Soup with a bite, 'panir' fried chicken and spicy potatoes
Soup with a bite, 'panir' fried chicken and spicy potatoes
This issue marks the debut of Cook's Corner, a new column featuring recipes from Indonesia and abroad. We welcome the contributions of our readers, including their favorite recipes.
Sour Tamarind Corn Soup
A soup with a bite, this dish is bound to please those with a penchant for tart foods.
* 250 gr beef on the bone
* Kernels from 3 ears of corn
* 250 gr baby corn, quartered lengthwise
* 100 grams fresh stringbeans, cleaned of fibrous sections and cut into 3 cm pieces
* 1 squash, peeled and diced (about 2 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm)
* 1 red tomato, firm, cut into eight sections
* 5 green peppers, chopped
* 5 chilis, cut into 2 cm slices
* 5 red onions, finely sliced
* 3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
* 1 teaspoon of salt
* 100 gr of palm sugar
* 1 tablespoon of tamarind, mixed with 500 cc of water and crushed, with seeds and fiber removed
* 1 lemon grass stalk, bruised
* 1 ginger stalk (about 2 cm x 2 cm x 1/2 cm), bruised
* 5 salam leaves
1. Boil the beef and corn kernels in 1,500 cc of water until the meat is tender.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, with the squash and the tomatoes added last. When the squash is soft, the dish is ready to serve.
** Bay leaf is frequently substituted for salam although they have distinct flavors. Use salam whenever possible; otherwise bay leaf will suffice, but halve the quantity.
Panir Fried Chicken
This mouthwatering variation on fried chicken means there is no need to venture out of the home to a fast food restaurant.
* 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
* 3/4 tablespoon of salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons of fine white pepper
* 3 chicken eggs
* about 250 grams of white flour
* 1000 cc cooking oil
1. Thoroughly wash the chicken pieces and allow them to dry. Evenly apply a mixture of 1/2 a tablespoonful of salt and 1 teaspoonful of pepper to cover the pieces. Allow to stand for 20 minutes.
2. Beat the eggs along with 1/4 teaspoonful of salt and 1/2 teaspoonful of pepper. Dip the chicken pieces into the batter and roll them in the flour. Repeat once.
3. Heat the oil on a high flame, then reduce the heat and add the chicken. Fry until golden brown. Remove and pat with oil- absorbent paper.
Spicy Potatoes in Coconut Milk
Baby potatoes in their skins are a delicious substitute for beef and chicken in a traditional rendang sauce from West Sumatra.
* 500 gr baby potatoes
* 500 cc of thick coconut milk, from 1 coconut
* 7 onions, finely sliced
* 3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
* 250 gr large chilis, finely ground
* 1 ginger stalk (about 2 cm x 2 cm x 1 cm ), bruised
* 1 lemon grass stalk, bruised
* two turmeric leaves
* five jeruk purut leaves
* 1 teaspoon of salt
1. Thoroughly wash the potatoes and wipe their skins clean.
2. Cook the coconut milk and all other ingredients (except the potatoes) on a moderate flame until the broth becomes oily.
3. Add the potatoes, stirring the mixture until the potatoes soften and the broth thickens.
4. For a drier consistency, simmer on a low heat, stirring throughout to avoid burning.
Recipes courtesy of Santapan Favorit Keluarga (Favorite Family Meals) by Doddy Pamudji (PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama/1999).