Bebean: A Bean of Pigeon Pea Plus

Among the family of beans, probably pigeon pea is rarely used due to its seasonal availability at market. Balinese people call it undis and they usually plant in the backyard or embankment of rice field as intercrops. Meanwhile, the famous dish made from this pigeon pea is the younger ones or its beans cooked as vegetable with broth. Besides, it can also be made into bebean dish. In Balinese language, bebean stands for artificial fish. At least, it can be interpreted as a dish used to substitute the ones made from flesh or fish. In combination with cassava leaf and grated coconut it can be conjured up into a unique and mouth-watering dish.

Ingredients: 200g pigeon peas (soaked until expanding), 1 cup of grated coconut, 1 handful of boiled cassava leaf (cut short).
Spices: 4 cloves shallot, 4 cloves garlic, 3 small chilies, 2 large chilies, 1 slice galangal, 1 slice ginger, 1 slice turmeric, 1 slice kencur, 2 candlenuts, ½ tsp coriander, ½ tsp pepper, 1 tsp salt, 4 pcs salam leaf.
Sprinkled sambal: 2 cloves shallot, 2 cloves garlic, 2 candlenut, 1 slice kencur, 1 slice turmeric and 4 small chilies (all ingredients are ground and then stir-fried).
Other: banana leaf for wrapping, bamboo pin (semat)

Method:

• Grind all spices and then mix together with the pigeon peas. Add salt, pepper, coriander, salam leaf (finely chopped), cassava leaf and grated coconut. Again, mix them evenly.
• Wrap the batter above by banana leaf lengthwise and affix each end by means of bamboo pin.
• Steam the wraps for approximately an hour. Take out and it’s ready to serve. To make garnish,sprinkle some drops of sambal.
  (BTN/punia)
  

Milkfish Soup: A Feast for the Senses

Fried fish may have become a common delicacy. It would only run good on the first bite. To make a difference, try making seafood (milkfish) soup. Other than providing a nice and delicate biting, the soup will pamper the throat and extend maximal benefit obtained from seafood. Milkfish, for instance, can be said as one of the versatile fishes because no matter how one cooks it, it remains to give the best flavor. In order to get a traditional nuance, it can be served in a natural container like coconut shell.

Ingredients: 400g milkfish flesh, 200g fish head
Spices: 1 tsp pepper powder, 2 pc salam leaf, 2 tbsp squeeze of lime, 1 tsp vinegar, 1 pc leek, 1 tsp salt, 3 cloves garlic (bruised), and 3 slices ginger (bruised).
Other: 1 tbsp fried shallot

Method:

• Cleanse the milkfish, cut and sow with the squeeze of lime. Take aside for some 30 minutes.
• Make fish broth by fish head with some 500ml of water by boiling it for some 20 minutes. Take out when it has cooked. Separate the broth from the fish head.· Put the fish broth into the frying pan. Add garlic, ginger, salt, milkfish, salam leaf, vinegar, pepper and slices of leek leaf. Optionally, it may be added with MSG. It would be cooked within 15 minutes.
• Take out and sprinkle with fried shallot. It would be advisable to serve while it remains warm.