Spinach and Corn Soup

My sister and I love Spinach and Corn Soup (Sayur Bening). Recently she asked me to write the recipe for her. I thought I’d share my version of the Javanese vegetable soup here with all of you. The dish is so simple and delicious. I feel like this particular soup is a perfect buffer to other Javanese bold-flavor, strong spice-infused, and complex dishes. The combination of corn and shallots gives a little sweetness to the soup while the blend of spinach, garlic, and galangal provides a subtle but inviting aroma.  It is easy to prepare and it makes a great company for meat, chicken, or fish main courses.

Here are the must-haves:

-2 cups of water

-1/2 Bag of spinach leaves

-1 Bag of frozen corn kernels (get the smaller bag)

-3-4 Cloves of garlic (chop into tiny bits)

-3 Shallots (chop into tiny bits)

-1 inch of galangal root (or ½ teaspoon of galangal powder)

-Salt

Steps to follow:

  • Bring water to boil in a small or medium pot
  • Add a pinch of salt
  • Throw in the galangal root/powder for aroma (optional)
  • Add the chopped garlic and shallots along with the corn kernels into the pot
  • Wait until the soup simmers
  • Add the spinach leaves into the bubbling soup and stir (no more than 1 minute to avoid overcooking the spinach)
  • Take out the galangal root before serving

Serve 2

For my sister across the ocean

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Fall Colors: Vibrant and Peaceful

The trees looked ablaze in their radiant colors. Bright morning sunlight amplified the vibrancy of the earthy tones. Dark green, bright yellow, dark orange, to blood-red seemed to color the foliage along the road to the Manistee National Forest.

We wanted to experience fall colors up close (and be outdoors as much as we could). So we headed to the northwest part of Michigan where the colors were at their peak. A hiking trail inside of the national forest overlooking a curvy river was the perfect choice. The sun was bright and the air was warm. It felt like summer weather came back in early October. The scenic trail and the breeze kept us cool and made our eight-mile hike easy. The colorful leaves seemed to filter and soften the sunlight that tried to sneak inside of the woods. They created a soft yellowish-green tone that illuminated the forest.

The sound of the leaves swaying and the river flowing became our soundtrack along the way. What a fine day!

Photos property of The Traveling Chili Pepper

More on Manistee River Trail: Fall Hike

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Adding Kale into the Mix

So I got this Kale recipe from Cheeky Chicago this morning. Looks super delicious. Now, I am neither a vegan nor a vegetarian but I like vegetables. Especially the ones cooked or prepared in a bold flavors. With this recipe, I’d add grilled trout and make the kale dish (click on the link below) as a side.

Vegan Food: Kale Stuffed Mushrooms | Cheeky Chicago.

Photo by Dirk Ingo Franke

Here’s how I’d prepare my grilled trout:

Photo by Kyle and Kelly Adams (Wikimedia Commons)-Get a couple of fresh trout fillets

-(In a large bowl) Pour a little bit of apple vinegar, enough to coat the fillets on both sides. Lemon juice works fine too.

-Mix a little bit of salt and (1 teaspoon of) ginger powder, chili powder, coriander powder, and chopped garlic.

-Rub the spices to the the vinegar-coated fillets

-Drizzle with a little bit (1 tablespoon) of olive oil

-Let them sit for 15 minutes

-Wipe the surface of the grill with olive oil

-Heat up the grill

-Grill each side of the fillet for 4 minutes (total 8 minutes)

-Leave the fish alone and flip only when the surface facing you changes color

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Sweet Tomatoes!

Photo by FoeNyx

This summer, I have been so lucky to be receiving plenty of organic tomatoes and basil supply from my good friend’s vegetable garden. (Thanks again, Leena!) I have turned the basil into delicious pesto sauce and the tomatoes into salad mixed with cucumbers. Last week, I got my biggest supply yet!  Tons of tomatoes and basil! So I figured out more ways to enjoy these great summer produce.

For breakfast this weekend, aside from the usual toast with strawberry preserve, I sliced the tomatoes into smaller chunks and sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top of them. My mom used to prepare tomatoes that way when I was little. She’d add crushed ice cubes to it too. Delicious summer treat! Then I cut up some Parmesan cheese into bite size and voila…great breakfast in no time!

I also made a hearty pasta sauce using those fresh tomatoes and basil. When I told another friend about it, she asked for the recipe. So, I thought I’d share with all of you.

My Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce with Ground Beef

  • Heat up a medium pot
  • Add 1 table-spoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • Cut 6-8 fresh tomatoes into big chunks and add into the pot (tomatoes will dissolve into red tomato juice)
  • Let it bubble for a half hour till most of the juice evaporate and the tomatoes turn into a thin sauce
  • In the food processor:

-A handful of fresh basil leaves

-3-4 cloves of garlic

-½ – Large onion

  • Add the blended goodness above to the simmering tomato sauce
  • Add salt, pepper, and …of course…chili powder!
  • Add a small can of tomato paste IF you want a thicker sauce
For the ground beef:
  • Heat up a medium pan
  • Add ½ a spoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • Brown the ground beef (I guess you can also try ground turkey. I have never done it but I think it will also be delicious) and throw away the fat
  • Add 2-3 chopped clove of garlic
  • Add a dash of ginger powder (optional—I add ginger powder to lessen the meaty beef aroma)

Add cooked ground beef to the tomato sauce pot and stir. Serve with spaghetti or other favorite pastas. Enjoy!

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A Michigan Summer Destination: Pictured Rocks

Summertime tends to get a little serious in this part of the country. It could even feel tropical in some days. In sweltering hot days, when the heat index gets pushed to high 90s and above, a cooler-spot getaway is much-needed. In Michigan, a state that is surrounded by four great lakes: Michigan, Superior, Huron, and Erie, outdoor spots are easy to find. One location we visited this past summer was Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, on Lake Superior, the largest, deepest, and coolest of all the Great Lakes, this outdoor enthusiasts’ must-go-to place stays in the pleasant temperature even in the peak of summer.

Miners Castle

Tips:

  • The national lakeshore is maintained to be very natural. So, please EXPECT rustic campgrounds and sites. Trust, when I say rustic, it really IS. If anything rustic is not your thing, am sure you can find lodgings outside of the park.
  • Take the boat tour to see the whole formations along the lake shore. The tour lasts for three hours under the beautiful blue sky and bright sun. So be sure to protect your skin. Bring a hat and long sleeves for layering.

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Photos by The Traveling Chili Pepper

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Car Camping: A Social Function

Need a summer fun idea that doesn’t break the bank?

Car Camping!

Car camping means you camp in a tent next to your car on a campground. No need to haul everything in a backpack like we did in Grand Teton! Google the nearest state park or national park with campground around your area and decide what’s best for your comfort level.

Most parks we have visited have showers (with hot water) and bathrooms at campsite. Some even have power outlet, which we rarely use. We see our car camping activity as a social occasion, a chance to catch up with friends in a different setting…in nature, open space…with fresh air!

We have gone car camping at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Van Buren State Park, located on Lake Michigan (west Michigan). The two parks offer pristine beaches. Another park we went to for car camping was Devil’s Lake in Wisconsin where we enjoyed its amazing hiking trail.

Here are my few tips:

1)      Go with loved ones

2)      Bring delicious food

As a cooking enthusiast, I also make use of this get together as a chance to grill. Jeff would bring his portable grill to the campground and make food preparation and enjoyment to be part of the activity. Both of us are meat eaters. We love lamb and chicken satay seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and red pepper powder. We would freeze the meat inside of ziplock bags the night before, pack them inside of a cooler filled with ice packs, and store inside the car until meal time. I have also done turkey burger mixed with onions and jalapeno with a pinch of salt. Or my favorite: grilled chicken wings, boiled the night before with lemongrass, shallots, garlic, ginger, salt, red pepper powder, and galangal. Grill corn, red and green bell peppers, and asparagus to accompany the meat. Having real and delicious food at your own campsite is possible.

Note: Hotdogs and burgers will also work. And there are always the nearest restaurants too 🙂

3) (Invest in) and bring good recreational equipments

Planning and having the right gears are crucial for activities such as camping. Being outdoors requires a little comfort level adjustment. (We will talk about total comfort abandon, well…almost,… in another article about backpacking and backcountry camping). So in order to stay dry, comfortable, and content, PLEASE plan ahead.

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4) Have fun!

IMG_7088Sitting around by the camp fire

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Photos property of The Traveling Chili Pepper

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One Bright Night


Heavy snow continues to fall on Christmas Eve and blankets Chicago in white. Snowfall seems to mute the loud city noise. Most streets become empty around these hours of the day and time of year. Many have vacated the city to be with families and those in the city seem to be staying inside.

We are the only ones standing at the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park tonight. Jeff wants to experiment with his new camera. The park looks silent and empty. The cloud covers part of Chicago’s skyline to the south of us. In the summer time, parks get filled with lush trees and beautiful flowers—it would be green everywhere. But tonight, nothing blocks our view. We spot a fox roaming around the park by itself and a rabbit munching on the other side—it’s great to see other outdoor lovers around.

The overcast sky and snow-covered ground reflect the city lights, creating a bright night. The only sound we hear come from our footsteps on the crunchy snow and the 151 bus that passes through Stockton Drive. Even the air feels calmer and warmer. The city is illuminated, peaceful, and quiet. What a beautiful night…

Photos property of The Traveling Chili Pepper

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Feeling the Old Earth

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

(The adventure in nature begins, Labor Day weekend, September 2010)

The sky’s blue color intensifies as we approach Badlands. The towering walls and small hills that compose the National Park look parched, harsh, and lonely. The sharp contrast with the backdrop is magnificent. I have never seen such beauty.

We hike a short trail through these massive deposits. I touch the rock layers as I walk, trying to feel the earth’s past. I imagine the natural forces that formed and shaped the 65 million year-old fossil beds and wonder what the planet looked like back then. The formations feel like molded dry sand and solid mud. Rough, craggy. The trail takes us up a hill overlooking a flat terrain with miles of smaller formations. I see a group of tourists come out of a bus down the hill, loud and crowded. But up here, it is only the four of us and our shadows.

Badlands is a gateway to our whole adventure out west trip. Its bizarre form, its mesmerizing history of formation, and its gripping human tale lured us. We filled our itinerary with places of natural beauties that we wanted to add to our memory banks.  I think this Badlands experience and its amazing images will continue to be an easy retrieve for us.

All four of us have traveled and experienced almost all of the country’s metropolises and we wanted to experience something new. Curiosity and admiration of nature lead us to a different fashion of travel. Hence the birth of our ambitious eight-day, 3427-mile road trip plan that also includes a series of hiking and backpacking!

Our trip (by Google Map)

I look back to see the hills of Badlands one more time as we drive away toward Black Hills. There in a vast land they stand the test of time. In full surrender to nature’s willful acts and constant change. The wind and rain will continue to erode and transform the small hills of Badlands until there are no more. But until then they remain, quietly holding some secrets of the earth.

Photos property of Traveling Chili Peppers 

Special thanks to JN, LM, TJ, FW

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Catching Sunset

(Adventure Out West Series, September 2010)

We rush to beat the sunset today. I hear Fifi coughing as she tries to catch her breath. We’re walking really fast, close to running almost. We only have three and a half hours to finish a seven-mile hike up Harney Peak before the sky turns dark. So the hike that normally takes about four and a half to five hours, if done leisurely, gets accelerated. The trail we pick starts from the beautiful Sylvan Lake and through the woods, up the rocky ground, and ends at Harney Peak. Soft wind and sunlight support our hurried steps. We notice glitters on the trail coming from Black Hills’ mineral-filled ground, they look like bits of granite that sparkle with sunlight. From a distance we see the peak with a tower on it. It looks so far away, across the pine valley and hills.

Earlier this afternoon, we arrived at our second hiking destination at Custer State Park in Black Hills National Park, South Dakota. After a short hike at Badlands National Park we drove  through Mount Rushmore and the Needles Highway and set up camp at Custer State Park. We still have our long hike at Grand Teton and a camping trip at Yellowstone. Ambitious? Very much so. I feel like we were trying to squeeze in every natural beauty we can take during this short adventure out west.

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The trail gets steep and narrow closer to the peak. Friendly fellow hikers say hello as we pass by, telling us that we are not too far away and that it is all worth the hike when we get to the top. Finally we see the stony structure with stairs going up to the tower on top of the peak. The air feels cooler as we climb up the tower. We get to be on the highest peak east of the Rocky Mountain, at 7242 feet elevation, with a view of Black Hills and beyond. A land of stony hills with sharp peaks and pine trees stretch as far as the eyes can see. Some of the tree tops look dry and yield this brown and red color that match well with the beige tone of the hills. Other trees cover the rest of the area with its green leaves. The sunlight peaks through a batch of white clouds casting a shadow on some hills while other part bask in the bright light. The sky seems to be bigger out here.

The sun starts to set as we descend back to the trail head.  We’re walking much faster trying to get out of the woods before dark. I see the sky turns pink and then dark red about halfway through the hike.  Afterward the sunset catches up with us and wins the race. We see the ground sparkles once again as our flashlights illuminate our way out of Black Hill’s wilderness.

Photos property of Traveling Chili Pepper

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Into the Mountain: A Childhood Dream

(Adventure Out West Series)

Towering mountains stand close together like they are guarding something precious behind them. They remind me of city skyline reaching out to the sky, only in a much more incredible magnitude. The peaks look sharp like shark’s teeth chewing off white clouds that try to cover their magnificence look. Birds’ squawks bounce off the grey and rough Teton walls. A moose sneezes as we walk by. The animal glances at us, looking uninterested, then continues feeding itself. We laugh and keep on hiking toward Lake Solitude. Rocky trail demands my attention.  I keep my head down to watch my step. Up the hill is the only way to go. Walking with a 15-pound backpack is definitely not easy, especially in the mountains!

That morning we woke up at Cascade Canyon, up in the mountains.  The sun tried to peak from behind the mountains as we enjoyed breakfast. We had a long hike ahead of us. The five-mile hike we did the day before would be nothing compared to the 11-mile we were about to do. Novices in hiking in the mountains, we overestimated our powers. I know I did.

We spent the night before enjoying dinner and wine under the star-filled sky. The spot we found was nestled in between mountains and close to a creek. Songs of Gilberto Santarosa played from my cellphone mixed with the sound of water flowing from the creek serenaded the night. The stars made the sky glow. I had never seen that many stars in my life and forgot about the arduous hike.

This backcountry trip at the Grand Teton National Park was probably the most challenging part of our 8-day adventure out west. The four of us drove after spending a night at Black Hills, South Dakota, and hiked our way to Harney Peak. We arrived at our cabin at Colter Bay late at night and prepared what’s needed for the backcountry. I was nervous and eager at the same time. The trip was our first backpacking trip in the mountains, home of many bears. I had no idea what kind of terrain we were going into.

Growing up in Surabaya, one of Indonesia’s most populous cities, I remember going to the foothills of Mount Penanggungan just outside of the city with my family in the weekends. My parents love the fresh and cool mountain air. We would stay at a local hotel, swim, and hang out together. I’d always plead with my dad to go up into the mountain. He’d say that we are already in the mountain.  I would argue that I could still see the mountain, so I knew we were not up there yet. I was so intrigued. There was something mystical yet majestic, about these mountains, especially the ones in Indonesia as they sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire. I was always so fascinated by these earth’s towers and their magnitude.

The grueling terrain finally takes us to Lake Solitude. The water stands perfectly still, giving the mountains, clouds, sky, and birds a chance to see their reflections. Silence radiates and echoes all over.  The rocky and rugged panorama of the surrounding gets softened by the quiet body of water. The scene dwarfs us. I think I could spend hours here, just to sit and stare at the beauty. But a few minutes later I am reminded that we all still have to walk for another eight miles back to Jenny Lake and catch a boat to go back to our cabin. I don’t remember how long Jeff carries my backpack as we descend  but I do remember wanting to cry and call it quit. I think I may have satisfied my childhood dream of going into the mountains. It is very tough. But I would do it again.

Photos property of Traveling Chili Pepper

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