Stir Fry Ginger Chicken

As I strolled in my kitchen, I wondered what to cook! Definitely was getting hungry and I knew I had mere 20 mins until my stomach would start to growl :) Looked into the fridge... and there I saw 2 small pieces of thawed boneless chicken! Hmm.... want something spicy I thought to myself. And then it flashed... I could make something with ginger as the main ingredient and dare and post my recipe for the JFI ginger event.

This was going to be my first ever submission to JFI event!! And here I was daring to try and make something absolutely new.. my own lil creation. I thought, let me try. If it dosent turn out good, I wont send it to JFI event.

So I set out in my kitchen... first by putting some basmati rice for boiling with some salt.

Then began my adventure.. and boy was the end result yummmm or what?!! Exactly what I was desiring.. spicy and tangy... warmed my soul :)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sliced boneless chicken
3 tbsp of ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green chili, chopped
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp vinegar
1/4 tspn Chinese 5 spice
1/4 tspn sugar
1/4 cup red bell pepper, sliced vertically
1/4 cup green bell pepper, sliced vertically
3-4 strands of bamboo shoots
2-3 baby corn
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt n Pepper to taste
1 tbspn Olive Oil
1/2 tbsp corn starch + 2 tbsp water
Ginger julienne, for garnish
1 green onion, green part, chopped

Method:

• Marinate the chicken in salt n pepper and set aside for 5-10 mins
• In a screaming hot wok, swirl Olive oil on all sides and add the chicken and stir fry till fully cooked.
• Add the ginger, garlic and chillies and saute further for abt a min.
• Now add the vegetables, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, five spice and stir well.
• Add the broth and cook till it starts boiling.
• Add corn starch mixture and boil further till the sauce thickens.
• Garnish with ginger juliennes and green onions.

Enjoy with steaming hot rice. Yummmm!!

Red Thai Curry

Thai is one of my favourite cuisines. Red and green thai curry is like the safest dish to order in any Thai restaurants. This dish I have been making since quite some time now.. its become like that dish I make when I want something to be quick to be out on the table and yet want something not so ordinary! Also its a nice dish to make when you have unexpected friends over! I always have a can of coconut milk in the pantry and most of the times I also have canned bamboo shoots and baby corn in the pantry or in the back of my fridge!! The freshnes sof the dish and its complex flavors comes from the basil leaves. If incase you dont have basil leaves, by all means use dried basil instead.

The best thing about this dish is you really dont need ANY measurements. Just eye ball everything! Add more or less of the veggies and chicken. Eliminate the chicken slices and fish sauce to make it completely vegetarian.

We usually have it with plain jasmine rice or jasmine rice infused with lemon/lime/orange zest. Or even with basmati rice if I don't have jasmine rice at home!!! Its sooo damn versatile :)

Ingredients:
1 can coconut milk
1 1/2 cup chicken broth/ veg broth / water
1 tspn soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
1/4 cup tofu, cubed (optional)
1/4 cup boneless chicken, sliced (optional)
1/2 tspn brown sugar (Use the usual sugar if you dont have brown sugar)
2 cups of assorted veggies of your choice
(I usually use mushrooms, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, bamboo shoots, baby corn)
1 1/2 - 2 tbspn red thai curry (You get this in any supermarket in the asian aisle)
6-7 basil leaves, torn
1 tbspn olive oil

Method:

• In a screaming hot wok, swirl the Olive oil on all side and add the chicken and stir till fully cooked
• Slide the cooked chicken on one side of the wok, and on the other side add the curry paste and saute in the oil for about 30 secs.
• Add the coconut milk slowly and dissolve the curry paste completely.
• Add the broth or water and stir.
  
• Once it starts boiling, add the sauces, sugar and salt if required.
• Immediately add the veggies and cook for not more than a min, or else they will get soggy.
• Add the basil and cook till it wilts.

Serve hot with rice and ENJOY! :)

Thai Drunken Noodles

I have such a back log of recipes over the weekend!! Will try and post them or else I might forget the recipes of the new stuff I tried. As it is, I am so not a person who cooks by measurements!! Its always eye balling.. If I feel, I make it more spicy or less spicy, more or less tangy and so on and so forth. But nowadays I have started to try and measure (again approximate as I will never use measuring spoons other than for baking!)... just for the blog. But it really is difficult! Hmm.. anywayz... back to the recipe!

As said in my earlier post, I wanted to try and make the drunken noodles that i had for the first time ever(!) in Krung Thai, Las Vegas. Well, my version didnt taste exactly the same, but OH MAN.. was it good!! All the tastes tied together... spicy, tangy, sweet and sour!!! It was one of my best creations! But let me warn you... it was SPICCCYYYY!!! On a scale of 1-5 for spiciness, it was 6.. hehehe!!! I guess one can decrease the spiciness by adding less chili flakes and green chillies.

I didnt get the dark color I was looking for... which I later thought might be coz of the absence of Oyster sauce which I didnt have on hand. If you add oyster sauce, do add less salt.

Ingredients:
4-5 oz Thai Flat Rice Noodles (I brought these from Trader Joes)
3/4 cup cubed tofu
1/4 cup diced or long slit boneless chicken
1/4 green bell pepper, sliced vertically
1/4 red bell pepper, sliced vertically

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tbspn chopped garlic
1/4 medium onion, chopped
2-3 green chillies, chopped

Marinade:
3 tbspn red chilli flakes
2 tbspn vinegar
2 tbspn fish sauce
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tspn sugar
1/2 tbsp fresh ground pepper
1 tspn Salt

1 1/2 tbspn soya sauce
1 tbspn Oyster Sauce (I didnt add it)
1/4 cup Basil leaves, chopped

Method:

• In a bowl, marinate the tofu with red chilli flakes, vinegar, fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar, ground pepper and salt.

• Spoon 3-4 spoons of the marinade and add to the chicken.

• Assemble all and keep aside for 1/2 an hr, so that the tofu and chicken soaks up on the flavors, or else the tofu will taste really bland.

• Boil enough water (to cover the noodles). As soon as it starts boiling, add **2 tbsp of salt and 1 tspn oil** to it and immediately add the flat noodles.
• Keep on stirring so that the noodles dont stick to each other. Cook for about 15 mins or till it is cooked el dante.
• Drain the noodles with cold water and set aside.
  
• Place a wok on high heat and swirl olive oil in the wok on all sides.
• Add the chopped garlic, onions, green chillies, cilantro and saute.
  
• Immediately add the chicken with its marinade and stir fry till it is cooked properly.
• Now add the tofu alongwith its marinade, vegetables, noodles, soya sauce and the basil leaves and stir well to bind all the ingredients.

Garnish with some more cilantro and/or basil leaves and serve.

Note:
** Salt is added, so that the noodles soak some salt flavor, or else it will be bland. Oil is added to minimize the sticking of noodles.
**You can make this dish vegetarian, by eliminating chicken and substituting fish sauce with soya sauce however the flavor wont be as robust.

Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup

Dinner last night was chicken noodle soup with the side dish being spinach stir fry.

A nice hot n spicy soup on winter nights just warms the soul... I am a total soup person and love soups in most forms... vege, chunky, creamy :)

The chicken noodle soup is so quick to make and tastes awesome. You can use any veges you have on hand like green/red/yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, zuchini, and even some tofu if you have some.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped ginger
23- green chillies, chopped
1 tspn vinegar
1 tspn soya sauce
Mixed veges of your choice (I took carrots, green bell pepper, mushroom, broccoli)
1 cup boiled noodles
Boneless Chicken pieces (optional)
2 cup water or chicken/veg broth
1 sring onion, chopped
Salt & pepper

Method:

• Boil water along with the chicken (I made chicken stock by boiling the chicken with bones and then shredding the flesh), salt & pepper. If you have broth, use broth instead of water directly.
  
• After it comes to a boil add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
• Garnish with chopped spring onions.

Chicken n' Pasta Soup

I prepared this soup a day after my 3rd year anniversary. Wanted something healthy as we are trying to eat healthier... thus this soup. Turned out quite yummmyy!! :)



Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cup water
4-5 pods Crushed or chopped Garlic
1/2 medium sized onion Chopped
1 stalk of Chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1 cup Boiled pasta
1 potato cut into medium cubes
1 cup chopped boneless Chicken
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Dry or fresh rosemary, thyme ground black pepper

Method:

• Heat olive oil in a pan and then add chopped garlic, onion and celery and let them sweat for a while.
• Now add the boneless chicken and saute till the chicken is cooked.
• Add the potatoes, carrots, chicken broth and water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
• After it boils, add pasta, ground black pepper, salt, rosemary, thyme and let it simmer covered for over 20-25 mins.
• Serve hot with garlic bread.