Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Indonesia’S Rendang And Nasi Goreng Crowned World’S Most Delicious Foods

http://www.indonesia-recipe.com

The authentic taste of West Sumatra gained worldwide recognition, as Rendang - signature dish of Padang- was crowned World’s Most Delicious Food on “Your pick: World's 50 most delicious foods”, the  list issued by cnngo.com on September 7th, 2011. Placed second after Rendang is Indonesia’s equally popular dish, - and one of the favorite dishes of Barrack Obama, President of the United States, namely Nasi Goreng or fried rice. While Satay, another staple Indonesian dish of charcoal grilled skewered meat cubes, also stood proud at No. 14.
Originating from the Minangkabau region of Indonesia, in West Sumatra, Rendang was initially served solely at ceremonial occasions to gaji guests. Nowadays, however, Rendang has become the icon of Padang Restaurants found all across the country and abroad.  The article perfectly illustrates Rendang as follows: “Beef is slowly simmered with coconut milk and a mixture of lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilies, then left to stew for a few hours to create this dish of tender, flavorful bovine goodness”.
The cnngo.com article was revised from an earlier release dated July 21st entitled “World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods” which did not specify what criteria it used to compile the list. The article stimulated some impassioned debates, and ultimately CNNGO threw an open vote on Facebook Poll. After more than 35,000 votes entered, the site released a whole new list which placed Rendang on Top of the list, followed by Nasi Goreng as runner up, and Japanese Sushi on third.
 “It appears we got it all wrong. The world’s most delicious food is not Massaman curry, as we suggested, but a meaty, spicy, gingery dish from west Sumatra”,  admitted CNNGO on its newly revised list.
Leading the world’s taste, Rendang and Nasi Goreng outranked Japanese Sushi and Ramen, Thailand’s Pad Tai and Som Tam, Hong Kong’s Dim Sum, Chinese Pecking Duck, Italy’s Lasagna and Gelato, U.S Ice Cream, France’s Croissant, and other delicacies around the world.
The wonder of combining rice with egg, chicken and prawns also made the list: Nasi Goreng came in second.  This Indonesian delight received more than 10 times the vote of its Thai counterpart, propelling the former from non-runner up to runner-up. Further down, sitting pretty at number 14, Satay is a representation of Indonesian classic taste.
There is no better way to enjoy the indulging taste of Rendang than in its popular originating city of Padang. Not only enjoying its authentic taste, here, visitors can also experience the unique way of how Padang food is served. Waiters in Padang Restaurants can expertly carry on both arms more than ten plates filled with all kinds of delicacies, a signature skill and style specific to Padang Restaurants. These dishes will then be spread out on the table for diners to pick and choose. Guests will be charged only for those dishes they have taken by counting the empty plates on the table.
A Complete list of the 50 most delicious foods can be found at:

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Bali - Great New Sababay Wines.

Last week I saw at the supermarket in Negara a merk new rose wine, Sababay.

In Bali there are not so much good rose types, only a lot of very expensive imported wines. So I take two bottles home, Rp 140,000. per bottle, and I must say it tastes excellent.

The rose is made from Alphonso grapes by the first French winemaker in Bali. Highly recommended.

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Bali - Mangsi Coffee

At a glance, Mangsi Coffee looks similar to various other coffee houses. However, the newly opened coffee house has been established due to the owner’s desire to preserve Balinese culture.

The word mangsi refers to the black residue from oil burned in an oil lamp.
In the olden days, parents put mangsi on the foreheads of their children who often played outside, to symbolize the god Brahma’s protection over the children from any kinds of danger.

The coffee house, situated on Jl. Hayam Wuruk 195 in Denpasar, serves only original Bali coffee harvested from Kintamani and produced in the own factory. So visitors should not expect imported coffee or any other type of coffee from outside Bali to be served there. The regular hidangan at the cafe includes original coffee, espresso, cappuccino and coffee latte. Favorite items include Kopi Tubruk Stamina, Special “Coffee Vitality”, and Special “Coffee Spirit”.

The cafe is run along the motto “Murah, Enak dan Banyak” (cheap, tasty and large portions). Prices range from Rp 2,000 to Rp 20,000, except for Kopi Luwak Arabica which is tagged at Rp 30,000 per cup. The interior is dominated by tables and walls made from second-hand wood, covered with used newspaper and magazine pages.

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Bali - Masakan Ringan Bagus Putu

Among the street food available on the island, Kue Putu possesses a special signature quality: Its cooking process releases a whistle resembling that of a steam locomotive.

Children across the island learn early to identify the passing street food vendors from the sounds they make. A tinkling sound produced by an aluminum spoon knocking against a porcelain bowl means that the bakso (meatball) vendor is around the corner. A clapping sound created by a bamboo stick hitting a wooden block means that the mie ayam (chicken noodle) seller is nearby. While a repeated high-pitched whistle means that camilan cantik putu seller is around.

The cake is made of rice flour, pandanus leaves and palm sugar. The pandanus leaves are boiled and the water is used to give the flour its green color and aroma.

In the past, the mixture of flour and palm sugar was placed inside short bamboo tubes before being steamed. Nowadays, camilan cantik putu sellers use the more practical, longer lasting, but less aesthetic and probably more dangerous, plastic pipe.
The pipes are placed over tiny holes drilled into the top of rectangular tin can. Inside the tin can is a burning stove and a pan filled with boiling water. The steam released through the tiny holes cooks the cake in no time at all. Kue putu is served warm with freshly grated coconut and are really delicious.

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Bali - The Amazing Coconut Tree (1)

Coconuts are inseparable from the lives of those in the tropics, especially in Bali. Each of its parts, starting from the fruit, leaves, and trunk, is useful for various needs in daily activities.

Locals largely utilise parts of the plant for various needs, starting from the fruit, leaves, and trunk. The Balinese have different names for each stage of the coconut fruit’s development with each different function. The smallest fruit that are around 2 or 3 cm in diameter are called bungsil. Village children use bungsil as simple toys. They attach rubber bands to one end and spin it on the ground then raise it ’til it springs like a spinning top as the children cheer on. When the bungsil develops further into the stage that it contains water, it is referred to as bungkak. Religiously, bungkak is considered a fruit that contains holy water. No wonder that many are used in cleansing rituals by sprinkling its water on offerings or places to be ‘purified’.

The Bungkak soon enlarges and contains fleshy layers. This is then called klungah. But the newly formed flesh is still very juvenile and smooth like jelly but sometimes klungah can still be used for purification purposes. Pregnant women are urged to consume the fruit at this stage during their third trimester. The liquid is believed to help ‘cleanse’ the foetus from the fatty foetal layers that envelop it, making for a lighter skin complexion. But the coconut water that is consumed is the air kelapa muda or yeh kuud. The fruit is called kuud when the flesh is thick but still soft. The water of the fruit at this stage is the most flavorful, as it quenches thirst and prevents dehydration as it is rich in electrolytes. It is also believed to be able to neutralize toxins and provide good cholesterol for the body.

Coconut water can also be fermented to produce a beverage called tuak. This is a type of alcoholic beverage that is popular across the archipelago. When the flesh has hardened, the ripe coconuts are referred to as nyuh. The nyuh is best for grated coconut and also processed for cooking oil by mixing it with water. As the coconut milk is squeezed out, the leftover shreds or usam can still be used for polishing parquet to make it shine.

Before the palm oil industry grew into its current giant form, Balinese people were using coconut oil produced from household and cottage industries. The oil making process has a by-product in the form of telengis that can be prepared for consumption. Pesan telengis leftover shreds are wrapped in banana leaves and then roasted are a delicacy and can be found in traditional markets. It is good to note that each part of the coconut can be used. Thus when the flesh is taken for coconut milk or santan, the shell can still be used for utensils such as plates or rice ladles. The fiber can also be weaved and made into doormats.

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Bali - Breakfast, Try Bubur Ayam

In Bali is bubur, rice or glutinous rice, porridge is a favorite meal for breakfast, or even for an afternoon snack.

In the Indonesian culinary world, bubur is found in every province across the archipelago from Aceh to Papua. Chicken rice porridge is one of the examples. This popular dish is a mixture of rice porridge enriched with chicken broth and served with shredded fried tofu, chicken meat, fried cakwe (Chinese crullers), chopped scallion, celery and topped with fried shrimp crackers.

Bubur ayam, or chicken porridge, is everybody’s favorite breakfast meal and is available at warungs traditional food vendors, street cart vendors and even in restaurants at luxury hotels. Even American fast food chains in Indonesia include chicken porridge in their breakfast packages. Other favorite bubur meals are bubur ketan hitam, black glutinous rice porridge, and bubur kacang hijau, mung bean porridge. In Denpasar, people frequently see street cart vendors selling bubur ketan hitam and bubur kacang hijau as they walk the streets. For local residents, these are the most delicious and affordable breakfast food. The bubur sellers often find public parks and office complexes to be strategic sites for their businesses. A bowl of bubur kacang hijau or bubur ketan hitam is sold for only Rp 3,000.

If you have enough time, you can also cook bubur at home.
Cooking bubur ketan hitam is very easy. Wash the black glutinous rice, which you can buy from the nearest traditional market. Boil the rice in water with a few pandanus leaves to add a delicious fragrant smell to the porridge. Cook the rice until thickened, then add a little salt and brown sugar. Bubur ketan hitam is served with coconut milk and eaten while still warm.

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Bali - Angsa Van Java

Bebek van Java was born in 2006 in Bandung, West Java, as an anything-but-fancy diner.

Years later, its delicious and varying duck-based delicacies have catapulted the once roadside food stall into a popular diner set in a decent building.

In Bali, its outlet lies 100 meters north of the Benoa intersection. Duck-based delicacies have steadily gained fans among the island’s food lovers, especially after the explosive rise of the Ubud-based Dirty Duck and Tepi Sawah, luxurious restaurants that have become a must-visit place for the tourists and the local wealthy population.

In Bebek van Java, a customer could pick from various duck-based dishes cooked with unique spices. For instance, belibis Kalasan, deep fried duck with a spicy mixture unique to Kalasan in Central Java, or the popular Peking duck. The diner also serves duck satay, still a rarity on this island. The signature dish of Bebek van Java is belibis guling (roasted duck), tender cubed meat served with peanut sauce and slices of fresh tomatoes. It boasts a well-balanced, sweet and spicy taste, a factor that makes it very popular among the diner’s regular customers. Prices range from Rp 26,000 to Rp 127,000 for a large portion of Peking Duck.

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Balinese Chocolate

Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennium in Central America, with documented evidence from around 1100
BC found at Puerto Escondido. The Mesoamerican people made cacao into chocolate drinks and used the byproducts to create, among other things, alcohol.

The Aztecs made a drink known as xocolatl, and it is via the Spanish conquistadors that xocolatl entered Europe to eventually become the chocolate characterized by the elegance of individual chocolatiers and the mass-producing companies, such as Cadbury, Van Houten and Nestlé. Today about two-thirds of the world’s entire cacao is produced in West Africa, but it is widely grown throughout the
tropics, including Bali, which begs the question why has there been no truly unique and outstanding Balinese chocolate?

A few years ago Australian chocolate maker Toby Garritt set out to put this right, and from his visionary seeds a true Balinese gem is now emerging. Located within the Bali Elephant Camp at Carangsari village, a few miles north of the famed Sangeh monkey forest, Toby has created a small factory unit complete with a rather stylish café where he invites visitors to learn about, sample and create real chocolate.

The Pod Chocolate experience brings Garritt’s creation to life. The tour takes the visitor from cacao bean to tamat creation and also explains how they are supporting local farmers to develop sustainable and higher value produce. It is a hands-on experience and not just one for the kids, and of course there is lashings of wonderful, real, high quality Balinese chocolate to be tried. Pod Chocolate has already made a significant impact on the high-end hotel market, with brands such as Le Meridien not only selling their chocolate but using them to create signature and truly Balinese deserts.

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