Chicken Korma

We went to Germany for the first part of our last Summer vacation. The departure day was such a long day. It begun with a drug control by the Venezuelan National Guard officers, who mostly doesn't know how to be polite. We had to queue for more than one hour because their control was so lame and inefficient. While queuing for check-in, I received a text from my brother in Jakarta who told me that our beloved Oma passed away. I cried out loud because it was so sudden. Lucky me that I had met her last March. After another long queue at the Immigration, we made it to be at the departure gate but TAP called my name out and told me that I had to go down, to the luggage storage because they suspected something inside my luggage. It was such pain in the a** since they had already checked it. Down stair was another queue. Finally we boarded and waited for taking-off. After 45 minutes waiting, the captain told us that there was a technical problem so we had to wait. Hours went by without knowing what was going on and TAP couldn't tell us too. What a big help! At 7pm they even brought us our dinner and then the captain told us that our flight couldn't take off that evening because the Venezuelan National Guard found three passengers having drugs. We had to get out the plane, got through the immigration again and waited the TAP buses which took us to Gran Melia, Caracas. What a long tiring day!


The next day, TAP still could tell us whether we could fly or not. We would rather stayed at our own apartment but because of the lack of information, we had to stay at the hotel. Lucky us that we had our hand luggage with us, at least we could had fresh ropes. After a long wait and some phone calls to the car rental, booked hotel and a friend in Frankfurt finally at 1pm all passengers had to gather and we went to the airport. After the immigration checking, we got inside the same flight and finally we could take off. We arrived in Lisbon the next morning safe and sound but again we had to wait 2 hours for the next flight because TAP personals didn't arrange our seats at the 7am flight even though they knew about the delay. At 12 noon we arrived in Frankfurt but our luggage didn't. Thanks to Lufthansa, they organized to send it as soon as they have it. Got our rented car and off to the hotel.

Our vacation was super duper good hence the departure day. We enjoyed Germany so much and are happy to be back again July 2010. We made a round tour: Frankfurt - Berlin - South Germany via Karlovy Vary in Czech Republic. In Berlin we visited our favorite places where we used to go, one of them was Tagore Indian Restaurant. Our favorite one and is located where we used to live.

Vegetarian dish and spiced tea (in Berlin they call it Yogi Tee) are a must to me. Tagore has good food with good price. When you happen to visit Berlin, you should try this restaurant. Speaking of Indian food, I always failed make it from scratch. The result wasn't tasty as I think suppose to be but with this chicken korma, I'm pretty satisfied.

Adapted from Favorite Everyday Dinners

Ingredients:
500 gr chicken breast fillet
1 onion -- sliced
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup thick cream
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp ghee or oil

For garnish
Toasted silvered almonds
Fresh coriander leaves or mint leaves

To grind
1 medium size onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cardamom seeds
Large pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:
Cut the chicken breast fillet into cube and place in a bowl. Put the grind spice mixture, combine well to coat and marinate for at least 1 hour

Heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan, add the sliced onion and cook over low heat until soft. Add the chicken mixture, cook and stir constantly until change color. Add the yogurt, cream, ground almonds and cinnamon stick, stir and combine well. Reduce the heat and simmer, stir occasionally. Add a little water if the mixture becomes too dry. Season to taste, serve warm immediately with Basmati rice and garnish

KBB Challenge #13: 2nd Anniversary Celebration: Simple White Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I read KBB's homework while I was backpacking in Colombia. This time we're celebrating KBB' second anniversary and there are two contest to be taking part in. The first one is (cup)cake or muffin decorating contest and the other one is photo contest. Some baking and cooking ideas had popped up into my mind since then. It was so funny how I found my mind sometime jumped from one idea to another ideas when we were in a café having a cup of coffee while I was writing my travel diary or reading a book or even while during our trekking or sitting in a bus. I think it just because I don't want to miss participating, even though I know that I won't win. But hey, taking part counts the most, doesn't it?

Colombia was GREAT! The country, the people, the infrastructure, the public transports..all just super and the important thing was that we felt so safer there than in Venezuela. So people, I tell you, whether you are a fan of Latin America or not, never skip Colombia from your travel list. I'll write about Colombia on my next posting.

Back in Caracas on Tuesday at 11am after a 12 hours bus drive from San Cristobal to Caracas and some hours before to reach Cucutá, a border city between Colombia and Venezuela, I still didn't know what to make. And I'd decided to make simple white cupcakes and made a trier, I can't make a nice swirl, then frosted them with cream cheese frosting. Since I don't want to use food coloring, so I just decorated the cupcakes with organic dried cranberries and fresh Ixora from our balcony. Happy Birthday, KBB! All the best!

Simple White Cupcakes

6-8 cupcakes/muffins

Source: All Recipes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup self-raising-flour
1/2 cup white sugar (I used less than 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract (I used 1/2 tsp vanilla sugar)
1/4 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F (170C). Grease a cake pan and flour or line a muffin pan with paper cups
In a medium bowl cream the white sugar and the unsalted butter. Beat in egg then add the vanilla. Add the flour to the creamed mixture, stir well. Stir in milk until the batter is smooth. Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared pan
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or for cake then 30 to 40 minutes. It's done when it springs back to the touch

Note:
When you use all purpose flour, add baking powder (3/4 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder)

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick) at room temperature
8 oz of Phily cream cheese (1 package) at room temperature
2 - 3 cups of powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing

Add the vanilla extract, mix well. Slowly add the powdered sugar and keep adding until you get to desired sweetness

KBB Challenge #12: Soufflés au Fromage // Cheese Soufflés

I didn't have problem doing this 12nd task of Klub Berani Baking (Indonesian Baking Club) nor finding the ingredients. I used Gouda and Perico instead Cheddar and Parmesan. I also liked the textur, so soft and cheesy but one thing that stressed me out was the taking-picture-part. I already prepared the settting, the location, the dish ware, the background et cetera..et cetera.. but the souffles are deflate so quickly, I think after less than 5 minutes. I used a tea cup and two jumbo ramekins. I was able making 4 pictures of a tea cup and I half baked the jumbo ramekins, so when they got deflate, I put them back to the oven and they still risen. Next time I'll add smoked ham, more chives or a pepperoncini-basil-cocktail and more mustard.

Source: The Perfect Cookbook by David Herbert. Penguin Books Australia Ltd 2003 through Klub Berani Baking

Ingredients:
100g unsalted butter
½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
300ml milk
1 cup grated cheddar (I used Gouda)
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan (I used Perico)
½ tsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 eggs -- separated

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 190C (375F, Gas Mark 5). Grease and lightly flour six ½-cup-capacity souffle dishes

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and whisk continuously over medium heat until the mixture is smooth, thickens and comes to the boil. Allow to cool for 5 minutes

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the cheddar, parmesan, mustard and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Lightly beat the egg yolks and add these to the cheese mixture. Mix well
With an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until firm peaks form. Fold a quarter of the whites through the cheese mixture to slacken it slightly, then gently fold through the remaining whites

Spoon the mixture into the prepared dishes and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and golden. Don't be tempted to open the oven until the souffles have risen. Serve immediately

Mie Ayam Jamur Pangsit // Noodle with Sweet Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry and Won ton Soup

We spent our long weekend in Hato Piñero in Los Llanos, Venezuela's plains. Hato means ranch in English. Llanos music (musica llanera) belongs to Venezuela's most authentic music and it contains of a harp, a cuatro (a four-string small guitar), a marracas (rattle). We have known four Hatos but Hato Piñero is our favorite so far; the price is still reasonable compare to other Hatos, the rooms are clean, the food is super, the excursions are great and the people are so nice. It was our third time spending a Caracas-hide-away in this Hato.

The landscape was greener than the last time we were there. Both seasons - dry and rainy season - have its own scenery. During the dry season you might see more animals then during the rainy season.

We drove back to Caracas after having our lunch in Hato and arrived at 8pm at home sound and well. The first thing we did was checking our plants in our balcony. Unfortunately one plant looked so dry and was desperately in need of water. The concierge might have forgotten to watering it. I uploaded the pictures after and I - also hubby - wasn't satisfied with the result of Sony Alpha 200. I have been complaining since the day I use this camera and even more when we were in Hato doing bird watching. Sony A200 couldn't focus as quickly as Nikon D80. All pictures are dull and flat even though the sun shone. If my hubby was complaining, so it should mean something since he's not a Mr. Complain like me.

The next morning was cloudy and lucky us that the plant is getting better. The cloudy morning made me feel preparing noodle with sweet chicken and mushroom stir fry. You might find the recipe is complicated by reading this but it's all worth it, my guarantee.

See Pepi's version for a pesco vegetarian version.

Ingredients:
3 egg noodles
1 tbsp Indonesian sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp chicken oil
Salt and pepper to season

Sweet Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry
150 gr button mushrooms -- washed, cut in vier pieces
300 gr chicken meat
3 cloves garlic -- crushed, sliced
3 cm ginger -- crushed, sliced
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp Indonesian sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
75 ml chicken broth
Sliced onion springs
Chicken oil
Salt and pepper to season

Won ton Soup
For Broth:
1,5 l water
2 pieces chicken thigh -- set aside the skin
4 cloves garlic -- crushed
Salt to season
Sliced spring onions

For Won ton:
Won ton papers
Minced pork (You can use minced meat or fish or minced chicken or shrimp)
1 clove garlic -- crushed, minced
2 tbsp Ngo Hiong
Salt and ground white pepper to season

Chicken Oil
Vegetable oil
Chicken skin
2 cloves garlic -- crushed
2 cm ginger -- crushed

Directions:
Chicken Oil
Fry the chicken skin with the crushed garlic and ginger. Set aside

Chicken Broth
Add the water in a pot, add salt and crushed garlics. Boil the chicken thighs in until cook. Take out and when they're cool enough, get the meat. Put the bones back into the broth

Sweet Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry
Put 2 tbsp of chicken oil in a pan. Add the crushed garlic and ginger, sauté until fragrant
Add the button mushrooms and chicken meat, Indonesian sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sliced onion springs and the chicken broth. Season well and cook until set

Won ton Soup
Combine the minced pork with Ngo Hiong, salt, pepper and the crushed garlic. Steam for 10 minutes
In each won ton paper, put 1 tbsp of filling in the center. Take the four corner to the middle, press a little bit in the middle. Boil in the chicken broth over a low heat for 1 minute

Serving
Boil the egg noodles in a pot until soft, drain
Add the Indonesian sweet soy sauce, chicken oil. Season well and toss. Put into individual serving bowls, add the sweet chicken and mushroom stir fry and sprinkle with sliced spring onions. Serve immediately with won ton soup

Marbled Matcha Chocolate Cake

We spent a wonderful sunny weekend in Los Roques, Venezuela's archipelago National Park. Me and a friend of us had organized for this weekend getaway. Surprisingly it was so hard to get flight tickets and a place to stay. I did contact some inns but only one gave us a response. I also contacted three travel agents; one is independent travel agent, one is a big travel agent and pretty famous among the foreigners here and the last one was recommended by a friend. The independent one kept us to wait in vain, the person in charge in the second travel agent was very slow and I was the one who gave him a call and he was difficult to reach and never turned my calls. Lucky us that the third one could book us flight tickets and an inn - unfortunately not the one we want. It was very stress fulled organizing this travel. We're in Venezuela and Los Roques is also in Venezuela but it was easier booking a place to stay and flight to Bali from Jakarta even though I'm in Venezuela. But all difficulties and also a 3-hours-delay were paid when we arrived there and saw the blue sky and the intense color of the beaches. We enjoyed our stay and International atmosphere there, which is very rare in Venezuela.

Monday I met a friend for lunch and after that we wanted to do a little shopping around where she lives. There I found a Japanese supermarket in Caracas close to my favorite kitchen shop. I checked the supermarket and found what they sell. First I found matcha powder then wan-tan papers and also tofu. YAY! I was over moon. I browsed some matcha cake recipes and found some yummilicious recipes, one of them is Chocolate Matcha Bundt Cake. Since I don't have a nice bundt pan, I made it as muffins. I also used self raising flour which I have to use before we leave on vacation. These swirls are so good and they don't even need a frosting. A worth to try

Source: Bakerella

Ingredients:
Chocolate Mixture
1 1/2 cup all-purpose-flour
1/2 cup Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Matcha Mixture
1 1/2 cup all-purpose-flour
2-3 tbsp matcha powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Note: Omit the baking powder and salt when you use self-raising flour

Wet Ingredients
3 cups sugar (I used only 2 cups)
3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 3/4 cup milk at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla (I didn't use)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a bundt pan for 10-12 cup or muffin tins and flour or cocoa

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients for chocolate mixture. Set aside. Do the same with the dry ingredients in a separate bowl

Cream the butter and the sugar. Add the eggs, the milk and the vanilla (if use), combine well and divide the creamed mixture evenly into each dry ingredient mixture. Mix well each chocolate and matcha. Drop alternating spoonful of each mixture into a bundt pan or muffin tin about 3/4 full. Use a knife or a wooden stick to make a marbled effect once or twice time. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until set

Bolu Pandan // Pandan Cake

It supposed to be dry season in Caracas but it has been chilly and rainy and I've been struggling with flu. Last week hubby was ill then now me. No fever nor bad headaches nor running nose anymore but still coughing. Lucky me that I don't have to teach, so I just take it easy these days - YES, I'm counting the days until the summer vacation..woohooo...

Unfortunately I don't have books to read anymore - can't wait to be in Germany to buy books I have on my book list -, I stayed on sofa, watching telly and films, covering my self with a warm soft blanket and with a shawl around my neck. suddenly craved for a cake with cheese topping, just like I used to eat in Jakarta. For the cake itself it can be pandan cake, chocolate cake or mocha cake, spread with cream then top with grated cheese. Heaven! The recipe I used is Steamed Pandan Cake by Budi Sutomo.

Source: Budi Sutomo

Ingredients:
250 gr plain flour
150 gr sugar (I only used 80 gr)
150 ml coconut milk
5 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pandan essence

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F or 180F
Beat the sugar, eggs and salt until stiff
Add the flour bit by bit and combine well using a wooden spatula. Add the coconut milk and pandan essence, combine well. Transfer the batter into a lightly greased baking form, bake for 20 minutes or until set. If you want to steam, it takes 30 minutes

Note:
You can change the pandan essence with vanilla or mocha or chocolate

Espresso Brownies

Summer vacation is getting closer. Last Friday was my last working day and hubby's is in the end of this month then we're gonna spend our vacation in Germany for 2,5 weeks and the rest of time in Colombia or Venezuela (well, three places are still on the places-to-visit-list. We can't wait until the vacation finally comes but we're also sad because some friends are living Venezuela since they finished their working contracts. Friends come and go and next year will be our turn. I think this is all part of expatriates life in a globalism world.

July also means party from School-end party, farewell parties, Volleyball-end-season et cetera and I think that I'm getting old. My body was cracked after two nights partying. Friday night we went home at 2am and Saturday at 4am. Even though I slept hours today, I do still need some more rest. Some years back I'd done it almost everyday starting from Wednesday. Oh well, those wild years are gone now.

The first time I saw this recipe at Ruri's, I wanted to try it out but unfortunately there wasn't any butter (imported or local product) at that time at the supermarkets. Because I think two important things making brownies, good quality of chocolate and butter. Since the end of June the butter is starting to come again on the market.

Source: Brownies by Linda Collister through Rachmach Setyawati through Rury @ Just a Thought

Ingredients:
230 gr good quality plain chocolate (I used 240 58,6% dark chocolate) -- melted, set aside
115 gr butter
300 gr caster sugar (I used 200 gr)
5 large range eggs -- lightly beaten
4 tbsp strong espresso at room temperature (I used 8 tbsp)
70 gr plain flour
70 gr good quality Dutch processed cocoa and extra for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F or 160°C. Line a 20x20x4 baking dish with a parchment paper or lightly grease and dust with cocoa powder

Beat the butter and caster sugar until smooth. Add lightly beaten egg, combine well then add the espresso, mix well

Sieve the plain flour and the cocoa powder over the egg batter. Combine well then add the melted chocolate. Stir well and pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until done