Another dish that comes from the excellent book by , Cradle of Flavor. It is very similar to Filipino ginisa, so people familiar with that dish will definitely like this. The main difference is that this uses coconut milk. I made a few substitutions based on what I had here, but the results were satisfying nonetheless. We served it with some grilled fish, and since the green bean dish is delicious warm, we set it on the table early, and the kids feasted on it, like an appetizer, as we waited for the fish to cook. …read more

This was made from a recipe in James Oseland’s excellent book
The seasonings are simple: vinegar, salt and garlic; the same basic components that make up Filipino adobo. In fact, my mother used to do a similar fried chicken dish when I was little, varying at times with some kalamansi juice instead of vinegar, or soy sauce for the salt. There are also variations on the basic adobo where the meats are fried.
James Oseland specifies a free-range chicken; if you can, do get yourself one as it makes such a difference. I remember eating …read more

From
I won’t share the recipe because while there have been several “hits” from this book, this isn’t one of them. Subtlety of flavor may be the goal here, it just didn’t appeal to my family members who tend to prefer bolder, stronger contrasts of heat and sweetness, salty and sour, etc. in their food.

Rempah is one member of the family of basic seasoning pastes upon which many dishes in Southeast Asia — particularly those of Malay, Eurasian and Peranakan influences — are built. The ingredient list tends to be long, and usually includes aromatics such as shallots, herbs and spices, shrimp paste, chili peppers, and nuts. It is the first thing that hits the hot oil and is cooked until fragrant and the oil reappears, thereby permeating everything else that goes into the dish. Storebought curry powder will liven up a bland dish, but curry paste, especially if homemade …read more

Tempeh has been on my list of things to try for a while, and I’ve got a folder full of information about it, though I haven’t proceesed everything, so a lengthy post on this will have to wait. I did want to try it in the meantime, and almost got a package for myself two months ago; there were several kinds in the refrigerator case and I was going to try all of them, when it occurred to me that the best thing to do is to let my Indonesian friends decide for me. So I gave them …read more