Friday, August 31, 2007

SEAFOOD

I like seafood especially fish so much. Sadly, I read in many reports through internet, newspaper and from the television, most of seawater fish nowadays has been contaminated with toxin and metal.

One of my nice had an intoxication of metal from seawater fish that she had had during her early years which caused her of having a slightly autism behavior. She took a long process of medication because of it.

Now, I do be very careful in choosing fish to cook. My love one likes to do fishing and he knows where he can still get nice healthy fish. And the place is at Nusa Penida Area.

Nusa Penida is a small island located southwest of Bali. Why I believe the fish from there is not contaminated? Let me explain the topography of Nusa Penida. The island has many crags. You can see from the place you stand on the top of crag the base of the sea! The water is sparkling during afternoon hours and you also can see fish, turtles swimming. In that ecology like that, I believe the creatures live inside still not get contaminated.

I attached here picture of seawater fish of Nusa Penida (look at the colors! You will agree with me if I said those fish are very fresh and healthy!) and also the view of Nusa Penida. (this picture was taken by my friend Darmo, thanks for let me using your work!)

A freshly caught fish cooked with a simple seasoning like Chinese – Styled Steam Fish is the best. The freshness of the fish still can be tasted just because of its simplicity.

Here I share the Chinese – Styled Steam Fish recipe I often use.

1 medium size of snapper

4 cloves of garlic – slice thinly

1 medium young ginger – slice thinly

1 stalk of lemongrass

2 tablespoon rice wine

1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil

Salt and Pepper

METHOD

Clean and wash fish. Dry well with kitchen towel. Make 2 or 3 incisions on both sides of fish crosswise. Rub with salt and pepper to your taste. Set aside at least 15 minutes to let the salt and pepper absorbed.

Preheat the steamer for 10 – 15 minutes.

Put the fish on a plate (use one which is not to flat, since the fish will be a bit watery).

Rub the fish with rice wine and spatter the sesame oil on both sides.

Arrange slice garlic and ginger on top of the fish by turns.

Put the stalk of lemongrass on the fish.

Steam for 15 minutes.

Serve hot with rice.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

UNIQUE HOT GINGER TEA

Few months ago I visited my ex director of the music school I had worked for. She has a house in a small village on the way up to Bedugul – a hilly tourism spot in Bali. Her house was built in an elongated rectangular land. She planted many plantations there, especially the one that has restorative power or medication. The weather in that area is really suitable for planting. Not too cold but neither too warm. The right word to describe is: Very Comfortable!

When arrived there, dark cloud hanging in the sky; just waited for the time of the rain pouring. My ex director was busy in her little pantry, and she asked me to play some repertoires on her piano. I knew she is preparing beverage for us but I did not have a clue what kind of drink she actually prepared; she just said that what she prepared is good for health.

Then she brought her mixed and served it to us. I was astonished, petals of Soka (IXORA COCCINEA L) floating on the tea that she served. She started to explain the ingredients of the beverage serving to us. It was hot ginger tea, with brown sugar, pandan leaves and petals of Soka, she brought it to boil one time and then serve.

I tasted it, and it was good! It warmed my body. And even more good, since at that time, the rain started pouring heavily. To my knowledge the skin of the root and stem of Ixora Coccinea can be used as a medicine to cure new wounded. Five grams of the skin pound until smooth combine with ¼ glass of water; strain and rub the strained liquid over the wound.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

MY TROPICAL FRUIT - KEDONDONG

Kedondong (Spondias dulcis) is one of tropical fruits. One in my yard (see on the next picture), I got it from my mother in law. According to her, it comes from Thailand’s proliferation. Local kedondong is much smaller compared to the one from Thailand.

I have to wait for several more months until it ripens. It has slightly sour taste, very crunchy and contents lots of fiber. It can be used as pickles, fruit salad, or jam.

Kedondong has a single seed with many stiff filaments. There is a practical joke here, when somebody got a sore-throat, he/she will be teased, “You have a sore-throat since you didn’t clean your throat with kedondong seed!”


Honestly, I did not really like the fruit......., but I like seeing fruits growing and producing.

Monday, August 27, 2007

I LOVE COOKING!

On my teenage, I was not interested to culinary world. A big NO if my mom asked me to help her in the kitchen especially if she cooked meals. I really hated the smell of garlic or onion stay on my fingers, unfortunately, peeling and chopping garlic/onion was my task if I could not avoid in helping her. Oh my………..!

I still tolerated if she did baking. I like decorating cakes & cookies. I love it! But I don’t like clearing up the mesh (LOL).

Growing older, got married……, I have to manage my own kitchen. Luckily, my love one is a good cook. In the early period we were together, he did the cooking. I only prepared veggies; he taught me the shapes of vegetables cutting like julienne, cubes, etc. I refused to peel and chop garlic or onion. He nearly lost his patient in teaching me….., as I could not do it quickly as he is.

But a really BIG NO, if he asked me to prepared meat. Any kind of meat, chicken, pork, veal, I don’t have guts to cut raw meat until now. If he asked me to cook, he will do the preparation and I only do the cooking process.

He said that I am good in seasoning. I am honored with that complimentary and suddenly I love cooking.

Now, I enjoy anything related to cooking. I love watching cooking shows especially those broadcasted through discovery travel and living (http://www.travelandlivingasia.com/asia/homepage.htm)

My favorite celebrity chef is Anthony Bourdain
(http://www.anthonybourdain.com)!

He is funny! I could not stop laughing watching his Indonesia episode, where his cameraman somehow hit a stackable food display on a Padang Restaurant in Jakarta.

(http://travel.discovery.com/tv/bourdain/journals/indonesia/indonesia.html)

I read his book A Cook's tour and I really like it, unfortunately it is not easy to get that kind of imported books in my place here.

I have to order from the Amazon (http://www.amazon.com) and impatiently wait until the package arrive (if it arrives safely, I experienced lost one package, but Amazon replaced it with a new one!)


I like Jaime Oliver too, especially on his “Jaime at Home” episodes. I love the drawing of veggies and fruits displayed during the transitions, it is very well done!

(http://www.jamieoliver.com/jamieathome/bloggers)

What he cooked on the show looked so delicious and seems like easy to follow.

I do admire him for trying of getting rid of junk food from school. Junk food is really liked by children. But everybody knows it only contents fat!

On my welcoming message I said that I met many people who finally love cooking to make their love ones happy, and I am included in it.

HAPPY COOKING!

BANANA CHEESE CAKE

I like this cake so much. The rich flavor of bananas combined with cheese give you a sensational taste. Serve for your tea time!

CAKE:
150g All
Purpose Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder

50gr Cheddar Cheese - grated

10 pcs Sweet Banana

7 pcs Cheese Slice

10 Egg Yolk

2 egg white

1tsp Vanilla

100gr Castor Sugar

100gr Butter - melted


SPREADING:

25gr Butter

50gr Cheedar Cheese - grated


INSTRUCTION:

Line tray
22 x 22 x 5 cm with baking paper, spread margarine over it thinly. Preheat oven to 180°C.

Cake: Sieve flour + Baking Powder, add grated cheese, mixed thoroughly, put aside.
Peel sweet bananas. Take 4 bananas and mash. Put aside. Slice elongated the remain bananas into half, and slice again into 2 or 3 parts depending on the length of each banana.
Arrange cut banana covering the bottom of the tray.
Put cheese slice on top of the banana.
Give 1 cm gap from the edge of the tray
. Put aside. Mix Egg Yolk, White Egg + Vanilla using electric mixer on a medium speed until foamy.
While mixing, put in sugar in several stages. Mix until thick and expand.
Put in flour in 2 or 3 stages, mix gently using wooden or rubber spatula.
While mixing, put in mashed banana. Add in the melted butter slowly, mix well.
Pour the mixture into the tray slowly on top of banana & cheese slice layer. Please be careful when pouring, keep the banana & cheese layer un-moved.

Bake for
± 60 minutes. Take out the cake from the oven and cool. Finishing: Turn the tray upside down on a wooden cutting board. (Banana & Cheese layer at the bottom)
Move the baking paper, trim the edge of the cake. Remove the hardened part.
Spread margarine on top of the cake and spread grated cheese over it.