Stir-fried dishes are easy to prepare, which is why this is my first option when I want to cook something good in a limited amount of time. The toughest part about it though, is ensuring the meat is tender. If you will use mince then that isn’t a problem, but for sliced meats you have to cook it just right, so that it won’t be tough. Allowing the meat to simmer in stock or water can also be done to soften it. I usually use a fork to test doneness. Once it goes through just fine then the meat is ready.

Chicken and basil stir-fry is a delicious rice topping. It can be served along with soup or a vegetable dish. For this recipe we used sliced chicken breasts, but you may use chicken mince as well. You can also use the same recipe for pork or even beef.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons peanut oil

600g chicken breasts, sliced into very thin strips

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 2cm knob fresh ginger, grated

4 fresh red chili, sliced thinly

4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, shredded

1 medium onion, sliced thinly

100g mushrooms, quartered

1 large carrot, sliced thinly

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/3 cup chicken stock

1 cup bean sprouts

3/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat half of the oil in a wok or skillet. Stir-fry the chicken in batches for 3-6 minutes or until they are brown and tender. After, transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Set aside.

Place the remaining oil in the wok or skillet and heat it. Sauté the garlic, ginger, onions and lime leaves for 3-5 minutes or until all the ingredients are soft and the mixture becomes fragrant. Add the mushrooms and the carrots. Stir-fry them for another 5 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Return the chicken to the wok and add the stock, soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce. Add the bean sprouts. Cook it in low heat for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and dries up a little. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Season it with salt and pepper if desired.

Photo Courtesy Of:   jules:stonesoup

I am still not over my soup streak. I think it is because of the extremely hot weather. I’ve been having my share of soups for almost a week now and I’m running out of ideas. That’s why I chose ramen. I honestly am not a big fan, because I prefer Chinese noodle dishes better. This time around, I appreciated it more. It has a distinct flavor from the dashi. You can buy it in powdered form, but you can make your own as well.

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 package of ramen noodles

1 or 2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced

1/2 cup of scallions, sliced

1/2 cup of Shiitake mushrooms

1 egg

Dried Kelp

6 cups of water

To prepare the soup or dashi, soak the mushrooms in water for 30 minutes. After, drain it and discard the water. Place the mushrooms in a pot half filled with water.

Set the heat on high and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and let it stand for another 30 minutes. Strain the soup and separate the mushrooms. Set aside.

Next, cook the noodles according to package instructions or place 2 cups of water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the noodles and cook it for 2-3 minutes or until the noodles are al dente. Drain and set aside.

Put the egg in a pot and put 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil. Turn of the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. After, peel it and slice lengthwise.

Combine the noodles, chicken breast, dried kelp, shiitake mushrooms and soup. Ladle it into a bowl and garnish it with egg and scallions. Serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of:  telepathicparanoia

When the weather is gray, all I can think of food and lounging all day. Creamy pastas are always good comfort foods that are simple to prepare and exquisitely delicious. For this recipe, you can also substitute ham instead of chicken.

Ingredients:

400g dried penne pasta

2 tablespoons penne pasta

2 single chicken breast fillets, cubed

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

1 cup snow peas

3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven at 300F.

Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook the pasta according to package instructions or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat half of the oil in a large saucepan under medium heat. Fry the chicken for 5-8 minutes or until it is light brown.  Transfer to a plate.

Place the remaining oil in the pan. Sauté the garlic for 2-3 minutes or until it becomes fragrant. Stir-in the sour cream and slowly add the broth. Let it simmer for 5-8 minutes or until it thickens. Add the chicken and season it with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta and the sauce. Transfer the pasta to a baking dish and top it with snow peas. Sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese. Bake it for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese bubbles. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with garlic bread.

Photo Courtesy Of:  jerine

Chicken is one of the best meats to use because they absorb flavors easily. This tasty Mediterranean dish is so good it totally melts in your mouth. All you have to do is combine all the ingredients, bake it and voila! You have a wonderful dish that is perfect for parties or family dinners.

Ingredients:

750g marble potatoes or medium sized potatoes, quartered

8 chicken thighs

2 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 Spanish onions, quartered

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

400g can diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced

12 black olives

Chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

1 cup crumbled feta cheese, to serve

Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 200C.

Dry the chicken using paper towels and place them on a lightly greased baking dish. Add the potatoes, onions, tomatoes and red bell pepper. Sprinkle with paprika, salt, oregano and garlic. After, drizzle it with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken and potatoes are done. Baste chicken with the drippings.  Top with olives, feta and parsley before serving.

Photo Courtesy Of:  russelljsmith

Cabbages are a good source of vitamin C. I enjoy its sweet taste. I can even eat it boiled with a little salt. In this recipe I used ground chicken, but feel free to use other types of meat if you wish.

Ingredients:

1 large cabbage

500g ground chicken

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, chopped

2 tomatoes, seeded and sliced

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

3 cups tomato sauce

3 tablespoons of olive oil

salt and pepper

wooden toothpicks

Core the cabbage and make sure not to damage the leaves. Place the cabbage in a pot or Dutch oven with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or when the leaves are a little soft. Remove the cabbage from the pot and put it in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain the water and dry the leaves. Separate the leaves and remove the hard parts. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine one part of the garlic, half of the onions, grated carrot and the ground chicken. Mix well and season it with salt and pepper.

Get a cabbage leaf and place a tablespoon of ground chicken mixture. Wrap the cabbage around the mixture and secure it with a toothpick. Do this with the remaining cabbages and ground chicken.

In a saucepan over medium flame, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 3 minutes or until light brown. Add the tomatoes. Cover the saucepan for another 5 minutes. After, add the tomato sauce and season it with salt and pepper. Place the cabbage rolls in the pan in one layer. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Transfer to a plate and remove the toothpicks before serving.

Photo Courtesy Of: shekay