At Bali Purnati Center for the Arts, where Johnny is an artist-in-residence, we eat breakfasts of fresh fruit - watermelon, green melon, small, sweet bananas and papaya - with sweet limes to squeeze over, whole wheat toast and homemade jams and marmalades seasoned with cloves.
Papaya Jam
Papaya (or peach, mango or plums) mashed to your preference
sugar
cinnamon
cloves/star of anise
water
Bring to a boil and simmer until jam is formed.
Garlic and Chili Vinegar
In Hanoi, Viet Nam, we frequently eat at one of the many sidewalk cafes around the corner from our guesthouse. The brightly colored plastic stools and tables are so small, we have to sit parallel to the table.
A young woman sets down in front of us a bowl of freshly washed greens - lettuce, bean sprouts, basil, and mint - a plate of rice noodles, a small bowl of pork broth with grilled meatballs of ground pork and chopped scallions, slices of roast pork, a plate of cut up fried spring rolls, and sliced, fresh cucumber. Already on the table is a plastic basket filled with jars of chopped chilis, garlic and chili vinegar, and fish sauce.
Garlic and Chili Vinegar
In a jar put sliced red chilis, sliced garlic and top with white vinegar. Let it sit for several hours or days.
This condiment is on every Vietnamese table and is fantastic with fried rice, fried noodles, and bowls of noodle soup.
Gadu Gadu
Served by street vendors all across Indonesia.
Made to order for 5,ooo Rp (approximately 50 cents)
In a large mortar, grind into a paste the following ingredients:
2-3 small red chilis
garlic clove
ground peanuts
small slice of sweet lime that includes a bit of the rind, as well as pulp
small chunk of fresh tomato, including seeds and skin
water or broth to liquify a bit
pinch of salt
Mix paste with
cubed tofu
rice cake (mashed together cooked, cooled rice, cut into cubes)
lightly boiled bean sprouts and chopped cabbage or bok choy
lots of ground peanuts and a brown sauce, maybe hoisin?