Mie kuah Daging Sapi à la Sichuan

Mie Kuah Daging Sapi à la Sichuan

Kelihatan kan yah, kalau aku lagi ngefans banget sama masakan Sichuan. Dari kecil, aku suka sama masakan cina, tanpa mengerti apa sih bedanya satu provinsi dengan lainnya. Tapi makin tua, makin ngerti deh kalau masakan Cina itu beragam banget, kaya variasi di setiap daerah. Pembuatan bumbunya pun membutuhkan teknik yang halus, dan tentu saja harus ditopang pengetahuan yang baik mengenai fermentasi bahan makanan. Ya ya ya, sebelum aku kesambet sama budaya Korea, aku pernah kesambet dengan budaya Cina (ya iyalah, kan sampai bela-belain belajar bahasanya). 

Baru-baru ini aku makan mie di restoran Sichuan di Paris, aku berasa kayak dapet revelation gitu.. (hehe lebay). Aku ingin tiru itu resepnya, ternyata aku ga punya semua bahannya. Akhirnya aku bikin dengan  bahan yang ada di pantry aja, berikut resepku.

Terlebih dahulu, buatlah bumbu dasarnya.

Bahan bumbu dasar:

• 1/2 sdt kapulaga
• 3 cengkih
• 2 bunga pekak
• 1 cm jahe dicincang
• 2 sdt merica sichuan
• 1 sdt kayu manis bubuk
• 1 sdt adas (fennel/fenouil) bubuk
• 2 sdt pasta miso
• 1 sdm minyak 

Cara:

Tumis dengan minyak, bahan bumbu dasar, kemudian disisihkan.

Bahan sup daging:

• 500 gr daging sencang atau paha depan (atau daging sapi lain yang biasa untuk direbus lama). Potong-potong kubus.
• 2 siung bawang putih, dicincang
• daung bawang diiris /potong
• 2 cm jahe dicincang

Bahan-bahan lain:

Mie Somen

• Mie kering cina, aku pakai mie somen (mie Cina yang tipis) masak sesuai instruksi produsennya.
• daun ketumbar (untuk hiasan)
• daun kucai/daun bawang (aku hanya punya daun kucai)
• 2 sdm kecap asin
• 1 sdt gula
• 1 tomate (aku ga punya, aku pakai 200 ml jus tomate)
• 2 cm jahe cincang
• 3 siung bawang merah, cincang
• 2 siung bawang putih, cincang
• 2 sdt bumbu five spices (bumbu ngohyong kalau di Indonesia).
• 1 sdt merica sichuan
• 1 sdm bumbu dasar

Cara:

1. Rebus daging di dalam air banyak selama 10 menit.  Buang airnya, cuci daging di air bersih, kemudian rebus kembali dengan banyak air dan bumbu-bumbu sup daging. Dengan hati-hati, buang busa yang timbul dari rebusan. Tambahkan air bila perlu.
2. Masak hingga daging lunak (aku masak hingga 2 jam lebih).
3. Saring bumbu-bumbunya. Pisahkan daging dengan kaldunya. 
4. Dengan sedikit minyak, tumis bawang merah, putih dan jahe. Masukkan bumbu five spices, dan merica sichuan. tambahkan daging rebus. Aduk rata.
5. Tambahkan gula. 
6. Masukkan kaldu (sekitar 1 liter), bumbu dasar, kecap asin dan tomat, rebus kembali selama 1 jam. sesaat sebelom diangkat dari kompor, masukkan daun bawang.
7. Matikan api.
8. Hidangkan di dalam mangkok, mie rebus, siramkan dengan daging dan kuahnya, beserta daun ketumbar.
9. Makan segera.

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Cah Kailan

My mom used to make cah kailan (Kailan Sauté / Stir Fry Kailan), which recipe, i think, is originally from China. She knows that among all legumes that i hate (i hate all veggies), i hate Kailan less. But that does not mean that i love it of course, that is why she often put this on our menu. Recipe is based on my trial and error, of course, trying to remember what she put in the wok....

Ingredients:

• 3 Garlics
• 0,5 tps sesame oil
• 3 branch of Kailan, cut
• 250 gr tenderloin beef
• 2 tbs oyster sauce
• 1 tbs fish sauce
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs sweet soy sauce (Indonesian soy sauce)
• 1 tps ginger powder
• 1 tbs cooking oil

Bring it on!

1. Heat oil in a wok, fry the garlic and ginger powder.
2. Add the meat and cook until half done.
3. Add the sauces, mix well while continue cooking.
4. Drop the kailan inside the wok, and continue cooking for around 2 minutes (don't cook the kailan too long as it is better when it is not wilty).
5. Serve.
   

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Beef Rendang

Rendang is a typical dish from west Sumatra which travels all over the world that even several countries in South East Asia adopted it and think that it is their original dish. The delicious dish is quite long to be made, stays in bottom of the heart of 220 million Indonesian population, therefore it becomes one of our national dishes alongside Nasi Goreng, and make it as one of our national treasures. We are even thinking of taking care its Sumatran originality be guarded in an international museum, thus that everybody recognize it as Indonesian's.....hehehe...jokking.

There are several types of Rendang recipe, where every house has its own. I have made several Rendang beefs during my stay in France, but this recipe that i found from Masakan Indonesia book, Yasa Boga, Gramedia, 2008, is the simplest and tastes quite fine too. I added the star anise to the original recipe.

As I said, it is easy to make Rendang, but you need to be patience to stand in front of the stove when cooking it, as it takes at least 3 to 6 hours to make it, and you will always have to stirr it occassionally.

I made this one using the curcuma's leaf, which we planted in a small pot in our apartment, and the end result is superbe...my rendang is more fragrant, and taste very fin. But of course, if you don't have the curcuma's leaf, you can always omit it. I also cook my beef rendang using my claypot, that way, the beef and spices don't stay on the bottom or easily burnt.

My ideal of Rendang is made the day before you serve it, thus the spices are very well absorbed into the beef. I do not believe the words of a great chef who once said that "If you say that a dish tastes better the following day, you don't know how to cook.!" Well, if by that he meant that you have to prepare it long time before, then for me it is just the same as prepared a day before and he is a dork, hehe. Rendang is preferable to be eaten as rice's or ketupat's (rice cake) companion.


Beef Rendang (for 2)

• 500 gr beef, cut 4x4cm
• 1 turmeric leaf, clean and make a knot
• 3 kaffir leaves
• 1 lemon grass, bruised
• 1 pinch of tamarind
• salt
• pepper
• 500 ml coconut milk
• 1 star anise

Ground Spice:

• 3 big shallots
• 3 garlic
• 2 tsp ginger powder
• 3 red chillies (you can eventually add more)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 3 tsp galangal

Method:

1. In your clay pot (or you can just use any casserole with heavy bottom), boil all the ingredients, except the beef. Stir occasionally. Lower the heat, and add the meat.
2. Using small heat, cook the beef until the sauce is dry (it takes minimum 3 hours until it really dries. Don't forget to stir it every now and then to avoid burnt /stickiness at the bottom).

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Pho (à la moi)

For the past 1 month, i made 2 times this noodle soup from Vietnam. After i made the first one, where i took this picture from, i remember that i had a heavy fight with Mr. Gorilla my plongeur, because of perception differences. He, who had been to Vietnam and ate this soup in the original country, wanted me to cook the beef just like they do it in Hanoy, while i just wanted to follow the recipes (i followed 2 recipes from the net). Gorilla told me that in Hanoy, just before they serve the pho, they soak the beef around a couple of seconds in the stock, that way the beef is not really too cooked, while the two recipes that i followed are just placing the raw beef in the big bowl, together with the noodle, then pour the hot beef stock into the bowl. That way, the beef is hardly done and keep the juicy natural beef taste. I wanted to do the recipes' way, while he wanted to do the Hanoy way. Thus, we sweated over this small thing, which put us in several hours of cold war, and it went until the following evening (because in the morning we work, and our wake up time is not the same, hehe - i woke up later than him).

The reason of fighting over small things was because we both was tired that evening after long working hours, and i asked (or ordered?!) him to cut thinly the beef (faux fillet), which requires patience. He got so pissed with the idea of slicing it thinly, but he did it anyway, and then our tonation when we talked was inacceptable from each other's point of view, thus it is quite annoying.

So the first pho caused a war... which stimulated me to do the second, just by curiosity, if the second will create war as well. I mean, the first pho incident annoyed me really, as pho is one of my favorite food, i mean, i cannot let pho spirit dies in my kitchen, if making it will cause battle between me and the other half each time.

Well, nothing so special about the second one, i followed his command, and no beef cutting scene before cooking, because i bought sliced beef destined to make carpaccio (Italian cuisine, thin raw beef thing), so we both ended very happy and satisfy with our dinner.

Pho (Instant, my way)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs chinese five perfumes seasonings (a mixed of cilantro roots, fennel, anise, cinnamon, dark pepper, cloves)
• 4 litter beef stock ( or add 3liter of water + 1 or 2 blocks of beef stock)
• 2 star anises
• 2 tps ginger powder
• 2-3 tbs fish sauce
• 400 gr beef, very thinly sliced – use tenderloin / steak thing (tips, you can use carpaccio cut beef)
• 1 grilled onion (devide 1 onion by four before grilling)
• 2 chopped scallions

Other Ingredient:

• Thick Rice Noodles, follow the preparation suggestion on the package

(more than just) Garnitures:

• cilantro
• bean sprouts, soaked in warm water
• 1 thinly sliced onion
• sliced chilies.

Directions:

1. In a big pot, boil all together the ingredients, except the scallions, should be add in the last minute.
2. Prepare the garnitures and noodles in big bowl.
3. Drop some of the beef slices in the hot pot, quickly take it out, and put it in the noodle bowl. Add the beef stock as much as you like.

Source of inspiration is from this site (if you can speak French).

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Minced Beef Salad à la Thailand

I have been dreaming to go to Thailand and the rest of Indochina, and while enjoying my stay there, i would indulge my tongue with the best local food, surrounded by smiley people (as i was told by friends). Yeah, because in Indonesia, people have becoming too materialistic, you don't get that sincere smile like you used too 10 years ago.

Despite their materialistic brain and attitude, i would prepare 10 millions forgiveness for my own country. A country where in the past, all the south east Asian kingdoms would dream of having an ally with, but now is drowning in poverty, degradation of moral, attacked by terrorists and natural disaster. A country which capital was being exploded by 3 bombs yesterday. ....Suicide bomb by terrorist.

Again..... and there was this moment of silent of me, in the morning just after i found out about the tragedy through my friends' statuses in facebook. How? Why?...... Bastards!!!!

But as far as i know, the Indonesians are strong, they will get by and survive like it was never happened. Turn out the following day (today), all the malls in Jakarta are already full again, because of this is a long weekend. Experts predict that we will get on our feet again, and the stock exchange will not be strongly effected as it is still closed until Tuesday.

I am really sorry for the victims. I remember that my junior high school friend was one of them years ago, at the same hotel which they bombed yesterday. I did not know him that well, but i read from a newspaper that he had to reschedule his wedding which was supposed to take place 15 days from the explosion day. I think he postponed it during a year, for his recovery and all of the plastic surgeries, but now they have a twin boy-girl. Don't we all believe that good things come to those who wait?

Okay, back to food and recipe....this is a recipe that i made the day after my birthday. As usual, i forgot to post it. The original recipe is using minced duck meat (i did not have any thus i replace it with minced beef meat). To celebrate my birthday, Gorilla and I went to Paris to see the tropical carnival of Paris, where later on that day, they announced that Indonesian delegation won for the best decorated truck. Then he bought me a netbook, which i have been longing for quite a long time, as my birthday presents (this guy gave up giving surprise presents, for the stupid reasons that it did not work well). Then to finish the day, we went to our fav. Thai restaurant, and he ordered this duck salad, which tastes like heaven. I found the recipe in the Thai recipe book that he gave me also for my last year birthday (Laap Pet,Thaïlande Saveurs du bout du monde, Michael Lafon,2007)

LAAP PET
Ingredients:

• 1 tbs Thailand uncooked rice
• 200 gr minced meat
• 2 tbs of green lemon juice
• 1 tbs fish sauce
• 1 lemon grass, take the hard skin out (outer leaf), sliced thinly the white part.
• 2 big shallots
• 2 leaves of kaffir, chopped
• 3 white onions, sliced
• 3 Asian chillies, sliced thinly
• 1 tbs mint leaves (i used dry simply because i did not have the fresh one)

Ingredients:

1. Heat a pan, add 1 tbs of cooking oil, and add the rice, cook until they turn golden brown. Using your mortar, grind them until smooth.
2. In the same pan, cook the meat, lemon juice and fish sauce, until the meat is dry.
3. In a serving bowl, mix all of the ingredients before serving.

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Tangsuyuk

Maangchi's site is one of my valuable sources for Korean recipe. Check her site here, and if you are a big fan of Korean food just like me, you will be amazed how you are so magnetised (?) to what she posts over there... My God, I realized that I have taken part in 'the citizen of international food city!' thanks to … Paris, the city of love (that i am getting fed up with) which is one of the melting-pots of world's cultures. I get to know more about other countries' food since i live here, though in my opinion, Jakarta is still more well equiped with Japanese and chinese restaurants. But for those who are longing for the best Indochina, Arab, French restaurants in one city, this is the place to be!

Here is Tangsuyuk, and the recipe is from her site. Mr. Gorilla had to pressed the beef in his palms in order to keep the starch stick to the beef. I used potato starch, and it taste really really ... g g good...

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Sach Ko Cha Manor, my first adventure in Cambodian Food

There is a new challenge in town, which is unwittingly launched by my one and only french best friend JM (not easy to be friends with the french, but that does not stop you from marrying one of them, hehe) and it is about Cambodian cuisine. His passion about South East Asian culture (surely women and food - the major and the best import comodities from there, haha) and the fact that he is dating a Cambodian woman where she used(!) to cook him Cambodian cuisines makes me wonder, how come he could not tell if he has already tasted the famous South East Asian smelly shrimp paste or not (which is inseparable from our cuisine). And one thing that he was so sure about, is that his girlfriend always uses oyster sauce in her cuisine. It is obvious that he knows only eating but not cooking....(that is soooo guys, while most of Indonesian women thought that western men are good in kitchen...but men will always be men – they become effortless when they know that their women can act better in front of the stove).

So i browsed the net, to find the cuisine of Khmer. And i found THIS SITE, consisting very comprehensive easy to make Khmer recipes. What a hard work to make this site, since it has a vaste recipe collection, with pictures! Standing ovation to this woman (or guy?).

I thought that Cambodian cuisine would be more less the same as its neighboring countries, such as Vietnam, Laos or Thailand. But i was wrong.... In my humble opinion, it is closer to Chinese, as they use a lot of Oyster Sauce (i have been having this opinion since in Indonesia we only use oyster sauce to cook Chinese food). Laotian food is closer to Thailand in this case , whileVietnam has another kind of taste, which sometimes (but not all of the time) closes to Thailand too. Anyway, Thai food benefits from the fact that this world is full of Thai cook books in different languages with awesome pictures, (while i had not yet found super excellent Laotian cook book for example - or maybe i did not put enough endeavor to find it), which makes it looks more gastronomy and makes other South East Asian cuisines (including Indonesia) look less appetizing. That is why, my adventure (and i guess this applies to most people) in Indochine food, started from Thai dishes (which never fall short in cheering our tongue!).

Back to Cambodian cuisine, so far, i did not find the use of shrimp paste in their recipes but i could be wrong. And they do not use that often shallots, which again, (imho) makes them closer to Chinese cuisine because in Indonesia, yellow onion is rarely used. In general it's put in service when we want to use chinese food. Sometimes, they use lemon grass or turmeric. But most of the time it is about fish, oyster and soja sauce. Nevertheless, looking at those recipes make me want to try one by one starting tomorrow, hehe. So this is a new beginning of my Cambodian adventure....and it starts with Sach Ko Cha Manor (i omit the bell pepper - hate it- and i only have chinese cabbage instead the normal cabbage).

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