Ginger Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of our favourites, be it for lunch or dinner, either cooked at home or when dining at Chinese restaurants. This week, at Cook The Book Fridays, the selected recipe from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Everyday Dorie, is Ginger Fried Rice.

Any vegetables can be used, but I've followed the recipe, using cabbage, bok choy and carrots. For the add-ins, I've used Chinese sausages, which I've pan-fry lightly and added to the stir-fry later. I've used more ginger than the recipe calls for, about 1/4 cup, we love ginger, and more garlic, of course. Did not have ponzu sauce, so I've used soy sauce and have also used more gochujang paste.

I've made some crispy fried ginger, which we sprinkled some over our plates of fried rice. After all it is ginger fried rice. And more ginger is always good for you. This ginger fried rice makes a nice filling lunch!

Chicken with Lentils and Rosemary

It's April Showers week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), dishes to enjoy on rainy days. 

I made Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's, Chicken with Lentils and Rosemary. Accordingly to him, this is an easy one-pot supper for a cold night. Well, our cold nights here are usually our rainy nights, though not necessarily cold on rainy nights. Warm shower nights? 😄

I was reading through his recipe, and thought how easy it is! Cook in one pot! With only a few ingredients. How tasty can it be? 

To cook this dish, using an oven safe pot, saute sliced onion in some oil till softens, about 6 to 8 minutes, then add chopped garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir for a further 5 minutes or so, then stir in the red lentils and stock. Season the chicken pieces with some salt and pepper, then place them skin side up, on top of the  lentils mixture, and place the pot in the preheated oven, uncovered, for about 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through and the skin has browned.

I baked the dish for 1 hour 15 minutes, the last five minutes with the broiler on, just to brown the skin a little more. The chicken is moist, tender and so delicious ! The red lentils turned yellow upon cooking, became soft, mushy and so tasty. We had this dish with rice and some stir-fry french beans. We really enjoyed this dish! There were no leftovers!  So delicious! Yum! 

Coincidentally, it started to rain when we had this at dinner time. I did not see that coming, as it was blasting hot and humid the whole day! 

Chicken with Lentils and Rosemary
(River Cottage Light & Easy, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)
serves 4
2 tablespoons rapeseed or olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary
200gm red lentils, well rinsed
500ml chicken or veg stock
8 skin-on, bone-in, free-range chicken thighs, or 1 medium chicken, (about 1.75kg), 
    jointed into 6-8 pieces
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
flat-leaf parsely, chopped, to finish

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Choose a flameproof casserole dish or a wide, ovenproof pan that will hold all the chicken pieces snugly but comfortably.

Put the casserole on a medium-low heat. Add the oil, then the onion and cook, stirring regularly, for 6-8 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, rosemary and some salt and pepper. Cook gently for a further 5 minutes, then stir in the lentils and stock.

Season the chicken thighs and place skin side up in the casserole. You want most of the chicken skin to remain exposed above the liquid in the dish so it can brown in the oven. Bring to a simmer on the hob, then transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Check that the chicken is cooked through and the lentils are soft. If not, return to the oven for 10-15 minutes and test again. Skim off any excess fat from the surface.

Taste the lentilly liquor and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve, scattered with chopped parsley, just as it is or with steamed broccoli or spring greens on the side.

This post is linked to :
I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC)
Cookbook Countdown #40

Spanish Chicken

This is another tasty recipe from Rachel Allen. Chicken, peppers and rice cooked in one pot, with the touch of Spanish, from the smoked paprika and peppers. I love one pot meals such as this, especially when there's rice cooked together with all the other ingredients.

Simple, easy and delicious.

Spanish Chicken
(Rachel's Everyday Kitchen by Rachel Allen)
serves 2-4
25gm (1oz) plain flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
4 chicken thighs, with the skin on
75ml (3fl oz) olive oil
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated
1 yellow or orange pepper and 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 2cm (3/4 in chunks)
500ml (18fl oz) chicken stock mixed with 2 tbsp tomato puree
200gm (7oz) basmati or paella rice
200gm (7oz) large peeled prawns (preferably raw) (optional) (I did not use any prawns)
2 tbsp chopped parsley

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, paprika, black pepper and salt. Add the chicken thighs and toss in the mixture until well coated.
Place a large saucepan or casserole dish on a medium-high heat and pour in 50ml of the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until crisp and deep golden brown. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Pour the remaining oil into the same pan or dish and add the onion and garlic. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until almost softened and a little golden around the edges, then add the peppers and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the mixed stock and tomato puree and the rice, stirring to mix. Return the chicken to the pot, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked (the flesh white all the way through). If using prawns, add them just before the end of cooking time - 5 minutes for raw prawns or 2 minutes for cooked prawns. Scatter with the chopped parsley and serve with a slice of lemon if you like.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #30 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Arroz con Pollo

An easy one pot meal. Recipe uses saffron threads, I have omitted that, and replace with 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder for the lovely yellow. Chicken thigh is first browned in a little oil. Onions and garlic are sauteed until the onions are translucent, then chopped tomatoes are added in, stir for a few minutes until softened, stir in wine-saffron mixture (or turmeric powder), bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cook until wine is nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add in rice, broth and olives. Place chicken onto rice, bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven, baked for about 30 minutes. 

A delicious one pot meal. Yum!

Arroz con Pollo
(One Pot, Martha Stewart Living)
1/2 cup dry white wine
pinch of saffron threads (I use 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder)
6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 6 ounces each)
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 large tomato, chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1-1/2 cups short grain rice, preferably Valencia
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, drained

Preheat oven to 375F. In a bowl, combine wine and saffron.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or braiser, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken, skin-side down; cook until browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook a minute more; transfer to a plate.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring often, until translucent, 4 minutes. Add tomato and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine-saffron mixture, bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until wine is nearly evaporated, 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in rice, broth, and olives. Nestle chicken into rice, skin-side up. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to oven. Cook until liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #28 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Spicy Thai Fried Rice With Sausage and Greens

Even though this is called Spicy Thai Fried Rice, it is not at all spicy. But it is delicious and makes a satisfying lunch for a hungry tummy.

The recipe uses chorizo sausages, but I've substitute with some Chinese sausages instead. And because the Chinese sausages are not spicy, I've added a tablespoon of chilli flakes. The greens that I've used are baby spinach and napa cabbage. Instead of using the eggs to add to the rice stir-fry, I have fried the eggs separately to serve with the rice on top, with a dash of soy sauce. There's a half cup of black raisins in there, and I love it. It reminds me of some pilaf rice I ate before. This plate of fried rice makes such a delicious lunch, especially topped with the fried egg. 

Spicy Thai Fried Rice with Sausage and Greens

(Dinner Changing The Game, by Melissa Clark)

3 tablespoons peanut oil or grapeseed oil

1 small onion, diced

2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced, plus more for serving

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 cup diced cured chorizo or spicy salami (6 ounces)

1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced

1/2 cup black raisins

2 cups cooked white or brown rice

6 cups chopped mixed greens, such as mizuna, baby spinach, or baby greens

1 cup chopped napa cabbage

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Juice of 1/2 lime, plus lime wedges for garnish

Kosher salt to taste

1. Heat a heavy 12-inch skillet or wok over high heat until it is very hot. Pour in the oil and swirl it around the pan (it will probably smoke, and that's okay).
2. Add the onions, scallions, and garlic, give them a quick stir, and cook until they have softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chorizo and jalapeno; saute until they start to caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the raisins and the rice, mix well, and spread the mixture out to cover as much of the surface area of the pan as possible; press down on it with a spatula. Cook without moving the mixture until the rice gets a chance to dry out and take on a little colour, 1 to 3 minutes, then stir it around a little and toss until it is golden in spots.
3. Add the greens and cabbage, and toss until they are beginning to wilt, 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the soy sauce and fish sauce, coating the contents of the pan. Then push the contents away from the centre of the pan and pour the eggs into the centre. Cook until the eggs are custardly, 1 to 2 minutes. Then mix everything in the pan, breaking up the eggs. Add the lime juice and season with salt to taste. Serve garnished with sliced scallions and with lime wedges alongside.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #28 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Sunday Morning Oatmeal

It's Breakfast Buffet at I Heart Cooking Clubs. Made Ina's oatmeal for breakfast! And I am not an oatmeal person, but this is rather nice. I'm influenced by a talk on wholegrain foods at an organic shop I always frequent, by two lovely young ladies, both are final year degree students in diet and nutrition. So, here's my wholegrain breakfast! 😀

Made it for myself since I am always alone for breakfast, so I've used only 1/3 cup of oats. Did not have any bananas, so I've cut some apple slices and added some homemade granola on top.  Used dried cranberries instead of dried cherries and the lovely golden sultanas are a gift from my neighbour during one of their travels abroad a couple of months ago.  I did not drizzle any syrup or brown sugar, even though I had my jar of orange blossom honey close by.  The oatmeal is sweet enough from the dried fruits and the granola.  I can say that this is a nice breakfast even though I am not an oatmeal person, maybe I'll try a savoury one the next time.

Sunday Morning Oatmeal
(source from foodnetwork.com)
1-1/2 cups whole milk, plus extra for serving
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup golden raisins
Pure maple syrup or brown sugar, for serving

Heat the milk plus 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan until it starts to simmer. Add the oatmeal and salt, bring to a boil, then lower the heat ad simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occassionally, until thickened. Off the heat, stir in the bananas, cherries, and raisins. Place the lid on the pot and allow to sit for 2 minutres. Serve hot with maple syrup or brown sugar and extra milk.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

Breakfast Buffet !

Chicken Stew and Baked Rice

I've made two more recipes for Potluck Week at I Heart Cooking Clubs, with recipes from two of IHCC's past featured chefs, Jamie Oliver and Mark Bittman.

Jamie Oliver's Chicken Stew is delicious. Taken from his book Jamie's Food Revolution, he has given  the basic stew ingredients with four options to select from, with different meat and booze, to make four different stews. I've made Chicken Stew, using chicken thigh meat and white wine. I've followed everything in the recipe but I have used a fresh sprig of rosemary from the garden pot instead of fresh thyme and added an extra stalk of celery. This stew can either be cooked on the stove or in the oven. I cooked mine on the stove, for about 1 hour 15 minutes. It was easy and very flavourful.

Wanted to serve the stew with rice, I've made Mark Bittman's Simpler-Than-Pilaf Baked Rice, basmati rice cooked with cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods. The spices are sauteed with a little butter and oil, then the rice is stirred in with some salt and pepper. Add the water, let it come to a boil, cover the pot and place it in the preheated oven to bake for 10 minutes. I actually baked the rice for 30 minutes, as I have always cooked my rice in the oven this way. Once the rice is done, leave it for 15 minutes, fluff with a pair of chopsticks. Since I've cooked the rice much earlier, I simply transferred the cooked fluffy rice to the rice cooker, switched on with the "Keep Warm" function. Rice will be kept fluffy and hot until serving time.

Jamie Oliver's Chicken Stew and Mark Bittman's Baked Rice.

We had the Chicken Stew and Baked Rice with Diana Henry's Slow-Cooked Garlic Courgettes for dinner. Delicious!

Chicken Stew
(adapted from Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver)
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 pound diced, boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cups white wine
2 stalks celery
2 medium onions
2 carrots
olive oil 1 heaped tablespoon all-purpose flour
1x14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

If using the oven to cook your stew, preheat it to 350F. Trim the ends of your celery and roughly chop the stalks. Peel the carrots, slice lengthways, and roughly chop.

Put a Dutch oven on a medium heat. Put all the vegetables and your chosen herb into the pan with 2 lugs of olive oil and fry for 10 minutes.

Add your meat and flour. Pour in the booze and canned tomatoes. Give it a good stir, then season with a teaspoon of sea salt (less if using table salt) and a few grinds of pepper.

Bring to a a  boil put the lid on, and either simmer slowly on your cooktop or cook in an oven for 1-1/2 hours. Remove the lid for the final half hour of simmering or cooking and add a splash of water if it looks a bit dry. When done, your meat should be tender and delicious. Remove any herb stalks before serving, and taste it to see if it needs a bit more salt and pepper.

Baked Rice
(adapted from How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman)
2 tablespoons butter or 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds or 5 white cardamom pods (optional)
1-1/2 cups long grain rice, preferable basmati
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 350F. Put half the butter or all of the oil in an ovenproof pot with a lid over medium heat. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, add the spices and cook for about a minute. Add the rice and some salt and pepper and cook, stirring for about a minute.

Add 2-1/2 cups water, bring to a boil, cover, put in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the rice from the oven, but do not uncover; let it rest in a warm place for another 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon and cloves (the cardamom pods are good to eat); taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, stir in the remaining butter if you are using it, and serve immediately.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs IHCC), theme for this week

October 2017 Potluck

and

 I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #22 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Scallion Basmati Rice

Week two with Ina Garten at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), and this week's theme is Monthly Featured Ingredient/Dish - Alliums! Garlic, onions, leeks, chives, scallions, shallots...and we get to select any recipe that uses one or more of these ingredients from any of the featured chefs at IHCC's chefs list. Recipes are endless! 

Decided to make Ina Garten's Scallion Basmati Rice. 

Instead of cooking the rice over the stove, I use the rice cooker, so that I could use my time to get on with other dishes. Start by sauteing chopped yellow onion in some oil until translucent, then add the basmati rice, stir well. At this point, I transfer the rice into the rice cooker, then add some water and salt. Let the rice cooker do the cooking, with the keep warm function when the rice is done. When it is time to serve, simply fluff rice with a fork (I use a pair of chopsticks), add the chopped scallions and parsley (I use cilantro). Serve immediately.

Very nice rice! We had this with two other dishes, coming up in next post.

Will definitely make this rice again! 

Scallion Basmati Rice
(source from foodnetwork.com, recipe by Ina Garten)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup long grain basmati rice
1-3/4 cups water
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Cook the butter and onions over medium beat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and toss until all of the grains are coated with the butter. Add the water and salt, cover and cook until

the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the scallions and parsley, fluff with a fork, and serve.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week,

October Monthly Featured Ingredient Challenge : Alliums

Oven-Baked Shallot and Mushroom Risotto

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), we are saying goodbye and thank you to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. His time as our featured chef is up after a delicious 6 months of cooking from his recipes. It's time we move on to another selected chef, Ina Garten. To say Goodbye Hugh!, I've made his Oven-Baked Shallot and Mushroom Risotto

This is really quick and easy, no cooking on the stove at all, it is all cooked in the oven. I've used fresh shiitake mushroom instead of chestnut mushrooms, and did not have any fresh thyme, so I've used what I had, fresh coriander stalks. 

Shallots are peeled and quartered, then toss with some oil, thyme, salt and pepper in a large roasting tray. Bake for 30 minutes, then add the garlic, mushrooms and balsamic vinegar. Into the oven for another 15 minutes. Then add the risotto rice, stir to coat the rice, then add the stock. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes, stir once halfway through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

I must say that this is quite a tasty rice meal. The rice is drizzled with some chilli oil before serving. Even though the risotto is good as it is, but it is even better with the chilli oil. I've used my homemade chilli oil. This is such a simple, tasty and filling meal.

The next featured chef at IHCC is Ina Garten. We will be cooking from her recipes for the next six months starting from Oct 2nd. Everyone is welcome to join us, you can get the full details here.


Oven-Baked Shallot and Mushroom Risotto
(adapted from River Cottage Light & Easy, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)
serves 4
2 tablespoon extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil
300gm shallots, peeled and quartered lengthways
a few good sprigs of thyme
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
300gm chestnut mushrooms, destalked and cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (ideally apple balsamic)
250gm risotto rice
1 litre hot chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
chilli oil (bought or home-made), to fnish

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Put the oil, shallots, thyme and some salt and pepper in a large roasting in and toss together well. Roast for 30 minutes, then add the garlic, mushrooms and balsamic vinegar. Stir well and return to the oven for 15 minutes.

Tip the risotto rice into the tin and stir to coat lightly with the oils and flavourings, then add the hot stock and stir again. Return to the oven for 30 minutes, giving it a good stir halfway through.

Let the risotto settle for 5 minutes, then taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Spoon into warm dishes, removing the thyme stalks as you go. Serve, trickled with the chilli oil.

****** 

This is not really goodbye Hugh, rather goodbye for now, till we meet again in Potluck Weeks! Here's the top three of my favourite dishes which I've cooked from HFW's recipes ;

Tempura Spring Veg with Sesame Dipping Sauce

French Beans with Tomatoes

Pork and Root Vegetable Stew

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

Goodbye, Hugh!

and 

 I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #21 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Baked Chicken with Tomatoes and Rice

I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC),  is cooking from a new selected chef, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall starting this month, until September. I love watching his shows on TV, River-Cottage, his life on his farm with fresh veggies, herbs and fruits, organic-raised chickens, fresh milk and meat from the cows he raised, and other wonderful fresh produce around his farm like wild mushrooms! All the food and breads he made in his kitchen always look so, so, good! So I am looking forward to cook with Hugh along with my other friends at IHCC. Anyone is welcome to join us, just hop along to IHCC for more details.

To welcome Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall into our kitchen, we can cook any of his recipes. There are many which I am so tempted to make, but I'll start with a one pot meal, Baked Chicken with Tomatoes and Rice. I love one pot meal, especially when it has rice it it! 

The chicken parts are cooked three times. Firstly, they are to be browned in a skillet, then roast for 20 minutes, then roast again, this time together with the rice until both the chicken and the rice are cooked. This may sound like a lot of work, but really there isn't much work at all. Recipe states that 125gm of arborio rice to serve 6, which I thought was way too little rice! It is slightly more than half a cup, how could this amount feed 6 people? I increased the rice to about 450gm to feed 4, since this is a meal all on its own.

The rest of the ingredients I pretty much followed the same amount except that I did not use the white wine. I do have a bottle of white wine, but I was struggling to open the bottle! After almost ten minutes, and getting impatient by then, I put that bottle aside and replace with chicken stock instead. Increase the stock accordingly if more arborio rice is used. The recipe says to prebaked the chicken first, while the rice stir-fried with the other ingredients as per the recipe instructions. The rice is then tipped into the chicken dish, taking care that not a grain of rice is left on the chicken, as it might not be fully cooked. I have however reversed the other way round. I stir-fry the rice briefly in a oven-safe saucepot, add the stock, let it come to a boil, then place the pre-roasted chicken on the rice, scatter the olive and baked uncovered until both the chicken and the rice are cooked, about 30 minutes. Remove pot from the oven, put the lid on and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Delicious one pot meal. Love the tender, juicy chicken and the tasty delicious rice. I scattered chopped fresh coriander leaves as I did not have any thyme. Works deliciously with the coriander. I chopped a generous amount of chopped fresh coriander, place the bowl at the table so that everyone can help themselves how much they want, cos in my house, we love fresh coriander, perfect garnish with rice meals like this! 

Baked Chicken with Tomatoes and Rice

(source from guardian.com)

Serves 6
1 tbsp olive oil
1 chicken, jointed into 6 pieces (or 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken portions)
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
125gm risotto rice, such as arborio (I use about  450gm)
150ml dry white rice (omitted)
1 tbsp tomato puree
400gm tinned tomatoes, crushed
500ml chicken stock (add more stock if more rice is used)
about 150gm black or green olives (optional)
a litte fresh thyme, to finish

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4. Put a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and add the oil. Season the chicken pieces well, and in two batches, brown in the hot pan. Transfer to a large oven dish, skin side up, and when all the chicken is browned, roast it for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, turn the heat right down under the frying pan. If need be, pour off any excess fat (you want only one to two tablespoons of fat left in the pan). Add the onions and sweat gently for 10 minutes, until soft, then add the garlic and oregano, and cook for a few minutes more.

Stir in the rice for a minute or two, then add the wine and increase the heat so it is bubbling. Simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring, until  the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the tomato puree, then add the tinned tomatoes and stock, and bring back to a boil. Season to taste.

All this should fill the chicken's initial 20 minutes' cooking. Tip the rice mix into the chicken dish, making sure no grains are left on top of the meat, where they won't cook. Scatter in the olives, if using, and roast for 30 minutes longer, by which time the rice should be swollen and tender. Leave to sit for 10-15 minutes, check the seasoning, scatter with thyme and serve.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

Welcome Hugh!

Millet Muffins

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), it is "Expand Your Pantry!" theme. I've made Heidi Swanson's, Millet Muffins. Millet is a new ingredient in my kitchen, I have never cooked with it before, so I thought that using it in a muffin recipe would be a good start. 

I've made half a recipe and yield only 5 muffins. I've used all-purpose flour instead of pastry flour. There's no sugar used in these muffins, sweetened by honey instead. There's lemon zest, lemon juice, yoghurt and barely melted butter. 

These Millet Muffins bakes up really nice with wonderful rise and golden top.

Lovely muffins. The crumbs are tender and soft. Not too sweet, with just the right sweetness from the honey, and crunch from the millet with a hint of the citrusy lemon. These are great with a cup of warm unsweetened tea. 

Millet Muffins
(Super Natural Everyday, Heidi Swanson or here)
2-11/4 cups (40gm) whole-wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup (60 gm) raw millet
1 teaspoon aluminium free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 cup (225gm) plain yoghurt
2 large eggs, lighty beaten
1/2 cup (120ml) barely melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup (120ml) honey
grated zest and 2 tablespoons juice from one lemon

Preheat the oven to 400F/2015C with a rack in the top third of the oven. Butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, millet, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, eggs, butter, honey, and lemon zest and juice until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the flour is just incorporated. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, spooning a heaping 1/4 cup batter into each one, filling it a bit below the rim. 

Bake for about 15 minutes, until the muffin tops are browned and just barely beginning to crack. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn the muffins out of the pan to cool completely on the rack.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

Expand Your Pantry!

Kale Rice Bowl

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs, we are making Buddha Bowls!. Heidi Swanson-Inspired Buddha Bowls, a one bowl meal with several added components like grains, beans, veggies, nuts, etc... I've made her Kale Rice Bowl, to use some kale which I've harvested from my garden pot. 

Kale Rice Bowl is a one bowl meal which is really some cooked rice stir-fry with sauteed kale, and is topped with several toppings as recommended by Heidi Swanson. I have made some slight changes.

Firstly, instead of brown rice, I have used some leftover jasmine rice. The recipe did not use any garlic, but I have used three large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped, fry in a little oil until light brown, then add in the shredded kale. Stir-fry for a minute or two until wilted, add some salt and stir in the cooked cold rice. Fry for a few minutes until the rice is heated through and taste for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Scoop into a bowl and top with the suggested toppings.

The toppings I've used are, capers which are pan-fried in butter until blistered. I love this! Instead of a poached egg, I made soft hard-boiled eggs. I've made some caramelized onions seasoned lightly with a pinch of salt.  There's toasted sesame seeds and zaatar, a wonderful Middle Eastern spice blend, to sprinkle over. I've however, omitted the yoghurt, simply because I had none left.

This is delicious. I love everything in this bowl! The capers are really nice fried until blistered in butter, yum! Caramelized onions, I'm so glad that I've made these, as I love caramelized onions! The soft hard-boiled eggs are perfect for this rice meal, the sesame seeds added some light nutty crunch but I would not miss it if it's not there. But the star of this one bowl meal has got to be the spice blend, Zaatar! No wonder Heidi recommends to use lots of Zaatar! It really adds a delicious flavour to the rice meal. I sprinkled more zaatar in my bowl as I was eating the rice. Same goes with my son! I kept a bowl of this rice meal for my daughter who wasn't in, but she came back late, hours later. So I reheated it by stir-frying everything together with some zaatar added in, and she said this is a delicious "fried rice", yum! 

I'll be cooking this again. A very versatile rice meal, you can use any other veggie you like and try with a different spice blend as suggested by Heidi. One thing I must put on my grocery list, a new jar of Zaatar!

(my changes, listed in blue)
Kale Rice Bowl
(source from Heidi Swanson's blog, 101cookbooks.com)
serves 2-3
olive oil or clarified butter
1 bunch of keale, destemmed, chopped/shredded
3 cups cooked brown rice (jasmine rice)
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced

To serve :
capers, rinsed, dried, and pan-fried until blistered in butter
a poached egg (soft hard-boiled eggs)
a dollop of salted greek yoghurt (omitted)
a big drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil (omitted)
lots of zaatar
toasted sesame seeds
caramelized onions

In a large skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the kale and a couple pinches of salt. Saute until the kale softens a bit and brightens, just a minute or so. Stir in the rice, and cook until the rice is hot. If your rice is on the dry side, you might have to add a small splash of water.

Serve the kale rice topped with (preferably) all of the following : the capers, poached egg, yoghurt drizzled with olive oil, and plenty of zaatar.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week

Buddha Bowl!

Fig Leaf Coconut Rice

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), the theme is "Ingredients That Inspire". We are cooking with our current featured chef, Heidi Swanson and many of her recipes has ingredients that I have never cooked or used before, so I am inspired by the varieties of ingredients in her recipes. But one ingredient that stands very clearly above the rest is, the usage of fig leaf. I have one fig plant for the past 2-1/2 years, and I have never thought of using the leaves for cooking, other than to look forward to the fruits and admire the pretty shaped leaves.

Heidi has a photo of the reverse side of the fig leaf on her blog post. I was thinking why does she photographed the leaf on the reverse and not the front. Now I know. The reverse side is much more attractive and pretty to look at, with the white veins clearly stands out against the green of the leaf, the contrast is rather attractive.

I plucked one more leaf and took a sniff, but could not get get any aroma or smell anything from it. I then tear it and could get a faint lovely scent. Now, I am really curious to use it in cooking.

Heidi got her inspiration to use fig leaf from one lady called Claudia Schwartz, whom she meets nearly each week. You can read about it from her blog. Heidi uses the fig leaf, on top of simmering coconut rice. You would want to use unsprayed leaf. With homegrown ones, you need not worry!

Brown rice is mixed with coconut milk, water and salt. I cooked the rice using the rice cooker. When the rice has come to a boil, place the fig leaf on top of the rice, cover the pot and continue to cook until the rice is done. If you are cooking the rice over the stove top, be sure to check on the rice regularly to ensure that the bottom does not burn. 

Brown rice needs a little extra water than the regular jasmine rice. I've cooked one cup of rice and used about 1/2 cup coconut milk plus 1-1/3 cups water. 

Heidi has served her rice with pan-fried tofu, sliced scallions, sliced dried figs and toasted pepitas. I pan-fried the tofu with some chopped garlic and a generous pinch of coarse pepper flakes with a pinch of salt. The chopped scallions remain but I've omitted the sliced dried figs (did not have any!) and the toasted pepitas. I have however added lots of crispy fried shallots, and half an egg. Now this is not the regular hard-boiled egg, this is my homemade Salted Egg, which is a very Asian ingredient. Whole duck eggs, still with the shell, are soaked in salty water brine with some Chinese wine added in, and left to preserve for 21 days. Remove the eggs from the salty brine, rinse the eggs and boil them as you would for hard-boiled eggs. We usually eat it with rice and congee, and as an ingredient in cooking. 

The fig leaf infused rice, smells very nice. I have always use pandanus leaf to cook coconut rice, which is common, but this is entirely a new way with the usage of fig leaf. While pandanus leaf have a stronger fragrant aroma, the fragrance of the fig leaf is light and lovely in its own way.

Heidi describes it as "Added to a pot of simmering grains, the fig leaf imparts a subtle flavor and perfume to the entire pot. The best way I can describe it - a bit green, and a bit nutty. But more like raw pepitas than walnuts. And coconut, but green coconut. There are some of those notes as well".

Coconut rice is a popular food over here, which we call "Nasi Lemak", and is eaten served with spicy sambal, crispy fried anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber and crunchy peanuts. So this take with the fig leaf infused coconut brown rice, eaten with the tofu and all the rest of the topping is something that is very different for me. And I got to say that I've enjoyed this meal very much! Everything complements each other in a delicious way!

Now instead of looking out for only the fig fruits, I'm looking at the leaves in a totally new way! Heidi has some other suggestions on how to use the fig leaves, by infusing them in the cream when making ice cream or gelato or use it to infuse some vodka to make fig leaf vodka tonics. I think I'll be trying it on ice cream next.

Fig Leaf Coconut Rice

(adapted from 101cookbooks.com , Heidi Swanson)

2 cups uncooked brown rice

1 cup full-fat coconut milk

1-1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 fresh fig leaf, unsprayed

to serve : lots and lots of shredded scallions, toasted pepitas, sliced dried figs, and pan-fried tofu

Start by rinsing the rice. You can do this by putting the rice in the thick-bottomed pan it is going to cook in. Fill the pot halfway with water, swish the rice around (the water will get cloudy), and pour out the cloudy water. Repeat a few times.

To the rinsed (and drained) rice add the coconut milk, water, and salt. Stir to combine. Place the pot over medium high heat and bring the liquid to a boil (uncovered). Stir once or twice to prevent the rice from scorching down at the bottom of the pot. Once the liquid comes to a boil reduce the heat to a low, low simmer, place the fig leaf on top of the simmering rice, and cover the pot tightly with a lid. Simmer until the grains are tender, the timing will differ based on your rice, but typically 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from heat, and allow to sit for ten minutes or so. Fluff with a fork, and your rice is ready to serve.

Serve topped with any or all of the following : lots and lots of shredded scallions, toasted pepitas, sliced dried figs and pan-fried tofu.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week,

Ingredients That Inspire!

Basmati Rice and Peas And Cucumber Raita

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

To link to Cookbook Countdown Specials : BAKE, click here

To link to Cookbook Countdown #9, click here

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My selected cookbook for this month at Cookbook Countdown #9 is 500 Curries, by Mridula Baljekar.

I've made Cucumber Raita and Basmati Rice and Peas along with two other dishes for an Indian weeknight meal.

I've used my homemade yoghurt to make the Cucumber Raita, and homegrown jalapeno chilli. Lightly perfumed with the ground cumin, very nice raita.

I've cooked the basmati rice in the rice cooker. At step 4 after adding the rice, peas and water to the sauteed ingredients, transfer everything to the rice cooker. We had this Basmati Rice and Peas served with Madras Meat Curry, Karahi Potatoes with Whole Spices and Mixed Chillies, along with the Cucumber Raita. Very delicious meal! 

Basmati Rice and Peas
(adapted from "500 Curries", Mridula Baljekar)
Serves 4
300gm (1-1/2 cups) basmati rice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
6-8 curry leaves
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp onion seeds
2 tbsp fresh fenugreek leaves (I've used 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves)
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp grated fresh root ginger
1 tsp salt
1 cup frozen peas
475ml (2 cups) water

1. Wash the rice well under cold running water and leave it to soak in a bowl of water for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pan and add the curry leaves, mustard seeds, onion seeds, fenugreek leaves, garlic, ginger and salt and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
3. Drain the rice thoroughly, and add it to the pan with the other ingredients. Stir gently to combine.
4. Add the frozen peas and water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to stand, still covered, for 10 minutes.
5. When ready to serve, fluff up the rice with a fork. Spoon the mixture on to serving plates and serve immediately.

Cucumber Raita
Makes about 2-1/2 cups
1/2 cucumber
1 fresh green chilli, seeded and chopped
1-1/4 cups natural (plain) yoghurt
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin

1. Dice the cucumber finely and place in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the chopped green chilli and mix well to combine it with the cucumber.
2. Place the natural yoghurt in a bowl and bear it with a fork until it becomes smooth, then stir it into the cucumber and chilli mixture in the large bowl.
3. Stir the salt and ground cumin into the yoghurt mixture. Cover the bowl with clear film (plastic wrap) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #9 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Spiced Chicken Rice

It's "Herbalicious!" week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). I've made Curtis Stone's simple fried rice dish with fresh green coriander as the herb of my choice for this week's theme. Coriander greens is one of my most favourite herb. I love it in most dishes. My coriander plants has gone past their productive stage and now I have new seedlings growing, hopefully will be able to enjoy the fresh leaves in a few weeks time. So for the time being, I get my "coriander fix" from the morning market. 

A couple of changes I made was to use chicken breast meat instead of thigh fillet as that was what I had in my freezer. I have marinated the sliced chicken breast meat with about a tablespoon of cornflour, so that the meat would stay tender without drying out. I did not have any green beans, so I've replaced with one medium onion, chopped. 

One of the few pots of spring onions in my garden.

The spring onions used are from my garden pot. I was wondering whether is spring onion considered a herb? Just a thought! I was googling for info from the internet and it is considered mostly as a veggie, but there's a link here which states that it is a leafy herb. Veggie or leafy herb? What do you think? I have always considered it a kind of herb. Whatever it is, there's at least a pot or two growing in my garden as it is a favourite in my house!

To cook the fried rice, I fried the eggs first, transferring the fried eggs to a plate, keep aside for serving later. Using the same pan, in my case, the wok, fry the chicken pieces for a few minutes until lightly brown. Dish out to a plate and keep aside. In same wok, fry the onions, garlic and white part of the spring onions until fragrant, add the reserved chicken pieces and the red curry paste which I've used about a tablespoon more, stir well to combine. Add in the rice, stir well, season with some salt to taste. Stir in the chopped green onions and coriander leaves. Serve immediately, top with a fried egg.

I have forgotten about the cucumber in my fridge and the jar of fried shallots which I always have in my kitchen pantry! Both of which are supposed to be served with the fried rice. Oh well, it was still delicious! Thumbs up from my son and daughter!

Spiced Chicken Rice
(adapted from coles,com)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
450gm chicken thigh fillets, sliced (chicken breast meat, sliced, and marinated with 1 tbsp cornflour)
4 spring onions, chopped (I separate the whites and the greens)
100gm green beans, sliced on a slight angle
2 tbsp red curry paste (I've used about 3 tablespoons)
450gm cooked white rice
1/2 cup coriander, plus extra to serve
spray cooking oil
4 free range eggs
1 cucumber, sliced to serve
1/4 cup fried shallots, to serve

1. Heat oil in wok over high heat. Cook chicken for 4-5 mins, until browned. Add spring onions and beans and cook for 1-2 mins. Add curry paste and stir to coat. Add rice and cook for 2 mins, until heated through. Stir in coriander.
2. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan and spray with cooking oil. Break eggs into pan and cook for 1-2 mins, or to your liking.
3. Divide rice into four serving bowls and top each with an egg, cucumber, extra coriander and fried shallots.

Hop on over to I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC) to see the delicious dishes everyone has made!