TO ROAST TURKEY

This my guide will give you a good idea of what size turkey to buy for your requirements.

• 3-4kg (6-8lb) gives 8-10 serving.
• 4-6kg (8-12lb) gives 10-15 serving
• 7-8kg (14-16lb) gives 18-22 serving

If the turkey is a fresh one cover loosely with foil and leave in the refrigerator until required. If The bird is frozen, remove form its wrappings and cover loosely with foil, and thaw in a cool place for 1 1/2 - 3 days, depending on its size.  Turkey can be roasted in a slow or fast oven. Cooking time for slow method at 160 c, 325 f are:

• 3-4kg (6-8lb) takes 3-31/2 hours
• 4-6kg ( 8-12lb) takes 31/2 -4 hours
• 6-8kg (12-16) takes 4-6 hours

Accompaniments

I served the turkey with steamed beans and baked potato and pumpkin. The potato and pumpkin were cooked with the turkey. The traditional accompaniments with turkey is cranberry sauce and/or gravy.

Turkey stuffing : I used a cooked, jasmine rice base and added chopped bacon, garlic, onion and herbs(parsley/rosemary). I cooked the mixture lightly in a frypan before placing in turkey (I apologize for the beer. That was my husband's idea.haha)

Turkey for Xmas dinner :)

From oven

SAUSAGE TWISTS

For family Occasions.

Sausage rolls would be a practical and inexpensive beginning to meal.

Ingredients and Method:

400g small chipolata sausages. Puff pastry made with: 1 cup flour; pinch salt. 25g butter and water to mix (or buy frozen puff pastry) to glaze: little beaten egg.  Broil, fry or bake the sausages for about 6 mins until partially cooked.  Allow to cool. Make the pastry and roll out until wafer thin.  cut into strips and roll around the sausages, as shown in the picture.  Put on a baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg.  Bake for 15 minutes towards the top a very hot oven, 450-475F.  Reduce the heat after 7-8 mins if necessary. Serve with a variety of sauces.

Sausage Twists with Pineapple sweet sour sauce

DEEP-FRIED PRAWN WONTONS WITH SWEET CHILLI SAUCE

Deep-fried wontons  with sweet chilli sauce

Ingredients:

20 eggs- pastry wonton wrappers
20 greeen king prawns, peeled and deveined leaving tails intact
Vegetables oil, for deep-frying
4 green onions, julienned
Pickled pink ginger, to serve if you desired
Sweet chili sauce
1 cup lemon juice
75g caster sugar
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
1 1x2 cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 fresh, large red chilies
   seeded and finely chopped
2 fresh, large red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
Fish sauce, to taste

METHOD

For sweet chili sauce, combine lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced by half, or until syrup consistency.

Heat peanut oil in a small saucepan and cook garlic and ginger over low heat until golden. combine garlic mixture, salt and chili in a mortar and pestle and pound until a fine pasta forms.  Stir in lemon juice and season to taste with fish sauce if necessary, to balance flavor between sweet, salty and hot.

Place wonton wrappers on work surface and place prawns diagonally across form corner to corner.  Brush a litter water on edges of wonton and fold around prawns so that the tails are poking out.

Deep-fry prawn in hot vegetables oil until golden.  Drain on absorbent paper.

Place wontons on a plate and serve with a small pot of sweet chilli sauce and small piles of julienned green onion and pickled pink ginger if you like.

Deep-fried prawn wontons with sweet chili sauce ready to go :)

CHICKEN SATAY WITH PEANUT SAUCE

Chicken Satay with peanut sauce

Chicken:

18 bamboo skewer, soaked for 30 mins in water

3 chicken breast, sliced into 1 cm thick slices on the diagonal

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sweet Thai basil for garnish

Marinade:

75 mls soy sauce

6 cloves of garlic, crushed

Satay sauce

225 g cruncy peanut butter

300 mls coconut milk

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon finely minced ginger

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 teaspoon dried chili flakes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

METHOD

• In a medium bowl mix all of the marinade ingredients together with the chicken.  Cover and chili for 30 minutes.  Thread the chicken slices onto the skewers so they lay flat.
• In a small saucepan combine the satay ingredients and heat gently stirring continually.  simmer for 5 min, or until sauce darkens an the oil separates slightly. Set aside.
• Heat a char grill pan and brush with the oil.  Cook the chicken skewers for 3-4 minutes on each side or until just cooked through.  Serve with the jasmine rice if you like..

FETTUCCINE PASTA PRAWN WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND TEMPURA FISH WITH CHIPS AND SALAD

Fettuccine pasta prawn with cherry tomatoes

FETTUCCINE PASTA PRAWN WITH CHERRY TOMATOES
375g fettuccine
30g butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
300ml carton cream
1 cup water
1 small chicken stock cube, crumbled
500g prawn
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 tablespoon water, extra
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup basil
1/2 cup snow peas sliced

METHOD

1. Gradually add pasta to large saucepan of boiling water, boil, uncovered, until just tender; drain. Serve prawn sauce over fettuccine.

2. Melt butter in large frying pan, add onion, cherry tomatoes and garlic, stir over medium heat for about 2 mins or until soft.  Add combined cream,water, and stock cube, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered, for about 10 mins for a further 3 mins, or until  sauce thickens slightly. Add prawn, simmer for a further 3 mins, or until prawn is cooked through. 

3. Blend cornflour with extra water, stir into seafood mixture, stir over medium heat until mixture boil and thickens. Remove from heat, stir in cheese and basil.

Tempura fish with chip and salad

TEMPURRA FISH WITH CHIPS AND SALAD
500g bag frozen batter thick and potato fries
500g thick boneless white fish fillets
vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
200g sachet tempura batter mix
3/4 cup iced water
2 tbsp Italiano salad dressing
lemon wedges, to serve
Salad:
100g mix salad

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven 230C fan-forced line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place fries, in a single layer, on prepared tray. Bake, turning halfway during cooking, for 20 mins or until golden and crisp.

2. Meanwhile, pat fish dry with paper towel.  Cut into 8 equal pieces.  Pour vegetable oil into a large non-stick frying pan untul 3 cm deep.  Heat over medium-high heat.  Place batter mix in a medium bowl.  slowly add iced water, whisking constantly until smooth.  Dip fish into batter to coat, allowing excess batter to drain off.  Cook fish, in batches, for 2 to 3 mins each side or until golden and crisp.  Drain on a wire rack over a baking tray.

3. Drizzle salad with salad dressing.  Toss to combine.  Serve fish with fries, salad, lemon wedges and tomatoes sauce if you desired

Note: I used ling. You could use blue-eye or barramundi instead.

Fettuccine pasta prawn with cherry tomatoes and Tempura fish with chips and salad

POULET AUX OIGNONS BLANC (CHICKEN WITH WHITE ONION)

Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Oven temperature: 180 c
1.75 kg chicken
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
10 white onion, peeled and cut a half
Bouguet garni (Comprising thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley, bay leaf)

Method

1. Wipe the chicken and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, including the cavity.  Truss into a neat shape with string.
2. Heat the olive oil in a deep casserole and add chicken turning until golden all over.  Add the white onion and bouguet garni. Bake in a preheated moderate oven for 1 hour.
3. Discard onion and serve with chicken with a crisp/roast salad and slices of crusty french bread

Poulet aux oignons blanc (Chicken with white onion)

MASAKAN INDONESIA - INDONESIAN AUTHENTIC FOOD RECIPES

• Bebek goreng sambal terasi ~ Spiced deep fried duck with Shrimp paste sambal.
• Pergedel Jagung ~ Spiced corn Fitters.
• Sayur nangka - Jack fruit in coconut milk sauce.
• Bakwan/Bala-bala ~ Vegetables fritters.
• Rendang ~ Authentic Indonesian coconut beef
• Perkedel daging ~ Potato fritters with corned beef
• Ayam panggang bumbu kecap ~ Grilled chicken with sweet soy flavor.

Bebek Goreng ~ Spiced deep fried duck with Shrimp paste sambal

Ingredients:

2 kg (4 lb) duck 

4 medium red onions

4 cloves garlic

5 cm piece of fresh ginger

1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil

1 fresh red chili, chopped

6 candlenuts, ground

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 1/2 cups of boiling water 

1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder

2-3 Indonesian bay leaves/daun salam (available in Asian store)

2 teaspoons salt

Method:

• Clean duck and wash.  Cut into large pieces (8 pieces.) Wipe dry and set aside.
• Mince garlic, onion, fresh ginger chili, and candlenuts. Puree in a food processor or blender with the stock. 
• Arrange chicken pieces in a flat bowl, add all mince spices, and boiling water. Marinate for 1 hour.  Lift up, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Heat oil until almost at smoking point and carefully lower in several pieces of chicken.  Deep fry for 3 minutes, then remove from oil and return to marinate while remaining pieces are cooked.  Marinate for at least 15 minutes the second time, then drain again and pat dry.
• Return to the hot oil and cook again for 3 minutes, marinate once more, then fry chicken another 3 minutes.  It should be crisp and the surface and the meat tender and moist. Serve with lalapan/ vegetables mix or tomatoes slices.

Sambal terasi - Shrimp paste sambal

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dried shrimp paste, toasted

1 fresh red chili, finely chopped

1 small red onion

1-2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons oil

lemon or lime juice

Method : Mash shrimps paste and mix with chili.  Mince onion and fry with sugar for 3 mins.  Add to shrimps paste and stir.  Add lemon juice to taste.

This Sambal may be keep in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks.

Perkedel Jagung - Spiced corn Fritters

To make about 2 dozen 3 inch round fritters

Ingredients:

2 cup fresh corn kernels cut form 4 large ears of corn,

   or substitute 2 cups or frozen corn, thoroughly defrosted

1/2 ci[ water

2/3 cup flour

2 eggs

1/2 finely chopped scallions, including 2 inches

       of the green tops

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoons white pepper

4 cups vegetable oil

Method

1. Combine the corn and water in the jar of an electric blender, and blend at high speed for 20 or 30 seconds.  Turn off the machine, scrape down the sides of the jar with a rubber spatula, and blend again until the mixture is fairly smooth but not completely pureed.  Scrape the corn into a deep bowl.  Stirring constantly, add the flour, eggs, scallions, celery, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and white pepper and continue to mix until the ingredients are well combined.
2. In heavy 12 inch skillet, heat the oil until it is very hot but not smoking. (The oil should be at least 1 inch deep; if necessary add more.)  For each fritter, pour in about 2 tablespoons of the corn mixture. leaving enough space between the fritter so that they can spread into 3 inch rounds.  Fry 2 or 3 at a time for about 2 mins on each side, or until they are golden brown and crisp.  As they brown, transfer the fritters to paper towel to drain, serve the pergedel jagung hot.

Note : For a crunchier fritter, reduce the salt in the recipe to 1/2 teaspoon, and add 6 

          slices of bacon - fried until crisp and crumbled into small bits - to the corn 

          mixture.

Sayur nangka - Jack fruit in a coconut milk sauce

Ingredients: 

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1 teaspoons finely chopped turmeric

1 medium onion roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 cups fresh coconut milk, made from 2 cups 

   coarsely chopped coconut and 2 cups hot water

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons vegetables oil

2 cups/can jack fruit (available in Asian store.)

Method :

1. Combine the garlic, turmeric, ginger, onion and salt in a deep bowl and mash them with the back of a spoon into fairly smooth paste. In a large heavy based saucepan, cook the mash with 2 tablespoons oil for 1-2 mins until melted and just golden. 
2. Add 2 cups of jack fruit and stirring constantly, cook for about 2-3 mins.
3. Stir in the chicken stock.  Cook for 5 mins, or until jack fruit is tender.
4. Add the coconut milk to the pan and increase the heat to medium low bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.
5. Once the soup has reached a rapid simmer, cook for 3 mins or until the soup thickened. Season the soup to taste with salt and white pepper.
6. Ladle the jack fruit soup in bowl, garnish with fried onion or fried kerupuk and serve.

BAKWAN SAYUR/BALA-BALA - VEGETABLES FRITTERS

I really love Bakwan/Vegetables fritters. I usually eat this dish with brown sugar sauce or chili sauce. Vegetable fritter/ Bakwan also served with rice.

Bakwan/Bala-bala - Vegetables fritters

Ingredients:
50 grams of bean sprouts
3 red chilies  / 2 chilies green, thinly sliced
50 grams of cabbage, discarding the hard parts, thinly sliced
100 grams of carrots, cut into sticks
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
Vegetables oil for deep-fry
Dough for fritter mix
100 grams of wheat flour
100 grams of rice flour
1 egg
200 ml coconut milk from 1/4 grated coconut
Subtle Seasoning
5 red onions
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp pepper round
1/2 grilled knuckle of turmeric
salt to taste
How to Make Vegetable Bakwan:

Method

Mix the flour with spices, and stir into a soft dough. Add the vegetables and stir well.

Heat oil over medium high heat, Add ingredients, Fritter mix, and Subtle seasoning per two tablespoons until cooked. Remove and drain. Serve hot.

Bakwan goreng/Bala-bala - Vegetables Fritters

RENDANG - AUTHENTIC INDONESIAN BEEF with NASI UDUK

Ingredients Rendang:

1 kg tenderloin beef, cut into 1.5 x2 inch cubes

1 liter/4.5 cups of coconut milk

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp toasted coconut

1 tbsp tamarind (soaked in some warm water for the juice and discard the seeds)

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Spices paste:

10 cloves garlic

10 shallots

2 inches ginger

50 grams ground chili

1 teaspoon cumin

6 Bay leaves

3 turmeric (finely slices)

3 lemongrass (white part only) finely chopped

1 inch galangal

3 star anise

Method

1. Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor.

2. Heat the coconut milk and spice taste to boil and stir occasionally.

3. Add the beef, tamarind juice, black pepper, toasted coconut, salt and sugar on medium heat, stirring frequently.

4. Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 2 hours or until most the liquid has evaporated the meat is really tender.

5. Season with additional salt and sugar if its needed.

6. Server immediately with steam rice or Nasi uduk/coconut spicy rice.

Tips for making good Rendang: 

• If its possible cooked with wood fire.  Wood fire will produce a very good aroma of rendang.
• Stirring constantly to prevent burning.
• Always use fresh ingredients to bring up the aroma.
• Don't use instant Rendang spice as short cut.
• Star anise is the key for bringing up the aroma of authentic RENDANG flavor
• Heat up rendang over the time.

NASI UDUK - INDONESIAN SPICED RICE IN COCONUT MILK

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetables oil

1 cup finely chopped onions

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 blades fresh lemon grass, tied together

4 Indonesian bay leaves/Salam leaves (Available in Asia Store)

4 limes leaves

1 tablespoon salt

3 cups uncooked white rice

6 cups fresh coconut milk made from 6 cups coarsely chopped coconut and 6 cups hot water.

Method

• In large heavy - based saucepan, heat the oil. Drop in the onions and garlic, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are soft and transparent but not brown.  Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.  Mix in the lemon grass/sereh, Salam leaves, lime leaves, turmeric and salt, and cook for a minute or so.  Then add the rice and stir for about 2-3 mins, until all the grains are evenly coated, but do not let the rice brown.
• Pour in the coconut milk and cook over moderate heat until small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan.  Do not let the coconut milk boil. Cover tightly and bake in the oven for about 25 mins, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed all liquid in the pan.  Remove the lemon grass, daun salam/ Indonesian bay leaves and lime leaves. Place in a serving plate, and ready to serve.

PERGEDEL DAGING - POTATO FRITTER WITH CORNED BEEF

PERKEDEL - POTATO FRITTER WITH CORNED BEEF

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS

650 grams of potatoes

350g can corned beef

4 tablespoons chopped celer

4 tablespoons fried onions

2 egg yolks 

2 egg whites 

salt 1/2 teaspoon

1/2 tbsp nutmeg powder 

1 teaspoon white pepper

salt to taste

500 ml of cooking oil, for frying

How to Make

1.Clean potatoes, cut into pieces and fry half dry. Set aside

2. Puree Potato until smooth.

add the potatoes, minced beef, fried onions, chopped celery, salt, nutmeg powder, white pepper, and salt. Stir until well blended.

3. add the yolks and stir well. Flat round shape with your hand.

Dip in egg white until blended, then fry until browned. Remove and set aside.

Serves 8

Pergedel daging 

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH SWEET SOY FLAVOR

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cleaned, cut to the chest (not until the end) and then flatten -

Cooking oil to taste

Spices:

5 cloves garlic 

8 cloves Onion 

4 pieces red chili

1 Green chili to taste 

1 tsp white pepper -

5 tablespoons sweet soy sauce 

1 tbsp Brown Sugar 

Sugar to taste 

Salt to taste 

How to make:

1. Saute all the spices until fragrant.

2. Add the chicken, give water to soak the chicken, and cook until chicken is cooked. Remove and set aside.

3. Cook until sauce has thickened chicken seasoning. Remove and set aside.

4. Bake chicken until cooked with spices spread. Lift.

5. Serve with slice of tomatoes, cucumber and sambal.

Ayam bakar bumbu kecap - Grilled chicken with sweet soy flavor