmon, itself ultimately from Phoenician. The botanical name for the spice—Cinnamomum zeylanicum—is derived from Sri Lanka's former (colonial) name, Ceylon.

In Malayalam it is called as "karugapatta" and in Tamil "pattai" or "lavangappattai." In Sri Lanka, in the original Sinhala, cinnamon is known as "kurundu," recorded in English in the 17th century as Korunda. In Sanskrit cinnamon is known as "tvak" or "dārusitā. In Urdu, Hindi, and Hindustani cinnamon is called dalchini, in Assamese it is called "alseni," and in Gujarati "taj." In Arabic it is called "qerfa."

History

Cinnamon has been known from remote antiquity, and it was so highly prized among ancient nations that it was regarded as a gift fit for monarchs and other great potentates. Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka. It was imported to Egypt from China as early as 2000 BC. It is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 30:23, where Moses is commanded to use both sweet cinnamon (Hebrew קִנָּמוֹן, qinnāmôn) and cassia in the holy anointing oil; in Proverbs 7:17–18, where the lover's bed is perfumed with myrrh, aloe and cinnamon; and in Song of Solomon 4:14, a song describing the beauty of his beloved, cinnamon scents her garments like the smell of Lebanon. It is also alluded to by Herodotus and other classical writers. It was commonly used on funeral pyres in Rome, and the Emperor Nero is said to have burned a year's supply of cinnamon at the funeral for his wife Poppaea Sabina in 65 AD.

Up to the Middle Ages, the source of cinnamon was a mystery to the Western world. It is possible that the Arabs established an early monopoly on trading in cinnamon, and kept its origin a secret for hundreds of years. In Herodotus and other authors, Arabia was the source of cinnamon: giant Cinnamon birds collected the cinnamon sticks from an unknown land where the cinnamon trees grew, and used them to construct their nests; the Arabs employed a trick to obtain the sticks. This story was current as late as 1310 in Byzantium, although in the first century, Pliny the Elder had written that the traders had made this up in order to charge more. The first mention of the spice growing in Sri Lanka was in Zakariya al-Qazwini's Athar al-bilad wa-akhbar al-‘ibad ("Monument of Places and History of God's Bondsmen") in about 1270. This was followed shortly thereafter by John of Montecorvino, in a letter of about 1292.

Indonesian rafts transported cinnamon (known in Indonesia as kayu manis- literally "sweet wood") on a "cinnamon route" directly from the Moluccas to East Africa, where local traders then carried it north to the Roman market. See also Rhapta.

Arab traders brought the spice via overland trade routes to Alexandria in Egypt, where it was bought by Venetian traders from Italy who held a monopoly on the spice trade in Europe. The disruption of this trade by the rise of other Mediterranean powers, such as the Mamluk Sultans and the Ottoman Empire, was one of many factors that led Europeans to search more widely for other routes to Asia.

Portuguese traders finally discovered Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the beginning of the sixteenth century and restructured the traditional production and management of cinnamon by the Salagama (brahmins) caste who later held the monopoly for cinnamon in Ceylon. The Portuguese established a fort on the island in 1518 and protected their own monopoly for over a hundred years.

Dutch traders finally dislodged the Portuguese by allying with the inland Kingdom of Kandy. They established a trading post in 1638, took control of the factories by 1640, and expelled all remaining Portuguese by 1658. "The shores of the island are full of it", a Dutch captain reported, "and it is the best in all the Orient: when one is downwind of the island, one can still smell cinnamon eight leagues out to sea." (Braudel 1984, p. 215)

The Dutch East India Company continued to overhaul the methods of harvesting in the wild, and eventually began to cultivate its own trees.

The British took control of the island from the Dutch in 1796. However, the importance of the monopoly of Ceylon was already declining, as cultivation of the cinnamon tree spread to other areas, the more common cassia bark became more acceptable to consumers, and coffee, tea, sugar, and chocolate began to outstrip the popularity of traditional spices.

Cultivation

Cinnamon is harvested by growing the tree for two years and then coppicing it. The next year, about a dozen shoots will form from the roots. These shoots are then stripped of their bark, which is left to dry. Only the thin (0.5 mm) inner bark is used; the outer woody portion is removed, leaving metre-long cinnamon strips that curl into rolls ("quills") on drying; each dried quill comprises strips from numerous shoots packed together. These quills are then cut into 5–10 cm lengths for sale.

Cinnamon has been cultivated from time immemorial in Sri Lanka, and the tree is also grown commercially at Tellicherry in southern India, Bangladesh, Java, Sumatra, the West Indies, Brazil, Vietnam, Madagascar, Zanzibar, and Egypt. Sri Lanka cinnamon has a very thin, smooth bark with a light-yellowish brown color and a highly fragrant aroma.

According to the International Herald Tribune, in 2006 Sri Lanka produced 90% of the world's cinnamon, followed by China, India, and Vietnam. According to the FAO, Indonesia produces 40% of the world's Cassia genus of cinnamon.

Uses

Cinnamon bark is widely used as a spice. It is principally employed in cookery as a condiment and flavoring material. It's used in the preparation of chocolate, especially in Mexico, which is the main importer of true cinnamon. It is also used in the preparation of some kinds of desserts, such as apple pie and cinnamon buns as well as spicy candies, tea, hot cocoa, and liqueurs. True cinnamon, rather than cassia, is more suitable for use in sweet dishes. In the Middle East, it is often used in savoury dishes of chicken and lamb. In the United States, cinnamon and sugar are often used to flavour cereals, bread-based dishes, and fruits, especially apples; a cinnamon-sugar mixture is even sold separately for such purposes. Cinnamon can also be used in pickling. Cinnamon bark is one of the few spices that can be consumed directly. Cinnamon powder has long been an important spice in Persian cuisine, used in a variety of thick soups, drinks, and sweets. It is often mixed with rosewater or other spices to make a cinnamon-based curry powder for stews or just sprinkled on sweet treats (most notably Sholezard Per. شله زرد)

In medicine it acts like other volatile oils and once had a reputation as a cure for colds. It has also been used to treat diarrhoea and other problems of the digestive system. Cinnamon is high in antioxidant activity. The essential oil of cinnamon also has antimicrobial properties, which can aid in the preservation of certain foods.

Cinnamon has been reported to have remarkable pharmacological effects in the treatment of type II diabetes and insulin resistance. However, the plant material used in the study was mostly from cassia and only few of them are truly from Cinnamomum zeylanicum (see cassia's medicinal uses for more information about its health benefits). Recent advancement in phytochemistry has shown that it is a cinnamtannin B1 isolated from C. zeylanicum which is of therapeutic effect on type II diabetes, with the exception of the postmenopausal patients studied on C. cassia. Cinnamon has traditionally been used to treat toothache and fight bad breath and its regular use is believed to stave off common cold and aid digestion.

Cinnamon is used in the system of Thelemic Magick for Solar invocations, according to the correspondences listed in Aleister Crowley's work Liber 777. In Hoodoo, it is a multipurpose ingredient used for purification, luck, love, and money.

Cinnamon has been proposed for use as an insect repellent, although it remains untested. Cinnamon leaf oil has been found to be very effective in killing mosquito larvae. The compounds cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, eugenol and anethole, that are contained in cinnamon leaf oil, were found to have the highest effectiveness against mosquito larvae.

It is reported that regularly drinking of Cinnamomum zeylanicum tea made from the bark could be beneficial to oxidative stress related illness in humans, as the plant part contains significant antioxidant potential.

An urban legend holds that it is impossible to eat a tablespoon of powdered cinnamon without choking or vomiting. This has prompted the circulation of a large number of daredevil videos on the internet. Cinnamon is a strong desiccant, which resists swallowing, instead causing an irritating dry layer to form on the tongue, pharynx, and esophagus. The excess cinnamon remains in fine powder form and is usually inhaled into the lungs, where it causes irritation and choking.

Side effects

Excessive use of cinnamon bark may cause inflamed taste buds, tender gums, and mouth ulcers. Large quantities can change breathing, dilate blood vessels, and cause sleepiness, depression, or even convulsions.

Sop Konro (Makassar Beef-Ribs Soup)

2009-02-13T18:48:00.000-08:00

Sop Konro was usually served in two form of dishes, Soup or grilled ribs. Sop Konro also served with rice and Sambal.

Ingredients

500 gram beef ribs, large chop
1 teaspoon coriander
Pepper
3 pieces of clove
1 cm turmeric
Salt
3 pieces of keluak
2 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon tamarind
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce

Cooking Direction

Clean beef ribs, set aside.
Blend coriander, pepper, cloves, turmeric & salt in a blender. Add keluwak. Heat cooking oil in a pan, saute blended spices until you can smell the fragrance and the spices dried.
Add beef ribs into the pan with sauted spices, add tamarind juice and sweet soy sauce. Boil beef ribs until boiled, well cooked and tender.
Serve Konro Soup with fried shallots and lime.

Cardomom (Kapulaga)

2009-02-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

The name cardamom is used for herbs within two genera of the ginger family Zingiberaceae, namely Elettaria and Amomum. Both varieties take the form of a small seedpod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds. Elettaria pods are light green in color, while Amomum pods are larger and dark brown.

Types and distribution

The two main genera of the ginger family that are named as forms of cardamom are distributed as follows:

Elettaria (commonly called cardamom, green cardamom, or true cardamom) is distributed from India to Malaysia.
Amomum (commonly known as black cardomom, brown cardamom, Kravan, Java cardamom, Bengal cardamom, Siamese cardamom, white or red cardamom) is distributed mainly in Asia and Australia.

The Sanskrit name for cardamom is "elā" or "truṭī." In Urdu/Hindi/Gujarati and some Southern Indian languages It is called "elaichi" or "elchi."

Varieties

There were initially three natural varieties of cardamom plants.

Malabar (Nadan/Native) - As the name suggests, this is the native variety of Kerala. These plants have pannicles which grow horizontally along the ground.
Mysore - As the name suggests, this is a native veriety of Karnataka. These plants have pannicles which grow vertically upwards.
Vazhuka - This is a naturally occouring hybrid between Malabar and Mysore varieties, and the pannicles dont grow vertically nor horizontally, but in between both.

Recently a few planters isolated high yielding plants and started multiplying them on a large scale.

The most popular high yielding variety is Njallani. Njallani, also known as "rup-ree-t" is a unique high-yielding cardamom variety developed by an Indian farmer Sebastian Joseph at Kattappana in the South Indian state of Kerala. Sebastian Joseph and his son Regimon let bees cross-pollinate the cardamom plants and came up with a new high-yielding variety that he named Njallani, after his ancestral home. This variety yields 1500 kg/hectare as compared to the conventional 200 kg/ha. The increased yield revolutionised cardamom cultivation in the state of Kerala.

Uses

Both forms of cardamom are used as flavorings in both food and drink, as cooking spices and as a medicine. Elettaria cardamomum (the usual type of cardamom) is used as a spice, a masticatory, and in medicine; it is also smoked sometimes; it is used as a food plant by the larva of the moth Endoclita hosei. Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic fragrance. Black cardamom has a distinctly more astringent aroma, though not bitter, with a coolness similar to mint, though with a different aroma. It is a common ingredient in Indian cooking, and is often used in baking in Nordic countries, such as in the Finnish sweet-bread pulla. It is one of the most expensive spices by weight and little is needed to impart the flavor. Cardamom is best stored in pod form because once the seeds are exposed or ground they quickly lose their flavor. However, high-quality ground cardamom is often more readily (and cheaply) available and is an acceptable substitute. For recipes requiring whole cardamom pods, a generally accepted equivalent is 10 pods equals 1½ teaspoons of ground cardamom. In the Middle East, green cardamom powder is used as a spice for sweet dishes as well as traditional flavouring in coffee and tea. Cardamom pods are ground together with coffee beans to produce a powdered mixture of the two, which is boiled with water to make coffee. Cardamom is also used in some extent in savoury dishes. In Arabic, cardamom is called al-Hayl. In Persian, it is called hel. In Hebrew, it is also called hel (הל). In Gujurati (a derivative of Hindi), it is "Ē-lī-chē". In some Middle Eastern countries, coffee and cardamom are often ground in a wooden mortar and cooked together in a mihbaz, an oven using wood or gas, to produce a mixtures that are as much as forty percent cardamom.

In South Asia, green cardamom is often used in traditional Indian sweets and in Masala chai (spiced tea).

Black cardamom is sometimes used in garam masala for curries. It is occasionally used as a garnish in basmati rice and other dishes. It is often referred to as fat cardamom due its size ('Moti Elaichi'). Individual seeds are sometimes chewed, in much the same way as chewing-gum. In Northern Europe, cardamom is commonly used in sweet foods, pastries or cakes. It has also been known to be used for gin making.

In traditional medicine

Green cardamom in South Asia is broadly used to treat infections in teeth and gums, to prevent and treat throat troubles, congestion of the lungs and pulmonary tuberculosis, inflammation of eyelids and also digestive disorders. It is also reportedly used as an antidote for both snake and scorpion venom bite. Amomum is used as a spice and as an ingredient in traditional medicine in systems of the traditional Chinese medicine in China, in Ayurveda in India, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Species in the genus Amomum are also used in traditional Indian medicine. Among other species, varieties and cultivars, Amomum villosum cultivated in China, Laos and Vietnam is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat stomach-aches, constipation, dysentery, and other digestion problems. "Tsaoko" cardamom Amomum tsao-ko is cultivated in Yunnan, China and northwest Vietnam, both for medicinal purposes and as a spice. Increased demand since the 1980s, principally from China, for both Amomum villosum and Amomum tsao-ko has provided a key source of income for poor farmers living at higher altitudes in localized areas of China, Laos and Vietnam, people typically isolated from many other markets. Until recently, Nepal has been the world's largest producer of large cardamom. Guatemala has become the world's largest producer and exporter of cardamom, with a staggering export total of US$137.2 million for 2007.

Etymology

In Hindi, Urdu, and Gujarati cardamom is called elaichi, and "yelakki" in Kannada and other South Indian languages. It is called Elakka in Malayalam, which is the language of Kerala an Indian province that accounts for 70% of Indian cardamom. In South Asia green cardamom, called "Elaichi" in Marathi, Hindi and Urdu. It is called "Yalakulu" in Telugu, "elam" (ஏலம்) in Tamil. In Hebrew, it is known as Hel (הל). In Persian it is also known as Hel (هل). In Arabic, it is called Hayl (هیل).

source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamom

Soto Banjar

2009-01-11T20:23:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

chicken
1500 ml chicken stock
4 cm cinnamon/ 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
3 pieces of cardamom
3 pieces of clove
4 scallions, sliced
2 pieces celery, chopped
1 tablespoon of margarine

Spices

10 cloves shallot
5 cloves garlic
1/2 piece nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
salt

grind all spices in a mortar or you can blend it in a blender

Complement

rice vermicelli, cook in a hot water for a while, drained, set aside
3 boiled egg, divide into half
Perkedel kentang
sweet soy sauce
lime

Cooking direction

Cook chicken in a boiled water until it well cooked. Take out, tear chicken into pieces, set aside.
saute blended spices until you can smell the fragrance, add chicken stock, preheat in medium heat. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, scallions & celery. Cook until boiled & well cooked
prepare rice vermicelli in a bowl, add chicken & boiled egg. Pour it with the cooked chicken stock.
Serve Soto Banjar with its complement

Water Spinach/Ipomea Aquatica (Kangkung)

2009-01-01T19:12:00.000-08:00

Ipomoea aquatica is a semi-aquatic tropical plant grown as a leaf vegetable. Its precise natural distribution is unknown due to extensive cultivation, with the species found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

Common names include water spinach, swamp cabbage, water convolvulus, water morning-glory, kangkung (Indonesian, Malay), kangkong (Tagalong), eng chhai (Hokkien), tangkong (Cebuano), kang kung (Sinhalese), trawkoon (Khmer: ត្រកូន), pak boong (in Thai: ผักบุ้ง) (Thai), rau muống (Vietnamese), kongxincai (Chinese: 空心菜; pinyin: kōngxīncài; literally "hollow heart vegetable"), home sum choy (Hakka), ong chai (Foochow), and ong choy or tung choi (Cantonese pronunciation of 蕹菜, ngônkcôi; pinyin: wéngcài)., " ကန္စြန္း " (Ken-Zun) in Burmese, Thooti koora in Telugu; Kalmisag, Sarnali, Ganthian in Hindi ; In Assamese it is called Kolmou; In Bangla Kolmi Shak or Kolmi Lota.

Ipomoea aquatica grows in water or on moist soil. Its stems are 2-3 m or more long, hollow, allowing them to float, and these root at the nodes. The leaves vary from sagittate (typical) to lanceolate, 5-15 cm long and 2-8 cm broad. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, 3-5 cm diameter, usually white in colour.

Cultivation and culinary uses

It is most commonly grown in East and Southeast Asia. Because it flourishes naturally in waterways and does not require much if any care, it is used extensively in Malay and Chinese cuisine, especially in rural or kampung (village) areas. It is not to be mistaken with watercress, which often grows in similar situations.

It has also been introduced to United States of America where its high growth rate caused it to become an environmental problem, especially in Florida and Texas. It has been officially designated by the USDA as a "noxious weed." Despite this ominous label, the plant is not in any way harmful when consumed ("noxious" is, in this context, a legal term denoting the plant's harmfulness to native plants). In fact, the plant is similar to spinach in its nutritional benefits.

The vegetable is a common ingredient in Southeast Asian dishes. In Singapore, Indonesia and Penang, the leaves are usually stir fried with chile pepper, garlic, ginger, dried shrimp paste (belacan/terasi) and other spices. In Penang and Ipoh, it is cooked with cuttlefish and a sweet and spicy sauce. During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore in World War II, the vegetable grew remarkably well and easily in many areas, and become a popular wartime crop.

In Chinese cuisine, there are numerous ways of preparation, but a simple and quick stir-fry either plain or with minced garlic is probably the most common. In Cantonese cuisine, a popular variation adds preserved beancurd - a method known in the Mandarin language as furu (pickled tofu). In Hakka cuisine, yellow bean paste is added, sometimes along with fried shallots. The vegetable is also extremely popular in Taiwan, where it grows well.

In Thailand it is frequently stir fried with oyster sauce and shrimp paste. It can be eaten raw with Lao green papaya salad.

In Vietnam, it once served as a staple vegetable of the poor (known as rau muống). In the south, the stems are julienned into thin strips and eaten with many kinds of noodles, and used as a garnish as well. Over the course of time, Ipomoea aquatica has developed into being an ingredient for many daily vegetable dishes of Vietnamese cuisine as a whole. Rau muống is one of the tastes that remind Vietnamese people of their simple and peaceful rural hometown life. There's also a poem that says:

“

Anh đi anh nhớ quê nhà,

Nhớ canh rau muống, nhớ cà dầm tương.

”

(Translation: "When I'm away, I miss my hometown / Missing rau muống soup as well as eggplant with soy sauce.")

In the Philippines, it is usually sauteed in cooking oil, onions, garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce. This dish is called "adobong kangkong". It is also a common leaf vegetable in sour fish and meat stews like "sinigang".

There is concern that, eaten raw, the plant could transmit fasciolopsiasis, a parasite of humans and pigs.

Cultural references

There is a belief in Chinese culture that discourages extensive consumption of Ipomoea aquatica as a staple food crop (in contrast to rice) with the explanation that the hollow stem makes the person weak and hollow like the plant, although this belief does not advocate refraining from eating the plant entirely. But the elderly, for example, are discouraged from consuming it. This belief probably derived from ancient observations following attempts to replace consumption of rice with the relatively resilient Ipomoea aquatica during times of food shortages and war and noting loss of muscle strength, probably due to the fact that Ipomoea aquatica contains less food energy than rice. Despite this, it is a common vegetable in Asian cuisine.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipomoea_aquatica

Food Dictionary: Bitter Melon (Pare/Paria)

2008-12-22T19:11:00.000-08:00

Momordica charantia is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown for edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all vegetables. English names for the plant and its fruit include bitter melon or bitter gourd (translated from chinese: 苦瓜; pinyin: kǔguā)

The original home of the species is not known, other than that it is a native of the tropics. It is widely grown in South and Southeast Asia, China, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Description

The herbaceous, tendril-bearing vine grows to 5 m. It bears simple, alternate leaves 4-12 cm across, with 3-7 deeply separated lobes. Each plant bears separate yellow male and female flowers.

The fruit has a distinct warty looking exterior and an oblong shape. It is hollow in cross-section, with a relatively thin layer of flesh surrounding a central seed cavity filled with large flat seeds and pith. Seeds and pith appear white in unripe fruits, ripening to red; they are not intensely bitter and can be removed before cooking. However, the pith will become sweet when the fruit is fully ripe, and the pith's color will turn red. The pith can be eaten uncooked in this state, but the flesh of the melon will be far too tough to be eaten anymore. Red and sweet bitter melon pith is a popular ingredient in some special southeast Asian style salad. The flesh is crunchy and watery in texture, similar to cucumber, chayote or green bell pepper. The skin is tender and edible. The fruit is most often eaten green. Although it can also be eaten when it has started to ripen and turn yellowish, it becomes more bitter as it ripens. The fully ripe fruit turns orange and mushy, is too bitter to eat, and splits into segments which curl back dramatically to expose seeds covered in bright red pulp.

Bitter melon comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The typical Chinese phenotype is 20 to 30 cm long, oblong with bluntly tapering ends and pale green in color, with a gently undulating, warty surface. The bitter melon more typical of India has a narrower shape with pointed ends, and a surface covered with jagged, triangular "teeth" and ridges. Coloration is green or white. Between these two extremes are any number of intermediate forms. Some bear miniature fruit of only 6 - 10 cm in length, which may be served individually as stuffed vegetables. These miniature fruit are popular in Southeast Asia as well as India.

Culinary uses

Bitter melons are seldom mixed with other vegetables due to the strong bitter taste, although this can be moderated to some extent by salting and then washing the cut melon before use.

Bitter melon is often used in Chinese cooking for its bitter flavor, typically in stir-fries (often with pork and douchi ), soups, and also as tea.

It is also a popular vegetable in Indian and Pakistani cooking, where it is often prepared with potatoes and served with yogurt on the side to offset the bitterness, or used in sabji. Bitter melon is stuffed with spices and then fried in oil, which is very popular in Punjabi Cuisine. It a popular food in Tamil Nadu and referred as பாகற்காய் (Pagarkai) slangly called as Pavakkai பாவக்காய். Bitter Gourd is popular in the cuisine of South Indian state of Kerala. They use it for making a dish called thoran mixed with grated coconut, theeyal and pachadi. This is one common medicinal food for diabetics. In Karnataka, the term used for bitter gourd is haagalakai (ಹಾಗಲಕಾಯಿ) and used in preparation of a delicacy called gojju (ಗೊಜ್ಜು). In Andhra Pradesh, it is called as " Kaakarakaaya " (కాకరకాయ). Popular recipes are curry, deep fry with pea nuts (ground nuts) , 'Pachi Pulusu' (కాకరకాయ పచ్చి పులుసు), a kind of soup made up of boiled Bitter Melon, fried onions and other spices.

Bitter melon is rarely used in mainland Japan, but is a significant component of Okinawan cuisine.

In indonesia, bitter melon is prepared in various dishes, such as stir fry, cooked in coconut milk, or steamed.

In Vietnam, raw bitter melon slices consumed with dried meat floss and stuffed to make bitter melon soup with shrimp are popular dishes. Bitter melons stuffed with ground pork are served as a popular summer soup in the South.

It is prepared in various dishes in the Philippines, where it is known as Ampalaya. Ampalaya may also be stir-fried with ground beef and oyster sauce, or with eggs and diced tomato.

A very popular dish from the Ilocos region of the Philippines, pinakbet, consists mainly of bitter melons, eggplant, okra, string beans, tomatoes, lima beans, and other various regional vegetables stewed with a little bagoong-based stock.

The young shoots and leaves may also be eaten as greens; in the Philippines, where bitter melon leaves are commonly consumed, they are called dahon (leaves) ng ampalaya.

The seeds can also be eaten, and have a sweet taste; but are known to cause nausea.

In Nepal bitter melon is prepared in various ways. Most prepare it as fresh achar (a type of salsa). For this the bitter gourd is cut into cubes or slices and sautéed covered in little oil and a sprinkle of water. When it is softened and reduced, it is minced in a mortar with few cloves of garlic, salt and a red or green pepper. Another way is the sautéed version. In this, bitter gourd is cut in thin round slices or cubes and fried (sauteed) with much less oil and some salt, cumin and red chili. It is fried until the vegetable softens with hints of golden brown. It is even prepared as a curry on its own, or with potato; and made as stuffed vegetables.

In Pakistan bitter melon is available in the summertime, and is cooked with lots of onions.

A traditional way to cook bitter melon curry is to peel off the skin and cut into thin slices. It is salted and exposed to direct sunlight for few hours to reduce its bitterness. After a few hours, its salty, bitter water is reduced by squeezing out the excess by hand. Then it's rinsed with water a few times. Then fried in cooking oil, with onions also fried in another pan. When the onions have turned a little pink in color, the fried bitter melon is added to them. After some further frying of both the onions and bitter melon, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, coriander powder, and a pinch of cumin seeds are also added. A little water can be sprinkled while frying the spices to prevent burning. Then a good amount of tomato is added to the curry, with green chillies, according to taste. Now the pan is covered with a lid, heat reduced to minimum, the tomatoes reduce, and all the spices work their magic. The curry is stirred a few times (at intervals) during this covering period. After half an hour or so, the curry is ready to serve, with soft hot flatbreads (chappatis, چپاتی) and yogurt chutney.

Another dish in Pakistan calls for whole, unpeeled bitter melon to be boiled and then stuffed with cooked ground beef. In this dish, it is recommended that the bitter melon be left 'debittered'. It is either served with hot tandoori bread, naan, chappati, or with khichri (a mixture of lentils and rice).

Medicinal uses

Bitter melons have been used in various Asian traditional medicine systems for a long time. Like most bitter-tasting foods, bitter melon stimulates digestion. While this can be helpful in people with sluggish digestion, dyspepsia, and constipation, it can sometimes make heartburn and ulcers worse. The fact that bitter melon is also a demulcent and at least mild inflammation modulator, however, means that it rarely does have these negative effects, based on clinical experience and traditional reports.

Though it has been claimed that bitter melon’s bitterness comes from quinine, no evidence could be located supporting this claim. Bitter melon is traditionally regarded by Asians, as well as Panamanians and Colombians, as useful for preventing and treating malaria. Laboratory studies have confirmed that various species of bitter melon have anti-malarial activity, though human studies have not yet been published.

In Panama bitter melon is known as Balsamino. The pods are smaller and bright orange when ripe with very sweet red seeds, but only the leaves of the plant are brewed in hot water to create a tea to treat malaria and diabetes. The leaves are allowed to steep in hot water before being strained throughly so that only the remaining liquid is used for the tea.

Laboratory tests suggest that compounds in bitter melon might be effective for treating HIV infection. As most compounds isolated from bitter melon that impact HIV have either been proteins or glycoproteins lectins), neither of which are well-absorbed, it is unlikely that oral intake of bitter melon will slow HIV in infected people. It is possible oral ingestion of bitter melon could offset negative effects of anti-HIV drugs, if a test tube study can be shown to be applicable to people. In one preliminary clinical trial, an enema form of a bitter melon extract showed some benefits in people infected with HIV (Zhang 1992). Clearly more research is necessary before this could be recommended.

The other realm showing the most promise related to bitter melon is as an immunomodulator. One clinical trial found very limited evidence that bitter melon might improve immune cell function in people with cancer, but this needs to be verified and amplified in other research. If proven correct this is another way bitter melon could help people infected with HIV.

Folk wisdom has it that ampalaya helps to prevent or counteract type-II diabetes. A recent scientific study at JIPMER, India has proved that ampalaya increases insulin sensitivity. Regardless of its efficacy in this regard, it is sold in the Philippines as a food supplement and elixir for this purpose. Studies so far demonstrate improvement but not cure in some diabetic parameters.

Bitter Melon contains four very promising bioactive compounds.

These compounds activate a protein called AMPK, which is well known for regulating fuel metabolism and enabling glucose uptake, processes which are impaired in diabetics.

("We can now understand at a molecular level why bitter melon works as a treatment for diabetes," said David James, director of the diabetes and obesity program at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney.

"By isolating the compounds we believe to be therapeutic, we can investigate how they work together in our cells.")

Various cautions are indicated. The seeds contains vicine and therefore can trigger symptoms of favism in susceptible individuals. In addition, the red arils of the seeds are reported to be toxic to children, and the fruit is contraindicated during pregnancy.

source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon

Food Dictionary: Tempe

2008-12-21T18:50:00.000-08:00

Tempeh, or tempe in Javanese, is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. It is especially popular on the island of Java, where it is a staple source of protein. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. Tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber and vutamins compared to tofu, as well as firmer texture and stronger flavor. Tofu, however, is thought to be more versatile in dishes. Because of its nutritional value, tempeh is used worldwide in vegetarian cuisine; some consider it to be a meat analogue. Even long before people found and realized its rich nutritional value, tempeh was referred to as “Javanese meat.”

Production

Tempeh begins with whole soybeans, which are softened by soaking and dehulled, then partly cooked. Specialty tempehs may be made from other types of beans, wheat, or may include a mixture of beans and whole grains.

A mild acidulent, usually vinegar, may be added in order to lower the pH and create a selective environment that favors the growth of the tempeh mold over competitors. A fermentation starter containing the spores of fungus Rhizopus oligosporus is mixed in. The beans are spread into a thin layer and are allowed to ferment for 24 to 36 hours at a temperature around 30°C (86°F). In good tempeh, the beans are knit together by a mat of white mycelia.

Under conditions of lower temperature, or higher ventilation, gray or black patches of spores may form on the surface—this is not harmful, and should not affect the flavor or quality of the tempeh. This sporulation is normal on fully mature tempeh. A mild ammonia smell may accompany good tempeh as it ferments, but it should not be overpowering. In Indonesia, ripe tempeh (two or more days old) is considered a delicacy.

Nutrition

The soy protein in tempeh becomes more digestible as a result of the fermentation process. In particular, the oligosaccharides that are associated with gas and indigestion are greatly reduced by the Rhizopus culture. In traditional tempeh making shops, the starter culture often contains other beneficial bacteria that produce vitamins such as B12 (though it is disputed whether this B12 is "bioavailable"). In western countries, it is more common to use a pure culture containing only Rhizopus oligosporus.

Preparation

In the kitchen, tempeh is often prepared by cutting it into pieces, soaking in brine or salty sauce, and then frying. Cooked tempeh can be eaten alone, or used in chili, stir frys, soups, salads, sandwiches, and stews. Recent popular vegan cookbooks have come up with more creative ways of cooking tempeh, using it as a vegetarian substitution for breakfast meats, such as sausage and bacon. Tempeh has a complex flavor that has been described as nutty, meaty, and mushroom-like. Tempeh freezes well, and is now commonly available in many western supermarkets as well as in ethnic markets and health food stores. Tempeh performs well in a cheese grater, after which it may be used in the place of ground beef (as in tacos). When thin sliced and deep fried in oil, tempeh obtains a crispy golden crust while maintaining a soft interior—its sponge-like consistency make it suitable for marinades. Dried tempeh (whether cooked or raw) provides an excellent stew base for backpackers. For the Thanksgiving holiday, tempeh (as dark meat) and tofu (as white) may each be thick-sliced and baked with a standard dressing/stuffing preparation to provide a vegan alternative to turkey.

Types

Name	Description
tempe bongkrèk	made from or with coconut press cake (see below)
tempe bosok (busuk)	rotten tempeh, used in small amounts as a flavouring
tempe gembus	made from okara
tempe gódhóng	tempeh made in banana leaves
tempe goreng	deep-fried tempeh
tempe mendoan	raw-fried tempeh
tempe kedelai	simply tempeh, made from soybeans
tempe murni	tempeh made in plastic wrap (lit. pure soybean cake)
tempe oncom	also onchom; made from peanut press cake; orange color; Neurospora sitophila

A new form of tempeh based on barley and oats instead of soya was developed by scientists at the Swedish Department of Food Science in 2008. It can be produced in climate regions where it is not possible to grow soya beans.

Tempe bongkrèk

Tempe bongkrèk is a variety of tempeh from Central Java, notably Banyumas regency, that is prepared with coconut. This type of tempeh occasionally gets contaminated with the bacterium Burkholdaria cocovenenans, and the unwanted organism produces toxins (Bongkrek acid and toxoflavin) from the coconut, besides killing off the Rhizopus fungus due to the antibiotic activity of bongkrek acid.

Fatalities from contaminated tempe bongkrèk were once common in the area where it was produced. Thus, the sale of tempeh bongkrèk is prohibited by law nowadays; clandestine manufacture continues however due to the superior culinary value. The problem of contamination is not encountered with bean or grain tempeh, which have a different composition of fatty acids that is not favorable for the growth of B. cocovenenans but encourages growth of Rhizopus instead. When bean or grain tempeh has the proper color, texture and smell, it is a very strong indication that the product is safe. Tempe bongkrèk which is yellow is always highly toxic due to toxoflavin, but tempe bongkrèk with a normal coloration may still contain lethal amounts of bongkrek acid.

Tempe Mendoan

A variation of tempeh cooking method, often found in Purwokerto. The origin of the word 'Mendoan' is from Banyumas regional dialect, which means "to cook instantly in very hot oil", that results in raw and limp cooking.

How To Make Tempeh

Prepare selected soybeans and wash them with clean water for an hour.
Boil for two hours.
Submerge again in hot/warm water for 12 hours to increase the size of the beans.
Submerge in cold water for another 12 hours.
After 24 hours of submerging, peel off the outer layer of the beans.
Boil the soybeans just enough to kill any germs that developed during submersion.
Put the soybeans in a separate container, and leave them to dry or until there is no water left.
Mix the soybeans with yeast, the fermentation will take about 20 minutes to develop some fungi on the surface. This is the most important phase of making your own tempeh.
Wrap the fermented soybeans in plastic with small holes in it (to allow the fungi to breathe). Traditionally, the fermented beans were wrapped in banana or teak leaves.
Leave away from sunlight for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, leave them into place with light and fresh air for another 24 hours
The fermented soybeans has become tempeh and ready to consume or packaging.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh

Gado-Gado

2008-12-21T18:25:00.000-08:00

Gado-gado is Indonesian cuisine that made with mixing all boiled vegetables with peanut sauce and eggs.

Ingredients

50 gr been sprouts, cut the root, boil for a while, drained, set aside.
150 gr water spinach (kangkung), cut, washed. Boil until cooked, drained, set aside.
200 gr bitter melon, take out the seed, boil for a while, drained, set aside.
1 chayote (labu siam), boiled, small cut.
1 fried tofu, medium sliced.
1 fried tempe, medium sliced.
fried shallot/fried onion
3 boiled eggs, divided
crackers

Sauce

200 gr fried peanut
2 red chili
5 thai chili
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grilled shrimp paste
200 cc water

Grind all ingredients in a mortar. You can also make the sauce by blend all ingredients in a blender.

Cooking Direction

mix all vegetables, egg, tofu and tempe in a plate.
Add peanut sauce on top, spread the fried shallot, add crackers as finishing. Served.

Peanut Sauce

2008-12-18T20:51:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

50 gram fried peanut
3 pieces thai chilli
1 red chili
palm sugar as desired
75 cc water
3 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
4 cloves shallot, thin sliced

Cooking Direction

Grind fried peanut, thai chili & red chili in a mortar (as usual, you can also blend them in a blender)
add a little of palm sugar
Add water & sweet soy sauce
Stir well
served as a sauce for chicken satay or lamb satay.

Tips:
If you choose to blend the ingredients, put all ingredients except sweet soy sauce in a blender. Blend it. Add sweet soy sauce as a finishing.

Chicken Satay (Sate Ayam)

2008-12-18T20:40:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 pieces of boneless chicken breast

1 tablespoon of cooking oil

wooden skewers

Spices

5 cloves shallot

5 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon coriander

2 cm fresh turmeric

1 teaspoon tamarind juice

salt and pepper as desired

palm sugar as desired

Grind all spices in a mortar or blend it in a blender (add a little water before blend it)

Cooking Direction

cut chicken breast as desired. Usually 1x2x2 cm

mix chicken cutlet with cooking oil and blended spices. Marinade for 15-30 minutes.

Thread 4 to 5 chicken cutlets onto skewers.

Grill until well cooked

Served with peanut souce (Sambal Kacang) & sliced shallot on top.

Kolak

2008-12-17T19:08:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato, peel off, medium chopped
6 bananas, medium chopped
200 gram kolang-kaling
400 ml of water
4 pandanus leaves
150 gram palm sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
400 ml coconut milk

Cooking Direction

boil sweet potato, kolang-kaling, pandanus leaves, sugar and salt in a pot until all ingredients well cooked.
Add coconut milk, let it boiled, Stir a bit.
Served hot

Baked Sweet Potato (Ubi Bakar)

2008-12-15T19:42:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

4 pieces medium sized sweet potato
Thin foil
Grated cheese

Cooking Direction:

wash sweet potato until clean, drained, wrap with thin foil
baked in an oven with temperature 170 celcius degree fro 5-10 minutes until cooked & tender
divide sweet potato into 2 parts, + shape sliced in the top, push the bottom to get the nice flower shape
serve with grated cheese on top.

Fried Cassava (Singkong Goreng)

2008-12-15T19:11:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

500 gram cassava, peel of the skin, divide into 2 parts, steam until cooked
1 teaspoon grounded garlic/garlic powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon salt
100 ml water
1 teaspoon rice powder/rice flour
1 teaspoon starch/tapioka starch
cooking oil

Cooking Direction

mix garlic, coriander, salt, rice powder, starch & water. Mix well.
Dip steamed cassava, deep fried until golden brown.
Served hot.

Sambal Terasi (Chili Sauce with Shrimp Paste)

2008-12-14T19:22:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

8 red chili
20 thai chili
1 tablespoon grilled shrimp paste
salt & brown sugar as desired
1 tomato
2 pieces of k-lime

Cooking Direction

put all ingredients except k-lime in a mortar. Grind all ingredients until all soften up and well mixed.
Add k-lime juice. Serve.

Empal

2008-12-11T18:52:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

500 gr beef meat, wide sliced
water
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 cm smashed galangale
salt & palm sugar as desired
tamarind juice
cooking oil

Cooking Direction

Boil meat in medium heat until cooked
take cooked meat and hit it with pestle until nice and thin
cook again with garlic, coriander, galangale, tamarind juice, salt & brown sugar.
Add a little bit of leftover beef stock
Cook until all the water dried up
Fried meat for a moment
Serve with rice

Rawon

2008-12-09T18:52:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 tablespoon of cooking oil
3 cloves of shallot, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
2 cm fresh galangale, smashed
1 smashed lemon grass
3 k-lime leaves
1 piece of keluwak, grind
500 gr of diced beef meat
1 liter of water
1 tomato, medium chopped
Tamarind juice as desired
2 scallions, chopped

Cooking Direction

Heat oil, saute shallot & garlic. Add turmeric powder and coriander, stir well.
Add galangale, lemon grass, k-lime leaves and keluwak, stir well. Add meat & water. Cook until meat are well cooked & tender.
Add chopped tomato, tamarind juice and scallions. Cook again until all scallions are cooked.
Serve it with rice.

COCONUT MILK (Santan)

2008-12-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

Coconut milk is a sweet, milky white cooking base derived from the meat of a mature coconut. The color and rich taste of the milk can be attributed to the high oil content and sugars. In Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia coconut milk is called santan and in the Philippines it is called gata. In Thailand it is called ga-ti and used in many of the Thai curries. It should not be confused with coconut water (coconut juice), which is the naturally-occurring liquid found inside a coconut.

Preparation

Two grades of coconut milk exist: thick and thin. Thick coconut milk is prepared by directly squeezing grated coconut meat through cheesecloth. The squeezed coconut meat is then soaked in warm water and squeezed a second or third time for thin coconut milk. Thick milk is used mainly to make desserts and rich, dry sauce. Thin milk is used for soups and general cooking. This distinction is usually not made in western nations since fresh coconut milk is usually not produced, and most consumers buy coconut milk in cans. Manufacturers of canned coconut milk typically combine the thin and thick squeezes, with the addition of water as a filler.

Depending on the brand and age of the milk itself, a thicker, more paste-like consistency floats to the top of the can, and is sometimes separated and used in recipes that require coconut cream rather than coconut milk. Shaking the can prior to opening will even it out to a cream-like thickness. Some brands sold in western countries add thickening agents to prevent the milk from separating inside the can, since the separation tends to be misinterpreted as a sign of spoilage by people who have no experience with coconut milk.

Once opened, cans of coconut milk must be refrigerated, and are usually only good for a few days. Coconut milk should never be left at room temperature, as the milk can sour and spoil easily.

Coconut milk can be made at home by processing grated coconut with hot water or milk, which extracts the oil and aromatic compounds. It should not be confused with the coconut water discussed above, and has a fat content of approximately 17%. When refrigerated and left to set, coconut cream will rise to the top and separate out from the milk.

Cooking

Coconut milk is a common ingredient in many tropical cuisines, most notably that of Southeast Asia (especially Filipino, Indonesian, Burmese, Cambodia, Malaysian, Singaporean, Sri Lankan, Thai) West African, Caribbean and Polynesian cuisines. Frozen coconut milk tends to stay fresh longer, which is important in dishes in which the coconut flavor is not competing with curries and other spicy dishes.

Coconut milk is the base of most Thai curries. To make the curry sauce, the coconut milk is first cooked over fairly high heat to break down the milk and cream and allow the oil to separate. The curry paste is then added, as well as any other seasonings, meats, vegetables and garnishes.

Medicinal properties

The monolaurins in the coconut oil have been found to be very powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents in Ayurveda. Some people believe that coconut milk can be used as a laxative. It is also used for healing mouth ulcers

Alcohol

In Rennell Island Solomon Islands local home-brew is made by fermenting coconut milk, yeast and sugar in a bin and leaving it hidden in the bush for about a week.

Plant growth usage

In 1943, Johannes "The Moobze" van Overbeek discovered that coconut milk actively encourages plant growth. This was later discovered to be due to a number of factors, but predominantly the existence in the milk of a cytokinin known as zeatin The addition of 10% coconut milk to the substrate in which wheat is grown has shown substantial improvements in yield.

Dishes

Chinese

Various sweet dim sum dishes
Various sweet soups (tong sui)

Thai

Red curry
Green curry
Red "Gang Dang" curry
Yellow "Gang Leong" curry
Panang curry
Pineapple curry
Massaman curry
Tom Kha "coconut soup"
Satay peanut sauce
Tapioca pudding
Ice Cream
Coconut Pudding
Thai Shaved Ice or Nam Kang Sai, known as snow cone in the US. Another name is 'Wan-Yen'. In Thailand, this kind of cold dessert is very popular as well. The differences from other countries' shaved ice is that in the Thai version the toppings (mixings) are in the bottom and the shaved ice is on top. There are between 20-30 varieties of mixings that can be mixed in. Among them are young coconut that have been soaked in coconut milk, black sticky rice, chestnuts,sweetened taro, red beans, cheng-sim-ee (special flour that is very chewy and slippery) and many more.
Coconut rice

Malaysian and Singaporean

Gula melaka
Laksa
Nasi Lemak
chicken curry
curry vegetables

Indonesian

Opor Ayam
Nasi liwet
Nasi Uduk
Rendang
Gulai Kepala Ikan
Javanese gudeg
sayur lodeh
soto betawi/soto jakarta
sop kaki kambing ( goat soup)
es putar (ice cream)
es teler (dessert)
es bumi hangus (dessert)
es shanghai (dessert)
es cendol (dessert)
es doger (dessert)
es dawet ayu (dessert)
kolak (dessert)
bubur kacang hijau (dessert)
bubur ketan hitam (dessert)
Manadonese pisang ijo cake
Medanese bika ambon cake
mangkuk cake
dodol candy

Sri Lankan

Spicy chicken curry
Spicy beef curry
Spicy and non-spicy fish curry
Potato curry
Tomato sambol
Green bean curry
Coconut milk (Pol kiri) - a dish in itself, usually used for gravy with Pittu
Milk gravy (Kiri hodi) - Coconut milk with a dash of saffron and onion, usually used for gravy with String-hoppers

West Indian

Rice and peas
Callaloo

Hawaiian

Haupia (a gelatin-like pudding flavored with coconut milk)
Kulolo
Lu'au (taro leaves simmered in coconut milk)

Indian (Kerala)

Gothampu payasam (Wheat Payasam)
Ada Prathaman
Parippu Prathaman
Mutton Stew
Kerala Curries
Molugootal (sometimes used in conjunction with fresh grated coconut to enhance flavour)
Paal-Appam (sweetened coconut milk in the center of the Aapam for taste)
Puttu (Steam cake) Grated coconut is mixed with rice powder for taste

Indian (Goan and Konkani cuisine in Karnataka, and Maharashtra)

Almost all dishes have coconut milk and paste as its base (called as "Aapros" in Konkani)
- Human (fish curry)
- All vegetable and fish curries
- Payasa, Mangane, Kheer
- Coconut Rice

Indian (Northern)

Korma
Halwa

Filipino

Adobo sa Gata (Meat sauteed in soy sauce, garlic, and pepper, thickened with coconut milk)
Ginata (Various entrees or desserts simmered in coconut milk)
- Ginataang Bilo Bilo (Rice dumpling dessert)
- Ginataang Tilapia (White fish in creamy coconut)
Gulaman at Sago (Tapioca with coconut milk)
Laing (Spicy taro dish seasoned with shrimp, pork, and ginger)
Pancit Butong (Coconut noodles)
Halo-halo (Shaved ice in coconut milk with sweet beans, ice cream, fruits, condensed milk, and other sundries)

Burmese

Halawa (a snack made of sticky rice, butter, coconut milk, similar to Indian halwa)
Kyauk-kyaw (coconut jelly)
Mont let saung (tapioca balls, glutinous rice, grated coconut and toasted sesame with jaggery syrup in coconut milk)
Ohn-no hkauk-hswe (curried chicken and wheat noodles in a coconut milk broth)
Shwegyi mont (unsweet cake of semolina, coconut milk, and poppy seeds)
Ngyuenea hakushelat (coconut milk)

Vietnamese

Cháo cá lóc nước cốt dừa
Chè đậu xanh nước cốt dừa
Thịt kho nước cốt dừa
Chuối rim mật nước cốt dừa
Ốc len xào dừa

Drinks

In Hong Kong and Southern China, sweetened coconut milk is served on its own as a drink during spring and summer. It is made by adding sugar and evaporated or fresh milk during the process of preparing the coconut milk. It is served chilled.

Drinks using coconut milk as an ingredient include

Pina Colada and its nonalcoholic variant Virgin Pina Colada (Coconut cream may also be used)
Coquito con Ron

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_milk

Yellow Rice (Nasi Kuning)

2008-12-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 kg rice, washed and cleaned
50 cc turmeric juice (3 tablespoon of turmeric powder + 50 cc water)
1 tablespoon of lime juice
1,5 liter coconut milk
2 pieces of lemon grass
4 k-lime leaves
5 pandan leaves
1 teaspoon salt

Cooking Direction

mix rice with turmeric juice and lime juice. Mix well. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Cook coconut milk with lemon grass, k-lime leaves, pandan leaves & salt until boiled. Add rice, cook until all coconut milk dried up.
Steam rice for 1/2 hour until cooked
Serve hot.

Misro

2008-12-08T19:42:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

500 gr grated cassava
250 gr grated young coconut/coconut flakes
1/4 tablespoon salt
100 gr palm sugar
cooking oil for deep fried

Cooking Direction

Mix cassava, coconut flakes & salt. Mix well.
Take 2 tablespoon mixed cassava, fill it with palm sugar, tighten in round shape.
Deep fried until golden brown.
Served it hot.

SPICE DICTIONARY: THAI CHILI (Cabe Rawit)

2008-11-30T20:36:00.000-08:00

Thai pepper (Thai: prik ki nu) refers to any of three cultivars of chili pepper, found commonly in Thailand, and also in neighbouring countries, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore. It is also found in India, mainly Kerala, and is used in traditional dishes of kerala cuisine (pronounced in Malaylam as kanthari mulagu).

Bird's eye chili pepper (chili padi/ cabe rawit)

The hottest form is the bird's eye chili pepper, which is also known as chili padi. This refers to the small size of the chili that reminds people about the small size of paddy (rice), the staple food in the region. It is also known as cili padi (Malay), cabe rawit (Indonesian), phrik khii nuu (พริกขี้หนู, literally "mouse shit chili"), Thai hot, Thai dragon (due to its resemblance to claws), Siling Labuyo (Filipino), Ladâ, and boonie pepper (the Anglicized name).

These tiny little fiery chilis point downward from the plant and their colors change directly from green to red. This type of chili can be found in Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines but most commonly in Thailand. Although small in size compared to other types of chili, the chili padi is relatively strong at 50,000 to 100,000 on the Scoville pungency scale. Malaysia consumes about RM140 million worth of chilies each year.

Malay and Indonesian proverb

This chili is commonly found in Malaysian and Indonesian markets sold alongside the larger chili. As the small chili turns out to be hotter than the larger counterpart, this often surprises people that don't expect such a small chili would pack a very hot taste. This is the source of the Malay proverb "Kecil-kecil cili padi" and Indonesian proverb "Kecil-kecil cabe rawit", which refers to something small in size or stature that contains something unexpected for its size.

source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_pepper

Combro

2008-11-30T19:35:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

500 gram grated cassavas
250 gram grated young coconut
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Filling

2 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoon chopped shallot
200 gram oncom
sugar, salt & pepper
2 tablespoon chopped celery

Cooking Direction

mix grated cassava, grated young coconut and salt. Mix well, set aside.
heat oil on a skillet, saute chopped shallot and garlic for a moment. Add oncom, stir well.
Pour 1/2 glass of water into the skillet, add celery, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir well until cooked.
take 2 tablespoon of mixed cassava, fill it with filling ingredient, close and tighten in an oval shape
Deep fried until golden brown
Served hot

Lamb Satay with Spicy Soy Sauce (Sate Kambing Bumbu Kecap)

2008-11-30T19:14:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1/2 kg lamb chop, diced 2 cm

1 piece of papaya's leaf

wooden skewers

1 teaspoon of minced K-lime leaves

1 tablespoon of grinded shallots

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1 tablespoon of K-lime juice

2 tablespoon of sweet soy sauce

Spicy Sweet Soy Sauce

sweet soy sauce, desired amount

thai chili, desired amount

3 cloves shallot, sliced

1/4 teaspoon pepper powder

2 piece of K-lime

mix all ingredients, stir well, set aside.

Cooking Direction

wrap chopped lamb meat inside papaya's leaf to tendering the meat. Wrap for 1 hour

after 1 hour, mix meat with minced k-lime leaves, grinded shallots, pepper, k-lime juice and sweet soy sauce. Marinade for 15 minutes.

Thread 5 pieces of meat onto wooden skewers.

Grill satay until cooked

served with spicy sweet soy sauce and rice/ketupat.

Rendang

2008-11-27T19:53:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 kg beef meat. Choose meat that contain fiber in it. Chopped
20 cloves of shallot
15 cloves of garlic
250 gram fresh red chili
5 cm fresh turmeric
5 cm fresh ginger
5 cm fresh galangale
3 pieces of smashed lemon grass
4 salam leaves
1 liter of coconut milk
500 gr of baby potatoes, washed and cleaned ( don't peel it (optional))

Cooking direction

grind shallots, garlic, red chili, turmeric, ginger and galangale in a mortar. You can use blender and blend all ingredients if you don't have a mortar.
cook coconut milk in a pot with high flame, add blended ingredients. Add salam leaves, lemon grass and salt, stir well.
keep stirring until boiled, wait 10-15 minutes.
add baby potatoes, cook for 10 minutes then add meat.
cook until the meat well cooked, then low the heat until medium heat.
stir once in 5 minutes.
after all the water dried and the oil is came out low the heat (low heat)
When all ingredients well cooked you can served it, but some recipe made rendang padang that cooked until all water cooked up and dried.
cook for 2-3 hours for more black and dried rendang.
Serve with rice or ketupat.

FOOD DICTIONARY: KETUPAT

2008-11-27T19:32:00.000-08:00

Ketupat (not to be confused with Lontong) is a type of dumpling from Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines (where it is known by the name Patupat in Kapampangan. Puso in Cebuano, or Ta'mu in Tausug), made from rice that has been wrapped in a woven palm leaf pouch which is then boiled. As the rice cooks, the grains expand to fill the pouch and the rice becomes compressed. This method of cooking gives the ketupat its characteristic form and texture of a rice dumpling. Ketupat is usually eaten with rendang (a type of dry beef curry) or served as an accompaniment to satay. Ketupat is also traditionally served by Indonesians, Moros and Malays at open houses on festive occasions such as Idul Fitri (Hari Raya Aidilfitri). During Idul Fitri in Indonesia, ketupat is often served with chicken curry, accompanied with spicy soy powder. Among Filipinos, puso is also traditionally used as a pabaon or a mobile meal, traditionally brought by workers as a type of packed lunch, served with any selection of stews.

There are many varieties of ketupat, with two of the more common ones being ketupat nasi and ketupat pulut. Ketupat nasi is made from white rice and is wrapped in a square shape with coconut palm leaves while ketupat pulut is made from glutinous rice is usually wrapped in a triangular shape using the leaves of the fan palm (Licuala). Ketupat pulut is also called "ketupat daun palas" in Malaysia.

In Indonesia, ketupat sometimes boiled in thin coconut milk and spices to enhance the taste.

Local stories passed down through the generations have attributed the creation of this style of rice preparation to the seafarers' need to keep cooked rice from spoiling during long sea voyages. The coco leaves used in wrapping the rice are always shaped into a triangular form and stored hanging in bunches in the open air. The shape of the package facilitates moisture to drip away from the cooked rice while the coco leaves allow the rice to be aerated and at the same time prevent flies and insects from touching it.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketupat

Ketupat

2008-11-27T19:07:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Rice, washed and cleaned
Ketupat casing

Cooking Direction:

Boil a lot of water in a pot
fill 1/4 ketupat casing with rice. For a firm ketupat, fill 1/3 ketupat casing with rice
Boil for 3-4 hour until cooked. Add more water if the amount of water decreasing.
Serve

Tips
You can also make ketupat from perforated food plastic instead of ketupat casing. But, Ketupat casing is more advisable since it made from young coconut leaves.

SPICE DICTIONARY: K-LIME (Jeruk Purut)

2008-11-23T20:10:00.000-08:00

The kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix DC., Rutaceae), also known as kieffer lime and limau purut is a type of lime native to Indonesia and Malaysia, commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine, and widely grown worldwide as a backyard shrub.

The kaffir lime is a rough, bumpy green fruit that grows on very thorny bush with aromatic and distinctively shaped "double" leaves. It is well suited to container growing. The green lime fruit is distinguished by its bumpy exterior and its small size (approx. 4 cm wide).

Naming

Other names for Citrus x hystrix:

Burma: shauk-nu, shauk-waing
Cambodia: krauch soeuch
China: (檸檬葉) ning meng ye (Mandarin), fatt-fung-kam (Cantonese), thai-ko-kam (Hokkien/Minnan)
Malaysia: limau purut
Indonesia: jeruk purut, jeruk limo, jeruk sambal
Philippines: swangi
Sri Lanka: kahpiri dehi, odu dehi, kudala-dehi
Thailand: makrud, som makrud
Laos: makgeehoot

The Oxford Companion to Food (ISBN 0-19-211579-0) recommends that the name kaffir lime should be avoided in favor of makrud lime because kaffir is an offensive term in some cultures, and also has no clear reason for being attached to this plant. (For this reason, some South Africans refer to the fruit as K-lime.) However, kaffir lime appears to be much more common.

Uses

Its hourglass-shaped leaves (comprising the leaf blade plus a flattened, leaf-like leaf-stalk or petiole) are widely used in Thai cuisine (for dishes such as tom yum), Lao cuisine, and Cambodian cuisine, for the base paste known as "Krueng". The leaves are also popular in Indonesian cuisine (especially Balinese and Javanese), for foods such as sayur asam - literally sour vegetables, and are also used along with Indonesian bay leaf for chicken and fish. They are also found in Malay and Burmese cuisines.

The leaves can be used fresh or dried, and can be stored frozen.

The juice and rinds of the kaffir lime are used in traditional Indonesian medicine; for this reason the fruit is sometimes referred to in Indonesia as jeruk obat - literally "medicine citrus". The oil from the rind also has strong insecticidal properties.

The zest of the fruit is widely used in creole cuisine and to impart flavor to "arranged" rums in the Reunion island and Madagascar.

In Popular Culture

In the 2007 motion picture No Reservations, Catherine Zeta-Jones' character (Kate, a chef) uses kaffir lime leaves as the secret ingredient in her saffron sauce recipe.
Smirnoff makes a ready-to-drink mojito flavored with Kaffir lime.
MolsonCoors produces Blue Moon Rising Moon beer, flavored with kaffir lime leaves.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffir_lime

SPICE DICTIONARY: CORIANDER (Ketumbar)

2008-11-23T19:46:00.000-08:00

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), also commonly called cilantro, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Coriander is native to southwestern Asia west to north Africa. It is a soft, hairless plant growing to 50 cm [20 in.] tall. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems. The flowers are borne in small umbels, white or very pale pink, asymmetrical, with the petals pointing away from the centre of the umbel longer (5-6 mm) than those pointing to the middle of the umbel (only 1-3 mm long). The fruit is a globular dry schizocarp 3-5 mm diameter.

The name coriander derives from French coriandre through Latin “coriandrum” in turn from Greek “κορίαννον”. John Chadwick notes the Mycenaean Greek form of the word, koriadnon "has a pattern curiously similar to the name of Minos' daughter Ariandne, and it is plain how this might be corrupted later to koriannon or koriandron."

Uses

All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the most commonly used in cooking. Coriander is commonly used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian, South Asian, Latin American, Chinese, African and Southeast Asian cuisine.

Leaves

The leaves are variously referred to as coriander leaves, cilantro (in the United States and Canada, from the Spanish name for the plant), dhania (in the Indian subcontinent, and increasingly in Britain), kindza (in Georgia), Chinese parsley or Mexican parsley. The leaves have a very different taste from the seeds, similar to parsley but "juicier" and with citrus-like overtones. Some people perceive an unpleasant "soapy" taste and/or a rank smell. Contrary to popular opinion, there is no evidence that there is a genetic basis to this taste perception; instead, it appears to be linked to exposure. The leaves spoil quickly when removed from the plant, and lose their aroma when dried or frozen.

The fresh leaves are an essential ingredient in many South Asian foods (particularly chutneys) and Mexican salsas and guacamole. Chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such as dal and many curries. As heat diminishes their flavour quickly, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish right before serving. In some Indian and Central Asian recipes, coriander leaves are used in large amounts and cooked until the flavour diminishes.)

Coriander leaves were formerly common in European cuisine but nearly disappeared before the modern period. Today western Europeans usually eat coriander leaves only in dishes that originated in foreign cuisines, except in Portugal, where it is still an essential ingredient in many traditional dishes.

Fruit

The dry fruits are known as coriander seeds or coriandi seeds. In some regions, the use of the word coriander in food preparation always refers to these seeds (as a spice), rather than to the plant itself. The seeds have a lemony citrus flavour when crushed, due to the presence of the terpenes linalool and pinene. It is also described as warm, nutty, spicy, and orange-flavoured. They are usually dried but can be eaten green.

It is commonly found both as whole dried seeds and in ground form. Seeds can be roasted or heated on a dry pan briefly before grinding to enhance and alter the aroma. Like most spices, ground coriander seed loses its flavour quickly in storage and is best when ground as needed. For optimum flavour, whole coriander seed should be stored in a tightly sealed container away from sunlight and heat.

Coriander seed is a key spice (Hindi name: धनिया dhania) in garam masala and Indian curries, which often employ the ground fruits in generous amounts together with cumin. It also acts as a thickener. Roasted coriander seeds, called dhana dal, are also eaten as a snack. It is also the main ingredient of the two south Indian gravies: sambhar and rasam.

Outside of Asia, coriander seed is an important spice for pickling vegetables, and making sausages in Germany and South Africa (see boerowors). In Russia and Central Europe coriander seed is an occasional ingredient in rye bread as an alternative to caraway. Apart from the uses just noted, coriander seeds are uncommonly used in European cuisine today, though they were more important in former centuries.

Coriander seeds are also used in brewing certain styles of beer, particularly some Belgian wheat beers. The coriander seeds are typically used in conjunction with orange peel to add a citrus character to these styles of beer.

Roots

Coriander roots are used in a variety of Asian cuisine. They are commonly used in Thai dishes.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander

SPICE DICTIONARY: CARAWAY (Jintan)

2008-11-23T19:32:00.000-08:00

Caraway or Persian cumin (Carum carvi) is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to Europe and western Asia.

The plant is similar in appearance to a carrot plant, with finely divided, feathery leaves with thread-like divisions, growing on 20–30 cm stems. The main flower stem is 40–60 cm tall, with small white or pink flowers in umbels. Caraway fruits (erroneously called seeds) are crescent-shaped achenes, around 2 mm long, with five pale ridges.

The plant prefers warm, sunny locations and well-drained soil.

Cultivation and uses

The fruits, usually used whole, have a pungent, anise-like flavor and aroma that comes from essential oils, mostly carvone and limonene. They are used as a spice in breads especially rye bread, which is denser because of the yeast-killing properties of the essential oil, limonene. Caraway is also used in liquors, casseroles, and other foods, especially in Central European and Northern European cuisine, for instance sauerkraut. It is also used to add flavor to cheeses such as havarti. Akvavit and several liqueurs are also made with caraway. A carminative, a tisane made from the seeds is used as a remedy for colic, loss of appetite and digestive disorders and to dispel worms. Caraway seed oil is also used as a fragrance component in soaps, lotions, and perfumes.

The roots may be cooked as a root vegetable like parsnips or carrots.

In one of the short stories in Dubliners by James Joyce, a character eats caraway fruits to mask the alcohol on his breath.

Similar herbs

Caraway thyme has a strong caraway scent and is sometimes used as a substitute for real caraway in recipes.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caraway

SPICE DICTIONARY: ALPINA GALANGA (Lengkuas/Laos)

2008-11-23T19:21:00.000-08:00

Alpinia galanga, a plant in the ginger family, is an herb used in cooking, especially in Indonesian cuisine and Thai cuisine. It is one of four plants known as galangal, and is differentiated from the others with the common name greater galangal. The galangals are also called blue ginger or Thai ginger.

A. galanga is called laos in Indonesian and is the most common form of galangal used in cooking. It is also known as Langkwas and galanga root.

Description

The plant grows from rhizomes in clumps of stiff stalks up to two meters in height with abundant long leaves which bears red fruit. It is native to South Asia and Indonesia. It is cultivated in Malaysia, Laos, and Thailand. A. galanga is the galangal used most often in cookery. The robust rhizome has a sharp, sweet taste and smells like a blend of black pepper and pine needles. The red fruit is used in traditional Chinese medicine and has a flavor similar to cardamom.

Culinary uses

The rhizome is a common ingredient in Thai soups and curries, where is used fresh in chunks or thin slices, mashed and mixed into curry paste, or dried and powdered. Indonesian rendang is usually spiced with galangal. Greater galangal is used in Russia as a flavoring for beverages, including a liqueur called nastoika.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpinia_galanga

Sate Padang (Padang Satay)

2008-11-23T18:53:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

250 gram sirloin/tenderloin meat (beef)
1 beef heart (optional)
1 beef tongue (optional)
3 smashed lemon grass
1 turmeric leaf, divided into 3 parts
4 K-lime leaves
75 gram rice powder, dissolve with a little amount of water
1 1/2 tablespoon of starch, dissolve with a little amount of water
500 ml water
wooden skewers

Grind Ingredients

10 cloves of shallots
6 cloves of garlic
2 pieces of small chili/jalapeño
1 tablespoon of roasted coriander
1 teaspoon of roasted caraway
5 cm fresh turmeric
4 cm fresh ginger
2 cm fresh galanga root
Salt & pepper

Grind all ingredients in a mortar

Compliment

Ketupat
Fried onion

Cooking Direction

Satay Meat

Cook meat, beef heart & beef tongue in a boiled water, add grind ingredients, turmeric leaves, lemon grass & K-lime leaves. Cook until all spices well mixed and all meat cooked
Set aside beef meat, heart & Tongue, drained and diced. (you can also slice the meat into thin slice)
Thread 5 diced meat onto skewers, grill for a moment.

Gravy

preheat the leftover beef stock and thicken it with rice powder and starch that had been mixed with water.
Cooked until all ingredients well mixed
Serve satay with ketupat and its gravy, spread with fried union, Served Hot

Pepes Ayam

2008-11-20T21:45:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

500 gr chicken
lemon juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoon of cooking oil
2 pieces of red chili, sliced
2 pieces of lemon grass, sliced 10 cm
4 pieces of salam leaves
lemon basil
banana leaf for wrapping

Tips: you could change banana leaf with alumunium foil, but, the special fragrance in banana leaf made pepes even more tastier

Grinded Ingredients

4 cloves of garlic
4 cloves of shallot
3 piece of red chili
5 piece of candlenut
1 cm fresh ginger
2 cm of galangale
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt

Grind all ingredients in a mortar

Cooking Direction

Chop chicken, washed, smear with lemon juice, and marinade for 15 minutes. set aside.
smear chicken with grinded ingredients
Wrapped chicken in banana leaves, smear grinded ingredients, add salam leaves, lemon grass, lemon basil and galangale. add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil.
Wrapped tightly and steam for 30 minutes in medium heat.
Served hot with cooked rice

SPICE DICTIONARY: KEMANGI (Lemon Basil)

2008-11-20T21:35:00.000-08:00

Ocimum × citriodorum) is a hybrid between basil (Ocimum basilicum) and African basil (Ocimum americanum)

It is an herb grown primarily in northeastern Africa and southern Asia, for its strong fragrant lemon scent is used in cooking.

Lemon basil has stems that can grow to 20-40 cm tall. It has white flowers in late summer to early fall. The leaves are similar to basil leaves, but tend to be narrower. Seeds form on the plant after flowering and dry on the plant.

Lemon Basil usually eaten as lalapan. The leaves had a typical strong lemon fragrance. Lemon Basil also one of the ingredients that used in Pepes.

source: http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kemangi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_basil

Pepes Ikan

2008-11-19T01:06:00.000-08:00

Pepes Ikan usually served with Timbel Rice and Sambal Terasi. But you can served it with cooked rice or plain mashed potato.

Ingredients

500 gr goldfish
Basil leaves
2 pieces of lemon grass
2 pieces of salam leaves
2 tablespoon of cooking oil
lime juices
banana leaves

Grinded Ingredients

3 piece of red chili
10 cloves of shallots
3 cloves of garlic
4 piece of candle nut
3 cm of fresh turmeric
1 tablespoon of salt

Grind all ingredients in a mortar.

Cooking Direction

marinade goldfish with lime juice, salt and pepper for 15 minutes.
Smear fish with grinded ingredients, put in a banana leaf, add basil, lemon grass and salam leaves. Wrapped.
steam with small flame for 5 hours
You can grilled after its cooked or just served it hot.

Lalapan

2008-11-19T00:44:00.000-08:00

,Lalapan were originally Sundanese food (West Java)as a compliment with Timbel Rice, sambal terasi, fried chicken, pepes, etc. Usually, Lalapan used fresh and uncooked green vegetables. But, Lalapan can be served cooked after being steamed or boiled.

Ingredients

Lettuce
String bean
cucumber
cabbage
basil leaves

Cooking Direction
Wash all vegetable, sliced, and served in a plate

Timbel Rice

2008-11-12T23:00:00.000-08:00

Timbel Rice were originally Sundanese cuisine. They served hot and wrapped in a banana leaf. The term Nasi Timbel Komplit is referred to Nasi Timbel that served with lalapan, sambal, and pepes ikan

Ingredients:

2 plates of rice
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 pieces banana leaf/alumunium foil

Cooking Direction:

Mix rice with salt, steam for 5 minutes
Stir up rice, set aside and wait for 1 minutes
Place rice over banana leaf or alumunium foil. You can add chopped meat, chicken or another side dish. Roll and wrapped.
Served warm.

SPICE DICTIONARY: KEMIRI (Candlenut)

2008-11-10T23:56:00.000-08:00

The candle nut is similar (though "rougher") in flavor and texture to the macadamia nut, which has a similarly high oil content. It is mildly toxic when raw.
The nut is often used cooked in Indonesian cuisine and Malaysian, where it is called kemiri in Indonesian or buah keras in Malay. In Java of Indonesia, it is used to make a thick sauce which is eaten with vegetables and rice.
Several parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicine in most of the areas where it is native. The oil is an irritant and purgative and sometimes used like castor oil. It is also used as a hair stimulant or additive to hair treatment systems. The seed kernels have a laxative effect. In Japan its bark has been used on tumors. In Sumatra, pounded seeds, burned with charcoal, are applied around the navel for costiveness. In Malaya, the pulped kernels or boiled leaves are used in poultices for headache, fevers, ulcers, swollen joints, and gonorrhea. In Java, the bark is used for bloody diarrhea or dysentery.
In ancient Hawai'i, the nuts, named kukui were burned to provide light. The nuts were strung in a row on a palm leaf midrib, lit one end, and burned one by one every 15 minutes or so. This led to their use as a measure of time. One could instruct someone to return home before the second nut burned out.
In Tonga, still nowadays, ripe nuts, named tuitui are pounded into a paste, tukilamulamu, used as soap or shampoo.
Candle nuts are also roasted and mixed into a paste with salt to form a Hawaiian condiment known as inamona. Inamona is a key ingredient in traditional Hawaiian poke. It's the Hawaiian state tree.
Dead wood of candlenut is eaten by a larva of a coleoptera called Agrionome fairmairei. This larva is eaten by some people.

Modern cultivation is mostly for the oil. In plantations, each tree will produce 30–80 kg of nuts, and the nuts yield 15 to 20% of their weight in oil. Most of the oil is used locally rather than figuring in international trade.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlenut

Pic Source: http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kemiri

Fried Banana

2008-11-10T23:03:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

6 pieces of Pisang Raja (Musa Belle)
100 gr rice powder
1 tablespoon of starch
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
75 ml of water
cooking oil

Cooking Direction:

Peel of the Banana, long sliced.
Mix rice powder, starch, salt, baking powder and water.
Dip banana into mixed ingredient.
Deep fried until well done
Served hot

Tips:
You could use another type of banana that is available in the market

Rica-Rica Roast Chicken (Ayam Panggang Rica-Rica)

2008-11-10T22:21:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 chicken, chop into 4 pieces
3 tablespoon of cooking oil
1 tablespoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
2 tablespoon of lime juice

Grind Ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic
4 cloves of shallots
8 pieces of red chili
2 cm of fresh ginger

grind all ingredients with mortar

Cooking Direction:

heat oil on a skillet. Saute all Grinded Ingredients until smells nice.
Saute chicken with all the spices.
Pour 100 ml water and lime juice.
Cooked for a bit. Set aside.
Roast chicken and smear it with leftover spices.
Serve with Leftover spices.

Tips:

Rica-Rica Roast Chicken had a hot flavor, so you can add or reduce the amount of chili that used for cooking.

Taliwang Roasted Chicken (Ayam Panggang Taliwang)

2008-11-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

Chicken, split in the chest.
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of lime juice
2 tablespoon of oil
1 teaspoon of sugar

Grind Ingredients

3 cloves of garlic
4 cloves of shallots
2 pieces of tomatoes
4 pieces red chili
1 teaspoon of shrimp paste

Grind all grind ingredients with mortar. Set aside.

Cooking Direction:

marinade chicken with salt and lime juice for 10-15 minutes.
smear chicken with oil. Roast chicken half done.
Saute Grind Ingredients in a skillet with oil.
Add salt, sugar and a little bit of water.
Smear chicken with Sauteed Spices, roast until well cooked
serve with leftover spices

SPICE DICTIONARY: PANDAN LEAF

2008-11-06T22:01:00.000-08:00

Pandan (P. amaryllifolius) leaves are used in Southeast Asian cooking to add a distinct aroma to rice and curry dishes such as nasi lemak, kaya ('jam') preserves, and desserts such as pandan cake. Pandan leaf can be used as a complement to chocolate in many dishes, such as ice cream. They are known as daun pandan in Indonesian and Malay; and (bān lán) in Mandarin. Fresh leaves are typically torn into strips, tied in a knot to facilitate removal, placed in the cooking liquid, then removed at the end of cooking. Dried leaves and bottled extract may be bought in some places.
"Kewra" is extract distilled from the Pandanus flower, used to flavor drinks and desserts in Indian cuisine.
Throughout Oceania almost every part of the plant is used, with various species different from those used in Southeast Asian cooking.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandanus

SPICE DICTIONARY: SERAI (Cymbopogon/Lemon Grass)

2008-11-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

Lemon grass is widely used as an herb in Asian cuisine. It has a citrus flavour and can be dried and powdered, or used fresh.

Lemon grass is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for poultry, fish, and seafood. It is often used as a tea in African and Latino-American countries (e.g., Togo, Mexico, DR Congo).

East-Indian Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), also called Cochin Grass or Malabar Grass, is native to Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka, Burma,and Thailand while the West-Indian lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), also known as serai in Malay, is assumed to have its origins in Malaysia. While both can be used interchangeably, C. citratus is more suited for cooking. In India C. citratus is used both as a medical herb and in perfumes.

source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymbopogon

Nasi Uduk

2008-11-06T21:16:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 kg of Rice
1,25 liter coconut milk
2 pieces of serai (lemon grass), smashed
2 pieces of salam leaves
6 pieces of pandan leaves
1 teaspoon of salt

Cooking Direction

Cook coconut milk, lemon grass, salam leaves and pandan leaves. Add rice, cook until coconut milk drained.
Stew for 1/2 hour until well cooked.
Serve with sliced omelet, chili, crackers and fried onion.

Fried Onion

2008-11-04T23:50:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 kg shallots, sliced
1 ltr water
1 tbsp salt

Cooking direction:

dissolve water and salt into a bowl. Marinade shallots with salt solution for 1/4-1/2 hour, drain.
Deep fried marinade shallot with medium heat until golden brown, set aside.
Drain from cooking oil with oil paper/paper. Save in a jar.

Tips:

Fried onion can be made from shallots, onion, or garlic. the best ingredient is fresh shallots and garlic.

SPICE DICTIONARY: GARLIC

2008-11-04T23:30:00.000-08:00

Garlic is widely used around the world for its pungent flavor, as a seasoning or condiment. It is a fundamental component in many or most dishes of various regions including Eastern Asia, South Asia, South-East Asia, the Middle-East, Northern Africa, Southern Europe, and parts of South and Central America. The flavour varies in intensity and aroma with cooking methods. It is often paired with onion, tomato or ginger. The parchment-like skin is much like the skin of an onion, and is typically removed before using in raw or cooked form. An alternative is to cut the top off the bulb, coat cloves of garlic by dribbling olive oil (or other oil based seasoning) over them and roast them in the oven. The garlic softens and can be extracted from the cloves by squeezing the (root) end of the bulb or individually by squeezing one end of the clove.
Oils are often flavored with garlic cloves. Commercially prepared oils are widely available, but when preparing garlic-infused oil at home, there is a risk of boyulism if the product is not stored properly. To reduce this risk, the oil should be refrigerated and used within one week. Manufacturers add acids and/or other chemicals to eliminate the risk of botulism in their products.

In some cuisine, the young bulbs are pickled for 3–6 weeks in a mixture of sugar, salt and spices. In Eastern Europe the shoots are pickled and eaten as an appetizer.
Immature scapes are tender and edible. They are also known as 'garlic spears', 'stems', or 'tops'. Scapes generally have a milder taste than cloves. They are often used in stir frying or prepared like asparagus. Garlic leaves are a popular vegetable in many parts of Asia. The leaves are cut, cleaned and then stir-fried with eggs, meat, or vegetables.

Mixing garlic with eggs and olive oil produces aioli. Garlic, oil, and a chunky base produce skordalia. Blending garlic, almond, oil and soaked bread produces ajoblanco.
About 1/4 teaspoon of dried powdered garlic is equivalent to one fresh clove.

Storage
Domestically, garlic is stored warm (above 18 °C or 64 °F) and dry, to keep it dormant (so that it does not sprout). It is traditionally hung; softneck varieties are often braided in strands called "plaits" or grappes. Garlic is often kept in oil to produce flavoured oil, however the practice requires measures to be taken to prevent the garlic from spoiling. Untreated garlic kept in oil at room temperature can support the growth of deadly Clostridium botulinum. Peeled cloves may be stored in wine or vinegar in the refrigerator
Commercially, garlic is stored at 0 °C, also dry.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic

SPICE DICTIONARY: SHALLOT (Bawang Merah)

2008-11-03T00:02:00.000-08:00

The term shallot is used to describe two different Allium species of plant. The French grey shallot or griselle, which has been considered to be the “true shallot” by many, is Allium oschaninii, a species that grows wild from Central to Southwest Asia. Other varieties of shallot are Allium cepa var. aggregatum (multiplier onions), also known as A. ascalonicum.

This ambiguity is further confused with scallions, also known as spring or green onions. In some countries, green onions are called shallots, and shallots are referred to by alternative names such as eschallot or eschalotte.

The shallot is a relative of the onion, and tastes a bit like an onion but has a sweeter, milder flavor. They tend to be more expensive than onions, especially in the United States, however they can be stored for at least 6 months.

Shallots are called 'bawang merah kecil' (small red onions) in Bahasa Melayu, an official language of Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore,also called Brambang in Java, and "hom" (หอม - literally "fragrant") in Thai. In South East Asian cuisines, such as Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian cuisines, both shallots and garlic ('bawang putih', white onions) are very often used as elementary spices. Raw shallot can also accompany cucumbers when pickled in mild vinegar solution. It is also often chopped finely, then fried until golden brown, resulting in tiny crispy shallot chips called 'bawang goreng' (fried onions) in Indonesian language, which can be bought ready-made from groceries and supermarkets. It enhances the flavor of many South East Asian dishes, such as fried rice variants. In Indonesia, sometimes it is made into pickle which is usually added in variable kinds of traditional food. Its sourness increases one's appetite.

It is widely used in the southern part of India. In Kannada language it is known as 'Eerulli' and used extensively in snacks, salads, curries and rice varieties. In Tamil it is called Sambar Vengayam and Kochulli in Malayalam and is used in Sambar (a type of curry) and different types of kuzhambu(curry).

Unlike onions where each plant normally forms a single bulb, shallots form clusters of offsets, rather in the manner of garlic.

Shallots are extensively cultivated and much used in cookery, in addition to being pickled. Finely sliced deep-fried shallots are used as a condiment in Asian cuisine.

Shallots are propagated by offsets, which, in the Northern Hemisphere are often planted in September or October, but the principal crop should not be planted earlier than February or the beginning of March. In planting, the tops of the bulbs should be kept a little above ground, and it is a commendable plan to draw away the soil surrounding the bulbs when their roots have taken hold. They should not be planted on ground recently manured. They come to maturity about July or August, although they can now be found year-round in supermarkets.

Similar to onions, raw shallots release chemicals that irritate the eye when sliced, resulting in tears. See onion for a discussion of this phenomenon.

Shallots appear to contain more flavonoids and phenols than other members of the onion family.

In Australia, the foodstuff industry has renamed a number of vegetables. The name shallot has been applied to scallions, normally called spring onions in Australia, and shallots have been renamed eschalotte. The term French shallot has also been used for Allium oschaninii.

There is a very specific region of shallot gardening in southeastern Ghana.

The name of the shallot derives from the name of the city of Ashkelon (Latin ‘Ascalon’) in ancient Canaan, in Italian its name is "scalogno".

Shallots in South East Asian Cooking

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallot

SPICE DICTIONARY: TURMERIC (Kunyit)

2008-11-02T23:41:00.000-08:00

In non-Indian recipes, turmeric is sometimes used as a coloring agent. It has found application in canned beverages, baked products, dairy products, ice cream, yogurt, yellow cakes, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn color, sweets, cake icings, cereals, sauces, gelatins, etc. It is a significant ingredient in most commercial curry powdwers.

Turmeric (coded as E100 when used as a food additive) is used to protect food products from sunlight. The oleoresin is used for oil-containing products. The curcumin/ polysorbate solution or curcumin powder dissolved in alcohol is used for water containing products. Over-coloring, such as in pickles, relishes and mustard, is sometimes used to compensate for fading.

In combination with annatto (E160b), turmeric has been used to color cheeses, yogirt, dry mixes, salad dressings, winter butter and margarine. Turmeric is also used to give a yellow color to some prepared mustards, canned chicken broths and other foods (often as a much cheaper replacement for saffron).

Turmeric is widely used as a spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. Momos (Nepali meat dumplings), a traditional dish in South Asia, are spiced with turmeric.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turmeric

Wedang Jahe

2008-11-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 liter of water
250 gr fresh ginger root, peeled, smashed
sugar/palm sugar/brown sugar

Cooking Direction

boil water along with ginger
add sugar/palm sugar/brown sugar
Cook for a few minutes
serve in hot or warm

Tips:
you can mix wedang jahe with milk to make ginger milk, or with tea to make ginger tea, serve hot for a cold day to warm up your body. hmmmm...yumm

SPICE DICTIONARY: GINGER (Jahe)

2008-11-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. They are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. They can also be stewed in boiling water to make ginger tea, to which honey is often added as a sweetener; sliced orange or lemon fruit may also be added. Mature ginger roots are fibrous and nearly dry. The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a spice in Indian recipes and Chinese cuisine to flavor dishes such as seafood or mutton and vegetarian recipes. Powdered dry ginger root (ginger powder) is typically used to add spiciness to gingerbread and other recipes. Fresh ginger can be successfully substituted for ground ginger and should be done at a ratio of 6 parts fresh for 1 part ground.

Ginger is also made into candy and used as a flavoring for cookies, crackers and cake, and is the main flavor in ginger ale-- a sweet, carbonated, non-alcoholic beverage, as well as the similar, but somewhat spicier beverage ginger beer which is popular in the Caribbean.

Fresh ginger should be peeled before using to cook. For storage, the ginger should be wrapped tightly in a towel and placed in a plastic bag, and can be stored in a refrigerator for about three weeks and up to three months if storing in a freezer.

Indonesia has a famous beverage that called Wedang Jahe, which is made from ginger and palm sugar; Indonesians also use ground ginger root, called jahe or djahe, as a frequent ingredient in local recipes.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger

Beef Satay

2008-09-18T22:45:00.003-07:00

Ingredients

500 gr sirloin/tenderloin meat, diced, 2 cm

200 ml of coconut milk

wooden skewers

Soften Spices

6 pieces of red chili

1/2 teaspoon of ketumbar

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 pieces of fresh tomato

salt

brown sugar

Blend all spices until all softens up

Cooking direction

mix coconut milk and soften spices. marinade the meat for 1 hour until all meat spice up.

Thread 5 piece of marinade meat onto each skewers, dipp into coconut milk, grill until well cooked. When grilling, always dipp the meat into coconut milk between grilling.

Serve when satay was still hot.

Tips

Ketumbar can be replaced with pepper or black pepper

Green Tea Orange

2008-09-18T22:45:00.002-07:00

Ingredients

45 ml orange juice
15 ml sugar syrup
180 ml thick green tea
Ice cube

Cooking Direction

put ice cube in the bottom of long glass. Pour orange juice, sugar and thick green tea slowly. Don't mix it.
Garnish with lime & cherry
Serve cold

Tips

Green tea can be replaced with black tea, or other tea.

Lovely Pink Mocktail

2008-09-18T22:45:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

3 pieces of fresh strawberry
50 gr of fresh pineapple
30 ml of mandarin orange juice
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream

Garnish

Pineapple slice

Cooking Direction

Blend all the ingredients into a blender. Pour into a mocktail glass.
Garnish with pineapple slice and serve cold.

Tips

For more fresh drinks, you can change mandarin orange juice with lime juice or lemonade.

Tropical Fruit Soup

2008-09-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

50 gr of red apple, diced
50 gr papaya fruit, diced
50 gr pineapple, diced
50 gr starfruit, diced
50 ml sugar syrup
50 ml soda water

Cooking Direction

Mix all ingredients
Pour into the soup or cocktail bowl
Garnish with cherry and serve cold

Tips:

You can use all the fruits that are available. Best fruit that can be used are fruits that contain a lot of water amout. Avoid banana or avocado.

Serve cold for a hot summer day. Extremely fresh!

Herbs to Add Flavor to Your Boring Food Without Gaining Weight by Lara Lee

2008-09-09T00:33:00.000-07:00

Herbs are an essential part of any cooking, the best benefit of herbs is they are low on fat, and make your bland food tasty. Below is a list of all the herbs which will spice up your food and make you stay on your diets longer.

Basil: is ideal for your salads, pasta sauces, and all your favorite Mediterranean dishes. Basil goes well with green vegetables, lamb and eggs.

Bay: is a tasty ingredient for soups, you can add this to any of your low fat soups.

Chives: it can add spice to your omelet's, rather than eating your omelets with a small sprinkle of black pepper add chives in it.

Dill: makes your chicken, fish, ,cheese and potato dishes yummy.

Mint: mint makes your drinks, soups, steaks great in taste, the mint flavor adds the refreshing element to your food.

Oregano: tastes great over those chicken stuffing's, poultry and compliments tomatoes really well.

Rosemary: is a good herb to add to your pork dishes.

Sage: is usually used with your duck, pork dishes for stuffing's and casseroles.

Thyme: are you a beef lover, try adding thyme to your beef steaks, stews, or your pasta sauces.

Parsley: has many benefits, it not only helps regular the hormonal imbalance in women, but also a great herb to lose weight and get rid of any impurities. So now you can add your parsley to your soups, salads, parsley can be added to your egg omelets, cheese, and fish. You can use it with eggs, fish, chicken and vegetables.

The herbs mentioned above are easily available at all super markets. You can get the processed packaged ones, or you can get them in their original form. For better taste try to get the naturally produced ones. Not will they give you the maximum taste, but they are without any processing so less chemicals.

About the Author

This article is written by Lara Lee, a prominent writer and editor for draro.com. Lara specializes in weight loss studies and reviews. For more information on a variety of popular weight loss plans, check out these weight loss reviews.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1111073

Bali Travel: The Undying Balinese Arts by Made Dertha

2008-09-05T15:36:00.000-07:00

The island of Bali is literally a very beautiful island situated under the equator in Indonesian Archipelago, is one of the most interesting and ultimate tourist destination in Asia. Since the first decade of the 20th century visitors have given to it several nicknames "Island of Gods" - "Island of thousand Temples" - "The Last Paradise" - and also often called "Island of Artist".

The spirit of creativity pervades everything in Balinese life, from the cultivation of the steeply-terraced rice field to the elaborate temple offerings of flowers and foods given to the gods at times of celebration. Dancing, playing the gamelan, painting and carving is as much a part of an ordinary day as working in the offices, in the fields or feeding livestock.

In ancient times, the people of the Indonesian Archipelago followed the ways of animism and ancestor worship. By around A.D. 600 however, Indian ideas and beliefs began to spread throughout Southeast Asia. Both Buddhism and Hinduism became active force on the islands of Sumatra and Java. When Islam gained control of Java in the 16th century, many Hindu princes, their followers and artisans fled to Bali. They established principalities on Bali.

The earliest art of Bali dates from this pre-Hindu era, including highly of decorative works of bronze, as well as skilled basketworks and weaving. During the Hindu era, the princes and their relatives were the patronage of the native arts of Bali, and also sustained by the guiding rituals of its religion. The palaces and temples, as political and religious center of the island, were also centers of the arts.

A prince would adorn his pavilions with the most exquisitely carved wood panels, paintings, silken materials, gilded umbrellas and would be entertained by gamelan music, dances and songs of poetical Kawi language. The opulence of the court - had its religious parallel in the lavish decoration and dances within the temples. So the courts and the temples have been receiving equal high performance in art.

This convergence of beauty and ritual explains why the arts have endured to such a great extent in Bali. Ritual demanded a continuous renewal of communion with the divine through temple celebrations. The people poured their artistic talents into preparations of these occasions. New offerings have to be made, new shrines constructed, new statues of stones and woods have to be carved, dances, music and dramas created and practiced. This kept carvers and masons constantly occupied creating new sculptures or retouching older ones.

The Balinese language has no words for "art" and "artist". In former times there had been no need for such definitions. Art was never considered a conscious production for its own sake. Rather, it was regarded as a collective obligation to make thing beautiful. And this was always done with a definite purpose: to create beauty in service to society and religion. Thus a "figure-maker" or "picture-maker" as well as a farmer or merchant, he was called upon when his skills were needed. He neither signed his name to his work, nor received money for his labor. His prime aim was to serve his community. As was true in the olden days, the majority of Bali's artists are highly skilled craftsmen who learned their trade by mastering the traditional forms inherited from their forefathers.

In the first decade of the 20th century, the Dutch took the island, and Bali entered a new era as a colony of the Netherlands. Western education, modern technology, magazines, and a steady tourist trade opened up a new world for many Balinese, and this widening of outlook was reflected in the arts. For the first time, craftsmen began to treat their work as art for art's sake, experimenting in new style, themes and media. With the arrival of the Western influence, the rigid conventions of the traditional style were no longer binding. Instead of illustrating stories from the great Hindu epics, some Balinese artists began to depict scenes of everyday life and nature in their work. The present art community has two criteria: (a) a work of art is praiseworthy in the eyes of fellow Balinese, or (b) it appeals to the foreign market and is sold.

To day the traditional and modern arts can be viewed at various places: Museum Bali in Denpasar presents a commendable survey of Balinese art from prehistoric times to the early 20th century and modern arts. Werdi Budaya Arts Center in Denpasar offers exhibitions and sales of local handicrafts and hand loomed fabrics. Tohpati for fine batiks. Celuk for silver and gold works. Mas for excellent woodcarvings. Ubud is the heart of arts and cultures, home of the most talented painters. And Klungkung for the traditional paintings and silver works.

So if you are interested in arts, do not hesitate to choose this enchanting island for your Bali Vacation. It also has very nice beaches, hotels, fabulous nature's views, friendly people and of course excellent foods. Go online and search your preferred Bali hotels or contact your reputable travel agent.

Ciao readers, my immense thank to you all.

About the Author

Made Dertha was an English and Italian tour guide for many years in Bali, writes for Bali Turista Tours where he is the Managing Director now. Bali Turista is focusing on Bali hotels and villas reservation. Just visit www.baliturismo.com

Source:

http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=109050

Five Recipes For Fish Soups by Jack Sands

2008-08-20T03:58:00.000-07:00

Fish stock. -----------
Ingredients:- 2 lbs. of beef or veal (these can be omitted), any kind of white fish trimmings, of fish which are to be dressed for table, 2 onions, the rind of 1/2 a lemon, a bunch of sweet herbs, 2 carrots, 2 quarts of water.
Mode:- Cut up the fish, and put it, with the other ingredients, into the water. Simmer for 2 hours; skim the liquor carefully, and strain it. When a richer stock is wanted, fry the vegetables and fish before adding the water.
Time. 2 hours.
Note. Do not make fish stock long before it is wanted, as it soon turns sour.
Crayfish soup. --------------
Ingredients:- 50 crayfish, 1/4 lb. of butter, 6 anchovies, the crumb of 1 French roll, a little lobster-spawn, seasoning to taste, 2 quarts of medium stock or fish stock.
Mode:- Shell the crayfish, and put the fish between two plates until they are wanted; pound the shells in a mortar, with the butter and anchovies; when well beaten, add a pint of stock, and simmer for 3/4 of an hour. Strain it through a hair sieve, put the remainder of the stock to it, with the crumb of the rolls; give it one boil, and rub it through a tammy, with the lobster-spawn. Put in the fish, but do not let the soup boil, after it has been rubbed through the tammy. If necessary, add seasoning.
Time. 1-1/2 hour.
Eel soup. ---------
Ingredients:- 3 lbs. of eels, 1 onion, 2 oz. of butter, 3 blades of mace, 1 bunch of sweet herbs, 1/4 oz. of peppercorns, salt to taste, 2 tablespoonfuls of flour, 1/4 pint of cream, 2 quarts of water.
Mode:- Wash the eels, cut them into thin slices, and put them in the stewpan with the butter; let them simmer for a few minutes, then pour the water to them, and add the onion, cut in thin slices, the herbs, mace, and seasoning. Simmer till the eels are tender, but do not break the fish. Take them out carefully, mix the flour smoothly to a batter with the cream, bring it to a boil, pour over the eels, and serve.
Time. 1 hour, or rather more.
Note. This soup may be flavoured differently by omitting the cream, and adding a little ketchup.
Lobster soup. -------------
Ingredients. 3 large lobsters, or 6 small ones; the crumb of a French roll, 2 anchovies, 1 onion, 1 small bunch of sweet herbs, 1 strip of lemon-peel, 2 oz. of butter, a little nutmeg, 1 teaspoonful of flour, 1 pint of cream, 1 pint of milk; forcemeat balls, mace, salt and pepper to taste, bread crumbs, 1 egg, 2 quarts of water.
Mode:- Pick the meat from the lobsters, and beat the fins, chine, and small claws in a mortar, previously taking away the brown fin and the bag in the head. Put it in a stewpan, with the crumb of the roll, anchovies, onions, herbs, lemon-peel, and the water; simmer gently till all the goodness is extracted, and strain it off. Pound the spawn in a mortar, with the butter, nutmeg, and flour, and mix with it the cream and milk. Give one boil up, at the same time adding the tails cut in pieces. Make the forcemeat balls with the remainder of the lobster, seasoned with mace, pepper, and salt, adding a little flour, and a few bread crumbs; moisten them with the egg, heat them in the soup, and serve.
Time. 2 hours, or rather more.
Oyster soup -1. -------------
Ingredients:- 6 dozen of oysters, 2 quarts of white stock, 1/2 pint of cream, 2 oz. of butter, 1-1/2 oz. of flour; salt, cayenne, and mace to taste.
Mode:- Scald the oysters in their own liquor; take them out, beard them, and put them in a tureen. Take a pint of the stock, put in the beards and the liquor, which must be carefully strained, and simmer for 1/2 an hour. Take it off the fire, strain it again, and add the remainder of the stock with the seasoning and mace. Bring it to a boil, add the thickening of butter and flour, simmer for 5 minutes, stir in the boiling cream, pour it over the oysters, and serve.
Time. 1 hour.
Note. This soup can be made less rich by using milk instead of cream, and thickening with arrowroot instead of butter and flour.
Oyster soup -2 --------------
Ingredients:- 2 quarts of good mutton broth, 6 dozen oysters, 2 oz. butter, 1 oz. of flour.
Mode:- Beard the oysters, and scald them in their own liquor; then add it, well strained, to the broth; thicken with the butter and flour, and simmer for 1/4 of an hour. Put in the oysters, stir well, but do not let it boil, and serve very hot.
Time. 3/4 hour.
Prawn soup. -----------
Ingredients:- 2 quarts of fish stock or water, 2 pints of prawns, the crumbs of a French roll, anchovy sauce or mushroom ketchup to taste, 1 blade of mace, 1 pint of vinegar, a little lemon-juice.
Mode:- Pick out the tails of the prawns, put the bodies in a stewpan with 1 blade of mace, 1/2 pint of vinegar, and the same quantity of water; stew them for 1/4 hour, and strain off the liquor. Put the fish stock or water into a stewpan; add the strained liquor, pound the prawns with the crumb of a roll moistened with a little of the soup, rub them through a tammy, and mix them by degrees with the soup; add ketchup or anchovy sauce to taste, with a little lemon-juice. When it is well cooked, put in a few picked prawns; let them get thoroughly hot, and serve. If not thick enough, put in a little butter and flour.
Time. 1 hour.

About the Author
To learn about dairy allergy and nut allergies, visit the Common Food Allergies site.

source:http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1076531

You Can Eat Healthy While Eating Out by Jan Richards

2008-08-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

If you go out to a restaurant to eat, you probably watch your calories very closely. To assist you with your calorie watching when dining out, these tips will help you make the most of it.

- Always order salad dressings or sauces on the side, as this way you have control over how much you add to your meal.

- When you order grilled fish or vegetables, you should ask that the food be grilled without butter or oil, or prepared with very little or either or. - Anytime you order pasta dishes, be on the lookout for tomato based sauces instead of the cream based sauces. Tomato based sauces are much lower in fat and calories, and tomato sauce can even be counted as a vegetable!

- You should always try to drink water, diet soda, or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain alcohol.

- If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half of the dessert will equal half of the calories.

- When you choose a soup, remember that cream based soups are higher in fat and calories than other soups. A soup can be a great appetizer, as most are low in calories and you fill you up pretty fast.

- When ordering a baked potato, ask for salsa instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or even bacon. Salsa is very low in calories and provides a healthy alternative with plenty of flavor and spice.

- When you are full, stop eating. Listen to your body and what it tells you.

- If you get full, take half of your meal home. The second portion of your meal can serve as a second meal later. This way, you get two meals for the price of one.

- If you're looking to eat less, order two appetizers or an appetizer and a salad as your meal.

- If you get a choice of side dishes, get a baked potato or steamed vegetables instead of french fries.

- Always look for food on the menu that's baked, grilled, broiled, poached, or steamed. These types of cooking use less fat in the cooking process and are usually much lower in calories. - Plain bread or rolls are low in both fat and calories. When you add the butter and oil, you increase the fat and calorie intake.

- As key ingredients to your meal, choose dishes with fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables are great sources of dietary fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals.

- Choose foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and dishes made with brown rice. - If you crave dessert, look for somthing with low fat, such as berries or fruit.

- Always remember not to deprive yourself of the foods you truly love. All types of foods can fit into a well balanced diet.

About the Author

Visit Cholesterol Guidelines to learn about normal cholesterol levels and high cholesterol foods.

source:http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1041564

Indonesian Traditional Foods by Sisca

2008-08-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

Your travel to Indonesia would not complete without having its traditional foods. Below are some of those foods you should not miss them when you come to that country.

Indonesia consists of many islands and many provinces. There are five big islands and more than thirty provinces altogether, and each provinces has its own unique traditional foods.

Jakarta, the capital city of the country, or as its original people called as Betawi, has Kerak Telor as its traditional food. This food can not be easy to find nowadays as Jakarta people like to flock to fast food restaurants and other modern foods which are scattered throughout the city. Kerak Telor would be easy to find on June and July when Jakarta celebrates its annyversary. The celebrations usually takes place at Kemayoran, and there will be many people selling Kerak Telor there. So, if you would like to try this Betawi traditional food, I would advise you to come to Kemayoran on June or July.

Another food from Betawi is Roti Buaya, made of bread in a crocodile shape. This Roti Buaya usually served at a Betawiâ€™s traditional wedding ceremony. Beside Kerak Telor and Roti Buaya, there are also Ketoprak, and Soto Betawi.

Bogor is a small town near Jakarta. Its unique traditional food is Asinan Bogor. In the contrary with Kerak Telor, you can almost find this food anytime you want. Just come to this town, ask people wherever they are, they will guide you to any place selling Asinan Bogor.

Empek-empek is another Indonesian traditional food from Palembang. This province is located in Sumatra Island. This food is so popular that you do not have to go across that island to try this one. There are many Palembang people in Jakarta or in other town selling this food.

Bandung, the capital city of West Java, has many unique traditional foods. Lalapan is one of them. Lalapan is fresh vegetables accompanied by sambal or you may also say spicy sauce. Many believe that Bandung people, usually called as Sundanese, would struggle living in a vegetarial garden because of this lalapan.

Other famous Bandung traditional foods are nasi timbel, comro, batagor, peuyeum, etc. Nasi timbel is rice wrapped in banana leaves, usually served with fried chicken, lalapan, and sambal or spicy sauce. Peuyeum, which is soft and tastes sweet, made of fermented sago. Batagor, also called as baso tahu goreng, is fried meatball and tofu with peanut sausage.

Gudeg is another traditional food which comes from Yogyakarta. Gudeg is made of young jackfruit which is cooked in Javanese traditional way. Like other Javanese foods, gudeg is rather sweety than salty. Other ingredients accompanying the young jackfruit are egg, tofu, and tempe. People usually eat gudeg together with warm rice and spicy krecek. If you have a chance to come to Yogyakarta, do not miss to try this food as Yogyakarta is also known as Kota Gudeg, means The City of Gudeg.

Nasi Rawon is traditional food from East Java. Nasi Rawon is rice served with dark beef soup. The dark color of the soup comes from seeds of kluwek nuts. Rendang or spicy beef comes from Padang, West Sumatra. Padang is famous for its spicy foods, and many of its foods use coconut milk as ingredient.

Another Indonesian traditional food is otak-otak. This food is made from steamed fish wrapped in banana leaves. You can find the great taste of otak-otak in Kota Serang. Beside otak-otak, Kota Serang is also famous for its Ikan Bandeng. Be sure to try them when visiting Kota Serang.

About the Author

Sisca Azma would like to dedicate this Indonesian traditional foods article to Anne Ahira. Visit my website at http://www.anneahira.serang.info

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=800978

Restaurants in Bali -- The best places to eat in the most popular Bali destinations by Matt Verbaan

2008-08-13T15:39:00.000-07:00

The restaurants in Bali offer culinary treats from all over the world: Balinese, Indonesian, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Europeanâ€¦you name it!

To make it a bit easier for you to choose from the many restaurants I have listed my favourite restaurants in the most popular destinations in Bali: Kuta, Sanur, Ubud and Lovina.

Kuta -- Tekor Bali Beachside Restaurant and CafÃ© Well actually this restaurant is not officially located in Kuta, but if you are staying there it is really close by. The Tekor Bali Restaurant is located in Legian, at Double Six with view over the beach and the terrific ocean.

We have become regulars of this seafood restaurant because the chef is able to create all kinds of dishes with the fresh fish that is caught that very same day. When glancing through the menu you can see that they have taken different influences from all around the world and combined it into one tasty dish. It is deliciousâ€¦

For non-seafood lovers there is a lot to choose from as well: from Italian to a good juicy steak. So everybody is able to enjoy the ocean breeze while having a high quality meal for a really reasonable price.

Sanur -- Piccadilly Circus Donâ€™t be taken back by its name, like we were the first time we saw it. I still donâ€™t know why the owner named it after the famous square in London but either wayâ€¦the food is definitely worth many return visits.

The restaurant serves all kinds of food, from Balinese or grilled seafood to delicious Italian pasta and pizza with home made sauce. The seafood spaghetti is one of the best, just as their seafood kebab. The dishes are beautifully displayed on the plates and the portions are more than average. So expect to have a full stomach when you leaveâ€¦

Besides food they serve a large selection of cocktails at the open air bar and on most nights there is live music. Definitely a great place to spend more time there after a delicious dinner.

Ubud -- CafÃ© Wayan Itâ€™s hard to choose which one our favourite restaurant is in Ubud, because there are just too many. So therefore I recommend the restaurant that not only has good food but a great setting as well. CafÃ© Wayan is located on the busy Monkey Forest Road, but once you enter you will find yourself in the middle of a beautiful garden.

Throughout the garden there are places to sit. Some areas are perfect for large groups, while others are more secluded and romantic with pillows to sit on.

Their menu offers a wide range of food from all over the world, so whatever you feel like they will probably serve it. The cafÃ© is also popular for their cakes such as the thick and smooth carrot cake or the death by chocolate. Well the last one doesnâ€™t need a lot of explaining, right?

Lovina -- Warung Bintang Bali This is one of those restaurants where there are always people eating, while in other restaurants itâ€™s still quite. Not surprisingly, considering their large menu with delicious Balinese, Western and seafood dishes. The location is also one of the best as you can eat while admiring the gorgeous sunsets of Lovina.

Be prepared to have a hard time choosing from the menu, because all the dishes sound so good. I highly recommend the nasi campur which is rice served with all kinds of dishes on the side. Here they serve it with grilled tuna, vegetable curry and sate.

Go to the Bintang Bali restaurant with an empty stomach because the dishes are huge and you will probably not be able to stop until the plate is emptyâ€¦itâ€™s that good!

About the Author

On his website Matt Verbaan loves to give you practical travel insights and tips about the beautiful life on this island. You can visit http://www.bali-travel-life.com/bali-culture.html and read more about his experiences of travelling to every corner of Bali.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1007810

Ayam Bakar Ojolali

2008-08-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

Jogja-style Mutton Stew / Tongseng
Must try this !!!

Oxtail Soup / Sup Buntut
one of those favorite Indonesian soup

Indonesian Sour Soup / Sayur Asem

Refreshingly Tangy Indonesian Soup

Location:

304 Orchard Road, Lucky Plaza #03-39 & #03-43
Singapore 238863
Tel 62 35 35 97
Open Daily 12pm - 9pm

Holidays in Bali - The Indonesian Paradise

2008-08-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Bali is a beautiful Indonesian island situated on the western side of Lesser Sunda Islands, in between Lombak and Java lying east and west side, respectively. This Indonesian island is one of the major and highly favourite tourist destinations, with its culture, beauty, beaches, music, paintings and rich art work.

Taman Ayun Temple Taman Ayun (beautiful garden) is a magnificent tourist spot built over a high table enclosed and bordered by ponds. The whole pond surrounding gives this temple a floating look, which attracts many tourist and visitors holidaying in Bali. The inside of the temple has merus, shrines and bales.

Bali Bird Park

When on a holiday in Bali with family you can always visit this tourist spot and have a great family time together. This bird park is stretched across an area of 2 hectares and has amazing variety to offer to tourist and visitors. When on a holiday in Bali, you can always check out the superb collection of over 1000 of species from across the world and some being the rarest ones.

Pura Besakih - Mother Temple

Situated high on the top of mount Agung, Pura Besakih is a collection of shrines with the core temple being the Mother temple. Spread across huge hectares of area, the temple acts as a major tourist spot and brings out the spiritual and cultural side of this Indonesian island to tourist and visitors. A must to visit place, Pura Besaikh is known to be the largest Hindu temple and witness huge amount of visitors and devotes. Ubud Monkey Forest

Rich with greenery, Ubud is a forest sanctuary which has a magnificent walking pavement surrounded by thick foliage. When holidaying in Bali, you can always enjoy this green tourist spot adding to the beauty of this Indonesian island. The forest is known for the huge presence of monkeys, Balinese macaques.

Goa Gajah

This tourist spot is an elephant cave situated in the valley on the outskirt of Ubud next to Bedulu. This 700 years old cave was revived in year 1920 and 30 years later it was unearthed completely. When holidaying in Bali you must not miss this ancient tourist spot with beautifully carved striking entrance, the place is surrounded by bathing pools like most of the Bali temples.

Beaches

Apart from various tourist spots available to cherish a holiday in Bali the major attraction comes in form of its beaches. This Indonesian island is known for it water and beach activities, resorts and fun. Some of the stunning beaches found in Bali are Sanur beach, Soka beach, Lovina beach, Medewi beach, Kuta beaches, Legian beach, Jimbaran and Nusa Dua.

Best time to visit or holiday in Bali

Known to have only two seasons, dry and wet, Bali can be visited any time of the year for a great holiday. But the best time to visit Bali is usually the months from April to September. If you are holidaying in Bali only for the beaches, then the best months to visit are June to August.

If you found this information useful you can find out more at http://www.last-minute-holidays.me.uk - You will be able to watch holiday videos as well as find out more about holiday destinations and a Last Minute Holidays.
Please feel free to republish this article provided a working hyperlink remains to our site - Simon Johnson

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_D_Johnson