THE LIVE COOKING MENU

• Bumbu Merah - Red Spice Paste 
• Satay Ayam - Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce 
• Pepes Ikan - Indonesian Steamed Fish
• Beef Rendang - Slow Cooked Beef with Coconut
• Nasi Kunning - Yellow Rice with Coconut & Turmeric

Ingredients

Bumbu Merah - Red Spice Paste 

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Asian shallot, finely diced
• 4cm ginger, minced
• 4cm galangal, peeled & minced
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, minced
• 1 stalk lemongrass (white part only), finely minced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• 1 tsp salt 
• 2-3 TBL vegetable oil, if using a food processor

Substitute Options

• Asian shallot - red onion, brown onion
• galangal - ginger
• kaffir lime leaves - kaffir lime zest, lime zest
• ground turmeric - fresh turmeric
• raw sugar - any sugar
• vegetable oil - canola, rice bran, grape seed or coconut oil

Satay Ayam - Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce 

• 160-200g chicken thigh, largely diced
• 1 TBL bumbu merah* (recipe in previous lesson)
• 1 TBL coconut cream or milk 
• ½ tsp fish sauce 
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground coriander 

Peanut Sauce

• 4 TBL (70g) roasted peanuts 
• 2 TBL coconut cream or milk
• 1 TBL kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 2 tsp raw sugar
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• ¼ lime, juiced

Optional Garnishes

• lime wedges
• Thai basil leaves
• plain or turmeric rice

Substitute Options

• chicken thigh - chicken breast, beef or lamb suitable for grilling
• bumbu mereh* - red curry paste
• coconut milk - coconut cream, 1 tsp coconut oil
• kecap manis - combination of soy sauce & brown sugar
• fish sauce - soy sauce, vegan fish sauce
• ground turmeric - crushed fresh turmeric
• peanuts - peanut butter, macadamias
• coconut cream - coconut milk
• raw sugar - any sugar
• tamarind paste - tamarind liquid from dried tamarind
• lime - lemon, rice vinegar
• Thai basil - regular sweet basil, coriander, holy basil

Pepes Ikan - Indonesian Steamed Fish

• 3 or 4 x 100g pieces white fish
• Thai basil leaves
• 1-2 TBL bumbu mereh* (recipe in previous lesson)
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp fish sauce, or to taste

For Serving (Optional)

• plain or turmeric rice
• stir fried or steamed vegetables

Substitute Options

• white fish - barramundi, snapper, basa, bream or monkfish 
• Thai basil - regular sweet basil, coriander, holy basil
• bumbu mereh* - red curry paste
• tamarind paste - tamarind liquid from dried tamarind
• fish sauce - soy sauce

Beef Rendang - Slow Cooked Beef with Coconut

• 2 TBL coconut or vegetable oil
• 2 TBL bumbu merah* (recipe in previous lesson)
• 1 TBL tamarind paste
• 100g desiccated coconut, toasted
• 200ml coconut milk
• 1 TBL kecap manis
• 250g beef chuck
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, plus extra for garnish
• 500 ml water
• 1-2 tsp fish sauce, or to taste
• 1 tsp raw sugar, or to taste
• plain or turmeric rice for serving

Substitute Options

• coconut oil - vegetable oil, canola oil, grape seed oil, rice bran oil
• bumbu mereh* - red curry paste
• tamarind paste - tamarind liquid from dried tamarind
• desiccated coconut - fresh grated coconut (un-toasted), large coconut flakes
• coconut milk - coconut cream, coconut powder + water
• kecap manis - combination of soy sauce & brown sugar
• beef chuck - any stewing beef cut or chicken thigh
• kaffir lime leaves - lime zest, kaffir lime zest
• fish sauce - soy sauce
• raw sugar - any sugar

Nasi Kunning - Yellow Rice with Coconut & Turmeric

• 500g jasmine rice
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 650g water
• 2 TBL coconut milk
• 2 kaffir lime leaves

Substitute Options

• jasmine rice - basmati, or any medium or short grain rice 
• ground turmeric - slices of fresh turmeric
• coconut milk - coconut cream, 1 tsp coconut oil
• kaffir lime leaves - lime zest, pandan leaf

Bumbu Merah - Red Spice Paste

This fragrant spice paste is an essential part of Indonesian cooking. It's taste and aroma are reminiscent of a Thai curry with complex citrus and herbal notes.

Makes - 3-4 TBL

Total time - 30minutes

Active time - 30 minutes 

Ingredients

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 Asian shallot, finely diced
• 4cm ginger, minced
• 4cm galangal, peeled & minced
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, minced
• 1 stalk lemongrass (white part only), finely minced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• 1tsp salt 
• 2-3 TBL vegetable oil, if using a food processor

Method

1. Ensure all the ingredients are minced or chopped as finely as possible. This will make for lighter work if using a mortar and pestle and will prevent damaging the blades of your food processor or blender.
2. To make the paste, combine all ingredients in a food processor or mortar and pestle. If using a food processor, add 2-3 TBL of vegetable oil to help pulverise the ingredients.
3. Pound or blend the ingredients until a thick paste is achieved.

Satay Ayam - Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce

This addictive marinade has so much going on. Fragrant spices are paired with rich coconut milk and fish sauce, complimenting the succulent chicken skewers. Paired with a textured peanut sauce, this is a tasty dish perfect for any grill or bbq.

Serves - 2

Active time - 30 minutes

Total time - 2.5 hours 

Ingredients

Marinade

• 160-200g chicken thigh, largely diced
• 1 TBL bumbu merah* (recipe in previous lesson)
• 1 TBL coconut cream or milk 
• ½ tsp fish sauce 
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground coriander 

Peanut Sauce

• 4 TBL (70g) roasted peanuts 
• 2 TBL coconut cream or milk
• 1 TBL kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 2 tsp raw sugar
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• ¼ lime, juiced

Optional Garnishes

• lime wedges
• Thai basil leaves
• plain or turmeric rice

Method

1. In a bowl, combine the chicken with the other marinade ingredients. Cover and rest for 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
2. If using a bbq or charcoal grill, soak 4-6 bamboo skewers in water for 2 hours to prevent burning.
3. In a food processor or mortar & pestle, crush the peanuts until they are coarsely ground. Do not pulverise the nuts completely as chunky pieces give a delightful texture to the sauce. 
4. Stir the remaining peanut sauce ingredients into the crushed nuts and set aside.
5. Skewer the marinated chicken pieces onto 4-6 of the soaked bamboo skewers.
6. Prepare a grill or bbq to a medium heat. You may need to lightly oil the surface of the grill, so the skewers don't stick.
7. Grill the chicken for 4 minutes a side, or until nicely charred and cooked all the way through.
8. Serve your satay skewers with the peanut sauce and optional garnishes.

Pepes Ikan - Indonesian Steamed Fish

You can easily make this version of pepes ikan at home, without the need for banana leaves. We created a pouch made from baking paper to retain the fragrance of the spice paste and moisture from the fish. Snapper, barramundi or basa are all ideal for steaming. 

Serves - 3-4

Active Time - 30 minutes 

Total time - 3 hours 

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 x 100g pieces white fish
• Thai basil leaves

Marinade

• 1-2 TBL bumbu mereh* (recipe in previous lesson)
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp fish sauce, or to taste

For Serving (Optional)

• plain or turmeric rice
• stir fried or steamed vegetables

Method 

1. In a bowl, massage the fish pieces with the marinade ingredients. Cover and marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the fridge. 
2. When the fish is ready to cook, prepare a steamer basket on the stove. Heat and maintain the water at a simmer. 
3. To make the pouches, vertically fold a 40cm sheet of baking paper in half. With a pen, draw a half 'heart-shape' on the outside of the paper, using the folded edge as the centre crease of the 'heart'. Do this by drawing a large curve from the folded corner furthest away from to you, getting thinner as you reach the corner of the folded edge closest to you. Repeat the process with a second piece of baking paper. 
4. Use scissors to cut along the drawn lines of both pieces of baking paper. The idea is that when opened up, the trimmed paper should look like the shape of a heart. 
5. Open up the two heart-shaped pieces of paper onto your work surface. Place a few Thai basil leaves followed by two pieces of marinated fish on each sheet by arranging them near the top left of the centre seam.
6. Garnish the positioned fish with a few more Thai basil leaves and fold the right half of the baking paper over the top of the left, so that the two outside edges line up. 
7. Using a pleating motion, seal the baking paper shut by folding along the open outside edges in 2cm increments. This will effectively create small folds in towards the fish, securing the pouch closed. Do this with both sets of fish.
8. Place the fish parcels in your prepared steamer basket and cook for 7 minutes with the lid on.
9. Serve immediately with optional rice and vegetables for a complete meal.

Beef Rendang - Slow Cooked Beef with Coconut

This dish has a wonderful blend of herbaceous spices and tenderly slow-cooked beef. A little toasted coconut flakes gives the rendang a nutty aroma and subtle sweetness.

Serves - 2

Active time - 30 minutes

Total time - 3 hours

Ingredients

• 2 TBL coconut or vegetable oil
• 2 TBL bumbu merah* (recipe in previous lesson)
• 1 TBL tamarind paste
• 100g desiccated coconut, toasted
• 200ml coconut milk
• 1 TBL kecap manis
• 250g beef chuck
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, plus extra for garnish
• 500 ml water
• 1-2 tsp fish sauce, or to taste
• 1 tsp raw sugar, or to taste
• plain or turmeric rice for serving

 Method

1. To toast the desiccated coconut, heat a large heavy bottomed frypan or saucepan over medium heat. Dry fry the coconut flakes, stirring constantly until they turn a light golden-brown colour. Remove and set aside.
2. Place the same pan back on the stove and add in 2 TBL coconut oil. When the oil is hot, fry the bumbu merah* for 1-2 minutes or until the paste begins to release its fragrance, stirring constantly.
3. Mix in the tamarind paste, followed by the toasted coconut, coconut milk and kecap manis.
4. Add in the beef, kaffir lime leaves, water and 1 tsp of fish sauce.
5. Turn the heat to low and simmer (uncovered) for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Top the rendang up with water as required to ensure the beef remains submerged throughout the cooking process.
6. After 2 hours, check if the beef is tender by piercing with a fork. If needed, simmer for a further 30 minutes or until it falls apart easily. Towards the end of cooking, allow the liquid to reduce to a gravy-like consistency.
7. Adjust the seasoning with a tsp fish sauce and a tsp sugar, adding more if necessary.
8. Garnish with thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves and serve with your choice of rice.

Nasi Kunning - Yellow Rice with Coconut & Turmeric

This fragrant rice dish utilises anti-oxidant rich turmeric to give it a bright and lively colour. It is a perfect accompaniment to any of the other Indonesian recipes featured in our lessons.

Serves - 4

Active time - 5 minutes

Total time - 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 500g jasmine rice
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 650g water
• 2 TBL coconut milk
• 2 kaffir lime leaves

Method 

Rice Cooker 

1. Place the rice in a large bowl. Fill the bowl up with cold water and mix the rice with your hands to rinse away some of the excess starch. Carefully pour the water out and refill the bowl up with cold water. Repeat this mixing and draining process three times, or until the water runs clear. 
2. Allow the rice to soak in cold water for 20-30 minutes. Strain the rice through a fine-mesh strainer, shaking as much water out of the rice as possible. 
3. Add the drained rice and all other ingredients to a rice cooker and cook for 40 minutes. 
4. Allow the cooked rice to rest (covered) for 10 minutes and fluff with a spatula just before serving.

Stovetop 

1. Place the rice in a large bowl. Fill the bowl up with cold water and mix the rice with your hands to rinse away some of the excess starch. Carefully pour the water out and refill the bowl up with cold water. Repeat this mixing and draining process three times, or until the water runs clear. 
2. Allow the rice to soak in cold water for 20-30 minutes. Strain the rice through a fine-mesh strainer, shaking as much water out of the rice as possible. 
3. Add the strained rice to a medium sized pot, along with the remaining ingredients. 
4. Place the pot over medium heat and when it reaches a boil, give the rice a quick stir to ensure it hasn't stuck to the base and put on a fitting lid.
5. Turn the heat down to as low as possible and cook for 13-15minutes.
6. Turn the heat off and allow the rice to rest (covered) for 10-15 minutes.
7. Fluff the rice with a fork or wooden spatula and before serving.