tofu, tempe and tomato dish

This one is quick and easy. Lots of chopping of ingredients and then you are ready to go. Its just about equal parts potato, tempe and tofu. Add extra chillies if you like a spicy dish. Serve with rice and a dish that has lots of greens for a healthy balance.

1 medium potato cut into fine strips
5 cubes tofu cut into fine strips
10cm x 5cm piece of tempecut into fine strips
1 tomato roughly diced
salt and pepper
cooking oil

sambal
3 small onions
3 sections garlic
2 small chilies

Cook potato, tofu and tempe separately in pre-heated oil in a wok until golden brown. Drain excess oil.
Finely chop onions, garlic and chillies. Cook in wok until golden brown.
Add tomato pieces, salt and pepper.
mix cooked potato, tofu and tempe back into the wok.
Cook for 1-2 minutes.

"Chocolate Substitutes" - steamed pumpkin, banana and coconut parcels

Sometimes the discussion around the table at Sharing Bali heads in the direction of "chocolate". Everyone's chocolate habits are confessed. There are preferences for nightly hits of dark chocolate, and some who claim to eat it for it's anti-oxidant value! There is not a scrap of chocolate to be had at Sharing Bali even though it is grown as a crop locally. Everyone seems to get through the week without it as we do have some sweet treats as part of the menu. This seems to be one of the favourites that Gusti whips up for us. We include it in our cooking classes and there is a lot of fun to be had achieving the pyramid shaped perfectly wrapped banana leaf parcel!

3 cups finely chopped pumpkin
1 cup riceflour
1/2 spoon salt
1/2 spoon palm sugar shavings
1 cup fresh grated coconut
2-3 drops vanilla
2-3 pandan leaves (optional)
1/4 cup water
sliced bananas
banana leaves for wrapping (10cms x 15cms)

Sprinkle salt over the chopped pumpkin. This helps soften the pumpkin. Spirnkle in the water and mix by hand, squeexing the water through the pumpkin. Drain off excess water.
Add flour, sugar and coconut and continue mixing by hand. Add vanilla essence and extra water, if needed, to keep it moist.
Place a spoonful of the mixture onto a banana leaf, add a slice of banana if you like. Wrap the banana leaf around it to form a nice pyramid. Rolling the leaf up and folding over the ends is a less tricky option.
Steam for 15 - 20 minutes.

Body4U hits Sharing Bali!

We were lucky enough to have the most delightful bunch of gals from Body4U join us for a few days on a very special retreat. Angela and the girls lived life to the max. Running, rafting, volcano trekking, swimming, not to mention enjoying the food, our staff and life in general.

Angela sets a very high energy level and I can only imagine that any of her clients that she is training at the Body4U gym in Cleveland must get a sensational workout!

The pic is from a "coffee stop" after a trek. Made from fresh local coffee, ground vanilla and soy milk. Delicious. It got us up the last bit of the long hill!

Oh yes, did I mention the singing...........

monkeys in the trees

This is a little like "where's wally" but if you look really hard you can see the monkeys in the trees in the photos. They come up close to our bungalow in the afternoons, usually when I am just thinking about having a bit of a nap.

There is a family of about five and they chase each other, looking for the new bamboo shoots to chew on. We have staring contests through the trees, and as soon as I lift the camera they dash off!

more recipes from our cookbook - "pepes" spicy steamed fish

Gusti makes several fish dishes, but this one would have to be a favourite. You only need small pieces of fish. The sambal provides all of the flavour. We use a small river fish that has been semi-dried but any fresh fish fillet would be fine. If you don't have banana leaves handy, you can use foil, especially if you are going to throw them on the grill.

pepes (steamed spicy fish)

6 small fish fillets
2 tomatoes diced
1 spoon oil
banana leaves for wrapping (approx 20cm x 15cm)

sambal
3 small onions
5 pieces garlic
3 small chillies
3cm piece ginger
2 whole macadamia nuts
3cm piece white ginger (kencur)
2 pieces 2cm turmeric
3 lemongrass stalks finely chopped
pinch salt

place all sambal ingredients in mortar, and crush with pestle
add tomatoes and continue crushing
gently mix in 1 spoon oil


steam banana leaves for 1 minute to make them more pliable
generously coat 1 fish fillet with sambal and place on banana leaf
wrap and secure ends with toothpicks
steam for 15 mins (or place on grill)

Best served with rice and a cucumber salad for freshness. A Bintang beer does seem to be the perfect drink to finish it off.

pepes (steamed spicy fish)

pepes (steamed spicy fish)

6 small fish fillets
2 tomatoes diced
1 spoon oil
banana leaves for wrapping (approx 20cm x 15cm)

sambal
6 small onions
5 pieces garlic
3 small chillies
3cm piece ginger
2 whole macadamia nuts
3cm piece white ginger (kencur)
2 pieces 2cm turmeric
3 lemongrass stalks finely chopped
pinch salt

place all sambal ingredients in mortar and crush with pestle
add tomatoes and continue crushing
gently mix in 1 spoon oil


fish

steam banana leaves for 1 minute to make them more pliable
generously coat 1 fish fillet with sambal and place on banana leaf
wrap and secure ends with toothpicks
steam for 15 mins (or place on grill)

the breakfast favourite - banana pancake

Wayan has always served fresh fruit and banana pancakes for our guests for breakfast as the Balinese tend to eat a variety of rice puddings (burbur) for breakfast, which is not for everyone.

1 banana
1 egg
juice of ½ lemon
2 spoons rice flour
¼ cup milk
pinch cinnamon
1-2 drops vanilla essence
1 lime
grated coconut and palm sugar for garnish
salt
butter for cooking

Combine egg, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a dish. Mix with a fork.
Gradually add milk until a smooth, pouring consistency is achieved.
Fold in flour. Add more milk if necessary. (we prefer a thin mix)

Peel banana. Cut in half lengthwise and place in boiling water for 1-2 mins until slightly soft.
Remove from water.

Melt a touch of butter to grease a small shallow frypan.
Pour in a thin layer of pancake mixture.
Cook until golden brown. Just before ready, place banana in centre of pancake and wrap edges over. Cook for a further 30 seconds.
Place on plate and garnish with grated coconut and palm sugar. Serve with a piece of lime.