Author: Karl

Chinese Stew aka Beefy’s favourite.

Posted on by Karl

This is a massive favourite in our house, in fact, it is probably Emma’s favourite meal that I make except the obvious Sunday roast. We love it, it is even nice warmed up the following day…if there is any leftover !!

Ingredients:

The following ingredients make enough for two Hungry Hagues, so increase quantities if there are more of you – or leave it as is if you are not quite as greedy as a Hungry Hague!

6 chicken thighs or drumsticks. Never breast. The bone adds extra flavour, but remove the skin.
2 large white/red onion sliced thinly.
1 bell pepper sliced and de-seeded.
4 medium-sized potato peeled and quartered, smaller new potatoes are good too, just half them.
3 peeled carrots cut into inch long sections.
A 1-inch long piece of fresh ginger, peeled.
6 peeled garlic cloves.
3 fresh chillies, no need for a scotch bonnet, it’s not a test of bravery!
3 large tablespoons of chilli bean paste.
2 pints of chicken stock (may not need it all, depends on the pan you’re going to use.
10 large button mushrooms.
4 tablespoons dark soy.
3-4 tablespoons of light soy.
4 tablespoons black vinegar (rice wine vinegar is not as good but does the job)
4 tablespoons of Shaoxing cooking wine.
1 tablespoon of cornflour mixed with 10 teaspoons of cold water, never hot water as it will clump up and nobody wants clumps in their stew.

Method:
The night before we are going to cook this meal I take the chicken and remove the skin. Now make scores in the flesh to allow a marinade to get right in. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with cornflour. Stir the chicken around so it is coated. Then add the light soy, some Shaoxing cooking wine and some of the black vinegar. Ensure all is coated. Then put some clingfilm over and allow it to sit in your fridge ready for the following day. If you can’t do the overnight marinade then try and do at least 2 hours as it really does help the meat.

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the pan/wok and heat over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and the peppers and cook them off. Whilst they are cooking, place the garlic and the ginger into a blender with a tablespoon of oil and sufficient water to loosen the paste. Blend it for 20-30 seconds.
After only 3-4 minutes add the blended garlic, ginger and chillies.
Lower the heat slightly, remember we are making a stew and not a quick cook stir-fry dish so hot, hot heat is not required.

Now we add the chicken pieces, let them get coated in the garlic etc and start to get some colour.
After 3-4 minutes add the stock just to cover the chicken but not drown it.
At this stage, we also add the chilli paste and the soy, vinegar and the Shaoxing wine.
Stir everything so that all the ingredients are coated in the sauce and have met each other.
Lower the heat so the liquid is just bubbling slightly, and half cover the pan.
After simmering for 25 minutes, add the potatoes and ensure they are covered in the now reduced sauce.
If you have palm sugar then adding it at this stage will give the stew a shine or a glaze effect that you see in restaurants. It not essential but is a lovely touch to a lovely meal. It can be swapped for 2 tablespoons of honey, give the same effect and you are more likely to have this in your store cupboard.
Slightly raise the heat (so the liquid is bubbling steadily but not boiling fast) and remove the lid.
After 15 or maybe 20 minutes check the potatoes and ensure they are soft when a knife is pushed into them. At this point add the mushrooms.
If the potatoes are cooked but the stew is not thick enough for your liking, then add the water and cornflour mixture.
Take the pan off the heat as it might start to stick to the pan when it thickens.
When happy with the dish I always pour some sesame oil over it as a kind of dressing, not much but it certainly adds to the finished dish. Take a hand full of coriander if you have some and fine dice it and add to the finished stew. Perfect.
I serve this either with boiled rice or just in a bowl on its own.
If serving with rice then I advise a smaller serving of the stew otherwise it’s a carb overload and you’ll need a nap after you’ve eaten!
If having it just in the bowl then a nice naan bread or tortilla wrap goes well…but again it becomes carb heavy at that point.
An additional garnish, but in no way is this a vital addition is a sprinkle of either extra chopped coriander leaves and/or crushed cashew nuts for texture. Like I say this is up to your preference and not a vital ingredient.

Thai Style Chicken Curry

Posted on by Karl

Thai Style Chicken Curry

curry ingredients

This meal was made for two but could easily be added to to make more. It’s very simple and very tasty.

Ingredients :

Two small red onions, peeled

6-7 button mushrooms cut into quarters.

3 peeled garlic cloves (inch of fresh ginger is great but I didn’t have any fresh)

2 large chillies. Add more to taste but 2 gives a nice heat without tears.

1 inch square piece of palm sugar or dark brown sugar.

Fish sauce.

Rice wine vinegar.

Handful of basil leaves. Coriander leave good too but didn’t have and in.

Coconut flour (normal flour works but coconut flour definitely better)

1 tin coconut milk

Sesame oil

Vegetable oil (again coconut oil is good but didn’t have any in) Tablespoon of dried coriander Tablespoon of dried cumin

1/2 teaspoon of turmeric

Tablespoon of chilli powder (optional)

Chicken pieces. (I use thigh, never breast as it gets dry sometimes)

1 cup of basmati rice

2 cups of tepid water

Chop the chicken into inch sized pieces and place in a bowl. Cover with sesame oil and ensure all the chicken is coated. Then add 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar and the same of fish sauce.

Again ensure everything is coated. Add 4-5 large tablespoons of the coconut flour and massage it over the chicken with your CLEAN hands and make sure the meat is coated.

This can be done with prawns, thinly sliced beef or pork but I had chicken in. Leave the mixture to one side. Cover with cling film as the fish sauce is quite aromatic. 

Slice one of the onions thinly and add to your blender. Add the slices garlic, chilli and ginger if you have it. Rip the basil and coriander and put them in too. Add 2-3 teaspoons of fish sauce and sesame oil. Blend into a smooth paste. Leave to one side. Again covering it with cling film is optional.

Put 3-4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a brown or a jar. Add the dried coriander, cumin, chilli and turmeric and stir to get a paste. This is to ensure when added to the pan they don’t catch or burn.

Cut the remaining onion into bite size pieces. Quarter the mushrooms and break up the palm/ dark brown sugar. Open the coconut milk.

We are ready !

Heat your pan and add enough veg oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Never use sesame oil at this stage as it burns.

Add the onion and stir on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the onions start to go soft. Add the paste with the dried herbs and stir it through for a further 4-5 minutes.

Add the onion and herb paste and cook that for 4-5 minutes. It must cook out as it has onion in and nobody wants to taste raw onion in their curry.

Once cooked out add the coconut milk and mix well. Bring it up to a simmer and add the chicken pieces and the sugar. Stir well as the flour on the meat will thicken the milk. Lower the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes. Always stir it to ensure nothing sticks and everything is cooked evenly.

Whilst the curry simmers take the cup of rice and add into a microwave bowl. Add half teaspoon of salt and the two cups of water. I sometimes add teaspoon of cumin seeds or crushed cardamom seeds but not this time. Stir the rice, salt and water around and place in a microwave, uncovered, for 16 minutes. This trick was taught to me years ago by a Philippine friend of mine and I used it faithfully to this day. I leave if for 12 minutes, stir the rice with a fork then continue to cook it for the last 4 minutes.thai style chicken curry

When you have stirred the rice you now know it’ll be four minutes so now we add the chopped mushrooms to the curry. Taste the sauce at this stage. If too spicy add more sugar, if more seasoning required add more fish sauce, if more spice required add more chilli.

Once the rice is done turn off the heat from the curry. Take the rice out and using a fork stir it again. Place into your serving bowls and ladle the curry onto the brown next to the rice. The sauce should be thick and coating the veg and meat.

Added option is to add chopped coriander or sesame seeds but it’s not essential. Also optional is a naan bread or a tortilla wrap but that’s down to preference.

Enjoy it, I know we did.

 

KH.