Dark Chocolate Banana Bread – Venturing into the Baking World

I used to avoid baking. It just seemed very complicated. The attitude changed when I found Baker Bettie. She bakes and writes fantastic recipes I actually want to try. Her creativity in flavor combination and in presentation makes baking look like fun. Now, I am inspired!

A novice in the baking world, I appreciate friendly recipes. In the past I’ve tried and written about one of Baker Bettie’s recipes: Soft and Fluffy Blueberry Lemon Cookie . Recently, I tried her recipe on Dark Chocolate Banana Bread with Cayenne…with cayenne! A girl after my own heart! The fine blend of dark chocolate, bananas, cinnamon, and cayenne worked wonderfully. Though quite subtle, the cayenne and cinnamon definitely gave a very nice spice hint to this classic bread. Simply delightful.

Pictures of my recipe trial result:

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Scary/Beautiful

The abnormally warm but glorious weather seemed to invite everyone and everything out to play. Jeff and I were riding our bicycles on Sunday. Just as we entered the Central Park South trail, Jeff spotted this little turtle. “Oh, turtle! I love turtle!” I shouted.

I thought about taking it home and keeping it as a pet…

But it hissed when I touched it! I never knew turtles could do that!

And look at those nails! So of course I changed my mind about keeping it as a pet.

3/20/2012 

Today was the first day of spring. It was 85 degrees…in Michigan! 


Photos property of The Travelling Chili Pepper

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Chayote Squash in Spicy Broth

Chayote squash in spicy broth with shrimp (optional)

Revised by author on 8/29/2013

Another squash dish that I love is this chayote spicy soup. When I think of chayote, I always associate it with a cooling effect. Maybe because of its green color or its soft, watery, and refreshing texture once cooked. Though native to Latin America, this pear-shaped squash is often used in Indonesian cuisine too.

One favorite recipe of mine is to cook chayote in spicy broth. It makes such a wonderful side for a meat dish like my braised and broiled beef tongue. This squash recipe could also be turned into a main dish just by adding large shrimp. Serve with warm jasmine rice…mmm, perfection!

We will need:

  • 2 chayotes (peeled, cored, and quartered). Cover the quartered chayotes with salt for 5-10 minutes to get rid of the sap, rinse with water, and then julienne.

Chop and mix in a food processor:

  • 4 shallots
  • 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 3-5 red hot finger peppers (substitute with 1 red bell pepper if you want it milder)
  • 3 Thai peppers (substitute with 1-2 red hot finger peppers)
  • ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • Salt

For aroma:

  • 1 inch of galangal root (peeled and smashed)
  • 1 lemongrass (get rid of the very top and bottom part and then halve)

For the broth:

  • ½ can of light coconut milk
  • 1 box of chicken stock
  • 2-3 cups of water

Steps:

  • In a medium pot, mix chicken stock, spices from the food processor, galangal root, and lemongrass. Bring to boil.
  • Add coconut milk and stir to mix
  • Add the julienned chayote and cook for 5 minutes (Chayote cooks really fast – be careful not to overcook)

Serve 2

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Braised and Broiled Beef Tongue

Braised and then Broiled Beef Tongue set on top of Chayote Squash

(Harini’s version of Empal Lidah – Origin: East Java)

For serious meat lovers, beef tongue has been known for its tenderness and succulence. Jeff “introduced” me to this meat a few years back. He ordered a delicious beef tongue dish (I don’t recall the name now) once when we dined at Chicago’s Colombian restaurant, Las Tablas (on Lincoln Ave.), and then again at El Llano (also on Lincoln). He said that the plate reminded him of a couple of Indonesian dishes he enjoyed so much: braised and pan-seared beef tongue and a beef tongue stew. I had never tried these dishes before and was intrigued. Jeff’s story  inspired me to make the braised and pan-seared one. The only difference I did was that after braising, I broiled the meat instead of pan searing it. Jeff and I would have this dish every now and then. When we have it, I usually pair it with a chayote squash in spicy broth and serve them together over white jasmine rice.

Chayote squash in spicy broth with shrimp (optional)

The way I like to cook beef tongue is to make the meat to be tender in the inside and crispy on the outside. Braising the meat for at least two hours and then broiling it a little bit inside of an oven work for my preference.

Here’s how I cook the meat:

First we will need:

  • 2 pounds of sliced (skinless) beef tongue. A little note about beef tongue for those who have never cooked it before: some grocery stores meat department may only carry the whole meat (not sliced).  If so, you’d have to remove the skin and fat by cooking the whole meat in a large pot for about 30 minutes, remove and let it cool, chop it into big chunks, and then cut off the skin and fat. The skin comes off easier when the meat is hot.
  • 2 cups of white vinegar

Chop and mix in a food processor:

  • 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 6 shallots
  • 6 candlenuts
  • 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon of ginger powder
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

For aroma:

  • 1 Lemongrass (Cut and throw away the very top and bottom part and then halve it)
  • 2 lime leaves
  • 1 inch of galangal root

Steps:

  • Place the whole meat in a large pot and cover it with water
  • Bring to boil and let cook for 30 minutes and then dump the water
  • Put the vinegar in a larger bowl that can be used to soak the meat
  • Cut the whole meat into larger chunks
  • Cut off the skin, trim away the fat, and throw them away
  • Slice the meat into 1/2 inch thick
  • Wash with water and then soak them in the vinegar bowl for 10 minutes and then drain
  • Return the meat in the larger pot and cover it again with water over medium heat
  • Add the chopped and mixed spices from the food processor along with lemongrass, lime leaves, and galangal root
  • Stir and mix well
  • Cover with a lid and let it cook for about 1 ½ to 2 hours or until liquid is reduced by ¾
  • Place the braised meat on an aluminum-foil-layered tray, broil in the oven with the door slightly ajar for about 5 minutes or until the outer part of the meat turns golden brown
  • Best served with white jasmine rice

Serve 4

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Couscous Salad – A Side Dish

Cooking gives me a chance to expand my creativity and sense of taste. For someone who gets easily bored with food, learning and trying many combinations of ingredients, spices, and herbs is important. Recently I tried to expand my salad creativity. Though preparing salad isn’t cooking, finding a good balance and combination of color, taste, and texture matters as much as it is in cooking.

One day I had been in the mood for a hearty salad. I had couscous, garbanzo beans, grape tomatoes, baby arugula, and artichoke hearts. For the vinaigrette, I wanted something lemony and tangy but with a kick. I thought of my good friend Deniz while making this salad. Many moons ago, she taught me that couscous and garbanzo beans (and other fresh veggies too) made such a good combo.

I did this version of mine in no time at all. The result was this substantial and nourishing salad that worked well as a side dish to my grilled halibut or sea scallops (which I also served with my roasted butternut squash with Gouda and pine nuts).

Here’s how I make the salad:

  • Bring ½ cup of chicken stock to a boil
  • Turn off the heat and pour ½ cup of couscous, stir, cover, and let it sit for a minute. Once the couscous absorbs all of the liquid it swells up and becomes cooked and tender.
  • In a salad bowl mix the cooked couscous, a can of garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed), a handful of grape tomatoes (halved), a cup of baby arugula, and a few marinated artichoke hearts.
  • In a smaller bowl whisk ¼ cup of olive oil, salt, black pepper, a teaspoon of minced garlic, chili powder, lemon juice (from one lemon). Add a tablespoon of Sriracha hot chili sauce or a teaspoon of Tabasco hot sauce for an extra punch.
  • Drizzle the vinaigrette on the salad and mix
  • Serve 2-3 people 

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Spicy Beef Stew

(My version of Rendang. Origin: West Sumatra)

Rendang, a favorite

“It seems like many cultures have their own versions of beef stew.” my guy said last night as we tried a delicious Middle-Eastern style Okra and Beef Stew. I nodded in agreement as I thought of other beef stews, like the French beouf bourguignon or the Indonesian rendang, a spicy beef stew from the West Sumatra region (and surely, there are plenty more delicious stews from all around). Their taste might be different from each other but they all make wonderful, substantial, and nourishing meals. 

The beef-stew talk last night got me thinking about my spicy beef stew. I looked at my blog and realized that I have yet to write about it. This dish is one of my favorite dish. Traditionally prepared for special occasions, this stew takes a long time to cook. But, just like any other slow-cooked meal, the meat gets to be rich tasting and tender that it just melts in your mouth. This particular dish is less watery than what a stew would typically look like but wait until you taste the sauce. Oh the sauce! After cooking, the liquid that the meat stew in becomes this thick, spice filled, and mouthwatering sauce that I could just eat with rice or bread alone.

A few years back, my mom taught me how to make the dish from scratch. Well, actually, she only told me the five main ingredients: ginger root, galangal root, lemongrass, red hot peppers, and turmeric. When I asked about how much of each I should use, she said that I should try and figure it out myself! She said that was how her mother taught her. I guess we’re big on learning-by-doing in this family. It worked out though. After years of tasting, tweaking, and perfecting, I think I have developed a version that my guy and I like very much. 

Here’s my version of the stew.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds of stew beef
  • 7-10 long red peppers, like Cayenne peppers (substitute with two red bell peppers if Cayenne is not available)
  • 5-7 Thai peppers (Note: Spicy. Please adjust accordingly)
  • 2 inches of ginger root (peeled)
  • 1 inch of galangal root (peeled)
  • 1 lemongrass (remove the the very top and bottom part)
  • 5-6 shallots
  • 2 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 1 can of light coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • Salt

Steps:

Chop and mix the following in a food processor:

  • Long red peppers (or bell peppers), Thai peppers, ginger, galangal, shallots, and garlic
  • In a large pot, heat up a tablespoon of Canola oil over medium heat
  • Saute the chopped and mixed spices from the food processor for a minute or two
  • Add beef and stir to make sure it is well coated with the spices
  • Fill up the pot with water enough to cover the beef
  • Add lemongrass, turmeric, and salt
  • Stir well and then bring to boil
  • Add the light coconut milk and stir well
  • Reduce the heat just a little bit, cover the pot with a lid, and let it cook for another hour and a half to two hours until the liquid is reduced by 2/3 (until 1/3 of liquid left)
  • The meat should be fork tender when it’s done
  • Best served with white jasmine rice

Note: Since I enjoy the sauce from this dish SO much, I make my version to have more sauce than how the original would have.

Serve 2 generously

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Mini Beef and Turkey Meatballs

I love these mini meatballs. They are great to serve as appetizers or to enjoy with pasta. Best of all, they are easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound of ground sirloin
  • 1/2 pound of ground turkey
  • 2 slices of bread (whatever kind you have to make toast: white, whole wheat, etc)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder
  • 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of chili powder
  • Salt
  • 1 bunch of asparagus (blanched)
Here’s how I prepare the meatballs:

In a big bowl, mix ground sirloin, ground turkey, egg, ginger, garlic, black pepper, chili powder, and salt. Dampen the bread with drinking water and mix them well with the other ingredients. With two hands, massage the mixture together until everything gets incorporated. Preheat oven to 350. Using your hands, shape the meatballs and place on a baking tray. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Serve with the asparagus and pour a little tomato pasta sauce on top of them.

For tomato sauce recipe, please see:

 Sweet Tomatoes!

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Chicken in Sweet and Spicy Sauce

One of Jeffri’s Specialties 

I don’t know about you but sometimes I draw a blank on what to cook. When this happens, I usually try to get inspired by searching recipes online. But on that one particular day last month, I really had nothing. Nada. So I asked Jeff if he had any ideas. He paused for a while and said, “Chicken in Sweet and Spicy Sauce!” Aha! You see, as one of Jeffri’s specialties, Chicken in Sweet and Spicy Sauce dish doesn’t disappoint. Both of us realized that we had not done this dish in a while. Strangely enough, as soon as he came up with it, I also thought of a dish I had not made in a long time: my Spiced Up, Steamed, and Broiled Tilapia. Funny how some of these cooking ideas seem to be hidden in our memories and that once one pops out another one follows. That’s why I need this blog: to document the many recipes we like.

Anyway, here’s how Jeffri prepares his Chicken in Sweet and Spicy Sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 5 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 red bell peppers (slice to thin strips)
  • 3-4 hot finger peppers (chop into short cuts, we include the seeds)
  • ½ of sweet onion (slice to thin strips)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon of canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon of ground coriander 
  • 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
  • A pinch of ground turmeric 

Steps:

  • Place chicken thighs in a medium pot. Fill with water enough to cover the chicken. Add salt, black pepper, and garlic. Bring to boil, reduce the heat, and cook for another 15 minutes (or until the chicken is cooked).
  • Set aside once chicken thighs are cooked, let them cool down.
  • Dice the chicken and keep the poaching liquid.
  • In a different pan (large), heat up canola oil.
  • Add slices of bell peppers and onion. Cook until they wilt.
  • Add the diced chicken, chili powder, ginger powder, coriander, turmeric and two cups of the poaching liquid into the the pan.
  • Add one or two tablespoon of sweet soy sauce (if you don’t have sweet soy sauce, substitute with one tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of low sodium soy sauce) – or to taste. Please taste periodically to achieve that sweet and spicy balance that is just right for your preference. Now the liquid, spices, and soy sauce (or honey) will blend into the sweet and spicy sauce. 
  • Mix everything together until the chicken is well coated with the sauce.
  • Cover the pan with a lid over low heat, and reduce by half.
  • Best served over white jasmine rice.

Serve 2 generously

Jeff’s note:

You could also use skin-on chicken for this dish if you prefer to have crispier texture. Here’s the alternative route:

  • After poaching, deep fry the chicken over high heat until it becomes golden brown.
  • Prepare the sauce using the same step mentioned.
  • Mix the fried chicken and the sauce

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