Book Review: The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

Okay, I am officially in love with this novel!

If you love to bake and some good written novel, then this one is for you. It is so well written, provoking and moving. It is amazing how the writer described the baking process; I felt like I was in her kitchen watching her. And there is more to it too. It's a story about forgiveness, determination, gratitude, love and respect for your roots and family.

This is the book that will get you thinking about life and what is important in life!

Easy appetizer: Baked Mussels

If you are looking for quick and easy but tasty appetizer, this recipe is for you! This will take  less than 30 minutes to do and guaranteed satisfaction!

Ingredients:
12 mussels
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp salted butter, melted
Paprika, to taste

Preparations:

In a baking sheet lined with foil, arrange the mussels on the pan.

Top the mussels with minced garlic, parsley, paprika and melted butter.

Preheat the oven to 375F and bake for 20 minutes.

So easy and very tasty!

Spaghetti Carbonara with Mussels

I am a fan of carbonara sauce, in fact, I can eat pasta carbonara as it is without addition of anything else. Lately I get bored with the common carbonara recipe, it’s either with bacon, ham, shrimp with peas, and repeat. I want to find something different, and luckily I saw a pack of frozen mussels at the grocery store. So this week I decided to play with mussels. Here is the recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara with Mussels.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg mussels

1 yellow onion, diced

4 eggs

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. butter

2 1 /2 cups whipping cream

350 g spaghetti

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. parsley for garnish (optional)

Preparations:

If you use fresh mussels: Rinse the mussels in cold running water. Stir with rough hand around the mussels, then check whether the mussels are alive, by giving them a little tap into the kitchen table. Discard them if they do not close, or if the shells are damaged. Scrub the mussels clean with a sponge or a small knife. Boil the mussels in a pot for 5 minutes. Drain and discard the mussels that do not open.

In another pot,  add water and salt to boil and cook spaghetti until al-dente (about 7-8 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare a saucepan and melt the butter. Add onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Drain the spaghetti in a colander and add the spaghetti and mussels to the sauce pan.

Beat the eggs, whipping cream and 1 1/2 cup of cheese all together in a mixing bowl. Add the mixture to the saucepan and blend it well. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until sauce is a bit thicken and serve immediately. Top with  the remaining cheese and parsley if you wish.

Happy eating!

Ayam Sereh (Lemongrass Chicken)

Sereh (lemongrass) is popular in Indonesian cooking. It adds a subtle flavour entirely distinct from lemons. This wonderful recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make and perfect for busy nights. You can also switch things up with beef; or if you are a vegetarian, tofu and tempe will work wonderfully too.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. fish sauce
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. curry powder (may I suggest Madras curry powder? They are the best!)
1/2 tsp.salt
2 tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into 1 1/2 cm pieces
3 tbsp. water
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 fresh lemongrass stalks, minced the tender white parts only
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 chilies, seeded and minced (if you like it spicy then leave the seed)
1 green onion, thinly sliced, for serving

Preparations

In a small pan, mix 2 tbsp. sugar with 1 tbsp. water and cook over high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Cook without stirring until it turns into a deep amber caramel. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tbsp. water.

In a different bowl combine the fish sauce, garlic, curry powder, salt and 1 1/2 tsp. sugar. Mix it well and then add the chicken and the caramel sauce all together. Make sure the chicken is all coated.

Heat a large pan over high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the lemongrass, shallot, and chilies and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the chicken and caramel mixture and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer to a plate and top with the green onions.
Serve best with rice.

Slow Cooker Rendang (Beef Stew)

Rendang (Indonesian Beef Stew) was voted the best food in the world by CNN Travel back in 2011.  Originally from Sumatra, it is one of the most beloved food among Indonesians; but to be completely honest, who has the time to make it? The traditional making of Rendang is so tedious, and it takes long hours.  I for one, do not have the patience; so I started to experiment making Rendang in a slow cooker. This kitchen gadget is my best friend. The meat falls apart beautifully, and I find it better tasting than having the meat in cubes.

So, here it is...a lazy version of making Rendang; just dump all in the slow cooker and let it simmer overnight.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried chili
2 tbsp. peanut or corn oil ( to fry)
1 1/2 pounds beef top sirloin, uncut
4 cups coconut milk
1 tsp ginger, minced
4 kafir lime leaves
3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Fried shallots (to serve)

Preparations:
Crush the shallots, garlic, salt, turmeric and chili into a paste. Fry in the oil for two minutes.

Put the whole meat in the slow cooker, rub the meat with the paste. Add the coconut milk, ginger, kafir lime leaves, bay leaves and simmer in low heat for 12 hours, covered (overnight).

When you wake up in the morning, the meat will fall apart easily. Taste, add salt and pepper as needed. Keep cooking the meat in low heat until about 2-3 hours before serving time then switch to high heat, uncovered. It will dry up the liquid quickly.

Garnish with fried shallots on top. Serve with warm rice.

 

 

 

 

Pisang Goreng (Fried banana)

Most popular Indonesian dessert; although back in Indonesia, it's more of a snack.
It is sold all over the street of Jakarta in a cart and boy oh boy..it's good! Best to accompany you in your tea/coffee time.

Here in Canada, I tried to blend in with the culture and serve it as a dessert with some vanilla ice cream and berries. Trust me, it is addictive!

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
1 egg
1 tsp sugar
6 tbsp. flour
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp. coconut milk
2 drops vanilla
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup peanut or corn oil (to fry)
Vanila ice cream and mixed berries (to serve)
Icing sugar (to dust)

Preparations:
Cut the bananas in half horizontally and then another half vertically, so that 1 banana will give you 4 pieces. Set aside.
In a bowl, mixed the egg, sugar, flour, salt, coconut milk and vanilla.
Put the unsweetened shredded coconut in another bowl, by itself.

Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Dip the banana slices in the batter and then dip them in the unsweetened shredded coconut and fry them until golden brown on both side. Do not over crowd the pan. Drain on paper towels.

Serve the fried banana by itself with tea/coffee as a snack; or if you are serving it as a dessert, serve it with some good vanilla ice cream, mix berries and dusted icing sugar.

Hope it satisfy your sweet tooth!

Nasi Kuning (Yellow Rice a.k.a Turmeric Rice)

 

Nasi Kuning is loved by many Indonesians. It is often present in celebrations and comes in a form of a cone. The cone shape
 has a symbolic meaning in Javanese culture as mountain is believed to be a sacred place that is closest to heaven. So in a way, it is a form of prayer.

I don't know about you, but I find this is so beautiful. I am a foodie and I find myself closest to God when I eat. I know that heaven exists, as I've been there many times when I eat good food. Yes, I do think food is sacred. To me, food is a form of prayer, gratitude and love. So, whenever you feel like you want to send your prayer through food; and spiced up your kitchen, make this easy Nasi Kuning and wow your guests!

Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
1 stalk lemon grass
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt

Preparations:
Put all the ingredients in a sauce pan, cook, covered, over maximum high heat until it boils. Once it boils, turn down the heat to low, covered, and continue cooking until the liquid is absorbed by the rice; about 12 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir the rice, covered and let it cool a little bit.

You can make the cone from a thick poster paper. My husband got it from the Dollar store. Pack the rice to the cone and plate it.

You can serve Nasi Kuning with other recipes that I have posted in this blog. It will go well with Rendang (Indonesian Beef Stew), Tempe, Sliced omelettes, Corn Fritters, and many more. It's very versatile and easy to mix and match. Enjoy!