Egg Foo Yung/Chow Mein

Egg Fu Yung is a Chinese style omelette, popular in American and British Chinese restaurants, usually served with a soy based gravy. 

Chow mein is a Chinese dish of stir-fried noodles with leftover vegetables, meat or tofu, also popular in America and the UK.

I thought I'd combine both Egg Fu Yung and Chow Mein to use up some leftover cooked chicken, and some eggs that needed using.  This recipe would work well with leftover turkey after Christmas.

Serves 4

3 layers medium egg noodles

4 eggs

300g cooked chicken, turkey, pork, beef, or prawns

1 onion, peeled & thickly sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled & sliced

100g frozen peas

1 chicken stock cube

500ml recently boiled water

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)

1/2 tsp paprika (optional)

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp cornflour

Vegetable oil for frying 

Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.  Leave to cool in a pan of cold water.

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok over a medium high heat.  

Beat the eggs, and fry in the wok like a omelette for a few minutes so you have a side plate sized disk of cooked egg. Flip the egg over carefully to ensure the egg is cooked through.  Slide the egg onto a plate, chop into bite sized pieces, and wipe the wok out with a piece of kitchen paper.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in the wok over a medium high heat.

Stir fry the onion for 1-2 minutes until it starts to soften or go golden brown.  Add the peas and garlic.

Crumble in the stock cube and melt in the oil and heat.  Add 500ml of hot water, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, turmeric and paprika.  Stir well.

Mix the cornflour with two tablespoons of cold water.  When the 'gravy' is boiling, pour in the cornflour mixture whilst stirring to thicken it.

Drain the noodles and add to the gravy together with the meat or prawns, and chopped egg.  Mix well and serve.

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Corsican Poulet aux Olives (Chicken with Olives)

A simple Corsican dish of essentially just...chicken and olives.

Traditionally cooked on the stove, we cooked this in a slow cooker on Bonfire Night to have a hot meal waiting for us on our return home

Serves 4

8 small chicken thighs

4 shallots, peeled and sliced into half-moons 

1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

1 handful whole green olives, ideally stone in

1 glass (175ml) white wine or water

A rosemary or a few thyme sprigs (optional)

Brown the chicken thighs in a pan large enough for them fit as a single layer.

When browned, remove to a plate and fry the shallots and garlic in same pan for a minute or so together with any herbs if using.

Add the wine or water, return the chicken to the pan skin side up, and scatter over the olives (my partner cooked this recipe as I translated a very sketchy French recipe from the lounge, and took it upon himself to slice the olives).

Cover and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  

If cooking in a slow cooker, prepare as above.  After adding the wine/water to the pan, heat this to boiling then pour into the warmed slow cooker.  Place the chicken skin side up into the wine/water and scatter over the olives. Cook for 6 hours on high.

Serve with a green salad and pasta, rice, or crusty bread. 

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Vietnamese Noodle Soup (Pho)

A little bit of leftover roast pork inspired me to make Pho (apparently pronounced 'fuh', like 'huh' but with an f)

It can be made with chicken, beef, pork, or tofu.  A lot of online recipes suggest homemade stock, and whilst authentic I made it with good quality stock cubes.  Even using stock cubes, the broth still requires a lot of spices.  I note that ready made pho broth is available in UK supermarkets, but no vegetarian option as far as I can see.

Serves 4

1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 shallots or 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
1 lemongrass stalk, halved and squashed
2.5cm piece ginger, sliced
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp coriander seeds or ground coriander
¼ tsp Chinese five spice
8 black peppercorns
1 tsp caster sugar (optional)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1.5 litres good quality chicken (for chicken or pork pho), beef (for beef pho), or vegetable stock

4 rice noodle nests (I used wheat noodles as I didn't have any other noodles)

A handful of sliced cooked pork, chicken, or beef.  For vegetarians/vegans -a 200g block of sliced tofu, or 
1 large carrot, shredded or peeled into ribbon with a vegetable peeler
8 pak choi or Chinese Leaf leaves, cut into 2cm strips
Large bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
Small bunch of mint, chopped

4 spring onions, finely sliced 
1 red chilli, thinly sliced, or ¼ tsp dried per bowl
1 kaffir lime leaf, thinly sliced (optional)
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

In a saucepan big enough to take 1.5 litres, fry the onion and garlic in the vegetable oil over a medium high heat for about 5 minutes until lightly brown and caramelised.

Add the stock and the rest of the flavourings.  Cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.

Whilst the noodles are cooking according to the instructions on the packet, chop/shred all the remaining vegetables and herbs.

When the noodles are cooked, drain and divide between four large bowls.  Divide and arrange the pak choi, carrot, meat/tofu/mushrooms (the mushroom slices can be browned in a non stick frying pan over a high heat to give a little more depth of flavour) on top of the noodles, followed by the coriander, mint, spring onions, chilli, and kaffir lime leaf if using.

Pour the hot stock over the four bowls when the 15 minutes is up, and serve immediately with a quarter of lime to squeeze over.

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Chicken, Lamb, or Vegan Pasanda Curry

We have lured our eldest daughter home for the evening to watch the Lionesses play in the Euros, and have a homemade Lamb Pasanda. 

I mostly followed BBC Good Food's Chicken Pasanda recipe, using cashews as I had no almonds, adding cumin seeds and more ground coriander as one of the reviews said the curry was a little bland, and omitting the cream.  Our Lamb Pasanda was tasty and with a medium kick of chilli.

This curry can be 'veganised' but substituting the meat with chickpeas/white beans and firm tofu, and using plant based yoghurt and milk.

Serves 4

500g diced lamb or chicken, or 200g black of firm tofu and a can of white beans/chickpeas

200g plain dairy or plant based yoghurt

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated

2½ cm root ginger, finely grated

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp salt

Curry sauce

50g blanched almonds or cashews

100ml whole or plant based milk

4 tbsp sunflower oil

4 onions, peeled and thinly sliced 

4 garlic cloves, peeled & finely crushed

2½ root ginger, finely grated

4 cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 red chilli, thinly sliced or ½ tsp chilli flakes

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp garam masala

Marinade the meat in the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli powder, and salt for 30 minutes or more whilst you make the curry sauce. I tip the yoghurt and flavourings into the plastic tray or bag it comes in to save on washing up. 

To make the curry sauce, warm the milk for 1 minute in a mug in the microwave, add the almonds or cashews, and leave to the side to soften.

In a large pan, fry the onions in the oil over a medium high heat for about 5 minutes until golden brown.  Stir in the whole spices (cardamon pods, cinnamon stick, cumin, and chilli), followed by the garlic and ginger, and then the ground spices (turmeric, coriander, and garam masala).

Liquidise the almonds/cashews with 300ml water and add to the pan with the onions.  Add the marinated meat, making sure you scrape out as much of the yoghurt mixture as you can.

Stir well, bring to the boil, then cover and turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes.

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Chinese Congee (Rice Porridge/Soup)

Rice porridge may sound unappealing, but this simple Asian dish is great comfort food and can be taken in a soup flask as a packed lunch. 

Congee is the Mandarin name, Jook in Cantonese, Chok in Thailand, and Cháo in Vietnamese. I regularly had it for breakfast backpacking in Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong.

The classic congee is just rice simmered in water or stock until it breaks down essentially to mush, and flavoured with ginger and soy.

Shredded chicken, minced pork, or egg can be added to the classic congee for protein, but I like to make a plant based version with vegetable stock, tofu, and colourful vegetables.

Serves 2

1 litre vegetable stock

1 cup cooked rice, white rice is traditional but I prefer brown rice

1 tbsp finely grated ginger

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

200g firm tofu, grated

1 large carrot, grated

1 pak choi, thinly sliced 

2 spring onions, finely chopped

Seasonings - chilli oil, sesame oil, chilli flakes, soy sauce, and/or fish sauce to serve

Add the rice, garlic, and ginger to a pan.  Pour over the stock and bring to the boil.

Boil for 5-10 minutes uncovered until the rice is a runny porridge consistence. 

Stir in the tofu, carrot, and pak choi to heat up.

Serve when congee comes back to the boil.  Sprinkle each serving with a chopped spring onion, and season with what ever you have to hand and to your own taste.

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One Pan Chicken & Rice

An Iraqi recipe for T'Beet on my Instagram reels reminded me of a simple one pan chicken & rice I used to make, as well as Egyptian Rice & Lentils (Mujaddara).  As I didn't have the requisite Iraqi spices for T'Beet I freestyled sit, based on my earlier recipe.

Serves 4

4 large or 8 small chicken thighs 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and sliced in half moons

4 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed

1 large mug basmati rice

200g cooked puy lentils, drained, or bag of baby spinach 

1 tbsp ras el hanout (optional)

1 lemon ( I used a homemade preserved lemon)

In a lidded pan, large enough for the chicken to be in a single layer, brown the chicken thighs skin side down in the olive oil over a medium high heat.  Remove to a plate when brown.

Turn the heat down to medium and caramelise the onion the same pan
after you have removed the chicken.

When the onion is as brown as you dare, stir in the garlic and ras el hanout, and fry for a minute or so before adding the rice and drained lentils.  Measure out a mug and a half of boiling water and pour into the pan.  The water needs to be 1 cm above the level of rice and lentils, so top up with boiling water if required.

If using spinach rather than lentils, stir it into the hot water and rice until it is wilted and mixed through well.

Halve the lemon and juice, then cut the halves in half again.  Pour the lemon juice over the rice.  Arrange the browned chicken, skin side up now, on top of the rice and nestle the juiced lemon quarters between them.

Cover and bring to the boil.  Once boiling, turn the heat down to it's lowest heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

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Ghanaian Red Red Bean Stew

To complement the Ghanaian Very Hot Shito Sauce we bought our son at Christmas, I made a Red Red Bean Stew last night.  Red Red is a Ghanaian dish, make with black eyed beans, tomatoes, red peppers, scotch bonnet chilli, and red palm oil - hence it's name.  Given the strength of the Shito Sauce I decided substitute scotch bonnet chilli for sweet red pepper.

Although a plant based dish in itself, Red Red is often served with tinned mackerel or pilchards. I added chicken, as my teens are less keen on vegan/vegetarian dishes that we are.

Serves 4

2 tbsp vegetable oil

4 chicken thighs (optional)

1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped

1 cm root ginger, roughly chopped

400g carton of passata

2 tins cooked black-eyed beans and their liquid

2 vegetable stock cubes

1 tsp Caribbean curry powder (or 1 tsp Indian curry powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, & 1/2 tsp ground allspice)

1/4 tsp chilli powder

Brown the chicken thighs, if using, in the olive oil in a pan big enough to make the stew, and remove from the hot oil.

Liquidise the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and root ginger with some of the bean water to make a loose paste.

Fry the liquidised onion and pepper mixture in the hot oil for a few minutes.

Stir the curry powder and chilli into the onion paste, then stir in the tomatoes, beans, and crumbled stock cubes.

Add the chicken back to the stew if using.  There should be enough liquid to cover all the ingredients in the pan with about 1cm of water.  Add more tap water if there isn't.  If too much liquid, you can reduce this whilst the stew cooks.  Cover (leave the lid off it too much liquid), and simmer for 20 minutes.  

Red Red could be cooked in a slow cooker. After frying the onion paste and dry spices,  pour into a slow cooker together with the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Serve with rice, or plantain.

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Chicken, Sweetcorn, & Egg Noodle Soup

A quick filling soup made with leftover cooked chicken (or Christmas turkey). Vegetarian and vegan alternatives are detailed at the end of the recipe

Serves 4

3 litres chicken stock

3 nests rice noodles 

340g tin of sweetcorn or 1 mug frozen sweetcorn

2cm root ginger

1 large garlic clove

300g shredded cooked chicken

1 egg, beaten 

4 spring onions, chopped

Sesame oil

Chilli Oil

Liquidise the sweetcorn, ginger, and garlic with the water from the tin, or some warm chicken stock to thaw the frozen sweetcorn.

Bring the chicken stock to the boil. Add the liquidised sweetcorn and the noodle nests.  Cover, bring back to the boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. I used Aldi Brown Rice Noodles which say take 5-10 minutes to cook, and in the end took 7 minutes.

Stir in the shredded chicken, turn up the heat a little, and bring back to the boil.  When bubbling, dribble over the beaten egg.  Leave for a minute for the egg to cook in the hot soup then divide into four bowls.  

Sprinkle a chopped spring onion over each bowl and drizzle with sesame oil and chilli oil to serve.

A vegetarian version can be made with vegetable stock and grated firm tofu instead of chicken.  And a vegan version can be made with vegetable stock, tofu, and 2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water stirred in instead of egg to thicken the soup a little. 

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Piri Piri Chicken & Rice

I used to make a one pan chicken & rice dish with just lemon and garlic in my first flat share after university.  I hadn't made it for ages, but thought it would work well with piri piri flavours.

Serves 4

8 small chicken thighs

½ tsp hot chilli flakes

1 tbsp roughly chopped garlic

1 tsp salt

½ tsp oregano

½ tbsp paprika

50ml/1¾fl oz red wine vinegar

200g 1 large mug of rice 

1½ mugs boiling water

1 chicken stock cube, crumbled 
Oil for frying

Stab the chicken thighs and marinade with all the ingredients apart from the rice, stock cube, oil, and water for a couple of hours, or ideally overnight.

In a large saucepan, large enough to take the chicken in a single layer, with a well fitting lid or that covers snugly with a plate, first fry the chicken in a little oil for about 5 minutes per side to brown.  

Remove the chicken from the frying pan to a plate and stir in the rice. Add the boiling water, crumbled stock cube, and any remaining marinade. The fluid should come about 1cm above the level of the rice. Stir well until the stock cube is dissolved. Arrange the chicken thighs skin side back on top, bring to the boil then turn down to a the lowest heat and cover with a well fitting lid or plate and leave for 20 minutes.  Do not lift the lid at any stage as this lets out valuable steam and heat.  

After 20 minutes, check the chicken is cooked by piercing with a sharp knife or skewer and ensure the juices run clear with no blood.

Serve with a green salad or something else green - beans, broccoli...

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Chicken (or Turkey) Noodle Soup

This BBC Good Food Chicken Noodle Soup is so easy, and will work just as well with seasonal turkey leftovers. 

500ml chicken or vegetable stock (or Miso soup mix)

2 tbsp sweetcorn, canned or frozen

2-3 mushrooms, thinly sliced or a handful of sliced greens (pak choi, cabbage, kale) 

1 handful chopped cooked chicken or turkey

1 tsp chopped fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Serving of rice, wheat or buckwheat noodles

2 spring onions, shredded

2 tsp soy sauce, plus extra for serving

Chilli flakes, to taste

 

Simmer the noodles, along with sweetcorn and mushrooms or greens in the stock until cooked according to the instructions on the packet.

When cooked stir in the remaining ingredients and tuck in.

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Veg Rich Noodle Soup

Ditch flavoured instant noodles for quick healthier veg rich homemade version, loosely based on Wagamama's Chicken Ramen but more veg.

Serves 1

1 portion of dried noodles (egg noodles, rice noodles, soba noodles etc)

500ml recently boiled water

1 low salt chicken or vegetable stock cube

1 cm piece of ginger finely grated or chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Half a mug of frozen sweetcorn

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

Small handful of cooked chicken or tofu, or fry an egg to serve on top

1 spring onion, finely chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and cut into ribbons with the peeler

1 tbsp soy sauce

Cook the noodles for the recommended cooking time on the packet in 500mlof water together with the crumbled stock cube, sweetcorn, ginger, garlic and chilli.  

Put the rest of the ingredients in a a bowl and pour over the noodles and stock when the noodles are cooked.

If the noodles only require soaking in hot water, bring the stock ingredients to the boil.  Put the dry noodles in the soup bowl with the remaining ingredients and pour over the boiling stock. Cover and wait the time on the packet.

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Vegan, Vegetarian, or Meat Jalfrezi Curry

I generally cook vegetarian curries, having enjoyed these in Rajasthan many years ago, and having a part time vegetarian son. But the vegetables could be easily switched for meat, or half meat half vegetables...

Serves 4

4 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil 

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric


1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes


4 cloves garlic – smashed and finely chopped


1 inch piece of ginger – grated


1 large onion, finely sliced


1 carrot cut into 2mm thick pieces


1 green pepper cut into strips


700g vegetables and/or meat (chickpeas, sweet potato, cauliflower, beans, diced chicken, diced lamb)

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 bunch coriander leaves finely chopped


1 tbsp garam masala


Juice of 1 limes
s

1 tsp salt

Heat the oiI in a large pan. When hot add the mustard and cumin seeds. When they begin to pop, add the ground coriander, turmeric and chilli powder and sizzle for about 20 seconds. Add the onion and fry for about 2 minutes until slightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, carrots,  green pepper and stir fry for about 2 more minutes.

Add your vegetable and/or meat.  Stir around in the spiced onions then add the chopped tomatoes and a can of recently boiled water to just cover the vegetables/meat. Jalfrezi is typically a 'dry' curry without much sauce, but I personally like a curry with a bit of sauce, and also think you enough to cook the meat or vegetables.

Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil then simmer gently with a lid on for 30 minutes whilst you cook some basmati rice.

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Leftover Roast (Pork, Turkey, Chicken, Nut Roast) Fajitas

Wraps are a big favourite in our family, and fajitas turned out to be a handy way to use up our leftover roast pork from Christmas Day.  Big Boy is now vegetarian, and had his with reheated nutroast crumbled in, although I did have a back up can of black beans as a Plan B vegetarian option.

Serves  4

Large onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp chilli

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 lime or lemon, juiced

8 wraps
Lettuce leaves, washed & torn

One small handful of roast per person

Sour cream or Greek Yoghurt (optional)

2 avocados, destoned & sliced

Fresh chilli, deseed and thinly sliced (optional)

Fry the onion and red pepper over a gently heat until both are soft and slightly brown.  Add the garlic, spices, lime juice, and leftover roast and fry to reheat the roast.

When ready, assemble your fajita as desired. 

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Kentucky Oven Baked Chicken

My son requested Kentucky Fried Chicken for his birthday in June, during lockdown. I searched the internet for a homemade version, and combined a couple of recipes ending up with twice as much seasoned flour as I needed. So when I came across the excess flour in the freezer over the weekend I decided to have a second attempt at it. Still a winner.

Serves 4

8 higher welfare chicken thighs
1 free range egg
3 tablespoons plain yoghurt

1 large clove of garlic, peeled & crushed

Spice Mix

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp celery salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 tbsp mustard powder

2 tbsp paprika

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cayenne pepper or ground pure chili (optional - if you like it extra spicy!)

100g plain flour

100g breadcrumbs

Marinade the chicken thighs as far in advance as possible. Ideally overnight.  Beat the egg with the yoghurt and place in a zip lock bag (or bowl) with the crushed garlic and one tablespoon of the spice mix. Massage the marinade into the chicken thighs and leave in the fridge as long as possible.

When ready to cook, turn the oven on to 200C. Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, and remaining spice mix and put in a wide shallow bowl for dipping the chicken in.  Take the chicken thighs out of the bag/bowl one by one, shaking off any excess marinade, and coat in the spiced flour & breadcrumb mixture. Place on the rack over a large baking tray. Any remaining flour and breadcrumbs can be frozen for next time. Discard the marinade.

Bake at 200C for 40-45 minutes until crispy, bubbling and golden. Check by poking a sharp knife down to the bone on the fattest chicken thigh on the tray. If the juices run clear ie not with blood, the chicken is done.

Serve with chunky oven chips cooked at the same time as the chicken, and homemade coleslaw.

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Greek Roast Chicken Salad Gyros Wraps

A friend posted a holiday photo of her and her son eating gyros on holiday in Greece a few weeks ago, so faced with leftover chicken, salad, and wraps for the kids lunch I attempted a gyros kind of thing.

Serves 1

1 wrap
1/2 lettuce leaves

Half a tomato sliced

Small handful cooked chicken

Sliced red onion

2-3 tbsp tzatziki 

Ground cumin

Chilli powder or hot paprika

Pitted olives

Lay the lettuce leaf(s) down the centre of your wrap in a strip, then a strip of tomato slices, then the other ingredients. Sprinkle with cumin, chilli, salt, and pepper to taste. Fold up the bottom of the wrap to catch any juices, then roll, and tuck in without putting it down.

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Couscous Royal

My partner has been coming to the South of France since the 1980s, to his parents static caravan parked up in a campsite at Serignan Plage (which was washed away in a winter flood in the mid 1990s). He tells tales of drinking beer with his mates and eating merquez frites, Couscous Royal, and other southern French take away dishes.

We’ve been coming to the same area of the South of France since 2004, and have enjoyed expanding our growing family's gastronomic repertoire over the years. They love merquez, tomato sauces, meat, and garlic in most of its forms. So Couscous Royal, which in theory has four meats in it - merguez, lamb, chicken, and beef - suits them down to the ground, even if I did reduce the meat a bit. 

My recipe is taken from a pack of Carrefour couscous, minus the chicken, beef, carrots, turnips, cinnamon, and ground coriander only for ease of shopping.

Serves 4

4 merguez

4 lamb chops (épaule tranchée), or chicken legs

1 can chickpeas

1 can chopped tomatoes 

1 onions, peeled and chopped 

1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 mug of couscous 

Fry the chopped onion in the olive oil in a large saucepan. When it begins to go brown add the couscous and lamb to seal it  

Add the garlic and spices. Stir around then add chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and their liquid and then top up with enough water to cover. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes whilst you cook the couscous

Add double the volume of boiling water to couscous to a Pyrex dish and leave covered to absorb the water for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve with the meat. 

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Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Been meaning to try this on the family for a while.  And a lockdown with limited resources seemed the perfect opportunity. It was met with "When can we have this again?" which I take to mean they like it.

Serves 5

200g rice noodles
2 handfuls cooked chicken, picked off cooked carcasses
1 can coconut milk
1 tsp green thai curry sauce, or more to taste
2 cans recently boiled water
2 chicken stock cubes
5 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 handfuls frozen sliced green beans or peas

Cooking the rice noodles according to the instructions on the packet.  Drain off the boiling water when cooked and leave to stand covered in cold water to stop them cooking any further.

Bring the coconut milk, water, stock cubes, curry paste, and kaffir lime leaves to the boil in a covered pan.  Add the vegetables and bring back to the boil.  Add the chicken and noodles and bring back to the boil one more time. Add the fish sauce before serving.  Sprinkle with chopped coriander if, unlike me, you have any.

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New Improved Slow Cooker Katsu Curry

I haven't made Slow Cooker Katsu Curry for ages, preferring instead to make Breaded Turkey Katsu Curry instead.  But today, having bought chicken thighs earlier in the week with a slow cooker curry in mind, I decided to revisit my slow cooker recipe with 4 years practise now under my belt.

Serves a hearty 4

8 chicken thighs
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
5 whole garlic cloves, peeled and halved
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp medium curry powder
500ml recently boiled water
1 chicken stock cube
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce

Turn on your slow cooker to heat up.

Brown the chicken thighs in a large frying pan.  Once browned, place the chicken in the slow cooker and fry the onion, carrot and garlic for a few minutes.  Add the curry powder & garam masala, stir once more to warm the spices, then scrape everything into the slow cooker and rinse the pan out with the boiling hot stock (or boiling water, adding the crumbled stock cube).

Cook for High for 4+ hours.  When just about ready to eat, remove the chicken thighs to a warmed bowl and transfer the liquid and stewed vegetables to a liquidiser.  Add the soy sauce and honey and  liquidise.  Pour back over the chicken and serve over rice.

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Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Pork & Chicken Fried Rice)

I started off making Jamie Oliver's Egg Fried Rice (5 Ingredients - Quick & Easy Food)  but found it a little bland.

Then I remembered Nasi Goreng, a stir fried recipe left 34 years ago for an 18 year old me and my then boyfriend by his concerned mum when we housesat for a week.  It served me well into my student years and beyond.

It's great to use up small amounts of roast that get poked into the freezer from time to time, and quick to prepare and get to the table.

Serves 4

4 portions of cooked rice
1 handful cooked pork, chopped
1 handful cooked chicken, chopped
1 bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped or crushed
2cm ginger, finely grated or chopped
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 large free range eggs
Kecap Manis or soy sauce
Sriracha or Sweet Chilli Sauce

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. Leave to drain whilst you prepare the other ingredients.

When everything is chopped and ready to hand on the kitchen counter, get out your wok or largest frying pan.  If using a frying pan you may need to cook this in two batches.

Heat the oil of a high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir around, then the cooked meats and stir around.  Add the spring onions, stir, then add the rice and stir around to heat.  You may need to add a splash or two of water to generate some steam to heat the rice.

After a minute or so make a hole in the rice right down to the bottom of the pan.  Crack in the eggs.  Leave for about 30 seconds then stir into the rice thoroughly, cooking the egg as you go.

Once the rice is heated through and the egg is cooked you are ready to go.  Serve with chilli sauce and Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce) if you can get hold of it, if not just regular soy sauce.

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Saucy Hoisin Chicken Thighs

Sprout requested a Chinese meal in her long list of birthday food (longer than her present list).  I think she means a meal out, but I thought I'd try a homemade version to keep her sweet until we get round to eating out.

Serves 4
8 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, or honey
2 tbsp dry sherry (optional)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
2.5cm fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, peeled & grated

Garnish
4 spring onions, finely chopped (optional)

Cut a couple of diagonal slashes through the skin, about 1cm deep, into each chicken thigh.  Mix together all the remaining ingredients in a high sided oven dish and massage the marinade into the chicken thighs.  Arrange the chicken thighs skin side up in the oven dish, wipe down the edges of the dish, and cover and leave in the fridge for 2 hour or even overnight.

Roast uncovered in a oven preheated to 200C for about 40 minutes, basting a couple of times during the cooking.  The chicken is cooked when the juice runs clear when you poke a sharp knife into the thickest part of the thigh towards the bone (a little hard to see with such a dark sauce I know).

Serve with rice or noodles.  I'm not usually one for garnish but, with hindsight, this dish needed some tangy spring onion to offset the sweet stickiness of the sauce.  I also served this with steamed shredded Savoy cabbage, tossed in a little grated garlic, sesame oil and light soy sauce, that even my cabbage hating Big Boy ate.

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