Tomato-Basil Chicken

I love anything that has tomato and basil. Even for pizza, I can happily eat one with just tomato and basil topping .. simple yet delicious to me :)

I happened to bumped into an easy chicken recipe from one of the food blog that I frequent. The original recipe is actually fried chicken with tomato and basil. I changed it to a gravy version and added potatoes. Very simple and delicious, great to be eaten with rice or pasta.

Ingredients

3-4 pieces chicken thigh/breast (with or without skin)
3-4 tbsp butter
2 medium garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced
1 large potato, remove skin and cut into wedges
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes
handful of basil, more if you like
salt & pepper
sugar

Method

1. Clean chicken pieces, pat them dry and rub salt and pepper
2. Heat pan and add butter to melt
3. Add chicken pieces and fry them till they turn pink
4. Add minced garlic and onion and fry them till soft
5. Add diced tomato and stir till well blend followed by basil
6. Add salt and a little bit of sugar to taste
7. Lastly add potatoes, stir to make sure that the potato pieces are covered with the gravy
8. Simmer till potatoes are cooked
9. Serve hot with rice or pasta

Jemput-jemput Roti

I usually make french toast or sandwich toasts with the leftover white bread. Occasionally, I will make this for tea especially during the weekends. This idea was actually from my mother-in-law. My ex-colleague suggested to add cornflour to make give it softer and it actually works well. This is a very versatile dish and you can add whatever you want like sausages, green peppers or even prawns.

Ingredients

7 pcs white bread, tear into small pieces
4 tbsp corn flour
2/3 cup water
2 small eggs
salt and white pepper
handful of chopped chives/green shallots
oil for frying

Method

1. Put white bread pieces into a bowl, add water and put aside for a few minutes to allow the bread to soak the water
2. With a fork, mash the bread pieces making sure that all the bread is wet
3. Add eggs and stir the mixture followed with the cornflour, salt and pepper and mix till well blend
4. If mixture is too dry, add water 1 tsp at a time. If it is too wet, add cornflour 1 tsp at a time
5. Add chopped chives/shallots and stir to blend
6. Drop spoonful into hot oil and fry till golden brown
7. Serve hot with any dip of your choice

Mango Madness

I baked a mango cake for my aunt who was celebrating her birthday yesterday. I got sort of sick of baking the normal cream cake, so ended up this one.

The jelly top didn't come out too nice because I was in a hurry and pour the jelly when the mixture was still not cooled. It sort of melted some of the mango filling causing it to be cloudy.

The top view

I didn't get a chance to take a bite but my aunties response was 'very nice'.

Easy Tuna Springroll

I was thinking of having springroll for dinner and was cracking my brains on the filling. Since I will be making it ad-hoc I need to prepare something that is easy and most importantly nice. So came out with this using off-the-shelf seasoned canned tuna and diced potato. Extremely versatile, no-fuss, no mess recipe.

Ingredients

(Makes about 12 small springrolls)

1 can chilli tuna or any flavour that you like (Ayam Brand)
1 russet potato, cooked and diced
chopped spring onions
popiah skin (small packet)
egg wash
oil for frying

Method

1. Wash and pat dry potato (with skin) and make some holes with a fork. Wrap with paper kitchen towel and cook it in the microwave at high for about 5-8 minutes. Use a satay stick to check doneness
2. When cooked potato is cooled enough to handle, remove skin and dice into small pieces
3. Add diced potatoes into the tuna mixture and mix well
4. Take a teaspoonful and place it at the centre of the popiah skin and fold it. Use the egg wash to seal the popiah
5. Deep fry popiah till golden brown
6. Serve immediatey

You can use any sauce for dipping or even wrap the popiah with salad.

Nonya Kaya

I love kaya and always thought that making it is just too much work. I was totally wrong. I finally made my own kaya using an easy recipe by tthksy at KC with my breadmaker. You can also use the slow cooker under low heat overnight or double boil it if you like. I have adjusted the sugar to 1/2 cup.

I don't a picture right now. Will update later.

Ingredients

1 cup coconut milk (about 250ml)
4 eggs (60g or 5 for 50g)
1/2 cup sugar (can replace with brown sugar if you like brown kaya)
2 pandan leaves, cut into small pieces (can put more if you want it to be very fragrant)

Method

Mix all the ingredients above till well blend and pour in the inner pot of the slow cooker or breadmaker pan.

Slow cooker - turn dial to low and let it cook for 7-8 hours or overnight
Breadmaker - select the JAM setting and let it cook.

The final product will be a little lumpy, if you like it smooth, blend the kaya. Otherwise, use a whisk to whisk it to get the consistency you like.

I find the taste quite similar to the ones from killiney road. Really worth the try.

Tuna Casserole

This is a quick fix dinner for me sometimes. Very easy but yet delicious too. I used spaghetti for this version because that was what I was left with. But it would be better if you use macaroni or pasta shells. Anything that is small.

Ingredients

(serves 2)
200-300 gm uncooked pasta
1 can tuna, drained (you can also use tuna in oil for extra flavour)
1 can condensed cream of mushroom with seafood (you can use any type)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper or more if you want spicy
1 clove garlic
4 slices processed cheese
1 cup crushed potato chips


Method

1. Boil pasta in lightly salted water until al-dente, drain well and return pasta to the pot it was cooked in
2. Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius
3. Lightly grease casserole dish with butter/oil
4. Mix tuna, cream of mushroom, milk, salt, black pepper and garlic in a saucepan
5. Place pan over medium low heat and heat through
6. Remove pan from the heat and pour mixture into the pot with the pasta
7. Stir mixture and pasta till well mixed
8. Pour half of the pasta into the casserole dish and arrange the cheese slices over the pasta
9. Pour the remaining pasta over the cheese and top it with the crushed potato chips
10.Bake uncovered for 20 - 30 minutes until the casserole is hot and chips begin to brown, let cool for 10 minutes before serving

Dried Scallop and Shrimp Pilaf

This recipe was inspired by a post from a member at a parenting forum which I frequent. The original recipe has dried osyters but I have omitted it. This pilaf has a very subtle taste and very easy to make. You can cook the rice either with your rice cooker, over the stove or a thermo pot.

Ingredients

3 cups basmati rice
3 medium size shallots
2 clove garlic
1/4 cup dried shrimps, soaked till soft
1/3 cup dried scallops, washed
1/4 cup dried sliced mushroom, soaked (Can replace with button mushroom)
1 1/2 tsp pepper
salt to taste
3 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Wash and drain rice
2. Blend shallots, garlic and dried shrimps
3. Heat oil in a pot/pan
4. Add shallot/garlic/shrimp paste and stir fry till fragrant
5. Add scallops and stir fry for about 2 minutes followed by mushrooms, pepper and salt
6. Add rice and stir till the rice is well coated with the mixture
7. Transfer rice to the rice cooker if you are using it, and add water let it cook
8. For those using pot, add in the water and let it boil and then lower the heat till all the water is absorbed
9. Serve hot

Fish N Chips

I had this for dinner yesterday, something simple which both dh and the girls like.

Ingredients

4 fish fillet (dory fillets or whatever fillet you fancy)
lemon juice from half lemon
salt to taste
pepper
spices (optional)

Batter
8 tbsp plain flour
3 tbsp glutinous rice flour
1 tbsp rice flour
1 1/2 tsp double action baking powder
1/2 - 1 cup water
Oil for frying

Method
1. Clean and pat dry fish fillets.
2. Marinate the fillets with lemon juice, pepper, salt, pepper and spices for about half an hour.
3. Mix all the flours and baking powder.
4. Slowly add water and whisk till you get a slightly runny batter and leave it aside for 30 minutes.
5. Dip marinated fillets into the batter and deep fry till golden brown.
6. Serve hot with side salad.

The batter will remain soft and slightly crispy even when it is cold.

Oven Fried Chicken Wings

This is an extremely no mess, easy and versatile recipe. My dh loves fried chicken wings but I hate it especially the cleaning part. This recipe will give you a fried chicken texture minus the oil. Friends have tried it and love it.

Ingredients

8 chicken wings
3/4 - 1 cup plain flour
1-1.5 tbsp spices (I used the beef steak spices which I bought from Giant at $1 per packet. You can use 5 spices powder also)
salt to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven at 200C
2. Clean and rub a little bit of salt on the wings
3. Mix the flour and spices together
3. Dredge the chicken wings till well coated. Shake off excess flour.
4. Lined the floured wings on the roasting rack
5. Bake the wings for about 20-30 minutes and turn the wings over and bake another 20-30 minutes or until the wings are cooked
6. Serve immediately

Prawns with Lychee

This is one of my favourite simple prawn dish which was inspired by a dish I had during my trip to Xinjiang. The recipe is just an estimation. You may want to add/reduce any of the ingredients to suit your taste.

Ingredients

400g medium grey prawns
1 clove garlic
3 shallots
1 can of lychee drain the juice - use fresh lychees if possible.
3-4 celery sticks sliced thinly
a handful of fresh lily bulb. (You use dried lily bulb but soaked till soft)
1 tsp chicken granules or 1/2 bouillon cube (You can also use about 4 tbsp chicken stock)
salt to taste

Method

1. Blend garlic and shallots till paste
2. Heat oil and fry the garlic/onion paste till fragrant
3. Add prawns, stir till well coated
4. Add lily bulb and chicken stock and stir for 1 minute before adding the sliced celery. Cook for about 1-2 mins.
4. Lastly add the lychees and salt to taste
5. Simmer till prawns are pink and cooked.
6. Serve hot.

My first post

I have been delaying this blog for quite some time already and forced myself to put it up now. Being a working mom and wife is never easy. Time has always been a factor to me. I love to cook for my family and prefer them to have home cooked meals every day. This blog is to share with you the dishes that I have tested and tried and I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I have.