Is cooking with caffeine the next trend coming our way from Asia?
Malaysians love to pimp up regular dishes with the addition of an unlikely ingredient: Coffee. Chef Paul Neukirch has cooked up 4 delicious recipes with coffee. Find out how he does it!
Coffee may be just a beverage for most people.
But for Chef Paul Neukirch from Malaysia, it's an ingredient to be used in daily cooking. It "adds a certain zing" he says. In fact, he says many Malaysians even have a shot of espresso and hit the sack at night.
Malaysian coffee is an acquired taste — it's thick, strong, and bitter. The distinctive burnt flavor, chefs believe, comes from the butter and sugar that the beans are roasted in. Cooking with this coffee was a challenge for Neukirch. But after 10 days of trial and error, he created 4 delicious dishes you too can enjoy!

Espresso Risotto
Ingredients:
5 cups chicken broth.
1 and ½ cups risotto rice.
¼ cup espresso.
¼ cup white wine.
¼ cup grated parmesan.
1 small onion cubed fine.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
8 espresso beans.
2 capers.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions:
Chop the capers fine. Reduce espresso to 2 spoons. Heat up stock. Heat up olive oil and simmer onions until they are translucent.
Add the rice and espresso beans. Add stock and boil rice up to 20 minutes. Discard espresso beans.
Stir in butter and stock (if needed). Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with capers and reduced espresso and add cheese.
TIP: Use hot coffee, otherwise the risotto and coffee separate. When the coffee is hot, it blends into the risotto.
Ingredients:
5 cups chicken broth.
1 and ½ cups risotto rice.
¼ cup espresso.
¼ cup white wine.
¼ cup grated parmesan.
1 small onion cubed fine.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
8 espresso beans.
2 capers.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions:
Chop the capers fine. Reduce espresso to 2 spoons. Heat up stock. Heat up olive oil and simmer onions until they are translucent.
Add the rice and espresso beans. Add stock and boil rice up to 20 minutes. Discard espresso beans.
Stir in butter and stock (if needed). Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with capers and reduced espresso and add cheese.
TIP: Use hot coffee, otherwise the risotto and coffee separate. When the coffee is hot, it blends into the risotto.

Spicy Lamb Stew
Ingredients:
1 cup coffee.
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
9 oz boneless lamb leg or shoulder
1 red onion, medium
1 red chili
1 green chili
5 pieces garlic
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon bbq sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon grass
1 ginger fresh
Chili flakes to taste
Instructions:
Blend chili, onion, garlic, lemongrass, ginger and chili flakes.
Heat up oil and whisk brown sugar in it until golden brown.
Add spice mix and stir well for 2 minutes.
Add lamb meat and stir well for 2 minutes.
Add chicken or vegetable stock and simmer on low heat for 2 hrs 30 mins.
Add coffee. Reduce until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
Ingredients:
1 cup coffee.
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
9 oz boneless lamb leg or shoulder
1 red onion, medium
1 red chili
1 green chili
5 pieces garlic
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon bbq sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon grass
1 ginger fresh
Chili flakes to taste
Instructions:
Blend chili, onion, garlic, lemongrass, ginger and chili flakes.
Heat up oil and whisk brown sugar in it until golden brown.
Add spice mix and stir well for 2 minutes.
Add lamb meat and stir well for 2 minutes.
Add chicken or vegetable stock and simmer on low heat for 2 hrs 30 mins.
Add coffee. Reduce until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

Summer Greens with Coffee Braised Duck Breast and Orange
Ingredients:
1 duck breast
1 cup coffee
½ cup orange juice
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup minced fresh salad greens, your choice
2 segments of orange
2 tablespoons minced onion sprouts
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon orange zest
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Bring coffee to a boil until it reduces by half.
Add duck breast and heat in saucepan until the coffee is reduced totally.
Let duck rest for 15 minutes and grill to perfection.
Roast pine nuts until golden brown.
Mix orange juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and orange zest for dressing.
Mix salad with dressing until all covered.
Assemble salad and decorate with orange segments, sprouts, and pine nuts.
Add warm slices of braised duck breast.
Ingredients:
1 duck breast
1 cup coffee
½ cup orange juice
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup minced fresh salad greens, your choice
2 segments of orange
2 tablespoons minced onion sprouts
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon orange zest
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Bring coffee to a boil until it reduces by half.
Add duck breast and heat in saucepan until the coffee is reduced totally.
Let duck rest for 15 minutes and grill to perfection.
Roast pine nuts until golden brown.
Mix orange juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and orange zest for dressing.
Mix salad with dressing until all covered.
Assemble salad and decorate with orange segments, sprouts, and pine nuts.
Add warm slices of braised duck breast.

Robusta Creme Brule
Ingredients:
1 cup strong espresso
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 dash cinnamon
½ vanilla pod
¼ cup sugar, caramelized separately.
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 315 F / 150 C.
Mix egg yolks and sugar until creamy white.
Add vanilla pod to egg and sugar blend. Mix in cream and cinnamon.
Bake in a water bath for 25 minutes.
Chill and garnish with caramelized sugar.
Ingredients:
1 cup strong espresso
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 dash cinnamon
½ vanilla pod
¼ cup sugar, caramelized separately.
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 315 F / 150 C.
Mix egg yolks and sugar until creamy white.
Add vanilla pod to egg and sugar blend. Mix in cream and cinnamon.
Bake in a water bath for 25 minutes.
Chill and garnish with caramelized sugar.