Steamed Cod with Fried Garlic and Scallion

The man has hinted me enough times that he's craving for cod and so I granted his wish by placing this on the dinner table last night. He was won over instantly when he took the first bite, but what he didn't know was how simple this recipe actually is. This is my kind of food, easy to make but fulfilling nonetheless. 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 medium slice or 2 small slices     cod 

3 slices                                            old ginger 

3 cloves                                           garlic, minced

1                                                      scallion, chopped thinly

1 tablespoon                                    light soy sauce

1 tablespoon                                    water

1 tablespoon                                    chinese cooking wine

1 teaspoon                                       sugar 

3 tablespoons                                  cooking oil

Method:

Place the fish on top of the ginger slices and steam on high heat for approx. 7 minutes. 

Mix the light soy sauce, sugar, water and chinese cooking wine in a bowl, making sure to dissolve the sugar granules. Set aside. 

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil and fry the minced garlic until golden brown. 

Remove the steamed fish from the steamer, drain away the water from the plate and pour the soy sauce mixture on it. Place the fried garlic on top of the fish, garnish with scallion and pour the hot garlic oil over. Serve hot.                     

Easy Chicken Rice (Cheat's Method)

My sincerest apologies for the long hiatus. Work has been crazy hectic, I do not even wish to start talking about it here now. Let's divert our attention instead, to the awesome recipe that I'm about to share with you.

Throughout my life, I have been blessed to have met many food critics (I meant like, the professional kind), mainly due to my previous job as a hotel PR. I am even luckier to be able to consider some of them as my friends. They are the ones who will bring me along for media tasting, feed me with the latest happening on the restaurant scene and of course, share wonderful recipes.

Today's recipe is one that was shared by one of them. The fact that she tries this out at home, I'm pretty sure it must be quite a gem. Lest the misconception that chicken rice are usually heavily loaded with fats and calories, this recipe is a much healthier version and even better, much much simpler as well. I've cooked it several times now and if the picky bf of mine is satisfied with this, then it must be a good to go!


Serves 2
Ingredients

3 - 4                               chicken thigh (I removed the skin and fats for a healthier version)
1 cup                              long grain rice, washed and drained
4 cloves                          garlic, minced
5 - 6                                shallots, sliced thinly
4 slices                           ginger
1 tablespoon                   cooking oil
2                                     pandan leaves, tied into a knot
                                       sea salt
                                       water
                                       sesame oil
                                       light soy sauce

Method:

Marinate the chicken thigh with a few pinches of salt and set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil on medium high heat. Add in the minced garlic and sliced shallots and fry till they are both golden brown.

Add in the rice and stir evenly to coat the rice with the oil.

Dissolve 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt into 1 cup of water and pour into the frying pan.

Turn the heat to the lowest mode and top the rice with the marinated chicken thigh, ginger slices and knotted pandan leaves.

Cover and let it cook for 20 minutes. Feel free to add a little more water if it's too dry.

Drizzle the rice with a little sesame oil and light soy sauce and serve.

Creamed Spinach

 

I've had a huge bunch of spinach left in the fridge and decided that a creamed spinach will be the ideal side to my grilled meat. Creamed spinach uses heavy cream but if you run into a situation like me where you don't keep heavy cream at home, you can always subsitute with some milk and butter. If using low fat milk, do add in 1/2 tablespoon of flour and you are all set to go.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 packet                     spinach, washed and drained

1/2 clove                    garlic, minced

3                                 shallots, minced

2 tablespoons             butter

1/4 cup                       heavy cream (or 1/4 cup milk with 1 tablespoons butter)

pinch                          nutmeg

                                   salt and pepper to season

 

Method:

 

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add in the spinach and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain, squeeze the water out of the spinach and chop finely.

 

In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and add in shallots and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.

 

Add in the spinach, cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 4 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and reached a thickened consistency.

 

Garlicky Chicken

Tis' definitely the season to celebrate with good food, wine and your loved ones.  In my opinion, this chicken recipe is good enough to land itself a spot on that dining table this festive period. Don't get me wrong, this is not a Christmas recipe but a simple heartwarming dish by Nigella Lawson that will win the crowd over. The recipe calls for white wine or vermouth but I made do with my leftover Rose and it tasted just as good anyway.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 pieces                             chicken leg or thigh, bone in
20 cloves                           garlic, unpeeled
1 tablespoon                      olive oil
5 stalks                              thyme (I replaced it with 1/2 tablespoon of the dried version)
3 stalks                              scallion, chopped
2 tablespoon                      white wine or vermouth
                                          salt and black pepper to season

Method:

Heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

In a dutch iron pot, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sear the chicken leg on high heat, browning them. Remove and set aside.

Add in the chopped scallion, thyme and give it a good stir for about 20 seconds or so.

Place in 10 cloves of garlic, followed by the browned chicken pieces. Top with the other 10 cloves of garlic. Season with salt and black pepper.

Add in 2 tablespoons of wine (or more like I did) and swirl them around the pot.

Cover the pot and place in the oven for an hour.

Serve the dish and its gorgeous sauce with some nicely toasted sourdough or baguette. Do not forget the nicely caramelized garlic too.