Last week was the Chinese Spring Lantern Festival or in Indonesia we call it Cap Go Meh (Cap = ten, Go = Five, Meh = nights). This festival celebrates the fifteenth day of the first month in the Chinese calendar. It also marks the end of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations.

I noticed that I have not yet uploaded my version of the classic nasi goreng altho I cook it at least one a month and my favorite topping is fried salty anchovies (teri goreng). I remember whenever we were having nasi goreng back at my parents home, there were always two batches of nasi goreng : one with ketjap manis for the fanatic ketjap lovers like me, my bro and my dad, and one without ketjap manis for the incomprehensible group of people who doesn’t like ketjap manis, like my mom. As a ketjap enthusiast, I can only take a classic nasi goreng seriously when ketjap manis is involved. It is what makes the nasi goreng looks darker and tempting.

Lengko rice is Javanese rice (Cirebon) serve with fried tofu and tempeh, cucumber, beansprout, and a big dollop of peanut sauce. Indonesian food uses peanut sauce often as salad dressing (Gado-gado, lotek, Pecel, etc). In my case, I am a peanut sauce fanatics, I even eat my dumplings with peanut sauce. There are three things that I eat with any rice meal whenever possible: peanut sauce, Ketjap Manis, and shrimp crackers. Those stuff are my holy trinity.

When I move to Canada, I met too many people that are allergic to peanuts, which I find sad. On the other hand, I don't think I know any Indonesian that is allergic to peanuts, perhaps because our parents introduce us to peanut at very early age, so we develop some kind of body immune to it? I have no scientific explanation about it but I am glad that I am peanut tolerant :)

Okay, back to the awesome Nasi Lengko. This dish is very simple and can be prepared in an instant. The signature flavor of this dish I must say comes from the Kaempferia Galangal (kencur). Some recipes mix the peanut sauce with coconut milk, but I prefer not to. I find it too much in flavor. Plus, if I make a big batch of peanut sauce, it can not be kept too long since the coconut milk will get spoilt easily. 

I have uploaded another post before on how to cook  lontong without banana leaf, it was fun and easy. Today I finally managed to cook the real lontong with banana leaf! 

Cooking lontong with banana leaf actually isn't as complicated as I thought it would be. It does take a little bit more effort and time, but its all worth it!

My favorite breakfast is chicken porridge or we call it bubur ayam in Indonesia. Its simple and very filling. I used to buy a bowl of this happiness in the morning before going to school from a local bubur ayam street vendor. Its been awhile since the last time I ate this porridge so tonight I try to make it. Its actually pretty easy. The fun part is since the taste of the porridge is very versatile, you can put any left over food as your porridge topping. Tonight I make Spicy Chicken Heart and Omelette for my topping. 

When I was a child, I rarely have birthday cake on my birthday but I always had a good plate of Nasi Kuning served with variety of my prefered side dish; such as Ayam Bakar Jawa. My mom only cook this dish on special events and that made this very memorable. I thought it takes a lot to make this dish but it is actually surprisingly easy!!

Ingredients :

1 Cup (250gr) Black Glutinuous Rice Flour
27gr milk powder

190 gr White Sugar

170 ml Vegetable oil 

6 Eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Vanila

2 tbs (30 ml) Condensed Milk

1. Put in a mixing bowl ; Eggs, Sugar, Salt , Baking powder, Condensed milk ,and Vanila. Mix them (mixer speed medium, not too fast) until soft ,smooth and well blended about 10 mints

2. Add the Milk powder and flour in. mix all together again evenly lower the mixer speed.

3. Once they blended well, turn off the mixer, add the oil , and fold the mix with spatula until blended, dont worry it wont take too much time and energy.


4.Transfer the mix into 24cmx24cm greased baking pan

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes in 180C, it will rise.


PS : I only need 45 minutes to prepare and to bake this cake,,, very simple cake to accompany your Tea-time...

Happy Cooking!

I love love love rice cake, we call it Lontong in Indonesia, especially the plain one. It makes eating rice much more fun! LOL.. I believe rice eater out there get what I mean. Rice is very versatile. It goes almost with anything. From side dish to main dish to dessert. YAY for rice!!!

One thing tho in making Lontong, it takes too long time and a bit complicated. My mom makes it with banana leaves.