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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Saffron Rice Pilaf

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One thing that constantly stumps me whenever I cook a dish is thinking of other dishes to accompany the main course. You can only serve mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower so many times before you guests think you’re not a really creative cook. You can have a stupendously delicious main course but without that side dish of carbohydrates that will serve as your filler, the whole meal can fall flat instantly. These side dishes serve to complement the main dish, mellow out some of the flavors while enhancing others, and as I’ve said before, it helps fill up your guests, sating them during the meal. [Read more…]

Herb Rice

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Herb rice is a delicious twist to plain rice. It is best served with grilled meat or fried dishes. If you like spicy food, you may add chopped chili or even chili flakes. Garlic powder can also make it  more aromatic.

 

Serves 10

Ingredients:

500g basmati and wild rice blend

2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander leaves

2 tablespoons snipped chives

Salt and ground pepper to taste

 

Cook the rice in a large pot of salted boiling water or according to package instructions. After it boils, keep the heat to low to avoid overcooking or burning. The rice must be soft and fluffy. If it is and there is still excess water, you may drain it. Cover and keep warm.

Before serving, place the rice in a large bowl. Add the parsley, coriander and chives. Toss until well combined. Adjust the taste by adding salt and pepper. Serve with chili if desired.

 

Image from  YoAmes

Simply Oishi Katsudon

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Japanese food never fails to bring out my sumo appetite! I always end up eating like a sumo wrestler every time I’m at a Japanese restaurant … and all you have to do is roll me all the way home.

Their portions are often times quaintly served and for someone who eats a lot, you get tempted to eat more.

So much effort is put into each dish that you’d feel guilty just chomping down on it. A perfect example of which is the Sushi bar! Although I’m not a real fan of anything that stares back at me, I do like Maki rolls. Have you ever watched a Sushi chef prepare a single serving of those pretty raw things you just gobble in one minute? Let alone making one yourself? I feel sorry for the Sushi chef who pays attention to every single detail of these small pieces of art, but I guess the appreciation comes from how many of them you’ve managed to devour.

True enough, Japanese cuisine often looks so tedious to prepare. Everything they cook seems to have some sort of a ritual to it. Their food presentation always looks like it follows a certain Zen rule in its arrangement and at times, the food looks too pretty to eat. But hey, when you’re hungry….you’re hungry! And right now, I am drooling at the thought of a steaming hot bowl of Katsudon!

Katsudon is a rice meal made of breaded and fried pork cutlet simmered in a mix of Japanese sauce, veggies and egg. Mostly, any Japanese dish with the suffix “don” means it is a rice meal served in a bowl. The main ingredients are simmered together with sweet and savoury sauces, vegetables and topped over steaming white sticky rice.

Now if there isn’t any decent Japanese restaurant near you, you can always try your hand at cooking some Katsudon for yourself. Here’s an easy recipe that is totally Oishi ne!

KATSUDON

Ingredients:

120g Pork Loin/pork steak cuts
salt and pepper to season
Flour
A Pinch of Water
Japanese Panko Bread Crumbs
1 egg
Cooking oil

Katsudon Sauce

50ml Water
1/5 tsp Granulated Dashi
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Mirin
1 tsp Sugar
Onion- thinly sliced
Leeks
1 Egg
Japanese Wild Parsley

Fresh Steamed Rice

Instructions:
• Season pork cutlet with salt and pepper. Coat both sides with flour, dip it in the egg and coat both sides with bread crumbs. Deep fry in oil until golden brown. When cooked, slice the fried cutlet into 1 inch wide pieces and set aside
• To make sauce: In a bowl mix together water, sugar, soy sauce, mirin and dashi. Using an omelette pan, pour in the sauce mixture and add the onions and leeks. Cover and let it boil. Soon as it has come to a boil, lower the heat and put the cutlet in the pan. Pour in the egg and simmer for a few more minutes depending on how you want your egg done.
• Put freshly steamed rice in a bowl and top it with the cooked katsudon, along with any remaining sauce in the pan. Garnish with Japanese parsley and serve hot.

 

Photo Credit: jetalone

Photo Credit: jekert

Cheesy Baked Salmon and Rice

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This delicious meal is perfect for lazy days. It is a good tv dinner that is easy to prepare. It is also a scrumptious dish you can prepare for dinner.

 

Ingredients:

30g butter

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

415g can red salmon

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen corn

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

3 cups cooked white long-grain rice

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh flat leaf parsley leaves for garnish

 

Preheat oven to 160C

Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan over low heat. Add flour and stir until there are no more lumps and the butter mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and slowly pour in the milk. Return the pan to medium heat and stir constantly for 5 minutes or until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Drain the juice from the salmon and discard it. Remove the skin and the bones. Place the salmon in a bowl and flake. Add the peas, corn, lemon juice, lemon rind and season it with salt and pepper.

Place half of the cooked rice on a greased 24cm square baking dish. Spoon half of the salmon mixture on top of the rice. After, put another layer of cheese. Repeat this until all the ingredients are finished. Bake it for 25-30minutes or until the cheese bubbles and turns light brown. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: Lori L. Stalteri

 

Mixed Mushroom Parcels

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This is a simple dish, great served as a starter, or even as a light summer lunch dish. Using a jar of mixed Mushrooms will give you a range of tastes and textures, but if you’re particularly fond of a certain Mushroom, then use more of that variety if you want!

Mixed Mushroom Parcels

To Serve 6
50g Wild Rice
Salt and Pepper
125g Butter
175g Onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
175g Celery, finely chopped
175g Carrot, peeled and finely chopped
700g Brown and White Capped Mushrooms, chopped
225g Jar Mixed Wild Mushrooms in oil
75g Toasted Hazelnuts, chopped
75g No-Soak Dried Apricots, chopped
6 Sheets Filo Pastry
1tbsp Sesame Seeds
4tbsp Chopped Fresh Chives
200g Crème Fraiche

1. Cook the Rice in boiling salted water until tender, before draining and setting aside.
2. Melt twenty five grams of Butter in a large pan then cook the Onion and Garlic for around ten minutes, until soft and brown. Add the Celery and Carrot. Fry for a further three or four minutes. Add another twenty five grams of Butter to the pan then add the Fresh Mushrooms. Cook uncovered for another fifteen minutes with no cover on, so that the all the excess liquid has evaporated.
3. Add the Drained Mushrooms to the pan, and cook for five more minutes. Remove from the heat, before seasoning to taste, and stirring in the Hazelnuts, Wild Rice and Apricots into the Mushroom mixture.
4. Butter one sheet of Filo Pastry with a small amount of melted Butter, then fold in half, then in half again – you should aim to end up with a sheet about nine inches square. Place a sixth of the mixture in the centre of the sheet, and gather up the sides to form a parcel. Press gently to seal shut, and then repeat with the rest of the sheets of Pastry. Brush the tops with Butter, and sprinkle with a small amount of the Sesame Seeds.
5. Place the Parcels on a warmed baking sheet, then bake at 190 C for twenty five to thirty minutes. Stir the Chives into the Crème Fraiche, and season to taste. Serve the Parcels on a plate with a spoonful of the Sauce.

Photo Courtesy of: randomduck

Summer Risotto

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A very simple, easy to make dish, which is very fast, tasty and filling at the same time – around thirty minutes to make so it’s perfect for those days that you don’t want to spend ages in the kitchen, but still have a home-made dinner, that’s fresh, full of flavour and fun!

Summer Risotto

Using the basic Risotto for a base, this dish is a flavoured version, great fresh from the pan – serve hot straight from the pan.

To Serve 4
225g Mixed Long-Grain Rice
350ml Vegetable Stock
1tbsp Oil
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and crushed
350g Tomatoes, diced
4 Sun Dried Tomatoes, drained and diced
700g Mixed Blanched Beans
12 Pitted Black Olives, halved
Salt and Pepper

1. Cook the rice in the stock for around twenty minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender but not a mush.
2. In a frying pan, heat the Oil, then add the Garlic and cook for one to two minutes, until softened.
3. Add the Chopped Tomatoes and the Rice into the pan. Cook, stirring all the time over a gentle heat for three to four minutes. Add the Blanched Beans and Olives, then cook for another minute over a high heat, until piping hot throughout.

Serve fresh from the pan, along with some fresh crusty rolls.

Photo Courtesy of: HeatherHeatherHeather

Japanese Fried Rice

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I am a big fan of fried rice. Japanese fried rice is sticky unlike others. It is actually a dish in itself. I prepare it when I have leftover meat and vegetables. It is best eaten with other Japanese food like pork tonkatsu and chicken teriyaki.

Ingredients:

2 cups Japanese sticky rice cooked

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup white onions, chopped

1/4 cup carrots, chopped

1/4 cup green bell pepper (optional)

1/3 cup diced pork or shrimp (or both)

2 eggs, beaten

Chopped scallions

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon dashi

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

In a wok or skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil under medium heat. Cook the eggs for 3 minutes or until it solidifies. Transfer to a plate.

Place the remaining oil in the same skillet. Sauté the garlic and onions for 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the pork, shrimp, carrots and green bell pepper. Cook until the meat and vegetables are soft. Season it with garlic salt and dashi. Add the rice and soy sauce. Mix well until the rice is coated in soy sauce. Put the eggs and scallions. Mix occasionally, so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Serve immediately.

Photo courtesy of: Ron Dollete

Scallop and Bacon Kebab

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Very simple, very elegant, and very fast to prepare – this is a great starter for so many meals, and served with the Coconut Rice, it can make a more filling dish.
Scallop and Bacon Kebab
The presentation of this dish is very easy to adapt to suit the uses more than you’d think – serve on the bed of Coconut Rice to add more colours to this dish.

To Serve 2

4 Large Scallops
8 Streaky Bacon Rashers, derinded
1 Large Courgette, trimmed
1tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1tsp Olive Oil
1tsp Lemon Juice
1tsp Dried Thyme
1tsp Turmeric
Salt and Pepper
1tbsp Desiccated (shredded) Coconut
100g Long-Grain Rice

1. Cut the Scallops into bite-sized pieces, and wrap a rasher of Bacon around each one – you may need slightly more Bacon, depending on the size of the Scallops.
2. Cut the Courgette into diagonal slices about one centimetre thick, and wash under running water. Pat dry with some kitchen paper
3. Thread the Bacon-wrapped Scallops and Courgettes onto Kebab Skewers, alternating between the two. If you’re using Wooden Skewers, leave them to soak In Water for about thirty minutes before using, and if you’re using Metal ones, you may want to slightly grease them first to prevent anything from sticking.
4. Combine the Vinegar, Oil, Lemon Juice, Thyme and Pepper, before brushing over the Kebabs. Leave to marinade for about fifteen minutes, or whilst cooking the Rice.
5. To prepare the Rice, bring a small pan of water to the boil, add the Salt and Turmeric. Add the Coconut and Rice, before bringing back to the boil, and simmer (uncovered) for twelve to fourteen minutes, or until tender.
6. Heat a grill up, and then place each Kebab under it, cooking for two or three minutes on each side, until the Scallop is cooked and the Bacon is slightly crisp.
7. Drain the Rice thoroughly, and serve on a warmed plate.

Photo courtesy of: Fuzzy Gerdes

Vegetable Biryani

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This traditional Asian dish is very easy to make, and tastes very nice – it’s not too hot that it’ll blow your head off, but still has enough of a kick to make you remember it.

Vegetable Biryani

Serve it layered – with the rice as a base, and the Curried Vegetables on top. The sauce will drip through and the contrast of flavours, colours and textures.

To Serve 4
350g Basmati Rice
Salt and Pepper
50g Ghee, or Clarified Butter
1 Onion, peeled and chopped
2.5cm Ginger, peeled and grated
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
1tsp Ground Coriander
2tsp Ground Cumin
1tsp Ground Turmeric
1/2tsp Chilli Powder
3 Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
225g French Beans, halved
225g Small Cauliflower Florets
1tsp Garam Masala
Juice of 1 Lemon

1. Put the Rice in a Sieve, and rinse under cold running water, until the water runs clear. Put the Rice into a saucepan with a pint of water and a teaspoon of Salt. Bring to the boil, and reduce the heat, then simmer for ten minutes until just tender.
2. Melt the Ghee (or butter) in a large heavy based saucepan, before adding the Onion, Ginger and Garlic and frying gently for five minutes – until soft but not coloured. Add the Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric and Chilli Powder, then fry for two more minutes, stirring constantly to make sure the spices don’t burn.
3. Remove the Rice from the heat, and drain, before adding one and a half pints of water to the Onion and Spice mixture, and season well with Salt and Pepper. Stir well, and bring to the boil, before adding the Carrots and Beans, then simmer for fifteen minutes, then add the Cauliflower and simmer for ten more minutes. Finally add the Rice, mix gently and heat through.
4. Stir the Garam Masala and Lemon Juice into the Biryani and simmer for a few minutes, taste, and season, then turn and serve in a warmed dish.

Photo Courtesy of:

Yang Chow Fried Rice

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Yang Chow fried rice is a common rice dish found in Chinese restaurants. It is a combination of rice, meat, vegetables and egg. Originally, it was made with leftover rice and meat. Due to the demand, it is now made with fresh ingredients.  For me, eating a Chinese meal is incomplete without it.

4 cups of cold cooked rice or leftover rice

3/4 cup shrimps, shelled and deveined

1 piece Chinese sausage, chopped

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

2 stalks green onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 scallion, minced

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

5 tablespoons cooking oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

First, marinate the shrimp in cornstarch and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small frying pan, heat a tablespoon of cooking oil. Pour in the eggs and cook for 3-4 minutes or until it is a little dry. Transfer to a plate and cut into strips.

Heat a large pan or wok and add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Make sure that the oil coats the pan. It would also be a good idea to use a non-stick pan. Saute the garlic and scallions. Add the Chinese sausage, stir-fry it for 2-3 minutes then add the shrimp. Cook for another 2 minutes or until the shrimp is light pink. Stir in the peas and carrots. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until their color becomes bright. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining oil. Add the rice and fry it for 3-5 minutes or until all the grains are separated and covered in oil. Combine it with the shrimp, Chinese sausage, peas, carrots, fried egg, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Move the rice mixture or mix well, so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Season it with salt and pepper.

It is best served warm. You can eat it as is or with other dishes.

Photo Courtesy  Of: alberth2

Hainanese Chicken & Rice

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The original way of making Hainanese chicken calls for boiling whole chicken. I use chicken thighs or ribs instead, to avoid the chopping. I have read and tried many variations of this dish. It’s actually the simple ones that taste better. During one trip, we decided to cook this recipe, but we did not have sesame oil for the ginger dipping sauce. I used chopped fresh basil, ginger and olive oil instead. Everyone loved it!

Chicken :

6 pieces chicken, thigh parts

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

6 slices fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, slightly bruised

2 shallots, chopped in a few pieces

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 lemongrass stalk

2 sweet onions

Chicken Rice:

3 cups long grain rice

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1/2 thumb sized fresh ginger, grated

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped very finely or grated

1-2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

3 1/2 cups chicken stock according to rice instructions (reserved from boiled chicken)

2 pandan leaves

Chili Sauce

10 fresh red chili, seeds removed

1-2 cloves garlic

1 thumb sized fresh ginger

2 teaspoons chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)

1 teaspoon lime juice

Salt to taste

Ginger Sauce for Dipping

1 thumb sized fresh ginger

6 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Chicken Soup

Chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)

Chopped shallots or small amount of chopped cabbage

In a pot half filled with water, combine the chicken, ginger, onions, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, rice wine, sesame oil, soy sauce and salt. Boil the chicken for around 20 minutes or until it is cooked. Transfer the chicken to an ice bath to arrest the cooking by placing it in another pot with ice cold water for 5-6 minutes.  Drain the water and set aside.

Next, prepare the rice. In a pan, heat the peanut oil. Sauté the garlic and ginger. Add the rice and salt. Stir-fry for 2-4 minutes or until the rice is coated in oil. Transfer the rice to a pot or rice cooker. Add chicken broth and pandan leaves. Cook the rice for 10-15 minutes or until the rice is soft. Follow the usual process of cooking rice.

For the chili dip, combine the chopped chili, chopped garlic and grated ginger. Add chicken stock, lime juice and salt. Blend in a food processor if desired.

For the ginger dip, combine the chopped garlic and ginger. Add chicken stock, sesame oil and season with salt.

Reheat the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Add cabbage and cook for 5 minutes. Submerge the chicken in the broth for 2-3 minutes to reheat it. Some prefer frying it to a crisp.

Transfer the chicken to a plate with lettuce and drizzle with soy sauce; garnish with parsley. Serve with dipping sauces, Hainanese rice and Chicken soup.

Photo Courtesy Of: avlxyz

Paella Valenciana

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Paella

Before I began writing this recipe, I decided to look for other Paella recipes to check on different variations. The first link I opened was what they call the “authentic” way of cooking paella. I was surprised that rabbit’s meat was one of the ingredients.  Another thing I learned was the secret to good paella is the type of rice used. Chefs prefer Bomba rice, although the Arborio variety is a good alternative as well. This is because this type of rice absorbs a lot of liquid without getting soggy.

I personally prefer seafood or squid ink paella. Here’s a recipe I hope you will enjoy preparing.

Vamos a comer!

Ingredients for the rice:

1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil

1 big head garlic, crushed

4 cups bomba rice

1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Ingredients for the broth:

6 cups water

1 onion, quartered

1 tablespoon rock salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 kilo medium sized crabs

1/4 kilo prawns or shrimps, unpeeled

1/4 kilo squids, remove ink sacs

1/2 kilo mussels or clams

Ingredients for the garnish:

2 green and red bell peppers, pitted and sliced lengthwise

4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

1 cup white onion, chopped

1/4 cup crushed garlic

250 grams chorizo de bilbao, sliced

1 kilo chicken parts

2/3 cup tomato  paste

1/2 cup crab fat

Prepare the rice by heating the oil. Add garlic and cook until light brown. Mix in the rice and make sure that it is coated in oil. Set aside.

Next, boil water and season with salt and pepper.  Add crabs until cooked or when the shells have changed colour. Remove the crab and set aside the broth.  Once the crab is cool, remove the upper shell, crack the claws and cut the bodies into four parts.

In the same broth, half cook the shrimp and set aside. Do the same for the squid and mussels/clams. Cook until shells open. Drain and set the broth aside.

Heat paella pan; pour olive oil and sauté the garlic. When the garlic starts dancing, add the onions and bell peppers. Cook until soft. Add the chorizo and stir for three minutes. Mix the chicken parts, and cook until light brown. Add tomato paste and crab fat. Stir in rice and then pour the broth. Mix in turmeric and saffron. Wait for it to boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Once the rice is cooked (soft and the water has been absorbed), top with prawns, crabs, mussels and bell peppers

Bake at 450°F or 225°C for 10 minutes.

Before serving, top with lemon wedges and hard-boiled egg. Serves 12-15.

*If an oven is unavailable, put fire to high after 20 minutes with the crabs, etc. on top. Cover and cook for five minutes more.

Photo Courtesy of: Kate. Check out more pictures of lovely Paella dishes.

Thai Beef Curry with Coconut Milk

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A really simple, basic dish, that will people craving more of the tastes and textures that make this such an appetising meal.

Thai Beef Curry

You can serve with Rice or Noodles – depending on what you prefer. Try adding prawn Crackers to have as a side.

To Serve 4

3tbsp Vegetable Oil

800g Braising Steak, Cubed

2 Onions, Thinly sliced

2tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste

1tbsp Tamarind Paste or Lime Juice

2tbsp Fish Sauce

850ml Coconut Milk

2tsp Sugar

6 Cardamom Pods, Crushed

1small Pineapple, Peeled and Chopped.

1.       Heat the Oil in a flameproof casserole dish, and brown the beef off before setting aside, making sure you keep as much of the juice and Oil in the pan as possible

2.       Fry the Onions and cook for five minutes, before setting them aside with the Beef.

3.       In the pan, add the Red Curry Paste, and cook gently over a low heat for a minute, then add the Tamarind paste, Fish Sauce, Coconut Milk and Sugar.

4.       Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer.

5.       Re-add the Beef and Onions to the dish with the Cardamom Pods, then simmer for sixty to ninety minutes. Stir from time to time, and if it starts to become a bit dry, cover with a lid. Bare in mind that the dish shouldn’t have a lot of liquid with it, but it shouldn’t be very dry.

6.       Add the Pineapple and cook for a further five minutes.

7.       Check to make sure the dish is dry enough. If it isn’t, add a small amount of water or some extra Coconut Milk.

8.       Serve with Rice or Noodles, and Prawn Crackers.

Photo Courtesy of: Avlxyz

Creamy Lemon Asparagus Risotto

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This is a light dish with an interesting zest to it. It’s citrusy and creamy at the same time. It gives off a play of flavors into ones palate.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed, tips cut off and reserved

Salt

8 cups vegetable broth

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium shallots, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 white onion, finely chopped

3-1/2 cups arborio rice (1 pound)

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (3 ounces) or cream cheese

Freshly ground pepper

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

How to cook:

In a medium saucepan, cook the asparagus tips in boiling, salted water for around 2 minutes or until tender. Transfer the asparagus to a colander and rinse with cold water; drain well.

Cut the asparagus stalks in half and cook them in the boiling water for 10 minutes or until they are tender.  Set aside the asparagus broth. Puree the stalks and 1/3 cup broth in a food processor. Pour into a sieve to separate the cream; makes around 2 cups.

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil. Add the shallots and cook in low heat for 4 minutes. Make sure you stir frequently. Once they are soft, add the garlic and onion. Saute for 2 minutes or until ingredients are light brown. Mix in the rice, making sure the grains are covered in oil. Pour in the wine and stir for 2 minutes until it evaporates.

Add a cup of stock and stir until it is absorbed. Stir constantly. Continue to add stock a cup at a time. After 15 minutes, mix in the asparagus puree. Cook for another 4 minutes until rice is tender but firm to the bite. Stir in the asparagus tips.

Remove from heat and mix with butter, parmesan and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and top with lemon zest. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

FInd more asparagus recipes at Recipe Finder.

Photo Courtesy of: frabattista

Lemon Chicken

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Lemon ChickenSweet, Sticky and so tasty, this delicacy is a personal favourite when I’m out in a restaurant, and it’s the closest thing I’ve found whilst cooking at home.

The chunks of lemon in the dish soften very nicely, and add a delicious extra texture to surprise your taste buds. Try to de-seed the chunks of lemon, or at least make sure that you have picked them out of the mixture.

To Serve 4

800g Boneless Chicken, cut into bite size chunks

½ Chicken Stock Cube, in 2 cups of hot water

1/3 Dry Sherry or Dry White Wine

2tbsp Oyster Sauce

4tbsp Hoisin Sauce

1tbsp Soy Sauce

1tbsp Sugar

1 Lemon, with the peel cut into strips

1 small Lemon, cut into round pieces

1/3 cup Flour

1/3 cup Corn Flour

Plenty of Oil for Frying

2tbsp Lemon Juice

2tbsp Corn Flour

2 Egg Yolks

2tbsp Dry Sherry or Dry White Wine

1tsp Salt

1.       In a bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of the Corn Flour, with 2tablespoons of water. Mix in the Egg Yolks, 2 tablespoons of Dry Sherry (or White Wine), and teaspoon of Salt.

2.       Add the Chicken, and make sure it’s well covered, put to one side, cover and refrigerate for an hour.

3.       In a medium sized pan, place the Chicken stock, Sherry, Oyster Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce and the Lemon Peel, then allow to boil. Turn down to the lowest heat, then leave to simmer uncovered for ten minutes.

4.       Add the lemon slices and continue to simmer for five more minutes, and then remove from the heat.

5.       In a bag, mix the third cup of Corn Flour with the third cup of Flour, and mix well. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and shake well, making sure the chunks are completely covered.

6.       Heat plenty of oil and fry half the Chicken, and fry for a minute. Lower the heat and continue cooking for another minute. Remove from the oil, and place on Kitchen paper to remove any excess oil.

7.       Do the same for the other half of the Chicken.

8.       Mix a small amount of Corn Flour in with the lemon Juice, and serve as a sauce.

Photo Courtesy of: Avlxyz

Vegetable Curry with Aromatic Rice

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Vegetable Curry with Aromatic riceThis dish is comfort food, but healthy and fast to make at the same time! If you want to make it hotter, add fresh Chilli in with the Garlic, or replace the medium Curry powder with a hotter variety.

The mix of vegetables in this dish mean that you can easily tailor it into something that you may be more comfortable with – try aubergine, courgettes, red onions and anything else that looks appetising.  The long list of ingredients is what gives this dish all the wonderful flavours and textures that you’d be looking for from a curry.

To Serve 4

1tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 sliced Onion

1 clove of finely chopped Garlic

200g Potato

200g Sweet Potato

125g Carrots

4tbsp Medium Curry Powder

125g Leaf Spinach

3 Tomatoes

75g Baby Corn

4tbsp Plain Yoghurt

Bunch of Coriander

½tsp Coriander Seeds

½tsp Cumin Seeds

2 Cardamom Seeds

200g Basmati Rice

1 Cinnamon Stick

5cm Lemon Peel

1.       Peel and chop the Potato, Sweet Potato and Carrots, quarter the Tomatoes, and chop the Coriander.

2.       In a large pan, heat the oil, and cook the onion for four minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for a further minute.

3.       Add the peeled and chopped Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes and Carrots, then cook for two more minutes. Add the Curry Powder, and stir in well.

4.       Start to cook the rice – crush the Coriander, Cumin and Cardamom seeds, and add these into the rice with the strip of Lemon Peel and Cinnamon Stick.

5.       To the large pan, add 200ml of water, and simmer for fifteen minutes with the lid on. Stir well, adding the spinach, tomatoes and corn, then replace the lid and cooking for five more minutes.

6.       Cook for five minutes, before adding in the yoghurt and lowering the heat for three or four more minutes to heat everything through.

Photo Courtesy of:

Vegetable Pilaf

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No time? Want something easy, tasty, quick and extremely healthy? Then try this dish. It takes less than thirty minutes from start to finish.

It’s also very cheap to make – you can use frozen vegetables to save time and work, and can easily add some meat as well as or in place of some of the vegetables, and change the vegetable stock for a meat one!

To serve 4

100g Frozen Chopped Onion

25g Butter

2tsp Plain Flour

1 Vegetable Stock cube, dissolved in 150ml Hot Water

250g Frozen Asparagus

200g Frozen Peas

200g Frozen Broad Beans

1tsp Mixed Dried Herbs

600g White Rice

75g Cashew Nuts

1.       Gently fry the Onions in the Butter until three or four minutes. Take off of the heat, and stir in the flour, before slowly adding the Vegetable stock, stirring all of the time.

2.       Add the frozen Vegetables and the Mixed Herbs, and simmer with a lid on for five or six minutes.

3.       Start to cook the rice, whilst at the same time, fry the Cashews off in a non-stick frying pan, constantly moving and tossing them, so that they are golden all over.

4.       Stir the Vegetables and Cashews together making sure that the sauce is covering everything.

5.       Serve on top of the rice.

If you’re going to use meat in this dish, take out some of each vegetable, and make sure that the meat is hot through before serving. Replace the Vegetable stock cube with a Meat Stock cube (if possible, the same flavor as the meat!)

Photo Courtesy of Avlxyz

Classic Paella

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This traditional Spanish dish is such a favourite, that there are many variations on it, but this recipe is for the original version.

Serve it outdoors, with a rich Red wine, bread and Garlic Mayonnaise.

1kg Chicken Thighs

4tsp smoked Paprika

3tbsp Olive Oil

225g Chorizo, Diced

1 Large Onion, Chopped

4 Garlic Cloves, Crushed

3 Pinches of Saffron

450g Vine-Ripened Tomatoes

400g Spanish Paella Rice

1.2litres Chicken Stock, Hot

100g Broad Beans

155g Green Beans, halved

20 live Mussels, cleaned

2550g Raw King Prawns

1.       Pre-heat the oven to 190 C/ Gas Mark 5.

2.       Cut any excess fat or skin from the Chicken Thighs, and dust with the Paprika. Lay in a roasting tin, and cook skin side up for thirty minutes – until cooked and the skin is brown.

3.       Heat 1tbsp Olive Oil in a large pan or Wok, and cook the Chorizo until golden. Remove this from the pan, and add the rest of the oil.

4.       Cook the Onion, Garlic, Tomatoes and Saffron for five minutes, stirring well throughout.

5.       Add the Chicken and it’s juices, the Chorizo and stir in the Rice, plus three quarters of the Chicken Stock, and cook until bubbling away.

6.       Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for fifteen minutes, before adding the beans and cooking for a further five minutes.

7.       Add the Sea Food to the pan, along with the remaining stock. Cook for between ten and twelve minutes, until the rice is tender, the mussels have opened and the prawns are a rich Pink colour.

Serve with Bread and the Garlic Mayonnaise.

Photo Courtesy of Avlxyz

Italian Rice and Peas

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A great dish to go with any picnic. Creamy, fresh and filling – suits virtually all taste buds! Serve it warm, cold, on it’s own or with a spicy sauce. Add some meat to ‘beef’ it up a bit, or use it as a side to a fresh roll, with slices of ham.

Serves 4
1 little chicken stock
6 tbsp butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
115g pancetta, or rindless lean bacon (diced)
225g rice
150ml dry white wine
175g petits pois (thawed if frozen)
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese shavings to garnish

1. Pour the stock into a large saucepan and bring to the boil, before reducing the heat and leave to simmer gently
2. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the shallots and pancetta and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until all the grains are thoroughly coated and glistening
4. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until it has almost completely evaporated. Add a ladleful of hot stock and cook, stirring constantly until all the stock has been absorbed. Continue cooking and adding the stock, a ladleful at a time for about 10 minutes
5. Add the peas, and keep adding the stock a ladleful at a time for another 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed
6. Stir in the remaining butter, and season to taste.
7. Serve warm

Photo Courtesy of Pelican