September 2009

Rendang

Ingredients

• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 1 kg rump steak ( beef/chicken/mutton )
• 1 stalk lemon grass
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• 3 stalk lemon grass - sliced thinly
• 120gms grated coconut - fried and pounded
• 4 slices galangal
• 5 candlenuts, Ground
• 2 tbsp curry power - blended with 2 tbsps water
• 30 dried chillies
• 120 gms shallots
• 4 red chillies
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 cm piece ginger
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk - extracted from 1/2 grated coconut
• 8 tbsps oil

Directions

1. Heat oil and fry ground ingredients and curry powder until fragrant
2. Add in half of the coconut milk and fry until the oil separates
3. Add in the soya sauce mixture and steak.
4. Add in also the fried grated coconut and lemon grass. Stir fry for 10 minutes.
5. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and simmer until the meat is tender, for about 1 hour.
6. Increase heat to reduce gravy until it is thick and oily.

August 2009

Indonesian Coconut Beef

Serving Size : 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb Boneless sirloin steak, -trimmed
• 3 tb Corn oil
• 1 lg Spanish onion, sliced
• 1 Garlic clove, crushed
• 1 ts Ground ginger
• 1 ts Ground cumin
• 1 ts Ground coriander
• 1 ts Chili seasoning
• 2/3 c Shredded coconut
• 2 ts Light-brown sugar
• 1 tb Lemon juice
• 1 1/4 c Beef stock
• Thin slivers red bell pepper
• Chopped green chilies
• Small onion slices

Directions

• Cut steak in 1/2" thick strips.
• Heat oil in a saucepan. Add Spanish onion slices and garlic and fry gently until soft. Add beef and fry, stirring, until brown.
• Add spices to beef and cook 2 minutes.
• Add coconut, brown sugar, lemon juice and beef stock; stir well. Simmer gently, uncovered, 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until mixture is thickened and dry. Stir mixture more frequently towards end of cooking time to prevent sticking.
• Garnish with slivers of bell pepper, green chilies and small slices onion.

July 2009

SRI LANKAN DAHL

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 2 dried red chilies, chopped
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 cups red lentils
• 4 curry leaves
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1 cup vegetable stock, made with a cube
• 2 inches cinnamon sticks, whole
• 4 inches lemongrass (white part only)

Directions

• In a heavy pan heat the oil and fry the onion till golden brown.
• Put half of the onions aside and save for garnish.
• Add the chillies, shrimp paste, and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the lentils, curry leaves, coconut milk, stock, cinnamon stick and lemon grass. Stir to mix all the ingredients together.
• Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 40 mins, uncovered.
• Discard the cinnamon stick and lemon grass stalk.
• Garnish with the remaining onions and serve.

June 2009

Almond Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound almonds
• Hot water to cover almonds
• 5 eggs, separated
• 2 pinches of salt
• 1/2 pound granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract

May 2009

A Simple May Day Punch

A traditional May Day drink can be made by soaking Sweet Woodruff (herb) in water overnight and then serving the strained juice with fresh strawberries. Here is a variation of this traditional punch for you to try.

Ingredients
One Can Frozen Strawberry Fruit Juice
One Can of Water
One 1 liter bottle of Club Soda or Seltzer Water
Strawberries
Sweet Woodruff

Combine the strawberry juice, water, and club soda. Garnish with strawberries and Sweet Woodruff.
Enjoy!

Hot Cross Buns - A Good Friday Tradition

Hot Cross buns have long been a symbol of Good Friday. Today they are sold in bake shops and supermarket bakeries throughout the Easter season. Each bun has an icing cross on top to signify the crucifixion. In England, they were once sold by street vendors who advertised their wares with cries of "Hot Cross Buns!”Hot Cross Buns!" Their street cries became a nursery rhyme.... Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns! If ye have no daughters, Give them to your sons. One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns Although they have been a Lenten and Good Friday tradition for centuries, Hot Cross Buns were not always associated with Christianity. Their origins lie in pagan traditions of ancient cultures, with the cross representing the four quarters of the moon. During early missionary efforts, the Christian church adopted the buns and re-interpreted the icing cross. In 1361, a monk named Father Thomas Rockcliffe began a tradition of giving Hot Cross Buns to the poor of St Albans on Good Friday. In years that followed, many customs, traditions, superstitions, and claims of healing and protection from evil and were associated with the buns. In the 16th century, Roman Catholicism was banned in England, but the popularity of Hot Cross buns continued. Queen Elizabeth I passed a law banning the consumption of Hot Cross Buns except during festivals such as Easter, Christmas and funerals. Here's a recipe to make your own Hot Cross Buns and begin a Good Friday tradition at your house. They're also a delicious addition to an Easter Brunch or Easter Dinner. This recipe is for the bread machine. The amount of dough will be equal to a 2 pound loaf of bread. Hot Cross Buns Dough 1/4 cup water - at room temperature or slightly above 1/2 cup lukewarm milk 1/4 cup melted butter 1 egg, lightly beaten 3-1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar 1-1/2 tsp. active dry yeast 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg pinch of ground cloves pinch of allspice 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/4 cup finely chopped, mixed candied fruit Glaze 2 T. granulated sugar 2 T. water Icing 1/2 cup Confectioners' sugar 2 tsp. water   Preparation Place all the dough ingredients, except the raisins and fruit, in the bread machine pan. Set on the dough only cycle. Add the raisins and candied fruit at the bread machine's signal for adding extra ingredients. Remove the dough from the bread machine at end of dough cycle. Place it in a bowl, cover with a cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Shape the pieces into balls and place them 3 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour. Bake in a preheated oven at 375º for 15 to 18 minutes, or until light brown on top. Remove from the oven. Place the baking sheet full of buns on a wire rack to cool. Prepare the glaze, then spread it over the warm buns. Let the buns continue to cool on the baking sheet. When completely cool, fill a cake decorating bag, fitted with a round tip, with icing. Pipe an icing cross on each bun. Or... simply spoon narrow stips of icing, in the shape of a cross, on each bun. Source: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1745.asp

Pistachio Cake

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup shelled natural pistachios (4 ounces)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 13- by 9-inch metal cake pan, then line bottom with wax paper. Butter paper and dust pan with some flour, knocking out excess.

Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground (be careful not to overprocess into a paste). Add 1 cup flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt and pulse once or twice to mix.

Combine milk and vanilla in a measuring cup.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add pistachio flour and milk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, and mix at low speed until just combined.
Spread batter evenly in cake pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around sides of cake and invert onto rack. Remove paper and reinvert cake onto a platter. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

Cooks' note: Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely and keep, covered, at room temperature.

Coconut Kisses

• 54 Hershey Kisses ( 1- 9 oz. bag)
• 1 cup butter or margarine,
• 1 small pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• I egg yolk
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 2 tsp. orange juice coconut
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 5 cups (1 - 14 oz .pkg.) flaked coconut

Shape mixture into balls - about 1" round, Roll balls in the remaining coconut. Place coconut balls on ungreased non-stick cookie sheets. Bake at 350º for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately place a Hershey Kiss on top of each cookie. Cool for one minute, remove from cookie sheet. Place cookies on a wire rack. Cool completely, until Hershey kisses have hardened before storing in a single layer in an airtight container.