Just a Little Closer to Home
What does home-cooking food mean to you? What do you eat when you miss home? In my newsletter this week, I wrote about the meals I cook to abridge the distance between me and Indonesia.
This week marks the seventh week for me to be in United States. Flying from Indonesia in September, leaving the house I rent in Gianyar, Bali, for an uncertain future. Duh, tell me what is certain during a pandemic?
I have been trying to catch-up with working remotely 12 hours behind Indonesia, updating this newsletter, spending time with my partner after being apart for 8 months, and enjoying the moment I’m in now. I am currently in Florida right now - flying from Denpasar to Jakarta to Boston to Pittsburgh (finally!). After a month there, relaxing, adapting to the autumn breeze, I flew again to Florida where it’s warmer.
First time when I arrived here, I was wondering what I could cook - the vegetables are different, the salts have various types (cooking salt, kosher salt…) even the spice racks in supermarkets have different selections all put together under Asian. I have been outside Indonesia, but the timing was different. I knew that I would come back in a certain time; a month, two months, or six months. But, this time, I don’t even know how long I will stay here.
I wouldn’t mind the food. I’m easy when it comes to food - I could eat anything. But the thought of home wanders in my mind everyday. I don’t want to come home anytime soon, but I want to be closer. As an eater, I want to have the taste of home. Not everyday, but you know, once in a while. Maybe once a week or twice a week.
I really thought it was going to be hard to cook Indonesian food. Lemongrass is expensive here. Galangal? Only if you’re lucky. Kunci? Nope, just go home! Tempe? Easier, but only in a few supermarkets or asian stores.
After exploring a couple asian stores for a month, going under Chinese or Asian labels, shelf after shelf, aisle after aisle. I found the perfect asian store that goes by the name “Asia Market”. The store has Kerupuk (the worst-one I’ve ever had in my life, but I feel very lucky to find it!), fresh Galangal, fresh lemongrass (thick, big, rugged Lemongrass - unlike the polished and cut version like those in Whole Foods), rice (for a good price), and even lime leaves! My heart was screaming that day I found a bunch of lime leaves! The store also has Indian spices (from curry to asafoetida!), frozen cassava leaves, durian, fermented soybean paste, and dashi. No wonder the name is Asia Market - anything from South, East, to South-East Asia.
I was hesitating to get Galangal or not as it was quite pricey. $5 for a bunch of ‘em. But I think I’d cook a lot with it for a month or two, so I just bought a bag of Galangal that day. I also bought shrimp crackers that I found at the corner of the crackers aisle. In that moment, I swear, I screamed in my heart that “I’m going to make Soto today!”. My partner loves Soto and my grandmother was a great cook who made amazing Soto Lamongan (as she’s originally from that port town!). It was just perfect!
tempe and a glimpse of my shopping cart (you could see the Kerupuk I bought hahaha)
Having a couple of ingredients that smell like home makes me feel better. There are still some missing things, like Daun Salam, Kencur, or Nutmeg. But it doesn’t matter. These are more than enough.
Cooking Indonesian food far away from the archipelago has made me see cooking in a different perspective. I no longer put my focus on the ingredients. Instead, I am going back to the basic; the flavour I’m looking for. When I want to have Galangal but I can't find one, I will grate or smash some ginger with lime rind and lime juice (or lemon). The flavour of lime rind gives that pungent feeling to the subtle ginger. When I want to add candlenut, I will grate some hazelnuts or almonds; both don’t have the aromatic sense as candlenut, but they could produce the nut oil I’m looking for. When I want to add Kecap Manis to Nasi Gila and Mie Goreng, I will stir a tablespoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of brown sugar over a pot of boiling water. The invention will go on and I’m excited for new possibilities I’ll come up with!
Surely, if I can’t do it in a certain way, I’ll work the other way around, and I’ll work on it.
It is not the same. But, it’s quite close and that’s all I need. A little closer to home.
In this time of uncertainty, coping up with little problems like this is important. It’s not merely an achievement, but a simple way to go through.
Little steps to feel at home - one spoon at a time.
I hope you’re having a good day there (even if it’s not, it’s okay. here’s a hug!) Anyway, here’s a recipe for a bonus. This recipe is a quick hearty meal to remind me of home, whenever I remember that Indonesia is 38 hours flight away. Hope this recipe could get you through the day! Thank you for reading my newsletter. It means a lot!
Pasta Sambal Goreng Tahu
for two
cooking time: 30minutes
For Pasta, you need:
Two bowls of pasta, enough for two (250 grams? - I measure it using bowl, usually)
Lots of water for boiling
A pinch of salt (actually, A LOT… as salty as Meditteranean water, they say…)
For Sambal Goreng Tahu, you need:
A big block of tofu (you know…1 big square)
7 cloves of shallots (or 1 big shallot)
2 cloves of garlic
5 red chillies (you could do green Serrano or thai red-chilli)
2 big red chillies (Red Chilli Pepper or Jalapeno would do too!)
Galangal / Lengkuas ( 4 - 6 cm)
3 lime leaves
a pinch of salt
a pinch of sugar
cooking oil (coconut or olive oil would do, I’d suggest Olive Oil!)
150 - 200ml of veggie broth
For Pasta Sambal Goreng Tahu, you will:
Pasta
Bring boil a pot of water
Give a pinch of salt
When it’s boiling, boil the pasta of your choice (I’d suggest to undercook it for a minute or two!)
When it’s done, drain the pasta, but keep a half cup of the pasta water for the sauce!
Sambal Goreng Tahu
*when chopping lime leaf, you’re not going to use the “bone” of the leaf as it will leave a bitter taste. So simply cut the leaf and throw the mid-rib part away.
Chop chillies, shallots, garlic, and 1 lime leaf
In a food processor or ulegan, mash altogether until it creates this sambal texture (smooth but kind-of-choppy!)
Punch Galangal to release the flavour (with a pestel, a small pan or an empty beer/wine bottle is the safest in my opinion!)
Heat some oil in a pan, when the heat is just right, put the sambal in, together with Galangal and another lime leaf (no chopping, simply just drop it into the pan)
Dice a block of tofu
When the sambal starts to blend with the oil, put tofu and veggie broth into the pan
Simmer for around 10 minutes in medium to low-heat
Taste it, put a pinch of salt and sugar to correct the taste
When it’s enough, turn the heat off, and put the pasta in along with half cup of pasta water
Mix well and it’s ready!
Monggo sakeca’aken and have a good day!
Prinka from Dapur Saraswati