Cooking with "Cradle of Flavor"

[markemorse]

At long last, I have procured a copy of Cradle of Flavor. Of course, I am now carless in Phoenix, making it much harder to get my hands on ingredients than it is in Amsterdam...

But whatever. I made something super easy that I have made many times in my pre-CoF life: Garlic-Marinated Tempeh.

I usually make this for breakfast in Amsterdam, today it was an afternoon snack. But yeah, here's the not-so-authentic part: ketchup is my condiment of choice with this tempeh. It just works! I'm open to other suggestions as well.

Edited November 10, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[crouching tyler]

markemorse -

I made tempeh for the first time in my life last night, and here you are - with your beautiful photographs of your golden, succulent tempeh.

Here is what my first attempt at tempeh looked like - a bit less photogenic, but damn tasty stuff, all the same. In my return (dare I say my triumphant return) to CoF, I made:

Asiah's Eggplant Curry - Kari Terung

Garlic-Marinated Tempeh - Tempe Goreng,

Steamed Rice - Nasi Putih

Soy Sauce, Chile, and Lime Dipping Sauce - Sos Chili Padi

I say "triumphant" because it all tasted so damn good.

The Tempeh, just out of the package:

Tempeh, frying:

Action shot of Frying Tempeh:

Tempeh, hanging out with friends - Rice and Eggplant Curry

I was happy to learn that I like Tempeh (good thing, as there are two more Tempeh recipes in CoF). DH, sadly, does not love tempeh. He said he was expecting Tofu, and the texture difference threw him off. It is all about texture with the dh (whereas I only object to one food on the basis of texture - cottage cheese - gack). I found I liked the slightly crunchy, chewy nuttiness of Tempeh.

The Eggplant Curry was fabulous. This is not surprising. I followed Mr. Oseland's directions carefully. I am learning that if I do what Mr. Oseland's clear directions in CoF say to do, I will be rewarded with flavor-full, beautiful, complex dishes that make me very very happy. I also usually make a grand mess of the kitchen, but I have no one but myself to blame there.

The eggplant probably could have been a shade firmer, but the curry tasted so damn good - particularly when sloshed over a pile of rice, and with some Sos Chili Padi drizzled on top.

Eggplant Curry Close-Up - This is for all you Eggplant Phobics.

Tell me, markemorse, does tempeh keep and reheat well, or is it best fried up right on the spot?

[crouching tyler]

One more photo from last night's Eggplant Curry. This is the curry simmering in my trusty cast-iron pot.

I love the color of yellow curry - so rich and warm. It is not all that dissimilar to the color of the paint on my bedroom walls.

[markemorse]

Tell me, markemorse, does tempeh keep and reheat well, or is it best fried up right on the spot?

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hey robin!

glad you and tempeh are finally getting to know each other....

about tempeh keeping? i don't know, because we always buy it in these 350 gram blocks that are pretty much a two person serving. so, no leftovers, ever.

the other thing about tempeh that i'm reminded about every time i cook it: it's really really important to brown it to within an inch of its life. undercooked tempeh tastes pretty nasty. did you eat the tempeh with the eggplant stew, or with the dipping sauce, or by itself? i really think that this tempeh needs some kind of dipping sauce or lubrication to make it appealing to tempeh newbies.

and: your eggplant looks amazing!

mark

Edited November 10, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[crouching tyler]

Tell me, markemorse, does tempeh keep and reheat well, or is it best fried up right on the spot?

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hey robin!

glad you and tempeh are finally getting to know each other....

about tempeh keeping? i don't know, because we always buy it in these 350 gram blocks that are pretty much a two person serving. so, no leftovers, ever.

the other thing about tempeh that i'm reminded about every time i cook it: it's really really important to brown it to within an inch of its life. undercooked tempeh tastes pretty nasty. did you eat the tempeh with the eggplant stew, or with the dipping sauce, or by itself? i really think that this tempeh needs some kind of dipping sauce or lubrication to make it appealing to tempeh newbies.

and: your eggplant looks amazing!

mark

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My tempeh was consumed with the eggplant curry sauce and the soy sauce, chile, lime dipping sauce. I can see how serving it with a side of ketchup might help with tempeh introductions.

[markemorse]

I can see how serving it with a side of ketchup might help with tempeh introductions.

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i'd still like to find something a tad more southeast asian to grease these wheels with...although now i'm remembering that ketchup really does seem to have roots in the same word that ketjap comes from....

regardless, i think my next task will be the tempe kering since it's something i eat pretty regularly back home, as well as the shrimp satay since no one seems to have done that yet. i also bought some squid yesterday because i was sure there was a squid recipe in CoF, which it turns out there isn't, so i don't know what's going to happen with that....

Edited November 10, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[djyee100]

Another addictive street food to add to the repertoire, Bean Sprout and Potato Fritters. These fritters contain garlic, shallots, and scallions, too.

The batter is ready to go.

Frying fritters.

Served with Sweet-and-Sour Chile Dipping Sauce.

Eat 'em with a cold beer alongside.

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks for the snaps! What temperature did you fry them at -- and for how long?

[djyee100]

Thanks for the snaps! What temperature did you fry them at -- and for how long?

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I don't know the frying temperature because I wasn't using a thermometer. The recipe says to cook the fritters at 365 F for 2 minutes on each side. I timed the batches, and they were done usually within 4 mins total, so I think I was somewhere in the ballpark of 365 F.

Mostly I check temperature by watching how the food is cooking. I look for the food item to sizzle and bubble when it hits the oil, and it should continue to sizzle vigorously while gradually browning. If the food turns dark very quickly, the oil is too hot; if it sits on the bottom of the pan without sizzling, the oil is too cold. Once I start cooking I regulate the temperature of the oil by adding more or fewer food items to the pan, on the principle that the more raw food is put in the pan, the colder the oil becomes. I also skim the oil between batches to get rid of those little food bits that blacken and smoke.

One more thing re: the fritters--after tasting the first batch, I added 1/8 tsp extra salt to the batter. I thought it needed more salt. I sprinkled a little salt on the finished fritters as well. That's to my taste. I'm a salt hound, I admit it.

[djyee100]

Stir-Fried Chinese Egg Noodles with Shrimp and Asian Greens. A handy recipe for a weekday dinner--this dish comes together pretty quickly, without fuss. The sauce is flavored with sweet soybean paste and black soy sauce, instead of regular soy sauce. That's the Indonesian take on this classic Chinese dish. A dab of Nyonya Sambal with each bite of noodles makes it even better.

[Tepee]

Gosh. Didn't know when I stumbled on this thread, that there's so much great SEAsian cooking going on. I gotta get out of my usual zones and read more...

2 things caught my eye as I was skimming through the 7 pages.

The Penang Kueh Teow...we use wider noodles. You never see such fine noodles in our street CKTs. And Penang-style is much paler in comparison with KL-style which uses more black soy sauce. The pix shows an in-between version.

2. Tempeh is also very good eaten with lontong (pressed rice) and kuah lodeh sayur (coconut gravy with vegetables). This is an authentic recipe...will translate if anyone is interested. Gotta run. Or is it in James Oseland's book? Haven't had the pleasure of reading it yet.

Edited November 14, 2007 by Tepee (log)

[Dejah]

Tepee was the one who first showed me beef rendang in her joongzi. Perhaps she can give us more details on what it is suppose to taste like, and how to get that rich coffee brown colour. I'm happy with the colour I got, but always open to ideas for improvement.

[Tepee]

Its taste? YUM? Comforting? I remember when I was very heavy and huge with my first child, and I had this incredible craving for beef rendang. Nothing was going to stop me from getting a rendang lunch even if it meant trudging upslope from my office in the hot sun. Baby was happy after that meal and announced she was ready to come out that night by bursting my water bag one month early. Sorry for TMI!

If you want a darker colour, just fry the coconut longer in the wok. You have to do it vigorously for even browning and to prevent it from getting charcoaled. Some recipes include a small slab of palm sugar. I like my rendang dark and dangerous.

Another way to enjoy rendang is to make sushi rolls! Forgive me, purists. OK, we'll call it some other name. Just finely mash up the meat. Delish! It makes very good party finger food.

Edited November 14, 2007 by Tepee (log)

[markemorse]

2. Tempeh is also very good eaten with lontong (pressed rice) and kuah lodeh sayur (coconut gravy with vegetables). This is an authentic recipe...will translate if anyone is interested. Gotta run. Or is it in James Oseland's book? Haven't had the pleasure of reading it yet.

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Hi Tepee!

There is a recipe for sayur lodeh (minus tempeh) in the CoF book (and he mentions serving it with lontong)...I couldn't quite figure out how the tempeh was prepared in the recipe you linked to, so I can't tell if it's one of the tempeh preparations in the book.

Edited November 14, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[Tepee]

Hey Mark

In the recipe, you're asked to thinly slice the tempeh and fry till crisp. Do the same(separately fried) for the tofu (get taukwa/hard beancurd), fuchook/beancurd skins, and suhun/beanthreads.

Looking at this thread (which brought me to his website), I can see James' book must be one of the best on our region's cooking. We have lots of cookbooks by local authors, but the instructions, layout, etc...are skeletal, with no soul. I don't buy them. But I might just put this book into my christmas wishlist.

Edited November 15, 2007 by Tepee (log)

[Dejah]

Another way to enjoy rendang is to make sushi rolls! Forgive me, purists. OK, we'll call it some other name. Just finely mash up the meat. Delish! It makes very good party finger food.

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Yet another way to enjoy rendang!

[djyee100]

Nyonya Shrimp Curry with Fresh Pineapple and Tomatoes. A dish that's sweet and sour, with a spicy kick depending on how many chiles you put in the flavoring paste. I thought the curry would be acidic from the pineapple and tomatoes, but the coconut milk (with some added sugar) really tones it down. The coconut milk and pineapple taste so good together, too.

Served with rice and Stir-fried Asian Greens with Garlic and Chiles. This time the greens are water spinach. The bright colors of this curry make for a dramatic presentation at the table.

[C. sapidus]

Nyonya Shrimp Curry with Fresh Pineapple and Tomatoes . . . Served with rice and Stir-fried Asian Greens with Garlic and Chiles.

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Wow. That looks soooo good, I must try that curry. I also wish we could get water spinach locally.

[djyee100]

I also wish we could get water spinach locally.

Water spinach is widely available at Asian and farmer's markets here, but this vegetable may be the most perishable produce I've ever encountered. I happened to be at my market when the water spinach had just been delivered, so it was super-fresh. Once home I kept it fresh by placing it upright in a vase of water. It should be stored in the fridge, if there's room. This veggie should be cooked the same day that you buy it.

Edited November 19, 2007 by djyee100 (log)

[djyee100]

Hawker's Tea. Strongly brewed black tea flavored with sweetened condensed milk. You're supposed to make it frothy by sloshing it from one cup to another. I preferred to use two Pyrex measuring cups and do my sloshing over the kitchen sink. The drink is both bitter from the tea and distinctly sweet from the condensed milk. You'd have to be a fan of sweetened condensed milk to like this drink, and I'm not. Not to my taste, but to yours?

[snowangel]

Would the Shrimp Curry with Pineapple and Tomatoes work with Chicken instead of Shrimp? (I'm prohibited from buying meat because of the deer in the freezer which is about to be augmented with another deer and a half).

Any ideas on what in this book would work well with venison?

[djyee100]

Would the Shrimp Curry with Pineapple and Tomatoes work with Chicken instead of Shrimp? 

I think the Shrimp Curry would taste fine with chicken, as long as you like Asian Sweet and Sour Chicken. Keep in mind that the dish is a tad sweet from the pineapple, coconut milk, and sugar. You'll have to start cooking the chicken sooner than for the shrimp, since it takes longer to cook the chicken. Maybe add in the chicken after you cook the paste but before you start the pineapple? Let's us know how it goes.

[Dejah]

Any ideas on what in this book would work well with venison?

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I think venison would work well in the recipe for beef rendang, or any recipe using lamb.

[markemorse]

I finally got back to cooking after my Europeanized immune system was ravaged by some badass American stomach flu....yuck. Breakfast today was Twice-Cooked Tofu w/Coriander. I started it yesterday, intending to cook it yesterday, but other plans took over so I did everything but the frying on Monday:

and then fried them for breakfast. Here's after the first cooking, basically reducing the marinade with the tofu in the pan:

And after the frying:

Tasty. It was my first time deep-frying tofu, I think I could've done a better job, and the marinade could've been a tiny bit saltier, I didn't add much extra salt when the recipe said to taste and adjust. Forgot that fried things want more salt. But salting them afterwards worked just fine, too.

Edited November 20, 2007 by markemorse (log)

[Kim D]

I finally got back to cooking after my Europeanized immune system was ravaged by some badass American stomach flu....yuck. Breakfast today was Twice-Cooked Tofu w/Coriander.

I had that flu as well. I'm just starting to think about cooking again.

I've been wanting to make that tofu but I don't like deep frying. I'm not afraid, I just hate wasting all that oil.

I'll just live vicariously for now. Great pictures as always.