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.

Waiter There’s Something In My… Indonesian
hosted by Andrew of Spittoon Extra

recipe adapted from James Oseland’s Cradle of Flavor

Nasi Uduk
Indonesian Lemongrass-Scented Coconut Rice

makes 4 to 6 servings

Lemongrass and Coconut Milk

2 cups white or brown rice (14 ounces/400 grams), thoroughly rinsed
3 lemongrass stalks
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Notes:

• If using brown rice, parboil for about 10 to 15 minutes in a large pot of boiling water, as if cooking pasta, before continuing with the recipe. The brown rice grains should be slightly softened but still uncooked in the center.

Instructions:

Chop off and discard the bottom inch and bristly tops of the lemongrass. Remove the outer 2-3 layers of the lemongrass stalk. Using a heavy blunt object, bruise the lemongrass stalks lightly, just until flexible enough to tie into knots.

In a lidded saucepan, stir together the rice, lemongrass knots, water, coconut milk, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat while continuously stirring to prevent the bottom from scorching. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, ensuring that the lemongrass knots are completely immersed in the rice and liquid.

Cover tightly with the lid and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. Remove from the heat and let steam for an additional 10 minutes by keeping the saucepan covered. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.

Remove and discard the lemongrass knots. Fluff the rice with a fork or spoon and let cool slightly before serving.

The richness of nasi uduk pairs well with the acidity of vinegared Filipino adobos, be it pork, chicken, or beef.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Nasi Uduk – Lemongrass-Scented Coconut Rice

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5. Perfect Brown Rice
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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.

Arguably China’s most well-known vegetables, regular bok choy and Shanghai bok choy can be easily confused with each other. One easy way to distinguish each varietal from the other is to compare the colors of the stalks and leaves. Regular bok choy have pearl white stalks and deep green leaves while Shanghai bok choy have greenish white stalks and paler green leaves. Shanghai bok choy will be smaller and more tender — perfect for the brief stir-frying called for in tumis sayur.

Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Divya of Dil Se

recipe adapted from James Oseland’s Cradle of Flavor

Stir-Fried Shanghai Bok Choy with Garlic and Chiles
Tumis Sayur

makes 4 servings

Shanghai bok choy, approximately 8 heads (12 ounces / 340 grams)
3 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1 to 2 fresh red chiles, or to taste

Notes:

• As with any stir-fried recipe, prepare and portion all of the ingredients even before heating up the wok.

Prepare the ingredients for stir-frying. Trim the bottoms of the bok choy to separate the stalks. Discard the bottoms. In a large bowl filled with cold water, gently wash the bok choy in several changes of water until thoroughly cleaned. Sand and grit will settle in the bottom of the bowl.

Using a salad spinner or paper towels, dry the bok choy thoroughly.

Bruise the garlic cloves lightly and peel. Chop coarsely into 3 to 4 large chunks.

Stem the chiles and slice thinly on the diagonal.

To Stir-Fry:

Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peanut oil and continue to heat until the oil is shimmering but not smoking. If the oil is smoking, remove from the heat briefly to cool. Add the garlic, chiles, and salt. Stir-fry vigorously for no more than a minute, ensuring that the garlic does not brown.

Add the Shanghai bok choy. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the leaves begin to wilt and the stalks are still firm and crisp. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

To Serve:

Serve immediately in a wide platter, preferably in a single layer. This will keep the greens from overcooking and turning mushy on the plate.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Simple Stir-Fry: Shanghai Bok Choy

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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.

Think Spice, Think Nutmeg hosted by My Diverse Kitchen

recipe adapted from James Oseland’s Cradle of Flavor

Indonesian Nutmeg Tea Cookies
Kue Kering

makes approximately 64 bite-size cookies

8 ounces butter (two sticks), at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) whole wheat pastry, regular pastry, or all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Notes:

• I used whole wheat pastry flour for this cookie dough. In addition to the health benefits from whole grains, the combination of lower protein content (compared to all-purpose flour) with the wheat bran and germ inhibits gluten formation, resulting in a more tender cookie.

Instructions:

Cream the butter with a whisk or electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 to 6 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract and egg until thoroughly incorporated.

Stir together the flour, salt, and freshly grated nutmeg in a separate bowl.  Add the nutmeg flour to the creamed butter mixture slowly while stirring by hand, just until combined.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each piece of cookie dough into a cylinder about 8 inches long and 1 inch wide. Wrap the log in wax paper or plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. Something tells me this dough will also benefit from a 36-hour rest in the refrigerator.

To Bake:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a baking sheet for each cookie dough log. Cut each log into 16 equal pieces, about half an inch thick, and space evenly on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 350ºF for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden.

To Serve:

Serve with hot tea or tea-flavored ice cream, depending on weather appropriateness.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Indonesian Nutmeg Tea Cookies – Kue Kering

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6. Chocolate Brownie Cookies