Page 25 - EBOOK_81 Homestyle Recipes With The True Taste Of Indonesia

Limes (Jeruk Nipis) An easy to find ingredient, limes are a staple in Indonesian cuisine, used in cooking and in
food presentations as a garnish. Bursting with freshness, limes exert a tangy bite, a welcome addition to heavier
dishes or hot soups. Most Indonesian stews and soups arrive at the table with lime wedges on the side, brightening
the complex flavors of these meals. Limes are also used in fresh sauces and condiments as opposed to their mass
production counterparts that use vinegar to cut costs. A good lime should have a smooth texture, a uniformly green
vibrant color and should be somewhat soft to the touch. Found in the fresh produce section of your grocery store,
they will stay good for a week or two before they start to lose their flavor. They can't be frozen.

Nutmeg (Pala) Indigenous to the Banda Islands of Indonesia, nutmeg is widely used around the world,
particularly in western desserts. Few realize its roots are in fact in Asia, from a species of the evergreen tree that
produces both nutmeg and mace. Lending a low-toned, aromatic fragrance and distinctive sweet base, it is used
sparingly in Indonesian cuisine as a subtle but key accent. Many Indonesian dishes influenced by the Dutch
colonization feature nutmeg as an important ingredient. When recipes call for nutmeg, use either freshly ground
nutmeg or already ground nutmeg. It's readily available in the spice section of grocery stores. Store in a cool dry
place.

Dried Egg Noodles, (Bakmi Kuning) As its names suggests, this variety of noodles is made from eggs and
wheat. Influenced by the Chinese population, egg noodles are commonly used in Indonesian cooking and have
become so popular through the generations that large business empires of pre-seasoned noodles and
restaurants have been founded upon this one larger than life ingredient. In the West, Asian grocery stores
carry a large variety, though the Chinese brands tend to dominate. Any type is fine for Indonesian cooking,
though my personal favorites are those that closely resemble the ones found at my favorite noodle restaurant
in Indonesia these are curly and come packaged in small rounds. These dried egg noodles are not to be
confused or substituted for the kind typically sold in Western markets because these have a completely