Indonesian Style Chicken Rendang

It didn't take me long to go back to posting Asian based recipes - bias much? But the heart does what the heart desires - or something like that! This is my take on Indonesia's Rendang curry - I have already expressed my undying love for Malaysian style Beef Rendang in a previous blog post, so this here is an extension of that pledge, that extends to the Indonesian version which is notably drier and has a few more spices.  Nevertheless, a truly spectacular dish in its own right, just bursting with flavour and spice that secures Rendang as my all time favourite curry, hands down. This version is extremely easy to cook up despite its long, scary list of ingredients, and it's practically a one pot, one blender type of dish - trust me it's all good!
Ingredients
10 x Chicken Drumsticks, equating to 1.5 kg of Chicken pieces if you wish
3 x Star Anise
1 x Onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves x Garlic
3cm piece x Ginger
3 x Dried Chillies, soaked in hot water (Add more if you like more spice)
2 stalks x Lemongrass, white part crushed
2 tbsp x Belachan, dry roasted
2 tbsp x Tamarind Concentrate
1 400ml can x Coconut Milk
2 tsp x Dark Soy Sauce
4 tbsp x Fish Sauce
1 tbsp x Coriander Powder
1 tbsp x Cumin Powder
1 tsp x Turmeric powder
2 tsp x Cinnamon powder
Large Pinch x Nutmeg powder
Pinch x Clove powder
1 tbsp x Sugar
1 cup x Dessicated Coconut, lightly dry roasted
4-5 x Lime leaves, cut finely for an optional garnish  
Directions
Place the chicken and star anise in a heavy pot 
Now place all other ingredients, except the dessicated coconut and lime leaves, into a blender and blitz to a smooth, even paste
Pour the paste over the chicken distributing it evenly in the pot
Allow to marinate for 2 hours so that the flavours develop
Place the pot on the stove and bring to the boil

Reduce heat and simmer covered for 45 mins
Remove lid and stir in the dessicated coconut, reserve a little for garnishing later

Increase heat and allow sauce to dry up gradually
Keep stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of pot to prevent catching
After 10 minutes remove the chicken to a serving dish and continue to dry up the sauce
Sauce is ready when it is a coarse, spreadable consistency
To serve, spread the sauce onto the chicken pieces and garnish with extra coconut
Finally garnish with the finely cut lime leaves if using

"It surprises me how delicious this dish is and even more surprising is how easy it is to prepare. It's biggest plus is the one pot cooking method - which is truly rare for me."

Portuguese Style Grilled Chicken...100th post

This post is a milestone for my blog as it is actually my 100th post. It has taken forever to get here as I have come to realize that food blogging is not an easy thing. It is soooooooo time consuming! And as if cooking didn't take long enough; taking top shot photos of the dish and then writing about it and actually publishing it means you really need to manage your time effectively.  Something that I have not been able to do too well considering I do have a life outside food!  Although this sounds like I'm talking about throwing in the towel on blogging - trust me, I ain't!  On the contrary, I take pride in my little piece of the web and after 100 posts and nearly 30,000 views, I can think of nothing better but to go on and fill cyberspace with more and more of the foodie gems of life that I have uncovered and wish to share with the world wide network.  So like or not I am here to stay!
To commemorate the 100th post I have chosen a real favourite dish of mine.  This is my version of Portuguese style chicken - yes the kind you get at that famous place that rhymes with "Dandos".   I have made this a number of times and it is a hit with all chilli lovers.  The secret is in the marinade - get your hands on a bottle of pickled peri peri chillies.  It's what seperates this dish from other regular grilled chicken dishes.  You can make it completely in the oven, but the second grilling is what imparts that sought after charred flavour.

To make the marinade. Blend the following in a Food Processor:

5 x Peri Peri Chillies (If you like it hot then add more and get ready to sweat)

Alternatively you can use 10 x Red Chillies (if you like it mild use the less hotter ones..and less chillies of course)

4 cloves x Garlic

1 Tbsp x Dried Oregano

Juice & Zest of 1 large Lemon

A good splash of Olive Oil (to get the marinade all creamy)

A pinch of Salt to taste   
1.5 kg Chicken pieces, 
Directions
Combine the marinade ingredients with the chicken in a bowl and leave in the fridge overnight for best results - if you're in a hurry then prick the chicken all over and marinate for a couple of hours - not as good but will suffice
Heat the oven to 200 degrees celcius
Remove as much marinade from the chicken and place the chicken pieces on a wire frame over a roasting tray, this will ensure that the chicken cooks evenly and the dripping juices are caught
Cook chicken in the oven for 1 hour turning over and basting with the drippings every 15 minutes
Put the leftover marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil then reduce to a thick saucy consistency
Now the dish can be completed here if you choose, all you have to do is baste with the marinade reduction and cook in the oven for a further 10 minutes on each side then serve

The second grilling - do this if you want that grilled taste and charred flavour just like the shop's - I love it!
Heat a grill pan, heavy frypan or bbq hotplate
Baste the chicken pieces with the marinade and fry on each side for 3-5 minutes
Serve piping hot with a wedge of lemon and a napkin to wipe the sweat.

Warning: Chillies and high heat equal a lot of smoke - so unless you have an industrial strength rangehood or lungs of steel, I recommend this step be completed in a well ventilated area like the backyard so you can make the neighbours jealous!      

Delicious, marinated, charred and devilishly hot for the taking - definitely not "Blandos"

Here's is a serving suggestion - The two piece feed - Spiced Rice recipe in the Basics page

Black Risotto with Calamari

I figured it was high time to post a dish that wasn't Chinese or Indian, just to prove to myself that Asian food was not my only forte. The inspiration for this dish came from a lunch that I had at the Pumphouse gastropub in the city fringe area of Brunswick. I was game enough to try a black risotto with prawn and bugs - the seafood kind not creepy crawlies! This was whilst my lunch companions relied upon their faithful pub grub orders of fish n chips, steak sangers etc. etc. Well, my boldness paid off, as what resulted was the kitchen turning out a delicious dish that was perfectly seasoned and generously dotted with well-cooked fresh seafood. It was also the first time I had tasted black squid ink in a dish, and despite my previous misconceptions of morbidity, the black risotto, as opposed to the usual off-white renditions, received my highest approval. I enjoyed every bit of it, much to the somewhat horror of the non-conformist fish n chip eating aficionados at the table.

Most good continental delicatessens usually sell squid ink and I came across a pack some time back at Casa Iberica. I have been meaning to cook Black Risotto for some time now.

Any risotto of mine needs is own special home-made stock. Sure, a carton of the ready-made kind would do, but for me that just doesn't cut it. I had to make my own fish stock. (Check the Basics page for the recipe)

So while the fish frames simmered into stocky glory it was time to pour a glass of white and get the rest of the ingredients prepared.  Feel free to follow the exact method of prep - wine goes hand in hand with black risotto in my book - but I am no food critic.
Ingredients
2 tbsp x Olive Oil
1 x Onion, finely diced
2-3 cloves x Garlic, finely sliced, extra clove for the Calamari
2 stalks x Celery, finely diced
1 cup x White wine
1 Litre x Fish Stock, kept at a rolling boil on the stovetop
2 cups x Arborio rice
500g x Baby Calamari, cleaned, tentacles diced, hoods sliced into rings
2 sachets x Squid Ink
1 tbsp x Butter
Parsley, roughly chopped
1 x Red Chilli, deseeded and chopped finely
Parmesan cheese, shaved
Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy pan then add the onions, garlic and celery
Saute for 2-3 minutes until the onions soften slightly, do not allow to burn
Bring the heat up to high, pour in the wine and reduce to a third
Add the chopped tentacles and half the sliced rings of calamari 
Follow with the arborio rice folding through the mixture to coat the grains
Pour in a ladle of stock and stir through the rice
Press out the squid ink from the sachets and combine well with the rice mixture

When the rice has absorbed the initial stock add another ladle and stir to combine
Repeat until almost all of the stock is used up then stir in the butter to give it a nice glossy sheen
Move the risotto to a serving dish and prepare the garnish
Heat a small frypan with a little olive oil add the extra clove of chopped garlic and fry for 30 seconds
Now add a small splash of white wine and reduce for a minute
Add the remaining baby calamari rings and fry until translucent and tender
Tip the rings neatly onto the waiting risotto and garnish finally with chopped parsley and chilli
Serve with shavings of Parmesan cheese and more white wine


Tips: A good risotto takes up about 20 minutes of absorption time
The rice grains should be almost completely soft but not entirely
After dispensing the final ladle of stock allow the risotto to stand for a couple of minutes
The mixture should be thick and clump well onto a wooden spoon

"I kept this recipe relatively simple with the calamari but for some added indulgence I highly recommend adding fresh prawns, scallops and/or baby bugs (if you can source them). These are not too overpowering in the fishy department and add a wonderful texture contrast to the dish"