Welcome To My Blog

I have been asked by some friends to make a cooking blog, to share the recipes that I have, to others. After months working on it, I finally finished it. Yes I know, it took a very long time for me to make this blog, as I can only do it little by little in my very rare spare time. As you can see from my food pictures, I am not a professional cook. In fact, I am far from professional. I have learned how to cook from scratch. I'm from Indonesia, a third world country. Where everything is quite cheap and affordable, and most people can afford to have maids, cook, drivers and such. I have maids in my house in Indonesia. I never had to cook, clean the house nor do the laundry. Everything was always ready and served for me. I even rarely went to my kitchen. Then I got married and moved to the States. I was having a culture shock for quite a while. As a woman who always had everything ready and served, now I have to do them myself. I have to clean the house, do the laundry, and when I'm hungry I have to cook. In my first year, I was still dealing with a lot of prepared food. But then I got pregnant. My appetite doubled and I craved for specific food that is can not be easily found here (Indonesian food). So I had to make the specific food to satisfy my appetite. And then I started to think about the baby. I had to find a way to eat real healthy food in regular daily basis. That's when I first started to cook.

I really really learned from scratch. I didn't even know what oregano or basil would affect the taste in food. I didn't even know how much salt I should put in a dish. All I knew was how to boil water. Yes, I was that bad. But practice makes perfect. I got better and better each time. I know more about spices, herbs and how to play with them. When I look back to who and how I was, I am so proud of myself. I still can't believe myself sometimes that I can actually cook a real good yummy and healthy meal for my family almost everyday. That is such a big accomplishment for me. So, here I am sharing my stories, experiences and recipes. These recipes are mostly from friends, family, books and the internet. I still have a lot of recipes that I haven't tried. And I know I will continue trying new recipes as I am still learning everyday. So, keep checking up on my blog once in a while as I will keep it updated with new recipes. The "FOOD LIST" tab is the pictures of food that I have cooked. And The "RECIPES" tab is where the recipes are. You can click on the categories in each tab. Leave a comment if you have any questions. Enjoy! ;)

Russian Style Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is believed to be a hybrid of Russian-French cuisines and included ingredients such as sliced fried meat, topped up with creamy gravy. Unlike its french counterparts of foods served along with gravy, the russian style beef stroganoff gravy is to be served in a dish, along with the meat. Recipe from Lola Mansurov.

Ingredients

1 lb. fillet mignon, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Onion, sliced

1 tsp. Corn Starch, dilute in 1/4 cup of cold water

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tbsp. salt

Tomato Sauce:

1 cup of pure tomato juice (you can use V8 tomato juice)

1/4 cup crushed walnuts

1/4  cup chopped dills and cilantro

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Pound the sliced meat and sprinkle with a little bit of black pepper. Set aside.

2. Prepare the tomato sauce; add in all the tomato sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Stir to mix well and set aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add in the meat and fry until golden brown. Add in onions and saute until onions turn slightly golden. Add in the tomato sauce, lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for about 10 minutes. 

4. Meanwhile, heat heavy whipping cream in saucepan on medium heat, add in corn starch mixture, keep stirring until the cream and the starch are mixed well. Add in sour cream and cook for 2 minutes.

5. Remove cream mixture from heat and pour into the meat mixture. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes.

6. Serve with pasta or french fries.

Lamb in Indonesian Curry Sauce

Recipe from the book: For The Love of Food, by Chef Yono Purnomo. He's a 5-star Indonesian Chef in NY. He has achieved so many awards across the US. And he's like my 2nd father here.

Ingredients

Lamb chops
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 tbsp. chopped shallots
1/2 tbsp. chopped garlic
1/2 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh basil

Indonesian Curry Sauce:

1/2 tbsp. coriander powder
1/2 tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
2 tbsp. curry powder
2 or 3 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. chopped shallots
1 tbsp. garlic
2 tsp. Sambal Oelek (it's freshly ground chili paste available in asian grocery store)
1 tbsp. tamarind paste
1 stalk of lemon grass, pounded
2 tbsp. thinly sliced galangal or thai ginger (you can find this at any asian grocery store)
1/2 cup coconut milk
vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
10 kaffir lime leaves (this is very rare, I can't even find it in any asian grocery store here. You can buy online or substitute it with lemon zest)
1 cup Mango Chutney
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick

Directions

1. Combine the olive oil, shallots, garlic, coriander, cumin and basil in a large bowl. Add the lamb chops and mix to coat well. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
2. Grill or broil the marinated lamb to your preferred temperature (I broiled mine on 375 F for 1,5 hour).
3. Place a pool of indonesian curry sauce on a plate and put the lamb atop the sauce. Serve with grilled or steamed vegetables and french fries.


How to make Indonesian Curry Sauce:
1. Combine coriander, cumin, turmeric and curry powder with water in a bowl and pound to form a paste. Set aside.
2. Process the shallots, garlic, sambal oelek, tamarind paste, lemon grass, galangal and 1/2 cup coconut milk in a food processor. And when it's done, mix it with the spice paste that made earlier.
3. Saute the spice paste mixture in hot oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add in 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, mango chutney, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Continue cooking to a simmer.
4. Allow to cool slightly then strain. Return to the heat and continue to simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. 

Indonesian Fried Beef-Stuffed Wrap (Martabak Telor)

This is a quite famous Indonesian appetizer. Recipe from my maid back in Indonesia.

Ingredients

Frozen lumpia or spring roll wrapper (you can find this at any asian grocery store)

0,5 lb Ground Beef

3 Eggs

3-4 Scallions, thinly sliced

1 medium Onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp. Curry powder

1/4 tsp. Corriander powder

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

1/2 tsp. Corn Starch, dilute in 2 tbsp. of water

Sugar

Salt

Oil

Dipping Sauce:

Cucumber, julienned 

1 tbsp. Soy sauce

2 tbsp. Ketchup (tomato ketchup)

1 tbsp. Chili sauce

1/4 tsp. tamarind paste, mix with 3/4 tsp. water

Sugar

Salt

Water

Directions

1. Saute onion and garlic until fragrant, add in ground beef, curry powder, corriander powder, and black pepper. Stir in salt and sugar to taste. Cook until meat is done and the juice from the meat has dried out a little bit. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk eggs, add in beef mixture and scallion, stir to mix well. 

3. Heat oil in a pan, then take 1 or 2 of the wrapper, put in on a plate, put about 3 tbsp. of the beef stuffing on the wrapper and fold it like envelope. Use the corn starch mixture to glue the wrapper. Fry it immediately with the folds on the bottom. Turn once and when it's golden browned, remove from heat. Serve with the dipping sauce.

How to make dipping sauce:

1. Mix soy sauce, tomato ketchup, chili sauce, tamarind mixture, and water. Stir to mix well. Keep adding water f it's too thick. This dipping sauce is not supposed to be thick at all. Add in sugar and salt. Adjust seasonings to your liking. Then stir in the cucumber. Ready to serve.

Note: It's easier to use 2 wrapper, because if you only use one, the stuffing makes it soggy so easily and it may falls apart before you fry it. I suggest you fry it immediately after you fold the wrap. For best result, pan fry it, do not use a deep frier as pan frying helps to secure the folds of the wrap. 

Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

(You can use any vegetables you like)

Bell pepper (red, green, yellow)

Carrots

Onion

Egg plants

Asparagus

Mushrooms

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar

2 tsp. Thyme Leaves

2 tsp. Rosemary Leaves

2 tsp. Basil Leaves

1 tsp. Pepper

1 tsp. Salt

Directions

1. Place vegetables in a baking dish. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, rosemary, basil, salt and pepper, tossing to coat well.

2. Roast in preheated 450 F oven 20 minutes or until vegetables are browned and tender.

Green bean Stir-Fry

Recipe from my Mother in law.

Ingredients

Green beans

Minced garlic

Soy sauce

Directions

Heat oil in a pan, add in minced garlic, saute for 1 minute, then add in green beans and soy sauce. Cook for a few minutes then serve. 

Chuck Roast

Ingredients

1 Chuck Roast (4-5 lb.)

1 large Onion, sliced

4 medium cloves of garlic, cut it into 8 slivers

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Steak seasoning, if desired

Salt & Pepper

Any herbs you like (I use herbs de provance, which contains  rosemary, basil, thyme, sage, savory and marjoram).

Directions

1. With a sharp knife, make 8 small incisions around the roast (4 on each side). Place a sliver of garlic into each incision.

2. Spread Olive Oil all around the roast.

3. Sprinkle around the roast with salt and pepper, steak seasonings (if desired) and herbs.

4. Place the roast in a baking dish. Sprinkle sliced onion around the roast. You can add potatoes too if you like to eat with potatoes.

5. Preheat oven 500 F. Brown the roast for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 300 F, continue to roast to desired doneness. If you're using meat thermometer, cook until the inside temperature of the roast is 150 F for medium well and 160F for well done.

6. Serve with steamed or stir-fry vegetables and mashed or whole potatoes.

Asian Style Grilled Beef Ribs (Iga Panggang)

This is a really delicious Indonesian dish. One of my favorites. Recipe from one of my best friends, Anna T. Ardiansyah.

Ingredients
2 lb. beef ribs
3 kaffir lime leaves (this is very rare, I can't even find it in any asian grocery store here. You can buy online or substitute it with lemon zest)
2 short stalks of lemon grass, pounded
1 inch of fresh ginger, pounded
8 tbsp. sweet soy sauce (you can find this in asian grocery store, the one I use is called Kecap Manis, product from Indonesia)
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. oil
Spice paste:
To make spice paste, ground and blend this following ingredients
8 cloves of shallot
3 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp. whole coriander
2 tsp. cumin


Directions

• Place beef ribs in slow cooker, add in a little bit of water and cook undisturbed on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. If you don't have slow cooker, you can boil the ribs in a medium heat, for a couple hour or until the ribs are tender and start to come off of the bones).
• Mix spice paste and all the ingredients in a large pan. When the ribs are done, add in beef ribs and toss to coat well, let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Add in a little bit of water, cook and bring to boil or until the sauce is absorbed. 
• Remove ribs from the sauce and grill on medium-high for 3 minutes.
• Spoon sauce over the ribs and serve with steamed vegetables and fries or jasmine rice, if desired.

Szechuan Beef

Recipe from the book: McCormick 3-step Cooking With Flavor.

Ingredients

1 lb. flank steak, cut into thin strips
1/4 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
1/8 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup shreded carrot
1/4 cup chopped scallion
3 tbsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. sherry or dry white wine
2 tbsp. sesame oil (I use premium sesame oil)
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. Sesame Seed


Directions
1. Stir together soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, Ground Ginger, Garlic Powder, Ground Cloves and Crushed Red Pepper. Add steak, toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Heat vegetable oil in skillet or wok over high heat. When very hot, add bell pepper and carrot. Stir fry 1 minute. Remove beef from marinade, discard any remaining marinade. Add beef in skillet, stir fry for 4 minutes or until beef is just cooked. Sprinkle with scallions and Sesame Seed. Serve with white rice and Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce.

To make Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce: 
Stir together 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper and 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger until blended.

Chicken Marsala

Recipe from the book: McCormick 3-step Cooking With Flavor.

Ingredients
3 boneless chicken breasts fillet, you can thinly slice it into 6 fillets, if desired
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Oregano Leaves
3/4 cup Marsala or slightly sweet white wine
1 cup Baby Bella Mushrooms
1 tsp. Lemon Pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. Parsley Flakes


Directions
1. Mix flour and Lemon Pepper on a large plate, lightly coat chicken with mixture.
2. Heat olive oil with 2 tbsp of the butter in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook about 5 minutes, turning once or until lightly colored. Remove chicken from skillet.
3. Add mushrooms and oregano to skillet, cook until mushrooms are soften. Stir in wine and lemon juice, bring to boil. Scrapping up brown bits from bottom of pan. Stir the remaining 1 tbsp butter, and cook for 2 minutes. Add Parsley Flakes and remove from heat. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve with roasted vegetables.

Pepper Steak

Recipe from the book: McCormick 3-step Cooking With Flavor.

Ingredients
2 lb. top round steak, cut into thin strips
1 Package Pot Roast Seasoning Mix
¾ cup tomato juice
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips


Directions
1. Stir together Pot Roast Seasoning Mix, tomato juice, soy sauce, tomato paste, onion powder and garlic powder in a small bowl until blended.
2. Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat, add steak and cook for 2 minutes or until no longer pink. Add onion, bell pepper and seasoning mixture and bring to boil.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes or until meat is cooked through and sauce is slightly thick. Remove from heat and serve over rice, if desired. 

Grilled Herb-Mustard Chicken

Recipe from the book: McCormick 3-step Cooking With Flavor.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. basil 
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts


Directions
1. Stir together oil, mustard, italian seasonings, basil, oregano, garlic powder and salt. Add chicken and toss to coat well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.
2. Grill over medium-high heat, turning frequently, until chicken is cooked through. Serve with roasted vegetables and french fries.