Issue 18The Indonesian Cook

COLUMNIST: DINA WATT
The Indonesian Cook
This recipe is inspired by the popular technique in Indonesia or most Asian countries, to wrap food with leaves. Perfect as a beautiful starter, my leek samosa recipe will wow your guests. More importantly, using the outer leaves of leek which are often overlooked and most of the time end up in the bin, actually plays a crucial part in this samosa leek recipe and so supports zero waste principles.
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Another important celebration in June is, of course, Father’s Day. When it comes to this occasion, I think of my husband with his favourite Chinese take away, the salt and pepper chicken. I will show you how to make this tasty ‘fakeaway’ yourself and I promise you, using sweet bell peppers to elevate the dish and give it a natural crunch, you will not believe that this is your own creation - that’ is how good it is!
Go ahead, try these wonderful recipes to create the perfect alfresco lunch and dinner this summer.
Recipe 1: Leek Samosas – serves 3
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What you need:

1 clove of garlic

6 outer leaves of the leek

100g minced meat

1 leek, finely chopped

½ courgette, cut into small cubes

Salt

Pepper

Vegetable oil

How to make it:First step: the wrap part

In a big pot, add 2 litres of water. Wait until it boils then submerge the outer leaves for around 5-7 minutes until they have softened enough to bend.

Once they are all softened up, drain and pat them with paper towel. Let them cool off, set aside.

Second step: the filling part

In a pan, add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, then add minced meat for 2 minutes.

Add garlic and chopped leek. Mix them all well for around 5 minutes until cooked through. Then season well with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

Third step: the fun part

In this step, we are going to wrap the filling like wrapping a samosa (triangle shape).

Starting from the white part of the leaf, add 1 teaspoon of filling, take the end of the leaf, then fold it to the upper part. Do the same until you are right at the end, then tuck in the excess part into the side of the folded part. Please see pictures for more details.

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Fourth step: the sizzling part

Last but not least, in a frying pan, set the stove to a high heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Fry the samosa for about 2 minutes on each side. - it should give them a charred look. (These work well on the barbecue grill).

This dish is best served as an appetiser. Wow your guests this summer with some garnishes, such as pansies, nasturtium leaves, and other herbs.

Recipe 2: Father’s Day Salt & Pepper Chicken – serves 4
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What you need:

3 medium bell peppers, sliced

4 cloves of garlic, peeled, crushed then finely chopped

2 brown onions, peeled and sliced

12 full chicken wings ( cut in halves, so 24 pieces in total )

Soya sauce

Chicken stock cube

Lime

Salt

Black pepper

Sesame oil

Vegetable oil for frying

How to make it: First step: the chicken

Marinate wings with 2 tablespoons of soya sauce, juice of 1 lime, salt, and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Set aside in the fridge 2 hours or, even better, overnight.

Prepare a frying pan with 1cm of vegetable oil set on a medium heat. Fry the wings for 7-10 minutes on each side until they turn golden and cooked. Try not to overcrowd the pan, you can always do 2 batches.

Once they are all cooked and fried, set aside.

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Second step: salt and pepper mix

Prepare a large pan or wok and set the stove to high.

Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Throw in sliced bell peppers, garlic, and onion, fry for just 1-2 minutes to avoid burning the garlic. Pour in a few tablespoons of water to avoid burning and to deglaze.

Add ½ chicken stock cube (crushed with your fingers), stir for a minute until it dissolves with the vegetables.

Toss all the chicken wings into the same pan/wok.

Season well with soy sauce, a small pinch of salt, and lots of black pepper.

Mix them all well for about 3 minutes then switch stove off.

Lastly, drizzle 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil for that ‘takeaway’ smell.

Best served with chips or rice. You can always garnish with chopped coriander, chives, or spring onions.

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Dina’s wee tips: Don’t throw away your leek bottoms as you can always regrow them. Once they have grown roots, add them into your kitchen garden vegetable collection. Make pretty ice cubes for your drinks by freezing edible flowers such as pansies, violas, and nasturtium in water.
Dina Watt ProfileDina Watt grew up in Bandung, West-Java, Indonesia, and now living in Aberdeenshire, she is known as The Indonesian Cook. Dina's love of nature and gardening fuels her passion for cooking. In her column, Dina shares her own adventurous recipes for delicious home cooked meals that are easy to make, mostly using homegrown, seasonal fruits and vegetables from her own kitchen garden. She is passionate about using every bit of the plant in order to practice zero-waste principles.
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