Recipe: Chicken Spring Rolls From Cookbook Helping Bali

 

 

 

Who’s missing the delightful cuisine of Bali?

Here’s a delicious Balinese snack you can easily whip up for a starter or hors d’oeuvre. It is from chef Dean Keddell’s wonderful new book  Our Bali, Your Bali – Bali Kita, Bali Kamu.  

The recipes are delicious, yes  but by buying this book  you’re also helping five vital charities in Bali, all struggling more than ever due to the COVID crisis.

 

 

Dean, chef and proprietor at Ginger Moon and Jackson Lily’s at Seminyak,  has been doing all he can to raise funds to help local communities in need. “Bali and Java are currently in emergency lockdown, with infection rates climbing faster than ever before,” he says.

“We are quite unsure when we will come out of this. We are now seeing tens of thousands of new cases in Indonesia a day, and hundreds in Bali.”
In Bali, “the ICU units at the three hospitals designated for COVD referrals are already filled to capacity.” 
And in Java, “hospitals have been bushed to the brink. In Jakarta, some emergency wards have been moved to tents set up in hospital car parks to free up isolation rooms, while people queue up to buy oxygen tanks for sick relatives back home.

“Sadly, we have a long road ahead and people are suffering greatly.”

 

 

Anyone wishing to support the cause can order the book: https://chuffed.org/project/bali-needs-our-help . It can be delivered worldwide and the price on the site includes delivery. The price within Australia delivered to your door is $85.

“Dean says 100 per cent of the profits go to those in need: “The majority goes to five charities and a small percentage to some of my staff. There is no financial reward for me; its been over a year of full time work and unsurmountable stress – but it’s all worth it knowing this is helping saving lives.”

The five charities receiving funding are:
Bali Children’s Foundation: helping thousands of local children complete school and find employment.

Scholars of Sustenance: providing nutrition to those in need.

Friends of the National Parks Foundation: working to protect wildlife and habitat, at the same time supporting local communities.

East Bali Poverty Project: helping people to help themselves.

Bali Wise by R.O.L.E Foundation: empowering marginalised women through skills education, as a means to develop sustainable communities.

” These charities need financial aid to continue their wonderful support of local families with food, clothing, education and environmental needs,” says Dean.

These hot and salty little treats have been on the menu since day one, like many of Ginger Moon Canteen dishes these are here to stay, to take them off would mean unhappy guests and we don’t want that! Being in Indonesia, I use an Indonesian chicken curry, but they would be equally delicious with any type of curry.

Chicken Curry for Spring Rolls

Ingredients

1kg Chicken thigh, cut in to a small dice

180gm Basa be siap (chicken spice paste, see recipe below)

12 Lime leaves, chiffonade

15 ml Fish sauce

1lt Coconut milk

200ml Water

Corn flour/water mix

Salt to taste

2 gm White pepper

Spring roll wrappers

 

Method

1. Marinate the diced chicken in the spice paste for a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Sauté the chicken taking care to brown the meat evenly then add the coconut milk, water, lime leaves and fish sauce, simmer slowly until the liquid is reduced to a thickish sauce like consistency, and add a touch of corn flour to stop the sauce from splitting and to thicken and bind the sauce. The sauce needs to be thick enough to hold on to the chicken.
3. Pour the curry on to a flat tray, once at room temperature cool the mixture in a refrigerator.
4. Lay out the wrappers one at a time keeping the pile under a damp clean cloth. Place a dessert spoon full of filling in the middle of each wrapper, brush the edges with the corn flour/water mix and roll in to a short cigar shape.
5. Deep fry in plenty of oil at 180 ℃till golden and crisp, drain well on paper towel, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Herb & Cucumber Yoghurt

Ingredients

250ml plain Greek style yoghurt

1 Limes, zested

15gm Coriander

15gm Mint

6gm Lemon basil

50gm Cucumber, peeled and diced

Salt to tastel

Method

1. Blend herbs, lime zest and yoghurt together in an electric blender.
2. By hand fold in cucumber and season with salt.

 

 

Basa be Siap

Spice paste for chicken – for use in just about any chicken preparations from satay to Balinese barbeque and curries.

Ingredients

225 gm Shallots, peeled

125 gm Cloves garlic, peeled

50 gm Kencur root, washed and chopped

60 gm Galangal, peeled and chopped

100 gm Candlenuts

125 gm Fresh turmeric, washed & chopped

50gm Chillies, red, finely sliced

50gm Palm sugar

2gm White peppercorns, crushed

150 ml Coconut oil

2 stalks lemongrass, bruised

3 Salam leaves (can substitute with curry leaves)

250 ml Water

2gm Salt

Method

1. Grind all ingredients except lemongrass, salam leaves and water, coarsely.
2. Place in heavy sauce pan, add all remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for approximately 60 minutes or until water is evaporated and marinade changes to golden colour.
3. Cool before using.