Kokos Makronen (Coconut Macaroons)

Ingredients:
2 white eggs
1/4 tsp salt
125g or more shredded coconut
100g granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g dark cooking chocolate, cut into small pieces.

• Preheat oven to 175 °C, bake the shredded coconut until slightly brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside and let it cool for about 15 minutes.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat white eggs and salt until soft peak, add sugar and vanilla extract, with spatula mix until well combined. Add shredded coconut, fold until well combined. 
• Using a teaspoon, shape coconut mixture into small balls, gently press the balls but do not flatten them. Place them about 1 1/2 cm apart. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool for about 15 minutes.
• In a small double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate, dip the bottoms of cooled macaroons on a chocolate and return them to the lined baking sheets. Let it cool for about 20 minutes or until the chocolate is set.

Zimt Sterne (Cinnamon Stars)

Ingredients:

2 egg whites (large)

1/4 tsp salt

155g powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

170g ground hazelnut

170g ground almond

2 tsp cinnamon

• In a mixing bowl, with a hand mixer beat egg whites and salt until stiff peak. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until smooth and well combined. Take about 5 tablespoon of the mixture and put it into a piping bag or resealable plastic bag, set it aside in the refrigerator. 
• Add ground hazelnut, ground almond and cinnamon powder. With a spatula, fold until well combined. The dough should be easy to roll and not be sticky. Form the dough into large ball.
• Lay a large plastic wrap (lay 2 if needed) on your kitchen counter, transfer ball of dough on prepared plastic wrap. Cover it with the same size plastic wrap and start to roll the dough to 1 cm thick. 
• Preheat oven to 150 °C, line your baking pan with parchment paper.
• Add a little bit of powdered sugar in a small plate, to avoid sticking, dip your star cookie cutter on the powdered sugar every time before pressing into the dough. Place cutouts cookie immediately to prepared baking pan about 1 cm apart. 
• Take the meringue (egg whites and powdered sugar mixture) out from refrigerator, cut off the tip of the plastic bag to create tiny hole, pipe icing on top of the cookies and spread evenly with a small spoon or butter knife.
• Bake for about 18 minutes or until the meringue just begins to brown.

Pulled Pork Pie with BBQ peach sauce

Recipe adapted from Mutti magazine

Ingredients:

For the pulled pork

2 kg pork shoulder fillet

2 tbs paprika powder

1 tbs more or less chilli powder 

100 g brown sugar

4 tbs mustard

Black pepper

2 tbs salt

For bbq peach sauce

2 tbs cooking oil

2 small onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 canned peach (850ml)

150g ketchup

3 tbs Worcestershire sauce

100 g brown sugar

2 tbs paprika powder

50 ml apple vinegar

Salt & sugar to taste

For the pie crust

400g all purpose flour

200g butter, room temperature

2 eggs + 1 egg yolk

3 tbs ice cold water

1 tsp salt

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tbs milk

• A day before, in a bowl combine the pulled pork spices such as paprika powder, chili powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Pat dry the meat with paper towel, with your hand rub the meat evenly with mustard, after that coat evenly with mixed spices. Cover with aluminum foil, let it stand in the refrigerator for overnight.
• On the next day, preheat oven to 100 °C. Unwrap the meat and bake for about 6 hours or until the meat is very tender.
• For the bbq sauce, preheat oil in a sauce pan, add onions and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes. Add the peach along with the juice from the can. Let it boil, then add the rest of sauce ingredients except salt and sugar. Cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat,  puree the peach mixture with a hand blender (immersion blender) or food processor. Adjust seasoning with salt or sugar.
• For the pie crust, butter the muffin form, in a mixing bowl add the flour, butter, 2 eggs, ice water, balsamic vinegar and salt. With a standing mixer or a hand mixer beat the ingredients until the dough comes together. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap, set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before use.
• After about 6 hours, take the meat out of the oven, with two forks pull the meat apart. Add half of the peach bbq sauce into the pulled pork, mix evenly.
• Take out the pie dough from the refrigerator, sprinkle some flour on the working table, knead the dough and with a rolling pin roll the dough to 3- 4 mm thin. Using a 4 1/2" or 12 cm cookie or biscuit cutter cut out 12 rounds of dough (for the bottom) and using 3 1/2" or 9 cm cookie cutter cut out 12 rounds of dough (for the top). Always place the prepared dough on the light floured surface or on plastic wrap.
• Beat slightly egg yolk and 1 tbs of milk (for brushing). Preheat oven to 200 °C.
• Line each bottom of muffin form with larger piece of dough, make sure that each one comes up sides (see picture). Fill each dough with pulled pork and about 1 tbs of bbq peach sauce, top each one with smaller dough, press lightly to make sure both bottom and top of the dough meet. Brush the top with egg yolk mixture, bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ingredients:
For 12 cupcakes
100 ml milk (full cream)
300 ml + 60 ml heavy whipping cream
250g good quality dark cooking chocolate, chopped
1 tbs powdered sugar

• Leave the 300 ml heavy whipping cream in the refrigerator right up until you ready to use it.
• In a medium sauce pan, boil the milk and 60 ml heavy whipping cream. Once boiled add all the chopped chocolate into the sauce pan, turn off the heat completely and whisk constantly until well combined or no lumps. You can also strain the mixture to make sure there is no lumps. Cover and let it cool in the fridge for few hours.
• When the chocolate mixture is ready, in a large mixing bowl with low speed, beat the cold 300 ml heavy whipping cream, increase to high speed gradually to avoid splashing. After you reach soft peaks form add a tablespoon powdered sugar, continue beating until the cream reaches stiff peaks. Do not over beat the cream (should be around about 8 minutes until the cream reaches stiff peaks form).
• Add your cold chocolate mixture into whipped cream, mix on low speed and increase the speed gradually just until the mixture fully incorporated. Refrigerate your chocolate ganache frosting right away before use.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

For the Muffin:
1/2 cup (57g) butter, room temperature
175g granulated sugar
250g all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla paste
1/2 cup milk
175g fresh blueberries

Streusel:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tbs butter, room temperature

• First step: Make the streusel by combining all the streusel ingredients with hands or a spatula until well blended and crumbly. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the muffin: In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt until well mixed.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar just for about 2 minutes, add in the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla paste and beat for another minute.
• Preheat oven to 190 °C, prepare muffin tin, line it with paper liner.
• Gradually add the flour mixture alternating with the milk, fold with spatula just until well combined. Fold in the fresh blueberries, fold gently to avoid batter turning blue. 
• Take the streusel out from the refrigerator.
• Spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin tin and sprinkle the streusel topping over the muffin batter, bake for about 25- 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Starbucks Copycat Lemon Pound Cake

For me this is the best closest recipe to the moist Starbucks lemon pound cake. I've tried so many times to reach the flavor and texture but none of recipes out there were close enough to perfection except this one.

Ingredients:
250g butter, room temperature
250g caster sugar
2- 3 bio lemon, we need about 3 tsp of grated lemon zest and 120ml of lemon juice
4 eggs (medium)
200g all purpose flour
50g corn starch or maizena
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla paste or extract
150g powdered sugar

1. In a large mixing bowl, with a hand or standing mixer beat butter, sugar, grated lemon zest until light and fluffy about more than 5 minutes. 
2. In a separate bowl, stir flour, baking powder, salt until combined. Sift it and set it aside. Preheat oven for 180 °C. Slightly butter 25 cm loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beat until well combined on each addition. Add vanilla paste and beat for another 2 minutes. 
4. Take only about 80ml of lemon juice, the rest 40ml is for frosting. Pour 1/3 of the lemon juice to the cake batter and 1/3 of the sifted flour mixture. Beat with low speed until well combined. Repeat process. Mix just until fully incorporated. Do not over mix the batter after the flour went in.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let it cool for about 20 min before frosting.
6. For the frosting: In a bowl combine powdered sugar and 40ml lemon juice, stir until no clumps are visible.
7. Drizzle the frosting evenly over the cake. Let it stand for 10 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

Mini Vanilla Sponge Cake

Ingredients:
For the cake
2 large eggs
155g granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
120ml full cream milk or half and half
56g butter
130g (about 1 cup) cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

• In a glass or stainless mixing bowl combine the eggs and sugar. Over double boiler, whisk the eggs and sugar with a hand whisk until the sugar dissolved and the temperature of the mixture reaches lukewarm. 
• In a bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, mix until combined.
• With a hand mixer or standing mixer, beat the mixture until fluffy and pale. Beat over high speed about 6 minutes until reaches ribbon stage.
• In a microwave safe bowl, add milk and butter. Microwave it for about 30 seconds. Add to the egg mixture, add vanilla paste and continue beating for about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 180 °C, prepare 16 cm round baking form, butter evenly the surface of the baking form or you can line it with parchment paper.
• Add the flour mixture, beat over low speed for about another 2 minutes or until well combined. Do not over beat the batter!!
• Pour the batter into a prepared baking form, bake for about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let it cool completely before frosting.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Fried Garlic Topping

Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, minced
500g fresh green asparagus, rough ends removed
250g bacon
Salt and pepper
2 tbs olive oil
Cooking oil

• In a small pan, fry the garlic until crispy golden brown, stir continuously to prevent burning. Set the fried garlic aside on paper towel.
• Preheat oven to 200 °C, line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wrap tightly about 4 stalks of asparagus with 1 slice of bacon, secure with toothpick. Repeat process. 
• Place asparagus bundles on prepared baking sheet, sprinkle a little bit of salt on parts that are not wrapped with bacon. Sprinkle evenly with pepper. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until asparagus is tender and the bacon is crisp. Remove from oven.
• Sprinkle with crispy fried garlic on top before serving.

Ayam Betutu Panggang (Roasted Balinese Chicken)

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken parts or whole chicken

4 large shallots (double up the amount if you use Indonesian shallots)

5 cloves of garlic

3/4 tsp ground turmeric or 2,5 cm fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced

2 cm ginger, peeled and sliced

1 tsp galangal powder or 3 cm fresh galangal, peeled and sliced

1 tbs coriander seeds, roast in a pan without oil until fragrant

1 tsp shrimp paste, roast in a pan without oil until fragrant

1 1/2 tbs tamarind paste

2 large red chillies plus additional bird's eye chillies if desired

Salt and white pepper

2 bay leaves

2 stalks lemon grass, white parts, bruised

Banana leaves 

Aluminum foil

Cooking oil 

Water

• In a food processor, add shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, galangal, coriander seeds, shrimp paste, tamarind paste, chillies, about 2 tbs cooking oil, salt (about 1 heaped tsp) and pepper. Puree until smooth. 
• For the spices: Preheat about 2 tbs cooking oil over medium heat, add the puree ingredients, bay leaves, lemon grass and fry until fragrant. Reserve about 1 heaped tbs of the spices for the sauce.
• Preheat oven to 120 °C. 
• For the chicken: Rub evenly chicken parts with the rest of fried spices. Place the chicken on banana leaves and  wrap it, secure the sides with toothpicks. Double wrap it tightly with aluminum foil so the steam won't come out. Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven unwrap it. Reserve any juices and spices left on the banana leaves. Preheat oven to 190 °C, upper heat. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, place a wire rack on top of the baking pan, line the chicken, roast for about 15 to 20 min on each side or until golden brown and slightly charred.
• In the meantime, prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, combine all the reserved spices and juices, add 150 ml water + 1 tsp chicken stock powder, let it boil over medium heat. Add whole bird's eye chillies if desired. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve the chicken over steamed rice and pour some of the sauce on top of the chicken. Enjoy with sambal matah Bali.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

150g cherry tomatoes, sliced

125g light mini mozzarella cheese balls (you can use regular mozzarella balls), sliced

Fresh basil leaves about 8 to 10 leaves

1 tbs olive oil

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar

Salt and pepper 

• For the dressing, in a bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir until the sugar is entirely dissolved.
• In a serving plate, arrange the tomatoes and mozzarella slices. Drizzle with the prepared dressing, top it with fresh basil leaves. 

Moist Vanilla Cupcake

Ingredients:

150g butter, room temperature

150g caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla paste or extract 

150g all purpose flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbs full fat milk or half & half

• In a bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt until well combined.
• Preheat oven to 180 °C, line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• In a mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. With a standing or a hand mixer beat them until light and pale, around about 5 minutes.
• Add egg one at a time, mix well on every addition. Add vanilla, mix until well combined.
• Add the milk. Gradually add in the flour mixture, with a spatula or a hand mixer on medium low speed fold the batter just until incorporated. 
• With an ice cream scoop fill batter about 3/4 full evenly into cupcake liners. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
• Let it cool before you decorate the cupcakes with frosting. I halved my lemon buttercream frosting recipe for these cupcakes frosting. I piped with Wilton #104 petal decorating tip.

Spicy Lemongrass Chicken

Ingredients:

500g chicken fillet (breast or thighs), cut into bite size pieces

3 large cloves of garlic, mince 1 clove of garlic and bruised 2 cloves of garlic

3 tbs fish sauce

3/4 tsp chicken stock powder

4 tsp sugar

2 red chillies or Thai chili, sliced

3 stalks lemon grass, white parts, sliced

salt and white pepper to taste

Cooking oil

• In a bowl, add chicken, minced garlic, fish sauce, chicken stock powder, sugar, mix them until well combined and marinate for at least an hour.
• In a food processor, add lemon grass, the 2 cloves of garlic, chillies, a little bit of salt, white pepper and about 3 tbs of cooking oil. Process just until it's finely chopped. 
• In a cooking pan, fry the finely chopped ingredients until crispy and golden brown, remove from heat, place fried ingredients on a plate lined with paper towel. Set aside.
• On the same cooking pan preheat 2 tbs cooking oil over medium high heat, stir fry the chicken until golden brown. Make sure that the chicken is cooked through.
• Place the cooked chicken on a serving plate, garnish with fried lemongrass, garlic and chili. Enjoy over steamed rice or vermicelli.

Note: If you are going to use chicken breast, do not overcook it or it will end up being tough and dry.

Pandan Chiffon Cake (Kue Sifon Pandan)

Ingredients:

7 egg whites

6 egg yolks

15 pandan leaves + 2 tbs water

250g super fine or caster sugar (divided, 200g for egg yolks and 50g for egg whites)

About 2 cups or 200g all purpose flour + 1 tbs corn starch, sifted

1 tbs baking powder

130 ml coconut milk

120 ml cooking oil

A little bit green food color (optional)

1/2 tsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

• Cut the pandan leaves into small pieces, in a food processor finely chop the leaves, add 2 tbs water, puree the ingredients and after squeeze through a sifter to get the juice, we need about 50ml pandan juice. Pour and mix it with 130 ml coconut milk. 
• Mix the sifted flour and baking powder until well combined. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the yolks and 200g sugar until light and pale. Add in the coconut milk mixture, cooking oil and the flour mixture. Add green food color if desired (i add about a drop of green paste food color from wilton), beat with a mixer on low speed or with a spatula just until smooth and well combined.
• Preheat oven to 170 °C, line the bottom a 25 cm bundt cake pan with a round baking paper     (see pictures below). 
• In another large bowl beat the egg whites until foamy, add vinegar and salt, beat until soft peak and gradually add the sugar (50g) while beating until it reaches stiff peak form. 
• Gradually fold in the egg whites in 3 additions. Fold it gently until fully combined, pour to a prepared cake form. Tap the pan few times to remove air bubbles on the batter, and run a chopstick around the batter to remove the rest of air bubbles. Bake for about 1 hour or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Get a bowl or a glass ready, immediately turn the pan upside down against a bowl or a glass to prevent the cake from collapsing, let it stand for at least 1 hour. To remove the cake, run a knife  or spatula to release the sides, the baking paper should help the cake slide out easily.

How to make a round baking paper for bundt pan:

Spicy Tofu Stir Fry with Crispy Anchovies (Cah Tahu Teri Pedas)

Ingredients:
1 pack tofu, cut into squares
2 tbs dried anchovies, crispy fried
2 tbs cooking oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
Thai chillies (i used 2 for this recipe), diagonally sliced
2 stalks spring onions, white parts, diagonally sliced
40 ml water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar

• You can fried the tofu until slightly brown, but i like mine baked, so here is how to bake the tofu. Preheat oven to 180 °C, in a bowl add the tofu, drizzle about 2 tbs cooking oil and mix until evenly coated. put them on the baking tray covered with baking paper and bake for about 15 minutes or until they are slightly brown. 
• In a wok or a pan, preheat 2 tbs cooking oil over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, fry until fragrant. Add in the chillies and spring onions. Cook for about 1 minutes, add water, let it cook for another minute. 
• Toss in the tofu, season with salt, pepper and sugar (i used about 3/4 tsp of salt), gently stir until all just combined, remove from heat, sprinkle the fried anchovies on top. Serve it with steamed rice.

Lemon Buttercream

Ingredients:

200g unsalted butter, room temperature

100g salted butter, room temperature

350g powdered sugar, sifted

1 tbs vanilla extract

1 1/2 to 2 tbs lemon juice

In a mixing bowl beat the butter with hand or stand mixer until white and fluffy. Add gradually powdered sugar, add vanilla extract and lemon juice. Add food coloring if desired, mix until well combined. 

Char Siu with Egg Noodles (Bakmie Babi Panggang Merah) and Chili Pickle

Ingredients:
For the noodles
1 package dried egg noodles
2 slices bacon
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbs cooking oil
2 tbs soy sauce
2 stalks spring onions, thinly sliced for garnish
Char siu pork
Pork Wonton (optional)
Chili Pickle

• In a pan fry the bacon (without oil) until brown and crispy, set the bacon aside. Do NOT discard the grease from the bacon. In the same pan, preheat 3 tbs cooking oil over medium low heat and add the garlic. Stir constantly, fry until slightly brown, be careful to let the garlic burn. immediately remove from heat and set aside. 
• Boil water and cook the egg noodles according to package direction. Prepare a large bowl, add 2 tbs soy sauce, add the fried garlic and the oil. Strain the noodles, toss noodles into the bowl. Mix until well combine. 
• How to assemble: Take a portion of noodles, top the noodles with some of sliced char siu pork, wontons (optional), sprinkle with sliced spring onions and enjoy with chili pickle on the side.

Chili Pickle

Ingredients:
2 large red or green chillies, cut diagonally
5 to 6 Thai chillies, cut diagonally
1/2 cup water
2 tbs white vinegar
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

• In a bowl mix water, vinegar, salt and sugar until incorporated. 
• Add all the chillies, let it stand for few hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Wonton Soup (Pangsit Kuah)

Ingredients:

500g ground pork or chicken

250g Shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped

1 pack of wonton skin 

4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp grated ginger
3 drops of sesame oil
1 1/2 tbs maizena (corn starch)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 liter homemade chicken broth*
3 stalks green onions, chopped
Coriander leaves for garnish

1. With about half cup cooking oil, fry the garlic until golden brown and crispy over medium heat. Stir continuously. Be really careful not to burn the garlic as it can be very bitter. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. To make homemade chicken broth*, you'll need about  to 1 kg chicken parts that have very low flesh such as necks, backs or bones. In a large bowl filled with 3 liter of water add the chicken parts and bring it to boil. Once boiled reduce heat to low, with a spoon skim the residue floating on surface. Cover the cooking bowl, simmer for about 2 hours. If you are using bones simmer for about 5 hours. Strain to get a clear broth with a fine strainer or cloth.
3. For the wonton filling; In a mixing bowl combine the meat,  shrimp, corn starch, half of the fried garlic without the oil, grated ginger, sesame oil, half of the chopped green onions, salt and pepper (i used 1 and 1/2 tsp of sea salt). Mix until well combined.
4. Wrap the wonton, here is how to wrap a wonton.
5. Bring about 2 liter chicken broth back to boil, once boiling add the wontons one portion at a time (about 10 per portion or as desire). Take out the wonton with a large strainer, put it in a bowl. Pour the broth over the wontons, garnish with spring onions, a little bit of fried garlic with oil and coriander leaves. Serve it immediately and enjoy it with chili soy sauce.

Indonesian Fried Chicken (Ayam Goreng Kuning)

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken, any parts, preferably bone-in
2 stalks lemon grass, white part only, bruised
2 bay leaves
2 to 3 kaffir lime leaves
2 tbs cooking oil
Enough water to cover the chicken
Spice paste:
10 shallots, halved
10 cloves garlic, bruised
6 to 8 candlenuts, pan roasted without oil
1 tbs ground coriander
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 to 2 tbs galangal powder
2 to 3 tbs palm sugar, grated
Salt and white pepper to taste (i used about 2 tsp of salt)
2 tbs cooking oil

• Pierce your chicken parts with a fork a couple of times on each side.
• In a food processor puree all the spice paste ingredients until smooth.
• In a cooking bowl, preheat 2 tablespoon cooking oil over medium heat. Add in the spice paste puree, lemon grass, bay leaves, lime leaves and cook until fragrant. Add the chicken parts, stir to combine, add the water just enough to cover chicken parts. Once boiling cover the cooking bowl and turn the heat to low. Simmer for about 45 minutes remove from heat and let the chicken sit in the sauce for another few hours or overnight for better flavor.
• There is two options, you can either deep fry the chicken or roast it. If you want to bake the chicken like i did in this recipe, preheat your oven to 190 °C upper heat. Prepare baking sheet, line it with parchment paper, place the chicken and roast them for about 15 minutes on each side or until crispy golden brown.
• Serve it with steamed rice, sambal terasi and sliced cucumber or tomatoes.

Sambal Terasi

Ingredients:
3 big red chillies
4 or more red thai chillies
2 Shallots, peeled
1 tsp shrimp paste ready to use
1 to 2 tbs lime juice
Salt to taste

• Deep fry all the chillies and shallots or bake them in the oven. To bake, preheat oven to 180 °C, place chillies and shallots on a baking tray. Drizzle with cooking oil. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until fragrant.
• In a food processor or you can use mortal and pestle. Process all the ingredients except lime juice until well mixed and ground but not smooth, you want to leave some texture.
• Drizzle with lime juice.

Crackling Roasted Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)

Ingredients:

1/2 kg pork belly

3/4 tsp five spice powder (bumbu ngohiong)

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp white pepper

For the skin: 

3 tbs vinegar

2 1/2 tsp salt

1. In small bowl mix the five spice powder, salt, sugar, pepper until well combined. 
2. In another small bowl mix 1 1/2 tbs vinegar and 1 tsp salt until well combined.
3. Prepare the pork belly, pat dry the skin with kitchen towel. With a tooth pick, jab the skin from the pork belly evenly to absorb the marinade better and help the skin creates crispy crackling texture.
4. In a plate or a cutting board,  place the pork belly skin side down, with a knife cut the meaty part (not the skin) about 1 cm deep along the length, be careful not to cut through. Rub the meat with five spice powder mixture.
5. Flip the pork belly and now rub the skin part with half of the vinegar mixture. Marinate for about 6 hours or overnight.
6. Prepare baking sheet, line with aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 200 °C, upper heat.  First place the pork belly skin side down. Roast the meaty part for about 15 to 20 minutes.
7. In a small bowl mix the rest ingredients for the skin 1 1/2 tbs vinegar and 1 1/2 tsp of salt until well combined. 
8. Take the pork belly out of the oven, turn it around so now the meaty part side down and the skin part side up. Pat dry with kitchen towel, brush evenly with half of the vinegar mixture and roast it for about 20 minutes. Take it out, pat dry one more time and brush the skin again with the rest of the vinegar mixture, roast again for about 15 minutes or until the skin is crisp golden brown.
9. Take it out and let it cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.

I love to enjoy this dish with steamed rice or Hainan rice, garlic chili sauce and cucumber slices.

Garlic Chili Sauce (Sambal bawang putih)

Ingredients:
2 to 3 big red chillies
Red bird's eye chillies, as desired (i used 3 for this recipe)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
Enough water to boil the chillies
1 tsp chicken stock powder
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
Salt to taste

• In a cooking pot bring enough water to a boil, add your chillies, boil them for about 5 minutes or until they are tender. Reserve about 2 to 3 tablespoon water, depends on how thick you want the sauce will be.
• In a food processor, add the chillies, garlic, chicken stock powder, sugar, salt, vinegar and reserved water. Process all the ingredients but not too smooth, i like to leave some texture to the sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Babi Panggang Merah (Char Siu)

Ingredients:

1/2 kg pork fillet

2 cloves garlic, bruised

1 tbs whole annatto seeds (angkak), grind them with mortal and pestle

2 tbs hoisin sauce

2 tbs Chinese cooking wine

2 to 3 tsp sugar

1 tbs honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Extra honey to drizzle

• Before marinating you want to jab the meat with a fork on various location to absorb the flavors better.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together garlic, annatto seeds, hoisin sauce, Chinese cooking wine, sugar, honey, salt (about 1 tsp) and pepper. Stir until well combined. 
• In a zip lock bag pour the marinade over the meat, make sure that the meat is well covered. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 190°C upper lower heat (ober-unterhitze). Place the meat with the marinade on a baking pan, cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for about 50 minutes. Flip the meat in between cooking time.
• Take the meat out of the oven, set the oven to 200°C upper heat (oberhitze). Prepare a baking tray, line it with aluminum foil and place a baking rack on top of it. Place the meat (without the marinade sauce) on the rack, bake for about 13 minutes on each side or until the sides slightly charred. Drizzle the meat with extra honey, brush until evenly coated. Slice the meat before serving.

Fried Rice with Pork Jerky (Nasi Goreng Dendeng)

Ingredients:
2 cups left over rice
3 tbs cooking oil
2 eggs
1 large shallot, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks spring onions, sliced
1 red chili, sliced
1 cup of sliced white cabbage
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tsp chicken stock powder
Salt and pepper to taste
100g jerky or as desired, in this recipe i'm using Singaporean pork jerky, cut into bite size pieces
Shrimp crackers for garnish (optional)

• In a wok or a large pan preheat 3 tablespoon coking oil over high heat, fry the shallot, garlic until fragrant and then add spring onion and sliced chili. Cook for another 2 minutes or so. 
• Leave some space on the pan, add the eggs, let it for about a minute and then stir until scrambled. 
• Add the cabbage, stir until all combined, let it cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or just until the cabbage just tender and slightly crunchy.
• Add the rice, fish sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock powder, salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning as desired. Stir until all well combined. Remove from heat.
• Add in the jerky and mix them well. Garnish with shrimp crackers (optional)

Fried Satay (Sate Goreng)

Ingredients:

500g chicken breast, cut into small cubes (bite size pieces)

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

2 1/2 tbs sweet soy sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbs peanut sauce

2 tbs cooking oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Others:

Peanut sauce

Fried shallots

Indonesian pickle

• Marinate all the ingredients except cooking oil for at least 1/2 hour. 
• Preheat 2 tbs cooking oil on a non stick pan over medium high heat, cook the chicken until golden brown and slightly charred. 
• Serve it with peanut sauce, Indonesian pickle and steamed rice, sprinkle on top with fried shallots.