Chef Kar Delight

Indonesian Noodle Delights Part 3 Of 4 2024/6/15 Sat

Indonesian noodles are a significant aspect of Indonesian cuisine which is itself very diverse. Indonesian cuisine recognizes many types of noodles, with each region of the country often developing its own distinct recipes.

Mie，Mi，Mee or Kwetiau means noodle in Indonesian language.

I am preparing 12 Indonesian noodle dishes for 4 episodes.

4 Episodes exploring：

Part 1：Ifumi; Ketoprak; Kwetiau Ayam 《Published》

Part 2：Betawi Laksa; Mie Aceh; Mie Ayam 《Published》

Part 3：Mie Celor; Mie Goreng; Mie Kangkung 《Now》

Part 4：Mie Kocok; Mee Rebus; Soto Mie 《Next》

Part 3：Mie Celor; Mie Goreng; Mie Kangkung

▲ 7. Mie Celor

Mie celor (meaning: celor/blanched noodle), is a Southeast Asian noodle soup dish served in a coconut milk and shrimp-based broth, specialty of Palembang city, South Sumatra, Indonesia.

Next to pempek, mie celor is widely associated with Palembang city, despite this noodles might be sold in other cities in Sumatra. Certain restaurants in Palembang specialised on serving and selling this flavourful shrimp noodles with their specific recipe inherited for generations.

It is made from rather large yellow wheat noodles, with the size similar to Japanese buckwheat noodle. The broth can be made from ebi (dried shrimp) or fresh shrimp, cooked in rich coconut milk. The shrimp is the key ingredient that creates the savoury broth. The noodles are served with bean sprouts and hard boiled egg, and sprinkled with sliced fresh celery, scallion and fried shallot.

If the broth was made from some fresh shrimps, the peeled shrimp itself would be the part of the topping. If however dried shrimps are used instead, the ground dried shrimp powder would be sprinkled on top of the noodles. To add spiciness, a separate sambal might be added on the side.

INGREDIENTS
· 450 gr fresh egg noodles about 1 lb

COCONUT SHRIMP BROTH:
· 300 gr large shrimp with shells (10.5 oz)
· 1000 ml water (4 cups)
· 250 ml coconut milk (1 cup)
· 2 large eggs beaten

OPTIONAL (FOR EXTRA FLAVOR):
· 1 Tbsp cooking oil
· 3 cloves garlic finely minced
· 1 Tbsp dried shrimp soak in warm water and then finely chopped

SEASONINGS:
· 1 tsp sugar
· 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
· Salt to taste
· Juice of 1 lime

SERVE WITH:
· 200 gr beansprouts (7 oz)
· 4 hard-boiled eggs halved
· Crispy fried shallots / bawang goreng
· 1 stalk green onion finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

COOKING THE NOODLES AND BLANCHING BEANSPROUTS:

1. Cook the egg noodles according to instructions. Do not overcook the noodles. Blanch the beansprouts in boiling water for 1 minute and then remove and refresh in cold water. Set aside

PREPARE THE SHRIMP STOCK:

1. Peel the shrimp and save the shells. Remove the black vein and discards

2. Bring 1200 ml of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the shrimp shells and lower the heat to let it simmer for the next 30 minutes. After that, strain the stock and discard the shells. Put the stock back into the pot. Add coconut milk and seasonings. Bring to a gentle boil and then lower the heat to let it simmer. You can prepare ahead up to this point

3. If you want to add extra flavor, preheat 1 Tbsp of oil in a skillet. Add garlic and stir fry for about 10 seconds and then add the finely chopped soaked ebi and stir fry for 1 minute. Add this to the strained shrimp stock

4. Bring the shrimp stock back to a gentle simmer Add the shrimp and let them cook until they turn pink and then remove and set aside

5. While one hand is stirring, the other hand pour the beaten eggs into the broth, it's like making an egg-drop soup

6. Mix the cornstarch with water and stir this into the broth until it is thickened and smooth. Have a taste. Add more salt and/or sugar as needed to suit your taste

SERVE:

1. Portion the cooked noodles into an individual serving bowl or platter. Add 3-4 shrimp, beansprouts, hard-boiled eggs. Generously ladle the broth over everything. Garnish with bawang goreng and green onion. Serve immediately.

▲ 8. Mie Goreng

Mie goreng (Indonesian: mi goreng; meaning "fried noodles"), also known as bakmi goreng, is an Indonesian stir-fried noodle dish. It is made with thin yellow noodles stir-fried in cooking oil with garlic, onion or shallots, fried prawn, chicken, beef, or sliced bakso (meatballs), chili, Chinese cabbage, cabbages, tomatoes, egg, and other vegetables. Ubiquitous in Indonesia, it is sold by food vendors from street hawkers (warungs) to high-end restaurants.

Mi goreng is traditionally made with yellow wheat noodles, stir-fried with chopped shallots, onion, and garlic with soy sauce seasoning, egg, vegetables, chicken, meat, or seafood. However, other versions might use dried instant noodles instead of fresh yellow wheat noodles. A common practice in Indonesia is the inclusion of powdered instant noodle seasonings, along with eggs and vegetables. Authentic mi goreng uses fresh ingredients and spices; however, bottled instant spice paste might be used for practical reasons.

Ingredients

Noodles - use ONE :

· 250g/8oz fresh egg noodles , thin to medium
· 150g / 5oz dried egg noodles , thin to medium
· 3 instant noodle cakes

Sauce:

· 2 tbsp kecap manis (or dark sweet soy sauce)
· 2 tsp light soy sauce (or normal soy)
· 2 tsp dark soy sauce , or more light soy sauce
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce
· 2 tbsp ketchup
· 1 tsp sambal oelak, chilli paste or Sriracha (adjust spiciness to taste)
· 2 tsp sesame oil

Stir Fried Noodles:

· 2 tbsp vegetable oil
· 2 eggs , lightly whisked
· 3 garlic cloves , finely chopped
· 120g/4oz chicken breast or thigh , sliced thinly into small bite size pieces
· 100g/3.5oz prawns/shrimp , raw, peeled and deveined (smaller are better)
· 2 cups cabbage , finely sliced (any green or white cabbage)
· 1 cup beansprouts
· 3 green onions , cut into 5cm/2" lengths (green and white part)

Instructions

1. Mix the Sauce in a bowl.

2. Prepare noodles per packet directions just before cooking.

Egg Ribbons:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in egg, swirl to coat base. Cook 1 minute until mostly set, then flip (do your best!).

2. Slide onto cutting board, roll up into loose "wrap". Slice into 1cm/ 1/3" thick pieces to form egg ribbons.

Cooking:

1. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in same skillet over HIGH heat.

2. Add garlic and chicken, cook until half surface turns white.

3. Add prawns and cook for 1 minute until chicken is mostly cooked.

4. Add cabbage and bean sprouts, toss for 1 minute until a bit wilted.

5. Add noodles, green onions and Sauce, toss for 1 - 2 minutes until Sauce reduces and noodles caramelise a bit.

6. Toss through egg ribbons and serve immediately!

▲ 9. Mie Kangkung

Mie kangkung (lit. 'kangkung noodle'), is an Indonesian vegetable noodle soup with kangkung (water spinach), usually served with bakso meatball and mushroom. It is a specialty of Betawi cuisine, Jakarta, Indonesia. The yellow egg noodles come with a brown-colored thick soup, made of chicken or beef broth, which is thickened with tapioca, spiced, and mixed with garlic and kecap manis (sweet soy sauce). Other ingredients include bakso meatballs, bean sprouts, mushrooms, hard-boiled quail eggs and sprinkled with bawang goreng (fried shallots) and added with a dash of kaffir lime juice and sambal.

Ingredients :

· 1-2 bunch of water spinach
· 6 pieces of chicken, remove the bones, peel the skin and cut into cubes.
· 1,5 L water
· 200 gr of fresh noodle (or use dried noddle)
· 200 gr fresh champignon mushroom, sliced
· 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
· 1 table spoon of dried shrimp, pan roasted until fragrant and grind with mortar and pestle.
· 3 red cayenne chili
· 4 table spoons of sweet soy sauce
· 2 table spoons of oyster sauce
· 1 table spoon of fish sauce
· 1 table spoon of tapioca
· 1/2 tsp salt
· 1/2 tsp sugar
· ground pepper
· 3-4 kaffir lime
· fried shallots bawang goreng
· chopped scallion
· chili sauce sambal oelak

· bakso meatballs

· bean sprouts

Method:
1. Bring to the boil chicken bones with 1 Liter water. Once boiled, turn the heat into low. let simmer for at least 45 minutes.

2. Saute the chopped garlic and dried shrimp powder until fragrant, add the chicken cubes, stir until done. Add the mushrooms, stir about 2-3 minutes.

3. Season it with sweet soy, oyster, fish sauce, salt pepper and ground pepper

4. Pour in the chicken broth, once it is almost boil, get 3 tablespoons of broth, mix it with tapioca and add to the rest of the broth. Bring to the boil.

5. Bring to the boil about 3 cups of water. Blanch the fresh noodle, or if you use dried noodle, cook for about 3 minutes.

6. bring to the boil 3-4 cups of water, blanch the water spinach.

7.Divide the noodle into bowls, pour the broth, serve with blanched water spinach, bakso meatballs, blanched bean sprouts, mushrooms, scallion, fried shallots, kaffir lime and sambal oelak .

Next, Indonesian Noodle Delights Part 4 Of 4

Publisher： Chef Kar Delight

Indonesian Noodle Delights Part 2 Of 4 2024/6/15 Sat

Mie，Mi，Mee or Kwetiau means noodle in Indonesian language.

I am preparing 12 Indonesian noodle dishes for 4 episodes.

4 Episodes exploring：

Part 1：Ifumi; Ketoprak; Kwetiau Ayam 《Published》

Part 2：Betawi Laksa; Mie Aceh; Mie Ayam 《Now》

Part 3：Mie Celor; Mie Goreng; Mie Kangkung 《Next》

Part 4：Mie Kocok; Mee Rebus; Soto Mie 《Later》

Part 2：Betawi Laksa; Mie Aceh; Mie Ayam

▲ 4. Betawi Laksa

Laksa is a spicy noodle dish popular in Southeast Asia. Laksa consists of various types of noodles, most commonly thick rice noodles, with toppings such as chicken, prawns or fish. Most variations of laksa are prepared with a rich and spicy coconut curry soup or a broth seasoned with asam (tamarind or gelugur).
Originating from Peranakan Chinese cuisine, laksa recipes are commonly served in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Betawi Laksa (Laksa Betawi) is a laksa variant from Jakarta, Indonesia, is similar to Bogor Laksa. However, Betawi Laksa is accompanied with basil leaves, chives, rice vermicelli, and perkedel. The thick yellowish coconut milk based soup contains ground (dried shrimp) to give it unique taste.

INGREDIENTS
· 800 gr chicken breast fillet about 28 oz, cut into bite-size pieces
· 2 Tbsp cooking oil
· 2 cups chicken broth
· 2 cups coconut milk

INGREDIENTS TO GRIND:
· 30 gr dried shrimp soak in warm water until soft
· 4 cloves garlic
· 1 large onion
· 1 inch fresh ginger
· 1 Tbsp sambal oelek or more if you want it spicier. You can also use this chili paste

Sambal oelek
Ground chilli pepper with salt, sugar, cooking oil, shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, shrimp paste, and anchovies

SPICES AND HERBS:
· 2 tsp turmeric powder
· 1 tsp coriander powder
· 1 tsp galangal powder
· 1 stalk lemongrass
· 2 bay leaves
· 3 kaffir lime leaves

SEASONINGS:
· 2 tsp salt or more to taste
· 1 tsp sugar or more to taste
· 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

CHOICE OF NOODLES: (CHOOSE ONE)
· Rice noodles (bihun) prepare according to directions on the package
· Mungbean thread noodles (soun) prepare according to directions on the package

SERVE WITH:
· 200 gr mungbean sprouts (tauge) blanched in hot water
· 2 hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters
· Crispy fried shallots / bawang goreng
· Emping crackers
· Limes

GARNISHES:
· 1 stalk green onion finely chopped
· Fresh mints and/or basil leaves

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place all ingredients to grind in a food processor and process into a paste. Add the cooking oil to help it going
2. Preheat a large heavy-bottom pot. Add cooking oil (if you haven't added it when you grind the ingredients above). Add the ground ingredients and stir fry until they smell really good, about 3 minutes or so
3. Add the chicken pieces followed by turmeric, coriander, galangal powder, and seasonings. Stir to mix everything and cook until the chicken just turn opaque and add chicken broth, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer until the chicken pieces are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Then stir in the coconut milk. Have a taste and adjust the seasonings to your taste

SERVING:
1. Portion the cooked noodles into individual serving bowl. Portion out some chicken pieces. and beansprouts. Ladle the hot soup over
2. Add hard-boiled pieces, chopped green onions, bawang goreng, and fresh mint and/or basil leaves. Squeeze some lime juice over if you like. Serve immediately when it's warm.

▲ 5. Mie Aceh

Provinsi Aceh is a semi-autonomous Indonesian province on the northwest tip of Sumatra Island. Its capital is Banda Aceh. The vast majority of the Acehnese people are Muslims.

Mie aceh or mi aceh ("Aceh noodle") is an Acehnese curried spicy noodle dish. The dish is often described as Aceh-style spaghetti.

The thick yellow noodles are served with slices of beef, goat meat, lamb, mutton, and seafood, such as shrimp or crab. They are served in rich, hot and spicy curry-like soup. The bumbu spice mixture consist of black pepper, red chili pepper, shallot, garlic, coriander, candlenut, caraway, turmeric, ginger, galangal and star anise. The noodle and spices are cooked with bean sprouts, tomato, cabbage and celery. Mie Aceh usually uses thick yellow noodles, in similar size to Japanese udon noodle and Italian spaghetti pasta. To ensure its authenticity, most of mie Aceh restaurant's noodles are home made.

INGREDIENTS
· 300 g fresh egg noodles spaghetti is a great substitution too
· 2 Tbsp cooking oil divided
· 200 g large shrimp deveined and pat dry with paper towel
· 1 small purple onion thinly sliced
· 1/4 whole cabbage shredded
· 1 large tomatoes seeded, diced
· 1 cup chicken/beef broth more if you want it more soupy
· 2 cups mung bean sprouts

STIR-FRY SAUCE (AMOUNT IS ENOUGH FOR 4-5 SERVINGS）:
· 50 g dried red chili
· 1 star anise
· 7 cardamom pods
· 5 candlenuts
· 80 g sambal oelek or use fresh red chili
· 30 g bird's eye chili
· 40 g garlic
· 100 g purple onion diced
· 20 g ginger
· 30 g roasted peanuts
· 15 g coriander seeds
· 1/2 tsp caraway or fennel seeds

· 1/2 cup oil
· water as needed

SEASONINGS:
· 1 tsp good-quality curry powder
· 3 Tbsp soy sauce or more as needed
· 2 Tbsp sweet soy sauce
· 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
· Salt to taste

OPTIONAL ACCOMPANIMENTS:
· Emping Crackers
· Squeeze of lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS

PREPARE THE SAUCE:
1. In a large skillet, preheat 1 Tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add all the ingredients for the sauce and stir fry until aromatics, about 5 minutes. Take care not to burn the dried chili as they can turn bitter

2. Transfer to a blender or a food processor and blend until it is a smooth puree consistency. Add a bit of water if necessary to help it blend, but try not to add too much

3. Pour the sauce back into the pan and cook again until water evaporates and the oil starts to separate, this may take 15-20 minutes over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let it cool down completely and then store in a jar. They can be kept in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to one month

COOKING:
1. If you are using dried spaghetti or dried egg noodles/lo mein noodles, cook to al dente or undercooking a little bit is fine too and then rinse in cold water. Set aside.

2. Place all the ingredients to be ground in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. The oil should help the grinding process going. Add a bit of water if necessary to help it get going.

3. Preheat a large wok or skillet with 1 tsp of oil on high heat. When it's hot, add in the shrimp and stir fry until they turn pink and cook through, about 1-2 minutes (might be less if the shrimp is smaller). Dish them out from the wok/skillet and set aside. In the same wok/skillet, add the rest of the oil and let it preheat. Add the sliced onion and stir fry until aromatic, about 3 minutes.

4. Add about 5 tablespoonfuls (more or less depending on how spicy you want) of the mie aceh stir-fry sauce and stir fry for about 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and tomatoes and toss with the sauce and cook for about 1 minute. Add the broth and bring to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the noodles followed by the seasonings. Toss to mix everything. Cover with a lid and cook for about 2 minutes. Uncover and add the beansprouts and toss to mix. Have a taste of the sauce and adjust by adding more salt if necessary. Off the heat. The residual heat will soften the beansprouts but they are still slightly crunchy and not mushy

TO SERVE:
1. Garnish with chopped green onion and emping crackers on the side

▲ 6. Mie Ayam

Mie ayam, mi ayam, or bakmi ayam (Indonesian for 'chicken bakmi', literally chicken noodles) is a common Indonesian dish of seasoned yellow wheat noodles topped with diced chicken meat (ayam). It is derived from culinary techniques employed in Chinese cuisine. In Indonesia, the dish is recognized as a popular Chinese Indonesian dish, served from simple travelling vendor carts frequenting residential areas, humble street-side warung to restaurants.

Ingredients

Chicken Toppings
· 500 g boneless chicken thighs, cubed
· 6 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 tsp ginger paste
· 2 tbsp mushroom flavoured soy sauce
· 1 tbsp kecap manis
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce
· 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
· 1 tbsp cornstarch
· oil

Meatballs
· 350 minced beef or pork
· 1 small shallot, minced
· 1 egg
· 2 tbps cornstarch
· salt

Chicken Soup
· 3 litres water
· 1 kg chicken soup bones
· 6 inch sugar cane, peeled and cut in half
· 1 thumb sized ginger, sliced
· 4 shallots, roughly chopped
· 6 cloves garlic, pounded
· black pepper corns
· fish sauce

Others
· Fresh egg noodles
· Chicken oil or vegetable oil
· Meatballs
· Blanched kailan
· Sambal bakso
· Ground white pepper

Sambal bakso

Ingredients

10g or 5-6 stalks of bird’s eye chillies (use red chillies for less heat)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup bakso broth

Bakso broth is usually made with beef bones, stewed for a couple hours to get the full flavours.

Directions

Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Blitz to a fine sauce.

Instructions

Chicken Toppings
1. In a bowl mix together mushroom flavoured soy sauce, chicken pieces, cornstarch and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

2. In a wok add oil and sauté garlic and ginger, add marinated chicken and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add all of the remaining ingredients and continue to stir fry, cook until sauce is reduced and thickens. Turn heat off then set aside.

Meatballs
1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl then form them into small balls. Set aside.

Chicken Soup
1. In a large pot combine all Chicken Soup ingredients, bring to a boil. Simmer in low heat for 45-60 minutes then turn heat off.

2. Using a fine sieve, drain soup into another pot.

3. Place pot in medium heat then bring it to a boil, add and cook prepared meatballs on chicken stock.

Other
1. Cook noodles according to packet instructions, drain then set aside.

2. In a big bowl combine one serving of cooked noodles, drizzle of chicken oil, light soy sauce and ground white pepper. Mix well.

3. Top with cooked chicken and blanched kailan.

4. Place chicken soup with meatballs on a smaller bowl.

5. Serve both bowl with sambal bakso on the side.

Next, Indonesian Noodle Delights Part 3 Of 4

Publisher： Chef Kar Delight

Indonesian Noodle Delights Part 1 Of 4 2024/6/15 Sat

Mie，Mi，Mee or Kwetiau means noodle in Indonesian language.

I am preparing 12 Indonesian noodle dishes for 4 episodes.

4 Episodes exploring：

Part 1：Ifumi; Ketoprak; Kwetiau Ayam

Part 2：Betawi Laksa; Mie Aceh; Mie Ayam

Part 3：Mie Celor; Mie Goreng; Mie Kangkung

Part 4：Mie Kocok; Mee Rebus; Soto Mie

《 Assorted Noodles 》on the bottom page

Part 1：Ifumi; Ketoprak; Kwetiau Ayam

▲ 1. Ifumi

Ifumi is an Indonesian crispy deep fried thick noodle dish, popular in Maritime Southeast Asia, served in a thick savoury sauce with pieces of meat or seafood and vegetables. The dishes are to be served hot while the noodles are still crisp until the noodles are softened by the sauce and are ready to be eaten. The dish is one of the most popular noodle dishes in Chinese Indonesian cuisine. The type of noodle being used in this dish is the thick Yi Mian noodle, hence the origin of its name.

INGREDIENTS

· 1 lb Dried/Fresh E Fu Noodles (Yi Mian)
· cooking oil for frying the egg noodles
· 1 Tbsp cooking oil for stir-frying
· 1 small onion cut into 2x2 inch square
· 3 cloves garlic finely minced
· 4 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size cubes
· 1 large carrots peeled and thinly sliced
· 1 cup snow peas
· 8 oz large shrimp deveined and shelled
· 8 Fish balls cut into 1/2-inch rounds
· 1 large tomatoes quartered
· 1 large egg beaten
· 2 Tbsp corn starch + 1 Tbsp water

GRAVY (MIXED EVERYTHING):

· 1 cup chicken stock
· 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
· Small pinch of sugar

GREEN CHILI SAUCE:

· 6 jalapeno peppers stemmed
· 2 cloves garlic
· 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
· Small pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

PREPARING GREEN CHILI SAUCE :

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Add a bit of water to help it goes if needed. Pour this into a small saucepan and cook for about 10 minutes. Store in a jar and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

PREPARING THE CRISPY NOODLE:

1. Cook the egg noodles according to the instruction on the package, about 45 seconds of blanching in boiling water. Remove and rinse with cold water. Roughly form the cooked noodle into 4 pieces of about 6-7 inch size of nest-like shape. Place this on serving plates and set aside

2. Preheat about 2-inches of oil in a medium size skillet. When the oil is hot, lower the heat to medium. You can place the noodle in a large slotted spoon (this will help to keep the round shape) or you can just gently put the nest-like shape noodles in the oil and fry until crispy on both side. Remove and place on an absorbent paper towel. Continue with the rest of the noodles

Making fish balls

1. Remove meat from a Mackerel fish; mince it with a knife

2. Add minced onion in the meat

3. Knead mince fish meat into balls

4 Cook the balls in boiling water until they float, about 10 minutes

PREPARING THE SEAFOOD GRAVY:

1. Preheat a large skillet or wok with 1 Tbsp of cooking oil. Add onion and cook until they are soft, about 3 minutes, add garlic and stir fry for another 10 seconds or so. Add chicken thigh pieces. Stir-fry until the chicken meat turns opaque. Add carrots and snow peas and stir fry for another 2 minutes. Now, it's time to add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink. Add tomato chunks. Cook until the tomatoes are softened. Lastly, add fish balls (these are usually already pre-cooked). Pour the gravy you have mixed earlier in. Bring it to a gentle simmer and then very slowly drizzle in the beaten in with one hand and another hand continues to stir (kinda like egg drop soup). Have a taste. Season with more salt to your taste if needed. Give the corn starch solution a stir and pour it in while one hand continue to stir. The gravy will start to thicken slightly. Turn off the heat

2. Ladle the seafood, veggies, and gravy generously over the crispy noodles. Serve immediately with green chili sauce

▲ 2. Ketoprak

Ketoprak is an Indonesian vegetarian dish from Jakarta, consisting of tofu, vegetables, rice cake, and rice vermicelli served in peanut sauce.

Ketoprak consists of sliced fried tofu, steamed rice cake (lontong or ketupat), sliced cabbage and cucumber, bihun (thin rice vermicelli), bean sprouts, served in peanut sauce, topped with krupuk (cracker) and fried shallots. The fried tofu can be considered as the centerpiece of the dish, since it is freshly fried directly after customer placed their order, to ensure its freshness and hotness.

The peanut sauce is made from ground peanut and palm sugar made into a thick paste, mixed with garlic, chili pepper, salt and also kecap manis (sweet soy sauce).

Ingredients

· 1 piece diced tofu
· Oil
· 1 handful rice vermicelli noodles

· 1 cup soybean sprouts, rinsed and drained
· 1 small cucumber, peeled and cut into pieces
· Sweet soy sauce to taste
· Optional: shrimp crackers or red crackers and fried onion

Lontong or ketupat Steamed Rice cake

For peanut sauce:

· 5 garlic cloves, sliced
· 1 teaspoon sambal or other hot sauce
· 1/4 cup peanut butter
· 3/4 cup boiling water
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Steps to take for its preparation

• Step 1:
Light the stove over medium high heat. Add oil to the pan. Allow the oil to heat up before adding diced tofu. Fry the diced tofu until golden brown all over the top. Once golden brown, take them out and drain them on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Turn off the stove. Put them aside.

• Step 2:
Soak the soybean sprouts. Drain and keep for later.

• Step 3:
Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small frying pan. Fry the garlic until it becomes fragrant and cooked. Turn off the stove. Put the garlic in a food processor. Add peanut butter and sambal or hot sauce. Use the food processor until the garlic is finely chopped. Pour the peanut sauce into a small bowl. Add 2/4 cup boiling water, salt and sugar. Whisk the sauce until smooth. You may need to add more boiling water if the sauce is still too thick.

• Step 4:
To present the dish, divide the noodles once cooked into 2 dishes. Top each dish with cucumber slices, fried tofu, shrimp biscuits, soybean sprouts and peanut sauce. Drizz up with sweet soy sauce and sprinkle with fried onion.

▲ 3. Kwetiau Ayam + Wonton; Beef Meatballs

+ Sambal

Kwetiau ayam, kuetiau ayam or sometimes kwetiau ayam kuah (Indonesian for 'chicken kway teow') is a common Chinese Indonesian dish of seasoned flat rice noodles topped with diced chicken meat (ayam). It is often described as a kwetiau version of the popular mie ayam (chicken noodles), and especially common in Indonesia, and can trace its origin to Chinese cuisine.

In Indonesia, the dish is recognized as a popular Chinese Indonesian dish together with bakso meatballs and mie ayam, served from simple humble street-side warung to restaurants. Since the recipe is almost identical to the popular mie ayam, food stalls and restaurants that serving mie ayam usually also offering kwetiau ayam and bihun ayam.

The kwetiau flat rice noodles is boiled in water until it achieves an al dente texture and mixed in a bowl with cooking oil, soy sauce and garlic. The oil coats the noodle in order to separate the threads. The oil can be chicken fat, lard, or vegetable oil. The chicken meat is diced and cooked in soy sauce and other seasonings including garlic. The chicken meat might also be cooked with jamur (mushrooms).

The soy sauce seasoned chicken and mushroom mixture is placed on the flat rice noodles, and topped with chopped spring onions (green shallots). Kwetiau ayam is usually served with a separate chicken broth, boiled chinese cabbage, and often wonton (Indonesian: pangsit) either dry crispy fried or moist soft in soup, and also bakso (meatballs). While Chinese variants might use pork fat or lard, the more common Indonesian kwetiau ayam uses halal chicken fat or vegetable oil to cater to Muslim customers.

Additional condiments might include tong cay (salted preserved vegetables), bawang goreng (fried shallots), daun bawang (leek), pangsit goreng (fried wonton), acar timun cabe rawit (pickled cucumber and birds eye chilli), sambal chili sauce and tomato ketchup.