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Crispy Fried Chicken

Never have I found fried chicken recipe so good as this, the crisp is just like what you will find at the fried chicken fast food chain. Thick yet crispy coating and tasty too. Before this recipe I used to use instant flour mix, but now I can my own mixture, YAY. This one’s has become Kana’s favourite fried chicken. Thank you Onti R for the recipe.

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Ingredients:
– 2 chicken thigh fillets cut into strips
– vegetable oil for deep frying

Ingredients for dipping:
– 5 tbsp all purpose flour
– 2 tbsp maizena
– 1 gr baking powder
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1 garlic clove, minced
– 1/2 tsp white pepper
– 1/4 tsp chayenne powder
Mix all dipping ingredients, add ice water (very important) just enough to make a thick consistency.

Ingredients for crispy coating:
– 10 tbsp all purpose flour
– 3 tbsp maizena
– 1 tsp baking powder
– 1 tsp salt or more according to taste
– 1/2 tsp chicken powder, optional
Mix all coating ingredients in a shallow bowl.

Method:
– Dip the chicken strips in the dipping mixture until all surfaces are covered.
– Now dip the chicked strips for the second time in the crispy coating mixture. To ensure that you get a nice thick coating like what you will get at the fried chicken fast food chain, don’t forget to pinch the coating mixture into the chicken.
– Heat the oil until hot, fry chicken strips in batches until golden brown.

Source: Kedai Rachmah

Cashew Chicken

Bought way too much cashew when making Putri Salju cookies for Idul Fitri. Let’s just say I was over excited that time while in fact I only needed 200gr for the cookies. Now I tried to find recipes involving cashew, because if not then darling hubby is going to finish the whole jar of cashew by himself and that’s not the purpose of 800gr of cashew.

I found this recipe here Very easy and tasty. Here is the recipe with small adjustment.

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Serve 4 people

Ingredients:

– 2 boneless & skinless chicken thigh fillet, I find thigh fillet is juicier than breast
– 2 tbsp vegetable oil
– 1 cm ginger
– Each 1/2 small green, yellow, red bell pepper
– 1/2 onion
– 2 cloves garlic
– 3/4 cup unsalted cashew nuts

Marinade:

– 1 tsp baking soda
– 1 tsp corn starch
– 1/2 teaspoon rice wine, optional

Sauce:

– 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
– 3/4 tsp soy sauce
– 3 tbsp water
– 1/2 tsp white pepper
– 1/2 tsp sugar
– 1/2 tsp rice wine, optional
– 1 tsp sesame oil
– Salt to taste

Method:

– Cut the chicken thigh fillet into small cubes then marinate the chicken meat with the baking soda for 15 minutes. Rinse the chicken thoroughly. Please make sure that the chicken is properly rinsed clean of the baking soda.
– Pat the chicken meat dry with paper towels and then marinate with the rice wine (optional) and corn starch, for 15 minutes.
– Meanwhile, minced garlic, sliced onion, sliced ginger and cut bell pepper into squares.
– Mix all the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
– Heat up a wok with 1 tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the chicken meat until the color turns white or half-cooked. Dish out and set aside.
– Add another 1 tbsp of vegetable oil into the wok and add in the ginger slices, garlic, bell pepper and onion.
– Stir-fry until you fragrant and add the chicken meat back in.
– Add in the sauce and stir continuously until the chicken meat is cooked and well coated with the sauce. Add salt to taste.
– Add in the cashew nuts and do a few quick stirs. Dish out and serve the Cashew Chicken hot with steamed white rice.

Sugar Free Carrot Cake with Coconut Frosting

I first made this long time ago, over time I modified the recipe according to my mood and needs. For example this modification was done for my daughter’s birthday at the daycare. Her daycare is rather hipster, so no sugar is allowed which I happily obliged. The coconut frosting was surprisingly pleasant to taste and it complemented the carrot taste really well.

Ingredients:

– 1 cup all purpose flour

– 1 teaspoon baking soda

– 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

– 1/2 cup honey

-1/2 cup apple sauce

– 1/2 cup vegetable oil

– 2 medium eggs

– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

– 2 cups shredded carrots

For the coconut frosting

– 1 can (400gr) coconut milk, leave in the fridge overnight.

Directions:

– Preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius. Grease and flour 24cm round baking pan.

–  Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Make a well in the center and add honey, apple sauce, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix with wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in carrots.

–  Pour into greased pan. Bake at 175 degrees celcius for about 45 minutes. Allow to cool.

– To make the coconut frosting: separate the thicken cream on the top from the coconut water underneath (you can use the water for cooking). Beat coconut cream until smooth and fluffy. Use immediately. Coconut frosting can’t be stored too long otherwise it will melt again.

Bola-Bola Makaroni (Macaroni Balls)

Which kid can deny the taste of macaroni and cheese? Even adult can’t say no to this. But this one is a naughty twist to the traditional macaroni and cheese. Make them in batches and freeze.

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Ingredients:

– 75 gr elbow macaroni
– 1 tsp olive oil
– 2 butter/margarine
– 50 gr onion
– 100 gr smoked beef, chopped coarsely (I used minced beef)
– 50 gr all purpose flour
– 1/4 tsp salt
– 1 tsp sugar
– 1/4 tsp pepper
– 150 ml milk
– 75 gr cheddar cheese, grated (I used Gouda)
– Oil for frying
– (I added 50gr grated carrot)
Coating:
– 50 gr flour
– 1 egg, lightly beaten
– 50 gr bread crumbs

Method:
– Boil water in a pan, add olive oil, cook macaroni until al dente.
– Heat butter/margarine, fry onion until fragrant. Add smoked beef, flour, salt, pepper and sugar.
– Add milk, mix well. Add macaroni, grated carrot and cheese. Set aside.
– Take 1 tbsp dough (I weigh them at 25gr each) shape into balls. Continue until all dough has finished.
– Coat balls with flour, then egg and lastly bread crumbs.
– Fry in hot oil until golden brown.

Source: Primarasa Masak Bersama Anak

Chicken Nuggets

When I have the time, I like to cook in batches and keep it in the freezer. This one for example tasty chicken nuggets. That way whenever Kana feels like nuggets, I can just quickly fry some for her.

I followed the ingredients of this recipe to a T and it turned out very well. But then again this recipe came from Primarasa book. A highly recommended recipe book. Their recipe never fails me and yet very easy to follow.

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Ingredients:
– 100 gr bread without crust
– 175 ml milk
– 2 tbsp butter
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 75 gr onion, minced
– 350 gr minced chicken
– 1 egg
– 1 tsp pepper
– 1.5 tsp salt
– Butter for smearing the baking pan
– Vegetable oil for frying
Coating
– 50 gr all purpose flour
– 1 egg, lightly beaten
– 50 gr bread crumbs

Method:
– Soak bread in milk until tender, squeeze until fine, set aside.
– Heat butter, fry onion and garlic until fragrant, take out from fire. Add chicken, egg and seasonings mix well. Divide into 2 batches.
– Grease baking pan (I use 2, 20x20cm), pour dough in the pan, smoothen the side and surface.
– Steam for 15-20 minutes. (I don’t own a big steamer, so instead I bake my nuggets and on the bottom of the oven I put a oven proof dish with hot water to create similar steaming condition)
– When it’s done take it out from the pan and cut into your heart’s desire.
– Coat nugget with flour, then egg and lastly with bread crumbs. Set aside in the freezer for 1 hour.
– Fried with hot oil until golden brown.
– The rest of nuggets you can keep in the freezer for months.

Source: Primarasa Masak Bersama Anak

Ote Ote Surabaya (Vegetable Fritter with Prawn from Surabaya)

It is funny how fairly the same food can have different names depends on where they come from. For example this vegetable fritter. In Surabaya, East Java the name is ote ote (literally translated as topless). In Jakarta the name for this savoury snack is bakwan sayur. Meanwhile people in Bandung would recognize it as bala bala.

Although I must say there is slight differences between them. Ote ote is made by using soup ladle as the mould, therefore you get nicely round shape everytime. While bakwan and bala bala, both are just using spoon to scoop out the batter, free style if you wish to name it.

But anywho what’s in a name, all three are equally delicious. And finally I had the courage to try this recipe after I had gotten the recipe way back then in 2013.

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Ingredients:

– 250 gr all purpose flour
– 1 egg
– 200 gr carrot, cut into strips
– 100 gr beansprouts
– 200 gr cabbage, thinly sliced
– 1 stalk Asian celery, finely sliced
– 200 gr medium prawn
– vegetable oil to fry
– 1 tbsp salt
– 1 clove garlic, finely mashed
– 1/2 tsp pepper
– 1/2 tsp chicken powder (optional)

Directions:

– Mix all the ingredients. Then add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water to mix them well.
– Heat the oil in deep wok. Take a small deep ladle and heat it up into the hot oil. When it’s hot enough, take it out and put 2 tablespoons of mixture and add prawn on the top. Bring it to fry.
– After sometime, take out the mixture from the ladle and continue fry until it turns brown.

Source: Tabloid Nova via Myrna Recy

Corn Dogs


I’ve always been fascinated with this snack since forever. I think that’s because I grew up watching American tv shows and there you could see corn dog being eaten at a fun fair for example. But life gets in the way and I completely forgot about my corndog fascination until…this recipe showed up on my facebook timeline. It’s a recipe from my beloved friend Mbak Rachmah. I read the recipe it turned out to be dead easy. So here it is. Thank you for the recipe Mbak R.

Corn Dogs

Ingredients:
– 85gr cornmeal
– 75gr all purpose flour
– 3gr baking powder
– 3gr salt
– 1gr sugar
– 1gr chicken powder (if you like it)
– 120ml milk
– 50ml heavy cream (I only had whole milk so I used 170ml milk)
– 1 medium sized egg
– 1 can chicken sausage
– Oil for deep frying

Directions:
– Pour milk & heavy cream into a mixing bowl, add egg and mix well.
– Add all dry ingredients, mix well.
– Heat oil in a deep pan.
– Stick sausage with satay stick, dip it in the flour mixture, fry in medium fire until golden brown.
– Serve with mayonaise, ketchup or sambal sauce.

Source: Rachmah Setyawati

Martabak Mie (Noodle Omelette)

Inspired by a friend who once said to me, whenever she has no ideas what to make for afternoon munch then she would make this ‘cos she has all the ingredients almost all the time at home.

It is indeed a very easy recipe, you can use instant noodles or egg noodle.

Martabak Mie

Ingredients:

1 pack of instant noodle or 50gr egg noodle, cook according the package.
2 eggs
1 shallot minced
1 garlic minced
handful beef mince
oil for frying
1 scallion, sliced thinly
side note if you are using egg noodle, then add these to your repertoire:

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chicken powder
if using instant noodle then use the instant spices in the package.

Directions:

fry shallot and garlic until fragrant.
add minced beef, cook until done.
mix altogether, noodle, all spices, mince beef, scallion and eggs.
fry like you would fry omelette.
serve with ketchup/sambal sauce.

Gluten Free Banana Cake with Coconut

Back in 2012 when I went back to Indonesia, I happen to sleep over at my friend’s house Mbak Ienas. She sells her goodies including the original recipe of this banana cake. While I was at her house, she taught me how to make this cake. Hi Mbak Ienas, miss you 🙂

This time I made a twist on the recipe since I wanted to gift some of Peter’s colleagues who have gluten intolerance. I searched google and came across this useful guide on how to exchange usual flour into gluten free flour. The result was moist and not too sweet cake even Kana liked it. And I heard the colleagues liked it too. 🙂

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Ingredients

– 1 cup glutinous black rice flour
– 1/2 cup tapioca flour
– 1/2 cup maizena flour
– 1/2 cup rice flour
– 1 cup gluten free oatmeal
– 2 tsp baking soda
– 1/4 tsp salt
– 1 cup canola oil
– 1/2 cup cane sugar
– 1/2 cup honey
– 4 eggs
– 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large) (500 ml)
– 1 tsp vanilla
– 1/2 cup shredded dried coconut

Directions:

– Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)

– Two 9- by 5-inch (2 L) metal loaf pans, lined with parchment or waxed paper, greased

– In a bowl, combine all flours, oatmeal, baking soda, and salt.

– In a large bowl, using electric mixer beat oil and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture, beating just until smooth.

– Spread batter in prepared pans. Scatter shredded coconut on top of the batter.

– Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until a tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans on racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on racks.

Source : Book 125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes by Julie Hasson via Ienas Tsuroiya

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Cheesy Brownies

Many moons ago when I was still studying and living in Indonesia, I used to sell these brownies to earn some pocket money. That brownies was just a simple one without the cream cheese topping. The recipe of this brownies is a mix of many recipes which I modified to my taste and need. Now I share this recipe with you.

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– 3 eggs

– 150gr sugar

– 125gr unsalted butter

– 250gr dark cooking chocolate

– 85gr all purpose flour

– 35gr chocolate powder

– 15gr milk powder (optional)

– 1/2tsp vanilla extract

– 1 pack (185gr) cream cheese

– 1 egg yellow

 

Directions:

– turn the oven on 160c.

– mix cream cheese with egg yellow, set aside.

– melt butter and dark cooking chocolate in a double boiler.

– with hand whisker, combine egg and sugar just until they become thick.

– add flour, chocolate powder, milk powder, vanilla extract and butter and chocolate mixture.

– pour the batter into square baking tin that has been greased evenly.

– pour the cream cheese mixture and lightly mix the batter with fork.

– bake for approximately 30-40 minutes.

 

tips:

– to yield a moist brownies don’t overbake, take the brownies out of the oven even when there is still slightly batter stick to the cake tester.