Gochisou-sama Deshita

"It was a feast!", the direct translation of the Japanese expression in the title of this post. It is usually said as appreciation when someone has a very good dining experience. When we taste our homemade sushi, we definitely have to say Gochisou-sama deshita to each other.

Sushi is one of the most complex food to really feast on. A good fresh sashimi is not enough when enjoying a plate of sushi. The term sushi means vinegared rice, which state the importance of rice for sushi. Finding a restaurant which is able to served the best sushi rice and sashimi is one in a zillion. So we decided to give it a try to make a proper sushi rice.

We trust our sashimi source to Sakura Restaurant, where we ate few months ago and happy with the salmon & maguro sashimi. Also thanks to a friend, we know which rice are good, a good vinegar, and the correct way to make sushi rice. The whole process took around 3 hours, from soaking the rice for 2 hours, cooking it in rice cooker, mixing with rice vinegar, then shape it to form nigiri sushi, topped with fresh sashimi.

The result is sushi feast enough for the day. The sushi rice is sticky enough without losing its texture when formed into nigiri. The rice vinegar need some tweaking by adding pinch of salt and ordinary vinegar to neutralize its sweetness. The thin layer of wasabi and slice of maguro/salmon give a real feast to your taste.

We are even more happier when we see the bill. The whole experience cost less than 1/4 of a decent meal at sushi restaurant. Plus that we have 2 meals instead of one.

Our Sushi Rice (Su-Meshi) Recipe
makes +/- 20 pcs

• 1,5 cup Japanese Rice (Kokuho)
• 3 tbsp Sushi Su (Japanese Sushi Mixture)
• 1 tbsp Vinegar (we used distilled white vinegar)
• Pinch of salt
• 75 gr chu toro (maguro)
• 75 gr sake (salmon)

Direction

• Soak the rice 2 hours in advance, then bring to cook using rice cooker. Water vs rice should be 1 cup rice : 1,2 cup water.
• When cooking was done, plug off the cable and start mixing the rice with sushi su, vinegar, and salt evenly to fold all mixture into the rice. Close the cooker lid and wait for 10 minutes.
• Spread the rice strictly over flat wooden base (we used “tampah” anyway) and let cool off. Start forming the rice with your hand comparing to fish size.
• Rub a small dab of wasabi over the rice, and press the fish firmly onto the rice. Served.

Tips

• If the rice sticks to your hand, wet your hand with mixture of water and white vinegar.
• Don’t worry if your su-meshi don’t look very neat. It takes at least 2 years practice in sushi kitchen restaurant.
• Trust yourself, and enjoy your try out.
• Wasabi should be assumed to have a very strong flavor unless otherwise proven (Translation: don't put too much wasabi between the rice and sashimi)
  

~~~~ Gochisou-sama Deshita ~~~~

Baked Corn Fusili Pasta

I'm scratching my head this morning trying to understand this recipe. One question left unanswered is, how can they made the fusili stick together when baked? Traditional macaroni schotel use egg yolk as the binding agent. Other use mozzarella. Counting on faith, I scramble around the rack in Sogo Food Hall and Farmers Market for the ingredients. Here it goes.....

• 200 gr Macaroni Elbow (I replaced this with Fusili)
• 1 Onion
• 2 tbsp Frying Oil
• 2 medium sized corn, boiled
• 100 gr Cheddar Cheese, cut into small cube (shredded might be better, so it mix better with the rest of the ingredients)
• 200 ml Plain Yoghurt
• 50 ml Thick Cream
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 150 gr Smoke Beef, cut into small square
  
• 2 tbsp Parsley
• 2 clove of Garlic
• Salt and pepper

Sautéing Corn Cheese Sauce

1. Sauté the garlic, then onion, and smoke beef until sizzle. Pour in cream, yoghurt, corn and season with Italian Seasoning. Cook under low flame until boiled.
2. Put in cheddar cheese (This is where I think my mistake was. I should wait until the cheddar melt, so that it can bind the fusili when baked)

Baking The Pasta

1. Boil the fusili until al dente
2. Arrange the macaroni (or fusili) in a baking pan, 2-3 cm thick. Then pour the corn cheese sauce on top. Sprinkle the parsley
3. Put the pan into pre-heated oven (200 Celcius) until it dries
4. Share the results with the whole family

Go Green: Hand-Powered Milk Frother

Kiko bought me a new coffee gadget, hand pump milk frother. "Enjoy whipping and make your coffee", written in front of the carafe. A complete instruction on how to use it is clearly printed in the back, saving you from keeping another manual sheet.

I'm putting it to use right away, at 12 am midnight, by frothing a cold Greenfield Pasteurized Milk. My first impression for the result is quite satisfactory, a frothed milk with quite good consistency. Not a real consistency from one frothed with espresso machine's steam wand, but certainly better than my battery-operated milk frother.

So, the next morning, with my trusted moka pot, I brew a fresh coffee bean for a cup of latte. Still using the same milk, heated on a stove, and then putting the frother in action. The consistency of the milk is excellent, that save for my skill level, I almost made my first latte art.

I would certainly recommend this gadget for latte lover. And those green movement supporter will certainly agree, since this is the most environmental friendly milk frother :D

Cold Pasta Salad

Pasta and cheese.... hmm.... a combination that is hard to resist, even when it is in form of letters, numbers and photos in recipe book. Especially when it took only 30 minutes to prepare, over an evening coffee session. Any other objection?

Ingredients:

• 200gr Fusili Pasta
  
• 2 Red Tomatoes
  
• 150gr Broccoli
  
• 100gr Cheddar, grated (Optional)
  
• 250gr Smoke Chicken (I run out of stock, and replace it with chicken burger meat instead)
• 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 2 shallots, coarsely minced
  
• 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
  

Direction for dressing:
Mix Mayonnaise, Olive Oil and Shallots into mixing bowl, then stir. Keep it in cold in the fridge until ready to serve

Direction for pasta mix:

1. Cook the Fusili until Al Dente, and dry
2. Boil the broccoli
   
3. The tomatoes should be unseeded, and the sliced to your taste. I like to cut it into square
4. Smoke chicken (or in my case, chicken burger meat) should be cut into square
5. Then store them all in the fridge until ready to serve

Direction for serving:

1. I like to arrange the fusili as the base, broccoli circled above the fusili, and then the smoke chicken and tomatoes mixed in the middle
2. Pour the dressing, and topped with grated cheese (Note: I forgot the cheese once, and it still taste good. Thus, I put the cheese as optional)
   
3. Take your spoon and fork, taste it, and invite me for a dinner :D

Recipe translated from Menu Magazine

Longing for Espresso

I've been longing to produce my own pressurized coffee, and to froth the latte with the high pressure steam. Yep, I'm longing for an espresso machine. Not for commercial purpose, but more to my love for coffee, and self awareness that over years, my bill for cup of coffee would buy me a trip to Raja Ampat.

While looking for a decent machine and saving some cash, I settled with a cheaper alternative, a Moka Pot, bought at Ikea in my last trip to Singapore. For the coffee, I bought one pack of Jones Blend from Jones the Grocer. I've tested a cup of Latte in their coffee shop, and for me, their blend is good enough as my trial coffee.

The whole family joy on this pot. Using my Krups Grinder to grind the coffee, my first attempt results in the coffee make it through the middle chamber. Reducing the finesses of the grinder, the Moka Pot has successfully extract enough coffee to make 3 cups of latte for them, which they crave for more.

Umami Bites

A dear friend usually remember your interests. And when they found one beyond ordinary, they do like to share even taking samples for another tasting notes. Snacks on JAL (Japan Airlines) were not an exception. Cashew, almond, nori crackers, rice crackers already make our dear friend nuts, for asking almost five packs repeat order to stewardess. After all and after taste, umami rules. This is Japan we’re talking about, with almost homogenous crackers taste. Wasabi peas works much better, especially on injured nap time after taking a plate of rice and its condiments.

Don't Judge A Sashimi by It's Look

A plate of salmon sashimi in the picture on the left probably the most unattractive salmon cut I have seen (Save for sashimi over the counter of Japanese supermarket). The color is blunt, the cut is not that fancy, and one can spot the skin of the fish on top of the cut.

But if one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, this sashimi cuts also deserve the same. The sashimi just melts in your mouth once you taste it, leaving a sweet sensation in the front of your tongue. It does not require additional soyu sauce to enjoy... in fact the soyu will ruin the whole experience. A pinch of wasabi is perfect match for this fresh sashimi.

The restaurant, Sakura is well known for its fresh sashimi. Aside from salmon sashimi, the maguro (Tuna) sashimi also a must-eat food in here. They also serve sushi, but nothing special about it. No worries if one does not like the raw food, the Zaru Soba will certainly a joy for your stomach. The history of Soba noodle dated back to Edo period in 17-19th century. We ordered Zaru Soba, Cold Soba topped with shredded nori and served with the dipping sauce (soba tsuyu). The preserved texture of Soba when served cold combines perfectly with the sweet-salty taste of the soba tsuyu.

Happy with the sushi and the soba, Sakura still serve a complimentary dessert of chocolate pudding. Before you leave, consider to buy some slice of the sashimi for enjoyment at home. Or get their name card, in case you want to have a sushi party at home. Don't forget to invite us :D

Sakura
Your personalized Japanese Restaurant
Jl. R.A. Kartini (T.B. Simatupang) no. 9
Lebak Bulus, Jakarta 12440
Phone: +62 (21) 7511193
Open Daily, 11:00 - 22:30

Wedding Corner

Long time friendly house, greeny trees and colourful flowers, smile spotted from every faces, free flow food and drinks, chitty chat around corner, relaxing queue, and most of all : sincere blessings for the bride and groom. An uplifting revelatory after 2.30 hrs drive packed with traffic jam.

There were two delightful sections : Manadonese starring pork in home style presentation, cooked by mom’s. Babi rica garo, sup brenebon, three kind sambal dabu dabu, nasi jaha, tumis bunga popaya, ikan goreng bumbu, babi panggang. Munchies served : klappertaart, balapis pandan coklat, and fried cakes similar to poffertjes.

On international sections from lasagna to fried rice, mushroom and kailan, sweet and sour fried fish, sapo tahu, sauteed beef yakiniku, to potato gratin with ribs. Baso bakwan compensate the “almost” full belly while chocolate pudding and fruits share fans. Black coffee preserve as last “mouth wash” accompany relaxing mode on the backyard, sharing stories and pictures.

Not just a common wedding, if it was happened to be closed friend. Chic outfit was undeniable but atmosphere built were intimate and warm one even taking witty pics become less timid. Staying for another two or three hours will become an exception, buzzing poco-poco dance practically entertain.

From Ria & Sarli’s Wedding
@ Bogor House

Breakfast @ GA183

As usual, the meals on board of an aircraft is not meant to sooth your taste, but more to survival need. This time, it is about breakfast on a morning flight on board a 737-300 PK-GGV, operating as Garuda Indonesia GA183, 2 hours flight from Medan to Jakarta

Menu served is a bread, topped with some kind of curry and egg, then baked, an unidentified pastry topped with minced meat, slice of orange, melon and papaya. A cup of coffee from the steward complete the early breakfast on the way home.

Pizza Craving

Who can resist yummy and crisp Italian pizza ? Definitely not us. Craving for weeks, we spend the lovely friday evening in a breezy charm three storey restaurant with fainted light accent. Looks tender and inviting, no need to stay neatly. If 6 o'clock been too early for dinner, antipasti should warming up the belly while taking pictures and nibbling some sticks might prevent us from being cranky. People come and go, -couples and groups- all looks happy. The waiters been good, no annoying behaviour even if we stayed for 3 hours and more.

Baked portobello mushroom served naked, and so did the taste. Here is the recipe we've tried from Jamie's kitchen :

• Rub your big portobello mushroom (whole parts) with pinch of salt first (don't be too much, except you want to throw the mushroom to bins) then olive oil (anykind)
• Put them aside, upside down. Put the cheddar first, topped with mozzarella cheese (make sure the cheese covers mushroom upper part).
• Baked for 10 mins on pre-heated oven (or toaster oven) @ 200 C until the mozza melted with visible brown spot.
  
• Served. (That easy, eh? :p)

I did not taste the black pepper coffee, but my mint granita was hellish. Like drinking antitussive syrup, ewhhh.. Lemon squash served as a repair then. Sticks, baguettes, and small size bruschetta are free teaser, while the spinach soup was not as tasty as expected. Savoury asparagus crepes served with, umm rich bechamel cheese sauce? (cmiiw). Looks nice, acceptable taste but nothing impressive.

Capriciossa pizza came with layers of ham, sausages, black olives, topped with cheese. Almost full stomach, we enjoyed the thin crisp pizza while browsing old pics. Nights drawn, some were having celebration. Lingering vodka chocolate closed our dinner perfectly.

Trattoria

Ristorante al Italiano

Plaza Pd Indah 2 Blok BA 25-26

(021) 750 0959

Chicken (Soto) for The Soul

A modest dish called "Soto Kudus (ala Semarangan)". Yellow-brownish broth filled with chicken tripe (prefer meat only) and tauge (bean sprouts), topped with fried shallots and garlic, kucai (leek), and celery.

The taste resembles of typical comfort soup enriched with local spice, might help soothing your upset and bloating stomach. I used to treat this dish as main course with rice, added sambal, sweet soya sauce, and lime. Perkedel (potato fritters) and kerupuk udang (prawn crackers) are best companions. Some would enjoy sate kerang (mussels satay), telur pindang (braised poached eggs with soya sauce), or tempe bacem (braised tempe with spice & soya sauce). Best served warm, i could have two bowls and walk out happily ever after.

Somehow, this place has been invisible for me more than years. I could not even notice the worn out shophouse without any banner, until yesterday. Sitting on the familiar white table and seeing the wavy old lady, brings me back the memory of particular weekends when my dad usually take us here for dinner. The air thumping in sudden, and i smiled.

--for a piece of memoir--

Soto Kudus Gereja Ayam

Bulevar I 4 / 8, Kelapa Gading

Jakarta Utara

Baking a Garlic Bread

A very successfully garlic bread, on our 2nd attempt. The first one few weeks ago went awry when we put it too long in the oven.

This time, we wrap it in Aluminium foil, before putting it in the pre-heated oven. Set the temperature to 200 Celsius, and timer to 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, unwrap the foil at the top of the bread, then put it back in the oven for another 3 minutes.

Have a nice garlic bread :D