L is for Lemongrass, Lychees and Lembongan!

I have just got back from a beautiful trip to Bali with my two of my girlfriends, we had a fab time with many wonderful foods and drinks. Highlights were definitely 3 nights on Nusa Lembongan, which is a less inhabited island about 25 minutes ferry ride away - great sunsets, snorkelling and relaxation time. Another highlight was the Village Burger at Bali Ayu Hotel - the idea of banana, pineapple and avocado in your beef burger may sound weird but trust me its life changing. Also many other authentic Balinese dishes in between cocktails and pool time made for an amazing adventure. Take me back to Bali any day!

Here are a couple of recipes that I love that take me back there

Balinese seafood skewers 
(thanks Gourmet Traveller)

300 gm skinless snapper or flathead fillet, boned, coarsely chopped  

300 gm uncooked medium prawns, peeled  

80 gm (1 cup) desiccated coconut, moistened with 60ml coconut milk or water  

5 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced  

1 tbsp dark palm sugar (see note)  

10 thin lemongrass stalks, cut into 15cm lengths, for skewers (see note)  

Pinch of brown sugar mixed with 60ml vegetable oil, for brushing    

 

Spice paste  

1 vine-ripened tomato, coarsely chopped  

25 gm (5cm piece) each ginger and fresh turmeric, coarsely chopped  

4 each long red chillies and red birdseye chillies, coarsely chopped  

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped  

3 small golden shallots, coarsely chopped 

5 candlenuts (see note)  

2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, finely chopped 

 2 tsp coriander seeds  

1 tsp shrimp paste (see note) 

 ½ tsp black peppercorns, finely crushed  

80 gm (¼ cup) tamarind pulp, mixed with 60ml water, strained, solids discarded  

50 ml vegetable oil

Method

For spice paste, process ingredients (except tamarind paste and oil) in a food processor until a fine paste forms, adding a little water if necessary. Add oil and spice paste to a frying pan over medium heat and stir-fry until fragrant (5-6 minutes). Add tamarind and stir frequently until paste is golden (3 minutes), then set aside to cool.

Process fish and prawns in a food processor until just blended, then transfer to a bowl and mix with coconut, lime leaves, palm sugar and spice paste. To test the flavour, fry a little mixture in oil until cooked through. Adjust seasoning to taste if required, then mould heaped tablespoons of mixture onto one end of lemongrass stalks.

Heat a char-grill pan over high heat. Grill satay, turning and brushing occasionally with brown sugar and oil mixture, until golden and cooked through (5-6 minutes each side). Serve hot.

Note Dark palm sugar is made from the coconut palm; in Indonesia it’s called gula Jawa. If lemongrass is unavailable, you can use bamboo paddles or wooden chopsticks as skewers. Soak them in water for 20 minutes then dry them before using. Candlenuts are available from Asian grocers. Shrimp paste, known as terasi in Indonesia, is available from Asian grocers. It requires roasting before use: preheat oven to 200C, wrap shrimp paste in foil and roast until fragrant (5 minutes).

Lychee sorbet (mix with vodka and its an instant margarita...)

60 grams sugar

300 grams lychees (canned, frozen in ice cube trays with juice)

1 egg white

350 grams ice cubes

Place the sugar into the TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 

Add the lychee ice followed by the 350 grams of ice and egg white. Slowly turn the speed dial to speed 10. Use the spatula to assist in the incorporation of the lychee with the ice.

This, like all thermie sorbets, is best eaten the day you make it!