Itik Golek (Nda)

​1 ekor itek (3kg)

4 tbsp jintan manis (besar)** fennel seeds

6 tabsp jintan putih (kecil) * cumin seeds

4 tbsp biji ketumbar**

1 tsp lada hitam**

6 kuntum bunga cengkeh**

½" kulit kayu manis**

1" halia**

10 ulas bawang merah**

4 labu bawang putih**

1 kilo (2 biji) kelapa - ambil sikit utk giling halus, the rest to boil the duck

1½" ball assam jawa, salt to taste

Cara Buat BUMBU:

1. Tumis 2ulas bawang merah dan bawang putih hingga kekuningan dengan minyak masak + 300g
   ghee
2. Bancuh semua bahan ** yang telah digiling(blender) halus dengan sedikit air - to make a paste.
3. Masukkan ke dalam tumisan bawang tadi dan tumis hingga "garing". Masukkan juga tengkok, pedal, hati, limpa etc kedalam bahan yang di tumis itu.
4. Masukkan ½ daripada santan dan air assam jawa ke dalam bahan tumisan yang sudah garing. Kacau hingga kering.
5. Masukkan garam secukup rasa. Sejukkan bumbu dahulu sebelum boleh di masukkan ke dalam perut itek.

Cara Merebus Itek:

2 ranting akar daun pandan (as tenderizer)

2 biji bawang besar (kalau besar - potong 6 atau 4, jika kecil jangan potong guna sebiji2)

4 biji ubi kentang

1. Masukkan 1/8 bahagian rempah bumbu dalam itek bersama pedal etc dan bawang besar.
2. Ikat kepak dan kaki itek.
3. Ubi kentang juga boleh di masukkan dalam perut tetapi ia mesti di rebus dahulu. Atau ubi kentang boleh di rebus bersama itek (4) - keluarkan dari air rebusan bila sudah lembut untuk di hidang di tepi itek.
4. Masukkan santan dan rempah bumb yang lebih ke dalam periok besar serta air secukupnya (almost tenggelam itek). Masukkan akar daun pandan untuk melembutkan itek.
5. Rasa dan tambah garam secukup rasa. Note: Jangan tambah garam terlalu cepat bila air rebusan mash banyak - nanti termasin!
6. Kacau selalu jangan sampai rempah hangit dan melekat.
7. Keluarkan itek bila sudah lembut. Keringkan air rebusan hingga kering dan mendapat rempah bumbu kembali.

Cara Menghidang:

2 biji telur rebus (as decoration) |

1. Letak rempah bumbu atas itek. Letak ubi kentang dan telur rebus di sekeliling itek.
2. Bakar/grill hingga wangi dan garing sebelum di hidang.

Asian Kale Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing

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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SALAD

• 4 cups chopped curly kale, thick stems removed (patted dry)
• 3 cups shredded red cabbage
• 2 cups shredded carrots 
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• ¾ cup slivered almonds
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

FOR THE DRESSING

• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped 
• 1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (see note)
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  2. Bake the almonds until lightly golden and fragrant, 5-10 minutes. (Keep a close eye on them; nuts burn quickly.) Transfer the nuts to a small plate to cool.
  3. Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender; process until smooth and creamy.
  4. Combine the ingredients for the salad in a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the kale to soften. Toss again, and then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. (As the salad sits, the flavors may dull; a squeeze of lime juice will wake things up.)

Air Fryer Fried Chicken

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Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe

Crispy and delicious, this Air Fryer Fried Chicken recipe yields perfectly golden-brown chicken with a flavorful coating, all without the need for deep frying. It’s a healthier and hassle-free way to enjoy classic fried chicken.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs skin-on chicken legs and thighs
• 2 c. buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Coating

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp seasoned salt
• 1 ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• Oil for spraying chicken – vegetable canola or olive oil

Instructions

1. Wash and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Set aside.
2. In a square baking dish whisk together buttermilk, eggs, salt, and pepper until well combined.
3. In another square baking dish, whisk together flour, and seasonings.
4. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Then dip in the buttermilk mixture and dredge in the flour mixture again.
5. Spray the air fryer basket with oil. Then place the chicken basket making sure to leave room around each piece to allow air to flow. Spray chicken with oil.
6. Cook at 370 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, then flip chicken and spray with oil again.
7. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
   Repeat with remaining chicken.
8. Serve immediately
9. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container

Thai Turkey

​Ingredients for marinating

• 8 cloves of garlic, smashed but not crushed 
• 2 shallots, chopped into medium pieces (1.5 oz)
• ¼ cup cilantro stems, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¾ cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
• 3 tablespoons agave
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ¼ cup coconut oil, unmelted, for rubbing on the turkey before roasting.
• Water. As needed to be added to the bottom of the pan to prevent burning. 

• 
  

  INSTRUCTIONS

  Brine the turkey

  1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. While waiting on the hot water to heat up, combine salt, smashed lemongrass stalks, garlic, and bay leaves in a large bowl. Set aside until the water is ready. Once the water is hot, turn the heat off and carefully add 4 cups to the aromatics in a large bowl or container that you'll use to brine the turkey in. Whisk until most of the salt is dissolved. Let cool while prepping the turkey next.
  2. Prep the turkey according to the turkey packaging instructions. This usually means thawing out the turkey according to its weight. Mine is a 12 lb turkey, and it took me 3.5 days to thaw out the frozen turkey in the refrigerator. 
  3. Once thawed, remove the turkey packaging, the giblets, and the neck bone inside the turkey. Trim any hair, extra skin, fat, or parts you don't want. Rinse and wash the turkey thoroughly with cold water. 
  4. Add the remaining water to the bin and place the turkey in it. If possible, try to submerge the entire turkey with just a little more water, if necessary, up to 2 cups. A large container like an ice bin, a brining bag, a large stock pot, or a medium-sized cooler is great.  See notes for tips if you don’t have a large enough bin to cover the entire turkey.
  5. Cover and wrap the bin tightly with aluminum foil or Saran wrap. Place the turkey in the fridge or a cool place for up to 18-20 hours. If you have a cooler temperature where you live, you can leave your brined turkey outside. For food safety precautions, only leave the turkey at a temperature lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Now we wait! (: 

  Marinating

  1. Let's roll up our sleeves and get this Thai turkey going! Combine all the sauces, coconut milk, agave, and oil in a medium bowl, and whisk gently together. Set aside.
  2. Add cilantro stems, garlic, shallot, and ground white pepper in a small food processor.  Add ⅓ cup of the marinating sauce to the food processor to help turn the blades and blitz until smooth. 
  3. Combine the paste into the sauce bowl and whisk well. Get ready to marinate the turkey next!
  4. Remove the turkey from the brine water. Easiest inside the sink, drain the brine water from the turkey, then wash it with cold water for a minute or two. Pat dry with paper towels. This part is optional but highly recommended-stuff all the leftover aromatics used in brinning the turkey inside the cavities for more flavors.
  6. Line a roasting pan with a heavy-duty baking sheet, then place the turkey on it. Pour the marinating sauce all over the turkey to marinate! Slather the sauce in all the parts and crevices inside the cavity and around the wings. Carefully turn the turkey over to get all the parts. Leave ¼ amount of the sauce for brushing on during roasting.
  7. Place the bird breast down to marinate to let the sauce seeps into this dryer part of the turkey meat. Cover with foil and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 5 hours to get a tasty and juicy turkey. Turn the turkey once or twice to let the sauce marinate evenly on the turkey. 

  
  

  Roasting!

  1. Remove the turkey from the fridge and leave it at room temperature for up to one hour before roasting. Preheat the oven temperature to 325 degrees f.
  2. Use a spoon or measuring cup to scoop the sauce at the bottom of the roasting pan one last time to get the marinating sauce all over the turkey. Move the turkey to a cutting board, then place the pan's roasting rack over the foiled lining to keep the turkey lifted from the bottom of the roasting pan. Note * I used my roasting pan to double up as a platter for marinating and roasting the turkey. I removed the rack while marinating, then placed it back on, with the turkey on top,  just before putting it in the oven.

  1. 
     
  2. Rub ¼ cup of coconut oil inside the turkey skin and all over the turkey. Be careful not to tear the skin. Tuck the wings under, then truss the turkey with butcher's twine the best you can to keep the turkey from splaying out when baking. Leave the turkey breast side down for baking to let all the fat drip into the drier breast parts to get the juiciest turkey!
  3. Check the oven rack to ensure it’s on the right spot before popping the turkey in. Place turkey on the oven rack and roast for 3-4 hours or until cooked (165 F on a meat thermometer). Larger turkeys will take more time. Please check your turkey’s roasting guide for the correct cooking time. 

  1. 
     
  2. Check the turkey on the first hour. (set a timer on my phone is super handy for me!). Carefully move the turkey out of the oven onto a heat-safe spot. Be careful with the high heat! Brush the turkey with marinating sauce before turning the turkey breast side up next. 
  3. Carefully turn the turkey to have the breast side up now. Slater, this side with leftover marinating sauce, add ½ cup of water to the bottom, then back to roasting some more. 

  1. 
     
  2. Check every hour or so, brush with more marinating sauce and keep adding ½ cup water to the bottom of the pan if it gets dry. Add a foil to the top of the turkey, like a loose blanket, if the skin starts to burn too quickly. 
  3. Once the timer goes off, use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. The internal temperature should read at least 165 degrees on the thickest part of the breast. Let the turkey rests for 20 minutes before carving. Gather as much pan drippings as possible, if any, and place in a small bowl for dipping sauce! Enjoy!

Avocado cauliflower rice

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ingredients

• 6 cups cauliflower rice
• 1 tablespoon cooking fat (avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee...)
• 1 cup diced yellow onion (120 grams)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large avocados, diced (300 grams)
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro, roughly chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

instructions

• Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add oil and let it get hot. Once hot, add diced onions and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add the cauliflower rice and let cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
• While the rice cooks, make the avocado mash. Add avocados, diced jalapeno, lime juice, and salt and pepper to a large bowl and mash with a fork until combined, but a little texture remains.
  

  • Once caulilfower rice is cooked to your preference, remove from heat. Add avocado mixture to cauliflower rice and mix well to cimbine. Stir in cilantro. Top more cilantro and jalapeño if desired. Enjoy!

Mexican street corn

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Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sugar

1 pound frozen corn

1/4 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon sriracha or to taste

Kosher salt to taste

lime salt optional, to taste

1/2 cup cotija cheese or queso fresco, crumbled

1/4 cup cilantro to taste

chili powder to taste

1 lime cut into wedges

Instructions:

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add sugar. When water is boiling, add corn and cover with lid.

Simmer corn for 3-5 minutes or until corn is cooked though and tender.

While corn in simmering, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, sriracha, Kosher salt, and lime salt in a small bowl.

When corn is done cooking, drain well and return to pan. Allow to cool for about 3 minutes. Add sriracha-mayo mixture to the corn and until well combined.

Divide corn into 4 individual cups.

Top with queso fresco, cilantro, a dash of chili powder, and a lime wedge. Serve immediately.

Steak Tacos

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Steak Tacos

Steak tacos with avocado, red onion, cilantro, and queso fresco make a great summer dinner!

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• Juice of 2 large limes
• Zest of 1 large lime
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika 
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano  
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• Olive oil, for grill
• Corn tortillas
• 1/2 small red onion chopped
• 1 large avocado sliced
• 1/3 cup queso fresco
• Chopped cilantro, for serving
• Chimichurri sauce, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

 

• Place the flank steak in a 9×13 pan. Pour lime juice over the steak and let marinate for 30 minutes, at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lime zest, salt, sugar, pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and cinnamon.
• Rub both sides of the steak with the spice mixture, pressing with your fingers to help the rub adhere to the meat.
• Preheat grill to high heat. Lightly coat a paper towel with oil and, holding it with long tongs, carefully rub the oiled towel over the grill rack. Place steak directly on the grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and let the steak rest on a cutting board, covered with foil, for 10 minutes.
  
  
  • While the steak is resting, warm the corn tortillas on the grill or use a gas flame to char them slightly.
  • Cut the steak into strips, against the grain. Place steak strips in the corn tortillas and top with red onion, avocado, cilantro, and queso fresco. Drizzle with chimichurri, if desired. Squeeze with lime juice, if desired. Serve warm.