Pork Gyros With Pilaf Rice

Ingredients:
For gyros
500g boneless pork loin, cut into bite size pieces or strips
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs fresh thyme, chopped
3 tbs lemon juice
6 tbs olive oil

For pilaf rice
1 cup of rice, cooked
1 tsp chicken stock powder
2 tbs margarine or butter

Others
Mixed salad
Tzatziki (ready to use)

• In a large bowl, combine the garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, lemon juice, olive oil and then add the pork. Marinate for about 2 to 3 hours. 
• For pilaf rice: In a cooking pan, heat 2 tbs of margarine or butter over medium heat. Add the rice and chicken stock powder, stir until well combined. 
• Preheat a grill pan over high heat and then add the marinated pork, cook for about 6 minutes or until golden brown on each side, turn them around frequently. 
• Serve the gyros with pilaf rice, some salad and tzatziki. 

Note: You can  make your own tzatziki dip by mixing grated 1/2 cucumber (water drained), 1 cup of yoghurt (200g), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tsp white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for few hours before serving.

Black Forest Cake ( Schwarzwälder Kirsch Torte)

Recipe from http://www.joyofbaking.com/BlackForestCake.html

This recipe is very easy to follow and came out really good, i preferred to reduce the amount of sugar on the cake to 1/2 cup and frosting to 2 table spoons.

Nasi Goreng Ham (Fried Rice With Ham)

Ingredients:
2 plates of rice
2 tbs cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 eggs
1 stalk spring onion, chopped
1 red chillies
2 slices ham, chopped
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
Salt and pepper
Fried shallots for garnish

In a large cooking pan, preheat 2 tbs cooking oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and spring onions, cook until fragrant and slightly browned. Add the ham and cook until slightly browned. Leave some space on the pan, add the eggs, let it for about a minute and then stir until scrambled. Add the chillies, cook for 2 minutes or so and then add the rice, fish sauce, oyster sauce and frozen peas, stir constantly until well combined. Sprinkle with the fried shallots before serving.

Sugar Cookies

I halved the recipe and had the sugar amounts reduced. Me and my little one love to bake this cookies together and decorate them with colored icing and some sprinkles.

 Recipe adapted from joyofbaking.com

Ingredients:
11/2 cup (195 g) all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (113,5) unsalted butter, at room temperature
75g granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the royal icing:
1 egg white
1 tbs lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Choice of food coloring

• In a bowl mix the flour with baking soda and salt.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes), add the egg and vanilla extract, beat for 1 minute or until well combined.
• Add the flour and beat until smooth with the mixer. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, put in the fridge for about 1 1/2 hour. 
• Preheat oven to 177 ˚C, line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
• Remove half of the dough from the fridge and let the other half wrapped in the fridge. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured dough roller, roll the dough to 1 cm thick. With a lightly floured cookie cutter, cut desired shape and place them onto a prepared baking sheet, refrigerate the unbaked cookies on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes. 
• For the royal icing: In a mixing bowl beat the egg white with lemon juice shortly on low speed and add the sifted sugar, beat on low speed until smooth. Add lemon juice if the icing is still too thick for you. Add food coloring, and stir to well combined. Use the icing  
• Bake the cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are starting to brown a little bit. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.
• For the royal icing: In a mixing bowl beat the egg white with lemon juice shortly on low speed and add the sifted sugar, beat on low speed until smooth. Add lemon juice if the icing is still too thick for you. Add food coloring, and stir to well combined. Use immediately, you can add some sprinkles too. Let the icing completely dry before storing.

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients:

400g chicken breast fillet, cut into cubes

11/2 tbs tapioca flour

3 tbs cooking oil

2 red chillies, seeded and cut into square pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, cut into square pieces

100g cashew nuts, toasted

1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine

2 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs sweet soy sauce

Salt and pepper (salt if needed)

• In a large cooking pan, preheat 2 tbs cooking oil over medium high heat, coat evenly the chicken with tapioca flour and add the chicken into the pan. Stir fry the chicken until golden brown. Set aside.
• In the same cooking pan, add 1 tbs cooking oil, add the onions and garlic, cook until fragrant. Add the chillies, cook for about 2 minutes. Toss the chicken back to the pan, pour in the Chinese cooking wine, let it cook for another 2 to 3 minutes and then add all the sauce, stir to coat, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed, add the nuts and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Serve it with steamed rice.

Baked Tortellini With Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

800g ready to use tortellini

100g heavy cream

Marinara sauce*

200g shredded mozzarella 

1/2 cup parmesan

*For marinara sauce:

2 cans diced tomatoes (800 g)

2 tbs olive oil

1 onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup of basil leaves

A dash of sugar 

Salt and pepper

1. For the marinara sauce: In a large cooking pan with lid, preheat 2 tbs olive oil over medium high heat, add the onion and garlic, cook until fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes, let it boil and cover the pan, cook for about 15 minutes over medium low heat. Uncover and season it with sugar, salt and pepper, stir to combine. remove from heat and add the basil leaves. 
2. Preheat oven to 180 ˚C.
3. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the tortellini for about 2 minutes. Drain.
4. In a baking dish, combine well the marinara sauce, cream, parmesan, 100g of shredded mozzarella. Stir in the tortellini, sprinkle the rest of shredded mozzarella on top, bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese on top is golden brown.

Broccoli Cream Soup

Ingredients:
Broccoli florets (from 1 large broccoli)
1 stalk of spring onion, cleaned and chop roughly
4 cups water
2 tbs margarine or butter
1 onion, chopped
3 tbs all purpose flour
3 tsp chicken stock powder
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
A dash of sugar
Shredded cheese (i used Gouda)

• In a cooking pot, add the water and bring it to boil, add broccoli and cook it for about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving all of the water.
• In a food processor or blender, process all the florets and spring onions until fairly smooth, set aside.
• In a cooking pot, melt the margarine or butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 4 minutes or until glassy. Stir in the flour, cook and stir constantly for about 2 minutes. Pour in the reserved water, chicken stock powder, stir well, cook until its boiling . Reduce heat to medium low, add the milk, cream and stir constantly. Add in the processed broccoli, season it with nutmeg, salt, pepper, sugar, let it boil and thickened. Remove from heat.
• Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and serve with some bread.

Kwetiaw Goreng Telur Pedas (Stir Fried Spicy Rice Noodle With Egg)

Ingredients:
250g rice noodles, cooked according to the package directions
5 tbs cooking oil
3 cloves garlic
2 shallots
2 red chillies
2 Eggs
2 stalks spring onions, chopped
1 tbs oyster sauce
4 tbs sweet soy sauce
1 tbs soy sauce
Salt and pepper
Fried shallots, melinjo crackers and cucumber pickles for garnish

• In a food processor, puree the garlic, shallots, red chillies, 2 table spoon cooking oil until smooth.
• After the rice noodles cooked, transfer it to a big bowl, mix it with the 4 table spoon sweet soy sauce, and 1 table spoon cooking oil. Stir until well coated. 
• In a large cooking pan,  preheat 2 table spoon cooking oil over medium high heat, add the eggs, cook until scrambled, place it on one side of the pan. On the empty side of the pan pour in puree ingredients and cook it until fragrant. Add the spring onions, stir and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the rice noodles, soy sauce and oyster sauce, mix it until well combined and then taste it, add salt and pepper. 
• Serve it with cucumber pickles on the side, melinjo crackers or shrimp crackers and sprinkle with the fried shallots.

Indonesian Cucumber Pickles

Ingredients: 
1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into small cubes
5 bird's eye chillies
3 tbs white vinegar
1 tsp salt
3 to 4 tsp sugar
6 tbs water

In a bowl mix the vinegar, salt, sugar and water together. Pour in the cubed cucumber and whole chillies, mix it well. Put it in the refrigerator for few hours before serving.

Note: To the pickle you can add a tablespoon of sliced shallots and carrots.

Vanilla Cupcake

This by far the simplest and the best cupcake recipe i've ever tried. I reduced the amount of sugar in this recipe because it's a little too sweet for me, you can find the recipe in http://www.joyofbaking.com/VanillaCupcakes.html. You can decorate the cupcakes however you like, these sweet treats are the best for any kind of celebrations.

Ingredients:

For the cupcake

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 

3 eggs

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest from 1 lemon

11/2 cup all purpose flour

11/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

60 ml milk

For the buttercream frosting

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs milk

Choice of food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 175 ˚C, line 12 muffin cups with paper liner.
2. In a large mixing bowl with an electric or a hand mixer beat the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beat well on each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, combine well the flour, baking powder, lemon zest and salt.
4. Add the flour mixture and milk in three additions, mix it very well and not too long. 
5. Fill the muffin form evenly, about 3/4 full on each cup. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes and let it completely cool before frosting.
6. For the buttercream frosting: In a mixing bowl with an electric or a hand mixer beat the butter until its creamy and soft. Add the vanilla extract. On low speed add gradually the powdered sugar, beat until well mixed. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy. Add choice of food coloring and mix it well with your spatula. Decorate the cupcakes as you desired, you can use either a piping bag or icing spatula and top it with edible cupcake decorations.

Nasi Gila

One of Jakarta's popular street food

Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 sausages, thin sliced
2 tbs cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sweet soy sauce
1 tbs tomato sauce
1 tsp or more chilli sauce
2 plates steamed rice
Fried shallots

In a cooking pan, preheat 2 table spoon cooking oil over medium  high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, add the sausages and cook until lightly brown, create an empty space on your pan and add the eggs, leave it cook for about 1 minute and then stir until scrambled. Stir everything to combine. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, cook and stir until well combined. Serve over steamed rice, sprinkle with the fried shallots.

Note: You can add sliced meatballs or shredded fried chicken to the ingredients.

Grilled Chicken With Mango Salsa

This is one of my husband favourite dish, it's very easy to make and the flavour is like party in your mouth. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do. 

Ingredients:
500g chicken breast fillet
2 tbs olive oil
21/2 tbs lime juice
1 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper

For the mango salsa:
1 mango, peeled and diced
3 stalks spring onions, chopped
1 tsp salt
3 tsp sugar
3 tbs lime juice
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
1 bird's eye chilli, chopped (optional)
Cilantro leaves

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the lime juice, paprika powder, garlic powder, crushed garlic, salt and pepper, mix it well. Add the chicken into the plastic bag, mix until well coated and marinate it for few hours in the refrigerator. 
2. For the mango salsa: In a bowl combine all the salsa ingredients and mix it well, adjust seasoning if necessary. Put it in a refrigerator for few hours before serving. 
3. In a grill pan, preheat olive oil over medium high heat. Grill the chicken for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
4. Top grilled chicken with mango salsa, serve it immediately. 

Simple Paella

Ingredients:

2 cups long grain rice

3 tbs cooking oil

100g chorizo (Spanish sausage), cut into bite size pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red paprika, chopped
300 g fresh or frozen peeled prawn, thawed
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sweet paprika powder
A pinch of saffron
1 cup frozen green peas
800 ml water
3 tsp chicken stock powder
Salt and pepper
Lemon wedges and chopped cilantro for garnish

1. In a skillet, preheat 1 tbs cooking oil and cook the prawns for about 2 to 3 minutes or until its pink (do not overcook the prawns), set aside.
2. In a large cooking pan with lid, preheat 2 tbs cooking oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook it until glassy, add the chorizo pieces and cook until its golden brown. 
3. Add the garlic, paprika, cook for few minutes and then add the rice, turmeric powder, paprika powder, saffron, mix it well. Pour the water and add the chicken stock powder, stir until well combined and let it boil until most of the liquid is absorbed, put the lid on and turn the heat to low. Let it stand for about 8 minutes or until the rice is cooked, uncover and stir. 
4. Pour the green peas over rice and then lay the prawns, put the lid back on and let it cook for another 5 minutes or until the peas are cooked through. Uncover, season it with salt and pepper, stir until well combined. Serve it with lemon wedges and chopped cilantro.

Soba Shrimp Pad Thai

Recipe from Men's Health Magazine Deutschland 

Ingredients:

200g soba 

300g shrimps

2 tbs peanut oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs peanut butter

1 tbs honey

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbs chilli sauce

1 tbs fish sauce

1 tbs soy sauce

5 tbs water

1 paprika, diced

100 g champignon, sliced

3 stalks spring onion, sliced

Salt and pepper

20g roasted peanuts, crushed

Lime, cut into wedges

• In a bowl combine the garlic, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, chilli sauce and 5 tbs water. Mix it well.
• In a pot, bring water to boil and cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
• In a cooking pan, preheat 1 tbs peanut oil over medium heat and cook the shrimps for about 2 to 3 minutes or until its pink. Set aside.
• In the same cooking pan, add 1 tbs peanut oil and sauté the paprika and mushrooms for about 2 minutes. Add the spring onion, peanut butter mixture, soba noodles and the shrimps. Stir until well combined and remove from heat.
• Garnish it with roasted peanuts and lime wedges.

Sweet and Sour Fish (Ikan Asam Manis)

Ingredients:

450g white fish fillet, pat dried with paper towel, cut into approximately 2,5 cm squares  

2 tbs all purpose flour 

2 tbs tapioca starch

1 tsp chicken stock powder

Salt and pepper

Cooking oil for deep frying

For Sweet and Sour Sauce:

2 tbs cooking oil

2 cloves garlic, bruised

1 onion, sliced

2 stalks spring onion, diagonally sliced 

1 red chilli, diagonally sliced

4 tbs tomato sauce

2 tbs sugar

1 tsp chicken stock powder

300 ml water

Salt and pepper

1 tsp tapioca starch, mix it with few tbs of water

• In a plate combine the flour, tapioca starch, chicken stock powder, salt and pepper. Preheat the cooking oil over medium high heat. Add the fish fillets into the flour mixture, turn them around until well coated. Deep fry the fish fillets for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown, remove from oil, place them onto absorbent paper for few minutes and transfer them to a serving dish. 
• For the sauce, preheat oil over medium high heat, add the garlic and onions, cook until fragrant. Add the spring onions, chilli and cook them for about 2 minutes, add water, tomato sauce, chicken stock powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Once its boiling add the tapioca mixture, stir until thickened, remove from heat and pour it over the fried fish. Serve it immediately with steamed rice.

Teriyaki Chicken Burger

Ingredients:
400g chicken breast fillet
4 slices pineapple (canned or fresh)
150 ml teriyaki sauce*
1 onion, sliced
4 slices any choice of cheese
Chilli flakes
4 hamburger buns

• In a resealable plastic bag, marinate the chicken breast fillet with teriyaki sauce for an hour or so.
• In a grill pan, grill the pineapple slices for 3 minutes on each side over medium high heat or until golden brown.
• Preheat oven to 160 ˚C
• Remove the chicken from the marinade, grill them for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown over medium high heat. In a saucepan boil the teriyaki marinade and set it aside.
• Toast the burger buns for 1 to 2 minutes in the oven. 
• Briefly grill the onion slices.
• Place on each bun the grilled chicken with 1 table spoon of teriyaki sauce, cheese, pineapple, chilli flakes and onion. Enjoy!