Black rice pudding with coconut cream topping

(4 Servings)

Black Rice Pudding

Ingredients

Preparation Method

• Black rice must be soaked before it is cooked. The longer you soak it, the faster it will cook. At a minimum you should soak it at least 12 hours (overnight) but I’ve found that letting it soak for up to 36 hours will shorten the cooking time to an hour or so.
• When you’re ready, bring 2 cups / 440 ml of water to a boil, then add the rice and reduce heat to a simmer.
• Cook the rice covered for 30 minutes or so, then remove the lid. Continue cooking until most of the water is absorbed. This can take several hours if you haven’t soaked the rice very long.
• Add the palm sugar and stir the mixture constantly until it is dissolved. This can take a few minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool. The pudding is best served warm, but it can be refrigerated and re-heated in a microwave.

Coconut Cream

Ingredients

Preparation Method

• Heat the coconut cream over low heat, then stir in the rice flour and salt. Keep stirring until the mixture begins to thicken, then stir in the sugar. Remove from heat as soon as the sugar is dissolved.

To serve, spoon some of the rice pudding into a dessert dish, then cover with a little coconut cream.

Dabu-dabu – the Indonesian "salsa"

I did a little investigating and found several recipes for dabu-dabu. It seems that like any popular dish, there are as many recipes as there are cooks, but the basics remain the same: tomatoes, chilies, lime juice and oil. Common variations include using shallots in place of green onions and the addition of fresh basil. No matter how you make it, be sure to give it a day or more to "ferment" before using. Otherwise it will taste quite "rough".

Ingredients

Preparation Method

• Mix all the ingredients together.
• Store in the refrigerator for at least one day before using.

Time to take a break from Thai food and try a little Balinese cuisine for a change. While Thai dishes tend to be quick light stir-fries, many Balinese and Indonesian dishes often take a bit more time and are a bit heavier.

Balinese Pork & Ginger in Sweet Soy Sauce served with cooked rice.

I got this recipe from the Bali Post, which in turn got it from Bali Guide’s food section. I’ve adapted this recipe a bit by using thin-sliced pork and shredded ginger, which are commonly available in Bangkok supermarkets. If I were serving this as a main dish at a party, I would garnish it with a little of the fresh ginger as well as the chilies. I also added the chilies with the chicken stock so they cooked with the sauce, which made the dish very hot. I love it that way, but if you have a limited capacity for spiciness, then use fewer chilies or use them as a garnish only.

(4 Servings)

Preparation Method

• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or wok (I prefer a skillet for this dish). Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté over medium heat until lightly colored.
• Add the pork and ginger; continue to saut&eacut; for two more minutes over high heat. Add the soy sauces and crushed black pepper; continue to stir-fry for another minute.
• Pour in the chicken stock (and, optionally, the chilies), lower the heat, and simmer for about an hour. When fully cooked, the meat will be dark and shiny, with very little sauce remaining. If you didn’t cook the chilies with the pork, use them as garnish.