Crispy Baked Tilapia

(Author revised on April 12, 2013)

I like a variety of white fish like snapper, halibut, and tilapia. In my opinion, tilapia happens to have a very mild taste suitable for Indonesian cooking, which normally uses a lot of spices. For readers in Indonesia, I imagine dori, gurame, or red snapper fillets would work great for this recipe.

So here’s what we’re going to need (feel free to adjust the spices to fit your preference):

  • 4 Tilapia fillets (medium size)
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper powder
  • 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder (substitute with chili or paprika powder if you prefer it to be milder)
  • A pinch of dried oregano (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (optional)
  • 1 lemon

Steps:

  • Spray or grease the oven tray with a little bit of olive oil or canola oil.
  • (Optional) Mix the white vinegar with a little bit of water in a small bowl and give the fillets a quick rinse. And then rinse with water. (I do it to lessen the fishy aroma a little bit.)
  • Place the fish on an oven tray.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the salt, ginger, black pepper, cayenne powder.
  • Heat the oven to 425 degree Fahrenheit.
  • Sprinkle and coat the fish with the mixed spices. Let the fillets sit for about 10 minutes.
  • Cook for 12-13 minutes.  Do a longer bake time if the fillets are bigger/thicker.
  • For more crisp, turn the oven broiler (after baking) for about 3-4  minutes. Leave the oven door slightly (like 2 inches) open to avoid charring.
  • When it’s done, the fish will have that light golden color and crispy texture on the outside but fluffy in the inside.
  • Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Serve 2-3 people

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Tempeh with Chillies and Vegetables – An Easy and Tasty No-Meat Dinner

Once in a while, Jeff and I do a no-meat dinner at home. Meatless menu isn’t really anything new to Indonesians. Many depend on either plant-based like tempeh or on a variety of seafood anyway as their sources of protein.

I think I’ve mentioned in my other recipe that tempeh is one of staple food in Indonesia. This soy-based patty shows up a lot at Indonesians’ dinning tables along with its partner: the fried white tofu (sadly, I can’t seem to find the same kind of tofu here in the US). Usually, tempeh is sliced, seasoned with a little bit of salt, fried until its light golden, and served with chillies, some vegetables, and rice. I also like it cooked with chillies. We call it sambal tempeh and it’s got both spiciness and sweetness to it. Yum!

Here’s my version. I like to serve this dish with my spinach and corn vegetable soup, crispy baked tilapia , and rice.

  • 2 tempeh patties (usually sold at the grocery’s organic section)
  • 1 bag of frozen peas and carrots (small bag)
  • 2 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 6 hot finger peppers (chopped)
  • 4 Thai peppers (chopped)
  • 3 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon of sweet soy sauce (substitute: mix two tablespoon of soy sauce and one tablespoon of honey)
  • ½ onion (chopped)
  • Black pepper powder to taste
  • 2 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil

Steps:

  • With clean hands, break the tempeh patties into smaller parts.
  • Heat up the oil in a pan (medium heat)
  • Add the garlic and onion into the pan and let them sizzle for a minute until they turn yellow.
  • Add the tempeh and mix it up with the garlic and onions. Let it cook for a while until it turns light brown.
  • Add the peas, carrots, chopped peppers, both soy sauces, and black pepper.
  • Stir and mix it all up.
  • Cover with a lid and let them cook for another 10 minutes.
  • Serve with rice

Serve 4-6 people

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Returning to Puerto Rico

We returned to Puerto Rico for our friends’ wedding. The bride and groom exchanged their vows on a sweet spot on  San Juan‘s Condado Beach. Witnessed by beloved family, friends, the ocean, the wind, and the sun, the happy couple beamed. They looked like they just stepped out of a fairy tale, breathtakingly beautiful. We were all enchanted.

After two days of wedding fun and catching up with friends, Jeff and I set off to Ponce. Wanting to experience the mountainous region of Puerto Rico, go off the beaten path for a bit, and absorb the local culture, we chose a less straightforward route from San Juan to Ponce. We went west on route 22 and then south on route 10.

We stopped by La Cueva del Indio, an off-the-map cave site by the ocean, in Arecibo area. A woman named Carmen welcomed us as we parked in front of El Coayuco cafe. She gave a brief overview about the cave and told us how to get around the site. According to Carmen, Taino Indian (15th century) used the cave to hide from the Spaniards. We then paid $2 for parking and went on a short hike to the cave. The challenging hike on the cliff’s spiky and rocky surface led to a few magnificent views of the area. The cave itself hid at the bottom of the cliff. It looked like some kind of an entrance to the underworld. A ladder was prepared for those who wanted to see the inside of this small hiding place with an opening to the ocean. Carmen said that the Taino used that opening to swim away from the Spaniards chase. A few petroglyphs covered the walls of the hideout and some bats hung out at the very tall ceiling of the cave. We climbed back up to take in the gorgeous scenery of the ocean and the surrounding beaches. The ocean breeze sure felt nice.  We ended the visit with gulping coco frio that Carmen sold (at $1.50 a coconut) at the cafe. The perfect thirst quencher on such a hot day.

Another off-the-map site we visited was Cueva Ventana on route 10. A short hike inside of the cave would have taken us to a picturesque view of the valley. But as we got close to the mouth of the cave, the sky turned dark and started to growl with thunder and lightning. Not fully equipped with hiking/rain gear we decided to retreat. The minute we reached our car, as if on cue, the rain poured hard and lasted for the whole afternoon.

We continued the trip to Lagos dos Bocas, a merely 10-minute drive from Cueva Ventana, for lunch. I asked a girl, who was waiting around with her family, to tell me about how to get on the ferry to go to the restaurant across the lake. She explained that there were four restaurants we could go to. She also mentioned that this particular line she was in was for El Fogon de Abuela restaurant and that I should get on the wait list. Then she pointed to a guy who has the wait list. This friendly and kind gentleman, Francisco, took down our names and asked us to wait for the ferry. He warned that it might take a while since all of the four restaurants were full and busy. It was Mother’s day after all! (You could also drive to the restaurant. But hey, “When in Rome…”) Thankfully, Jeff and I had a big breakfast to hold us over. Joining all local tourists, mostly families with children, we waited. Meanwhile, the rain continued to fall.

Finally Francisco called our names and the short boat ride took us to El Fogon de Abuela. The restaurant has this open-air but covered seating area with a nice view of the lake and a relaxed ambiance. Jeff ordered a super delicious goat stew and I had my favorite Puerto Rican cuisine: shrimp mofongo. We only heard Spanish conversations that afternoon. I wished I spoke the language so that, at least, I could respond properly to the nice woman who offered me her umbrella. But she also understood and spoke English anyway (as many do in Puerto Rico). In a strange but good way, it felt nice not being able to tune into any conversations for a moment. We simply enjoyed the happy and friendly environment.

After refueling with mofongo and goat stew, we headed south to Ponce. Route 10 became this curvy route 123 passing through small towns such as Utuado and Adjuntas. From the road, the little towns looked like they had these low-hanging clouds, mountains, and valleys as the backdrop. The view reminded us of Tretes in Java. Quaint and beautiful. Each little town we passed seemed to have its own little cafe playing either reggaeton or salsa music. Local patrons sat and enjoyed each other’s company. We crawled slowly on this very narrow and winding two-way road. Thankfully we got a small rental car.

It was late when we got to Ponce. We drove into the historic colonial district and checked into our hotel. Didn’t want to waste a beautiful night, we joined the Ponceños and just hung out at the their town’s main square, Plaza Las Delicias.

The next morning we drove northeast toward Fajardo to catch our East Island Excursion catamaran tour to Culebra island. Ocean fun was next in our itinerary. With all English speaking tourists we snorkeled for a bit at the Luis Pena underwater preserve and then spent the rest of the afternoon at the Flamenco beach of Culebra. While in Fajardo, we also caught a night tour to check out the Bioluminescent Bay. It was my first time to kayak…at night…in an ocean bay that illuminated when touched!

We left Fajardo late morning. It was time to return to San Juan and the airport. I tried to stretch our Puerto Rico experience a little longer by asking Jeff to pull up for an early lunch somewhere along highway 3. There were tons of food kiosks along the way. As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” 🙂

Notes:

  • On the part about snorkeling in Culebra, the tour provides snorkeling gear. But we brought our own since we have them. Lunch, snacks, and drinks are provided during the tour.
  • Bring a light rain jacket when traveling to Puerto Rico in May. It’s their rainiest month!
  • The restaurants at Lagos dos Bocas are open during the weekend.
  • A smile and saying “Hi” goes a long way. The Puerto Ricans we met were the friendliest people.

Travel info sources:

Photos property of The Traveling Chili Pepper

Harini Riana4 Comments

Mini Mascaporne, Hazelnut, and Honey Cup Loaf Cakes

A good and descriptive storytelling could really captivate an audience attention and inspire her to try something new. My friend Leena and I would engage in a food talk once in a while. We’d discuss…well…good food, restaurants and their cuisines, and recipes. Recently, she talked about her favorite cupcakes in such great details that images of cupcakes started to float around in my mind. For days! And I wasn’t even a cupcake person. She’s really good, that Leena :). It was a sign for me to bake again.

So I studied a few recipes and combined the two that I liked the most. I wanted something that had a great combination and wasn’t too sweet. Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis’ Spiced Apple Walnut Cake (that she turned into a cupcake recipe in her Weeknights with Giada book) and Mascaporne Mini Cupcakes, I present my latest baked goods: Mini Mascaporne, Hazelnut, and Honey Cup Loaf Cake sans frosting.

Jeff and I simply love the firm and nutty texture of the cake. The aroma and taste of honey and hazelnut are just delightful. These little cakes make a perfect pair with morning coffee. Watch them disappear quickly from the tray 🙂

Here’s the ingredients list:

  • 8 ounces of Mascaporne cheese (1 cup)
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup of vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup of light brown sugar
  • ½ cup of honey
  • 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon of baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt
  • 1 cup of chopped hazelnut (or Filbert)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Line two 24-mini muffin tray with paper baking cups.
  • In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, mix Mascaporne, eggs, and vegetable oil until they become one creamy mixture. Add brown sugar, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix all wet ingredients well.
  • In another large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
  • Mix the combined dry ingredients with the wet mixture. Fold the chopped hazelnut.
  • Using a spoon, scoop the batter to fill the mini cups well below the rim
  • Bake for 15  minutes. The cakes will have this beautiful light golden shade. (To make sure the cakes are done, I insert a skewer into the cake. When it comes out clean, I know the cakes are ready to cool down.)
  • Let the cupcakes cool down for 20 minutes before serving.

Make 48 mini cup loaf cakes

Harini Riana3 Comments

Roast Chicken with Turmeric and Spices

The quest to have a collection of easy and flavorful roast chicken recipes continues.

I definitely have been on a roast chicken kick lately. I love the crispy exterior, but tender interior, and flavorful roast chicken. Now, the goal is to have a few different versions. So I play with the seasonings each time I roast. Last month I did a dry-rub with rosemary and thyme. This time, I’ll do a wet-rub with turmeric and other spices!

My recipe below is inspired by a traditional Javanese yellow fried chicken or ayam goreng kuning (the yellow coloring comes from turmeric). When you travel to Java Island, this is the kind of fried chicken you’d find at local restaurants. The chicken tend to be much smaller, so flavorful and aromatic, crispy on the outside but so tender in the inside. It is usually served with white rice, some green vegetables, and chilies. I am a huge fan!

For my version though, I opt out of frying and choose to roast instead. I find roasting to be a lot “friendlier” than frying on many levels. With roasting, I get to just place the chicken in the oven, set the timer, and leave it alone for a while. Also, I would not have to deal with the oil splattering onto my skin, my clothes, and my whole kitchen. Less mess, less stress. Most importantly, roasting does the job. The chicken comes out with that beautiful golden color and the crispy and tender texture that I expect.

So here’s how we do it. We will need:

  • A whole chicken (cut up into 12 pieces—I like smaller cuts)
  • 5 shallots (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon of coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon of ginger powder
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • An inch of galangal root (smashed)
  • One lemongrass (the white part only, smashed)
  • You may substitute the galangal root and lemongrass with lemon zest and juice from two lemons.

Steps:

  • In a large and deep cooking pan, boil 3 cups of water, and then turn the heat off.
  • Add all of the spices into the water and mix it well. Let it cool down. Taste and add salt if necessary.
  • Place the chicken into the spice mixture.
  • Once the liquid is cool enough, using your clean hands, rub the chicken with the spice mixture. Make sure that the chicken is well coated. (Would be good if the chicken is submerged.)
  • Cover with a lid and store in the fridge overnight or at least half a day.

Roasting:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Place chicken on an oven rack set on top of a tray (to collect the juices)
  • Cook for 40-45 minutes (until chicken temperature reaches 165 degrees F).
  • For golden color on the outer part, I turn on the broiler and let the chicken brown for 2-5 minutes. To avoid charring, leave the oven door slightly ajar (a couple of inches) and please don’t wander off too far 🙂
  • Serve with rice

Serve 4 generously

Harini Riana2 Comments

Oxtail Soup with Vegetables

April’s last days were quite cold. The wind and low temperature were pretty brutal compared to the 80-degree weather we had in March!  This spice-filled Indonesian oxtail soup loaded with vegetables was definitely a great pick-me-up meal on such chilly days.

My secret to having a great oxtail soup is to slow-cook it the night before serving. On the next day, the vegetables and broth would become so much more flavorful and the tender meat would just fall off the bones so easily. The comforting effect makes the soup worth the time and effort.

Here’s my version:

  • 6  cuts of oxtail (get different sizes: large, medium, and small)
  • 6 carrots (peeled and slice into thin cuts)
  • ½ of cauliflower (cut into small florets)
  • A handful of green beans (trim the end parts and then cut into shorter lengths)
  • 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 1 sweet onion (chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 3 Thai peppers (chopped)

Steps:

  • Place the oxtails in a large cooking pot.
  • Add water enough to cover the oxtails.
  • Bring to boil over medium heat and then reduce the heat to simmer. Cover the pot with a lid.
  • Add the garlic, onion, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and Thai peppers. Let simmer for 2 ½ hours.
  • Check frequently to add water. Make sure that the oxtails are always submerged.
  • After 2 ½ hours, add the chopped vegetables and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
  • Taste and add salt or pepper if necessary.
  • Cover the pot and let it rest and cool off.
  • Keep in the fridge until it is time to serve.
  • Heat up by bringing the soup to a boil. Serve over rice.

Serves 4-6

What’s your comfort one-pot meal?

Harini Riana1 Comment

Hazelnut Shortbread with Mascaporne and Blackberries – Venturing into the Baking World

I found and tried another amazing cookie recipe recently. It’s called Hazelnut Shortbread with Mascaporne Frosting and it produces these pretty little cookies with a taste of harmony. The nutty and crumbly hazelnut shortbread is nicely joined by this soft and creamy mascaporne cheese with vanilla beans and sweet and tart blackberries. Simply marvelous.

Beautiful recipes, such as this one, inspire me to get to know baking much better. That and a cookie monster named Jeff.

Thank you, Vegetarian ‘Ventures.

Click here for more baking inspiration

Harini Riana4 Comments