Pepes Tahu (Aromatic Steamed Tofu Parcel)

In Indonesian & English (the English version is below the recipe written in Indonesian)

Bahan

• 420-450 gr Tahu, ½ st Ketumbar bubuk, Minyak
• 4 Daun jeruk-iris halus, 1 sm Kelapa parut-sangrai
• 3 Bawang merah-iris halus, 2 st Garam, 6-7 Rawit
• 6-7 Daun salam, 3 Sereh-potong besar2 & geprek
• 1 Daun bawang-iris, ½ st Gula, segenggam Kemangi
• 1 Telur-kocok, Tusuk gigi/Lidi, Daun pisang *

Haluskan:

• 2 Bawang putih kecil, 2 cm Kunyit, 2 Cabai merah**
• 2 Bawang merah, 3 Kemiri

Cara membuat

• Tumis bumbu halus & bawang iris sampai harum, angkat & sisihkan. Hancurkan tahu dengan garpu hingga tak ada gumpalan2 besar lagi (tetapi jangan terlalu halus/hancur).
• Campur tahu dengan kelapa parut, tumisan bumbu, gula, garam, ketumbar, daun jeruk, daun bawang & kemangi, aduk rata. Beri telur, aduk rata. Bagi adonan menjadi 6 atau 7 sama banyak.
• Potong daun pisang jadi 6-7 lembar berukuran ± 15X27 cm. Susun 1 daun salam, potongan sereh & 1 rawit di tengah tiap lembar potongan daun pisang. Letakkan adonan tahu di atasnya. Bungkus rapat & semat dng lidi/tusuk gigi. Kukus selama ± 30 menit.
• * Daun pisang dapat diganti dengan aluminium foil, tetapi pepes akan lebih harum bila dimasak dengan daun pisang. ** Buang biji & membran dari dalam cabai bila tidak mau pepesnya pedas.

Ingredients

• 420-450 gr firm Tofu, ½ tsp ground Coriander, frying Oil
• 3 Shallots & 4 Kaffir lime leaves-thinly sliced, 2 tsp Salt
• 3 Lemongrass-bruised & sliced big, 1 Green onion-sliced
• 1 tbsp grated Coconut-roasted, 6-7 Bird’s eye chilies
• 6-7 Bay leaves, 1 Egg-beaten, ½ tsp Sugar
• handful of Lemon basil leaves, Banana leaves *
• Toothpicks/skewers

Grind into a paste:

• 2 Shallots, 2 cm Turmeric, 2 small Garlic cloves
• 3 Candlenuts, 2 Red chilies **

Directions

• Sauté the spices paste & sliced shallots until fragrant; set aside. Using a fork, mash the tofu until big lumps are gone. Don’t mash the tofu until it’s too fine; stop mashing when big lumps are gone.
• Mix mashed tofu with grated coconut, sautéed spices, all seasoning, green onion, kaffir lime & basil lime leaves. Put in the egg; combine them well. Divide the tofu mixture evenly into 6 or 7 parts.
• Cut banana leaves into 6 or 7 sheets, ~ 15X27 cm. Put 1 bay leaf, 1 bird’s eye chili & lemongrass slices on the center of each banana leaf sheet. Place the tofu mixture on top of it. Wrap up the leaf tightly to covers all. Pin with small skewers/toothpicks. Steam for ~ 30 minutes.
• * Banana leaf can be substitute with aluminum foil, but the tofu parcel won’t get the same aroma (though it will still taste very good). ** Discard all of the chili seeds & ribs (membranes) if you don’t want the dish to be spicy.

Kari Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Curry)

In Indonesian & English (the English version is below the recipe written in Indonesian)

Bahan

• 1 Ayam-potong 10, 600 gr Kentang-potong2, 2 st Gula
• 1 cm Lengkuas & 1 Sereh-geprek, 1 Pekak, 4 st Garam
• 150 ml Santan cair, 250 ml Santan kental, 850 ml Air
• 6 Daun jeruk, 1 st Daun klabet, 3 Cengkeh-geprek
• ½ st Pala bubuk, 4 cm Kayu manis, 1 Jeruk nipis
• 1 sm Air asam, 3 sm Minyak

Haluskan:

• 3 Cabai merah-buang biji & membrannya, 1 Kapulaga
• 25 gr (5) Bawang putih, 15 gr (3 cm) Jahe, 5 Kemiri
• 45 gr (5) Bawang merah, 1 sm Ketumbar, 1 st Lada
• 1 st Garam, 1 st Jintan, 5 gr Kunyit

Cara membuat

• Lumuri ayam dengan air jeruk nipis & 2 st garam, diamkan 20 menit. Didihkan air di panci bersama dengan cengkeh, kayu manis, pekak & pala.
• Sementara itu, tumis bumbu halus, daun jeruk, sereh & lengkuas sampai harum. Angkat, masukkan ke air mendidih. Tuangi santan cair & air asam, masak sampai rasa menyatu.
• Masukan ayam, klabet & gula. Masak hingga ayam matang, aduk sesekali saat memasak.
• Tuang santan kental, beri kentang & garam. Masak & aduk sesekali hingga kentang matang & kuah sedikit mengental.

Ingredients

• 1 Chicken-cut into 10, 4 cm Cinnamon, 3 Cloves-bruised
• 1 cm Galangal & 1 Lemongrass-bruised, 3 tbsp frying Oil
• 6 Kaffir lime leaves, 600 gr Potatoes-cut, 850 ml Water
• 250 ml Coconut cream, 150 ml Coconut milk, 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Fenugreek leaves, 1 tbsp Tamarind juice, 1 Lime
• 4 tsp Salt, ½ tsp ground Nutmeg, 1 Star anise

Grind into a paste:

• 3 Red chilies-scrape out seeds & ribs, 1 tbsp Coriander
• 45 gr (5) Shallots, 25 gr (5) Garlic cloves, 1 tsp Pepper
• 5 Candle nuts, 1 tsp Cumin, 5 gr Turmeric, 1 tsp Salt
• 15 gr (3 cm) Ginger, 1 Cardamom

Directions

• Rub the chicken with lime juice & 2 tsp of salt; let it stand for 20 minutes. In a big pot, put the water together with cloves, cinnamon, star anise & nutmeg; bring it to a boil.
• Meanwhile, sauté the spices paste, kaffir lime leaves, galangal & lemongrass until fragrant. Put sautéed spices into the pot. Pour in coconut milk & tamarind juice; cook until the flavor blended.
• Add in the chicken, fenugreek leaves & sugar. Keep on cooking & stirring it often until the chicken cooked. Stir in coconut cream, potatoes & salt. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked & the gravy thickens.

Sayur Lebui Khas Lombok (Black Bean Soup à la Lombok)

In Indonesian & English (the English version is below the recipe written in Indonesian)

Bahan

• 150 gr Kacang hitam, 3 Cabai besar-iris, 3 Daun salam
• 5 Bawang merah-iris tipis, 1 st Kaldu bubuk, 2 liter Air
• 100 gr Labu kuning/labu siam-potong dadu, 4 st Garam
• 1 Belimbing wuluh-potong2 (1 st Air nipis), 1 st Gula
• 150 gr Daging-iris2 (opsional), 2 tangkai Kemangi-petik
• 2 cm Lengkuas & 1 Sereh-geprek, 200 ml Santan
• 1 cm Kencur & 1 cm Jahe-cincang, 3-5 Rawit utuh
• 2 cm Kunyit & 3 Bawang putih-cincang, Minyak

Cara membuat

• Rendam kacang dalam air minimal selama 8 jam sampai semalaman. Masukkan kacang ke panci, beri air lalu rebus dengan api besar sampai mendidih. Putar api ke kecil, tutup panci & rebus hingga kacang mulai lunak. Masukkan daging, masak hingga daging empuk & kacang benar2 lunak.
• Tumis bawang merah, cabai iris, bumbu cincang, lengkuas, sereh & salam sampai wangi. Masukkan tumisan & belimbing wuluh ke dalam rebusan kacang hitam. Masak hingga mendidih.
• Tambahkan labu, rawit utuh, kaldu bubuk & gula. Masak hingga labu matang & sebagian kacang pecah. Beri santan & bumbui dng garam. Masak sambil sesekali diaduk hingga rasa menyatu.
• Masukkan daun kemangi sesaat sebelum sayur diangkat dari api. Aduk rata.

Ingredients

• 150 gr Black beans, 3 Big chilies-sliced, 3 Bay leaves
• 5 Shallots-thinly sliced, 150 gr Beef-sliced (optional)
• 100 gr Butternut squash/chayote-diced, Frying oil
• 3-5 whole Bird`s eye chilies, 2 lt Water, 4 tsp Salt
• 1 Bilimbi fruit-cut (1 tsp Lime juice), 1 tsp Sugar
• 2 cm Galangal & 1 Lemongrass-bruised
• 1 cm Ginger+2 cm Turmeric+3 Garlic cloves-minced
• 1 cm Lesser galangal-minced. 200 ml Coconut milk
• 1 tsp Broth powder, Leaves of 2 stalks Lemon basil

Directions

• Soak beans in water for 8 hours until overnight. Put beans in a pot & add in water. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low & cover the pot. Simmer until the beans starts to soften. Add in sliced beef; cook until the beef tender & the beans really soft.
• Sauté sliced ingredients, minced spices, galangal, lemongrass & bay leaves until fragrant. Put sautéed ingredients & bilimbi fruit into the soup. Bring it to a boil.
• Add in the squash/chayote, whole bird`s eye chilies, broth powder & sugar. Cook until the squash soften & some of the beans break down. Pour in coconut milk & season with enough salt. Keep on cooking & stirring the soup once in a while until the flavor blended.
• Stir in lemon basil leaves, right before you remove the pot from the heat.

Pepes Ikan Woku Daun (Aromatic Fish in Banana Leaf Parcel)

In Indonesian & English (the English version is below the recipe written in Indonesian)

Bahan

• 2 ekor (800 gr) Ikan, 1 Jeruk nipis-peras
• 2 Sereh-geprek, 2 Pandan-potong 2, Garam
• 30 Daun kemangi, 8 Daun jeruk-iris halus
• 2 Daun bawang-iris2, Minyak secukupnya
• 2 Jeruk limau, 1 st Gula, 2 Daun pisang
• 2 batang Daun kunyit, 4 Daun salam (opsional)

Haluskan:

• 1 Sereh-putihnya saja, 3 cm Kunyit
• 8 Bawang merah, 3 cm Jahe, 4 Kemiri
• 8 Cabai merah & 2 Cabai hijau
• 1 cm Lengkuas & 2 Bawang putih (opsional)

Cara membuat

• Tumis bumbu halus hingga wangi. Beri gula & garam, angkat, campur dng daun jeruk iris.
• Belah perut ikan & bersihkan. Kerat2 badan ikan, lumuri dengan air nipis & garam, biarkan 5 menit. Lalu balur ikan (termasuk bagian dalamnya) dengan bumbu halus, biarkan 15 menit.
• Susun daun2an & sereh dengan jumlah sama banyak di masing2 daun pisang. Letakkan ikan berbumbu di atasnya. Bungkus rapat & semat dengan tusuk gigi. Kukus selama 35-40 menit (sampai matang, tergantung ukuran ikan). Bakar/panggang pepes sejenak sebelum dihidangkan (opsional). Buka lapisan daun pisangnya lalu kucuri dengan air jeruk limau. Jika suka, dapat ditambah taburan daun bawang dan atau tomat iris setelah daun dibuka.
• Hidangkan pepes dengan nasi hangat & hidangan pendamping seperti Urap Sayuran, Jukut Kacang Panjang, Tumis Kangkung, Tumis Putren Jamur ataupun Orak Arik Sayuran (klik pada link untuk resep2nya).

Ingredients

• 2 (800 gr) Fish, 2 Lemongrass-bruised
• 30 Lemon basil leaves, 2 Banana leaves
• 1 tsp Sugar, 2 Pandan leaves-halved, 1 Lime
• 8 Kaffir lime leaves-thinly sliced, enough Salt
• 2 Green onion-sliced, 2 Kaffir lime, Frying oil
• 2 stalk Turmeric leaf, 4 Bay leaves (optional)

Grind into a paste:

• 4 Candlenuts, 3 cm Turmeric, 3 cm Ginger
• 8 Red chilies & 2 Green chilies *
• 8 Shallots, 1 Lemongrass-white part only
• 1 cm Galangal & 2 Garlic cloves (optional)

Directions

• Sauté the spices paste until fragrant. Add in sugar & enough salt. Remove from the heat & then mix it with sliced kaffir lime leaves.
• Slit the fish stomach & clean the fish. Make shallow slashes in the thickest part of the flesh. Rub fish with some salt & lime juice; let it stand for 5 minutes. Rub all parts of the fish (including the inside part) with sautéed paste; let it stand for 15 minutes.
• Place an even amount of leaves ingredients & lemongrass in 2 banana leaves. Place the fish & sauteed paste on top of it. Wrap them up tightly & pin with tooth picks. Steam for 35-40 minutes (until done-depends on the fish size). You could also than grill the wrapped fish for awhile before serving (optional). Unwrap the banana leaves & squeeze kaffir lime over the fish. Sprinkle more sliced green onion and or tomato after you unwrapped the banana leaves
• * Discard chili seeds & membranes if you want the dish to be less spicy.
• Serve the aromatic fish with warm steamed rice & vegetable dish such as Vegetable Salad with grated Coconut, Balinese Creamy Long Bean Salad, Sautéed Water Spinach, Sautéed Baby Corn & Mushroom or Scrambled Vegetables & Egg (click on the link for the recipes).