Last week i made a jar of Preserved chili pepper and garlic, it is a common sauce for Indonesian people , because they use it to eat with everything, we called it "SAMBAL" in our language. the spiciness of chili and the pungent and strong of garlic blended together and create the taste that balancing every flavour. also to make it last longer i add a little amount of vinegar and salt.
Preserved Chili Pepper and Garlic
time : 30 minutes Portions: 1 Litre
Ingredients:
180 lb Peeled Garlic
540 lb Chili pepper ( add more if you want more spicy)
1000 ml water
1 tsp Salt
4 tbsp Vinegar
Equipments:
Pot
Food processor
Big Plastic Container or Jar
Method: 1. Wash clean chilli and peeled garlic
2. Boil Chili and peeled garlic until tender and soft
3. After it become soft and tender, put into food processor, add a little amount of water and blend until smooth
4. After it become smooth, transfer back into the pot and add remaining water, shimmer.
5. After the liquid half reduced , add vinegar and salt, stir well.
6. Move to jar or plastic container, store it in the fridge ( you can store it up to 1 month)
For this third post, I would like to share an unfamiliar fruit that I never heard, tasted, or ate before. Yesterday noon, I went to St.
Lawrence market to do some research about foods. Then, right at the
downstairs of the market I found a fruit shop who sell a bunch of different
kind of fruits, especially tropical
fruits. Then, I found this weird yet cute fruit that has an appearance similar
to orange, it called Kumquat.
Kumquat is a citrus fruit during winter/ spring. They come from Rutaceae
family .It has been consumed by Native
of Asia- Pacific region ( China , Japan , India , Taiwan , India, Philipines)
since 12th century, they were started introduced in Europe in 1846
by a collector of London Horticultural Society, named Robert Fortune ( source from : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumquat) . Now you can see kumquat in European Market or American Market not only in South Asia Region. Even now, Dade City, Florida become the home for annual Kumquat Festival. Eventhough it looks small, it is so pricey, you can get it for $9.99/ lb at St.lawrence Market.
Frankly, even though kumquat look like an orange but it taste tangy , a little bit bitter and sour like a lemon. But, it still
leaves the fragrance of orange. Surprisingly, you can eat a whole thing of kumquat, skin and the flesh, not the seed though.
If we talk about the recipe, we can make kumquat into some
jam , salads, candied, fresh, or as a garnish. But for me, i prefer to use kumquat into some dessert. I have a simple dessert recipe from Martha Stewart website ( http://www.marthastewart.com/314259/ricotta-tart-with-chocolate-and-kumquats)
Ricotta Tart with Chocolate and Kumquats
PREP:
TOTAL TIME:
SERVINGS: 8
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUST
5 ounces chocolate wafers (about 24 cookies)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
FOR THE FILLING
1 1/2 cups ricotta (12 ounces)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 kumquats, thinly sliced crosswise
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
DIRECTIONS
For the crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pulse wafers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in butter, sugar, and salt. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.
For the filling: Beat together ricotta, cream, sugar, and cinnamon until fluffy. Fold in half the kumquats and half the chocolate. Pour into cooled crust. Top with remaining kumquats and chocolate. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) before serving.
