Indonesian Style Grilled Chicken (Ayam Bekakak)

This is another grilled chicken which is well received by the kids and adults. It taste smoky sweet with lots of spices flavour. Instead of grilling the whole chicken till cooked, it is lightly simmered in a blend of spices and herbs sauce. Thereafter the chicken is drained from the thickened gravy and grill in griddle pan (I've used Happy Call Pan) till charred and golden.  Not too complicated to cook this dish, but just to take note the heat while grilling to prevent over charring....yah I almost burnt the whole chicken as I overlooked the timing ^0^""

Recipe source : Ilove.ICook.IBake

Ingredient

• 1 chicken, split the back, crushed lightly to flatten it
• 2 lemongrass stick, crushed lightly
• 2 bay leaves
• 2cm blue ginger, crushed lightly
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste, mixed with 2 tbsp water, discard the seeds
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 5 tbsp dark sweet soy sauce
• 500ml water

Spice :

• 6 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cm old ginger
• 2 cm yellow ginger
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp sugar

Method

1. Process spice ingredients in food processor till smooth.
2. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a deep pan, sauté spice paste till fragrant.
3. Add in lemongrass, bay leave, lime leaves and blue ginger and fry till fragrant.
4. Add in chicken, flip occasionally, cook briefly for 8 mins.
5. Add in water, kecap manis and bring to boil. Cook on medium heat till sauce thickens, flipping occasionally.
6. Remove chicken from pan and reserved the gravy.
7. To grill : Place chicken in Happy Call Pan, drizzle over some gravy. Lock pan and cook over medium heat till both sides are golden brown. Drizzle more gravy over the chicken after each time when flipping the pan.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest: Indonesia (Wendy from Wendyinkk.blogspot.sg), hosted by Alice from I Love. I Cook. I Bake(Link to HERE)   

Indonesian Fried Noodle (Mie Goreng Java)

Talking about instant noodle, one of my favourite brand should be Indomie Mee Goreng! Once in a while I will indulge a pack as a quick snack :P  While browsing recipe for this month Asian Food Fest : Indonesia, I found this homemade Indonesian Fried Noodle which tasted fantastic good! Love the peppery and nutty flavour with a tinge of sweetness. The first attempt I've forgotten to take into consideration the level of spiciness my kids can accept, I've added too much pepper and they had a hard time polishing off their plate of noodle. My hubby also commented too much pepper added >.<" Therefore the second attempt I've reduced the peppercorns used and it tasted much much better for all of us :D

Recipe source : NoRecipes with slight modifications
Ingredient

• 300gm dried egg noodles
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 candlenuts, presoaked
• 1 tbsp whole white pepper
• 250gm chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 180gm cabbage, thinly sliced
• 200gm bean sprouts
• 3 stalks spring onion, chopped
• 2 stalk chinese celery, chopped 
• 4 tbsp sweet dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 300ml chicken stock (dissolved 1 non-MSG stock cube in water)

Method

1. Cook dried egg noodles as per packaging instructions. Drain well and set aside.
2. Combine garlic, candlenut and pepper in a electric grinder and process till smooth.
3. Heat some oil in wok. Stir fry spice paste till fragrant over medium heat briefly.
4. Toss in chicken and stir to mix with the spice. 
5. Add sweet dark soy sauce & light soy sauce and mix well.
6. Add in chicken stock and cabbage. Bring to boil and cook for 2-3 minutes until cabbage is tender and liquid reduced slightly.
7. Add in noodles and stir evenly. Add in bean sprouts, spring onion and celery, mix well. Turn off heat.
8. Serve immediately with sambal chilli and lime at the sides.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest: Indonesia (Wendy from Wendyinkk.blogspot.sg), hosted by Alice from I Love. I Cook. I Bake(Link to HERE)   

Indonesian Style Steamed Chicken Rice (Nasi Tim Ayam)

Craving for chicken rice? Try this simplified version! The rice and chicken are lightly sautéed with butter and sesame together with some simple seasoning. Instead of using pre-packed stock, I simmered a pot of simple chicken stock for cooking the rice. Yes everything is simplified but it did not compromise the taste :D Result is a light and flavourful chicken rice but less oilier than the traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice :D 

Recipe source : ILove.ICooke.IBake
Ingredient
For the chicken :

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 500gm chicken breast, diced
• 1 can button mushroom, sliced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp pepper

For the rice :

• 2 cups rice, washed and drained
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

For the soup : Bring to boil and simmer for 2 hours, sieved

• 500gm chicken breast bone
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 tsp pepper

Method

1. Chicken : Heat butter and sesame oil. Fry onion and garlic till fragrant.
2. Add chicken and fry till meats turn white. Add in seasoning and mix well. Set aside.
3. Rice : Heat butter and sesame oil. Fry garlic till fragrant.
4. Add in rice and soy sauce and mix evenly. Add in chicken stock and cook in rice cooker as required till cook.
5. Prepare heat proof melamine bowls. (I've used disposable foil bowl)
6. Put some chicken mixture at the bottom of each bowl.
7. Add cooked rice on the top of the chicken till almost full.
8. Put bowls in the steamer and steam for 30 mins.
9. To serve....Unmould the chicken rice on a serving plate and serve with soup (I've added some chopped cabbage into the balanced stock and simmer for 30mins) at the side.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest: Indonesia (Wendy from Wendyinkk.blogspot.sg), hosted by Alice from I Love. I Cook. I Bake(Link to HERE)   

Indonesian Style Curry Puffs

This is my first time making curry puffs! The filling of this indonesian style curry puff is not the usual  spicy chicken/sardine which is commonly sold here. It has tanghoon (rice vermicelli) inside, along with some chicken meat, carrots and french beans...unusual isn't it? ^0^ and yes is not spicy too which is kids friendly. But I like some heat so I dip them with some sambal belacan! Yumz!!

Recipe source : ILove.ICook.IBake
Ingredient (12 curry puffs)
Dough :

• 125gm plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp chicken stock powder
• 20gm butter
• 30gm beaten egg
• 2 tbsp icy cold water

Filling:

• 2 shallots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp chopped parsley
• 150gm chicken breast, finely diced
• 100gm carrots, finely diced
• 50gm french beans, thinly sliced
• 25gm bean vermicelli, soaked till soft and cut into short strands
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp chicken stock powder
• 100ml water
• 2 hardboiled eggs, cut into 6 sections

Method

1. Dough : mix plain flour, salt and chicken stock powder together.
2. Add in butter and rub till mixture resembles crumbs.
3. Add in egg and water. Lightly knead till a soft dough is formed.
4. Cling wrap and rest the dough for 30mins before using.
5. Filling : Add 1 tbsp oil in pan, sauté shallot, garlic and parsley till fragrant.
6. Add in chicken and fry till opaque.
7. Add in carrots and french beans, stir fry for 2 mins.
8. Add in seasoning and water, simmer till liquid reduce.
9. Add in tanghoon and mix evenly. Turn off heat. Cool completely before using.
10. To wrap : Divide dough into 12 portions, approx 16gm each.
11. Roll out each dough into a thin round disc, spoon in some filling and a slice of egg. Fold up into a semi circle shape and seal the edge firmly. Plaits around the edges.
12. Heat oil on high heat. Slide in the puffs (in batches), off the heat for awhile. Wait till the skin forms bumps then turn on the fire again. Deep fry on medium heat till golden brown. 
13. Drain well on kitchen paper. Serve warm with sambal belacan at the sides.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest: Indonesia (Wendy from Wendyinkk.blogspot.sg), hosted by Alice from I Love. I Cook. I Bake(Link to HERE)   

Avocado Ice Pops (Es Lilin Alpukat)

You must have noticed that the local weather is terribly hot since starting of February.....where is the rain!!?? And this may drag till mid of March...goodness @.@ Nothing we can do about it, just have to drown our body with plenty of liquid and have lots of cold chilling desserts.  Today let me serve you some ice pops, hopefully will help  you chill down slightly ^0^

Recipe source : Cooking Tackle
Ingredient

• 1 medium size ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup condense milk
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup milk
• pinch of salt to taste

Method

1. With a sharp knife, cut the avocado lengthwise around the seed. Open the 2 halves, using the edge of the knife, twist the pit out of the avocado. Discard the pit and scoop out the avocado flesh.
2. In a blender, combine avocado flesh, condense milk, evaporated milk, fresh milk and salt, blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Transfer the mixture into a pouring container. Pour the mixture into a ice pop plastic bag tube, secure and tight up with a rubber band.
4. Freeze for about 3 hours before serving or until set depending on the size of the tubes.

Sweet Corn Ice Pops....Using the same recipe, I just replaced the avocado with 1 cup of cooked sweet corn kernels and created these sweet corn ice pops :D

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest: Indonesia (Wendy from Wendyinkk.blogspot.sg), hosted by Alice from I Love. I Cook. I Bake(Link to HERE)