Duo-Trio Layers Cake (Lapis Surabaya) - The Economic Version!

Some preggo crave for something during their pregnancy. Some are lucky enough to get what they wanted for. I was one of them. When pregnant with Bianca, 4years ago, I craved for this specific cake which require a lot of egg yolks, known as Lapis Surabaya. I do not know where it got its name from and why they pick Surabaya, a city in East Java to name it. Anyway, I got someone kind enough to make it for me at that time.
And when we moved to other town, I have no one to bake this cake, so I decided to try it on my own. But since, it was my first trial, I did not dare to use a lot of egg yolks, so I chose this economic version.
Oh, I got the recipe from here.

Ingredients:

A:
- 8 egg yolks
- 9 egg
- 300g fine granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 150g all purpose flour
- 1 tsp ovalet/emulsifier

B:
- 150g all purpose flour
- 25g corn starch

C:
- 250g melted margarine

D:
- 1/2 Tbsp rum
- 1 tsp chocolate paste

Filling
- strawberry jam

Directions:

Mix and whisk A until fluffy. Add B and mix it under low speed. Add C and mix it well. Divide into 2 or 3 part (as you like, you may use just 2 layers or 3). Take one part and add D into it and mix it well. Pour the batter into 22x22cm cookie tin/tray which was lined with parchment paper before (you may use 2 0r 3 trays according to how many layer you like). Bake at 175C for 25min until done. Cool it off. Take one layer and spread the filling and arrange another layer on top of it. Cut edges to complete.

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Green Tea Frappucino - would you do anything for love?

Many people say they would do anything for love, but how far would you really go? Some are willing to go to the ends of the earth for their significant others (read: I gave up my comfort zone in Australia and moved to a cold place called "Can I duh?" to unite w/ my ex-boyfriend-now husband), while others are not so ready to give up their freedom and still make a way to keep the relationship strong.
Found a nice quote about it recently: Do everything with so much love in your heart that you would never want to do it any other way (Yogi Desai).
Okay, I would not say much about this love and sacrifice things, instead I would like to share our drink related experience.

One of those hot summer days, we went to Starbucks to get something cool to drink. I got this green tea frappe, and husband got something else, dont remember what it was. Then he took a sip of mine, and since then he loves this drink. We then often go to Starbucks just to get this particular addicting drink. Since he loves it that much, I thought I would try to make it on my own (and I've already stocked up some green tea powder before) just for convenience, so that I can make it every time he wants it (am I doing anything for love here? you may say so). I browsed around on the net, and found many recipes, quite similar though. Thus I tried mixing and combining, and here is my version of green tea frappe. Would you do anything for love?

Ingredients:
- 1.5 tsp green tea powder
- 120ml hot water (not boiling)
- 2Tbsp of sweet condensed milk (may be replaced with granulated sugar)
- 120ml fresh 2% milk
- 60ml cream
- ice cubes
Optional: vanilla flavoured syrup

topping:
whipped cream

Directions:
Dissolve the green tea powder in hot water, add sweet condensed milk and mix it well. Transfer it in a blender, add milk, cream and ice cubes and blend it until smooth. Pour it in a tall glass and spray the whipped cream on top.
The recipe is good for 2 tall glasses.

Note: you may blend it without ice cubes, then keep it in a freezer until half frozen. Take it out and blend it again briefly. The result will be smoother.

Balinese Stuffed Grilled Chicken (Ayam Betutu)

Who has never heard about Bali? Someone asked me before, when I said I am from Indonesia.."Where is Indonesia? Is it close to Bali?"..Oh my..I was speechless for a moment, trying to find a nice way to explain without insulting. Well I am not gonna explain where and what about Indonesia, I think that explain much of how famous Bali is, the paradise island. Beside its richness of beautiful scenery, Bali is rich of culture, including food. I am lucky to be able to try and enjoy Balinese culinary. One of them is this grilled chicken. I made this for our thanksgiving family dinner, since we are not that keen into turkey.

The original recipe is here, but a little modification was made.

Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken, cleaned
- 1 pack of ground cassava leaves (app. 200g)
- vegetable oil for sauteeing
- banana leaves for wrapping

Spices to ground:
- 7 big red chilli and 5 chili paddy, adjusted into your preference (I used about 25 chili paddy)
- 8 roasted candle nuts
- 10 cloves of shallot
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 2 tsp fermented shrimp paste
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander
- 2 stalk of lemongrass, chopped
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 4cm of galangal, cut
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 5 kaffir lime leaves
- 4cm of ginger, cut
- 1 Tbsp ground kencur
- salt and sugar to taste

Directions:

Grind all of the spices in a blender, and then sautee with a little bit of vegetable oil until fragrant. Cool it off and divide into 2 parts. Mix one part with ground cassava leaves. Stuff it into the chicken cavity. Close the opening with tooth picks. Cover the whole body with the rest of ground spices and stuff it under the skin too. Wrap the chicken with banana leaves. Broil in a preheated oven at 180C for 2-3hours. It may be steamed for 45min prior to broiling to cut off the broiling time into just an hour. Cut and serve with steamed rice.

I would like to share it with my fellow Indonesian foodie for the monthly event masbar.

Steamed-Ground Shrimp Stuffed Tofu - Putting My Palate-Memory into Real

To be frank, not many good Chinese restaurants in Edmonton (or I might not explore much, I would say). One which we often come for a lunch or dinner is Wok King, the one in China town. It is family oriented restaurant, it is not big, only have 6-4 seater tables and 2 or 3 round bigger tables. It ain't fancy either. But what we love about this restaurant is the taste of the foods they serve mostly are close to what we have back home. One of the foods we regularly ordering is this steamed ground shrimp stuffed tofu.

When we were there I tried to memorize the taste and think of what seasoning they put on, and one of these days I had a chance to try to make it at home. And this is what I want to share with you.

Ingredients:
- 3 blocks tofu, cut into rectangular shape (as shown on the pictures)
- 2 green onion

Stuffing:
- 200g shrimp, peeled (I added some ground chicken too)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 clove of shallot
- 2 tsp of oyster sauce
- 1 tsp of ground white pepper
- 1Tbsp corn starch

Sauce:
- 6Tbsp soy sauce
- 1Tbsp rice wine
- 1Tbsp sesame oil
- 1Tbsp fine granulated sugar

Directions:
In a food processor, process all of the ingredients for stuffing, except corn starch until smooth. Transfer it into a bowl and add the corn starch and mix it well. Scoop out some of the center part of tofu to place the stuffing. Place the stuffing at the center of tofu, then steam it for 45minutes.
While waiting, prepare the sauce by mixing all of the ingredients for sauce. Warm it up in a microwave for 40seconds to allow the sugar to be easily dissolved.
To serve, place the steamed tofu on a serving plate, pour the sauce over and sprinkle some freshly cut green onion.

And score!

Deep Fried Shrimp ala Bie Fong Tong - CSN Giveaway and Indonesia Eats Cook-Up

I am pleased to be invited to join the event of CSN Giveaway and Indonesia Eats Cook-Up by its own wonderful host and dear friend Pepy. And I am lucky to be able to join this special event (many foodie bloggers do not reside in US and Canada thus not eligible to join). I admire her blog which is rich with information and knowledge of foods. And it is with a pleasant heart I follow one of her recipes. My choice went for deep fried shrimp ala Bie Fong Tong.
Enjoy this super duper garlicky deep fried shrimp..I sneezed a lot when stir-frying the chili, but it paid off when eating it...hmmm...yummm...
I also want to share this recipe and picture for the event of Masbar, the theme for this month is seafood. Oh..and..HAPPY FALL SEASON!


Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, but leave the tails on
ground white pepper
seasalt
1 egg, beat until peaks
100 g corn starch
3 bird eyes chillies, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, bruised, to stir fry
vegetable oil

Sprinkle
200 g or 3-4 bulbs of garlic, chopped
1 green onion, finely sliced

Directions:
Bie Fong Tong style fried garlic for sprinkle
1. Clean and drain off the chopped garlic, sun-dried the garlic to reduce the moist (I used the oven to dry off).
2. Bake the garlic with a small amount of oil or deep fry until crispy and golden brown.
3. Garlic ready to use as Bie Fong Tong seasoning

Deep Fried Shrimp ala Bie Fong Tong
1. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the shrimp, combine.
2. Sprinkle with a small amount of corn starch, combine.
3. Add beaten egg, combine.
4. Coat the shrimp with the rest of cornstrach.
5. Deep-fry the shrimp until golden brown. Set aside.
6. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir fry the bruised garlic and bird eyes chillies until fragrant. Add the deep-fried shrimp, stir. Add fried chopped garlic, green onion, black pepper and salt, stir. Remove from heat and serve.