Mixed Berries Yoghurt

Who would dream to taste berries in winter??? Me...!!! Eventhough the berries are coming from the freezer, it is still so tasteful, enough to please my tongue and it's surely healthy too... :o))

1-1/2 cups mixed berries (I used frozen strawberries, raspberries and blueberries)
1 cup strawberry yoghurt
Sugar to taste (as needed)


Method:
Blend all the ingredients (minus the sugar) in a blender. Taste for sweetness and add sugar as required. Blend again. Serve cold in big glasses.

Jugalbandi Click Event: Sweet Marinated Tofu // Tahu Bacem

This is my entry for Jugalbandi Click Food Photography Event. This month the theme is about cheese/tofu.

Tahu Bacem is sweet marinated fried tofu. The word "bacem" means that it is sweet and spicy. Tahu Bacem is a typical Indonesian delicacy and is given as an accompaniment to the rice meal, but can also be eaten as a savory snack. In place of tofu, you can also use tempeh. The preparation is the same.

The ingredients for the seasoning include gula jawa (Javanese palm sugar), salam leaves, tamarind pulp, shallots, garlic, galangal and ketumbar. Because the tofu firstly boiled in the ingredients then afterwards to be fried in the oil, it will give them nice, dark red-brown color.

Tahu Bacem would be just one dish in a meal. There would also be a couple vegetable dishes. The seasoning at the table would be a dish of sambal, any of a number of chili pastes.

Ingredients:
10 thick slices of tofu
1 teaspoon tamarind pulp
300 gr grated palm sugar
500 ml water + 250 ml coconut milk
3 salam leaves
salt to taste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
5 shallots, thin slices
3 cloves garlic, thin slices
2 cm galangal

Directions:
1. In a pan put all ingredients together including slices of tofu.

2. Cook the mixture until boiled then reduce the fire. Stir the mixture from to time to time and let boiled gently until the moisture evaporates. Remove from the pan, put aside.

3. To deep-fry, heat several inches of oil in a stable wok until hot. Using wire or slotted tool, slip the tofu, into the oil. You can fry several pieces at a time, depending on the size of your wok, but don't dump it all in at once. That will reduce the temperature of the oil and the tofu will absorb oil rather than fry in it. Fry until tofu becomes golden. You may need to adjust the heat a bit while cooking so tofu doesn't burn. Remove with wire or slotted tool and drain on paper towel.

To pan fry, heat about 1" of oil in a heavy skillet. Put several pieces of tofu in the pan and cook until golden. Again, adjust the heat to prevent burning. You will need to turn the tofu from time to time to assure even cooking on both sides. Drain on paper towel.

Sagon Cake // Kue Sagon

Sagon cake made from grated coconut and glutinous rice flour. This type of cake has a typical taste and aroma of coconut that is not found on other cookies. Confectionary made from primary raw materials coconut grater, able to taste sweet, natural and unique.

Sagon cake is also one of (almost) forgotten Indonesian culinary heritage. I have no idea from which island this cake originally came from, but it's quite populer in Java especially in the period of national big feast in Indonesia such as Ied Fitr. I remember when I was little I used to eat this cake given by our neighbour.

My friend Rurie has an event for (almost) forgotten Indonesian culinary heritage. If you're interested to participate you can see her link here. In order to participate this event I made especially for her this Kue Sagon.

The ingredients are very easy to find and to mix the ingredients is also very easy. When it comes to shape the cakes, it requires patience. I have to struggle in order to keep the coconut stay compact in the mold. I use heart-shape cutter to make another form of this cake.

The recipe is borrowed from here and I only make half of the original recipe.

Ingredients:

250 gr desiccated coconut

75 gr glutinous rice flour

50 gr sugar

25 g butter

30 ml water (I use 40 ml)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Stir fry (without oil) the glutinous rice flour for about 10 minutes with low fire. In another pan, stir fry without oil the desiccated coconut until light brown.

2. In a bowl mix the glutinous flour, desiccated coconut, sugar, salt, butter, vanilla and water together.

3. Take a shape cutter/perforator and fill with the mixture, press until the mixture compact then lift the cutter. Do the same way with the rest of the mixture.

4. Bake the cakes in the oven at temperature 160°c for about 15-20 minutes, until the cakes dry and golden-brown. When the cakes done, remove from the oven and leave on the baking tray until the sagon cakes cool down.

Tofu Balls With Broccoli // Bakwan Tahu

Dishes made of tofu are always my favorite. Tofu is known for its extraordinary nutritional benefits, as well as its versatility. Tofu, also known as soya curd, is a soft cheese-like food made by curdling soya milk with a coagulant. Tofu is a rather bland tasting product that easily absorbs the flavours of the other ingredients. Tofu is sold in water-filled packs or in aseptic cartons. Fresh tofu is usually packaged in water and should be refrigerated and kept in water until used. If the water is drained and changed daily, the tofu should last for one week.

Types of tofu

Firm tofu - Firm tofu is dense and can be cubed and stir-fried, grilled, scrambled, pickled, smoked, baked, barbecued or served in soups. Firm tofu is higher in protein, fats and calcium than other types of tofu.

Soft tofu - Soft tofu is more suited for recipes in which tofu needs to be blended.

Silken tofu - Silken tofu has a creamy structure and is also used in blended dishes. In Japan, silken tofu is consumed as such with some soy sauce.

Benefits of tofu

Rich in Nutrients - Tofu is rich in both high quality protein and B-vitamins. Tofu is, therefore, an excellent substitute for meat in many vegetarian recipes. As opposed to soya milk, tofu contains a lot of calcium. This calcium originates from the coagulant (nigari). When making tofu, the soy proteins are precipitated with calcium, providing tofu with a ready source of calcium. Calcium in tofu contributes to the prevention of osteoporosis.

Easy to digest - An additional benefit of tofu is that it is extremely easy to digest. This is because the soybean’s fiber is removed during the manufacturing process.

Reduce cholesterol - As most other soyfoods, tofu reduces heart disease by lowering the level of the "bad" LDL cholesterol, and as the result maintaining the level of "good" HDL cholesterol.

Rich in isoflavones - Tofu is rich in isoflavones. When making tofu, the soy isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, remain bound to the soy protein. Firm tofu contains about 35 mg isoflavones per 100g. Isoflavones will reduce the risk of osteoporosis, a disease associated with reduced bone density and increased bone fractures. Isoflavones will also lower rates of breast cancer and prostate cancer, and reduce menopausal symptoms including mood swings and hot flushes. (text adapted from here.)

Tofu Balls With Broccoli

Ingredients:
300 gr firm tofu
5 fine-chopped red chillies
3 tablespoons chopped spring onions
100 gr steamed/boiled broccoli
2-3 teaspoons chicken-stock powder
2 tablespoons flour
salt & pepper for season

Directions:

1. Blend tofu in a food processor or blender.

2. Mix tofu with the rest of ingredients and season with salt & pepper.

3. Make tofu balls using a spoon and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.

4. Serve warm with chilli sauce and tomato ketchup.

Chocolate Tart With Mixed Berries

My daughter 'Naomi' is four years on February 11. It feels like yesterday when she was still a tiny and fragile baby. It's unbelievable how she grows and what she can do lately. Everything goes forward fastly.. too fast. It makes me in tears sometimes because suddenly I feel old.

Anyway, we didn't celebrate her b'day because her teacher and friends at school already planned things. I wasn't allowed either to bring cakes or any treats for her class, that's why especially for her I baked this tart, something to stand the candles which she could blow out and made a wish...:o) and I think her wishes came through. She always wanted to have 'pink' bike like other kids... and we did buy it for her as her present. You should have seen her face, sooooo happy and proud... she said 'I love you' to us many times which made us happy too.

Back to the tart, it looks quite rich, but actually it's very light. The cake is without butter, the sugar is not really overwhelming, the cream (if you like) can be replaced with light cream and the filling with frozen mixed berries. Since it's still winter here, difficult to find fresh berries and if you find them, the price is very high. So the choice was very quick to pick frozen berries instead of the fresh one.

Ingredients:
90 gr flour
1 teasp baking powder
2 tablesps cacao powder
4 eggs (divide)
100 gr sugar

Directions:
1. Sift the flour, baking powder and cacao together.
2. Wisk the egg white and gradually add the sugar.
3. Add the egg yolks in and wisk for about 20 seconds.
4. Add with mixed flour and blend well.
5. Bake in pre-heated oven with temperature 180°C and for about 25 minutes.
6. After done, remove the cake from the oven, but leave it in the tin for 5 minutes.
7. Afther 5 minutes, divide the cake into two parts then leave it to cool.

Rhum syrup:
1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoon rhum

Direction:
Dissolve the sugar in the hot water, add the rhum in then mix well then sprinkle over the cake.

Filling & Icing:
350 dl whipping cream
sugar as needed
mix berries
chocolate sprinkles

Directions:
1. Wisk the cream and add gradually with sugar until thickens and foamier. Divide into two portions.
2. Mix the mixed berries in one portion whipped cream, then fill in the cake.
3. Spread the other whipped cream on top and side of the cake. Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles.

Banana Coconut Cake

The recipe is originally from book of Christelle Le Ru "Simply Irresistible French Desserts". In the book the recipe is with apple, but because we all love bananas I replaced the apple with banana. So simple it is. The cake turned trully beautiful, moist and a little bit too sweet for me... **perhaps because I added bananas instead of apples.

The dessicated coconut gave a special taste to the cake and I would call it "exotic taste" but it also made it quite heavy eventhough I already reduced by halfing the amount. But for the rest the cake is really delicious and becoming another favorite cake for the whole family.


Ingredients:
3 bananas, cut into chuncks
200 gr unsalted butter, melted
230 gr white sugar
1 teasp vanilla essence
150 gr dessicated coconut (I used 75 gr)
4 eggs
200 gr selfraising flour
4 tbsps milk
coconut threads to decorate

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease a 23cm round baking tin.

2. Beat the melted butter together with sugar, vanilla essence and dessicated coconut.

3. Whisk in the eggs.

4. Add the flour, milk and lastly the bananas.

5. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of the prepared tin with the coconut threads. Pour the cake mixture into the tin and sprinkle with the rest of the coconut threads over the top.

6. Bake for 45 minutes or until the cake is done.

**In the recipe it mentions that the cooking time is 45 minutes on 160°c.. well, after 45 minutes, the dough was not completely raising and not done yet. So I added another 10 minutes and still not done. And because I was busy with something else during the baking, I didn't pay attention anymore to the cooking time, but I checked it often by inserting a knife to see whether the cake was completely done.

**Don't be surprised with the images featured here. I can't decide which picture looks better for this posting, dark background or soft purple background ?????