Tangkuban Perahu National Park, Bandung. Indonesia.

TangkupanPerahu National Park is another cooling and fresh air live volcano mountain that you don't want to be missed if you ever visit Bandung on your first trip to this province.   It is the only crater in Indonesia that you can drive up to its very rim. Mount Tangkuban Perahu has a distinctive shape, and looks like an “overturned boat”. The huge crater is an astonishing view and you can walk around and explore this for around two hours.  This is an active volcano and the volcano erupted last year February 21, 2013.  Thanks God it only spew toxic gases and the whole park is still stand in one piece.

Getting there is very easy and accessible by any type of vehicles or you may take a Subang Colt via Lembang from Bandung’s minibus terminal in front of the train station to the park entrance of Tangkuban Perahu. The entry is 20,000IDR per person. 

There are minibuses, which lead you to the top, which officially cost 10,000IDR per person.  You can simply take another type of public transport minibus for a few stops to reach the park in case you can't find the right minibuses going up to the park.

The mountain air is simply cooling and refreshing.  I remembered i was so excited to get there!! The first thing that i noticed when we were at the mountain peak, is that the smell of the sulphur was extremely strong.  Eventually we could see the live active volcano in front of our eyes and still actively spews out sulphuric smells, gases and steamed.  It was a very gloomy day with a very strong cool air and blizzard was blowing us like crazy!!! smelling of the sulphur is really not a pleasant one! we quickly grab a cup of coffee to warm us down.  However we did not walk down to the spring water.  It was such a rush tour around. Too bad.

This park is not spoiled by the smell of sulphur or the

There will be alot annoying peddlers following you behind, just ignored and firmly tell them you do not interested if you are not.  All the way walking down the hill, alot of vendors in a more appropriate selling.  All kinds of souvenirs can be found here.

Here are some useful tips for you when you're there!

Tips
•Not everyone can stand the smell of the sulfur fumes; handkerchiefs are suggested to cover your nose and mouth.
•Never walk into the crater without care, it’s better to hire trusted guide.
•Do not hesitate to resist Peddlers if you are not interested.
•Best bring a jacket/sweater to protect yourself from the cold temperature.
•Bring an umbrella to avoid sunburn or possible heavy downpours.
•Try to reach the crater as early as possible because around noon the mist starts to roll in through the trees.
•Do not hesitate to say ‘No’ to the vexing local guides who follow you around and ask for money at the end of the trip.

 

 

Milky Popiah Rolls

19.01.2014 - Nongsa, Batam.  Milky Mini Popiah Rolls is the name i give.  This recipe is very similar to Popiah Nestum / Holicks but the ingredients only use without Nestum.  If you would like to use this recipe as Popiah Nestum is absolutely no problem.

I couldn't obtain a single recipe in google that show step by step rolling process. Here i provides you my step by step rolling process, i hope it is useful for all beginner like me.

As i cant figure out how a whole pc of popiah skin to be cutted and roll.  So I did my way, I cut into 6 rectangle pcs. and tear out and do the rolling with a chopstick.  Everything went well till the end.

I am glad my mini popial rolls turn out so good, it si so delicious, milky, crispy and crunchy!! Love it!!

Very delicious and crispy!

Ingredients: 
1 pkt large popiah skin, cut into 6 blocks
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Coating Powder: 
1 1/4 cup Full Cream Milk powder
1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

To seal the popiah roll:- 
1tbsp flour
1tsp water
Mix to combine and set aside

Method:-
1. Tear half of the whole pkt of popiah skin for easy cutting on the chopping board. cut half of the whole popiah into 6 blocks of rectangle shape.

2. use a chopstick to roll each popiah skin. and seal properly.

3.After all done. Prepare coating powder.  Mix milk powder and confectioner's sugar with a whisk and set aside.  To get more sweeter taste, add more confectioner's sugar as you desire.

4.  Heat wok, Add oil for deepfrying popiah rolls.  With a low fire.  fried each batch until golden brown. Dish up and drain oil with kitchen towel.

5. While it is still a little warm, coat mini popiah roll into coating powder and set aside until cool and transfer to an airtight container.

Happy Cooking!!

 Cut into 6 blocks rectangle shape

Roll popiah skin with a chopstick, seal with the batter

 The finishing roll of 1 pkt 

 Full Cream Milk Powder & Confectioner's Sugar for coating

 Mix both together Full Cream Milk Powder & Confectioner's Sugar in a large bowl set aside for coating later

 Low fire deepfried slowly until golden brown

 coat warm popiah rolls with sugar mixture

Butter Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

14.01.2014 - Nongsa, Batam.  I had kept this Old Fashion Butter Cake recipe of mine for a very long time and always loving it and use it all over again.  This butter cake of mine it was the first cake i learned to make and thats the only cake our family make all over again during any occasion.  The recipe consist of quite a number of eggs.  But i have never complain about it..till..these days, I been reading so many type of Butter Cake recipes with less eggs ingredient, i have tried a few butter cake recipes too.

Anyway i found this one quite similar to my old fashion butter cake recipe and i love it.  The cake wasn't dry and thick! Its very smooth and light.

I have make a creamy buttercream frosting to go with it.  It so reminds me of my childhood days!! Mom used to order butter cake with buttercream frosting for me and my siblings birthdays.

Next time when i have limited eggs while crave for butter cake, i can consider use this recipe instead of my old fashion butter cake.

Ingredients:
250g Butter - Soft (Golden Churn canned)
85g Caster sugar
1 tsp Vanilla paste
1/8 tsp salt (if prefers less salty just a pinch will do)
4 Egg yolks
1 tbsp Milk
200g Plain flour
1 tsp Baking powder

4 Egg whites
85g Caster sugar

Buttercream Frosting:-
200g Dark Chocolate, double boiled.
280g Salted Butter
1/4cup x 2 Confectioner's Sugar
3 tbsp Coco Powder
2 tbsp Cream


Method:
Preheat oven at 180c. Line a 8" Square tin.
1. Cream butter, sugar, salt and vanilla untill light and fluffy.
2. Add in egg yolks one at a time and beat till creamy. Add in milk and mix well.
3. Sift in flour and baking powder and mix well. Set aside.
4. Whisk egg white and sugar till soft peak with electric hand egg whisk.
5. Fold 1/4 of egg white mixture into butter mixture (3). Mix well and fold in the rest.
6. Pour batter into lined baking pan and bake for 40-45 mins or until cooked.

Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
1. Double Boiled, Melt chocolate, add in cream, melted and set aside till slight cool.
2. Beat Butter and confectioner's sugar until creamy and fluffy.
3. Sieve coco powder and melted chocolate to creamy butter beat for another 1-2 minutes until all incorporates. Immediately refrigerate to use later.
4. Once the cake has cool down.  Decorate the cake as desire.

Sticky Char Siew Sauce Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:-
7 pcs mini chicken drumsticks
1tbsp Honey
1tbsp light Soya Sauce
1/2tbs Sesame Oil
2tbsp Char Siew Sauce ( LEE KAM KEE Brand )
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tbsp Five Spice Powder

Method:-

Marinate meat overnight or at least few hours.

Prepare a baking pan with a layer of aluminium foil.  brush with cooking oil

Pre-heat Oven 250c.

Place marinated chicken on aluminium tray and bake / grilled for 5 minutes and consistently brush glaze on each chicken with left over marinate sauce.

Brush chicken every 3 minutes or so and turn over chicken every 5 minutes, turn and brush method, until the chicken equally cook through and coated with a shining glaze beautifully.

Cooking time takes up to 30mins or until golden brown, depending on the size of your chicken drumsticks. I used a very tiny mini small drumsticks.

If you want the chicken to left some burn marks at the end, grill/bake longer.

Soooo Yumm!!  I cook it perfectly!