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.