Pepes Udang (Indonesian Steamed Shrimps)

By Dennis Sim,

These scrumptious shrimps are steamed with fresh herbs and spices in banana leaves or foil wrap, which makes for a healthy and colorful meal. Even if you reduce the amount of salt used, this dish will be tantalizing and enjoyed by all.

(This recipe serves 4)


Ingredients:

* 1 ¼ lb large fresh shrimps
* 3 sliced medium-sized fresh red chilies
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 medium eggs
* 2 stalks spring onions
* ½ cup curry leaves or basil leaves
* 1 large piece of banana leaf and/or aluminum foil wrap
* ½ cup cilantro for garnishing
* Salt to taste


Preparation:

1. Using a pair of sharp scissors, trim off the sharp end of the shrimp heads. This will prevent your fingers and hands getting pricked by the sharp shrimp head during your meal. Cut off as much of the shrimp legs as possible without damaging the body.
2. Spring onions – Use only the green part of the spring onions. Cut them into ¼ inch lengths.
3. Beat the eggs up in a bowl together with the spring onions and basil or curry leaves. Add one tsp of salt to the mixture.

Cooking:

1. Preheat a steamer on high temperature.
2. Lay the banana leaf on a large piece of aluminum foil. Put this on a casserole dish or a plate which is at least 2 inches deep. The banana leaf adds extra flavor, but it is not necessary if you cannot find any banana leaves, in which case just use the foil wrap. Some banana leaves tend to leak, so the foil wrap keeps the juices in close contact with the shrimps, which enhances the taste of the shrimps. The foil wrap will also save you some washing!
3. Place the shrimps on the banana leaf or foil wrap. Pull the foil wrap up on all sides, so that it looks like a little boat. Do not close the foil completely at the top.
4. Spoon the mixture of eggs, spring onions and basil/curry leaves over the shrimps. Make sure that this egg mixture covers all the shrimps, as much as possible.
5. Steam the shrimps on high heat for 15 minutes or until they turn pink and the flesh is firm.
6. Serve the shrimps in a serving dish. Make sure all the juices and egg bits from the dish are poured over the shrimps before serving. Add some cilantro for garnishing.
7. Enjoy these shrimps with Indonesian fried rice or plain white rice and some fried vegetables or salad.

Content and image source:
http://southeastasianfood.about.com/od/entreesmainco5/r/IndonSteamShrim.htm

Ayam Goreng Balado (Padang Balado Style Fried Chicken)

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp tamarind water
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 8-10 large red chilies, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• pinch turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 6 shallots or 2 onions, thinly sliced
• vegetable oil for deep-frying
• 1 tsp salt
• 2-1/2 to 3-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

How To:

1. To make the marinade, mix together the tamarind water, turmeric, salt, coriander, and pepper in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces, and marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. To make the chili sauce, in a frying pan fry the chiles and shallots or onions in the oil, stirring continuously, for about 5-6 minutes. Add the salt. Set aside.
3. Drain the chicken from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Deep-fry the chicken, a few pieces at a time, until the skin is golden brown and the bones are crisp. Put all the fried chicken in a large bowl and pour the chile sauce over it. Using two large spoons, turn the chicken pieces over and over until they are evenly coated.
4. This dish should be eaten with the fingers, either as a snack or as a main course with fried rice or fried noodles.

Content source:
http://www.recipehound.com/Recipes/3432.html

Image source:
http://blog-food.blogspot.com

Pallu Mara (Yellow Tamarind Fish Soup)

Pallu Mara is traditional dish from Makassar, my hometown... :)

It's Delicious...


Ingredients:

• 1 fish or fish steaks weighing 2 kg (4.5 lb)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 10 red chillis
• 8 shallots or 2 onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• A piece of root ginger or 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1.5 cups tamarind water
• Salt

How to:

1. Clean the fish and rub it with the turmeric and salt.
2. Seed the chillis and cut them lengthwise into two.
3. Slice the shallots (or onion), garlic and ginger.
4. Put the garlic and ginger with half the sliced shallots and five chillis at the bottom of your fish pan.
5. Lay the fish or fish steaks on top of these.
6. Put the remaining chillis, shallots, garlic and ginger on top of the fish, and pour the tamarind water over everything.
7. If you are using ginger powder, disolve this in the tamarind water first. Add some more salt. Cover the pan and cook slowly for 40 to 50 minutes.
8. Shake the pan gently from time to time and make sure the fish is not burnt.
9. You can add a little more water during cooking if you think the fish is becoming too dry and is in danger os burning. This fish should be served the next day, cold.
10. Remove the solids that have been cooked with it, put it in a serving-dish and garnish with sliced tomatoes.

Content source:
http://all-food-recipes.info

Image source:
http://www.ihsmakassar.com/news/mar200513c.htm

Gulai Kepala Ikan (Fish Head Curry)

Ingredients:
1 (850g) Fish Head, cut into 2-4 pieces
2 tbsp Desiccated coconut, roasted, pounded
3 tbsp Oil
1 stalk Lemon grass, bruised
1 Pandan leaf, torn, knotted
750 cc Coconut milk from 1 coconut
5 Carambolas, halves
10 Salam leaves or bay leaves as substitute
Lime juice and salt



Spices (ground)

• 10 Dried red chilies
• 1/2 tbsp Chopped turmeric
• 1/2 tbsp Chopped ginger
• 7 Shallots
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbsp Coriander, roasted
• 1/2 tsp Cumin, roasted
• 1/4 Aniseed, roasted
• 1 tsp Peppercorns, roasted
• 1 tbsp Dried Carambola
• Salt

Method :

1. Rub the fish head with lime juice and salt, and let it stand for 1/2 hour.
2. Drain, then rub the fish head with pounded coconut.
3. Heat oil and sauté ground spices, lemon grass and pandanus leaf until fragrant, then add coconut milk.
4. Allow to simmer.
5. Add fish head and carambolas, and bring to the boil.
6. Stir from time to time, then add salam leaves.
7. Simmer until the fish is cooked and the gravy is a little oily.
8. Serve hot.

Note : If there are no dried carambolas available, use 1/2 teaspoon tamarind juice.

Content source:
http://www.asianonlinerecipes.com

Image source:
http://warunglele.com

Terang Bulan / Martabak Manis (Sweet Martabak) (Indonesian Sweet Pancakes)

Martabak manis is a popular snack in Indonesia. In Jakarta and West Java, Indonesia, these sweet, thick pancakes are known as "martabak manis" ("sweet martabak"). Other Indonesians call the pancakes as "terang bulan" or "kue pinang bangka". These pancakes are also known as "apam balik" in Malaysia.

Usually made by street vendors in the evening, martabak manis are pan-cooked in a very large amount of shortening. A thin batter is poured into a specially shaped pan. After cooking, the pancake is ready to be topped: often with cheese, and/or shortening, and/or chocolate, and/or peanuts.

(source: http://users.tpg.com.au/stanolin/recipes/terangbulan.html)

Ingredients for wrapper:
230 gr Self-raising flour
20 gr Tapioca Flour
375 ml Warm Milk
150gr Sugar
2 Eggs
1 pack Fermipan (instant yeast/ragi, 1 pack=11 gr)
1 tsp Baking powder


Fillings:
Sweet Condensed Milk
Sugar
Chocolate sprinkle
Shredded tasty cheese
Coarse Ground Peanuts (optional)
Margarine


Directions:

1. Mix self-raising flour, tapioca flour and sugar.
2. Mix yeast with warm milk, stir well. Add into the flour mixture and stir until well combine.
3. Add in the eggs one by one while stirring continuously until well combine.
4. Close the mixture using warm wet tea towel and put it in warm place (or in warm oven) for about 20 minutes until it is bubbling on top.
5. Divide the mixture into four. Heat a teflon skillet (20 cm diameter) with low heat, grease the skillet with margarine. Pour in one part of the mixture. Put on the lid (best using glass lid as you could see what happen inside). Cook for about 10 minutes or until the top full with holes and dry. Sprinkle some sugar, put on the lid for 5 seconds and take it away from the heat.
6. Take out from the skillets and put onto a flat surface, grease the top with some margarine. Drizzle with sweet condensed milk, sprinkle with coarse ground peanuts, shredded cheese, chocolate sprinkle. Fold into half circle, spread the outside skin with margarine again and cut into 8 pieces.

Recipe source:
http://users.tpg.com.au/stanolin/recipes/terangbulan.html

Image source:
http://www.pbase.com/archiaston/image/73753317

Ayam Bumbu Rujak (Mixed Spicy Chicken)

Two words : Delicious and Spicy...

Ingredients:

* 3½ lb. young chicken, cut into frying pieces
* ¼ cup sliced shallots
* 3 cloves garlic, sliced
* 2 tsp. crushed dried red hot chili
* 5 candlenut, crushed
* 1/8 tsp. turmeric
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. sugar
* 2 cups coconut milk
* 1 Tbs. Vegetable oil
* 1 thick slice ginger
* 1 stalk lemon grass

Instructions:

1. Blend the shallots, garlic, chili, candlenut, salt and sugar with ¼ cup of the coconut milk into a paste.
2. Heat the oil in a wok and sauté the paste for a minute or two until you can smell the aroma.
3. Place the chicken, ginger and lemon grass into the wok and stir fry for five minutes or more over medium heat. Then add the rest of the coconut milk, and let it cook for forty five minutes, stir the chicken frequently.
4. It is ready to be served if the sauce is somewhat thickened and the chicken should be tender.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Content source:
http://www.melroseflowers.com

Image source:
polkadot.blogs.friendster.com

Martabak Telor (Deep Fried Beef Rolls)

Martabak actually originates from India, but Indonesians have their own style, check it out:
Dough:
* 450g plain flour
* 175cc water
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 tbsp frying oil

Ingredients:
* 120cc oil
* 4 cloves garlic
* 750g minced beef
* 2 shallots
* 1 onion
* 2 tbs chopped chinese celery leaves
* 1 tbs curry powder
* 4 eggs
* 1 leek, halved lengthwise and sliced
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp pepper


Dough:

1. Mix all the dough ingredients and knead them into an oily elastic dough.
2. Cover in a plastic wrap and leave in room temperature for 2 hours.
3. Divide the dough into four and roll each piece into a ball. Roll them out with lightly oiled rolling pin to make a large thin circle.

Filling:

1. Heat the oil, fry garlic and shallot until fragrant, add minced beef and saute over high heat until the meat browns..
2. Add onion, celery leaf and curry powder stirring until well mixed.
3. Put aside to cool it.
4. Add 3 eggs, leek and pepper to 3 and mixed thoroughly.
5. Heat 2 tbs oil, spread one rolled dough, put 1/4 of filling on the center of the dough circle and, fold in the sides and ends to comletely enclose the filling.
6. Fry until browns, flip and fry the other side.
7. Cut into pieces and serve.

Here you can watch The Street Style Martabak In Action, Although It has some differences from description above, Hope It helps :)



Content source:
www.ne.jp/asahi/miho/selamatmakan/recipe

Image source:
http://thearisan.com