Tumis Kangkung Bumbu Pedas (Spicy Stir Fry Kangkung/Water Spinach With Toasted Shrimp Paste)

I bet you never had this delicious vegetable !. It is amazing to me that I can get almost everything here in California. I don't even know where they coming from, considering that this plant really need a lot of water to be able to grow, hence the name, water spinach. I remember when I was growing up in Bali, sometimes my grand mother would sent my sister, and I, with a bunch of other cousins to the rice field to collect this water spinach. Even back then, I really love it, especially when our grand mother made this Balinese kangkung dish called "Pelecing Kangkung" (I'll share the recipe one day), it was really delicious, spicy, and fragrant at the same time. It has the juice of special lime (juwuk limo) that Balinese love to use literally in every dish. I am hoping that one day this special lime will be able in California as well. For now, I just use kaffir lime as substitute, it's pretty close. Today, I am sharing this common Indonesian everyday dish called "Tumis kangkung". I believe that Malaysian also has similar dish called "kangkung Belachan". It is very easy to make, and delicious to serve as a side dish. I personally like eat it with plain rice and simple ikan bakar (grilled striped bass), or with other grilled fish like this one. Tumis Kangkung Bumbu Pedas ~elra~ 1 lb (more or less) kangkung (available at the Asian market) 4 shallots, roughly chopped 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 5 red jalapeno, or Thai pepper (use less if using Thai pepper), roughly chopped 1 tsp toasted terasi (shrimp paste)* 2 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped handful cherry tomatoes (optional) ½ tbs fish sauce (choose this brand, it's less fishy then any other brand) salt, as needed 2 - 3 tbs vegetable oil * you can get terasi (shrimp paste) at the Asian market, choose Indonesian shrimp paste that has been toasted, which is dry and less pungent then the one from Singapore. Place shallots, garlic, red jalapeno, toasted shrimp paste, and Roma tomatoes in a food processor. Process to make smooth bumbu (spice paste). Cut the kangkung into small pieces. Wash and drain in a colander. Preheat the wok over medium high heat, when its hot enough, turn the heat to medium, add oil, and the bumbu, fry until the raw smell is disappear, and the water evaporated. Add the kangkung, fish sauce, and cherry tomatoes. Turn the heat back to medium high, keep stirring and cook just until kangkung is wilted, about 3 minutes (do not overcook). Taste to adjust seasoning, transfer to a serving dish and serve with steam jasmine rice.

Ethiopian Spicy Beef Stew with Berbere and Nitter Kibbeh

As I promise Joanne to participate on her regional recipe event, I made an Ethiopian dinner for my family last night. The dinner was delicious, the only thing missing from our table was the injeera, somehow I couldn't manage to make it. Here are what I made, lentil spiced with nitter kibbeh and turmeric, spicy mix vegetable stew, and beef stew with berbere and nitter kibbeh. Hope you like them.

Beef Stew with berbere and nitter kibbeh

3 lbs beef shoulder, cut into chunks
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 whole cardamom
1 cinnamon
1 star anise
2 tbs nitter kibbeh, recipe follows
¼ cup tbs berbere paste, recipe follows
1 tbs red paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
½ cup chicken stock
1 canned (15 oz) tomato
½ cup red wine
1 tbs vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

• Brown the meat on all side with 1 tablespoon oil. Set aside.
• On a medium heat, cook the onion with nitter kibbeh until soft, add cumin, cardamoms, cinnamon, star anise, berbere paste, paprika, cayenne pepper, fry for another minute until fragrant. add the browned meat, chicken stock, tomatoes, and the red wine, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, continue to cook for an hour to an hour and half until the meat is tender. Taste to adjust the seasoning.

Nitter Kibeh:
8 tbs (1 stick) butter
1 stick cinnamon
3 whole cardamom
3 whole cloves
1 - 2 slices fresh ginger
3 cloves of garlic

• Cook everything in a skillet over low heat until the butter is a bit brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a jar.

Berbere Spice Paste

1 tbs coriander seeds
1 tbs cumin seeds
2 cardamom
3 cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
6 funegrek
1/2 tsp black pepper seeds
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp paprika
1 tbs hot red pepper
1/4 cup dry red wine
¼ cup water
1 tbs vegetable oil + more for preserving the paste
salt

• Lightly toast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, allspice, funegrek and black pepper seeds on a medium heat to release the fragrance. Set aside to cool. Grind in a mortar and pestle, or a coffee grinder to fine powder. Set aside

• Fry the onion with 1 tbs oil until soft, add garlic, and ginger. Continue to cook until the ginger releases its fragrance. Transfer to a blender along with the the rest of the ingredients including the spice powder that you've just grind, add water, process until smooth and no lump left. Return the smooth paste back to the pan add paprika, hot red pepper, and the red wine. Cook and stirring constantly for about 10 minutes on a low heat.

• Transfer to a jar, cool completely before adding enough oil to preserve the paste, about 1/4" above the paste.

• Refrigerated until needed. The paste can be kept for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Ayam Bakar Bumbu Rujak, Broiled Cornish Hen With Spicy Tomato-Ginger Sauce

This is a classic Indonesian Chicken dish that almost every household in Java (where this dish originally from), make it on a regular basis. Some family will make the dish by braising the chicken in spiced coconut milk until all of the liquid is almost gone, then grilled the chicken in a charcoal (bakar or panggang means grilled) just before serving it. Some are just happy to serve it without grilling them, and called it "ayam bumbu rujak". Both techniques are equally good, but if enjoy the smoky flavor, then I'd suggest that you grill or broil the chicken just for a few minutes before serving. Ayam Bakar Bumbu Rujak, Broiled Cornish Hen With Spicy Tomato-Ginger sauce ~elra~ 2 Cornish hens (total weight about 3 pounds) The bumbu or spiced paste: ½ cup roughly chopped shallots 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste* 1 lemongrass, white part only, cut into small pieces 4 large red jalapeno pepper, roughly chopped 5 red Thai pepper (optional) 4 large red tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 teaspoon roasted shrimp paste 5 whole kemiri nuts, roughly chopped 2 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 small canned ( 5.6 fl oz) coconut milk 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 teaspoon salt handful of lemon basil, or Thai basil Rinse the hen under cold running water, pat dry with paper towel, cut each hen into half. Set aside while you are preparing the bumbu (spice paste). Place all ingredients except coconut milk, fish sauce, salt and basil, in a food processor, add about a quarter cup water, process until very smooth. Heat oil in large braising pan on a medium heat, add the bumbu (spice paste), fry until fragrant, and most of the liquid is evaporated and the raw smell is disappear, about 10 minutes. Add the hens to the pan, coat them all over with the bumbu. Cover the pan. Let it braise slowly for 30 to 40 minutes on a low heat. Check from time to time to make sure that there is sufficient liquid or juice in the pan, if not, add a bit of water. Uncover the pot, at this point, if you are not going to broil the hen, add the coconut milk let cook (still on low heat) another 10 minutes. If you are going to broil them, hold the coconut milk. Transfer the hens into shallow baking sheet, add little bit of bumbu on top of each hens, broil just until the skin is charred, about 3 to 5 minutes. In the meantime, add the coconut milk to the sauce, stir, let the sauce cook on low for 10 minutes just enough to heat the coconut milk, add the basil. Pour into serving bowl. Transfer the hens into serving dish, serve with rice, simple saute green, and the sauce. * Fresh ginger paste: peel the ginger, and grated, or pound it on a mortar and pestle until smooth.

Tian de Légumes With Middle Eastern Flavor

I twisted this classic Provencal layer vegetable using Middle Eastern herbs "za'atar" and add a little tanginess by adding sumac. I actually like it, it is a perfect companion for any grilled kebabs and even taste good with just regular Middle Eastern flat bread. Very simple recipe with delicious result, and look pretty too.

Tian de Legumes With Middle Eastern Flavor

~elra~

2 large Chinese or Japanese eggplant

10 tomatoes

2 large zucchinis

2 tbs za'atar

2 tbs sumac

4 tbs olive oli

⅔ cup water, or chicken stock for a non vegetarian

salt and pepper to taste

• Slice all of the vegetables, then arrange them tightly and neatly on a baking dish, start with tomato, eggplant, tomato, zucchini, and again with tomato. Repeat the layer until finish with all vegetables. Sprinkle with za'atar and sumac, then drizzle with olive oil. Pour the water or chicken stock into the dish, season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes at 425⁰F oven.

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Bliss!
Having all my family came over to celebrate my birthday was the best birthday gift ever. Thank you ....
and love you all ...