Vegetarian Lemper

On New Year's Eve i was at a friend's place and she was serving me these delicious parcels to snack on. Lemper is a Tasty Indonesian snack of usually chicken wrapped in sticky rice. The rice (Ketan) used is sold as "Sticky"or "Glutinous"rice. Although the name might suggest otherwise it contains no gluten but is very rich in starch.They are good eaten at room temperature but even better when they are hot.But because my husband is vegetarian he did not get to try them as they were Chicken Lemper so i have decided to try making vegetarian ones so everyone can enjoy and if you rather use chicken feel free to do so.

Vegetarian Lemper

For rice

2 cups Ketan ( glutinous rice) If possible soak overnight.

( use 2 cups of water or coconut milk with every cup of rice)
i mixed both water and coconut milk

3 pandan leaves, tied to knot

Pinch of salt

Filling

250 gram Quorn vegetarian meat / chicken thigh and breast

1 large red onion 

4 cloves garlic

1 stalk lemongrass

2 kaffir lime leaves

2 tbsp grounded cummin

2 tbsp grounded coriander seeds

250ml coconut milk

Salt to taste

oil

Banana leaves (Optional)

• Drain soaked rice and if you did not do it the night before soak it for an hour before cooking. Put rice in a rice cooker or steamer, add water or coconut milk and cook for 30 minutes.
• Boil the chicken in some water if using chicken,set aside.Finely chop onions,garlic,lemongrass and lime leaves. Heat oil in wok and fry the mixture.
• When fragrant add the vegetarian meat or chicken pieces and the spices, keep frying for 3 minutes and add the coconut milk and cook until the liquid is reduce to almost dry. Leave to cool.
• Place a sheet of banana leaf or cling wrap on the bench and spread out the cool rice to rectangular shape.
• Place a filling mixture in the centre of the rice and roll the rice over like you would for sushi.So that the end result is like a croquette shape with the rice covering the filling on all sides.

  

                                          

• Roll up the Cling wrap or banana leaf and secure with toothpicks or tighten the sides of the cling wrap.
• These parcels can be heated over a barbeque that is if you use banana leaves or steamed for cling wrap and banana leaves for 15 mins, then allow to cool a bit before serving.
• The Lemper can be kept in fridge for up to 2 days or in freezer for longer duration. Best serve with some sambal ulek and kecap manis or sweet chilli sauce for those who do not like it too spicy.

Welcome 2011

This is the beginning of a New Year. Lots have happen in 2010 and i am hoping 2011 will be a better one for me and everyone i know.I have set some new goals and i really hope it all follow through.

Ever since the start of the New Year i have been having cravings for lots of Asian food. Food like is close to my roots South East Asia.You know food i grew up eating, things you do not find easily when you are abroad.

One that pop in my mind was Glutinous rice and it's a perfect time to try it as its also very close to Chinese New Year as there are many kinds of food with symbolic meaning in the Chinese cuisine. Since traditional Chinese attach great importance to the family values, there foods can express their best wishes for the family reunion.

So since i have some Kaya (Asian coconut jam) left and wanting to finish it i have decided to try and make a Malaysian cake or should i say Kuih/ Kueh. It is a Chinese Baba Nyonya specialty cake. Called Pulut Tai Tai or Blue Glutinous Rice Cakes. The blue color comes from a flower name Bunga Telang or Blue Pea Flower. I did not have any at hand so i use some blue food coloring. But it turned out not as dark blue as how it is but it was a nice color and really its up to you how blue you like it to look.

Pulut Tai Tai

2 cups glutinous rice - was and soak overnight or at least 4 hours before cooking
1 1/2 cup - 2 cups coconut milk
4 pandan leaves, tie leaves to a knot
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
few drop of blue food coloring

Method

• Wash and drain the glutinous rice. Divide rice into two portions. Soak half the rice in plain water and the other in blue food coloring water.
• Drain the glutinous rice from the water. The rice soaked in the food coloring will have been tinted blue.
• Mix coconut milk with salt and sugar, stir to dissolve sugar.
• Put the rice, pandan leaves and pour half the coconut milk evenly over the rice. Steam over rapidly boiling water for 10 mins. Open the lid of the steamer and fluff up the rice and mix in the balance coconut milk.Close the lid and continue steaming for another 15-20 mins until the rice is done.
• Remove from heat and discard the pandan leaves.
• Line a square tin with banana leaves if you do not have any cling wrap will do too.Spoon in the cooked rice,press down the rice with a large spoon.
• Cover the top of the rice with banana leaves or cling wrap and weigh it down with a heavy object. leave to cool, cut in to pieces and serve with kaya.
• You can also put them in shaped molds of your liking.I like to serve it slightly warm so you can warm it up in the microwave or in a steamer.