Coriander Chicken Mushroom Stew

It's a Coriander overload..............I think I bought too much coriander (cilantro) on my shopping trip yesterday! So, this is my Coriander Chicken Mushroom Stew for dinner. I had already made my Coriander Pork with Bok Choy earlier for lunch and had to use up the veg before it waste away in the fridge. 

I just love coriander but I don't think the kids would appreciate everything coriander tasting. It's crunchy, tastes a bit like lemon and sage, it's a herb and good for you too. You can eat just about every part of the coriander plant and it's found in all types of cuisines from the Mediterranean, South American, Indian, Asian, and African, but just about anywhere really.

Coriander Chicken Mushroom Stew

2 chicken leg quarters, skinned, cubed 2cm

150g shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/4 cup frozen peas

handful of coriander, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

50 g butter

salt & pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the onions and garlic. Add the chicken, salt and pepper and cook well. 

2. Add in the mushrooms and peas and stir. Pour the chicken stock, water and stir until combined. Simmer and cover for about 5 mins.

3. Pour in the milk and add the breadcrumbs. Stir until the sauce thickens. Add the coriander and stir until combined. Serve with rice or pasta.

The base of this stew is similar to my Fresh Shitake Mushroom Soup..... shitake mushrooms another shopping item I bought too much!!

Shredded Chicken Mushroom Stew on Rice Noodles

Rice is not only white fluffy grains but it can be made into a variety of yummy noodles. They are mainly made from glutinous rice flour and water. Sometimes tapioca flour and cornstarch are added to change the texture. They can be rolled into sheets and cut into different widths, spaghetti-like or even into thin vermicelli. Sold freshly made or dried in bundles ready to cook anytime they are all very easy to cook.

Just like rice, rice noodles are also a stable part of Asian cuisine but are more versatile because you can eat it cold or hot. The rice noodles can be used in a soup, stewed, fried and even in salads. The best thing about rice noodles is that they absorb a lot of the flavour of the dish because just like normal rice grains they are plain flavoured and can take on any sauce or gravy.

  As a kid I use to watch my grandmother make Lo Si Fun, which is also a type of rice noodle but hand rolled and short in length, about 2 inches. This is a picture I found on the net and the Lo Si Fun has a smooth surface. My grandmother's noodles had little ridges and looked more like little worms because she use to roll the dough on the back of a colander! We would always have noodles for lunch at grandmother's house on the weekends and this was one of my favourites growing up............ Lo Si Fun is hard to find nowadays because they have to be hand rolled and take longer to make.

Shredded Chicken Mushroom Stew on Rice Noodles

5 bundles of dried wide rice noodles

1 chicken leg quarter

8 - 10 fresh shitake mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, chopped finely

2 tbsp sweet yellow bean paste

1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 cup water plus extra 1/4 cup for sauce

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp sesame seed oil

1/2 tsp cracked ground black pepper

1 tbsp of carrot, finely shredded

cornflour water

1. Soak the rice noodles in hot water for about 10 mins or until tender. Remove from the hot water and immediately soak in cold water. Drain and set aside.

2. Pour water in a wok and using a steaming tray, cover and bring the water to a boil.

3. In a steaming dish, place the chicken leg quarter down with the skin side facing upwards. 

4.In a small bowl, gently mash the sweet yellow bean paste. Add the light soy sauce , shaoxing wine, sesame seed oil, water and stir the mixture.

5. Arrange the sliced mushrooms and carrot over the chicken. Pour the bean paste mixture over the chicken and sprinkle with pepper.

6. Steam the chicken for about 15-20 mins or until the chicken is cooked and can gently come off the bone. Remove the chicken from the heat and take out the chicken and gently shred the meat off the bone using two forks, discarding the bones. The meat should be easily removed from the bone.

7. Pour the sauce, mushrooms and carrot into a saucepan and add the shredded chicken. Add some cornflour water and extra water if needed and simmer until the sauce has thicken. The sauce should be able to lightly cover the back of the spoon. Pour the chicken mushroom stew over the noodles and combine until the sauce has coated all the noodles and serve.

My inspiration for this lunch dish was when I went out for a quick snack with my hubby at our fav dessert place where they serve light snacks all hours of the day. I shared my plate with J while the other kids where out with friends. 

Chicken Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes are always in season and most of the things I cook are usually tomato based. Fresh tomatoes or sundried tomatoes are welcome in my kitchen anytime. Lots of fresh deep red juicy tomatoes, rich flavour and good for you too!

For dinner tonight I needed something quick but simple to cook and I wanted to use some fresh tomatoes that I just bought. Chicken Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce!!! A creamy sauce with rich tomato flavours serve with chicken and penne pasta. 

I

500 g penne, al dente

4 chicken thighs, (about 500 g) cubed

1 medium onion, diced finely

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped OR 410 g crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup red wine

1 tsp basil dry OR 1 tbsp fresh basil

1 tsp sugar

1 cup full cream milk or 1/2 cup of cream

1 cup chicken stock

3/4 cup of tomato puree

1/2 capsicum, chopped roughly

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

salt to taste

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Saute the onions and garlic until soft. 

2. Add the diced chicken and cook half way.

3. Add the wine, stock, puree and stir through. Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, cracked pepper and salt. 

4. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 mins. Stir in the milk and capsicum, simmer uncovered for another 10mins until the sauce thickens.

5. Cook the penne following the instructions. Pour the sauce over the penne and stir through. Serve the with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Sweet & Sour

Celebrations, holidays and family dinners have always gone along with good food, and of course, good company. Today is my Yehyeh's (chinese for grandfather) birthday, celebrating his 80th back home with the family with a big chinese banquet.

When I was young our family dinners would always be held at my grandparent's place. It was a get together usually held once a week, a time to catch up with the family over a good home cook meal. But it wasn't just any meal, you see my grandfather was a chef and ran a family restaurant in Sydney for many years. He had an additional mini kitchen set up in the garage with an industrial cooker, and was cooking up dishes of restaurant quality to be served at our family dinners.

Dinner at Yehyeh's place has always been and still is something I always look forward to whenever I'm back home. One of my favourites is his Sweet & Sour Pork, with just the right amount of sweet and sour sauce accompanying crispy strips of deep fried pork. I've watched him make it countless times and I tried to recreate it here.

Sweet & Sour Pork

450 g pork loin, diagonally sliced thinly

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg white

1 medium onion, sliced into thin wedges

3 tomatoes, chopped roughly into large pieces

1/2 capsicum, chopped roughly

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine/ sherry

1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 1/2 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup of chopped pineapple (optional)

oil for deep frying

1. Combine the flour, pepper, salt, egg white and coat the pork with the batter. The batter should be sticky not runny. Set a side for 5 mins. 

2. Heat the oil for deep frying. Fry the pork in batches until it is golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Arrange on a serving dish. 

3. Remove the oil from the wok and leave about 1 tbsp of oil.

Sauce.

1. Combine the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, tomato puree and wine in a bowl.

2. Heat about the oil in a wok. Add the onions, water and sauce mixture in the wok and stir. Add the fresh tomatoes and cover and cook over medium heat for 5 mins.

3. Add the capsicum and pineapple (optional) and cook uncovered for another 3 - 5 mins. Cook the sauce until it has thicken making sure that the tomato and capsicum has still retain most of it's texture. Pour the sauce over the deep fried pork. 

**I usually don't add the pork to the sweet & sour sauce while cooking because I find the sauce will eventually absorb and sauce and soften the pork, plus the kids like the pork crispy. 

**The sauce doesn't really need any cornflour to thicken the sauce when you use tomato puree because the puree is already thick and you only need to adjust the water added. 

Meat Pie on a bed of Mash

Feeling a little homesick for an Aussie Meat Pie...... 

So for tonight's dinner I dusted off the Breville pie maker and put together my version of a meat pie, which is similar to my Cottage Pie with a twist on the presentation.

It's been years since I had a meat pie, not the party pies or the mini-pies but a  real hearty pie. The last one I had was about 6 years just outside of the Capital Theatre, down at Haymarket  from Harry's Cafe De Wheels. A Harry's "Tiger" meat pie, mashie peas, mash and tons of gravy!!! ....a real touristy thing but real meat pie icon.

I clearly remember that day because it was also the day of the BIRDs, the day that Ash would remember too.....Here we were eating our pies in the park and down came this huge flock of pigeons and seagulls surrounding us, all chanting like in Nemo, "Mine, MIne, Mine"..............and till this day my daughter can't stand the sight of birds!!

Now with this recipe I also made the shortcrust pastry but you can use supermarket ones or even bread, which I sometimes do for a quick pie.

Meat Pie on a bed of Mash

300 g beef mince

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 tsp worcester sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1/2 cup tomato puree

1 cup water

1/4 cup red wine

2 tomatoes, chopped roughly

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly and chopped

ground cracked pepper

sea salt to taste

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add onion and garlic to saute. Add the mince meat and gently stir until browned.

2. Add the worcester sauce, soy sauce, tomato sauce, tomato puree, pepper and stir. Add the chopped tomatoes, mushrooms, peas, tomato puree, wine and water. Bring to the boil, simmer covered for about 15mins, until the tomato has soften and add salt to taste. 

3. Remove the filling and cool. You can use this meat sauce to disguise a lot of vegies for the kids and they wouldn't know it!!

Shortcrust Pastry

1 1/2 cups plain flour

90 g butter, chilled and chopped roughly

3 tbsp cold water

1. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and add the chopped butter. Rub in the butter until is resembles breadcrumbs. 

2. Add in the cold water and knead into a ball. It might get a bit too sticky but just work it until it's smooth. Wrap it in cling wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 mins. I normally put it in a plastic kitchen bag as it's easier to handle than using a wrap.

3. Roll the dough onto a floured surface and use the pie cutters or shape it to fit the pie moulds (if you're using pie moulds in the oven).

Pie making

1. Preheat the pie maker for about 8mins or until the light switches off OR preheat oven for 180C.

2. Layer the pie moulds with the shortcrust pastry and fill with the meat filling (about 1/2 cup or more). Don't over fill the pie as it will eventually ooze out at the side!! Cover with the pastry top and seal the edges.

3. Cook in the pie maker for about 8 mins or until the top is browned. I lost my pie cookbook that can with the pie maker so i just check to see if it has browned, all depending on what pastry you use.

For the oven you can egg wash it if you like. Bake it in the oven for about 10-15mins or until it browns.

4. Serve it on a bed of mashed potatoes, topping it off with tomato sauce.

Meat Pie on a bed of Mash (I would have loved  to put mashie peas on the pies but the kids would never eat it)

Mashed Potatoes

This is one of the few cooking tips that my hubby taught me!! Microwaved mashed potatoes.

about 6-7 large potatoes, thoroughly washed and scrubbed

30 g butter

1 1/2 - 2 cups of warm milk

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 microwaveable pie dish (I use a pyrex pie dish)

1. Wash and scrub the potatoes. Prick the potatoes with a fork, making sure it's thoroughly poked. This will release the steam and won't let the potatoes explode in the microwave!!!

2. Arrange the potatoes in a microwave pie dish, cover with a microwaveable cover with a vent for 12mins on high.

3. Remove from the microwave and use a fork and knife to peel off the skin.

4. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and mash it with a potato masher or fork. Add the butter, cheese and stir. Gradually add the milk and pour as much as you need for the right texture of mash. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I would sometimes use a Desiree (red) potato and leave the skin on for a rough mash. The kids can get a little fussy over it seeing the skin but it's lots of fibre and I love the rough texture of the mash this way.

Paprika Chicken Wings

Just having a break from cooking today, just relaxing with the kids.

After a long hot and humid week I thought a dip in the pool would be a great way to start off the weekend. Esp. with this dry spell we seem to be going through, everything just calls out for water.

SpliSh, SplaSh around the pool always calls for a tasty snack to fill up those hungry tummies and what usually goes down with a swim for my kids is the ever ready Paprika Chicken Wings.

It's quick to put together and they'll gobble it up wanting more....that's what the little one does.

Paprika Chicken Wings

1 kg (about 12) chicken wings, drumstick and wings cut, tips removed

2/3 cup plain flour

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

vegetable oil for deep frying

1. Clean and dry the prepared chicken wings. Remove the tip and cut into drumsticks and wings.

2. Mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper into a large bowl and cover the chicken wings with mixture. Make sure all the wings are fully coated. Leave it for 10 mins.

3. Heat the oil for deep frying. Fry the wings in batches until golden brown and drain over paper towels. I normally would fry the skin side first and fry the drumsticks and wings separately so that they cook evenly.

Lasagne

Dinner, dinner, dinner.............tonight's dinner.

What do you want for dinner???

The quickest response for that question would always come from Tristan, hands down...

Mum, I want Lasagne!!!!

I don't think he would be able to to survive without a serving of lasagne at least 3 times a month. He simply loves it! And it's not that often where he'll gobble up every morsel of food on his plate, esp. when there are vegetables involved.

So here's my lasagne recipe, quick and easy to put together. I'd often add vegetables to this lasagne without the kids knowing, simply by chopping it up finely or just letting it cook through with the sauce.

Lasagne

5oo g mince meat (chicken or beef)

4oo g tin of tomato puree + 1 tin of water

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

400 g tin of whole tomatoes

OR 4 tomatoes, chopped roughly

2/3 cup of mushrooms/carrots, chopped finely

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp sweet basil

cracked black pepper

sea salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

lasagne instant sheets

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Saute the onions and garlic until soft. Add the mince meat and cook until browned. Sprinkle in the herbs. Add the tomato puree plus 1 tin of water. Add tin of whole tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes and other vegetables (carrot/mushroom) I'd often disguise vegetables into the lasagne as it's so easy to blend them in without the kids knowing. Stir and bring to the boil, simmer with lid on for 15 mins. The meat sauce should have plenty of sauce and the vegetable soft. Remove from heat.

Cheese Sauce

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

3o g butter

2 tbsp plain flour

2 cups of milk

salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and stir. Pour in the milk. Add the parmesan cheese and stir constantly to remove any lumps. Increase the heat to medium and cook until sauce creamy and thick. Remove from heat.

Lasagne

Preheat the oven to 180C.

1. Layer the meat in a rectangular baking dish first and then follow with the instant lasagne sheets. Repeat the meat layer and another lasagne sheet layer. Cover the last layer with the meat sauce mixture making sure that all the lasagne sheets are fully covered in the sauce.

2. Pour the cheese sauce over the last meat sauce layer, covering all the top. Sprinkle the cheese sauce with grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 mins or until the cheese sauce is golden brown.

You can either prepare this dish in a large rectangle ovenproof dish or 2 smaller ones.

Lasagne can be tricky to make but once you get the hang of getting the right amount of liquid in the sauce to cover the layers it's easy.