GRILLED FISH IN BANANA LEAF WITH BALINESE SPICES

This dish is one of my hubby's favorites. And also one of the most popular dishes in Balinese home. Try this version and you'll understand why.

1 slice mackerel (150 gr), cubed

1 shallot, peeled and sliced

1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste

2cm fresh ginger, peeled and and slice.

1 small tomato, cut in wedges

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon.

1-2 bird's-eye chillies (small chillies)

2 finger-length red chillies, deseeded and sliced.

Salt, to tast

6 pieces of banana leaf, cut in 15 cm squares.

6 toothpicks

Combine all the ingredients except oil, banana leafs and toothpicks, grind coarsely in a mortar or in a food processor and process lightly. Transfer the ingredients to the bowl and mix well with the fish and oil divided in three pieces. Add the mixture to the banana leaf, roll the leaf up around the filling in the shape of a parcel, secure both ends of the roll with toothpicks. Grill the parcel for around 10-12 minutes both sides or until the liquid is not coming out from the parcel anymore.

Tips: you can steam the packets too for around 15 minutes, then place on a charcoal grill for 5 minutes until the banana leaves are evenly browned.

If banana leaves are not available, you can replace them with aluminium foil.

Poached Pear with Honey and Vanilla sauce.

Poached pear is one of my favorite desserts. When I serve this dessert to my guests, they really love it. And they always ask me for the recipe. So here it is :-)

Poached Pear with honey and vanilla sauce.

2 cups/500 ml Moscato wine or another sweet wine

1 stick of cinnamon

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 tablespoon honey

1 cup sugar (you can put less sugar on in)

1 (1/2 inch ) ginger, peeled and finely chop or grated

4 small pears, peeled and cored.

In a large saucepan big enough to hold all the pears, combine the sugar with 1 cup of water. Bring to boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the wine, cinnamon sticks, honey, and ginger. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add put them with the bean into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a shimmer, stirring occasionally until the honey has melted.

Add the pears and shimmer over medium-low heat around 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pears are tender when pierced with a small knife.

Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool. Continue to shimmer the liquid until it thickens and is reduced by half, for an other 15-20 minutes. Cool the liquid in room temperature. Sift the liquid to discard the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean.

Place the pear on a small serving plate and drizzle with the syrup.

Serve immediately!

Note: you can add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to accompany the pears.

Eet smakelijk!

Selamat makan!

I Love cooking!

Cooking has always been fun for me, especially after I got married. And cooking doesn't always make us busy and messy. You still can look pretty and great whilst you are cooking ;-)

Here, I will share a simple and easy recipe for a starter from one of my favorite television host from the Asian Food Channel, Giada De Laurentiis. She is pretty and smart. Almost all her food recipes are healthy and the ingredients easy to find.

Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic, Gorgonzola and Herbs.

INGREDIENTS

6 middle size of tomatoes, slice in half lengthwise.

3-4 table spoon of olive oil.

1 clove garlic, minced.

Pinch of salt.

Pinch of black pepper.

1/3 cup plain bread crumbs.

1/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese, finely crumbled.

1 tbsp fresh parsley leaf, chopped.

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F or 190 degrees C.

Using a teaspoon, grapefruit spoon or what ever the tools that make you convenience for it, to remove the seeds from the tomatoes. Place the tomato halves, cut side down, on a paper towel and let them drain for about 5 minutes.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons each of olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Using clean hands, bring the tomato halves in to the oil mixture and gently toss until coated. Marinate the tomatoes for about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and Gorgonzola cheese

Place the marinated tomato halves, cut side up on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Fill each tomato half with the bread crumbs until fully filled. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly softened and until the underside of the tomatoes are brown.

Arrange the cooked tomatoes on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Note: If you don't like Gorgonzola cheese, you can replace with grated Parmesan Cheese.

Bon appétit!

Selamat Makan!