Indonesian Makassar Beef Coto (Coto Makassar)

Indonesian Makassar Beef Coto

Coto (also spelled Soto) is a category an Indonesian soups that are stew-like in nature, and usually feature meat, broth and vegetables. This Makassar Coto, hailing from Sulawesi, combines slow-cooked beef cheeks with herbs, spices and peanuts to create a rich, thick stew that is beautifully tender, delicious and filling. The recipe is from The ... Read more »

Indonesian Spiced Beef Stew (Semur Daging)

This Indonesian Spiced Beef Stew reminds me of a classic British beef and vegetable stew but in this case there are warming spices, herbs and other additional ingredients that provide an unmistakeably South East Asian flavour profile. Taken from Petty Pandean-Elliott’s The Indonesian Table, traditionally semur daging has a thinner sauce. Pandean-Elliott has added flour ... Read more »

Indonesian Chicken Curry with Pineapple (Gulai Ayam Nanas)

Indonesian Chicken Curry and Pineapple (Gulai Ayam Nanas)

This quick and delicious chicken curry with pineapple hails from South Sumatra in Indonesia, and is one of the many delicious recipes to be found in Petty Pandean-Elliott’s The Indonesian Table. It’s a mild and soupy curry with delicate flavours and a fragrant aroma. Read my in-depth review of The Indonesian Table by Petty Pandean-Elliott. ... Read more »

Growing Up In A Nonya Kitchen by Sharon Wee

Growing Up In A Nonya Kitchen by Sharon Wee

Growing Up In A Nonya Kitchen is an ode to author Sharon Wee’s mother. In it she shares her memories of growing up in a Peranakan Chinese family in Singapore, and a meticulously researched collection of recipes and cooking advice learned not only in her mother’s kitchen but from older relatives and experts in the ... Read more »

Norman Musa’s Javanese Lamb Curry

Javanese Lamb Curry

This bright and colourful Javanese lamb curry recipe is from from Norman Musa’s Bowlful cookbook. He adapted it from Tongseng, a well-known Javanese dish but his version uses pointed cabbage as the sweetest and mildest type, and also ups the amount of cabbage used, providing a healthy balance of protein to vegetables.  Freshness from the tomatoes ... Read more »

Norman Musa’s Kalio Chicken Curry

Kalio Chicken Curry

This fragrant and flavoursome Indonesian chicken curry is a must for anyone who loves the flavours of a rendang but favours a wetter version. It’s quick to cook too, as the liquid ingredients don’t need to be reduced as much as they do in a traditional dry rendang. The recipe comes from Bowlful by Norman Musa. ... Read more »

Norman Musa’s Chicken Adobo

Chicken Adobo from Bowlful: Fresh and vibrant dishes from Southeast Asia by Norman Musa

Chicken Adobo is one of the most iconic dishes of the Philippines, indeed many Filipinos consider it their national dish. This recipe from Bowlful by Norman Musa creates a delicious sauce for juicy chicken thighs that features soy sauce, vinegar, and crushed black peppercorns.  Read our in-depth review of Bowlful by Norman Musa. As simple ... Read more »

Bowlful: Fresh and vibrant dishes from Southeast Asia by Norman Musa

Bowlful: Fresh and vibrant dishes from Southeast Asia by Norman Musa

Often I choose books that focus on a single cuisine but in the case of Bowlful by Norman Musa, I was drawn in by the promise of fresh and vibrant dishes from across Southeast Asia. Born in Penang,  Malaysia, experienced chef and author Musa has spent much of his life exploring the cultures and cuisines ... Read more »

Amok Peanut Vegetable Curry 

Amok Peanut Vegetable Curry

This is the Van Life Cookbook’s adaptation of a classic Cambodian dish, called Amok. Although it’s commonly made with fish, the richly spiced peanut butter sauce lends itself well to a vegetarian version. Although the ingredients list looks long, many go straight into the curry paste, which can be made in a mini food processor ... Read more »