Trip to Cirebon, West Java (1)

Visiting Cirebon was my old dream.
I couldn't remember, when exactly I began to dream visiting Cirebon with my family. After reading some magazines, I had a picture in my mind that Cirebon is a city/town that is rich of culture, has lots of beautiful old buildings, has delicious traditional food and is located not too far from Jakarta.
It must be very interesting and unique place!
Finally, my dream came true... Yes, we made it! Last month, on the first day of our children school holiday, we travelled by train to Cirebon. We started our journey from Gambir Train Station in Central Jakarta, and it took 3 hours only to arrive in Cirebon Station. For our children, this was their first experience of traveling by intercity train.
The majestic mount of Ceremai & flat rice fields were welcoming us just before we entered the Cirebon Station.
Cirebon (formerly referred to as Cheribon in English) is a port city on the north coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is located in the province of West Java near the provincial border with Central Java, approximately 297 km east of Jakarta.
The seat of a former Sultanate, the city's West and Central Java border location have seen its history influenced by both Sundanese and Javanese culture and also Chinese.
source : wikipedia
Kota Udang (~Shrimp City) is the Cirebon's nickname, but shrimp is not the only thing this second largest city in West Java has to over.
So... lets enjoy Cirebon!
where to go? what to visit? what is special about this city?
Those are some common questions for most of people when visiting a new place. And to be honest, we only got little information about this town from the internet. So we booked the hotel a couple of weeks before and off we go. With a help from a free map given by the hotel, we enjoyed this town.
First thing that we tought we should see was Keraton/Palace. It'll be good to show the children the traditional Indonesian Palace. They might not be too interested, but it's good for them to have an experience visiting some of them.
Keraton Kanoman
Keraton Kanoman is one of four palaces in Cirebon. It was founded by Sultan Anom I in 1677. In the outer area of the palace, the siti inggil, are masonry versions of the classic Javanese pendopo form, as opposed to the more conventional timber structures.
source: wikipedia

The other Keraton that we visited was Keraton Kasepuhan, the biggest and the oldest keraton in Cirebon. Keraton Kasepuhan
It is the residence of the Sultan of Kasepuhan. It was built in 1527 and its architecture and interior are a blend of Sundanese, Javanese, Islamic, Chinese and Dutch styles.
After going around the keraton complex... this was the most interesting part for my son; the Cannon, made of cast iron.


Next, we visited some old buildings... not as old as the keraton, but they're quite old and of course...beautiful. All of them were built during Dutch occupation period.
It was a beautiful late afternoon after our children enjoying their swimming time, when we decided to walk together and see those beautiful heritage buildings. We visited about 7 buildings that located close each other.

I will not explain one by one of those buildings, sorry.
This beautiful blog, The Aroengbinang Travelog may give you lots of information about those buildings.
One of the places that always on our 'must visit list' is Traditional Market. It's a must! Like every city have their own uniqueness, I believe that every market have their own specialties.Kanoman Market
Located in the front area of Keraton Kanoman, this biggest market in Cirebon is always busy from morning to late afternoon.
From the outside, it's like other market... crowded, hustle bustle. Love it!

If we look around what they sell, we'll realize... seafood is all around.
As a port city and known as Kota Udang (~Shrimp City), it's not surprising if fresh seafood is available at anytime.

Lots of little attraction entertained us in the market...
The most favorite one for us was watching a lady with her capability of shredding chillies rapidly. Awesome!


I'll write more about the food in my next posting.
next : Trip to Cirebon, West Java (2), what to buy, what to eat.

Bye June, Hi July ...

No posting on the 'busy' June... and now we're in the middle of July, in the middle of the year of 2011. It's a beautiful sunny day here in Jakarta. The children school holiday is almost finish, and next week, they'll be back to school. Happy!

Last month, we were so busy. But we're happy, we're enjoying our dynamic life, up and down... and full of celebrations. Last month we celebrated my husband's birthday, our 13th wedding anniversary, and the end of the school year! ...the holiday scent was blowing around us. We travelled, did camping, had reunions, met family and friends, and of course... trying lots of new food. Oh, one more thing, finally...my son's two front teeth were taken out. We were waiting for that because he's already 8.5 years old!

I'll write more about our trip in the next posting. Now, I just want to share the picture of our joyfull, enjoying the beautiful of local strawberries, brought by my husband from Ciwidey, West Java.

Have a nice weekend, My Friends. See you in my next posting.

Next : Trip to Cirebon, West Java (1) *where to go?

Crazy of Giant Cookies!

These were the most favorite snacks in our home during the month of May; GIANT cookies.
Cookies are the children's favorite. My children always remind me to bake cookies for them. I realize that cookies invoke nostalgic memories of childhood filled with love, laughter and treats. I'll try as much as I can to give that good memories for my children.

To be honest, making cookies is not hard, not at all. It just takes time, since we have to start with mixing the ingredients to make the dough, and 'shape' them. The 'shaping' stage that normally takes time. For this reason, I chose the most easy and simple method; 'dropping', and to make it even more simple, I make them big size... double or even triple than normal cookies drop size. It'll not take too long to drop all the dough to the baking sheets. At the end, the warm and sweet of a home baked delight brings an instant sense of calm and contentment. Yeah, everybody is happy! Very happy.

Jumbo Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies
Big, thick and heavy... since it uses 2.5 cups of oatmeal. Beautiful combination of peanut butter, palm sugar (I substituted brown sugar with palm sugar with same amount), and oatmeal. Delicious.

These cookies were my elder sister's favorite. 'I feel good to know that the cookies contain lots of oatmeal. It makes me not feel quilty to eat lots of them', that she said. For me, I can't finish one cookies in one go. It's just too big.

The original recipe suggests to put 2-4 scoops chocolate and vanilla ice cream in between two cookies to make cookie sandwich. It's up to you.

Source : BHG 'grill it' August 2009
original recipe : Jumbo Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Sandwiches
Ingredients:
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups regular rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raisins and/or semisweet chocolate pieces

Direction :
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease large cookie sheets; set aside.

2. In large a mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat on medium speed until mixture is fluffy. Add the eggs and the vanilla, beat well. On low speed, beat in the flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the rolled oats and the raisins/chocolate pieces.

3. Using 1/4 cup dough for each cookie, drop the dough 3 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. Press the dough into 4-inch circles.

4. Bake in the preheated oven about 10 minutes or until the edges are golden. Let the cookies stand for 1 minute. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and cool completely.


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Giant Chocolate Sugar Cookies
For me personally, these cookies are too sweet. I think I need to reduce the amount of sugar. I like the texture; it is crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Just like 'cookie brownies'.

Since I don't have 2 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, so I used my 1 1/2 inch one. For one cookie I dropped one scoop (using 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop) plus one (normal) tablespoon of dough.

Bake this cookies will fill your house with the sweet and heavy aroma as the cookies bake and take shape in the oven. Let's put your kettle on and indulgence yourself.

source : Martha Stewart 'Cookies' recipes book.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup good-quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, substitute 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions :
1.Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2.Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in shortening (or additional butter). Add egg and vanilla; mix until creamy. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

3.Using a 2 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 4 inches apart. Bake until edges are firm, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.


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Giant Chocolate Chips Cookies
This was my very first time trying Nigella Lawson's recipe. I got the recipe from 'Delicious' Magazine (March 2010 edition), where she wrote a good article 'Perfect Beat' and accompaned the article with 3 recipes.

Originally, this recipe title is 'my favorite cookies'. Mmm, so I really wanted to know how her favorite cookie was. I substituted the salted peanut with chopped cashews and the light brown sugar with palm sugar. And the result... less than 24 hours all the cookies were gone. Our children love it. I know that my children will love all type of cookies that have lots of chocolate chips.

They are delicious cookies, perfect sweetness, but nothing special with the taste. I love its chewy texture.


Source : Delicious Magazine, March 2010
Ingredients:
160 gr unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature
1 frimly packed cupe (220gr) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (110 gr) caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups (225 gr) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (~baking soda)
1 cup (175 gr) chopped milk chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
1 cup (150 gr) salted peanuts, chopped ( I used chopped cashew)

Direction :
1. Using an electric mixer or by hand, beat together the butter, brown sugar and caster sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in the vanilla extract, followed by the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, chopped chocolate and peanuts, mixing well. Chill the cookies dough fo 30 minutes until firm.

3. Preheat the oven to 180C and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.

4. Using clean hands, shape the chilled dough into about 20 fat discs, using slighly less than 3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie.

5. Place 5-6 cookies on each baking sheet, leaving plenty of space in between, then press gently to flatten until about 6 cm across and 1 cm thick.

6. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes until golden brown around the edges and crecked and chewy in the centre, switching the position of the baking sheets halfway.

7. Remove the cookies from the oven while they are still soft in the centre or they will lose their chewiness as they cool. Allow the cookies to rest on baking sheets for abou 3 minutes before transferring them to wire rack to cool.

8. Repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough. Once completely cool, you can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Tuna Balls for My Daughter's Birthday

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating;
there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
~John Ruskin.

We were at the last week of May...
Sun and rain became our daily friends. I felt so blessed that we still could enjoy our daily routine, managing our time to do our 'busy' activities and staying active. Meeting family and friends, enjoying the delicious tropical fruits and vegetables everyday, exercising regularly under the beautiful morning sunshine, ...ahhh I'm so grateful for His bless.

On the first week of May, we celebrated our daughter 11th birthday. Yeah, she has turned to a teenager girl, and for me, now she is more like a friend than a daughter. We're so happy that she's growing healthy, and enjoying lots of sport activities. She is a very good swimmer (she can do all the 4 swimming styles perfectly!), she is a fast runner, a badminton player and now, she is planning to learn taekwondo. Don't be surprised if you meet her, for the last a couple of months she grows tall faster than before and now she is (only) less than 10 cm shorter than me.
A couple of days ago, I had a chit-chat with her and I realised how happy she is with her school, her study, and I want to make sure she understands that we always support her study especially for her preparation for Ujian Nasional (National Exam) next year. It'll need hard working, since her 'Bahasa Indonesia' ability still needs to be improved.

My daughter is the one who makes me pushing myself to be a creative homecook. She always brings homemade food for her lunch since she started school. I learn a lot about her appetite, her favorite food, and also healthy food for all of us. I make sure her lunch that I prepare since morning will be delicious, healthy and good looking while she eats it.
Not like other kids, she claims herself as a 'not related with cake' person. But she likes brownies, muffins, and pudding. Strange huh? Many times she refuses a plate of cake during a birthday party. So I know, she does not really enjoy to eat the 'sweet' birthday cake.
While we planned to make a birthday cake for her, I was thinking to make something that she really likes & it'll be good to put some candles on it. Then finally we found an idea to make her favorite 'tuna balls'. She likes this food since she was much smaller.

I remember when we brought this kind of 'birthday cake' to my parents house, where we celebrated her birthday, my father asked me,"So where is the birthday cake ?" while at the same time we were busy lighting the candles :D.

So this was her 'birthday tuna balls'. I was so happy that this time, she was the one who ate the most the balls, and she just spared one ball for my eldest sister who came late.

Grow and shine, Pat ! We hope you face every new day of opportunity and joy with enthusiasm.
Tuna Balls
I posted this recipe (in Bahasa Indonesia) a couple years ago, check this posting.
Ingredients:
400 grams canned tuna
100 gr onions
75 g margarine (for sauteing)
100 gr flour
300 ml of milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 / 2 teaspoon pepper
1 tsp sugar
150 gr bread crumbs
2-3 eggs (lightly beaten)
cooking oil (for frying)
Direction :
1. Drain the canned tuna, then put the fish in a bowl, set aside. Chop the onion.
2. Heat the butter, saute onion until fragrant. Add the flour, stirring quickly. Pour milk slowly while stiring the dough.
3. Add the fish, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir, set a side, wait until cool.
4. Shape dough like a small balls, diameter 2 1/2 cm, roll into bread crumbs, dip in beaten eggs. Roll back into the bread crumbs.
5. Heat oil in a skillet distinguished lot, use medium heat. Fried the tuna balls until brown, remove and drain.

Easter Morning Crown

After the Ash Wednesday 40 days ago, last week we remembered the Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and yesterday was the big day; Easter Sunday.
Happy Easter for all Christians around the globe.

A couple of days ago, I was so excited with my plan to bake 'Hot Cross Bun' for Easter morning. I chose the recipe (the one that I have never tried before) and prepared all the ingredients days before. Since the recipe is using 'active dry yeast' whereas I only have 'dried instant yeast', so I looked some other recipes trying to find the 'formula' for subtitution of both type of yeast.
I found this recipe with title 'Christmas Morning Crown' (that using 'dried instant yeast') from Delicious Magazine. At the end, I changed my mind, instead of bake hot cross bun, I decided to bake 'Easter Morning Crown' :)
Easter, with its theme of renewal and awakening, presents the perfect opportunity for cooking familiar foods and trying new recipe.

align="left">Baking this 'cinnamon rolls' is another excitement. I read the recipe many times before starting the preparation, to make sure I really understand the method of this bread making.
Lots of little shocking moments happened later. I was a bit surprised when found the dough was very small at the beginning. During the baking time, another surprise came up... the bread grew so big, out of my expectation. Something must be wrong I thought, but I tried to ignore it. I kept continue all the steps including styling and photographing.
At the last photographic style, I wanted to show the inside part of the bread. Other than cutting the bread, I just grabbed one roll, and bite it.
Oooh ... my eyes were open soooo big while chewing the bread. It tasted sooo good!
I have to say, I'm so proud of myself... I can make a very delicious cinnamon rolls! yipppy...!
Hhhmm... I think the type of this bread is in between cinnamon rolls and sticky bun.
My husband, my children... all of us love it.

align="left">Easter Morning Crown
Source : Delicious Magazine, 100th issue (Dec 2010/Jan 2011)
original recipes' title : Christmas Morning Crown
makes 9 scroolls
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup (225 gr) strong (bread) flour +extra to dust
7 gr sachert dried instant yeast
125 gr unsalted butter, chopped +extra to grease
1/2 cup ( 125 ml) warm milk
1 egg, beaten
50 gr brown sugar
2 tbsp chopped hazelnuts (I used 5 tbsp chopped cashews)
1 tsp mixed spice (I used 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp 'bumbu spekuk'*)
1/3 cup (55 gr) chopped mixed peel -------]
1/3 cup (55 gr) sultanas ----------------------] (I used 150 gr raisins)
1/4 cup (50 gr) glace cherries, chopped ---]
3/4 (110 gr) icing sugar
1-2 tbsp lemon juice (I used 1 tbsp lime juice + hot water + vanilla essence)

Grease a baking tray and dust with flour. Sift flour into a large bowl, add yeast and 1/2 tsp salt. Rub in 40gr butter to form coarse crumbs. Mix in milk and egg to form a dough. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for 1 hour in a warm place until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, beat remining butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until combined. Add nuts, spice, peel, sultanas and cherries and stir to combine.
Punch down dough to expel air, knead briefly, then roll out on a floured surface to form a 30 cm x 23 cm rectangle. Spread fruit mixture over dough, leaving a 2 cm border on the long sides. Roll up from one long side, then cut into 9 equal pieces. Place slices, cut-side up, on the floured tray so it forms a circle with a slices just touching. Cover with a clean towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until slightly risen.
[Once risen, you can cover the crown and chill overnight, then bring back to room temperature before baking].
Preheat oven to 180C. Bake crown for 20 minutes until golden. Cool slightly. Mix icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a soft icing, then drizzle over crown.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Bumbu Spekuk; the seasoning is a mixture of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg and ground cardamom.

Mie Godog

Delicious and Humble.
That's how I describe this kind of dish.

One night, a couple of days ago, just before went to bed... all of sudden I felt hungry, very hungry. It was 10 pm! I sat down in our dining table while drinking a cup of milk (it's enough to kick away my hunger) and opened one of my recipe books. Then I was drooling after seeing a picture of 'mie godog' in one page. I went to my bedroom, showed the picture to my husband and said 'this is the one that I'll cook tomorrow'.

The next morning, I found all I need in the market... and tarrraaa.... I had a delicious lunch! Simple ingredients, easy to make, delicious result, and I was full of happiness.

This noodle dish is popular in Java as Mie Godog Jawa or Mie Kuah Jawa. Both refer to this boiled noodle type of dish. There is no fancy ingredients, but with simple combination method, stiring and boiling, this fast healthy food can be served in your home.

Mie Godog
Source : Primarasa, Masakan Mie, Bihun dan Suun
Bahan / Ingredients
300 gr mie basah-segar / 300 gr 'wet-fresh' egg noodles
200 gr kol / 200 gr cabbage
2 buah tomat / 2 tomatos
2 batang daung bawang / 2 spring onions
2 batang seledri / 2 celery
1 potong (200 gr) dada ayam goreng / 1 piece (200 gr) fried chicken breast
4 sdm minyak goreng / 4 tbsp oil
1000 ml kaldu ayam / 1000 ml chicken stock
2 butir telur / 2 eggs
2 sdm kecap manis / 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
2 sdm bawang goreng, untuk taburan / 2 tbsp fried onion
Bumbu Halus / Spices (ground)
6 butir bawang merah / 6 shallots
4 siung bawang putih / 4 garlic
4 butir kemiri goreng / 4 candlenut
1 1/2 sdt merica / 1 1/2 tsp white pepper
2 1/2 sdt garam / 2 1/2 tsp salt
Pelengkap / Complement
Emping goreng / melinjo nut crackers
Acar mentimun / cucumber pickles

Bahasa Indonesia:
1. Siram mie dengan air hangat, tiriskan. Iris kol 1 cm, belah-belah tomat, iris daun bawang dan seledri 1 cm. Suwir dada ayam, sisihkan.
2. Panaskan minyak goreng dengan wajan, tumis bumbu halus hingga harum dan bau langunya hilang, tuangi sedikit kaldu.
3. Masukkan kol, tomat dan daun bawang, aduk sebentar, Sisihkan sayur ke bagian pinggir wajan. Masukkan telur, aduk-aduk hingga telur berserabut.
4. Tuang sisa kaldu, masukkan kecap manis. Masak hingga mendidih, masukkan mie, ayam suwir dan seledri, aduk perlahan hingga seluruh bahan cukup matang, angkat.
5. Pindahkan mie ke dalam piring saji, taburi bawang goreng. Hidangkan selagi panas dengan pelengkap emping goreng dan acar mentimun.

English:
1. Rinse the noodles with warm water, drain. Slice the ​​cabbage 1 cm wide, cut wedges the tomatoes, slice ​​the onion and celery 1 cm wide. Tear the chicken breast and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a skillet, saute ground spices until fragrant and smell good, pour a bit of chicken stock.
3. Add cabbage, tomatoes and spring onions, stir briefly, move the vegetables to the edge of the pan. Add the eggs and stir until they get stringy.
4. Pour the remaining stock, add soy sauce. Cook until boiling, put the noodles, chicken pieces and celery, stir slowly until all ingredients are cooked enough, then remove from heat.
5. Transfer the noodles into a serving dish, sprinkle with fried onions. Serve hot with complementary chips and cucumber pickles.

Acar Mentimun / Cucumber Pickles
Bahan / Ingredients:
500 gr mentimun / 500 gr cucumbers
500 gr wortel / 500 gr carrots
*cabe rawit, buang tangkainya (optional) / bird's eye chillies
Aduk rata / Mix together:
200 ml air matang / 200ml (cooked) water
2 sdt gula pasir / 2 tsp sugar
2 sdm cuka masak / 2 tbsp vinegar
1 sdt garam / 1 tsp salt
Bahasa Indonesia:
1. Buang bagian isi mentimun dan tengah wortel yang keras. Cuci bersih.
2. Potong masing-masing ukuran dadu 1 - 1 1/2 cm
3. Campur mentimun, wortel (dan cabe rawit). Tuangin larutan gula cuka. Aduk-aduk hingga rata. Diamkan selama 1 jam agar meresap dan agak layu.
4. Sajikan.
English :
1. Discard the inside part of cucumber and carrot. Clean both.
2. Cut each into cube size 1-1 1 / 2 cm
3. Mix the cucumber, carrots (and chillies). Add the vinegar-sugar mix. Stir until blended. Let stand for 1 hour to absorb and slightly wilted.
4. Serve.