20110831 Chicken Biryani Pilau

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food - Chicken Biryani Pilau)

It was a week when I wanted to have decent meals every evening, but did not have the time to cook anything after work because of the usual 2-hour commute from work. So on the day I worked from home, I went grocery shopping and cooked up a storm in the evening. I made several one-pot dishes, so I simply had to reheat them (or microwave them if I feel really lazy) after work. As I have been craving warm food for lunch these days, I made huge one-pot dishes so there was always enough leftover for my lunch.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
10 chicken drumsticks (poked all over with a fork to let the curry flavor in)
1 onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp curry powder
350g basmati rice
700ml chicken stock
250g frozen peas

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 180 degree C.
2. Fry the chicken over high heat in a casserole, then lower the heat to medum and cook onions for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over curry powder, stir in rice, and pour over the stock. Bring the dish to a boil, then cover the pan and bake the dish in the oven for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the dish from the oven. Stir in peas, leave the rice to stand for about 5 minutes with the lid on. Then serve.

20110830 Root Vegetables and Lentils Casserole

(SOURCE: BBC Good Food - Spicy root & lentil casserole)

The original recipe called for 2 parsnips, but I couldn't find them so simply replaced them with 100g more potatoes. It was a very fragrant (and filling) dish, as the potatoes and lentils absorbed all the flavor. I served it with some plain white rice and steamed broccoli.

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
800g potatoes, cut into large chunks
4 carrots, thickly sliced
2 tbsp curry powder
1L vegetable stock
100g red lentils
fresh coriander, chopped
yoghurt

METHOD
1. In a large pan, heat oil on medium heat and cook onion and garlic until fragrant. Tip in potatoes and carrots, and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes.
2. Sprinkle curry powder and pour stock, then bring it to the boil. Reduce heat and add lential. Cover and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until lentils are soft. If it was still too watery, cook without a lid for about 10 minutes, until sauce is thicker. Serve with chopped coriander and yoghurt.

20110823 Chicken and Rice Casserole

I remember reading a recipe about chicken and rice casserole before, and was too lazy to look it up on the internet. So I simply gave this a go without knowing if I got the ingredients right - daredevil me in the kitchen! As my husband was home late, I left the dish in the oven for a little too long, so the chicken was a bit dry. Other than that, it was okay so I was pleased.

INGREDIENTS
700g chicken, cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
225g mushroom, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream
1 cup raw rice
1tsp thyme
1tsp basil
1tsp Italian dried herbs
1/2tsp paprika

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 190 degree C.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then brown them in a pan over high heat. Remove to a plate. Lower the heat to medium, and cook onions and garlic until the onions are soft. Remove to a plate. Add mushroom and dry saute them to release some moisture. Remove to a plate.
3. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, and heat to reduce to about 1 tbsp. Add stock and bring it to a boil. Remove the pan from heat, then add cream, sour cream, and dried herbs.
4. In a casserole dish, mix together rice, onions, mushroom, and sauce. Then lay the chicken over the top in a single layer. Cover the dish and bake for about 45 minutes in the oven. If the dish is still a bit watery, uncover the dish and cook in the oven for a few more minutes.

20110821 Braised Beef Goulash

(SOURCE: Delia's Complete How to Cook by Delia Smith)

This was SO GOOD! The meat was so tender! I find this kind of dish perfect for days when I work from home, as it takes only 20 minutes to prepare then I can get back to work while it is slowly stewing in the oven. I think this will be a perfect dish for a dinner party too as it allows you to multitask - while the dish is cooking away in the oven, you can clean the kitchen counter, prepare for the appetizer and side dishes, and set up the table for a cozy evening with friends/family. I served this with simply some boiled potatoes, so we could mash the potatoes on our plates to soak up all the finger licking sauce.

INGREDIENTS
1kg braising steak, cut into 4cm cubes
1 tbsp hot paprika powder
1 tbsp sweet paprika powder
2 tbsp olive oil
3 large onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 bay leaves
650g can chopped tomatoes
handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped
2 medium red peppers, cut into strips (about 2x5cm)
salt and freshly milled black pepper
sour cream

METHOD
1. Mix the basil leaves into the chopped tomatoes, and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a casserole over high heat until i is sizzling hot, then brown the beef in batches. They need to be a good, deep nutty brown color. Remove to a plate.
3. Turn the heat down to medium, stir in the onions and cook them for about 5 minutes until they carmelize at the edges. Then stir in the garlic and return the meat to the casserole. Sprinkle in the flour and papika powder, and give it a good stir.
4. Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, and season well with salt and pepper. Let it all come slowly up to simmering point, then cover the casserole and cook in the oven for 2 hours.
5. Then stir the peppers into the goulash, cover and cook for a further 30 minutes in the oven.
6. Just before serving, take the casserole out of the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Then stir in the sour cream to give a creamy effect.

20110820 Chicken Cacciatora

(SOURCE: Delia's Complete How to Cook by Delia Smith)

To be honest, I was a little disappointed at this dish as the chicken tasted a little bland - just a tomato-y dish. I guess it was my fault that I didn't use freshy rosemary leaves, which could have made a huge different. Also, I was too lady to chicken a whole chicken into 8 pieces, and used chicken drumsticks instead. The chicken drumsticks might not have soaked up the sauce as well, so I should have poked them all over with a fork.

INGREDIENTS
1kg chicken drumsticks
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium-large onions, thickly sliced
700g ripe red tomatoes, skinned and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp dried rosemary, bruised
1 bay leaf
275ml dry white wine
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and freshly milled black pepper

METHOD
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in the casserole over a high heat and brown chicken in batches. Remove them to a plate.
2. Lower the heat to medium and cook onions for 8-10 minutes, until they are softened and nicely browned at the edges. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, rosemary, bay leaf, white wine, and white wine vinegar. Season and bring to the boil, then let it bubble and reduce to about half its original volumne (which will take about 20 minutes).
3. Add the chicken into the casserole and stir them around, then put the lid on and allow to simmer gently for 60 minutes.

20110817 Creamy Chicken

(SOURCE: SimpleDailyRecipes.com - Creamy Herb Chicken)

The original recipe mentioned that the cooking process could be speeded up by baking the dish for 1.5 to 2 hours in an oven of 160 degree C. But I thought cooking the dish slowly may make the chicken more tender so I opted for the time consuming version. I am telling you, the wait is worth it! Too bad I couldn't find fresh oregano, or the dish would be even more herby!

INGREDIENTS
1kg chicken legs, each cut into two
2tbsp butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp flour
1 cup warm milk
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2tsp dried oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 120 degree C. Place chicken pieces in a buttered casserole dish.
2. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and cook mushrooms and onions for about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, add in warm milk, and continue stirring until the flour and milk make a smooth sauce. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken.
3. Bake uncovered for 2.5 to 3 hours. Serve chicken over a bed of rice with cream sauce on top.

20110814 Chicken Stew with Onions and Tomatoes

I wanted to make a chicken stew with chicken wings, but unfortunately couldn't find chicken wings anywhere - can you believe that?! So I went for little chicken drumsticks instead. I cooked the dish for a very long time as I wanted the chicken to be so soft that the meat would easily fall off the bones upon touch. I served this with some plain potatoes, so we could mash the potatoes with our forks and mix them with the yummy sauce. But I think this dish would go well with some fresh, warm bread too. Next time I may add a teaspoon of paprika powder or chilli powder to give this dish a richer flavor.

INGREDIENTS
1kg little chicken drumsticks
750g onions, sliced
800g can of whole tomatoes, peeled
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
60ml white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the chicken drumsticks and then remove from pan. Throw the onions and garlic into the pan, and fry until they are lightly browned. Add the tomatoe and white wine, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring to a simmer, then put the lid on and cook over low heat for about 70 to 90 minutes.
3. Remove the lid and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Serve with plain potatoes and steamed vegetables.

20110808 Glazed Lemon Bread

(SOURCE: SimplyRecipes.com - Glazed Lemon Bread)

I had a really rough night and am having a very bad headache. So I felt like having some warm baked goods to make my day a little more bearable. So I made this bread at 5 in the morning, and had a big fat slice for breakfast and then another slice for afternoon tea. The combination of honey and lemon creates a very soothing and "homey" flavor. I definitely like this recipe better than this Lemon Drizzle Cake.

INGREDIENTS
110g butter, softened
1 cup minus 1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
2 eggs
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp baking powder
For the glaze -
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp honey

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 175 degree C. Butter a loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar and honey, and continue to beat until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. On low speed, slowly beat the milk in. Mix in lemon zest.
3. Sift together flour, salt, cardamom, and baking powder. Add to wet ingredients, and beat until smooth.
4. Place batter in the loaf pan, and bake for an hour.
5. While the bread is baking, heat the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
6. Once the bread is removed from oven, poke holes all over the top, then spoon glaze over the hot bread.
7. Let the bread cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan, and slice to serve.

20110805 Oven-baked meatballs

(SOURCE: SimpleDailyRecipes.com - Meatballs Baked in the Oven)

I mixed all the ingredients together and let the mixture sit in the fridge for an hour for "flavor melding". I thought of making meatballs as my husband usually has afternoon events at work on Friday and hence only wants snacks at night. So I thought I will have meatball spaghetti for dinner and my husband can munch on the meatballs. But as he didn't have any events tonight, I simply cooked a big pan of spaghetti and tossed the meatballs in some ready-made pasta sauce - dinner served! These meatballs were super garlicky, so I would recommend using 2 garlic cloves instead.

INGREDIENTS
450g ground beef
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp dried parsley
2 tbsp dried basil
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 205 degree C. Lightly grease a sheet pan with olive oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients well together.
3. Use a tablespoon to scoop out meatball onto the greased sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown.

20110803 Campers Casserole

(SOURCE: SimpleDailyRecipes.com - Campers Casserole)

It has been a while since I tried out new recipes as I had been feeling tired for the last months. I start to feel a bit more energetic these days, so it is time to get back into the kitchen. It has been grey and rainy all day, so I wanted something warm and filling for dinner. Looking at one of my favorite food blogs, Simple Daily Receipes, I found this dish that is so easy to make. Only 10 minutes of preparation, then the oven did all the work for you. As Jill suggested on her food blog that this dish needs a bit more spices, I have added some green bell pepper and fresh basil leaves. This was really yummy, but I find the combination of rice and cheese a bit odd.

INGREDIENTS
450g ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp chilli powder
400g can of kidney beans
800g can of diced tomatoes
handful of basil leaves
1 cup grated cheese
salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 175 degree C. Puree the diced tomatoes and basil leaves. Season with some salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Brown the beef, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic in a pan over medium heat. Season with chilli powder, salt and pepper. Stir in kidney beans and rice. Transfer everything to a casserole dish.
3. Pour the pureed tomatoes over the casserole. Cover and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
4. Uncover, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.