#AceRecipeNews says this is Rick Stein‘s recipe that is serves up tasty Indonesian fried rice – ideal for barbecues, or for using up leftover cooked meat and veg.

For this recipe you will need 8-16 bamboo skewers (18cm/7in long), soaked in cold water for 1 hour.

Ingredients for the barbecued chicken

3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp crushed white peppercorns
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 lime, juice only
500g/1lb 2oz skinned boneless chicken thighs, each cut into 2.5cm/1in strips

For the spice paste

2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 fat garlic cloves, roughly chopped
50g/2oz shallots, roughly chopped
25g/1oz roasted salted peanuts
6 medium-hot red chillies, roughly chopped
1 tsp blachan (shrimp paste)
1 tsp salt

For the nasi goreng

300g/10½oz long-grain rice
sunflower oil, for frying
6 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 large free-range eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp ketjap manis
1 tbsp light soy sauce
5cm/2in piece cucumber, cut into quarters lengthways, sliced
8 spring onions, trimmed, thinly sliced on the diagonal
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

For the barbecued chicken, mix the crushed garlic, crushed white peppercorns, sugar, fish sauce and lime juice together in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
To cook the chicken, thread the marinated chicken pieces onto parallel pairs of the soaked bamboo skewers (this helps to stop the pieces from spinning around as you turn them).
Preheat the grill to its highest setting (or prepare the barbecue).
Grill the chicken skewers for 6-7 minutes, turning regularly, until golden-brown and caramelised on the outside and cooked through (no trace of pink should remain).
Slide the barbecued chicken off the skewers, cut into chunks and set aside.
For the spice paste, blend all of the spice paste ingredients in a food processor to a smooth paste.
For the nasi goreng, cook the rice in boiling, salted water for 12-15 minutes, or according to packet instructions, until just tender. Drain, rinse well with boiling hot water from the kettle, and drain well again.
Spread the rice out onto a large baking tray and set aside until cold (but do not refrigerate).
Heat 1cm/½in of the sunflower oil in a large, deep-sided frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns golden-brown when dropped into it. (Caution: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Add the sliced shallots and shallow fry, stirring now and then, until crisp and richly golden-brown. Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on plenty of kitchen paper. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside until cold and crisp.
Beat the eggs in a bowl with some salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of the sunflower oil in a small frying pan over a medium-high heat, pour in one-third of the beaten egg and cook until it has set on top.
Flip the egg over, fry it for a few more seconds then turn it out onto a chopping board or plate, roll it up tightly and set aside until cold. Repeat the process twice more with the remaining egg.
When the egg rolls are cold, slice them into thin strips.
Heat a wok over a high heat until smoking hot. Add two tablespoons of the oil left over from frying the shallots, then add the nasi goreng paste and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Add the tomato purée and ketjap manis and stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the cold cooked rice and stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
Add the barbecued chicken pieces, fried shallots and strips of omelette and stir-fry for another minute.
Add the soy sauce, cucumber and most of the spring onions and mix well.
To serve, spoon the nasi goreng onto a large warmed platter. Sprinkle over the remaining spring onions and allow people to help themselves.

#AF&HN2014

#AceFoodNews says here is a guest recipe post courtesy of RASAMALAYSIA

Chinese Chicken Stew with Black Fungus Recipe
Serves 2 | Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into thin pieces
8 oz chicken thigh or chicken leg, cut into pieces
2-3 pieces black fungus, soaked in warm water until soft and cut into pieces
2 stalks scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths

Sauce:

1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
5 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3 dashes white pepper
1 scant teaspoon cornstarch
Pinch of salt

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in the sauce together, stir to mix well. Set aside.

Heat up the clay pot (or wok/skillet) on high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is heated, add the ginger and stir fry until aromatic. Add the chicken and stir continuously until the meat turns opaque, then add the black fungus, stir to combine well. Add the sauce into the clay pot, stir to coat well. Turn down the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer on low heat, for about 8 minutes or so, until the chicken is tender. If the sauce dries up, add some water to dilute the sauce. Right before serving, stir in the scallions. Serve warm with steamed rice.

Cook’s Note:

If you don’t like black fungus, you can substitute with dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms.