Shix cooks: Lemon-ginger chicken

A simple recipe that it very over friendly

Ingredients:

Ground to a paste:

2 cloves onion

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsp chilli paste

2" ginger 

3 stalks lemongrass

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp each fennel seeds and cumin seeds 

1 tsp lemon rind 

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 kg chicken

1/2 cup coconut cream

2 slices dried tamarind

Salt and sugar to taste

3 tbsp oil

Method: 

If you're planning to bake this, marinade the chicken in the spice paste together with salt and sugar then bake it at 170 deg for 30 mins

If you're cooking this on the stove top, start by heating the oil a wok or a deep skillet. Then, fry the paste till fragrant (and MasyaAllah, is it fragrant). Once that's done, add the tamarind slices and chicken. Cover your pot and let the chicken cook. After 20 mins, add in the coconut milk, salt and sugar. Let it cook for another 15 mins then it's done. 

Shix bakes: Blueberry muffin

This lazy (pan) muffin came to be because 

A) there were blueberries on sale ($5 for 2 boxes of 120g berries-and yes that's super cheap here in SG)

B) I had to mark quickly because I HAD to go to the airport

So I needed something fast and sweet. The easiest bake I've done next to the cheese balls lol. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup self rising flour

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup oil

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

200g blueberries

Optional:

1tsp ground cinnamon + 2 tbsp sugar sprinkle (I didn't cause I couldn't bear to have one more thing to wash)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170deg (when I start w the oven, you know it's gonna be a fast one)

In a larger mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Make sure to mix well so tt the baking powder is properly distributed. 

In another smaller bowl, mix the oil, egg, milk and salt together. (I choose to add the salt here coz I use Himalayan salt and it's usually coarser)

Using a spatula or fork, mix in the wet to the dry ingredients. Mix till everything is just nicely done. Then throw in the blueberries. Mix it a few more times. Mixture should look like lumpy oats. Don't over mix!

If you're not lazy, scoop the mixture into lined muffin pans. If you're lazy, dump everything into a greased pan (I used an 8" sq silicon pan). Bake it for 20 mins and you're good to go. 

I especially like this recipe coz it's not too dry or crumbly and it cuts relatively well too. 

Original recipe from http://www.inspiredtaste.net/18982/our-favorite-easy-blueberry-muffin-recipe/

The husband calls it kicap power

No pics yet coz cooking was done at 11pm. But alhamdulillah it turned out well

Ingredients 

5 cloves garlic

1 large onion

1" ginger

1 tbsp chilli paste

1/2 cup each oyster sauce n dark soy sauce 

1 tsp ground pepper 

Salt sugar and white pepper to taste 

Optional: diced carrot and potato

Ayam percik (Grilled chicken)

As the chicken bubbles over the stove, I'm reminded why it's called ayam percik (literally translated: splatter chicken) with the gravy sputtering and splattering all over the place. It's a quick, simple and non-heartbreaking recipe.

Prep time: 10 min

Cooking time: 40min

Ingredients:

To groud till fine:

10 cloves shallots

4 cloves garlic

2" ginger

1" galangal

6-8 pcs dried chilli (pre-soaked)

1 tsp tumeric

4 candlenuts

Others:

500 g chicken

1 piece tumeric leaf (optional)

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup coconut milk

Oil for stirfrying

1 cup water 

Method:

It a wok/pot, heat up the oil then add in the ground ingredients. On medium-Low heat, fry for about 10 mins or till fragrant. While this is happening, thinly slice the tumeric leaves and wash your chicken. Once the ground ingredients are fragrant, add in the chicken and water. Let it cook for 15 mins before adding in the salt, turmeric leaf and coconut milk. Cook for another 10-15 mins or till the chicken is cooked and the mixture thickens. 

Ps: always cook Malay dishes with a medium to medium low heat to develop the flavours and ensure even cooking. 

Shix Cooks: Roast Chicken with minty yoghurt

I adapted this recipe from this from Nigel Slater's simple suppers here http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/grilledprawnswithyog_92524

Ingredients:

 

To marinade:

1kg chicken wings

6 cloves garlic

1 inch ginger

6 red chillies

1 tbsp each of cumin, coriander, black pepper corn and tumeric 

A bunch each of mint and flat leaf parsley (cilantro)

Juice from 2 lemons

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 tsp salt

Dip:

2 tbsp yoghurt

Bunch of mint and flat leaf parsley

Method:

Blend all the ingredients for the marinade.   Marinade the chicken overnight.  Bake at 200 deg C for 30min. 

For the dip, finely chop the herbs and mix into the yoghurt. 

DONE! 

Shix cooks: Broccoli with beef

Cook time: 10 min

Prep time: 5 min (yes I kid you not)

4 cloves garlic

4 cloves shallots

1 inch ginger

100g sliced beef

1/2 head of broccoli 

4 stems of spring onions

3 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce

1/2 cup water

1 tsp starch

Method:

1. In a pan, heat up some oil 

2. While that's heating up slice the onions, rough chop the garlic and matchstick the ginger. 

3. Throw in items in 2. into the pan and let it fry till soft. 

4. While that's happening, quickly cut the broccoli florets. 

5. Once onions are soft throw in the beef. 

6. After about 3 min, add in the oyster sauce and fish sauce. 

7. Stir it up the add the broccoli. 

8. Once the broccoli turns bright green, mix the starch and water and pour it in. 

9. Give it a final stir and we are done!

I cooked this, fried an onion omelet and deep fried some chicken ngoh hiang all at the same time and everything was done in 15 min (not incl cleaning up). So do give it a go. Nothing beats a home cooked meal.  

Shix Cooks: Steamed mussels

Steamed mussels - Inspired by steamed French mussels

Cooking time: 15-30 min

Prep time: 10 min

100g butter 

6 cloves garlic

1 tbsp crushed Szechuan pepper 

1 tsp dried tarragon

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 cup vinegar (I used cider vinegar) 

1/2 cup water 

About 400g mussels

First melt the butter then add garlic, fry till softened. Then throw in the pepper and tarragon. Fry for abt 2 mins then add in the mussels. Mix it up then throw in the salt, water and vinegar. Boil everything for abt 15 min.