The Boy and I are on a little health streak at the moment, with a special focus on diet. I find that, when eating out, ordering a steamed chicken breast with the sauce on the side is an easy way of keeping my diet clean but still accessible. Most restaurants will be happy to oblige.
At home, it is equally easy and can be very flavorful. Claypot Rice is basically rice and steamed chicken, with a dash of soy, a touch of ginger and combined with the sweet juiciness of Chinese mushrooms, cooked in a clay pot. Very healthy (although my nutritionist will probably insist on cutting out the sesame oil). Very delicious.
A clay pot is, at the very basic, a pot made of clay. It is traditionally porous and unglazed, but modern clay pots have a smooth finish and don't require pre-soaking. Because clay diffuses heat well, it doesn't get very hot and acts like a "quick" slow cooker. As the food cooks, it slowly releases juices and everything cooks in its own juice, all of which is kept sealed in the pot until it has all been absorbed/evaporated. This results in a tender flavorful chicken in a relatively short time.
If you don't own a clay pot, a heavy lidded casserole is a good substitute.
Definitely much better than fried rice.
RECIPE: CLAY POT RICE
Prep time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 25 mins
A - Meat
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size strips OR chicken pieces
2 tbsp light soya sauce
2 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp chicken stock powder
Dash of white pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
1" ginger, cut into thin strips
6-8 Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 15 mins
B - Rice
2 cups rice
Water
C - Optional meats
1 low fat Chinese sausage, sliced
D - Seasoning
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp sugar
Dash of white pepper
E - Garnishing
Small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
*****
A - Marinate the chicken and mushrooms with the ginger in the fridge for 1 hour.
B - Cook rice - I do this in an electric rice cooker.
C - When the rice is cooked and hot and still moist, transfer it into the clay pot. Layer A and C on top. Cover tightly and cook for 25 mins on low heat. Do not open the cover at any point!
D - Meanwhile, fry the garlic till it is fragrant, then add the rest of the seasoning. When C is cooked, pour the seasoning over and mix the whole pot thoroughly. Do not worry if there is a hard layer of rice at the bottom - this is, for me, the best bit! Almost like baked chewy rice that you can dig out with a metal spoon at the end of the meal.
E - Garnish and serve immediately.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
MUMMY LIM'S CHICKEN CURRY
There is no way I can ever replicate my mum's curry. I've tried.
But I've come pretty close.
My mum's curry is simply the best chicken curry in the whole world. The Boy is a biiiiig fan. If you've ever eaten curry of any sort in a restaurant, which invariably involves coconut milk, you may be surprised to find out that curry can be exceedingly healthy. Nothing but chicken breast, spices, vegs and water.* In other words, full of mummy goodness. And it tastes just as rich and yummy as the coconut milk version.
* At home, we use chicken pieces on the bone - basically one chicken chopped up. This makes the curry more flavorful. But The Boy doesn't like bones (it's too fiddly), so I use breast instead. P.S. Mummy Lim says: Flavor and moisture comes from the bone and skin. If using breast, mix 1-2 tbsp of water in with the chickent marinade.
The secret is time and quantity of water. The chicken needs to be marinated for at least one hour (just do it before you go to work in the morning), and always add less water than you are thinking. Don't forget, everything else - chicken, vegs - gives off water as they cook.
With that introduction, I present...
MUMMY LIM'S CHICKEN CURRY
Cooking time: 20 mins
A - Marinade
2lbs chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces OR chicken pieces
2.5 tbsp curry powder
Light soya sauce
B - Aromatics
2 onions, finely chopped or blitzed in short spurts in the food processor
1 fresh red chili (optional), chopped or blitzed together with onions
5 cardamon seeds
4 cloves
2" cinnamon stick
C - Vegetables
4 tomatoes, chopped or blitzed
2 potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
D - Garnishing
Parsley, chopped finely
*****
A - Marinate chicken with a splash of soy and half of the curry powder for at least 1 hour in fridge. Mix the other half the curry powder with a small splash of water to create a thickish paste.
B - In a pot that will be big enough to accommodate the chicken and potatoes in roughly one layer, heat 1 tbsp of oil, fry onions and spices until fragrant. Most of the water from the onions should have evaporated and the mixture glistens slightly. Add the curry paste and fry until fragrant.
Add in marinated chicken and mix well.
C - Add tomatoes and some water. An approximate gauge for the quantity of water would be up to the level of the chicken and (later on) potatoes. Bring to a boil.
D - When the gravy is at a rolling boil, add the potatoes. Keep at a rolling boil until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes soft (approx 20 mins). Add more salt to taste.
E - Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with white rice.
Note: If you add too much water, do not fear. Just scoop up the chicken and potatoes when they are cooked, and boil the gravy alone until it has reduced to a thickish consistency.
It is truly my joy to share some of my culture and heritage with you. I hope this allows you to enjoy some South East Asian home goodness, at home!
But I've come pretty close.
My mum's curry is simply the best chicken curry in the whole world. The Boy is a biiiiig fan. If you've ever eaten curry of any sort in a restaurant, which invariably involves coconut milk, you may be surprised to find out that curry can be exceedingly healthy. Nothing but chicken breast, spices, vegs and water.* In other words, full of mummy goodness. And it tastes just as rich and yummy as the coconut milk version.
* At home, we use chicken pieces on the bone - basically one chicken chopped up. This makes the curry more flavorful. But The Boy doesn't like bones (it's too fiddly), so I use breast instead. P.S. Mummy Lim says: Flavor and moisture comes from the bone and skin. If using breast, mix 1-2 tbsp of water in with the chickent marinade.
The secret is time and quantity of water. The chicken needs to be marinated for at least one hour (just do it before you go to work in the morning), and always add less water than you are thinking. Don't forget, everything else - chicken, vegs - gives off water as they cook.
With that introduction, I present...
MUMMY LIM'S CHICKEN CURRY
Cooking time: 20 mins
A - Marinade
2lbs chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces OR chicken pieces
2.5 tbsp curry powder
Light soya sauce
B - Aromatics
2 onions, finely chopped or blitzed in short spurts in the food processor
1 fresh red chili (optional), chopped or blitzed together with onions
5 cardamon seeds
4 cloves
2" cinnamon stick
C - Vegetables
4 tomatoes, chopped or blitzed
2 potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
D - Garnishing
Parsley, chopped finely
*****
A - Marinate chicken with a splash of soy and half of the curry powder for at least 1 hour in fridge. Mix the other half the curry powder with a small splash of water to create a thickish paste.
B - In a pot that will be big enough to accommodate the chicken and potatoes in roughly one layer, heat 1 tbsp of oil, fry onions and spices until fragrant. Most of the water from the onions should have evaporated and the mixture glistens slightly. Add the curry paste and fry until fragrant.
Add in marinated chicken and mix well.
C - Add tomatoes and some water. An approximate gauge for the quantity of water would be up to the level of the chicken and (later on) potatoes. Bring to a boil.
D - When the gravy is at a rolling boil, add the potatoes. Keep at a rolling boil until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes soft (approx 20 mins). Add more salt to taste.
E - Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with white rice.
Note: If you add too much water, do not fear. Just scoop up the chicken and potatoes when they are cooked, and boil the gravy alone until it has reduced to a thickish consistency.
It is truly my joy to share some of my culture and heritage with you. I hope this allows you to enjoy some South East Asian home goodness, at home!
Red Braised Pork Belly (Lo Bak)
White people approach pork belly the first time with caution. But when they taste the meltingness of pork belly in their mouths, they are invariably won over. Of course, there is the health issue. Pork belly - much like duck, fried chicken, the New York strip, cheeseburger soup etc - is a heart attack waiting to happen. Which kinda makes me hope that Guy Fieri works out after every episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Hey, even Chinese people don't eat pork belly everyday.
But on special occasions, this can be a very warming dish. Particularly now that the weather's gotten nippy. I am told that chefs of old used to strain the red braise liquid (lu) and store it for the next braise, so that every new braise added another depth of that rich, salty, sweet, aromatic flavor. I've tried that with mixed success - maybe I shouldn't have put it in the freezer. But it gets used up pretty fast before the next braise anyway. I like using leftover lu to flavor fried rice, hard boil eggs in, crack a soft boil egg in etc.
RED BRAISED PORK BELLY (LO BAK)
Cooking time: 3 hours
A - Meat
1 slab pork belly (1.5 to 2 lbs), without the rind
2 tbsp five spice powder
B - Base
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 oz Chinese rock sugar or 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
C - Braising liquid
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup mushroom flavored dark soy sauce
5 cups chicken stock or water
D - Aromatics
2" galangal (also known as blue ginger or lengkuas) or fresh ginger, thickly sliced
3 scallions or leeks, cut into 1" pieces
3" cinnamon stick
2 star anise
E - Garnish
1 bag of bak choy
*****
A - Rub the meat with the five spice powder and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour.
B - In a wok or pot (I use my trusty Le Creuset casserole here), heat the oil and sugar on medium heat until all the sugar has melted and turns golden. Add the garlic - be careful as the sugar will bubble up. Turn the heat down so that the sugar doesn't burn.
C - When the garlic is yellow and fragrant and the molasses colored, add the braising liquids. Don't worry if the sugar hardens at first - it will melt back into the liquid in a while. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil.
D - Add the spices for 1-2 minutes to make sure the aroma of the spices melds into the liquid. Slide the pork in carefully and braise, uncovered, for 3 hours. Make sure that the gravy is constantly on a rolling boil. It should thicken towards the end of the cooking time, reducing about half. But if it is too thick (and therefore salty), add more chicken stock or water as needed.
E - Meanwhile, wash and trim the bak choy, paying particular attention to the dirt inside each leaf that collects at the base. Drain or give it a quick spin in a salad spinner (one of my best kitchen buys!). Just before you are ready to serve, bring a pot of water to boil and slip the bak choy in, head first. Par-boil for about 3 mins - you want the bak choy to still be crisp and retain its nutrients.
Arrange the bak choy on a large platter. With tongs, take the pork belly out and slice into 1cm pieces or 2cmx2cm chunks. Arrange the pork belly slices neatly on top of the bak choy, and ladle some gravy over. Strain and serve the rest of the gravy in a separate bowl.
Serve with white rice.
Hey, even Chinese people don't eat pork belly everyday.
But on special occasions, this can be a very warming dish. Particularly now that the weather's gotten nippy. I am told that chefs of old used to strain the red braise liquid (lu) and store it for the next braise, so that every new braise added another depth of that rich, salty, sweet, aromatic flavor. I've tried that with mixed success - maybe I shouldn't have put it in the freezer. But it gets used up pretty fast before the next braise anyway. I like using leftover lu to flavor fried rice, hard boil eggs in, crack a soft boil egg in etc.
RED BRAISED PORK BELLY (LO BAK)
Cooking time: 3 hours
A - Meat
1 slab pork belly (1.5 to 2 lbs), without the rind
2 tbsp five spice powder
B - Base
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 oz Chinese rock sugar or 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
C - Braising liquid
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup mushroom flavored dark soy sauce
5 cups chicken stock or water
D - Aromatics
2" galangal (also known as blue ginger or lengkuas) or fresh ginger, thickly sliced
3 scallions or leeks, cut into 1" pieces
3" cinnamon stick
2 star anise
E - Garnish
1 bag of bak choy
*****
A - Rub the meat with the five spice powder and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour.
B - In a wok or pot (I use my trusty Le Creuset casserole here), heat the oil and sugar on medium heat until all the sugar has melted and turns golden. Add the garlic - be careful as the sugar will bubble up. Turn the heat down so that the sugar doesn't burn.
C - When the garlic is yellow and fragrant and the molasses colored, add the braising liquids. Don't worry if the sugar hardens at first - it will melt back into the liquid in a while. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil.
D - Add the spices for 1-2 minutes to make sure the aroma of the spices melds into the liquid. Slide the pork in carefully and braise, uncovered, for 3 hours. Make sure that the gravy is constantly on a rolling boil. It should thicken towards the end of the cooking time, reducing about half. But if it is too thick (and therefore salty), add more chicken stock or water as needed.
E - Meanwhile, wash and trim the bak choy, paying particular attention to the dirt inside each leaf that collects at the base. Drain or give it a quick spin in a salad spinner (one of my best kitchen buys!). Just before you are ready to serve, bring a pot of water to boil and slip the bak choy in, head first. Par-boil for about 3 mins - you want the bak choy to still be crisp and retain its nutrients.
Arrange the bak choy on a large platter. With tongs, take the pork belly out and slice into 1cm pieces or 2cmx2cm chunks. Arrange the pork belly slices neatly on top of the bak choy, and ladle some gravy over. Strain and serve the rest of the gravy in a separate bowl.
Serve with white rice.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Roasted Butternut Squash
I have a fantastic and simple recipe (aren't the most fantastic recipes often simple?) from one of my best friends and bridesmaids, the gorgeous, passionate and talented Anna Bishop. We started this recipe chain thing (people who have not replied, you know who you are!) and this was the recipe that she sent along.
It's also very versatile. I would eat it alone, as a trimming to a roast, or make soup. It's quite difficult for two people to finish an entire squash, so I took the leftovers and made soup the next day! Just blitz with some chicken stock and a dash of milk/cream and reheat. Serve with toast. It was yummy...
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Cooking time: 30 mins
1 butternut squash
3/4 tsp cumin
3 tbsp oregano
3 tbsp ground coriander seeds
3 tsp garlic powder
Pinch of chili powder (to taste)
3 tsp salt
Olive oil or olive oil spray
*****
Cut butternut squash into 4 inch wedges (quarter it lengthwise, half each quarter). Spray each wedge with olive oil, toss in mixed spices. Arrange on baking tray. Roast at 200 C/ 390 F for 30 mins.
The sweet and tender meat of the butternut squash simply melds in the oven with the salty and crunchy spice mix. Beautiful!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)