Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Oh the weather outside is frightful

But the fire is so delightful

And since we've no place to go

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

[Chicken, Chorizo, Raisin]

Nasi Tim Sapi (Steamed Rice with Beef)

A very standard dish in Jakarta, something that we used to eat for .. wait for it.. breakfast! Even H would make an exception. But the one we had in Jakarta is always with pork, too much rice and not enough meat. 

So I thought I'll make my own version, with leek and beef :)

Nasi Tim Sapi (Steamed Rice with Beef, serve 2)

250 gr minced beef

2 large cloves garlic, minced

some leeks (I used probably about 8 rings)

1 tbsp oyster sauce

salt, pepper, nutmeg

In a pan, heat up some oil & fry the garlic till fragrant. 

Add in the beef and the leek. Let it cook till done.

Add the seasoning, toss well and set it aside.

***

8 tbsp of long grain rice, washed. 

Set up your steamer.

In a small pot, heat up about 500ml of chicken broth. 

[I used 1 cube of chicken bouillon, added with spring onions & tongcai (salted preserved vegetable)]

***

Into your aluminum tin bowl, brush with some vegetable oil.

Put 4 heaping tbsp of meat-leek mixture. 

Add in 4 tbsp uncook rice. 

Laddle the chicken broth until about 1-1.5cm on top of the rice grain.

Put the bowl into your steamer, cover the steamer.

Steam for about 30 mins, until the chicken broth has evaporated & rice is cooked.

*** 

To serve, cover the tin bowl with a serving plate, hold tight and turn it upside down.

Tap, tap all over the tin bowl (the oil will help it loose).

Garnish with cilantro or more spring onions.

***

Ladle some chicken broth into small bowls and serve together.

And some green chillies on the side ;)

Caramel Roast Chicken

Caramel Roast Chicken (serve 2)

Ingredients:
* 1 chicken breast meat, cubed
* 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced.
* 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (you can use balsamic vinegar but taste would be milder)
* 1 tbsp dark soya sauce
* 2-3 tbsp soy oil
* 1 tsp scallion, for garnishing

How to:
* Preheat oven to 220 C.

* In a bowl, add in the chicken cubed and the onion. Mix with red wine vinegar & soya sauce. Let it sit in fridge for about 15-20 mins.

* Add in 2-3 tbsp soy oil. Toss until all chicken are well coated then transfer to oven proof baking dish.

* Bake for 15 mins till done (but not too dry). Garnish with scallions.

Voila. H loves it so much. He would dip his bread and ignore me completely. And I'm a happy wife.

Let the holidays begin!

Caesar Salad made so easy

Original recipe is courtesy of Crumbly Cookie here and here's how I tamper with it..

1. Making the croutons

Cubed the bread

Sprinkle some water to each bread, dabbing to another if one gets too wet

Sprinkle with a pinch salt (no more than 1/4 tsp)

Toss with 1 tbsp EVOO

In a non stick pan, add in the bread mixture, further toss with 4 tbsp EVOO

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently

Cook until brown & crisp.

Turn off the fire, push croutons to the sides

Add 1 tsp garlic confit/ garlic paste/ 1 clove garlic pressed through a garlic press

Let it cook for 10 seconds or so

Sprinkle with grated parmesan

Toss till garlic, parmesan and croutons are evenly distributed

Transfer to a crouton bowl, set aside

***

2. Making the Salad Dressing

whisk 1 tsp garlic paste & 2 tbsp lemon juice. Let it rest for 10 mins

Using the back of fork, break or pound 5 anchovies into a paste

Put everything into a bowl: garlic-lemon mixture, anchovies, 1 tsp worcestershire sauce & 1 heaving tbsp homemade mayonnaise 

(or you can subs the mayonnaise with 1 raw egg yolk)

While whisking constantly, drizzle EVOO into the mixture to your desired thickness. Approx 5 tbsp.

Add in more EVOO if needed. 

Whisk until all oil has fully emulsified.

Add grated parmesan (start with 1/4 cup and add more if needed).

Taste & adjust seasoning: salt, pepper, lemon juice.

***

3. Putting them all together

Add lettuce (iceberg, romaine.. even spinach), croutons & salad dressing. 

Toss evenly. 

Add in some shredded grilled chicken if you want.

Carved a thin paper sheet of parmesan cheese.

Sprinkle some fresh ground black pepper.

et.. bon appetit!

***

We were happy with our meat-free version. Very good and exactly how Caesar Salad should taste like.

Snippets of my week

View from the door

Love letter from H on my birthday

C(h)oco-nut cake with a "truck full of love"

my office

a little piece of Montmartre

fat pancakes, the way H likes it

The 'hood

Stairway to "heaven"

Something new, something sushi

the pot calling the kettle blue!

Homemade Mayonaise

1 egg, 3/4 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp lemon, 1 tsp dijon moutard, 1/2 tsp salt
must be on room temperature

1 cup of canola oil & immersion blender

Add all ingredients one by one, with oil being the last. Start with 1/4 cup of oil.
Place the immersion blender right on the egg yolk and whisk medium to high speed.

Until it starts to emulsify..
Add more oil.. and whisk some more.
Repeat till you have added all the oil.

And slowly lifts up the immersion blender

.. until all ingredients are well mixed.
Taste. If not salty enough, lemony enough.. add and adjust to taste.

Keep in a jar and store in fridge.
Ideally used within 1-2 days. 

Recipe courtesy of Delicious Days here.

Tuna Patties

Tuna Patties (makes 5 small patties) 

Original recipe is courtesy of someone, somewhere in the internet that I couldn't remember now.

Ingredients:

1 tin tuna, drained

1 clove garlic, minced

1 heaving tbsp of smallish chopped onion

 2 tbsp all purp. Flour

1 egg

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp chives (which I skipped)

How to:

* Mix all ingredients.

* Heat up some oil in a non stick pan, drop a tablespoon of tuna mixture. 

Flatten using fork. Once it’s brown, turn.