[Low-Fat] Tangerine Raspberry Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest from 1 tangerine
• 1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup tangerine juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Directions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 400 degree. Coat 12 large muffin cups with butter and flour (or line with paper liners). Combine zest and sugar in a food processor, pulse until the zest is finely chopped into the sugar. In a large mixing bowl and using hand mixer, whisk together egg, yogurt, oil and vanilla until creamy. Add sugar zest mixture and blend. Remove bowl from the mixer.
• Gradually add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl, and fold using rubber spatula until blended. Gently fold raspberries into the batter. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling up to about 2/3 of the muffin cup.
• Bake the muffins until the edges and tops are golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Let cool a little bit before removing from the pan. Serve warm.

Make 12 muffins

Indonesian Fried Rice with Smoked Sausages and Green Peas

Ingredients:

• 4 red shallots, thinly sliced (or 1 medium sized onion)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon terasi/belacan (fermented shrimp paste)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 4 cups of steamed white rice (preferably medium grain)
• 2 smoked sausages, sliced
• 1/2 cup of frozen green peas
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis (dark sweet soy sauce)
• salt and white pepper to taste
• 2 fried eggs, sunny side up
• 1 tablespoon fried shallots (optional)
• sliced cucumber and tomato (optional)
• prawn crackers (optional)

Directions:

• With mortar and pestle, ground the first 4 ingredients until it forms spice paste. Heat cooking oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the spice paste, cook until fragrant, then add sausages and green peas. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes or until the peas are completely thawed.
• Throw in rice and kecap manis, season with rice and pepper. Stir constantly to make sure that all the ingredients are evenly distributes and that none of ingredients stick to the wok.
• Serve immediately with fried egg, fried shallots, cucumber, tomato and prawn crackers.

Spicy Jicama and Red Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh Jicama, peeled and julienned
• 5 sweet baby red peppers, seeded and juliened
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Mix together Jicama, red peppers, cilantro, cayenne pepper and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle lime juice and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Stewed Plantains in Coconut Palm Sugar Sauce

It's almost Ramadhan again. Time to reminisce and crave all those delicious seasonal dishes that Indonesians love to consume during the month of Ramadhan. This one in particular, called 'kolak pisang' is very easy to make, with the ingredients that (I believe) are widely available in most part of the US. Substitute dark palm sugar with regular brown sugar if you can't find any.

Ingredients:

• 2 large ripe plantains, peeled and sliced (1 inch thickness) diagonally
• 250 grams dark palm sugar
• 150 ml coconut milk
• 500 ml water
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 2 pandanus leaves (optional)

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, boil water, pandanus leaves, palm sugar and salt together over medium heat until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.
• Add coconut milk and sliced plantains. Continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• Serve warm or chilled.

Pan-Fried Flounder with Thai Coconut sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 to 2 seeded and minced serrano chilies
• 3 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 2 kaffir-lime leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons slivered green onions
• 4 6-ounce flounder fillets (other kind of fish can also be used in this recipe, such as mahi-mahi or red snapper)

Directions:

• Combine the first 9 ingredients in a medium skillet. Boil until sauce thickens slightly and reduced to about 1 cup. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper.
• Brush fish all over with 1/4 cup of sauce, sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a very hot skillet, pan fry fish until opaque in the center and golden brown crust forms on the fish. Divide the remaining sauce among 4 plates, top with fish. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions.