Sambal with ikan teri asin // Indonesian Spicy chili condiment with little salted anchovies

Chili or Sambal is a firm favorite in Indonesia. My little family doesn't usually eat spicy food but if you are cooking certain Indonesian food, an accompaniment of Sambal is prerogative. My fellow Chevening Scholars were coming to visit me few weeks ago and I made Sop Buntut Bakar - Indonesian Broiled Oxtail Soup. I know they must want sambal to go with it. So although I am not an expert in Sambal making, I did my best. and it turned out great... we all love it... Though they said it is not so spicy... my husband said, it's spicy enough. hehehehe... I forgot to take the proper picture, lucky that my husband manage to snap one on the table before we finished them all

I adapted the the recipe of Sambal Lado Mudo from Mbak Peppy IndonesiaEats Blog. I cannot call my sambal the name because it lacked 2 of its defining ingredients. The green Chilies and green tomatoes. So here's the recipe


Ingredients - after modification:
5 Bird eye chili (mine is a mix of green, orange and red)
2 shallots (for smaller shallot like in Indonesia, use 16 shallots)
5 cherry tomatoes
A handful of Teri kecil or Little Salted Anchovies - (you can get it from the dried food in Asian store. pick the smallest you can get)
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
salt and sugar to season

Direction:

It's easier to do in a food processor or blender but I have none... so Pestle and Mortar it is. 

1. Fry the salted anchovies for about 2-3 mins. Strain on a paper towel to absorb all excess oil.
2. Grind Shallots and Chilies in pestle.Add Salt and sugar to help the grinding. 
3. Grind the cherry tomatoes to grind together. Add the oil and mix together. 
4. Turn on the heat on the hob and place a small frying pan. 
5. Put in the sambal mixture even before the frying pan is hot.
6. Add the lime juice. At this point you can taste and see whether you need more salt or sugar, Be careful the anchovies are salted already. 
7. Once it start bubbling, add the fry anchovies. Mix well and let it heated. 
8. Done and serve

• Don't worry if you cannot grind everything well. I like mine chunky and if anyone commented I will just say, I am going for the rustic touch... hehehehe
• My mom says, putting the sambal mixture before the pan and oil get heated up reduce the chance for you to get spitted by the hot oil and that the spicy aroma won't torture your nose during cooking and your cushions and curtains days after.

Chocolate Muffin

This is an easy Muffin to make. No need for mixer or food processor. Good fork or whisker will do. 

Mix 1:
1 3/4 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 C    Unsweetened Baking Cocoa Powder
2 Tsp   Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt

Mix 2:
1 C  Sugar
2     Eggs
3/4 C Milk
1/2 C Vegetable Oil
2 tsp Vanilla essence

Optional:
Add Chocolate Chip or chunky nuts to your liking

Direction

- Add mix 2 to Mix 1. Stir until well combined
- Lined muffin baking tray or cup with muffin paper cup or baking paper
- Spoon a spoonful of muffin mixture to each muffin cup
- Add chocolate chips or chunky nuts if you are using.
- Sprinkle sugar on top
- Bake in Oven (gas mark 5) until set... about 15 - 25 mins
- Take it out and leave it for 5 minute before transferring to wire rack

When I am pressed on time this will be fine but sometimes when I'm feeling fancy or want a proper indulgence, I like to garnish this with Chocolate Lava

The Chocolate Coffee Cake's Choc Lava Topping

- In a medium size pan with handle, mix together with a whisker
1 cup Sugar
3 tbsp Corn Flour
6 tbsp Baking Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
- Add to the mix, 1 Cup of boiling hot water
- mix them well on a medium hob
- Keep mixing until its boiling then turn off the hob. take the pan off the heat
- Add 3 Tbsp of Margarine (I use I Believe It's Not Butter) and 1 tsp Vanilla essence. Mix well

Simple Chicken and Vegetable Soup

This is my little girl Tania's ultimate favorite. Yes, she is a healthy eater. I am sometimes embarrassed when I reach to that extra cookies. Unlike other kids her age that I know, She likes her vegetables, broccoli and carrot to be exact. When given biscuits or chocolate she eats just enough. However, she doesn't like meat (Vegetarian by birth??). I recently have her eat chicken and we have begun on our tasting-trying spree and she kinda began to love it. Also, she doesn't want to drink milk. She's traumatized of the horrific side effect of milk she experienced when we tried to switched her to formula milk at 6 m/o. However (again), I read a small triumph in the milk matter. Tania began to have milk but only when it is with her rice crispy cereal... hmmm.... I can hear you say, duh-uh why didn't you do it that way before?... well... trust me... we did... we tried every ticks in the book and on my mother's and mother-in-law's sleeves for this and none work. I now began to accept that she is too smart and headstrong and If I have to 'win' at this... I will have to play it smart...

Anyway, this soup is ultra easy and versatile that you can simply substitute or add to any of the ingredients (the first 4 in the list). Replace them with corn and peas or ommit the meat and go all veggie will also work. Anyway, There is a proper way to make soup with lots of steps.
But com'on.. life too short and too busy to worry about the fancy soup. This one is respectable enough and yummy enough to fill your belly with yummy and healthy food on those tired day and not-wanting-to-cook mood.

Ingredient:
4 piece of Chicken wings - cut to theirs joints
12 hard boiled quail egg - peeled
1 Med Carrot - peeled and chopped
1/2 of medium Brocolli - cut to it's florets

1/4 of medium onion - finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic - crushed
1 tbsp olive oil - or any kind of oil
Few stalks of Parsley  - I didn't chop them. Just dunk them whole.
Salt and pepper
2 cups of water / broth

Direction:

1. Heat the oil. Add the garlic and onion. saute until fragrant and golden. 
2. Bring in the chicken. Saute the chicken with the onion until they change color. 
3. Add water / broth. Cover the pan and let it boil.
4. Add the carrot let it boil until the carrot soften a bit. 
5. Add the quail egg, parsley, salt and pepper
6. Add the broccoli. Let it cook until brocolli is tender.
7. Soup is ready. 

Some likes to sprinkle fried onion on top. I don;t have any and do not feel like making some separately. And yet, the soup still taste yummy.

2 minutes (Microwave) Bread Pudding for 1

OK I am really addicted to the Minutes Microwave cooking. So here's another brilliant recipe to make use of those last slices of bread which sometimes become stale and ended up in the bin.

Source : 5 Minutes Recipe

Make 1 mug (microwaveable) of bread pudding or 3 small ramekins

You'll need:

2 slices of Bread (stale one is OK)
1 Egg
3 Tbsp Sugar - I use 2 Tbsp
2 Tbsp Milk
2 tbsp melted butter or margarine
2 drops of Vanila Essence (optional)
A  dash of ground Cinnamon

How to:

1. Melt the marg/butter. 20 secs in the microwave will do just fine. 
2. In the meantime, tear up the bread into your container - microwaveable mug or ramekins or anything you have on hand that can be use in the microwave
3. In a different bowl, mix the egg, sugar, milk and melted butter/marg and vanilla. 
4. Pour the mixture into the bread. Press them down a but with a fork so the bread soaked up all the mixture
5. Springkle some ground cinnamon on top
6. Pop in the microwave for 2 minutes (800W power).
7. Let it cool a bit... and Enjoy....

The Cinnamon make the whole room smell wonderful while it is cooking.
I recommend you make this easy peasy recipe. It takes 2 mins to cook and about 3 mins to prep. So All in all a 5 mins of yumminess.. -

Banana Muffin Cake

Saturday baking! triggered by the sight of the browning and almost spoiled banana.Thought i make a new pics of the old tried and tested recipe. The recipe can be found in my other blog (the old one), Click Annie 1-2-3 Dish. There are 2 things that I did differently this time

1. I added Sultanas and Chocolate Chip
2. Instead of baking it in a muffin tins, I pour them on a loaf / cake tin. Saves me time and washing.

So Happy weekend! I will aim to finish the houseworks. But at least I made somebody very happy (and full) this morning...

Tania can't wait for the Photo session to finish

5 Minutes (Microwave) Chocolate Cake

You plan a lot of things but sometimes life just throw you obstacles that deviate those plans.
I must admit this past 3 months has almost been hell. Grappled MA study with a 2 y/o abroad is a not kidding life especially when you course requires a hands-on, 'small projects' etc. I now have so much respects to mothers everywhere and especially, to single mothers and to be more specific Full-time student single mom. It's a back-breaking, heart-breaking and zombie-ing juggling efforts.
These 3 months gave me an insights to the bible words that God never give you challenge more than you can handle, which means God already prepared all you need in the exact time you needed the most. Your part of the deal is to put in the effort and hold on to the faith. Not easy, I made decisions I regrets but eventually, I learned. Along the line, I must dissapoints some people whom I cannot fully rendered myself as it used to. Gosh, as someone whose always into something and give everything a go... I must bite my lip and refrain myself from joining all the exciting and happening things around me... Hehehehe, my bestfriend said one day on our chat, "Honey, it's called growing up". Hmmm... I am not sure I agree with that.

Anyhow, today Tania and I stayed at home and tried to clean up... (that is me cleaning and Tania trailed behind me strewing with her toys, doh!). So before dinner we got a little creative and decide to try this recipe which my beloved Husband downloaded for me on my iPad. I was skeptical at first but when it is done... boy o boy... It taste heavenly!!! Hehehehe... There's no easy and instant way to solve my life problems but there is this 5 minutes chocolate cake (10 mins plus prep time).


Source:  5 Minutes Recipe Book

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp  Plain Flour - make sure you measure it right for perfect cake
4 Tbsp Sugar -  I only use 3 1/2
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa   - or chunks of chocolate if you like
2 Tbsp whisked egg
3 Tbsp Milk
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Chocolate Chips - add more if you like
A splash of vanilla flavouring

You also need 1 Microwaveable Coffee cup or a Microwaveable small bowl. Original recipe use Coffee Cup but I don't have one so I use a small bowl.

A good measuring spoon will be great if not just use ordinary spoon.

Directions:

1. First, Whisk 1 egg in a separate Mug
2. Add all of the dry ingredients to the mug (or container) and mix.
3. Add egg (2 Tbsp) and combine well
4. Stir in the milk and oil
5. Add the chocolate Chips and Splash of vanilla. Stir well. (Note: On the last minutes I saw some leftovers chopped Pecan nuts and decided to dunk them in as well)
6. Microwave for 3 minutes in a 1000w Microwave oven or 4 minutes and 20 seconds in a 800w Microwave oven. 

After 2 mins you will notice it crowning. Don't panic it will collapse once the heat stops.



Verdict:
The cake taste superb despite my skepticism. It's crunchy on the outside and gooey soft in the middle. When left outside for a while it gets hardened but still taste very good. It's like having a biscotti.  --

One happy Custumer

Tuna and Veggie Spagetti

OK.. Still in the mood for spaghetti. Thanks to Masak Bareng Yuuk! Pasta Edition... Well... I still have quite a stock of Spaghetti so why not. The day I made this was I was busy studying for one of my quiz day. Then I realized it was already past lunch time. I went to the kitchen and realized I forgot to cook my rice this morning aaaaaand I ran out of bread. Fruits were not really my options... I am tired and hungry. I want something filling, satisfying and quick. I reached for the spaghetti and decided to throw a cheat-bolognesse (a.k.a  the instant packets) but alas! it was also gone....

So I decided to make do with what ever I have. I quickly round up everything I think can work when I saw the canned tuna... AHA! this might work.... we shall see...

Honestly... it taste divine and takes only 10 minutes... well OK 15 mins to make and serve

To serve 1 (2 portions)

Ingredients:
1 handful of spaghetti -use any other pasta shape you want... it doesn't matter I think.
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp salt
1 medium garlic, crushed then finely chopped
2 tbsp Onion, chopped
1 small carrot - Diced small
4 cherry tomatoes - cut to quaters
2 tbsp salted butter
1 tsp ground white pepper
a bunch of flat leaves parsley - chopped
2 tbsp Canned tuna - drained from the oil or water or brine and flaked

Directions:

1. Boil water in a pan for the spaghetti. 
2. Meanwhile, prepare the carrot, tomatoes, parsley and tuna
3. When the water boils, add the salt and olive oil then bring the spaghetti in. I break the long spaghetti in half before putting them in boil water. 
4. Then heat the butter on a separate pan / wok, add the Onion and garlic. Saute until soft and fragrant
5. Bring the carrot in... followed by tomatoes add the ground white pepper. I do not add anymore salt because the butter is already salty. Let it cook for a while. I like my tomatoes to be slightly wilted to retain the warm fresh taste of tomatoes.
6. The spaghetti usually need about 7 - 8 minutes to be Al-dente (my husband taught me this)... or get a piece of the spaghetti and throw to the wall... if it sticks it's done... or... my way... pinch the spaghetti... it is the level of tenderness I want... then it is done
7. Drain the spaghetti and bring back to its pan . Add the sauteed carrot and tomatoes in the pan together with the cooked spaghetti. 
8. Mix together. Add the chooped parsley then the flaked canned tuna..
9. All is good and ready to serve!

This will also be my entry to Masak Bareng Yuuk! (Let's Cook Together) Sept-Oct Edition on Pasta!!!

Entry requirement in English click here