Chicken and Lime Noodle Salad

Another Asian inspired dish. Although I didn't make this recipe up, this was the first time trying this recipe and it turned out to be a lovely light summer salad. Here's the recipe for it.

250g bean-thread noodles,
1 medium carrot
1 small cucumber or zucchini
2 green onion, sliced thinly
1 small red pepper
4 cups shredded chicken
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup cilantro/corriander leaves
3 red thai chillies, seeded and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup peanut oil/veg oil
2 tbsp fish sauce (essential)
1 tbsp sugar

1. Place noodles in a heat proof dish and cover with boiling water. Stand until tender, drain.
2. Using vegetable peeler, slice carrots, cucumber and red pepper into ribbons.
3. Combine noodles, carrots, cucumber, onion, red pepper, chicken, mint and cilantro. Toss till well combined.
4. Mix sauces, lime juice, chilli, sugar, garlic and sugar together till well blended. Then pour over the noodles and veggies and toss well. For a more refreshing salad, refridgerate noodles before combining with remaining ingredients.

Rosae Alfredo Pasta

When Living Sword and Chocolate Girl came over for a visit, I made this with what I had in my refridgerator and freezer. I had some of that marinated BBQ chicken from Costco in the freezer, fresh asparagus and parmesan cheese in my refridgerator, red onion and vine ripened tomatoes sitting on my kitchen counter. All I needed was some heavy cream. Since I knew we were going to Zerelli's, I also knew that I could get the cream there.

I used large tubed pasta for this dish but any shaped pasta would work too. I cooked it as usual in salted water for the stated time but just a minute before it is ready, I added cut asparagus to the cooking pasta. Once cooked, I drained both pasta and asparagus and returned it to the pot. While still hot, with the stove on medium heat, I added shreaded grilled chicken, freshly chopped tomatoes and thinly sliced tomatoes. Gave it a good toss and then added heavy cream and parmesan cheese to give it a lovely creamy sauce. Season to taste with a little salt and serve. It was good with some freshly ground pepper. I actually wanted to top it off with some fresh basil but I forgot. I think that would have give it that added flavour to the dish. Only thing messy with this is having to cook the chicken first and shreaded it before making the pasta. I call this a rosae because of the mixing of tomatoes and cream.

Simple cooking for Robyn's Family

Some people might find it strange but I really enjoy cooking for families. In this case, my girlfriend, Robyn had gone with me to Eat-Vancouver earlier this year and when she purchased a bunch of Asian sauces and condiments, I told her that I would teach her how to use some of them. This was what I did this past week. Unfortunately, the day we chose to do this happened to be one of the hottest record breaking day of this summer, 37C. With no air conditioning and no breeze, we found it very hard to keep cool let alone cook, but we did manage. Mercifully, as the evening progressed, the temperatures started to drop a little. Not something I would like to do again. I mean cooking in such hot weather!

So I made 2 dishes. The first is just a simple mixed veg stirfry with prawns because Robyn wanted to learn how to make this. Next I made a simple fried noodles with chicken and bak choy. Both of these dishes were seasoned with oyster sauce, soya sauce and a dash of sesamee oil. The mixed veg recieved a little bit of Chinese cooking wine at the end of cooking while the noodles had some dark soya sauce and cilantro for garnishing. I think it was a hit but you never know it they were just being polite!

In exchange for cooking, I recieved 3 portions of bison meat. I'm already thinking of using it to make lettuce wraps! Not sure yet. I'll keep thinking.

Malaysian Curry Laska

You might be able to tell that I have been craving for food from my country of origin, Malaysia. Not too long ago, my mummy sent me a care package with a bunch of food items that I am still not able to get in British Columbia, Canada. In this package she included a single packet of Curry Laska Paste. Below is what it looks like.

I haven't been feeling too well lately and thought this would be a simple fix. If it didn't live up to my standards, I could always get take out! Now, I have made curry laksa on my own from scratch before but I could never recreate it exactly because of the lack of some ingridients though I came close. I couldn't believe it when I tasted this. This is truely authentic! The only thing missing was the cockels to go with the meal. When I write about this paste, it only gives you the paste to cook the curry soup. The rest of the ingredients like the yellow noodles, chicken, tofu etc are fresh ingredients you have to put together yourself. I was so delighted with this. Not only that, it was so easy too! If I remember correctly, I just sauteed some minced garlic and onions, added the paste and water. Bring to boil and then add tofu and coconut milk. Simmer for a minute or 2 and its ready! HAH! It sure transported me back to the hawker stalls in Malaysia.

Pineapple Rice and Tumeric Wings

I'm not sure why I have never tried making this before today. It turned out better than expected. I happen to have some fresh pineapple in my refridgerator, some left over rice and thinly sliced beef. I found a recipe for pineapple rice with minced beef and I though, why not give this a go. As usual, I never follow the recipe to the tee. Just picked up the ingredients and did my own thing.

As usual, sautee some minced garlic and add the beef that has been cut into thin strips or use minced beef. Then throw in lots of frozen mix veg and peas and stirfry till veggies are heated through. Then add chopped pineapple, you can use drained crushed canned pineapple or fresh, and rice. Stir out lumps in the rice and then add soya sauce, fish sauce and rice vinegar. To give it a little kick, I added finely chopped bird's eye chilli. Chopped fresh cilantro just perfects this dish. Hummm yum! Of course you can have this on its own but I had some chicken wings that I had thawed and wanted to make a traditional Malaysian style chicken with this. Tumeric chicken is really easy. My version is anyway. Traditionally, it is deep fried but I couldn't be bothered and it tastes just as good grilled in the oven and its much healthier too. So I started with cleaned chicken wings which I patted dry with a paper towel. Then seasoned it with salt, then garlic powder and then tumeric powder till well coated. Lay the chicken pieces on a rack with a drip pan and grill in the oven at 375F for about 40 mins. Turn half way through cooking.

What can I call this?

Humm, not sure what I would call this. All I know it that I really liked it. I used a pack of pre-marinated chicken thighs (hot buffalo style) from Save-ons (local grocery store). Cooked them in my non-stick pan first, once it was nicely browned and cooked through, I added broccoli and cauliflower and a little water to deglaze the pan. I also covered the pan and let the veggies steam till cooked. Lastly, I added some shrimp and a little light soya sauce. It didn't take too long for the shrimp to cook. I served this with freshly cooked Jasmine rice. I'm open to suggestions as to what to call this dish.

I have also used these hot buffalo style chicken thighs in a salad. I just love how the chicken is marinated. Wish I could recreate it instead of buying it from Save-ons.

Fried MiFun (vermicelli)

Easy fried vermicelli. I guess it very simillar to fried rice though with using noodles to stir fry, I like to use green leaf veggies like bak choy or yau choy or kai lan.

First I sauteed some minced garlic. Then I browned some sliced chicken that had been seasoned with soya sauce and pepper. Then I added alot of veggies. This time I used yau choy and sugar peas. Then I added the prawns and vermicelli that had been soaking in warm water. Before stirring, I added sweet and thick dark soya sauce and a little light soya sauce. OH! I also added a shredded carrot and tossed it all till well mixed. This type of noodle does not need very much cooking. It just needs to be warmed through. It will start to break into tiny pieces if this is over cooked. Also keep this stir fry relatively dry. Too much liquid or sauce will make the noodle mushy. To spice it up, I added some sambal after adding the veggies. It just gave it a bit of a zing. Oh! Don't forget to add a splash of fish sauce. It just adds to the flavour of the noodles. Just don't sniff the sauce from the bottle. Trust that it will taste good!

Ginger Lime Chicken: Low Calorie

I haven't made this recipe for a while now eventhough I knew it is easy and tasty. This recipe has very few ingredients .

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter, 4 skinless chicken breasts - sliced, salt and peppered, juice of 1 lime, 2 tbsp liquid honey, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (read on for ginger tip) and 4 green onions thinly sliced.

Directions:
Melt butter in a large pan, preferably a non-stick pan over med-high heat. When bubbly, add chicken and cook till golden brown. Meanwhile, combine lime juice, honey and ginger into a small bowl and mix well. When chicken is golden brown, pour honey mixture over top. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add green onions and stir well. Serve immediately with jasmine rice and steamed yau choy or also great with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans or broccoli. Its that simple and fast! You can make an asian meal or a western meal with it.

Tip: You can keep fresh ginger in your freezer and just slice or grate to use in your cooking. You might like to skin the ginger root before you freeze it. To skin a ginger root without much waste, use a small spoon to scrape the skin off. It works better than using a knife. Not sure why but it works well.

Spicy Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry

Aromatic basil, sometimes called Italian basil, is fundamental to Mediterranean cooking. But on the other side of the world, in Thailand, another basil variety is equally essential. For a more authentic version of this dish, seek out Thai basil, which has smaller, narrower leaves than the common Italian variety, a reddish purple cast and a more pronounced anise flavor. Look for it in Southeast Asian stores or at farmers' markets, or plant seeds outdoors in pots or beds for easy harvests.
This recipe is a current favourite of Renovation Man and I. It has a very appetizing flavour and just the right amount of spice for us. I have tried this recipe with just dried basil and it works just as well though when using fresh basil, especially Thai Basil, it gives a lovely Thai taste to it. I highly recommend it.

6 Tbs. chicken stock2 Tbs. Asian fish sauce2 tsp. firmly packed light brown sugar1/2 tsp. cornstarch2 Tbs. vegetable oil1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips1 or 2 Thai or jalapeño chilies, cut into very thin rounds2 garlic cloves, minced4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai basil3 green onions, cut into 3-inch pieces

Cooked jasmine rice for serving. In a bowl, whisk together the stock, fish sauce and brown sugar. Add the cornstarch and whisk until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved. Set aside. In a large wok or fry pan over high heat, warm the oil. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add chilies to taste and the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2 1/2 minutes. Stir in the basil and green onions and stir-fry until the onions are barely wilted, about 1 minute. Whisk the sauce mixture and pour into the pan. Cook just until the liquid comes to a boil. Spoon the rice onto individual plates and top with the stir-fry and sauce. Serves 4.

Photo and recipe taken from http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=2A9C9595%2D0013%2D4661%2DBE339830267F9798

Special requests! Indian food

My good friends Chocolate Girl and Living Sword left for Berlin for vacation a few days ago. I wasn't expecting to hear from them, let alone so soon after their departure. It was a short email requesting for some recipes! Of course I couldn't help but to take this opportunity to add another post to my food blog. Here's a recipe for Tandoori Chicken.
6 chicken thighs, 1/4 c lemon juice,1/2 small onion chopped, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 3 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp lemon juice(extra), 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp paprika, pinch of chilli powder or to taste, 1 c yoghurt, red food colouring (optional)

Directions:1. Remove the skin from chicken and brush with lemon juice. Cover and let marinade in refridgerator for 30 mins.
2. Process onion, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, extra lemon juice and salt in a food processor until a smooth paste is formed. Combine this paste with the paprika, chilli powder and yoghurt and mix together until smooth. Add enough drops of food colouring to make the mixture a deep red colour.
3. Place the chicken pieces in a large shallow dish and spread liberally with the spicy yoghurt mixture. Cover in plastic wrap and refridgerate. Marinate chicken for at least 4 hours or over night.
4. Preheat oven to 180C or 350F. Place chicken pieces on a wire rack over a large baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken pieces are tender and cooked through.

Well, Chocolate Girl, as for an easy curry dish I found this recipe that I have not tried myself but reads and looks good. When I make a curry, I usually make it the way my mum makes it. It is really easy but you must have good quality curry powder mix. If you have access to some, I'll give you that recipe. If not, here's the one I found in one of my favourite cook books. Red Chicken Curry.
2 tbsp ghee or butter, 2 medium onions sliced, 1 medium red bell pepper chopped, 4 colves garlic crushed, 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground corriander, 2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp hot chilli powder, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 425 g can tomatoes, 1kg chicken thigh fillets, 2 c chicken stock, 1/4 c cream or coconut milk, 1 tbsp concentrated tamarind.

Directions: 1. Heat ghee in a large pan, add onions, bell pepper, garlic, ginger and ground spices. Cook till onions are browned lightly.
2. Add paste, undrained crushed tomatoes, chicken and stock, simmer covered about 20 mins or until chicken is cooked through.
3. Stir in cream or coconut milk and tamarind. Simmer uncovered about 15 mins or until mixture has thickened slightly. Serves 4-6.

Green Curry Chicken

So how would you say this? Green curry chicken , green chicken curry or chicken green curry? I love making this when my hunny is out of town. One reason is because he doesn't appreciate the taste of the coconut milk with the blend of spices in a green curry. Another reason is that I get to have this all to myself! *grin* Those of you who think this is difficult, its actually very very easy. I use the cheat method! Just buy green curry paste from your oriental grocer or look in the asian isle of your local supermarket. Thai food has become so popular now that it is easy to get most of the ingredients for it.

Most of these instant pastes come with instructions like this one that I used. All you need is 400g chicken, sliced or cubed, 400ml coconut milk and you can add baby aubergine or in my dish, since I do not like aubergine, I used cauliflower and red pepper and Thai basil to garnish. If I remember correctly, you will need to heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pot, add the paste and fry till fragrant (about 1 min). Next add chicken and stirr till well coated and cook till most of the pink is gone. Then add coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Next add vegetables of your choice (zucchini is also a good substitute for aubergine). Cook till desired tenderness . Add 1-2 tbsp of fish sauce if desired but I highly recommend this. Serve with Thai fragrant rice or noodles (pasta would work well too) and garnish with basil.

Chicken Alfredo

I've been craving something creamy and I instantly thought about Spaghetti Carbonara. But those of you who know how it is made would know it is full of fat! All that bacon and heavy cream, tasty as they are, I thought I'd better make something a little healthier.

Chicken Alfredo isn't too much better but I used half and half instead of heavy cream. Start with boiling water and cooking your pasta. As always, I sauteed a little bit of minced garlic in some evoo. Then I added left over roast chicken from the local deli and strips of back bacon. Then the half and half plus frozen peas. Let this simmer for a few minutes to reduce the sauce. Add some parmesan cheese to the sauce to thicken and add flavour. When your pasta is ready, drain well and add to the sauce and toss till coated with the sauce. Serve immediately with more parmesan cheese and or freshly ground black pepper. It helped curb the craving for now. Hopefully this will carry me till October since I only try to make Speghetti Carbonara for Reno Man's birthday. It is a favourite of his.

BBQ Chicken & Mixed Veg

Very simple but healthy lunch. This time I grilled the chicken we got from Costco and didn't burn it. I used, cauliflower, broccoli, red pepper, mushrooms, carrots for my stirfry with a healthy dolop of minced garlic and evoo(extra virgin olive oil). Yum. No seasoning necessary. So far I have posted our meals. I wonder what other home menus are out there. I would love to hear from anyone out there! BTW, anyone interested in attending EAT-VANCOUVER, the food festival with me?