Chicken Bake with Croutons

I was going to follow a recipe I found on the internet, but I couldn't find all the ingredients. So, I ended up using different ingredients, modified here and there. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 full tsp garlic mince (or 2 cloves garlic, crushed)
• 1 tsp paprika powder (or red pepper flakes)
• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• tomato and porcini mushroom pasta sauce or marinara sauce or any other sauce you like, doesn't matter
• chopped basil leaves (or basil powder)
• mozarella, cheddar, and parmesan cheese, shredded. *I actually used powder for the parmesan.
• garlic croutons or any other croutons you like. Here, I'm using sea salt and black pepper croutons.

Method:

1. Prepare a square baking tray (high sides, e.g. pirex).
2. Put olive oil, garlic mince, and paprika powder. Spread evenly.
3. Arrange all the chicken breasts in the tray.
4. Pour the sauce thoroughly.
5. Put the basil leaves on top.
6. Bake in 175°C for 35 minutes.
7. Take it out of the oven.
8. Put all the cheese on top, followed by croutons, then finish it up by spreading more cheese on top.
9. Bake again in 175°C for another 25 minutes.
10. Ready to serve. 

Enjoy! :)

Indonesian version: will do later

Creamy Rice Pudding

It's one of those desserts that is light to eat and very easy to make. The rice used can only be one of those mentioned below, specifically made for dessert. 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup uncooked pudding rice / pearl rice / short grain rice
• 2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup white/brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• cinnamon powder (optional)

Method:

1. Cook the rice in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups boiled water, low heat, covered, and simmer for 20 minutes (until the rice is well cooked).
2. Put 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar, and salt. Tip: Do not put sugar if the rice is still not well cooked! It's not gonna be soft if you put sugar too early.
3. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy (15 to 20 minutes).
4. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, beaten egg, and raisins; cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
6. Sprinkle cinnamon on top (optional). 
7. Serve warm or cold.

Enjoy! :)

Indonesian version: will do later

Vegetable Stew

It's one of those recipes where you can put all the ingredients you have prepared and leave it cooked. Well, not literally put all the ingredients in one time, but in order. :P It's very easy and everyone can make it. :)

Ingredients:

• Carrots, chopped
• Broccoli, cut and then boiled for a few minutes
• Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Mushrooms, chopped and then boiled for about 5 minutes (basically to get rid of the water used for boiling the mushrooms which usually turns dark afterwards)
• Spring onions, sliced
• 1/4 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed then sliced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 chicken stock
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt and 1/6 tsp sugar, which means only a little bit of sugar :D

Note: The quantity of all the ingredients above depend on how big the portion you'd like to cook is.

Method:

1. Heat butter in a pan, fry onion and garlic until smells good.
2. Put approximately 1L of water (again, depend on how much you want to make), chicken stock, and fish sauce. Stir well.
3. Put carrots into the pan. Leave it for about 5 minutes.
4. Put pepper, nutmeg, salt, and sugar, stir well.
5. Put mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, spring onions. Stir well.
6. Leave it until all the vegetables are cooked.

Happy cooking!

The Indonesian version: http://dapurdara.blogspot.ie/2013/01/sayur-sup-bening.html.

Scrambled Eggs

The easiest way to scramble eggs is to cook it in a microwave, but the taste is not great. Neither is the texture. So, I was browsing the internet to find a perfect way to scramble eggs. I found one, which is a recipe video. The key is apparently in the method. If you follow it, not only the taste will turn out delicious, but it'll also look good (fluffy and bright yellow)! :)

Personally, I modified the method shown in the video a little bit because I wanted to add a few vegetables with the eggs. 

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp butter
• cherry tomatoes, sliced
• mushrooms, sliced. Boiled for 5 minutes (or until well cooked) beforehand.
• parsley, salt, and pepper

Method:

1. Follow the method shown in the video, until you pour the eggs onto the pan. Note: I beat the eggs with milk, parsley, salt, and pepper before cooking.
2. Now is when I do the little modification. Don't stir the eggs straight away like being demonstrated in the video! Wait for approximately a minute, and then pour the sliced tomatoes and mushrooms onto it.
3. Stir it with a wooden spoon or a spatula. If you like big curds, stir it slowly. Quickly if you like small curds.
4. Once done, put it immediately on a plate. Leaving the scrambled eggs on the pan will make them dry. 

Remember, the key is low and slow. Enjoy! :9

The Indonesian version: http://dapurdara.blogspot.ie/2013/01/scrambled-eggs-telur-orak-arik-ala-bule.html.

Padang Chicken Curry

The recipe I'm going to post here is one of Indonesian dishes which comes from West Sumatera (Padang). Padang is famous for its spicy and fatty dishes, or contain lots of cholesterol. So, having them too much or too frequent is not a good idea. Anyway, this recipe might seem very complicated (I thought so), but it's actually pretty simple once you have all the ingredients. :)

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken legs, cut in 2 pieces each.
• young jackfruit (optional). I didn't use this as it's hard to find in Dublin.
• ~500 ml coconut milk
• 1/2 onion, cut in big pieces.
• 4 garlic cloves
• 5 chilies, remove the seeds inside. Feel free to add more if you like. Personally, I like mild spicy foods.
• 5 candlenuts
• 2cm ginger, peel the skin, cut in 2-3 pieces.
• 2cm galangal, peel the skin, cut in 2-3 pieces.
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 lemon grass, cut in 2 pieces, then press them. I used a knife and a wooden spoon to press them, the knife on top and then hit them with the wooden spoon. :D
• 4 lime leaves
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

Method:

1. Put onion, garlic, chilies, candlenuts, ginger, galangal, coriander powder, turmeric, and salt to a food processor or a blender. Pour a little water (half cup). Blend them well (about 3-5 minutes).
2. Prepare a wok or a pan (use a big one), heat 3 tbsp of vegetable oil.
3. Add the seasoning you just made into the wok/pan, stir briefly.
4. Add the pressed lemon grass and the lime leaves, stir until smells good (not watery).
5. Pour the coconut milk, stir well and let it boil.
6. Once boiled, add the chicken, stir well and let it boil again.
7. Turn the heat down to medium.
8. Leave it cook for 30 minutes or until the gravy becomes thicker (well cooked). Stir occasionally.
9. Serve with a bowl of boiled rice.

Enjoy! :9

The Indonesian version: http://dapurdara.blogspot.ie/2012/07/gulai-ayam.html.

 

Sapo Tahu

It's been so long I didn't eat tofu that I found myself searching for one of tofu recipes on the internet. This is one of Indonesian dishes. The tofu used for making Sapo Tahu is usually the one whose texture is softer. Because I couldn't find such tofu in Dublin, so I just used the regular one.

Ingredients:

• 500 gr tofu, cut in dice (about 2 x 2cm)
  
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced.
  
• shrimps
• mushrooms, chopped in small pieces, boiled for a while, put aside
  
• snow peas
• carrots, sliced in sticks
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced.
• 2 chilies (optional), sliced.
  
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 chicken block, mixed with a glass of hot water > chicken broth
  
• vegetable oil

Method:

1. Fry tofu until they turn brown, set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil.
3. Add garlic and chili, stir for a while.
4. Add chicken and shrimp, stir until their color change.
5. Add mushrooms, carrots, and snow peas.
6. Season with 2 tbsp of soy sauce and 2 tbsp of oyster sauce, stir.
7. Pour the chicken broth, boil.
8. While waiting, mix 1 tbsp of plain flour and a small amount of water (2-3 tbsp of water) in a glass, stir until they blend well.
9. Pour the flour liquid into the cooking, stir well until the gravy gets thicker.
10. Add the fried tofu.
11. Add 2 tbsp of sesame oil, stir well.
12. Sapo tahu is ready to serve with a bowl of boiled rice.

Enjoy! :)

ps: For vegetarian, you can remove the chicken and replace the chicken block with fish block.

The Indonesian version: http://dapurdara.blogspot.ie/2012/06/sapo-tahu.html.

Banana Cake

This cake is one of several classic cakes that is perfect to be enjoyed in the afternoon, with a cup of tea as its companion. ^_^

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 50 mL milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

Method:

1. Preparation: Pre-heat the oven at 180°C. Apply thin butter on the surface of a pan for baking.
2. Melt butter, sugar, and vanilla.
3. Put it into a big bowl, add eggs, beat well.
4. Mash bananas, then put it into the mixture, stir well.
5. Dissolve bicarbonate soda in milk, then put it into the mixture, stir well.
6. Add flour to the mixture, stir well.
7. Put the mixture into the pan and bake for around 45 minutes or until well cooked (check it with a toothpick or a fork).

Banana cake is ready to serve. Enjoy! :9

The Indonesian version: http://dapurdara.blogspot.com/2012/02/banana-cake.html.