rembang_cooking

The regency of Rembang is the birth place of Raden Ajeng Kartini ,a remarkable figure in Indonesian women's liberation. R.A. Kartini ( 1879 - 1904 ) was the daughter of an enlightened Javanese aristocrat whose arden yearning s for emancipation. She was among a few fotunate women who received Dutch education during colonization. Her struggle was articulated in a series of letter written in Dutch ( now published in English as letters of a javanese Princess , with a foreword by Eleanor Roosevelt ).

Geographically ,regency of Rembang is located on the northern coast of Java island ,surrounded by other historical town such as Kudus ,Jepara and Blora.

Every year in April ,Indonesian woman celebrate their right for freedom. In honor of R.A. Kartini and everything she had fought for her fellow women ,Bali Global Market Ezine would like to dedicate a culinary liberation from hometown Rembang. Unlike its notorius battle for freedom ,this friendly town keeps its culinary modest and unheard - of , but this special dedication is presented in such unique way to characterize the daily life of people from Rembang.

ACAR TAHU

( TOFU IN YELLOW SAUCE )

Ingredients :

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil ,to saute

3 Candlenut ,pound or grind

150 coconut cream from 1/4 coconut

2,5 cm ginger ,peeled and chopped

1 lemon grass ,bruise

6 bird's eye chillies

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoon sweet soy sause salt to taste

5 white tofu ,cut into 4 parts ,deep fried until golden brown

7 shallots ,thinly cut ,fried until golden brown

Heat oil and saute candlenuts until golden brown. Pour coconut cream. Add ginger ,lemon grass ,bird's eye chiles ,vinegar ,palm sugar , sweet soy sauce , and salt. Cook over medium heat and stir countinuously . Place tofu ,shallots ,and garlic. Simmer until the sauce thickened. ( Makes : 4 servings )

TEMPEH IN COCONUT MILK

( NYOMOK TEMPE )

Ingredients :

500 ml coconut milk from 1/2 coconut

100 gram tempeh ,cut in cubes ( 2X2X2 cm )

1 tablespoon vegetable oil ,to saute

7 green chillies ,remove seed ,thinly sliced

2.5 cm fresh galangale ,buised

1 salam lef

fried shallots ,for garnish.

Spice paste :

5 shallots

3 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon coriander seed ,fry dry

1/4 teaspoon caraway seed ,fry dry

2,5 fresh turmeric ,grilled

1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste ,grilled

1/2 teaspoon palm sugar

Salt to taste.

Pound or grind spice paste ingredients until coarse. Heat oil paste ingredients until coarse. Heat oil and saute green chilles ,galanggale ,salam leaf , and ground spice paste until fagrance. Pour coconut milk. Add tempeh and cook over medium heat. Stir frequently. Garnish with fried shallots and serve. Makes : 4 Servings

CASSAVA DESSERT

( APEM SINGKONG )

Ingredients :

500 gram cassava ,peeled and cleaned ,grated

250 gram tapai ( fremented cassava ) ,pureed

75 gram palm sugar

vegetable oil ,from coating 1/4 coconut ,peeled and cleaned ,grated ,steam with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Blend well cassava ,pureed tapai ,and palm sugar in a bolw. Knead until soft. Set a side for about 2 hours. Coat round cake mold ( 5 cm diameter ) with vegetable oil. Pour cake mix into the mold. Steam for 30 minute until cooked. Remove from mold. Cut and serve with steam coconut. ( Makes : 12 pieces )

REMBANG SATAY

( SATE KALA )

Igredients :

300 gram beef topside

100 ml coconut cream from 1/4 coconut

1 teaspoon tamarind liquid

satay skewer.

Spice paste:

4 Red chillies

1/4 red chillies

1/4 teaspoon dried shrimp paste ,grilled

1 teespoon palm sugar

Salt to taste.

Sweet Soy sauce:

50 ml sweet sauce

2 cloves garlic,bruised

3 bird's -eye chilles ,sliced.

Prepare spice paste by grinding or blending all of igredients. Cut each of the meats into squares of about 2 cm. Thread the meat onto satay skewer. Simmer coconut cream ,tamarind liquid ,and spice paste on low heat until thickened. Marinate satay with spice paste mix and grill over hot charcoal until cooke. Serve warm with sweet soy sauce. ( Makes 9 satay ).

STEAM BANANA CAKE

( BONGKO PISANG )

Ingredients :

500 ml coconut milk from 1/2 coconut

150 gram granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pandan leaf ,tied in knot

250 gram rice flour

1 large bananas ,thinly cut

15 cm squares banana leaf , for wrapping toothpicks.

Combine sugar ,salt ,and pandan leaf in coconut milk. Mix well. Bring to a boil on medium heat , while stiring continuesly . Add rice flour and repeat stirring. Place banana before removing it from heat. Put 2 heaped tablespoon banana cake mixture onto a square banana leaf. Pleat in both side. Fold one end of pleat to the front and the other to the back. Repeat on other side to firmly enclose content. Secure with a toothpick. Steam for about 30 minutes until done. Cool and serve at room temperature ( Makes : 10 cakes )

Source from Selera Magazine