Nasi Goreng (Seasoned rice noodles with shrimp)
Ingredients
- 100 g rice vermicelli (1/2 package)
- 1 lb shrimp, shells and tails removed
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, sliced into thin rings
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 50 g nasi goreng seasoning*, mixed into 2 T. warm water
*This is a liquid mix sold in Asian markets. It comes in little pouches that should cost around $1.50 each. It is full of synthetic additives, but if you want this to taste right, it's what you have to use. It also contains shrimp paste, which has a rather unpleasant aroma (at least to me). Purists should note that the package says that it may contain traces of gluten, but there are no gluten ingredients listed.
Method
Soak the rice noodles in hot water from the tap for 20 minutes. After that time, drain them in a colander and drizzle them with oil to keep them from sticking. Set aside. While they are soaking, do the next two steps (egg and shrimp).
Pour the beaten egg into a pan and fry until done. When it has cooked, roll the egg up on a cutting board and slice it into thin strips. Set aside.
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, then add to a large wok and sauté in oil until done, a few minutes. Set aside.
To the hot pan, add more oil to the wok and fry the onion and carrots for a while until soft. Reduce the heat to low, then add the green onions, shrimp, noodles, and nasi goreng seasoning. The seasoning will get clumpy if there is not enough water. Add a little more to help it get distributed as you move the mixture around with the tongs.
Makes four servings.
Dadar Jagung (Sweet Corn Cakes)
Ingredients
- 3 corn cobs, corn removed
- 2 shallots, chopped rough
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped rough
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped fine
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 c. rice flour
- Oil for frying
Method
Put the corn into a large bowl and crush it with a pestle. In a mortar, crush the shallots and cloves and add these to the corn. Add the red pepper, eggs, rice flour, and sprinkle in some salt to taste. Mix everything with a spoon.
Get 1/2-inch deep oil nice and hot in a large flat pan. Take a spoonful of the corn mixture and drop it carefully into the hot oil. Continue to do this until the pan is full. Every so often, lift up the cakes with a tongs to check the doneness of their bottoms. When they are golden brown, flip them over. They should cook about 5 minutes on the first side, and about 2 minutes on the other.
When they are done, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate.
Makes about 15 cakes.
Casuy Cookies (and/or Tarts) (Cashew Cookies (and/or Tarts))
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, yolks separated out into a large bowl; whites into a smaller bowl
- 1.5 c. sugar
- 1.5 c. cashews, crushed in a mortar
- 2 T. evaporated milk
- 1/2 c. melted butter
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Tart shells or mini-fillo cups*
*If you're just making cookies, you don't need these.
Method
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
To one large bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar, cashews, evaporated milk, butter, and lemon zest.
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until you get peaks. Then add this to the other mixture. If you don't get peaks, or if you beat by hand, the mixture will be much more liquidy and will run around a bit on the pan. It'll still taste good, though.
If you are making tarts, then scoop the filling into the shells. If you're making cookies, then spoon the batter onto a baking sheet topped with parchment paper.
The cookies take about 10 minutes in the oven. Mini-tarts take about 20 minutes and bigger ones might take up to 30. Just check them frequently. When they are golden brown, they are done. Let them cool before eating.
This will make several dozen cookies, and fewer tarts (depending on shell size). The picture shows mini-fillo shells.
To drink: San Miguel, a fine Filipino pilsner-style beer
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