Sauteed Cabbage and Carrots

I like cooking vegetables. Their wide variety gives out many different taste and menu possibilities. That, and most of the time I find a lot of the veggie recipes to be easy to make. Here’s one to prove my point: sautéed cabbage and carrots, another childhood dish I grew up with in Indonesia. Originally called, orak-arik, this recipe has to be one of the easiest things to make. With shredded cabbage, carrots, a little bit of vegetable oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic, I get a delicious plate in no time. Do you notice how sweet carrots become after being sautéed? That sweetness goes real nice with the black pepper and crunchy cabbage. In its traditional form, the recipe includes scrambled eggs in the mix. But I am making that optional here.

Sauteed Cabbage and Carrots by Tiny Chili Pepper

Cooking the cabbage and carrots

Sauteed Cabbage and Carrots by Tiny Chili Pepper

Things that we’ll need:

(Serve 2)

  • 1 small (or half of a large) cabbage head (cut into thin shreds)
  • 3–4 carrots (cleaned and chopped in a food processor)
  • 3 garlic (chopped)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Steps:

  • Heat up a medium size pan (over medium heat)
  • Add oil and then garlic. Let it sizzle for two minutes
  • Add carrots, cabbage, salt, and black pepper. Stir to mix everything together (I use two cooking spoons to mix them up).
  • Cover the pan and let the veggies cook for five minutes or until everything wilts
  • Move it away from the heat

Ideal to serve as a side to a beef or chicken dish. Don’t forget the rice :D.

Hope you like it and happy cooking!

Orak arik by Tiny Chili Pepper

Harini RianaLeave a comment

Braised Collard Greens

One recipe for two dishes is possible here.  This collard greens dish uses the same ingredients as my Smoked Salmon in Spicy Coconut Milk Sauce. Serve both over hot jasmine rice, with a cup of hot tea. Let’s nourish ourselves and be content. 

Braised Collard Greens by Tiny Chili Pepper

Serve 2

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch of collard greens (Discard the stems and center ribs. Cut the leaves into thin strips)
  • 3 garlic
  • 3 shallots
  • 5 Thai peppers (or other type of chili peppers that you prefer)
  • Salt
  • 7 fl oz of light coconut milk (1/2 can of the regular 14 fl oz—Use the rest of the milk for Smoked Salmon in Spicy Coconut Sauce, see previous blog post)
  • 1 inch cut of galangal root, smashed (No galangal root? Substitute with zest from one lemon or lime)
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable/canola oil

Steps:

  • Chop garlic, shallots, and Thai peppers in a food processor
  • Heat up a medium size pan over medium heat and add oil
  • Sweat garlic, shallots, and peppers for about one to two minutes
  • Add coconut milk, salt, and galangal root to the pan. Stir until it starts to bubble.
  • Add collard greens into the sauce, mix, and cover the pan for five minutes or until the greens wilt. Move it away from the heat and let it sit for a while to absorb the sauce. 
  • Discard galangal root
  • Serve with hot jasmine rice 

Hope you like it and thank you for stopping by!

Harini RianaLeave a comment

Smoked Salmon in Spicy Coconut Milk Sauce

Smoked Salmon in Spicy Coconut Milk Sauce by Tiny Chili Pepper

Smokey, spicy, aromatic, and easy to make. Inspired by a native dish of an area in East Java, I recently added smoked salmon in spicy coconut milk sauce into my list of favorite menu. The idea is simple: add sauce (and flavors) to an otherwise dry fish. As for the sauce, all it takes: mix coconut milk with garlic, shallots, and chili peppers and bring it to a boil. Then add galangal root  for some lemony aroma. That’s it. (The original recipe involves serving a type of smoked fish that is not available in the States. So I substitute it with smoked salmon.)

Here’s my easy recipe:

We’ll need:

  • 2 fillets of smoked salmon
  • 3 garlic
  • 3 shallots
  • 5 Thai peppers (or other type of chili peppers that you prefer)
  • Salt
  • 7 fl oz of light coconut milk (1/2 can of the regular 14 fl oz—Use the rest of the milk for Braised Collard Greens, next blog post)
  • 1 inch cut of galangal root, smashed (No galangal root? Substitute with zest from one lemon or lime)
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable/canola oil

Steps:

  • Chop garlic, shallots, and Thai peppers in a food processor
  • Heat up a medium size pan over medium heat and add oil
  • Sweat garlic, shallots, and peppers for about one to two minutes
  • Add coconut milk, salt, and galangal root to the pan. Stir until it starts to bubble.
  • Add the fish fillets and coat with the sauce. Since the fish is already smoked/cooked, I just need to mix it with the sauce. I let it sit in the bubbling sauce for two or three minutes.
  • Discard galangal root
  • Serve with hot jasmine rice and braised collard greens

Thanks for reading and have a great week!

Harini RianaLeave a comment