Krengsengan Domba // East Java Lamb Stew

I got tired of eating chicken and beef so Lamb is the next thing I want. However, I do not have any recipe for lamb so after some internet browsing I decided to try the recipe from MasakanMama .
It was a great choice. I use the lamb chops I bought from the reduced price shelves..

Top Tip: do check on the reduced price shelves you find lots of great things. I usually go for meat which was on the day of their used by date. Then the meats go straight to freezer to be use later.
The lamb chops (4 piece) I bought was almost 5 Pounds (original price). On the Reduced Price Shelves it is 1.99 Pounds. Good buy I'll say!

Krengsengan is the food from East Java, Indonesia. my main reason to choose this is for the use of sweet soy sauce. I love sweet soy sauce. Below is the recipe after I made some few changes from the original. Do refer to the original by clicking the above link.

Ingredients:
4 lamb chops - you can use other part of the lamb
3 - 4 tbsps Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce
1 tsp terasi - or just use Shrimp paste
1 big chili - I use the one that is less fiery. Do use the more fiery one like bonnet chilli or the bird eye chili.
2 cups water

Ingredient to be ground to a paste - use a pestle and mortar or  food processor
4 shallots
2 garlics
1 cm ginger
1/2 tsp whole white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Direction:

Cara membuat Krengsengan :

• Tumis bumbu yang sudah dihaluskan sampai harum.
• Masukkan irisan daing kambing, aduk sampai berubah warna.
• Masukkan tomat, kecap manis, petis udang dan cabe merah. Aduk sampai layu.
• Tambahkan air, masak dengan api kecil sampai kuah kental dan daging empuk.
• Angkat... Sajikan saat masih hangat..

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.

Semur Ayam // Braised Chicken in Sweet Soy Sauce

OK... semur ayam or Braised Chicken in Sweet Soy Sauce is the next simple cooking. all you need to have are... of course Chicken... hehehe... good Sweet soy sauce (just go to Asian Store) and Nutmeg. You can use the ground nutmeg in those small bottles but I prefer whole nutmeg that I crushed or grated... the smell and taste is much more fantastic. Reminds me so much of home, Ambon Island, Maluku Province, The Spice Island... OK... Here's the recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 Chicken Wings - simply because it was cheap and also Tastier
• 1/4 medium Onion, chopped 
• 2 Garlics, Crushed and finely chopped
• 1/2 Nutmeg, Crushed
• 1/4 cup of Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce 
• 1/2 Stock cube, 
• Salt and ground white pepper
• 2 tbsp juice of lemon juice
• 3 tbsp Vegetable cooking Oil

Directions:

1. Heat the oil. Bring in the Onion and garlic. Sautee until soft and fragrant
2. Add the Soy sauce and Nutmeg. Then stock cubes, salt and pepper.
3. Put in the Chicken wings. Coat the chicken with the soy sauce evenly. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes. 
4. After 5 minutes add the lemon juice and if the chicken is not properly cook.. add about 1/4 cup of water. 
5. Give it for final taste... then ready to serve. --

For me, it is best served with hot white rice and simple stir-fry