Sari Kacang Ijo (Mung Bean Juice)

Mung beans is so popular in Indonesia and consumed mostly as bubur kacang hijau, also used as filling for some traditional snack (bakpia, kue ku, etc.). It is rich in fiber and vitamin B. I used to like to drink this mung bean juice which comes in a tetra package and easily found in a grocery store. Now that I live abroad, I could not find that mung bean juice, except by making it myself. So the other day, I prepared this juice and enjoyed every sips of it.

While sharing the recipe, I also want to participate on IDFB Challenge 3 (Indonesian Beverages).

Ingredients:

150g mung beans, soaked overnight

1L water or more

4cm of ginger, bruised

1 pandan leaf

1 block of palm sugar

1Tbsp of granulated sugar

1tsp of vanilla essence (optional)

Directions:

Rinse the soaked beans and drained off the water. Boil in water until cracked and soft (approximately for an hour). Cool it off and crush it in a blender, add some water as needed. Using a kitchen strainer, separate the juice from the pulp. While straining, stir the blended juice occasionally. You may re-do the blending and straining procedures with the pulp and discard the last pulp. Then re-boil the juice and add the remaining ingredients. Adjust the taste to your preference with granulated sugar. Discard ginger and pandan leaf before serving. Serve it as warm or cold drink.

Apem Panggang-Rice Flour Pancake with Grated Coconut Topping-Javanese Style

"Apem" is a traditional snack which originally served during some ceremony at Javanese palaces in Yogyakarta and Surakarta. At later days this snack is also prepared among Javanese household to celebrate some important dates such as celebration of births, Ied Mubarak, 100days of grief, etc.

I love the taste of this snack since it is a combination of sweetness, slightly sour (from the fermentation) of the cake and saltiness of the topping.

This time, I would love to share this with other Indonesian food blogger for the IDFB#2-Challenge.

Recipe source is here

Ingredients:

250g rice flour

100g granulated white sugar

1 tsp instant yeast

1/2 tsp baking powder

200ml thick coconut milk

300ml coconut juice

3/4 tsp salt

200g grated coconut meat (salted)

Directions:

In a bowl, mix well together all of the ingredients except grated coconut meat. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and leave it for 30min in a warm place. Preheat the moulding pan and grease with some margarine. Pour the batter, put the lid on and cook at medium-low heat until raising up, pores formed and well cooked. Remove from the moulding pan and serve it with some salted grated coconut meat on top.

Pecel Lele (Deep Fried Cat Fish with Chili Paste) - IDFB Challenge #1

I have joined a group called Indonesian Foodblogger on Facebook, and every two months they have a challenge that every member can participate and there are prizes to win too! For the very first challenge, they present "Food by Its Country", and here is my entry..

This food reminds me much of my university life in Yogyakarta, where a lot of food hawkers sell this menu around Gadjah Mada University campus. And for sure, this was my favorite menu as a student before and yet today. Here is my version:

Ingredients:
- frozen cat fish, cut or whole, cleaned (available at Asian stores)
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1Tbsp of ground coriander
- salt
- water
- oil for frying

To make sambal/chili paste:
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 4 cloves of shallot

- 1 big red chilly
- 12 chili paddy
- 1 tomato
- 1tsp of shrimp paste, toasted
- 1Tbsp of palm sugar
- salt

- kaffir lime (jeruk limau)
- used frying oil (the remaining after frying the fish)

Directions:

Since I normally bought the fish which was cleaned, I do not need to clean it myself. Make some slits on the side of the body. Mix crushed garlic, coriander, salt and water to marinate the fish in a container. Then marinate the fish in it for at least 30min. Deep fry it in hot oil under medium high heat until brown and crunchy. Drain off the excessed oil with paper towel.

To make chili paste: fry garlic, shallot, chili and tomato for 2-3minutes. Then transfer it into a grinder, I like to use "cobek" (traditional stone grinder). Add shrimp paste, salt and palm sugar and then grind until coarse smooth. Sprinkle some kaffir lime juice over.

Serve with warm steamed rice and some fresh veggies (lettuce, cucumber, cabbage, tomato, long beans, etc). You may add some sweet soy sauce into the chili paste to reduce the spiciness.