Thai Prawn Salad

Posted on May 31, 2010 in Cooking, Diplo Kitchen | 0 comments

In an effort to lose weight, we try to eat soup & salads for dinner every day. Try being the operational word. I wanted to mix it up a bit, so one night I did a Thai Prawn Salad. Okay, so it still has carbs in the shape of vermicelli noodles, but  it’s still healthier than one of our fried, rice/potato-laden meals.

The recipe is from this booklet by Yummy Magazine called Meals in Minutes (10-, 25-, and 30-Minute Everyday Dishes) and is indeed very easy to make. Picked it up in National Bookstore last December when I was in Manila. Below is my version of the recipe. We love anything sesame so this is going to be a repeat dish.

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 200 g Chinese vermicelli (sotanghon)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, chopped finely
• 1 small dried red chili, deseeded
• 450 g prawns, peeled, with tails intact (okay mine were shrimps, not prawns)
• 2 cups snow peas
• 8 pieces baby corn, halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Salt to taste

For dressing

• 2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 6 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Salt to taste

1. Place noodles in  large bowl then cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 mins.
2. Drain noodles & place in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well & set aside.
3. Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a bottle, cover tight & shake.
4. Heat oil in a wok, then saute half the garlic & all the chili. Add prawns & a small pinch of salt. Cook until they change color, about 3 mins.
5. Stir in snow peas, baby corn, sesame seeds, remaining garlic & another tiny pinch of salt. Toss lightly to mix.
6. Serve noodles hot (with the noodles blanched until ready to serve) or cold by chilling the noodles before topping with prawns & dressing.
7. Arrange the drained noodles on a serving platter. Top with cooked prawns and drizzle with dressing.

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When in Rome & Josh Duhamel’s “DUH?” look

Posted on May 31, 2010 in Movies | 1 comment

Just finished watching “When in Rome” last night. It was okay – it had some funny moments. Nothing too spectacular though, because at the end of the movie, I didn’t come out with that giddy feeling I usually get after a good rom-com. Instead my first thought was:

“I didn’t realize that Josh Duhamel had this ‘DUH?’ look?!?”

Did anyone else notice it?!?  He does this thing wherein his mouth skews to one side of his face, every time he does an emotional scene. It just happened SO many times in the movie, I couldn’t help noticing it!

He’s still good-looking in my book though. And I want to have that gorgeous, even tan!!! Hmmmm…. I wonder if it’s spray tan?!

*All screenshots are from the movie, When in Rome.

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Our teak dining table, chairs and side tables are here!

Posted on May 31, 2010 in Furniture | 9 comments

We got our flat unfurnished so we could invest in good old teakwood furniture (which is something Indonesia is known for). Another word for “old” is “recycled.” Basically meaning, they salvage pieces from old houses or furniture. Since new wood has a tendency to crack, then we wanted old wood, because years of proper drying out makes it less likely to warp/crack.  That’s just my train of thought.

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The best wheat beer in the world

Posted on May 29, 2010 in JAKARTA drinks | 0 comments

For me, that is.  Erdinger Weissbier is quite simple (in their own words) “the wheat beer par excellence.” And I agree! Ever since I discovered Erdinger Weissbier at Mickey’s Delicatessen about 3 years ago, it has been my favorite beer. Best paired with Mickey’s Cheese Krainer. Drool. 

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We Likey Ikan Bakar Jimbaran!

Posted on May 27, 2010 in YOGYAKARTA eats | 2 comments

No we are not back in Bali. This resto in Jogja is just like the ones in Jimbaran Bay, except no beach =P I have to say, whatever they lacked in terms of the beach they made up for in rice – rice-fields that is.

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Breathtaking Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta

Posted on May 26, 2010 in YOGYAKARTA Hotels | 0 comments

I am taking a break from Bali blogging, though I still have a couple more posts to go, because I can’t wait to write about our trip to Yogyakarta (also called Jogjakarta) a few of weeks ago. It’s not as popular as Bali, but it is home to the biggest temple in the world, the Borobudur temple. I was just tagging along on one of my husbands meeting. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency. Our stay was wonderful, although the food was not as good as we expected. 

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Thumbs up for Terminal3 (Soekarno Hatta Airport)

Posted on May 26, 2010 in JAKARTA Good to know, TRAVEL TIPS | 0 comments

I asked my husband, how come we’ve never taken Garuda Airlines (another cheap airline) for local trips in Indonesia and I loved his answer:

“Because Air Asia uses terminal 3, which is nicer and newer.”

And it totally is. 

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Dolly’s Chocolate Bundt Cake

Posted on May 25, 2010 in Desserts, Diplo Kitchen | 0 comments

This is a recipe from Mad Hungry, the recipe book that I was talking about in a previous post. I still haven’t bought my own copy, but the next time I’m in a mall, I am definitely going to look for it! I found a copy of the recipe in this website. Below is the excerpt from the book, with my own pictures & adaptation. Click to enlarge pics.

Dolly’s Chocolate Bundt Cake

Excerpted from MAD HUNGRY by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Artisan Books). Copyright 2009.

makes 1 large cake

I use this recipe (thanks to my first employer, Dolly) more often than any other for special birthdays and holiday baking. If you think you’re just a competent or if you’re a novice baker, this is the cake for you: it’s easy to prepare, bakes in one pan, has a moist and tender texture, and requires only a glaze to finish. Its distinctive look is on the fancy side, which brings a little something extra to a birthday party or holiday table.

Cake

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 cup chopped semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 cup buttermilk

Glaze

• 1 cup finely chopped unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3  cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons rum or brandy (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan. (I only had a 4 cup pan available to I used 1/3 of all the ingredients above)

2. To make the cake, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Toss in the chopped chocolate and the walnuts, if using.

4. Into the butter mixture, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk in three additions, ending with the flour. Mix just until everything is blended together; don’t overmix.

5. Spoon the batter evenly into the Bundt pan and smooth the top of the batter. Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan briefly. Turn out onto a cake plate to cool completely.

6. For the glaze, place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add the glaze ingredients and stir to melt and combine. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake and let the glaze set, 15 to 20 minutes, before serving.

Triple-Duty Glaze: This chocolate glaze also doubles as a spread or topping. Pour into a jar and refrigerate for up to 6 weeks. Spread on warm toast or reheat and drizzle on ice cream, layer into a sundae, or use as a dip for fresh strawberries.

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Chicest, most glam sunset @ The Rock Bar

Posted on May 25, 2010 in BALI, BALI drinks | 11 comments

On our last day in Seminyak, Bali last April, my hubby surprised me with  uber fabulous sunset cocktails at The Rock Bar – Ayana Hotel (formerly the Ritz Carlton Hotel) and dinner at Metis (see my later post on this). Since hubby is not a planner, this tickled me to the tips of my tippy toes. So sweet and romantic! Prepare yourself, there’s lots of pics! It was hard not to snap away amidst all that beauty!

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Coriander Chicken

Posted on May 24, 2010 in Cooking, Diplo Kitchen | 2 comments

The original Spicy Coriander Chicken recipe is from Fast Chicken, a Periplus Mini Cookbook. This is my favorite recipe book for its simple and great chicken recipes. Since white chicken meat is quite healthy, we have it a lot and this recipe book is pretty worn out. Full recipe (4 servings) with my adaptations below. I love how the sugar in the marinade caramelizes & gives the chicken such great flavor.

Ready to eat in 30 mins.

• 1 bunch fresh coriander, including the roots (90 g/3 oz)
• 2-3 gloves garlic (I love garlic so I use 3)
• 2-3 small fresh red chillies (I tried it with this before but it wasn’t for me, so mine is the un-spicy version)
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated lime rind (I use lemon rind)
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (I use lemon juice)
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon oil, plus 2 teaspoons extra (I use olive oil)
• 4 chicken breast fillets
• 250 g rice stick noodles (I did not like this recipe as a pasta, I find it much better with rice)
• chopped fresh coriander leaves, extra to garnish
• 1/2 cup unsalted cashews, toasted chopped

1. Wash coriander & shake to remove excess water. Roughly chop garlic (and chillies if you want to use em) in a food processor, then add the coriander. Process for 15 more seconds.
2. Add sugar, rind, lemon juice, kecap manis, & 1 tablespoon of the oil. Process until smooth.
3. Lightly slash the chicken fillets. Place in a bowl & coat with about 1/4 of the coriander mixture. Set aside for 5 minutes.
4. Heat a heavy based pan with the extra oil. Cook the chicken fillets for 3-4 minutes each side, turning once, until cooked through. Brush 2-3 times with the marinade while cooking. (I totally sear the chicken on each side because I like that burn smoky taste)
5. Cut fillet into strips.
6. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a large pan of boiling water for 5 mins, until tender. Drain and pour over most of the remaining  coriander mixture to combine. Divide the noodles among 4 serving plates & top with sliced chicken  breast & a spoonful of the remaining coriander mixture. (I usually skip this step & serve the sliced on its own, then serve the remaining coriander mixture in a sauce bowl)
7. Garnish chicken with chopped coriander & cashews.

Salad & dressing recipe can be found in a previous post.

Fresh Watermelon Juice

1. Slice watermelon meat & take out the seeds
2. Process with hand-blender & add some water to lessen the thickness
3. Add sugar or in my case, Tropicana Slim low-calorie sweetener.
4. Serve with lots of ice

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The Real Mushroom Soup & salad for dinner

Posted on May 18, 2010 in Cooking, Diplo Kitchen | 0 comments

As part of trying to be healthier and losing weight, we are starting our soup-and-salad-for-dinner diet. Note I’m not saying the menu is fat/meat/carb free, but it’s definitely healthier than our usual rice or potato loaded dinners. If there is oil I try to make it olive oil, and if there is meat, I try to make it leaner pieces and grilled with a brush of olive oil.

Tonight menu:

• Fresh apple juice
• The Real Mushroom Soup by Jamie Oliver
• Salad with Mustard & Red Wine Vinegar dressing

Recipes below.

FRESH APPLE JUICE

• Core 2 medium apples, split into quarters and chop up into smaller chunks (you can peel them if you prefer to, but I leave the skin on because most of the fiber of an apple is in the skin)
• Place in a tall plastic container and add a few drops of lemon and about a cup or two of water (this depends on how watery you want juice to be)
• Puree till smooth using a hand blender
• Add a little powdered sugar or in my case Tropicana Slims low calorie sweetener to taste and mix
• Serve over ice with a mixer

THE REAL MUSHROOM SOUP by Jamie Oliver

• I used whatever mushrooms I had: dried brown mushrooms, fresh button mushrooms and a lot of shiitake
• I didn’t have fresh thyme so used a half the amount of dried thyme, because the flavor is usually more concentrated when it’s dried
• For the bread, I used plain white bread because I ran out of wheat bread. I placed a small amount of butter-substitute in a pan and toasted each side
• I garnished with cilantro instead of parsley because it has more flavor and it goes really well with mushrooms. I should have shredded them finer though so as to spread the flavor evenly over the bowl of soup.

SALAD

• Wash and spin lettuce, then shred
• Peel and cut carrots thinly
• Halve cherry tomatoes
• Take the stalks of seedless red grapes
• Toss everything together and serve
• On top I also crushed some grilled sukiyaki. These were brushed with olive oil and grilled until crunchy and the fat is cooked off.

MUSTARD & RED WINE VINEGAR DRESSING

• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 level tsp iodized salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

* This is a slight variation on Jamie Oliver’s mustard & herb vinegar dressing in “the Naked Chef Takes Off”

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Jamie Oliver’s Pukkolla SCORES!!!

Posted on May 18, 2010 in Cooking, Diplo Kitchen | 1 comment

Continued from my post yesterday, Healthier breakfast with Jamie Oliver’s Pukkolla.

Last night, I left the mixture  covered in milk with grated apple overnight in the refrigerator. According to Jamie Oliver letting it decompose overnight makes the milk smoother.

Before serving this morning, I added a little milk (it’s a bit thick from the fridge), bananas, fresh berries and a little honey to taste.

This is definitely going to be part of our breakfast recipes shortlist. It’s so good! And healthy to boot! Very high in fiber so quite filling. I had a cup worth and I felt full for hours after. I actually ate lunch at almost 1pm because I was still feeling full.

I am slowly converting the hubby to oats. He used to say he only liked oats in his beer, but now that’s no longer true. *wink*  AND Jamie Oliver still has perfect scores in my book!

See the complete recipe of Jamie Oliver’s Pukkolla here.

P.S.

Anyone know where I can get sweeter berries in Jakarta without breaking the bank?

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