Living four years in Indonesia gave us the opportunity to explore a bit and enjoy the benefits of local cuisine. We would travel to Pelabuhan Ratu, a beach town on the southwest side of the Island of Java for a weekend get away with the kids every eight weeks. The trip was arduous, traversing obvious geological faults and riding on very inadequate roads through the jungle. Depending upon the weather, the road conditions, and the traffic leaving Jakarta, the trip could take anywhere from 3 to 5 hours. It was always magical to pass the small candle lit homes along the side of the road and to take in all of the sights which were so foreign to us! The vast jungle on the island truly was awe inspiring, with dense vegetation, a thick humid odor, and the gorgeous colors of the tropical plants.
Before loading the car, we prepared a bevy of snacks and literally had to take most everything that we would be using to cook. This included olive oil, butter, flour, corn meal, etc. The real treat was waiting for us at the coast!
Pelabuhan Ratu certainly had no HEBs or Kroger but there was no need to worry, as the seafood was the freshest that you could imagine. Each trip to the beach meant that the seafood market or Pasar Ikan was on our schedule. Upon arriving at the fish market, you would see slabs of tuna on the cement floor being hacked up with machetes, baskets of fish, prawns/shrimp, mussels/clams, crabs, large tubs of octopus and squid, and crates of lobster. It was amazing to see the fishermen unload their boats and toss the catch across the floor. Here is a video about the Pasar Ikan (fish market). It is quite a bit improved since we went there!
The lobster tails that we purchased were warm water lobsters, different from the lobsters that one would purchase in Massachusetts or Maine. These tend to be smaller and lack the larger claws that are typical of cold water lobsters. The flavor of the lobster meat is nice but not as “sweet” as cold water lobsters. Still, they are wonderful and can be grilled, boiled, and made into any type of lobster dish.
Ingredients
2 fresh water lobsters 6 to 8 ounces Prepared as in the above video.
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 ounces Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (1/8 for each lobster)
1/2 teaspoon salt for each lobster
1/4 teaspoon pepper for each lobster
How to:
Prepare the lobster as directed in the video. Heat your grill to medium high or about 425 degrees F.
Place the lobsters in a container after being prepared.
Pour lemon juice and olive oil over lobsters. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and granulated garlic over each lobster.
Once grill is hot, place lobsters on grill with shell side down. Cook on this side for 3 minutes. Turn the lobsters over, carefully watching them as to not over cook. Cook for 2 minutes on the flesh side. Once again, turn the lobster back onto the shell side and continue to grill for an additional 1 to 2 minutes depending on the size of the lobster. When cooked, the lobster meat should be slightly firm to the touch or between 135 to 140 degrees F. Use a digital thermometer if you want to be exact! Do not overcook as this will cause the lobster to be rubbery and possibly stick to the shell.
I like to serve my grilled lobster with a side of melted butter infused with lemon juice! This is perfect for company on the patio! Each time I serve this, I think about the wonderful times that we had in Pelabuhan Ratu with the Lowrys, Woodards, and Garabrants. Such great memories of our adventures!
Cabeuser's Blog 