Citra's Home Diary: 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL.. SELAMAT TAHUN BARU 2011 INDONESIA

Tonight, 31 December 2010, time 21.00 when I write this. Try to review my blog's journey in the last day of 2010. Until tonight as I record here, I still posted about 128 post that already published. I started this page on July 2010, so it's pretty baby actually. I remember my first post is Turkish Food Dolmalık biber. That was my 1st Turkish meal I can made and my husband liked the way I cooked it d(^_^)b

I never officially take cooking class or what so ever, and before marry my husband, frankly speaking, as a single living alone, I hardly ever cook for my self - I was busy at office and usually end up my self in my favorite restaurant for dinner (^_^). Anyway, after quite success cooking Turkish food without any complaint, I started self learning to cook anything. I love being in my kitchen and make things like when I was kid before.

And my 1st "restaurant look alike" meal is Chicken Steak with mushrooms sauce. I made that chicken steak because I was terribly miss that favorite dish when I was In Jakarta.

Baking cheese cake? Never. and this Japanesse style cheese cake was my 1st. After googling and learning how people make this cheese cake, carefully I learn the most basic thing to make it.. and voallaa... it was my 1st cheese cake I made @(^_^)@

Well, of course not all these posts were my 1st.. I just want to share my feeling and thought about those post. Like for example: the most comment get, goes to : Steamed Zebra cake from left over egg white. Maybe because I think this recipe is unique and interesting cause made from (left over) egg white only. Also some of my friend also tried this recipe which made me happy. You can visit Taking on magazines one recipe at a time blog to see it, and Dailyfoodporn . Thank you for tried my recipe, and glad if you like it ^_^

I also join in one of foodbuzz site which all foodies gathering and sharing their passion about food and making it. I got some post that being choice in their TODAY'S TOP 9. My 1st foodbuzz chosen for Today's Top 9 was "Turkish Pizza" Yumurtali Sucuk Pide. And after that I feel have more spirit to learn much more about cooking and baking.

And here my other post chosen for Today's Top 9: November 7th 2010 Tiramisu

And December 9th Choux Pastry with Cinnamon custard

I remember I started make simple choux pastry when I was at 6th grade (maybe 10 or 11 years old that time) because there was some kind of test and cooking was one of those tests d(^_^)b

During learning to cook and to bake, of course there were many of failures I made but I will never stop to learn anything. I always admire people who create such a beautiful art of food and make other people happy to taste and enjoy those food.... For me now, cooking it's not only to make food to eat, but also art which requires happy feeling and heart to create great flavor and attractive appearance of food.

Top ten favorite 2010 post according google search :

1) Choux Pastry with cinnamon custard

2) Tiramisu (non Alcohol)

3) Steamed Zebra Cake from egg white

4) Kue Bolu Coklat (Chocolate sponge cake)

5) Yumurtali Sucuk Pide "Turkish Pizza"

6) Homemade egg noddles

7) Soto babat Sapi (Indonesian Beef tripe spicy soup)

8) Işkembe Çorbası (Turkish beef tripe soup)

9) Leaf shape pineapple cookies (Nastar Nanas daun)

10) Puff pastry basic dough (adonan dasar puff pastry)

But above of all.. this Onde-Onde is my favorite of all .... @(^_^)@.. this snack is my favorite snack since I was a kid

FINALLY.. HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL ! MORE PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS IN YEAR TO COME.

d(^_^)b

Steamed Chocolate Cake from Egg White

Another steamed Cake? well... I think I'm falling in love with steamed cake. I feel the moist and texture is great and becoming my favorite now. Especially when it made from only egg white, steam helps a lot to make it soft and more moist.

Here another recipe from (left over) egg white I have, almost similar with my previous Zebra cake, but this one I bet will be your other favorite too @(^_^)@

Ingredients:
- 250 ml egg whites (from about 6 medium eggs)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp milk powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup dark cooking chocolate or you can use chocolate chips

Resep Ikan Acar Kuning / Indonesian Yellow Pickled Fish recipe

Selam everybody...Merhaba from Turkey...

It's Fish cooked in yellow spicy pickled and It's one of Indonesian traditional food. We usually use fresh water Milkfish (ikan bandeng) to make this meal, since there is not one here I use sea bass fish that I think more or less has similar taste and texture with Milkfish. Cooked in yellow pickle. This dish is one of my favorite during chill days because it taste slightly sour, and fresh, and if you want it a little bit hot spicy, you can add more chillies.

I remember my mom usually made this with "belimbing wuluh" to give natural sour and fresh taste. You cut this "belimbing wuluh" or Averrhoa bilimbi (that it's beautiful name) into small round pieces and cook with all vegetables and fish....hmmm... my mouth watering just remember how sour this "belimbing wuluh".

Serve while it's hot with warm steam white rice, that's we normally eat it.

Here I also share my mom's recipe with step by step picture to give you illustration how to cook it and you will experience another Indonesian food @(^_^)@

Ingredients needed:

Serve for 4
- About 700 gr any fish you prefer (or about 2 large size) - better use milkfish. Here I use sea bass. Clean and wash them, cut in half.
- 1-2 large red bell pepper (cabe merah besar)
- 2 medium size cucumber, seeded and roughly julienne cut
- 3 medium size carrots, peel and roughly julienne cut
- some birdeye chilly (to taste) (cabe rawit)
- 3 ~ 4 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam)
- If you can access to "Belimbing wuluh " or very sour starfruit, you will need about 6 or 7 depending how sour you wanna go. usually I use it in Indonesia. But here I use 2 ~ 3 tbsp lemon juice as substitute.
- 5~8 shallots (bawang merah), halved
- Enough Salt and sugar to taste.

- Enough cooking oil.

Kue Keju Kukus ( Indonesian Steamed Cheese Cake)

Yes, it's Steamed Cheese cake. Of course it's different from other cheese cake that you ever seen-e.g New york cheese cake or German cheese cake.

But this "Kue Keju" - that we usually call it- already become my favorite (and everybody Else's fave) since I was a kid. Mostly we use cheddar cheese for this cake and for some other cakes/ desserts. I think it's the easiest cheese to find in Indonesia. We eat and make anything with this kind of cheese. Of course there are also other kind of cheese, but this one- I think- is most common one since I was a kid until now.

When my huby saw me made this cake, he asked: Is it for dessert or main course? @(^_^)@ Because he usually eat this cheddar cheese with bread as main meal. Well.. after he eat and taste it... he said it's differently delicious.. hahahaha...

Ingredients:
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/4 cup powdered milk
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
- 1/2 cup grated unsalted cheddar cheese
- 100 gr unsalted butter. Melted.

Super easy Apple pie using Puff Pastry

Puff Pastry... So love it , crispy and unique dough with dozens of layers make it so beautiful......

As 'choux' pastry, this puff pastry also allows us to have more fun by vary them with as many kind of fruits, vegetables, jams, sausages, meat, cheese, and other more your favorite topping and filling.

From my Puff Pastry basic dough II last time, I made this apple pastry. I tell you, after you have basic dough of puff pastry in your refrig, you will have fun with it @(^_^)@ ... or I'm the only one who like to play with my dough..hehehhe..

For any pastry, I prefer making dough homemade rather than buy ready one. I don't know, for me homemade always better.

Maybe this apple pastry isn't the best good looking apple pastry you ever seen. But the taste is superb for me and my husband d(^_^)b.

We bough many-like tons-of green apple from farmer market last week cause they were very cheap. So I made some of them for these apple pastry.. Just really comfort us during chill days lately with our hot evening Turkish tea.

Ingredients:
- 1/2 basic puff pastry dough II. Recipes can be found here. Thaw. Or you can use store bought
- 1 kg green apple. Peel and slice thinly crescent.
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 egg yolk +3 tablespoons of milk, beaten and mix well for spread.

Puff Pastry Basic dough II (Adonan dasar puff pastry II)

PUFF PASTRY: Originating in France, they call this as pâte feuilletée or feuilletage. Puff pastry is a light, flaky made by repeatedly layering pastry dough and butter or another solid fat, called laminating, to form a thin dough that puffs in the oven. It is one of the ultimate examples of flakiness, if everything is done right from start to finish, or the results will be disappointing.

Puff Pastry was invented in about 1645 by a French pastrycook's apprentice named Claudius Gele. At the end of his apprenticeship, Claudius wanted to bake a delicious loaf of bread for his sick father, who was prescribed a diet consisting of water, flour and butter. Claudius prepared a dough, packing the butter into it, kneading the dough out on the table, folding it, and repeating the procedure ten times, after which he moulded the dough into a loaf.

The pastrycook, who had watched the procedure, advised Claudius against baking the loaf as he thought the butter would run out of it. Nevertheless, the loaf was put in the oven, and as the loaf baked, both the pastrycook and Claudius were more and more surprised at the shape and the unusual size it attained.

Having finished his apprenticeship, Claudius left for Paris, where he found work at the Rosabau Patisserie. Here he completed his invention, which won the shop an enormous fortune and name. Claudius later went to Florence, where he worked in the Brothers Mosca's pastry shop. The brothers Mosca reaped the honour of having invented the Puff Pastry, although Claudius kept his secret to himself and always prepared his pastries in a locked room. Claudius died in 1682, a highly regarded artist.

from Baking911

It's my Puff Pastry Basic dough II. There are some differences from my 1st Puff Pastry dough here . This 2nd puff pastry basic dough has slightly sweet taste so it's perfect for fruits, jam and any other dessert purpose. But of course you can fill or topping with cheese or cream cheese or other ingredient which you think suit and allow your family or friends give you compliments because your serve great meal for them d(^_^)b

This recipe make about 1,3 kg yield. Enough for make many kind of your favorite dessert and you can keep it in freezer with nice wrap up to more than 2 months.

Ingredients:
- 1 kg of all purpose flour (reduce 1 cup)
- 1 cup milk powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 300 g margarine/ butter
- Very cold water (+/- 500 ml)
- 500 gr Corvette (margarine pastry) or just use good quality butter. Room temperature.

STEAMED BANANA CAKE / BOLU PISANG KUKUS

I like the fact that banana has many calcium and one of the best food for our body and diet. Personally, I don't really like to eat them in raw, soft and I think not good for my mouth exercise cause I don't chew much....😊.. I usually make them something like fried banana coated with flour. Or roasted them with chocolate and cheese. and I love "keripik pisang" or banana chips...

Banana cake? Frankly speaking, I always tried to make them in many different recipes like hundreds of times... believe me.. none of them end up successfully well d(^_^)b

Never broken heart with this very great, high calcium fruit, I learned and read much literature about banana and how to make it a cake. And this time... Voalllaaa.... I feel I will never fail again handling banana...wohohohoho... and I choose steam method because I love it's the final result, not dry, so moist and fear-free from it'll end up burn in my old oven d(^_^)b -- Just keep eye on water not dry in your steamer, it will be okay.

So here it is.. my Steamed Banana Chocolate chip cake (Cake pisang kukus dengan coklat chip). you can see from picture below, the surface appearance isn't really pretty cause there are dark spot and make small hole.... Well, I'll tell you... I was a little greedy to add more chocolate chips and spread on surface other than that I have already mixed in the batter @(^_^)@ So Please (If you make it) Do not do as I did.. If you want more chocolate, you can mix in the batter, not spread them...

Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1 /2 cup granulated sugar (for me it's sweet enough, but if you want to reduce or add, just do it a little)
- 1 + 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp vanilla powder.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 medium-size bananas (mashed-I use a fork only)
- 100 gr butter/Margarine-Melted
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips

:: Alternatively, you can use raisins or mixed dried fruit for chocolate chips.

Hamsi Pilavı (Turkish Anchovy Pilaf)

Merhaba From Türkiye 👋

First of all, I'd like to thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you can come back, again and again, to check up on any beyond Indonesian or Turkish food or something sweets that you might love. Your comments and emails brighten my days and make this simple blog thing worthwhile 😍💛

And make sure you subscribe to my Youtube channel and turn on the bell sign to get more video recipes.

Seafood is my number one choice when I was in my country. With very long beach line and thousand of island makes Indonesia produce hundreds kind of seafood... sigh.... I miss crabs, shrimps, lobsters and their friends d(*_*)b

Living in Bursa make me eagerly search for some seafood, but I found only some kind of fish instead of crabs and its friends....

Crabs is something very rare to find here. Only in big chain market sometimes sells it.

Please Buzz on My Today's TOP 9, December, 06, 2010

Another my recipe become choice of Today's TOP 9 version FoodBuzz , today, December 6th 2010. Check the recipe and have a buzz for me
@(^_^)@ .. thx

Blood orange upside down pudding

Selam everybody...merhaba from Turkey

Pudding and syrup are really perfect for this weekend evening dessert today, but I am a little disappointed with the Candied orange blood. There is a slight bitter taste in it, I have no clue about it. I peeled it's skin, has been seeded as well, but after I candied them, I tasted slightly bitterness :(

But overall, my husband and I are satisfied with the look and taste .. Maybe anyone can help me to avoid the bitter taste in Candied (blood) orange in my recipe?

Blood orange candied ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 / 2 cup water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 / 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Food yellow / orange color (if desired). I do not use it, so mine is clear colorless syrup.
- 2 pieces of blood orange large size. Peeled. Slice crosswise about 1.5 cm thick (1 orange into 4 or 5 slices). Discard any seeds.

Spiced Checkerboard Cookies (kue kering domino berempah)

I LOVE cookies as much as I make it.. Cause I can "play" with the dough, it reminds me when I was kid I played (tried to make actually)with cookie dough when my aunties or my late grandma made them in our kitchen....Yeahh.. I started love and enjoy making things in kitchen since I was Child....Mostly we made cookies and other traditional Indonesian cake and meals. So making cookies (or in Indonesian language we call it "Kue Kering") always bring some kind of nostalgic memory...

There are many kind of cookies from Indonesia that I know and some I already posted in my Blog. But this 'Kue kering Domino' (that's we usually call it), frankly speaking, this is my first!

Yes, there's always first time of everything, right? d(^_^)b and I admit, this cookies far away from perfect ! I must try better next time. I love spicy or cheesy cookies, not really sweet, so will be perfect with my tea or coffee d(^_^)b

Because I use spice and small amount of cocoa, the brown color of these cookies less contrast with the white (yellow) dough. You can add more cocoa if you like or add dark chocolate color will be nice.

Ingredients:
Prepare all ingredients in room temperature.
- 3 cups flour
- 1+ 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 package (250 grams) unsalted butter
- 3 /4 cup caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 3 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tsp vanilla powder.

Even though I'm out of US.. I really want this B'day Present ! (^_^)

I just met and became a friend from FOODBUZZ dot com.. it's great to have many friends from many different places on earth with same pleasure and they are all foodies ! @(^_^)@

And when I cross by and check some of their pages I found great one. Page name http://www.everydaysouthwest.com/ and it's celebrating their b'day by giving away one beautiful kitchen gadget which every body want! (I'm eagerly want it too... even though I'm out of US.... hehehhee) .

Just check their nice and beautiful page here and experience by your self @(^_^)@

Steamed Zebra Cake from Egg White

Pretty often we make a cake or ice cream, most recipes leaving the egg whites .. Usually we only collect that egg white and put in refrigerator just until we knew already piled a lot without knowing what to do ..

Same case as me recently ..

And after searching all my recipe files special using (left over) egg white, finally I decided on this steam cake.

You may like this Three Colors Marble Steamed Cake ( from egg whites) / Bolu Kukus Marmer dari putih telur

Steamed Zebra Cake from Egg White

By: Çitra's Home Diary

Ingredients :

450 ml egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp powdered vanilla
1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
¾ cup olive oil or other vegetable oil will do

No Bake pumpkin cheesecake

Who would not like cheese cake? All dessert if made from cream cheese .. certainly produce a delicate taste and must be nyum-nyum ... But not once or twice I also fail failed to make some cheese cake-cracking looks at surface mostly become my problem .. but still it taste yummy (^_^)

This time I want to try making non-bake version, other than easy, it's also more delicate. While now days is pumpkin season, I have an idea to make it cheese cake non bake version. I admit, its surface is less pretty, I want to make some kind of swirl motif on it to make a more attractive, but lack of expert, it look like this, but ... just enjoy it .. Next time would be more beautiful (^_^)

Just Want To share my simple recipe
Ingredient I:
- 20 ~ 25 ginger snap cookies, finely crush. For Ginger snap recipe you can see here
- 50 g unsalted butter. Melted.
Ingredients II:
- 225 g cream cheese
- 1 / 2 cup caster sugar
- 1 / 4 cup whole milk
- 1 / 2 tsp vanilla extract.
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest
Ingredients III:
- 450 g cream cheese
- 1 / 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 / 2 cup brown sugar
- 1 / 4 cup whole milk
- 1 1 / 2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 / 4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 / 2 teaspoon nutmeg powder (from grated nutmeg)
Materials IV:
- 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder, dissolve it with 1 / 4 cup water in small sauce pan.

Method:
1) Making basic crust: Mix ginger snap crust with melted butter until blended. Then press to the bottom of 7 or 8 " springform pan . Cover with plastic film and store in refrigerator.
2) Makin filling: In a food processor (or you could use blender), mixed materials II. Blend until smooth. Place it into medium bowl. set aside.
3) By using a food processor or blender, mix ingredients III. Blend until smooth. Place into a large bowl. set aside.
4) Heat over low heat, gelatin mixture until gelatin dissolves and clear. Take 1 and 1 / 2 tbsp gelatin solution and mix into medium bowl cream cheese, stir well. mix remaining gelatin into a large bowl cream-pumpkin mixture and stir well.
5) Take springform containing the crust, pour pumpkin-cream cheese mixture from big bowl. Then slowly add cream cheese, make a motif by swirl it with table knife or metal skewer.
6) Cover with a thin plastic film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours before serving.
Enjoy your pumpkin cheese cake (^_^)

Damla Sakızı KAZANDİBİ (Turkish dessert)

Dessert or "tatlı" in Turkish language means Sweet. So mostly Turkish dessert are sweet and delicate. Just like this one.. called Damla Sakızı Kazandibi.

Damla Sakızı= also call mastic gum, Kazandibi= Pudding. So this pudding made from milk, rice flour, cornstarch and powdered sugar also content this kind of mastic gum. Cooked then burned a bit on stove to make 'skin' underneath (it will turn over when served).. with strong Cinnamon flavor make this dessert perfect to complete your lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

- 1 liter of fresh milk
- 3 pieces (small pieces form usually less than 0.5 cm in diameter) damla sakızı or mastic gum.
- 3 tablespoons rice flour
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 cup powdered sugar + 1 tablespoon + a few tablespoons for sprinkle on baking pan.
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Enough ground cinnamon for topping when serving.

Indonesian Beef Stir Fried Noodle (in hot plate)

One of my favorite dish for dinner. I love it more when served on hot plate or if you don't have hot plate, it's really no problem you can serve it at once while it's hot. Add sprinkle of fried red onion and serve with pickle and other fresh salad plus small cayenne pepper if you like.

Ingredients:
- 150 gr beef meat. Diced.
- 200 g egg wet noodle. If you use dried one, cook it in hot water 1st (According to packet direction)
- 1 leek. rough cut.
- Soy sauce/ sweet soy sauce to taste
- Sugar and salt to taste.
- Enough Cooking oil.
Mashed and make puree these spices:
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 small red onions.- 1 teaspoon pepper seeds.- 1 / 2 teaspoon dried shrimp (or you can use some fresh shrimp)
- 2 pieces of large red cayenne pepper

GingerSnap cookies

I love cookies.. just any kind of cookies, moreover this cookie is spicy... Just perfect to company me during my afternoon tea.

Ingredients:
- 2 1 /2 cup flour
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 /2 teaspoon powdered cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
Sift and Mix all ingredients above. Set aside.
- 170 gr unsalted butter. let the soft at room temperature
-1 Egg, lightly beaten.
- 1 cup brown sugar.
- 1 /4 cup pure honey.
- 1 tablespoon water.
- Enough Castor sugar for sprinkle.

Method:

I'M FALLING IN LOVE WITH TURKISH COFFEE

I'm coffee lover since my parents allowed me to drink coffee, I think when I was 8 or 7 yo :))

When my other friends at that age still drink a milk or tea, I started enjoy my traditional Indonesian "Kopi Tubruk". You know, kopi Tubruk is dark and strong coffee, even for adult :) But off course I drink it with sugar ... Since then, I began real coffee lover.. Love latte, cappuccino,etc... Until I got in Turkey and drink Turkish coffee.. Actually I heard this famous coffee before I really taste it...now I become a fan of it.

And staying here, I even can make my own Turkish coffee in my kitchen.. Every evening around 3 or 4, I always have my own "coffee time" :)

Here some picture of Turkish coffee I made..

Turkish people say, the more "Köpük" you can make, the more delicious the coffee. "Köpük" means Foam in Turkish, which appear during certain way making Turkish coffee... Well.. If talking about Turkish coffee, believe it or not, we also talk about history and certain technique to make it and it'll be loooonnnggg sentences :)))

Just enjoy your coffee while it's hot :)

Domates Fesleğen Soslu İçli Köfte / Turkish stuffed meatballs in tomato basil sauce

Domates Fesleğen Soslu İçli Köfte which means Meatball (cooked) in tomato sauce and basil ... Yes .. This is another variation of köfte or Meatball from Turkey. İçli Köfte usually fried in oil or boiled in water ... but this time I try to cook in tomato sauce and basil instead of regular fried or boiling water ... inspired by İçli Köfte in a Restaurant at Kayseri, Turkey.

Ingredients I:

- 1 cup fine wheat (fine bulgur)

- 2 tablespoons semolina

- 150 gr ground beef

- 1 egg

- ½ tbsp sweet chilly paste

- 1 tablespoon flour

- Salt, pepper powder, cumin powder to taste to taste
mix and knead ingredients until well blended. Cover and set aside.

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