Eat, Surf, Cook | Bali

Dear home cooks,

It has been a couple of weeks since my last entry. As some of you might have figured, Alvin's Penthouse Kitchen took some time off, but has hardly stopped cooking or gorging while on vacation!

On an unrelenting quest for adventure, my holiday this month took me back to the enchanting Bali, nearly six months since my last visit. Aspiring to pick up a new sport and a rather extreme challenge, I signed up for a week-long surfing course by the crashing shores of laid-back Kuta, West Bali.

In just days, I experienced the high of standing up on a surf board, the adrenaline rush of successfully catching and riding a rapidly breaking wave. I have, on the other hand, also endured the power of nature as waves double my height slammed like speeding trains, occasionally sweeping me into a helpless heap of laundry tumbling under ferocious currents. The biggest lessons I learned? Get up no matter how many times you fall. And don't mess with Mother Nature.

Fragrant seeds, nuts and spices: the foundation of Balinese cooking

Aside from beach bumming like a surfer, I dove into the world of Balinese cooking. On multiple occasions I have heard this comment from fellow travellers regarding the lack of "good food" on this Island of Gods. And boy, are they sorely mistaken. Apart from the host of international cuisines catering to tourists, Bali boasts a complex, distinctly Balinese food culture, blending indigenous traditions and foreign influences with Indonesian regional cuisines.

Ayam Betutu, a popular Balinese dish

Unlike many parts of Indonesia, Bali's inhabitants are predominantly Hindu, with every aspect of Balinese life steeped in religious belief. Pork, though rarely found in majority Muslim Indonesia, is widely consumed in Bali, making this world-famous island even more magical for hog-lovers like me.

Until attending my cooking class, I had only a vague concept of Balinese food from exploring restorans, warungs, and masakan padangs. Specialties such as bebek betutu, ikan pepes, and sate lilit feature prominently in many restaurants alongside Indonesian favorites like nasi goreng and sop buntut. Rice is consumed almost every meal, with an incredibly complex blend of spices permeating every element of a Balinese dish and its mesmerizing array of spicy sambals.

So what exactly makes Balinese cuisine so remarkable? I decided to find my answers by learning it hands-on. From candlenut to the torch ginger, we learn the basics of Balinese flavors and the base wangen - or fragrant spice paste - used in all ceremonial foods and most everyday dishes. We grind our own ingredients and cook off at the wok station, getting our hands "dirty" massaging meat and tossing salads, finally culminating to a feast of nine dishes all created from scratch.

Grinding spices the traditional way!

Paket Gurame Bumbu Oles

Not only did I walk out will a full belly, but also returned home with a deeper understanding, craving and respect for Balinese food. I look forward to experimenting at home at Alvin's Penthouse Kitchen and sharing with you all!

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Classic Red Wine Sangria

As I write this entry, I am probably already tipsy. What better way to start your day than to wake up to some booze laced with your daily serving of fruits and vitamin-C? (Alright, keep moderation in mind, guys. Especially those who went to bed over booze.) Joke aside, I am ecstatic as I whip up this giant pitcher of classic Sangria because not only is it a breathtakingly glorious day out today (good weather should never be taken granted for), my long-anticipated leave is also nearing on the horizon. I may not have a travel buddy this time, so to take advantage of my week and a half off, I am considering to take up a challenge, to learn something completely new and wild - and it might just be surfing in Bali. Stay tuned for updates!

Order a glass of Sangria at a bar or restaurant, it may set you back a hefty bunch. Make it at home, and you will soon realize that this traditional Spanish favorite costs little more than the wine you choose. It requires no mixological skills - only time in the cooler to allow flavors to mingle.

Sangria is peculiarly forgiving when it comes to variations in ingredients. Add more juice or soda for a sweeter drink, go easy on the brandy, or tip in other fruits such as peaches and halved grapes. Use fresh, quality orange juice or squeeze your own, none of that concentrate crap.

People tend to think of Sangria as a summer drink, but in fact it is just as delightful any other day, at a party, weekend brunch, or a cozy candlelight dinner like tonight with close friends. One does not need a reason to celebrate with Sangria.

To prepare...

1 bottle (750 ml) red wine (I used an Australian Shiraz) 
Orange juice of two oranges, freshly squeezed (approx. 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup brandy
1 tablespoon Simple Syrup*, or more to taste (*equal parts sugar and water, heated until sugar dissolves, cooled)
1 apple, Granny Smith or Pink Lady, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces 
Orange and lemon slices
1 can of lemon-lime soda (optional)
Fresh mint sprigs

In a pitcher, combine the red wine, orange juice, brandy, simple syrup, and fruit. Stir to combine and refrigerate until drink is chilled and flavors are blended, 4 hours up to overnight. Serve over ice and garnish with sprigs of mint. Add soda if desired.

Any hour is happy hour with a pitcher of Sangria. Salud!

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Leek and Mushroom Tart

There are three things that, when swirled together in a skillet, smell absolutely heavenly. They are mushrooms, garlic, and butter. Say no more. I just hover over the stove and innn-hale.

Pair sauteed mushrooms with leek - the elegantly long, weighty cylindrical bundle of leaf sheaths, recognized by its white, yellow, and green hues and bold flavors of onion, shallots, and scallions - and you've got fireworks going off in your kitchen. Layer the ensemble on buttery, flaky pastry, dress it with gruyère or goat cheese (or even sour cream), and spruce it up with a touch of fresh thyme - and there you have a sensational tart that is sure to carry you deep into the woods into the French countryside.

Make your own pastry if you have the time and the energy; otherwise, go for puff pastry sheets like I did and practically have this delicious tart piping hot out of the oven in 40 minutes. Serve as an appetizer, a vegetarian main dish, or tote this savory tart to a holiday gathering; just be sure to grab a slice before it vanishes!

Rinse in between sheaths to remove any dirt

To prepare...
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed if frozen
2 leeks, parted in the middle and thinly sliced into half moons
1/2 lb. (227g) cremini mushroom, cleaned, stemmed, and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of butter
85g cheese of your choice (eg. crumbled goat cheese, gruyère. I used 1/3 cup of grated cheddar)
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
Fresh thyme and flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. In a skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter over meduim-high heat. Briefly sauté garlic, then add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are soft and have released their juices, 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.


2. Melt the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter. Add leek and sauté until softened and barely browned, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 200C. Place baking sheet in oven to warm up. In a small bowl, whisk together the cheese, milk, egg, and a generous pinch of pepper.


4. Roll out puff pastry on baking paper. Lightly dust pastry with all-purpose flour if too sticky. Spread the cheese mixture to within 1 inch of the edge of the dough. Cover with leek, and fold the edges of the dough over the filling to make a free-form tart.  

5. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet along with the baking paper. Bake until the crust puffs and both the crust and the leeks are golden, about 15-20 minutes. Scatter mushrooms over the leeks and bake for 5 minutes more.

Tip: Adding in mushrooms towards the end can prevent the mushrooms from drying excessively. If added in the beginning (pictured on left), lightly cover the filling with foil halfway through baking, like I did.



Sprinkle tart with thyme and parsley, serve!

[Any thoughts or comments? I want to hear from you! Also check out my Facebook Fan Page]