Manado Inspired : Ayam Masak Manado, Tumis Bunga Pepaya & Perkedel Jagung

Ayam Masak Manado : grilled chicken cooked with vegetable and chili.
The uniqueness of this dish is the use of daun leilem (leilem leaf) which originated from Minahasa. Outside Minahasa, it's difficult to get the leaf (we purposely planted the leilem tree at home so we can use the leaves for cooking).  Melinjo leaf can be used as substitute.

This is inspired by Manado's dish, Ayam Isi Dibuluh.  The original recipe requires the chicken to be cooked inside a bamboo, thus the name ("buluh" means bamboo).

Tumis Bunga Pepaya : papaya flower stir-fry
This is also not the authentic Manado version.  We use the salty anchovy to cut the bitter taste of papaya flower.

Bakwan Jagung - corn fritters