Gulai Ayam Padang (Padang Style Chicken Curry)

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Padang style chicken curry, is reminiscence of my younger years, thanks to a Padang food stall in my campus that I frequented more often than I'd like to admit.

Give me a plate full of this, and somehow I'm transported back to that humble place, having lunch, books on the table next to me, and friends all around me arguing about mundane things.

I miss those moments. And I miss those people.

But memories aside, this spicy and aromatic curry has been and will always be my favorite. The spices make it uniquely Indonesian, combined with the fiery chilies to give it a personality that's undeniably of Padang cuisine.

Serve with hot steamed rice and sprinkle with some fried shallot, if desired.

Ingredients:

• 10 shallots
• 6 garlic cloves
• 10 red thai bird chiles
• 6 candlenuts
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 inch fresh turmeric
• 1 whole chicken, preferably organic and cage-free since they are smaller and less meaty, cut into 8 sections
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 5 kaffir lime leaves
• 3 lemongrass, white parts only, bruised
• 1 dried turmeric leaf, tied in knot
• 1 inch fresh galangal, bruised
• 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
• 2 cans coconut milk
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• Salt to taste

Directions:

• Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they turn into paste. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add paste into the hot oil, along with lime leaves, lemongrass, turmeric leaf, and galangal. Cook until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add coconut milk and tamarind pulp into the skillet, stir to combine. Bring the coconut milk to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Add chicken pieces into the skillet, season with sugar and salt. Cook until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F), and the sauce thickens. Serve hot over rice.

Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) in Spicy Tomato Sauce

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Traditional meatballs have never been a big hit in my household. 

Don't ask me why, I don't know.

But put some exotic flair to it, they will be gone in 10 minutes, followed by disappointed grunts because we have none left.

And I have to agree, traditional meatballs just can't hold a candle to these balls of deliciousness. 

It's not by any mean difficult dish to make, but it requires a little bit of time to prepare this dish. The beautiful thing about it, that you can double or triple the batch, freeze the raw meatballs, thaw and cook them whenever you have the hankering for some. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, finely minced
• 8 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup flour, for dredging
• Oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 can (28 ounces) pureed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

• In a large bowl,  combine meat, onion, half of the garlic, 1 tablespoon of oregano, mint, cinnamon, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture, and roll into a ball. Repeat the process with the remaining meat. You should get about 24 meatballs. 
• Roll each meatball in flour, place them single layer on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, make sure you have enough oil to cover about 1/2 of the height of the meatballs. Fry meatballs in batches, until browned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to remove excess grease.
• In a large saucepan, melt butter, add the remaining garlic and chili flakes, sauté until fragrant. Add tomato puree, chicken stock, and 1 tablespoon of oregano. Season sauce with salt and pepper, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced. 
• Add meatballs into the sauce, continue cooking for about 5-10 minutes, until the meatballs are coated in sauce. Serve with basmati rice, and garnish with chopped parsley. Tzatziki sauce and Greek salad also make great companion for this dish.

Spicy Corn and Pepper Soup

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Meals for meatless Mondays don't have to be bland.

Simple corn soup, for instance, can be taken up a notch by adding some spiciness and smokiness into it. The result is this warming, comforting, and delicious one-of-a-kind soup that will be your family's newest favorite dish.

Ingredients:

• 4 ears fresh corn
• 3 fresh red Jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup cream
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Husk and remove silk. Brush corn and red peppers with some olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the corn and peppers are tender and slightly charred on top. Remove from the oven and cool down.
• With a sharp knife, slice the kernels off the cobs, set aside. Cut red peppers into small dices.
• Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook until tender and translucent. Add corn, pepper, and smoked paprika, stir to mix. Gradually add chicken stock into the pot, bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add cream, salt and pepper,  and mix well. Turn off the heat.
• Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle chopped cilantro on top. Serve with bread, if desired.

Serves 4-6