This write-up is for readers who are curious what camera and lens I have used.  I started my photography interest through food.  Well, food is something that are always needed by people, don't you think?  I quoted what my beloved mom said when I was confused what major I was about to choose for university.  Anyway, back in 2005 I started writing bilingual (English and Indonesian) recipes, posted online through my multiply account (I don't have and use this account anymore) and used my point and shoot camera that I brought from Indonesia at that time.  In 2006, I began using this blogspot for achieving recipes that I've tried. I kept using my point shoot camera until I reached a thought that I wanted to learn more about photography.  I saved up my paycheques from my full time job and bought a decent camera in 2007. It was a Canon Digital Rebel XTi (or the Europe and Asia Pacific version of EOS 400D). I was thinking only to buy the body and would get another lens later. But, it changed! I ended up buying the kit lens as well for some reasons.




Then, in 2008, I bought another lens for a food photography purpose, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro. In 2009, I finally got a prime lens, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. Last summer, I also did my first wedding assignment. I used two lenses at that time, one is my fave prime lens and another one was a wide angle lens, EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM that I rented from a camera store here. To see more wedding pictures please visit this wedding photography set.

I still have to learn a lot about photography and become more and more interest into architecture and landscape photography as well.  One thing that I know for sure, everyone has their own preferable when it comes to pictures.  Art is something that is not easy to make everybody enjoy or love.

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Names: Tong Ho, Garland Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum Leaves, Crown Daisy, Shingiku, Tong Hao, Tung Ho, Tang Ho, Chong Ho, Kor Tongho, Tong Ho Choy, Tong Hao Cai, Thung Ho, Shunigku, Kikuna, Tan O, Cai Cui, Ssukgat, Chrysanthemum Greens

Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum coronarium

Edible tong ho is actually the leaves of chrysanthemum, has an unique taste. For Indonesians who are very familiar with daun kenikir (kenikir leaves - Cosmos sulphureus), tong ho has similar taste to kenikir leaves. In Indonesian cuisine, kenikir leaves are used for pecel (Java style Salad with Spiced Peanut Sauce).

Back to our topic here, tong ho is used to flavor salads, soups, sukiyaki and other dishes. It will be lost the unique taste if you do overcooked or blanch them; I prefer eat them raw.

This leafy green has 3 different sizes, large, medium and baby. The one that I captured on the picture above was the medium leaf. Agrohaitai.com has a depth information on this aromatic leafy.

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Tempe or tempeh is an Indonesian soybean cake. In order making sambal tumpang, you need tempe semangit. Semangit is derived from a word "sangit" which is meant less pleasant odour. A word "semangit" usually is followed after a word "tempe", and known as Tempe semangit. What is tempe semangit and is it different from tempe?

Tempe semangit can be categorized as an old or rotten tempe. What did I mean by old or rotten tempe? First of all, I will explain briefly the process on making tempe. You will need cooked soybeans, then add Rhizopus, a mold that helps soybeans to ferment for 24 hours. When the fermentation process is done, it binds the soybeans into a compact white cake. According my internet research, it will take more than 24 hours to ferment cooked soybeans into tempe in North America; it's about 36-48 hours.

Tempe is a protein alternative resource for vegetarians or vegans. Back when I was in Indonesia, tempe is a cheap protein resource and totally different since I moved to Canada; tempe becomes an expensive protein choice. Tempe is not only rich in essential amino acids, it is also high in vitamin B12.

When the tempe has undergone the fermentation more than a day and untreated, it will be overly ripe or rotten and known as tempe busuk or semangit because the smell is dreadful. But it doesn't make the tempe become useless. The Javanese seeks and uses it for cooking sambal or adding to a vegetable dish. Please see closely the different profile of tempe and tempe semangit.


The one on the right hand corner of each photo is tempe semangit

There are two places in Java that claimed Sambal Tumpang as their dish, Kediri (East Java) and Solo (Central Java). However, both places have a slightly different way in the recipe and serving. In Central Java, sambal tumpang is added with other protein resources such as beef, tofu as well as vegetables ("it tastes better with petai - stinky beans" said my friend Haley) while in East Java this sambal is pure made from a combination of 75% old tempe and 25% fresh/frozen good tempe. In this post, I will include the Eastern Javanese way for sambal tumpang.

In East Java, sambal tumpang is drizzled over pecel (Java style salad with peanut sauce). On the other hand, in Central Java, sambal tumpang is a side dish that is eaten with warmed cooked rice and boiled vegetables; no pecel to company.

Sambal Tumpang
- Java Style Old Tempe Sambal -

Ingredients:
200 g tempe semangit (use fresh or frozen tempe if you can't find tempe semangit)
1 cm galangal, bruised
2 Indonesian bay (salam) leaves
200 ml coconut milk
1 cup (250 mL) water

Spices to be ground:
45 g peeled shallots
5 g peeled garlics
1 cm peeled kencur/kaempeferia galangal (substitute for 1/2 tsp kencur powder)
6 kaffir lime leaves, chopped
1 tsp toasted coriander seed
1/2 tsp terasi/dried shrimp paste (optional)
1 candlenut (substitute for macadamia nut)
3 red cayenne peppers (Indonesian: cabe merah keriting)
1 bird eye chili
seasalt

Methods:
1. Pound or chop tempe semangit with a pestle or a chopper.

2. In a pot, add pounded tempe, ground spices, salam leaves, galangal and water. Cook until a boil. Then turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 -10 more minutes or until the spices absorb.

3. Add coconut milk, stir occasionally and bring to re-boil. Remove from the heat. Serve with pecel and warm cooked rice.

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Kakul is the Balinese term for freshwater snail. In Indonesian term, it's known as keong sawah. As you may notice that Indonesia is a country with many dialects, I have known two other names; kreco in Surabayan (East Javanese) and tutut in Sundanese (West Javanese).

This recipe was adapted from the Bali Cookbook by Lonny Gerungan. Lonny is a famous chef in the Netherlands. I bought this book few months ago through amazon.ca. For you who are interested to learn about Balinese cooking and not able to speak Indonesian, this is a perfect guide for you since the book is in English and written by a Balinese native.



Thou I'm an Indonesian native, I still have to learn about other foods from many different ethic groups. I know more about Sumatran and East Javanese cookings since those two are where my ancestors came from.

Lonny has described how he loves this dish. It brings his childhood memories in Bali. As he explained we have to suck the meat out of the shells and when we have done it, nine out of ten, the meat off course will shoot right into our throat. The soup is fun to eat.

Anyway, this spicy soup goes for Masbar October 2010 with a theme "Variety of Balinese Dishes". The recipe has been slightly changed from the original as I used more freshwater snails than the recipe was stated.


Kakul Mekuah
- Bali Style Frehswater Snail Soup -
serves 4


Ingredients:

• 1 lb (454 g) fresh water snails
• 2 1/4 tsp tamarind pulp
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil
• 1.2 L water seasalt
• 7 salam (Indonesian bay) leaves

For the spice paste

• 8 toasted candlenuts
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp toasted terasi (dried shrimp paste)
• 1 1/2 tsp white peppercorns
• 1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 4.8 oz (135 g) peeled shallots
• 0.7 oz (20 g) garlics, peeled
• 9 cayenne peppers (can be substituted for bird eyes chilies), sliced
• 1.4 oz (40 g or 6-cm long) fresh ginger, peeled 7 cm long fresh turmeric, peeled

Methods:

To make the spice paste, if you use a mortar and pestle, chop shallot, garlic, ginger and turmeric first.  Then, pound candlenuts, coriander, terasi and peppercorns to a fine paste.  Add shallots, garlic, chilies, ginger and turmeric; pound again to a paste.

Rinse off the snails with cold water and drain them.  Take the white parts of lemongrass, cut into 3-cm long and bruise them with side of a heavy knife.

Heat the oil in a wok and stri fry the spice paste for about 3 minutes.  Add water and season with seasalt.  Add snails, tamarind pulp, lemongrass, and salam leaves.  Simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes.  Serve with warm long grain rice.

Note:
If you live in Winnipeg and wonder where to get these freshwater snails, Young's sells them in the frozen section. On the package, it was saying "rice snails and made in Vietnam"

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Has anybody ever heard about So Nice brand? I'm not going to have a promotion about this soy beverage which I use a lot. So Nice has organized a Green Contest. In this contest, the participates are asked to share their idea on how to make a better organic world in less than 300 words.


I have submitted my idea last week and would like asking you to vote for me. My idea was "NO GO! FOR G.M.O" To read more further about my idea, you can clink the link below and please vote for me at So Nice Green Contest. Thank you very much!

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These pictures were taken at the park in Winnipeg that honestly I forgot the name. It is close to where one of my buddies lives. Out of the blue, this buddy called and asked me to go to the park for pictures. It was in the middle of September. With rush, before the dusk, I drove to her house and picked her up. She brought me slices of brownies. Thanks!

Here are two other shots that I have the permission to post.

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Cassava (Manihot esculenta), also called yuca or manioc, is a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family) native to South America. There are two names for cassava in Indonesian, singkong and ubi kayu. According to wikipedia, it is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates.

There are many different recipes of this cassava cake. This snack is popular among most SE Asian nations. If you are a reader or follower of SE Asian food bloggers, you will notice that the Filipino has this classic dish as well as Indonesian and Malaysian. I recalled back when I was reading mbak Wien's blog, she said "this cake is a recipe of my mother's mainstay." Yet, I don't follow her recipe as I brought this cake to my laws for the Thanksgivng dinner, so I wanted to have a richer taste by adding more condensed milk, cheese and reducing the sugar. Some people also like adding coconut meat/flesh in the cake.

There are ample fresh cassava roots for purchase at Asian stores and Superstore, but I was too lazy to peel and grate so I just bought frozen grated cassava.

Kue Singkong Keju
- Cassava Cheese Cake -

Ingredients:
Batter:
2 packs grated cassava
400 mL coconut milk (use thin coconut milk for lighter taste)
1/2 can condensed milk
2 free run eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup grated cheese (I used white cheddar cheese)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (depend on how sweet do you want)

Topping:
melted butter
grated cheese
condensed milk

Methods:
1.  Preheat oven at 350 F
2.  Combine the grated cassava, butter, condensed milk, vanilla, cheese, sugar, and eggs in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly
3.  Add the coconut milk and stir well to combine.
4.  Grease the baking dish then pour the batter mixture.
5.  Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
6.  Take the baking dish out.  Brush melted butter on top of the cake.  Sprinkle grated cheese and drizzle condensed milk over.
7.  Broil the cassava cake until colour turns light brown.

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