Nasi Goreng Petai Pedas

Have a leftover of sambal petai? This mouthwatering fried rice will be the perfect idea for you. It's been one of my favourite type of fried rice. Love to enjoy it with sliced cucumbers, melinjo crackers and fried shallots. 

Ingredients:
2 Eggs
2 tbs cooking oil
2 plates of rice (preferred long grain rice)
2 to 3 tbs of sambal petai
1 tbs sweet soy sauce
Salt and pepper

Garnish:
Melinjo crackers
Cucumber, sliced
Fried shallots

• In a large frying pan heat the oil over medium high heat, add the egg and stir until fully cooked. Add the sambal petai, cook it for about 2 to 3 minutes and then add the rice, mix it well. Stir in the sweet soy sauce, stir until well combined. 
• Garnish it with some sliced cucumbers, melinjo crackers and fried shallots.

Lemon Pound Cake (Zitronen Kuchen)

Ingredients:
280 g butter at room temperature
180 g sugar
350 g all purpose flour
A pinch of salt
Grated lemon zest (from 2 lemon)
5 medium eggs
3 tsp baking powder
2 tbs milk

For the glaze:
150 g powdered sugar
Grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
2 tbs water
2 tbs lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 170˚C, prepare the baking form (30 x 11 cm), butter the baking form evenly.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder, whisk to combine well.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar and grated lemon zest, mix it well. 
4. With the mixer running at low, add the eggs one at a time (30 seconds in between).
5. Divide the flour mixture into half, add half of the flour mixture and 1 table spoon of milk to the batter, mix it well and do the same with the rest of the flour and milk. 
6. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking form,  bake it for 60- 70 minutes.
7. After 15 minutes of baking, take out the form and with a knife make a 1 cm deep straight cut in the middle of the cake batter. Put it back into the oven and bake it for the rest of the baking time. Check if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean then the cake should be done. 
8. Allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes before glazing. For the lemon glaze: Combine well all the glaze ingredients. Spread it evenly on the top of the cake, let it stand for 10 minutes before serving. 

Potato Gratin

Ingredients:

1 kg potato, thinly sliced (2mm)
400 g heavy cream
1 tsp garlic powder
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
150 g shredded mozzarella
1 tbs butter

• Preheat oven to 180˚ C. Butter the baking dish evenly. In a bowl combine the cream, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Place potatoes in the baking dish, pour in the cream mixture. Bake it.
• After 30 minutes of baking, sprinkle the cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes or until its golden brown. 

Sambal Petai

Ingredients:

100 g stinky beans (petai)

2 tbs cooking oil

Chilli paste: 

5 red chillies 

5 shallots

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp shrimp paste

1 tsp chicken stock powder

2 tbs cooking oil

Salt and sugar

• In a food processor puree all the chilli paste ingredients until smooth. 
• In a cooking pan heat 2 tbs cooking oil over medium heat, cook the chilli paste until its fragrant. 
• Add the beans, cook it for about 3 minutes or until softened. 
• Serve it with steamed rice.

Note: Add some red bird's eye chilli to the paste if you want it more spicy.

Jimbaran Grilled Fish (Ikan Bakar Jimbaran)

Ingredients:
700 g white fish fillets or you can use a whole fish
5 tbs sweet soy sauce
2 tbs butter, melted
2 tbs cooking oil
1 lime
Spice paste:
5 shallots
3 cloves garlic
3 tbs coriander powder
2- 3 red chillies
4 candle nuts
2 tsp tamarind paste
2 tsp galangal powder
50 ml water
Salt and pepper

• In a food processor, puree all the spice paste ingredients until smooth. 
• Marinate the fish fillets with the spice paste for an hour or so. 
• Prepare the grilling sauce: In a bowl mix together the melted butter, cooking oil and sweet soy sauce.
• In a grill pan drizzle a little bit of cooking oil, after the pan is hot enough place the fish fillets, brush evenly with the grilling sauce and grill for about 7 minutes on each side or until its golden brown. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the grilled fish and serve it with jasmine rice.

Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Laura Vitale's Recipe

Ingredients:

300 gr linguine

250 g chicken breast fillet

1 small onion, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

4 tbs butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup grated parmesan

Salt and pepper

• In a large pot filled with water, sprinkle some salt and bring it to boil. Add the linguine and cook it until al dente.
• Combine well the garlic, onion, salt and pepper in a dish. Add the chicken and mix it until all evenly coated.
• In a skillet, heat 4 tbs butter over medium high heat, add the chicken and cook it until its golden brown on each side. Remove the chicken and cut into bite size pieces.
• In the same skillet, add the heavy cream and cook it for about 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and season it with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and the cooked pasta, stir until its well combined. Serve immediately. 

Pork Stroganoff

Ingredients:

750 g lean pork
1 1/2 tbs all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika powder
5 tbs cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
300 g champignon, sliced
4 tbs brandy (optional)
250 ml beef stock
1 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish

• Slice the pork across the grain, then cut it into fine strips. Mix together the flour, cayenne, and paprika powder.
• In a large frying pan, heat half of the cooking oil, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion has softened.
• Turn the heat to high, add the mushrooms and stir fry for about 5 minutes. Transfer everything to a dish. Set aside.
• In the same pan, add the remaining oil. Coat a batch of meat with flour, then stir fry over medium high heat until browned. Continue with another batch of meat. Add the fried meat and the vegetables back to the pan, add the brandy and simmer until it has almost evaporated.
• Stir in the stock and season it with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, cook for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick, stir frequently. Add the soured cream, stir until well combined and remove immediately before the cream curdles. Serve it over rice or your choice of pasta, sprinkle it with chopped parsley.

Note: If you don't want to use brandy in this recipe just skip the step.

Macaroni Schotel

Ingredients:
400 gr macaroni elbow, 3/4 cooked
200 gr grated cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)
4 beef frank, sliced
200 gr ground beef
600 cc milk
5 eggs, beaten
2 small onion, diced

4 tbs butter

1/2 tsp nutmeg
Salt & Pepper to taste

Topping:
3 tbs butter
2 tbs all purpose flour
300 cc milk

1 egg, beaten
salt & pepper to taste
150 gr cheddar cheese or mozzarella

How To Make:

1. Preheat oven 375˚F or 190˚C
2. Stir fry the onion with butter until fragrant and then add nutmeg and the ground beef, cook until the beef are lightly browned.
3. In a baking bowl mix the rest of ingredients with the cooked beef, season with salt and pepper.
4. Put the baking bowl into the oven, bake about 30 minutes. 
5. In the meanwhile prepare the topping. For topping: Melt butter in a cooking pan, add the flour then stir well, pour the milk (keep stirring while pouring the milk), season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let it cool for few minutes. Add the mixed egg, stir until well combined.
6. Pour the topping sauce on top of the baked schotel, sprinkle the shredded cheese and then broil in the oven for 10- 12 min or just until its golden brown.

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:
1 yellow paprika, cored and quartered
1 red paprika, cored and quartered
1 zucchini, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut in sticks
3 tomatoes, thickly sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs pine nuts, toasted
100 gr Pecorino cheese
Salt and pepper

• Preheat the oven to 220˚C. Line a baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Spread out the vegetables in a baking sheets and brush each lightly with olive oil. Roast them for about 20 minutes or just until the skins on the peppers have begun to blister.
• Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large serving platter, season with salt and pepper. As the vegetables cool sprinkle them with olive oil. When the vegetables are at room temperature, sprinkle the pine nuts and using a vegetable peeler, shave the Pecorino over the vegetables.

Asinan Buah Bogor (Bogor Fruit Salad)

I saw my mom eating the fruit salad on Skype as she just got back from Bogor, West Java. Then i thought why not making it by myself, i went to a local market and bought a good quality pineapple and a mango. Unfortunately some of the fruits used in the fruit salad such as snake fruit (salak),  Java apple (jambu merah) or jicama (bengkoang) are not available in Germany. If you like, you can add some cucumber strips instead. I let the fruit salad cool for about 3 hours in the fridge, it is so refreshing!!  

Ingredients:
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, core removed, cut into chunks
1 mango, peeled and cut into strips
1 lt water
50 ml white vinegar
1 red chilli or more
5 tbs sugar or more
1 tbs palm sugar (gula merah)
1 dash of salt

• In a small saucepan add the palm sugar and just a little bit of water (few table spoons), heat it up just until its melted.
• In a food processor or a blender puree the chilli until smooth. Mix it with 1 lt of water.
• Pour the mixture through a sifter into an airtight container, you can add a little bit of chilli from the sifter if you like.
• Stir in the vinegar, sugar, melted palm sugar, and a dash of salt. Mix it well, taste it and adjust seasoning. Add the fruits, stir until the fruits well coated and cover it. Refrigerate for few hours before serving.