Our Hari Raya Lunch With Friends

Left to right, top to bottom:

ketupat (rice cake), begedil (potato patties), rendang (malay beef dish)

emping belinjo (padi oat crackers), peanut sauce, sambal tumis udang & telur burung (prawn & quail egg sambal tumis)

sayur lodeh (malay vegetable curry), gado-gado (Indonesian vegetable salad)




For dessert, kek lapis (layered cake), biskut gajus (cashew cookie), kek buah (fruit cake)

I had the lofty ambition of accompanying this post with individual pictures of the food I prepared and their recipes. But when you are cooking 5 dishes for 30 people, it leaves little time to pick-up the camera. The real feat was not the cooking, but squeezing 30 people into our apartment! I plan cook the dishes again (just not all at the same time), and post pictures and recipes soon. So tired now, but happy that we fed so many people!

Empty dishes

Let's see. 50 shallots, 8 onions, 30 garlic cloves, 8 pounds beef, 5 pounds shrimps, various amounts of cabbage, water spinach, long beans, tofu, tempe, carrots, jicama, potatoes and eggs. I think these dishes will not remain empty for long. And labels are very important. Then you'll know where everything goes!

For the weekend

Something cheerful to start the weekend with (via Skippettystreet)

Onions, thy name art tears

**

I wish that onions would let me do that to them. But when I have this much onions (shallots, rather) to peel ......

I have only one solution .....





** via om-nom-nomivore

Broiled Prawn with Miso

This prawn with miso dish has straight-up become one of S's favorite dishes. I used to enjoy it in a Japanese restaurant in Singapore — Akashi — with my girlfriends. I can't find it in any Japanese restaurant here, so I decided to make my own. It looks fancy but it's simple to make, perfect for impressive dinner guests. Creamy, sweet and salty - yum. Just marinate the prawns overnight and put them under the broiler 10 minutes before you are ready to eat. I paired the prawns with a soba noodle soup - another simple dish that does not take long to prepare.

Broiled Prawn With Miso
inspired by Akashi

4 freshwater prawns
¾ cup white miso
½ cup sugar
¼ cup mirin

1. To make the miso paste: mix the miso, sugar and mirin in a small saucepan at medium high heat. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves. Bring to a boil and switch off the heat. Let the paste cool.

2. Clean the prawns. Make a deep cut in the belly of the prawn, cutting the length of the prawn being careful not to cut through. Press open the prawn. Spread the miso paste on the prawns, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Keep in the refrigerator for 2 hours (or overnight).

3. Heat the broiler to high. Put the prawns on the highest rack in the oven and broil for 5-7 minutes, depending on the size of the prawns.

Serve with soba noodle soup or a salad.