October 22, 2012

Cereal Chicken

I’ve tried making cereal prawns several times, but I’ve never attempted using chicken in place of prawns. My cousin was coming over for dinner, and since she was allergic to prawns, I decided to tweak my usual cereal prawn recipe. The result was surprisingly delicious – the chicken was juicy and the cereal and curry leaves added flavour and fragrance. Though I personally prefer cereal prawns to cereal chicken still, this would make for a good alternative. If you prefer, you can use thinly sliced chicken strips instead, though the chicken may be less tender.

Cereal Chicken
Serves 4 (as a side)

Ingredients:
2 large piece of chicken breast meat, lightly tenderised
1 tsp corn flour
2 tsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sesame oil
oil for frying

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
6 sprigs of curry leaves, rinsed and dried, stalks removed
1 chilli padi, thinly sliced (remove seeds if preferred)
3/4 cup Nestum cereal
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Method:

  1. Tenderise chicken with a tenderiser.
  2. Marinate chicken breast with corn flour, soy sauce, pepper and sesame oil. Cover and set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  3. In a skillet, heat oil over a medium flame.
  4. Fry chicken breast till light brown on both sides. Chicken should be just cooked through.
  5. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into slices. Set aside.
  6. In a clean skillet or wok, heat butter and oil.
  7. When butter has melted, add garlic, curry leaves and chilli and fry till fragrant.
  8. Add in sliced chicken and mix well.
  9. Add in sugar, salt and cereal and mix well. Do not overdo this step or cereal will not be crispy.
  10. Serve hot with steamed white rice.

 

Filed Under: Asian Dishes, Baking and Cooking, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: , Leave a Comment
October 18, 2012

Zucchini and Mushroom Pasta

I found a packet of Lemon Pepper Pappardelle sitting in my cupboard, and decided to do something with it. Rummaging through my fridge, I found a zucchini and a pack of swiss brown button mushrooms. I decided to combine the ingredients, and the result is a simple, healthy and delicious pasta. I bought my pappardelle from Euraco. They have a retail shop at ToTT called Torque. You can however, choose to replace the pappardelle with your favourite spaghetti, linguine or fettucine.

Zucchini and Mushroom Pasta
Serves 2

Ingredients:
150g lemon and pepper pappardelle

2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced and cut into strips
6 swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method:

  1. Cook pappardelle in a large pot of boiling salted water till al dente.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  3. Sauteed garlic till slightly soft. Add zucchini and sauteed for 3 – 4 minutes.
  4. Add in mushrooms and sauteed till vegetables are tender.
  5. Add in oregano.
  6. Turn off heat and toss pasta in vegetables.
  7. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Filed Under: Baking and Cooking, Rice, Noodles and Pasta, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: , , , , Leave a Comment
October 15, 2012

Baked Asparagus and Spinach Risotto

This simple risotto is great for nights where you feel like something fast and “meatless”. Though it is almost vegetarian (just switch the chicken stock to vegetable stock), it is chock full of flavour. A risotto dish typically requires one to stand in front of the stove patiently stirring and adding ladles of hot stock. This one does not require much patience as you just need to pop it into the oven. Both my husband and 18 month old daughter loved it!

Ingredients:
Serves 4
Adapted from Patricia Well’s Trattoria

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cups low sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock if preferred)
1 cup thawed, chopped frozen spinach, packed
10 spears fresh asparagus, cut into thin diagonal slices
salt to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
  2. In a deep skillet, saute onion in olive oil until translucent.
  3. Add the rice, stirring to coat with the oil.
  4. Add chicken stock, spinach and asparagus and bring to simple over moderate heat.
  5. Stir in half the cheese.
  6. Add salt to taste (I don’t usually add salt)
  7. Transfer to casserole and smooth out the top.
  8. Sprinkle remaining parmesan on top.
  9. Cover the casserole
  10. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35 – 40 minutes, or until rice is cooked through.
  11. Serve immediately.
Filed Under: Baking and Cooking, Rice, Noodles and Pasta, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: , , , , Leave a Comment
October 10, 2012

Sundried Tomato and Pine nuts Pasta

This is a really simple recipe that can be whipped up in a couple of minutes if you have the ingredients at home. I enjoyed how the sweetness of the sundried tomato complemented the woody fragrance of the pine nuts. The parmesan cheese brought it all together. I bought sundried tomatoes at the deli of Colds Storage, but I believe you can also buy them in tins or bottles, depending on the amount you wish to have. I’ve used fresh parsley in this recipe, but you can choose to substitute it with dried parsley. Reduce the amount to a third should you wish to do so.

Sundried Tomato and Pine Nuts Pasta
Serves 2

Ingredients:
5 ounces of spaghetti or linguine

2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped drained oil-packed sundried tomatoes
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method:

  1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions till al-dente. Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta liquid.
  2. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  3. Saute garlic till tender and add in sundried tomatoes and sauteed for 2 – 3 minutes.
  4. Add in chopped parsley and sauteed for 30 seconds. Stir in pine nuts.
  5. Add in drained pasta and toss to coat.
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Filed Under: Baking and Cooking, Rice, Noodles and Pasta, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment
October 2, 2012

Linguine with Porcini Mushrooms

Porcini mushrooms are one of the most flavourful mushrooms, in my opinion. The flavour of dried porcini mushrooms is very strong, and is often used to add that mushroomy flavour to soups and sauces. This is a very simple recipe that I came up with one lazy morning when I was thinking of what to cook for lunch. Rummaging around the fridge, I found a bottle of half used dried porcini mushrooms and decided to do something with it. This recipe is simple, fast, healthy and definitely delicious. If you do not have porcini mushrooms, you can try substituting them for button or portabello mushrooms, though I am quite sure you would not be able to attain the same flavour. I chose to drizzle my pasta with a tsp of truffle oil for that extra oomph.

Linguine with Porcini Mushrooms
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
0.5 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
salt and black pepper to taste
4 ounces linguine
2 tsp truffle oil (optional)

Method:

  1. Reconstitute dried porcini in 1/2 cup of warm water for 15 – 20 minutes. Drain soaking water and reserve it for later use.
  2. Sauteed onions in olive oil over a medium fire in a frying pan or skillet.
  3. Add mushrooms and mix well.
  4. Add broth, reserved porcini liquid and milk and bring to a boil.
  5. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.
  6. Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package instructions. Drain and reserve some pasta liquid.
  7. Toss pasta with sauce in the skillet, seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.
  8. If pasta is too dry, add in some reserved pasta liquid.
  9. Drizzle with truffle oil if preferred.
  10. Serve hot.
Filed Under: Baking and Cooking, Rice, Noodles and Pasta, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment
February 25, 2012

Chicken Cacciatore Reloaded

I enjoy one-pot dishes. It means less fuss, less washing and meals get prepared in a much shorter time. An added bonus if both adults and children can enjoy it. My other chicken cacciatore recipe on this blog uses pepper flakes to add depth to the sauce. This will definitely not go well with my 13 month old daughter and hence, I cooked up another version of  chicken cacciatore, a more child-friendly one. Interestingly, this turned out just as well, if not tastier, than the previous version.

Chicken Cacciatore
Serves 3 – 4

Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs, cut into 3 pieces each
salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced finely
1 carrot, chopped finely
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
3 bay leaves
1 can diced plum tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and coat with flour.
  2. In a large deep pot/french oven, brown chicken pieces in olive oil.
  3. Remove chicken and set aside.
  4. In the same pot, add garlic and onion and sauteed till onion is translucent.
  5. Add carrot and green peppers and stir fry for about 3 – 4 minutes.
  6. Add in dried herbs, bay leaves, brown sugar, tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil.
  7. Nestle the chicken pieces in the sauce, cover the pot and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes or until chicken is tender and sauce is thickened.
  8. Season with salt and pepper.
  9. Serve hot, over rice or mash potatoes.
Filed Under: Baking and Cooking, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: Leave a Comment
January 3, 2011

Cream of broccoli and potato soup

I am not usually prompt in updating my blog with the things I cook and bake. Usually, by the time a recipe shows up on the blog, it has been a few days/weeks/months old. This recipe however, is fresh from the stove. I just finished making this and after a bowl of it, I knew that I would really regret it if I do not pen it down as I would probably forget the ingredients and amounts in a couple of hours. This soup is GOOD.

I was combing around the kitchen for something for lunch and realised that I had a broccoli sitting in the fridge and a couple of russet potatoes that were going to grow into new plants if I do not use them soon. Even the onions were sprouting shoots. Since I had cream in the fridge, I decided to make a cream of broccoli soup, and throw in a couple of potatoes as well. The result was surprisingly tasty and so I’m recording this recipe down for future use.

Cream of broccoli and potato soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:
150g broccoli florets
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground paprika
1 onion, chopped
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I used vegetable)
1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella or chedar
1/2 cup of cream
1/2 cup of milk
salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Boil the broccoli florets in a pot of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes or till tender. Remove and chop into smaller pieces and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the unsalted butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. When the foaming has subsided, add in the cumin and paprika.
  3. Add in the chopped onions and stir fry till translucent.
  4. Add in the cubed potatoes and stir fry for about 5 – 10 minutes.
  5. In a medium pot, bring the broth to a boil.
  6. Add in the onion and potato mixture and simmer till potatoes are tender. Add the reserved broccoli florets.
  7. Using an immersion blender or a blender, process the soup until smooth.
  8. Return to the heat and add in the cheese, stirring continually until it melts.
  9. Stir in the cream and the milk and bring to a boil.
  10. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
Filed Under: Appetisers and Soups, Baking and Cooking, Vegetables and Fruit Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment
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