Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Chestnut

I have never been a fan for chestnuts. I know a lot of people loves to eat that. My mum can cook very nice braised chicken with mushrooms and chestnuts. I would eat the chicken and mushrooms and leave the chestnuts for my other family members. I know my mum spend quite some time to take out the skin and the red thingy of the chestnuts. When I was young, I used to help my mum do that. And I really don't like the job. Perhaps that's why I don't like to eat chestnuts ;p.  

That day I was watching my fav taiwan cook show 吃饭皇帝大again. And they are teaching how to cook this dish. What caught my attention is they are using the packet roasted chestnuts (those that are eaten as tidbits) to cook this dish! Hmm what a good idea. It saves the time to prepare the chestnuts which I hate to do and the tidbit chestnuts are already pretty delicious. 

I must say I am pretty lucky in buying groceries. Whenever I feel like cooking something special, I would managed to get it in the supermart in Chinatown. The packet roasted chestnut just pop up in a corner near the cashier! Da da I must cook this dish than! 

Surprisingly, I love the chestnuts in this dish! It's soft with a little charcoal BBQ taste. And it matches very well with the mushrooms and chicken. It tasted better with this ready cooked chestnuts perhaps because of the roasted taste and it's fuss free! Will definitely cook this dish again!

Ingredients:

1) 1 packet of roasted chestnuts

2) 10 medium size dried mushrooms cut into half (Soaked in water to soften the dried mushrooms)

3) 1 to 2 Skinless chicken thigh meat cut into chunks (depends on the size of the chicken thigh)

4) 3 garlic minced

5) 5 slices of ginger

6) 1 stalk of spring onion cut into half

7) 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

8) 1 tablespoon of soya sauce

9) 1 tablespoon of Shao Xing wine

10) Pepper

11) Corn starch

12) A few pieces of crystal sugar

13) Water used to soak the mushrooms

Marinate for chicken:

1) 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

2) 1 tablespoon of soya sauce

3) 1 tablespoon of Shao Xing wine

4) Pepper

5) Corn starch

Steps:

1) Marinate the chicken with oyster sauce, soya sauce, wine, pepper and corn starch.

2) Heat some oil in the pan, add in the garlic, ginger, spring onion and stir fry for a while.

3) Add in the mushroom and stir fry until you can smell the fragrance of the mushrooms.

4) Add in the chicken. Lay it in one layer on the pan. Let the chicken cook on the pan for a while until it turns a bit browned. Browned the other side of the chicken.

5) Add in the chestnuts. Than add in the oyster sauce and soya sauce. Stir fry all the ingredients with the sauces.

6) Add in the shaoxing wine, water and sugar. 

7) Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer for around 5 minutes.

8) Take the lid away and let it simmer for another few minutes so that the sauces reduces a bit.

9) If you find that it is too watery, you can add in some corn starch mixture to thicken it.

PS: You can add in some dried scallops if you want a richer taste. You can add in hot water to soak the scallops. When they are soft, break it into pieces. Add in the scallops in step 5. The water for soaking the scallops can be added together with the mushroom water. 

Bean Sprouts and roast chicken salad with thyme

Ever since my doctor tell me to eat more greens and protein less carbo to control my blood sugar, I have salad almost everyday for lunch. I just stock up my fridge with fresh greens, cucumber, tomatoes,lemons, limes and I just grab whatever I feel like eating and come up with a simple salad dressing to go with the veggies.

Yesterday my neighbour just gave me a big plate of bean sprouts which she has grown herself! Wow very organic! Must not let those go to waste. I decided to add it to my lunch salad. My fridge ran out of green veggies, therefore I just grab whatever I have left in the fridge to come up with my salad. And I have just bought some thyme just nice to invent a new salad with that ;p

And this is the outcome of my so call invention

First of all, I found a chicken breast in my freezer.  I thawed it to make my roast chicken. In order to have juicy chicken breast meat, buy those with skin and bones intact. Marinate it with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and roast chicken seasoning in a bottle(optional).  Than bake it in the preheated oven of around 200 degree C for around 30 to 40 minutes. Take the chicken out from the oven and cover it with aluminum foil until it is cool enough for you to cut it into chunks. I took off the skin for a healthier meal.

My roasted chicken breast

Next the veggies. I can only find cucumber, tomatoes, celery and lemons in my fridge. Therefore I cut the cucumber and tomatoes into cubes. And than i add in the raw bean sprouts. If you mind the raw taste of the bean sprouts you can cook it in hot water for a while. I minced my all time favourite garlic and shallots and add into the salad too. Than I sprinkle a little little bit of thyme on top. Ok my veggie part is done.

The veggies

Now left with the salad dressing. I add juice of half a lemon, some balsamic vinegar, ponzu dressing, black pepper and sesame oil into a bowl and mix them well. Give it a taste. if you find it too salty add some sugar.  My dressing is done!

Add the chicken chunks into the veggie and pour the dressing on top of the salad. Mix the them well and I am done with my simple lunch! yummy!

Steam cod fish with crispy bean bits 豆酥鳕鱼

In my previous blog on homemade soya bean milk, I have mentioned that I have made use of the blended soya beans left overs to make 豆酥. My first attempt to make it is pretty successful. It turn out not too salty and I have added some kick to it by adding dried chillies. Since it tasted quite nice, I have confidence in making it again when I make my 3rd round of soya bean milk. Than I won't feel so bad in throwing away the soya beans after squeezing out the juice. And I can save some money too! One small bottle of 豆酥 is pretty expensive. Though my home made version is not as yummy as the ones sold in supermarket, but it is cheaper and not so oily. Those sold are covered in a layer of oil!

I managed to get some cod fish at a discounted price and it is just perfect for making this steam cod fish with crispy bean bits(豆酥鳕鱼). For making this dish I have referred to this Chinese website http://blog.xuite.net/sdhmnguk/blog/31785589?ref=rel. I have added some ingredients in making the 豆酥 though.

Ingredients:
1) Pulp from blended soya beans after squeezing out the juice （豆渣）
2) Chilli bean sauce （豆瓣酱）
3) Soya sauce
4) 2 to 3 Dried Chillies
5) Chopped garlic
6) Oil

Steps:
1) Pour olive oil onto the soya bean pulp and try to coat the pulp with the oil.
2) Spread the pulp evenly on a baking tray and put it in the oven and bake it at 150 to 160 degree C for roughly 40 minutes. You will have to toss the pulp halfway through the cooking time in order to cook evenly. You might have to vary the cooking time. As long as it has turned slightly brown and a bit crispy(only very slightly) you can take it out
3) Add in some oil into the pan, when the oil is slightly hot, add in the garlic and dried chillies and stir fry until you smell the fragrance of the garlic.
4) Add in the bean sauce and soya sauce and stir fry for a while. Pour in the toasted crispy bean pulp and mix well with the seasonings.
5) Stir fry with low fire until the bean pulps turn golden brown.

Now it's turn to cook the cod fish with the cooked crispy bean bits.

Ingredients:
1) Cod fish
2) Crispy Bean bits
3) Soya sauce
4) Scallions
5) Ginger
6) Oil

Steps:
1) Steam the cod fish with ginger and scallion.
2) Heat some oil in a pan and stir fry the crispy bean bits until they become more crispy.
3) When the cod fish is done. Pour the crispy bean bits on top of the cod fish.
4) Heat soya sauce (you can add in some water if you find it too salty) in the microwave or on the pan until it simmers and pour the mixture onto the cod fish.

南乳罗汉斋

南乳斋是我妈妈新年必煮的菜。超爱南乳的味道，香极了！不过，不是每个人都喜欢它的味道。我先生就是其中一位。上次为了做虾酱鸡翅，买了一大罐南乳,结果还剩很多。休斯顿唐人街的超市好难买到小号的东西，他们都卖一大包不然就是特大号的东西。小家庭的我，买什么东西特别是调味料和干粮都要想清楚买了会不会常用。不然买回去用一两次就放在冰箱里，不但占位也很浪费。

为了快点“解决”这罐南乳，想起妈妈煮的南乳斋。不过，我不想买这么多菜煮一大盘斋，两个人一定吃不完（是的，这里卖的菜也是一大包）。所以，我就买了罗汉斋的罐头，里面的分量刚好。我只需要买绍菜（天津白菜）就可以了！如果你喜欢南乳，可以放多点，斋的颜色就会红一点，味道也浓一点。我先生不太喜欢南乳的味道，所以我只放了一点。如果你不想放南乳当然也可以啦，那就是一道简单的罗汉斋了：）

食材：

1 绍菜半个

2 一罐罐头罗汉斋

3 南乳 一块

4 蒜蓉一汤匙

5 油少许

6 水少许

步骤：

1）将油倒入锅中把蒜蓉爆香。

2）加入南乳，把它压碎炒香。

3）加入绍菜炒一下。

4）加入罐头罗汉斋（包括罐头里的汁）翻炒一下。

5）如果你喜欢多一点汁，可以加入一点水。如果你觉得南乳很咸，可以加一点糖。

6）盖锅盖焖大概5分钟，就可以盛盘。

榨菜蒸肉丝

又突然想起妈妈曾煮过的一道简单的菜。只需要两种基本材料－－榨菜和猪肉。还蛮喜欢吃榨菜的。只要加入少许的榨菜在汤中或者拿它炒肉，整道菜就很“惹味（广东话）”。妈妈用它来蒸肉片，我家婆用它来煮汤。反正我买了榨菜做这道菜，还剩下好多，所以决定帮我老公一解妈妈菜肴的味道，我这星期就煮我家婆的榨菜汤。所以如果你想知道如何做榨菜汤就“敬请期待”咯！
我妈妈是将榨菜及猪肉切成片。但我觉得切片的话太大片了，吃一两片可能就觉得有点多。因此，我就把肉片和榨菜片切成条状。由于榨菜蛮咸的，所以我用糖先把它腌一腌。我也选择了夹心肉，因为这个部位的肉有点油脂，煮出来不会太柴，太硬。这道菜你也可以选择用炒的，但我实在太懒了不想开锅炒得厨房油腻。而且蒸的话，也比较健康。

食材：
1）榨菜一个切成条状
2）夹心肉切成条状
3）姜汁少许
4）蒜末少许
5）糖少许
6）酱油少许
7）蚝油少许
8）麻油少许
9）花雕酒少许
10）胡椒粉少许
11）太白粉少许

步骤：
1）用一点糖抓一抓榨菜。
2）将姜汁，蒜末，酱油，蚝油，麻油，花雕酒，胡椒粉加入肉里，搅拌均匀。然后才加入太白粉搅拌均匀。让它腌大概半小时。
3）把榨菜和夹心肉搅拌均匀，放在盘子里用大火蒸大概15 至20分钟或至猪肉熟透为止。

皮蛋炒潺菜

那天到唐人街的超市看到一种看似熟悉的菜。印象中这种菜煮后会变成软软黏黏的，有点像秋葵。妈妈好像用它，肉片和咸蛋来煮汤。不过，我想用它来炒。我记得以前在新加坡的餐馆吃过上汤炒豆苗及咸蛋和皮蛋。我决定也“复制”这道菜，不过是用潺菜和只用皮蛋（因为邻居做给我的咸蛋包粽子用完了）。
我不可能为了这道菜熬上汤。我就用买回来的罐头上汤。煮出来的味道当然没有餐馆的味道来得鲜甜，不过我还是满意我的“成果” ，味道还可以啦 ；p

食材：
1）潺菜
2）皮蛋切丁
3）蒜蓉
4）姜片3片
5）上汤半碗
6）开水半碗

步骤：
1）热锅把油倒入爆香蒜蓉和姜片。
2）将潺菜放入锅中炒一下。
3）放入皮蛋炒一下。
4）加入上汤和开水。
5）等到上汤再次滚开就可以上菜了。

Spicy baked Cod Fish

Doesn't this look a bit like the BBQ stingray?! Well how I wish it is. Really miss the BBQ stingray and the La La or gong gong..... and so much more! Well since I can't have that, I will try another way to satisfy my craving. This recipe actually comes from Seasaltwithfood (http://www.seasaltwithfood.com/

2010/11/spiced-roasted-cauliflower-and-potatoes.html) Her recipe is used for cauliflower and potato. 

I am pretty bored with steaming cod  fish therefore I have decided to try this way for cooking this fish. I must say I really love it! Though not as shiok as the BBQ stingray but it did satisfy my craving for the spicy stingray. Next time I will buy banana leaves and place the fish on it and baked it. If I have a BBQ pit I think it will be even more wonderful to BBQ the fish inside the banana leaves.  

Ingredients:

1) Cod Fish (any fish like snapper or even stingray will be good too)

2) 2 Tbsp Curry Powder

3) 1 tsp Garam Masala
4) 2 tsp chilli powder

5) 2 tsp minced garlic 

6) 1 Tbsp minced ginger 

7) 2 tsp of minced onion

8) 1 tsp Sea Salt

9) ¼ Big Lime, juiced
10) 3 to 4 Tbsp Canola Oil
11) 2 Sprigs Fresh Curry Leaves (optional)

Directions:
1) Combine and mix all the seasonings well.
2) Spread a layer of the seasoning on the aluminum foil. Than place the cod fish on top. Spread the remaining of the seasoning on top of the fish.
3) Seal the foil and put it on a baking tray lined with foil. Place the tray in a preheated oven (around 200 degree C) for about 15 to 20 minutes.