My attempt at the Indonesian spice cake called spekkoek was a complete disaster, so weaseling my way into the this month’s edition of WTSIM means that I have to go with Plan B.

There is no Plan B, so let’s see what’s in the fridge:

• Sriracha - Not much use in Indonesian cookery as far as I know.
• Sourdough starters - Can’t remember the last time I fed these. Must feed self first.
• Curdled white goo - A closer look reveals that it’s just yogurt.
• Tempeh - Quintessentially Indonesian, but I don’t feel like frying anything at the moment.
• Lemongrass - We may be on to something here…

Since being Filipino means that I hoard coconut milk cans like squirrels do acorns, I humbly serve a side dish of fragrant nasi uduk, rice steamed with lemongrass and coconut milk. This barebones version suggests an optional parboiling step before steaming, if you ever feel like trying it with brown rice.

View Nasi Uduk - Lemongrass-Scented Coconut Rice recipe »

Some variation of tumis sayur, a side dish of stir-fried greens, is often found on the Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean dinner table. Three ingredients — Shanghai bok choy, garlic, and fresh chiles — come together within minutes to create a simple but satisfying addition to any meal. The fresh chiles are essential in this dish. Aside from adding a bit of heat, it adds smokiness that complements the garlic aroma well.

Needless to say, such simple flavorings call for the freshest greens cooked as briefly as possible. Best served immediately, begin stir-frying once the table is set and the rest of the meal is ready.

View Stir-Fried Shanghai Bok Choy with Garlic and Chiles recipe »

Somehow I ended up bringing home more nutmeg than I can realistically use in a lifetime. I get way too excited when visiting Middle Eastern and Indian groceries and end up buying spices cheap and in bulk. Five pounds of turmeric for the price charged at Whole Foods for a thimble-full? Why the hell not. My silicone spatulas are perpetually stained a peculiar shade of yellow from all the dals and curries I’ve been making, but I’m not complaining. I just need to use it all up somehow before these spices turn into pantry sawdust, which incidentally means that Alzheimer’s disease is the least of my worries for now.

It’s a completely different story with nutmeg because it’s not a good idea to ingest it in large amounts. Aside from easily overpowering anything, it usually takes a backseat to other ingredients for good reason — it has trace amounts of hallucinogens, giving you one more thing to worry about come mandatory testing day.

Since you’re just dying to use this spice already, here’s a rare recipe that uses nutmeg as a main ingredient. A little goes a long way and a batch of 64 bite-sized cookies calls for an amount barely more than a pinch. It makes all the difference in elevating this basic cookie dough into something much more interesting.

View Indonesian Nutmeg Tea Cookies - Kue Kering recipe »