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.

Julia Child's French Onion Soup

Recipe adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Ingredients:

680g yellow onions

3 tbs unsalted butter

3 tbs all purpose flour

1 tbs olive oil

1/4 tsp granulated sugar

4 cups (2 litre) beef stock

2/3 cup dry white wine

3 tbs brandy

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish:

2 cups of mixed Swiss cheese (Schweizer hartkäse) and parmesan

2 tbs butter, melted

French bread, cut into 1 cm thick squares, toasted*

• In a large saucepan melt butter and oil over medium low heat, add in the onions, toss to evenly coated, cover the pan and reduce to low heat. Let it cook for about 15 minutes.
• Uncover the pan, put the heat back to medium low, add sugar and salt, cook the onions for about 30 minutes or until they are evenly caramelized. 
• Sprinkle the flour over onions and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, add in the wine and then half of the stocks, stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, add the rest of the stocks, season it with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 35 minutes, skimming if needed. Stir in the brandy, cook for another 5 minutes and adjust seasoning.
• Preheat oven to 180 ˚C (350 ˚F), place few (about 6 or as desired) ovenproof soup bowls on a baking sheet. Pour the soup to each bowl about 3/4 full, take 1 cup of cheese and sprinkle evenly over each bowl of soup, place the croutons as desired, sprinkle each top with the rest of the cheese (1 cup). Bake for about 25 minutes (oberunter hitze) and additional 3 minutes on the broiler (ober hitze/ api atas) or until they are golden brown and bubbly.

*Toasted French bread (croutons)

Preheat oven to 175 ˚C, bake bread for about 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly brown and crisp. Remove from oven and drizzle the croutons with melted butter. 

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.

Chili Con Carne

Ingredients: 

500 gram ground beef

250 gram red beans

1 can sweet corn (150 gram) 

3 tbs tomato paste

5 tomatoes, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 onion, chopped

500 ml beef stock (i mixed 500 ml water with 2 tsp beef stock powder)

3 tsp paprika powder

2,5 cm cinnamon stick

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

How to cook:

1. Heat the oil in a cooking bowl, add the onions and cook it until the onions soft. Add garlic, cook it until fragrant. 
2. Add the beef, cook until its brown.
3. Add tomato paste and diced tomatoes, let it cook for about 5 min. Then add the stock, paprika powder, cinnamon stick, stir it well. reduce the heat, let it stand for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Drain n rinse the beans then stir them into the cooking bowl, cook them for another 30 minutes, then add the corn. Let it stand for 15 min and add the rest of the ingredients and cook it for few minutes.
5. Serve it with bread or over rice.

Soto Betawi Susu

Ingredients:
1 kg beef stew
2 cm galangal, bruised
Lemongrass stalk, white part, bruised
4 bayleaves
2 tomatoes
500 ml milk
150 ml coconut milk (optional)

Spice Paste:
6 shallots
4 garlic
2 cm ginger
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin or less
salt & pepper to taste

Process all spice paste ingredients in a small food processor, fry it until fragrant, set aside.

Sides: 
2 or 3 potatoes, cut into cubes and fry it.
2 or 3 tomatoes, chopped
Fried shallots
Belinjo crackers
Sweet soy sauce
Lime
Sambal oelek (if you like it spicy)

How to make:

• Boil the beef until tender approximately 1 hr or more. From time to time scoop away the fat and any scum that rises to the surface. 
• Add the galangal, bayleaves, lemongrass, and tomatoes. 
• Add the spice paste & the rest of the ingredients, keep stirring. Bring it to boil.
• Place the sides to a bowl then pour in the beef soup. Ready to serve.