EZCR#117 - BRAISED SPICY TAU SEE CHICKEN

Since last week, I have started only cooking for myself at home.  Other members of the family are away from home for their duties, commitments and endeavours.

Friends told me that I can enjoy meals outside for the time being but do you think it is possible to someone who loves home-cooked food, however simple?  I just wonder what if I do try, how long I can do it.  For 2 months, at least 3 meals a day, I don't think I so.  I would have to face the question of 'what to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?'

Anyway, I take this opportunity to try the list of recipes that I have bookmarked earlier.

This recipe is one of the many....simple, easy dish enough for one.  Awesome dish that's great with a plate of steaming hot rice and some blanched leafy greens or salad.

The chicken absorbs the savoury, spicy and tasty seasoning.  With the sugar added, the sauce is still savoury with the fermented black beans and light soy sauce.

Ingredients

1 chicken whole leg with skin or 2 drumsticks

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 red chilli - seeded and chopped

some chopped spring onions

1/2 tbsp fermented black beans [tau see] - rinsed several times, drained

Seasoning

1 tbsp each of chilli sauce, light soy sauce, cooking wine and sugar

1. Saute garlic until aromatic, push aside.  Add in chicken [skin side down], pan fry over medium heat until lightly brown.  Flip over to fry the meat side, cover to cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add in the seasoning, tau see, some chopped red chilli and spring onions.  Add in enough water to cover chicken.
3. Bring to boil, cover with lid and simmer until chicken is tender and sauce is reduced.  
4. Dish up to serve, garnish with some chopped chillies and spring onions.
   

EZCR#116 - SPRING ONIONS GINGER SOY CHICKEN

Another easy and simple chicken dish.  Great soy sauce chicken to serve with blanched vegetables and a bowl of rice.

The spring onions are naturally sweet and fragrant sliced ginger blend well the meaty chicken whole leg.  Without much seasoning the chicken meat retains it natural sweetness and succulent though braised.

Awesome dish which I would love to prepare often.

Ingredients

1 deboned chicken whole leg

1 stalk spring onions - cut sections [keep some to add last]

a few slices of ginger

enough water for braising

some blanched leafy vegetables [I used bayam]

Seasoning

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp cooking wine

dash of pepper

1 tsp sesame oil

1. Heat a non stick pan with a teaspoon oil, saute ginger slices and some spring onions until aromatic and lightly brown.
2. Push aside, put in the chicken whole leg [skin side down]  to brown over medium high heat, cover to cook.
3. Remove cover, flip over chicken and fry meat side for several minutes.  Flip over again before adding seasoning and water [enough to cover chicken].
4. Bring to boil and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick.
5. Lay serving platter with blanched vegetables. Put braised chicken on top vegetable and spread sauce over chicken.
6. Serve immediately with a bowl of rice and separately.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

EZCR#115 - TUNG CHYE FRENCH BEANS

Again, another simple Chinese style stir fry vegetable dish.  Great to serve with rice or porridge.

The fried French beans are crunchy, mushrooms are fragrant and balance well with the crunchy preserved cabbage [tung chye].

Ingredients

200 gm French beans - cut short sections

2-3 dried mushrooms - soaked and diced

2 tbsp preserved cabbage [tung chye] - rinsed and chopped

1 red chilli - seeded and chopped

1 tsp chopped garlic

Seasoning

1 tbsp light soy sauce to taste

dash of msg and pepper

1. Stir fry mushrooms in a pan without oil until fragrant and lightly brown.  Add in 1 tablespoon oil, saute garlic and tung chye until aromatic.
2. Add in French beans, stir to mix then add in some water.
3. Add in seasoning and red chillies.
4. Stir to combine all ingredients together over high heat till cooked.
5. Dish up to serve with rice or porridge.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI STIR FRY

Came across this lovely dish, Chinese-style fry chicken with broccoli.  Being a Chinese, I am not good in differentiating which stir fry dish is Chinese or not.  According to the chef, the cooking technique of preparing it is called 'velveting'. 
It is an easy way and a healthy stir fry.  I fully agree as there is no oil used to cook it, yet it tastes delicious.  The chicken pieces are tender, while the blanched veggies are still crunchy.
Just this dish alone is enough to go with a plate of steaming hot plain white rice.

This recipe is adapted from Tess Cook 4U.

Ingredients

1 large chicken breast - sliced

1 broccoli - cut into florets

1 small carrot - peeled and sliced

1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water [thickening]

Marinade for Chicken

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp cooking wine

some egg white

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Seasoning Sauce [combined]

3 cloves garlic - minced

2 tsp chopped ginger

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tsp dark soy sauce

dash of pepper

drizzle sesame oil

125 ml water or 1/2 to 1/3 cup water or chicken broth

1. Blanch veggie in boiling water for 1/2 minute.  Drain into cold water.
   
   
2. Using the same water, blanch marinated chicken [about 2 minutes], give one or two pushes to prevent chicken pieces from sticking together.  Drain.
   
3. Using a clean wok, add in sauce.  Bring to boil and simmer for 1 minute. Add in blanched ingredients, thicken with cornstarch water.
   
   
   
4. Stir to coat ingredients well.
5. Remove and serve with rice immediately.
   
   

EZCR#112 - FRIED CHICKEN WITH CABBAGE

A simple stir fry chicken with cabbage dish over plain white rice that is good enough for a simple meal at home.

There is only 2 main steps to cook this dish.  First, is to pan fry marinated boneless chicken pieces until slightly crispy and brown.  Second, is to fry the cabbage with the required seasoning.  Toss and mix both ingredients.  Dish up to serve with a plate of rice or serve separately.

Hmmm...., tasty, delicious, homey Chinese style chicken and vegetable dish.

Ingredients

1 deboned chicken whole leg [with skin] - cut big cubes

Marinade - some salt, 5 spice powder and pepper

150 gm cabbage - washed and break into small pieces

1 small stalk Chinese leek - sliced thinly

1 red chilli - seeded and chopped

1 tbsp fermented black beans - rinsed

1 tbsp dao ban jiang or chilli bean paste

Seasoning

1 tbsp each light soy sauce and cooking wine

1/4 tsp sugar or dash of msg [optional]

1. Pan fry chicken pieces with  some oil in a non stick wok until brown.  Push aside or dish up.
2. Using the same wok, fry cabbage leaves for a minute, add in fermented black beans and dao ban jiang.  Toss to mix well.  Add in seasoning and some water.
3. Fry ingredients or until cabbage is cooked through but still crunchy.
4. Add in leeks and red chilli.  Toss to combine ingredients together.
5. Dish up to serve with rice.