INGREDIENTS:
150g roasted unsalted peanuts
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 shallot (finely chopped)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 tablespoon Kerasi (or shrimp paste)
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 tablespoon kecap manis
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 lime (juice of)

DIRECTIONS:
Pound the peanuts into a paste in a pestle & mortar. Set aside. Heat the oil in a saucepan until just hot. Sizzle the garlic and shallots for 2 minutes until just browning. Add the kerasi and sugar and sizzle for 30 seconds then add the peanuts, kecap manis and chilli powder and stir well. Bring to a bubble then pour in 300ml water. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes to reduce until thick.

Remove from the heat, cool to room temperature then stir in the lime juice. Adjust seasoning to your taste.

SERVING:
Serve at room temperature alongside beef, pork or lamb satay sticks.

INGREDIENTS:
1kg chicken wing drummers
2 garlic cloves (mashed)
1 teaspoon salt
2 limes (zest and juice of)
2 tablespoons kecap manis’
3 tablespoons peanut oil

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the garlic, salt, lime juice and kecap manis and peanut oil. Place the drummers in a large plastic bag then pour over the marinade. Toss around to coat all the meat then tie the bag, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, 24 hours is even better.

Heat a hot grill or BBQ and cook the chicken for 10-15 minutes, turning constantly to char the skin.

SERVING:
I served mine with a delicious satay sauce and indonesian fried rice.

INGREDIENTS:
Salad Paste:
25g fresh galangal (chopped)
1 lemon grass stalk (white part only)
15g fresh turmeric (chopped)
2 birds eye chillies (seeded and chopped)
2 candlenuts (or macadamia nuts) (roughly chopped)
2 shallots (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)

Other Ingredients:
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 tablespoon palm sugar
2 tablespoons fresh mint (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh coriander (chopped)
2 tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped)
1 large lime (juice of)
500g chicken thighs
250g raw prawns (tails on)
red chillies (for garnish, optional)

DIRECTIONS:
To make the paste:
Pound in a pestle & mortar the galangal for 3 minutes, add the next ingredient and pound for 2 minutes, then the next and so on until you’ve pounded all the ingredients. You should have a smooth orange paste.

Heat the oil in a wok until hot over a moderate heat. Add the paste and sizzle, stirring for 1 minute. Add the shrimp paste and sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned. Add the tomatoes, mint, coriander and lime juice and sizzle for a further 7-10 minutes, stirring regularly until the sauce is very thick. Remove form the heat and cool to room temperature.

Heat a steamer pan then steam the chicken thighs for 20 minutes. Remove from the steamer and cool to room temperature, meanwhile cook the prawns in the steamer for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and refresh in ice water to stop them cooking then drain. Shred the chicken into pieces with your hands. Place the chicken and prawns in a large bowl then tip in the paste. Stir together well and serve.

SERVING:
Serve with whole red chillies to crunch on with the salad.

INGREDIENTS:
700g mixed mini chicken drumsticks and wings
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1/4 teaspoon shrimp paste (diluted with 2 tablespoons water)
pinch ginger powder
1 teaspoon sugar
3 spring onions (chopped)
2 tablespoons kecap manis

DIRECTIONS:
Season chicken with salt & pepper and set aside.

Heat wok with oil until just hot. Fry the garlic and chicken together for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Add the shrimp paste, sugar and ginger powder and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the kecap manis and spring onions, bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Cover the wok and simmer the chicken for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if the chicken sticks.

SERVING:
Serve with fluffy rice or just on their own as a little albeit messy canapé.

INGREDIENTS:
Spice paste:
1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
1 tablespoon fresh galangal (chopped)
6 dried red chillies (soaked for 20 mins)
2 fresh hot red chillies (chopped)
3 macadamia nuts (pounded)
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
110g shallots (or onion)
1/2 tablespoon coriander powder

Soup:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1.2 litres coconut milk
1 lemon grass stalk (trimmed and bruised at end)
500g king prawns (whole, with shells)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2-3 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 lemon (juice of)
1 teaspoon sugar

Garnishes:
fresh coriander leaves
fresh mint leaves
2 cups vermicelli noodles (cooked)
2 cups hokkien noodles (cooked)
shop-bought crispy onions
lemon wedges

To make the laksa paste:
Grind together all the ingredients for 20 minutes or so in a pestle and mortar until smooth. Set aside.

To make the soup:
Shell the prawns, removing the tails also. Set the flesh aside. Place all the shells into a large saucepan with 500ml water the sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Pass through a fine seive retaining the liquid. Discard the shells.

Heat a wok with the oil then add the laksa paste together with the lemon grass stalks and fry until the oils begin to separate. Tip in all the coconut milk, the prawn stock and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Drop in the prawns and simmer for 3-4 minutes until cooked. Remove from the heat. Add the sugar and lemon juice to your taste.

SERVING:
Arrange about 1 cup of vermicelli noodles and about 1/2 cup hokkien noodles in the bottom of a large soup bowl then ladle over plenty of the broth and prawns. Add a small handful of mint and coriander and a few crispy onions and finished off with a lemon wedge. Serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS:
500g chicken thighs (cut into small cubes)
1 onion (finely diced)
1 garlic clove (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut (or dessicated)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon grass (crushed)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon shrimp paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil

DIRECTIONS:
Add all the ingredients, except the chicken, into a food processor and blend into a smooth paste. Spoon into a large bowl or bag and then add the chicken. Combine well, cover and refridgerate for at least 2 hours. Overnight is best.

Soak some wooden skewers in water for 2 hours. Heat a barbeque until hot. Meanwhile, skewer about 4 chicken pieces onto each skewer until you’ve used all the chicken. Arrange on a platter then drizzle a little peanut oil over. Cook on the barbecue for 3-4 minutes each side until charred all over and the chicken cooked through. Arrange on a platter and rest momentarily. Sprinkle with salt then serve.

PEANUT SAUCE:
1 cup peanuts (unsalted, dry roasted for 2 minutes)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 red onion (sliced)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1″ piece ginger (chopped)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 heaped teaspoon shrimp paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon grass (pounded and crushed)
2 red chillies (crushed)
2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 tablespoons kecap manis
1 teaspoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oil in a small pan then gently fry the onion, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes until soft. Cool slightly then place in a food processor with all the other ingredients and blend into a semi smooth paste. Pour in a little hot water to loosen the paste into a thinner consistency which slides off a spoon easily. Leave to settle for a while then adjust seasoning by adding either more salt, tamarind for sourness or kecap manis for sweetness to your taste. Leave to cool completely.

SERVING:
Serve the chicken hot, with the peanut sauce, which you can serve cold, or reheat to have hot with the chicken skewers. I prefer it cold and always have some combination of fresh cucumber, onion and tomato alongside.

This is the perfect accompaniment to spicy or mild Asian dishes. Beautifully creamy and rich and surprisingly filling. I had a small bowl and almost passed out with fullness. That said, I had eaten a pile of chicken wings too. It’s a GREAT little dish that is so easy to produce and is guaranteed to impress whoever eats it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup jasmine rice (thoroughly rinsed)
400ml coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together all the ingredients plus 150ml water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes until all the milk has evaporated and the rice is cooked. Remove from the heat. Take off the lid, place a clean tea towel over the pan and return the lid. Leave for up to 30 minutes. Fluff up the rice just before serving.

SERVING:
I usually serve mine with a delicious Indonesian curry.

If you’re looking for something vibrant to serve for dinner then look no further. This curry really stands out in both colour and flavour. With plenty of turmeric, the yellow of this curry is so vibrant I actually had to tone it down in Photoshop for the picture. Taste wise it’s an spicy, intense heat with an earthy hit from the aptly named snake beans which seem to go on forever. You should be able to find them at any Asian greengrocers but you can substitute with French beans if you can’t. All in all a lovely curry with lots of sauce to soak into the rice.

INGREDIENTS:
For the paste:
3 shallots (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
4 small red chillies (seeded and chopped)
1 tablespoon galangal (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh turmeric (chopped. Or 2 teaspoons ground)
1 lemon grass stalk (white par only, chopped)
3 macadamia nuts

For the curry:
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 tablespoon sugar
800g lamb (3cm diced)
400g coconut milk
2 lemon grass stalks (bruised at end)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
12 snake beans

DIRECTIONS:
To make the paste:
Pound all the paste ingredients in a pestle and mortar until you achieve a fine paste. No less than 15 minutes of pounding!

To make the curry:
Heat the oil in a wok over a moderate heat. Fry the spice paste for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the shrimp paste, sugar, nutmeg, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black pepper and lemon grass and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the meat and stir continuously to brown all sides, about 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and 200ml water and then the fish sauce. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until the lamb is tender. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes until soft.

Remove from the heat and stir in half the fresh coriander.

SERVING:
Sprinkle over the remaining coriander and serve alongside some fluffy Jasmine rice.

The whole of South East Asia is brimming over with delicious spicy curries and soups. This Indonesian soupy curry is pure perfection. It’s a spicy, quick cooking curry that won’t have you waiting around. If you’re organised enough, then make the paste in advance and freeze it. That way you’ll have a quick mid-week meal in a matter of 20 minutes. So much better than the stuff you find in a jar. The taste of the sauce is absolutely lovely – spicy, tangy and sour. Somewhere between a the flavours of Thailand and China – much like Indonesia itself. One of my top ten curries ever!

INGREDIENTS:
For the paste:
3 small hot red chillies (seeded & chopped)
25g fresh ginger (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
4 shallots (chopped)
4 macadamia nuts
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

For the curry:
3 tablespoons peanut oil
800g chicken breast (cut into strips)
500ml coconut milk
5 whole Thai eggplants(halved) (or 200g cubed regular eggplant)
4 lime leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 lime (juice of)

DIRECTIONS:
For the paste:
In a pestle & mortar grind the macadamia nuts into a pulp. Add the shallots, garlic, chillies and ginger and grind together for about 15 minutes until you have a smooth paste. Stir in the turmeric, coriander and cumin and set aside. (you can freeze this and it’ll keep for months).

Heat the oil in a wok over a moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add the spice paste and gently fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and add the sugar, salt and lime leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the eggplant and simmer for a further 4-5 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice and more salt to taste just before serving.

SERVING:
Serve alongside plenty of jasmine rice to soak up all the fabulous soupy sauce.

Beef short ribs are a cheap cup of meat and are perfect for slow braising. This recipe leaves the meat mouthwateringly tender and full of Chinese flavours. With it’s roll call of ingredients, this Indonesian recipe could well be mistaken for Chinese. Flavours like 5 spice, soy and honey. I imagine it originated in China, but whatever its story, it’s a dish that needs little interference on your behalf in becoming utterly delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
1.5kg beef short ribs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (finely grated)
3 garlic cloves (finely grated)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 small red chillies (roughly chopped)
1 teaspoon chinese 5 spice powder
1 tablespoon honey
3 spring onions (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:
Coat the beef with the garlic, salt and ginger. Heat the oil in a large casserole pan until hot then fry the beef ribs for 5-6 minutes until browned on all sides. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the spring onions) together with 1/2 cup water and stir well. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, covered for 3 hours stirring occasionally until the meat is very tender. Remove the lid after 2 1/2 hours to reduce the sauce.

SERVING:
Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and serve with Chinese greens and rice.