Bewitching Bali Day 1: Alila Uluwatu

You know those special places that give wonderful memories,  you are just flabbergasted at the thought of ruining it when you don't  choose your words well? Wow! that was a mouthful, isn't it? That's how I feel writing about Bali. I feel like I just don't have the right words to describe it. My fascination and affection for the place is just so enormous , there's no way my limited vocabulary is up to it.

I love Bali. I fell in love with the place, the rich culture and heritage , the  amazing architectures,  religion and beliefs and  most of all  the people. Ironic , since I have very little expectation of this place. Before coming over, Bali for me is just one big tourist trap. Just your typical example of what tropical paradise is , before over excessive  tourism  finally sucked up and ravage its natural beauty. Well, although the island has  indeed changed through the years, it thankfully  retained its deep rooted architectural influences and cultural heritage.

Bali is a feast to the senses. Sights. Are. Just. Breathtaking!

We arrived late in the afternoon, traffic like most major cities in Asia is bad,  but not as horrendous as Manila's over congested roads. After a smooth sailing check in at a newly built hotel in Seminyak, one of hundreds sprouting in the island , we went to Uluwatu to catch the sunset.  One of the best areas for sunset viewing in Bali, they say.  I was expecting a lot before I reach Alila resort, but I was not expecting this! FF and I were blown away..

We watched, open mouthed and quite enchanted, as the sun dramatically descends .

Painting the sky with all sorts of hues imaginable. Darkening azure, emerald, cool lavender, purple, flamey pink , swathe the entire vista in glorious colours, which is mirrored by the resort's infinity pool. Felt So lucky to have witnessed mother nature's display of beauty.

It came fast and took our breath away before engulfing the night in darkness. Soon,  the resort is bathe in amber glow , turning the whole atmosphere from dreamlike to romantic.

We lingered at the resort's Warung restaurant for dinner and savoured our very first Balinese meal. We enjoyed cocktails, fresh coconut juice and on the house  hors d'oeuvre of crackers, served with 12 different dips , from mild to spicy, on a Congkak/ Sungka wooden board! Who says you can't play while you eat?!

Not really knowing what to eat, we ordered a set menu that offers a bit of almost everything they offer. It came with the most delicious satay I've ever eaten up to date. I could eat this every day!

The satay is served with super delicious peanut sauce and usual condiments of   beans and salad. A creamy, lightly spicy soup came next.

Then the main dishes came, with animal kingdom represented on each bowl. Each flavoured and cooked differently but it  was the Bali Kepap or Pork in Soy Sauce the won FF and my votes.

Dessert was pancake with sweet shredded coconut filling and some banana leaf packed treat.

And a generous platter of tropical fruits. Good foods, friendly and warm attendants  and great view, Alila Resort Uluwatu is just a perfect place to start a tour in Bali. This is the place to be if you want to impress somebody..

Our 10-day trip to Bali last year was one of the best holidays I had so far and I am looking forward to revisit this place again.

Kalabasa na Ukoy

My husband is one of the most uncomplaining men I know. He finds happiness in simple things. Good weather, afternoon walks,  old classic movies and simple foods. He is not a difficult man to please . Yet, just like you and me, there are still things that make him roll his eyes in disapproval. The list is not long, so it is quite easy to remember .  For example, he has a   strong aversion to zucchinis , eggplants and squash as much as the unnecessary , dirty laundry airings on Facebook. Facebook has delete and unfriend button, but I have to do something with these vegetables since I love all three!

I made squash fritters or Ukoy today. Refused to tell him what's in it, actually.  Cruuuunch! crunch! Church! Only the sound coming out from his oral cavity can  be heard as he ate the Ukoy with gusto. I know my husband too well, I know that he likes it before he could tell me.  Hate list updated. One down, two more to go!

Ingredients: 

600 g kalabasa/ squash, peeled and julienned
3 stalks of spring onion, chopped

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tbsp cup cornstarch

1/2- 1  cup ice water

1 large egg
1 tsp. crispy prawn chili paste, optional

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. annatto powder

1 tsp. white pepper

2 tbsp. salt

250 g shrimps, peeled  and diveined 

Oil for frying

Spicy dip 

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbsp. sesame seed, toasted

1 clove of garlic, smashed

1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. raw palm sugar
1 tbsp. of chopped green onions

1/2 tsp. chili paste  or 1-2 chilies, optional

Cooking instruction: 

Prepare dip: Toast sesame seeds in a pan until golden brown and aromatic. Mix the rest of the dipping  sauce. You can add or omit chilies. Set aside.

 1. Peel and cut squash into thin strips. Add in chopped spring onion.

 2. Mix together flour, cornstarch, annatto powder, salt, white pepper and garlic powder.

 3. Beat the egg and stir in crispy prawn chilli paste. If you don't have this spice, you could omit it.  Beat in 1/2 cup ice water.

 4. Add egg and water mixture into the dry ingredients , mix until  all lumps dissolve. If the batter is still too dry, add more ice water  until the desired consistency is reached. It should not be too thick and not too runny.

 5. Pour batter over the squash and onion.

6. Heat oil in the wok. Scoop a tablespoonful of squash and batter, press a shrimp on top and carefully drop into the hot oil. Flip and fry to a crisp . Drain on a paper towel and serve pipping hot.

Can't really blame him now, can we?

Oven baked Tandoori chicken

I'm still feeling  amiable and socialible ( more than usual, I mean)  from the yuletide season and the countless celebrations with family and friends that came naturally with it. So to keep the spirits high,  I invited FF's family over for lunch .

Although I love  Indian cuisine, I prefer to eat it at the restaurants rather than cook it myself at home. It's still one ground  I still rarely thread. Today, I just kept my fingers cross and decided to give it a try and serve it. My guests are pretty excited about the prospect of eating Indian foods, after all, it rarely make appearances on family lunches and dinners. Just like an adventure, trying something new that they might like....or not.

I made some Indian fish curry, using some spices I bought in Malaysia and this oven baked tandoori chicken. The smell of my kitchen was heavenly! The spices and the aroma welcomed my guests like a sweet embrace . Not only did it smelled good, it tastes fantastic too! Everyone , even the picky kids were raving about it and were actually keen to give Bollywood meal another go! Yeah, you don't need to wear a cape and tight leather speedo to feel like a hero. Watching my family happy and satisfied  faces while eating foods I lovingly prepared and cooked, gave me just the same satisfaction.

Ingredients:

6 chicken legs

Marinade:

1 cup jogurt

2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp. coriander powder

1/2 tsp. cumin powder

1 tbsp. garam masala

1 tsp Cheyenne pepper

2 tsp. paprika powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder ( you can add more, if you like it hot)

4 garlic cloves, finely mashed

1 tbsp. grated ginger

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

To Garnish:

Lemon wedges

coriander leaves or mint leaves

onion rings

Cooking instructions:

 1.Remove skin and trim excess fat from the chicken legs. Make some incisions along the flesh so flavours can set in deeper. Pat chicken pieces with paper towel.

 2. Mix marinade ingredients and rub it into the chicken, making sure to lather every inch of flesh, every crease and slit .
Cover bowl with a cling foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours . The longer it marinates, the tastier it becomes. I had mine soaked in marinade overnight. The jogurt also helps tenderize the meat, making it fall off the bone tender and keep it moist and succulent .

3. Preheat oven to 200 ° c. Line a baking pan with aluminium foil. You need to do this. It's going to make your life easier after all the eating and socializing. Trust me. Spray or brush wire rack with your choice of fat. I used coconut oil to grease it. Put sauce lathered chicken on the wire rack  and place wire rack on the aluminium foil lined pan and pop in the oven for 30 mins. After 30 mins, turn chicken and bake for another 15 mins. I flipped the chicken once more and turn oven's setting to ''broil'' and pop it in for another 5 mins. Take out from the oven, garnish and serve!

Finger lickin' good!