Nasi Goreng… Bali Paradise!!!

We just got back from a long awaited family holiday...Can't believe it had been 3 years since I'd been overseas...I organised to take my partner, my stepdaughters and Baby (I think that will be a nickname that sticks for a while) to Bali for Lee's 50th birthday..  We were fortunate enough to travel with our good friends and their children...

I've been to Bali about 8 times but I have never travelled with a toddler...  What a shock to the system!!  I tried to prepare myself and what could go wrong in the lead up...needless to say 1/2 my suitcase were items purchased from Chemist warehouse!!  Aquatabs, hydrolites, ear drops for after swimming, hand sanitizer, children's panadol...the list goes on..  Other than the hydrolites and panadol everything else was a complete waste...The holiday started with a couple of hick ups...The ASSHOLE sitting infront of us who felt the need within the first 5 minutes to put his chair all the way back which gave Evangeline literally about 5 cm of room to move her head which was followed by a minor airplane altercation, still can't believe the ridiculous comment that came out of the Asshole's wife's mouth!! and then what I thought was a common cold for Evangeline (Baby) turned into a throat infection in the first 24 hours of our trip...That was scary, she would literally throw up and then collapse in my arms.  The doctor who came to the villa fixed her up in no time...I couldn't understand a lot of what he was saying but he did the job and a hell of a lot better than the one who saw Evangeline the day before we left..She was too obsessed about the dangers of Dengue fever to even check her out thoroughly to diagnose a throat infection.  Other than that we all had a great time... The kids LOVED Water Bomb Park, surfing, bargaining and the motorbike rides down the street....

Even though I didn't get out much, what I love about Bali is the food...I missed out on my ritual Ibu Oka babi guling trip this time round but I organised a Balinese feast to be prepared at our villa for Lee's birthday....Yummo....  We had nasi goring, mie goreng,  kare ayam (chicken curry), babi guling, lawar kacang panjang (snake bean coconut salad) pepesan ikan (grilled fish in banana leaves), sate lembat ayam (minced chicken and coconut satays)....all very delicious!!!

I did get out a couple of times without the kids to hang out at the warungs on the beach and have either my nasi goreng, nasi campur or sate ayam with peanut sauce and Lee sticks to the same soto ayam...Indo chicken soup...

Nasi Goreng recipe (from Janet DeNeefe's Fragrant Rice)

2 tbs oil

100 g chicken finely chopped

3 small red shallots, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 leek, finely chopped

1/2 large red chilli, trimmed, de-seeded and chopped

1 cup steamed rice

1/2 cup finely chipped cabbage

1/2 cup choi sum chopped in 3cm pieces

1 tbs tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoon kecap manis

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

salt pepper to taste

1 tbs fried shallots

1 egg

Heat the oil in a wok  over a medium flame.  Fry the chicken in the oil for about 2 minutes.  If there is too much water from the chicken, remove the chicken, drain the liquid, wipe the wok and add the same amount of oil again.  Reheat, add the chicken then the finely chopped shallots and garlic.  Toss around for 20 seconds.  Add the leek and chilli.  Mix thoroughly, keeping the food moving to prevent it sticking to the wok.  Add the steamed rice with the vegetables, followed by the sauces and vinegar.  Mix and toss.  Keep tossing until the vegetables are wilted and the rice is thoroughly heated.  Check seasonings.  Serve topped with fried egg.  You can accompany with fried chicken or chicken satays.

xxxCarol