August 28, 2012
I’ve used Steamy Kitchen’s Hainanese Chicken Recipe in the past, but returning to it this week, I realized that the way the recipe was organized had me running back and forth so much that I was wasting a lot of time in the kitchen. I’ve reorganized it with some of my own tweaks. (I actually never make the chili sauce. Sriracha and I are not friends.)
While I was cooking tonight, as is usual at the end of a few recipes, we ended up with a scoop and a half of leftover rice and I borrowed the broth from the recipe below to reconstitute it. Figured I had enough green onions to jazz it up a little bit as well. As I was mincing, it occurred to me that the paltry scoop of rice wasn’t going to do much for either of us, so I tripled the broth and brought it all up to a boil. My mind drifted back to a story my parents told me, of days more than thirty years gone.
Facing grinding poverty once the war was over, all the economic opportunities diverted to the hands of the Communists leaders and those who fought on the “wrong” side jailed, my family fled the country to build a better life for their children. The journey was terrible, every step of it. A forced stop in Malaysia, beached in the open air while the pirates and what passed for government at the time traded fire over their heads, sometimes as a game with the captive humans as their target practice. They were provided food in the form of a tiny sack of rice, perhaps a few pounds’ worth, per family once in a while, and a family unit was considered any size from three to ten people at the whims of the distributors.
To make the rice stretch, they cooked rice porridge. Not like I cooked tonight, not like my parents cooked when they sometimes told this story, a nice thick fat grained rice porridge. It started the same way, with cooked rice, thinned it out with water, and cooked down further so that the rice would puff up and “grow” as the colloquialism goes.
But then they would thin it out even further than that, and the added water would take on the taste of the rice. The porridge would become a gruel after enough cooking, a small bowl of rice would stretch to a pot, and feed a family with the rice portion going to those who had to truly eat something and the watery portions going to those who didn’t truly need as much.
It’s been a while since I cooked a porridge but I always remember that story.
It was just a memory for them, but I can’t take food for granted and my parents never chided about starving children anywhere. I just think about all those months they waited and did without to survive until they regained right of safe passage.
Hainanese Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Whole chicken
kosher salt to clean the chicken
1 teaspoon kosher salt for the rice
4” section of fresh ginger, in 1/4” slices
1” section of ginger, finely minced
2 stalks green onions, cut into 1″ sections (both the green and white parts)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon chicken fat or 2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups long-grain uncooked rice
2 cups chicken broth, reserved from cooking chicken
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
Few sprigs cilantro
1 cucumber, thinly sliced or cut into bite-sized chunks
Chili sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoon reserved chicken poaching broth
2 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoon sriracha chili sauce
4 cloves garlic
1” ginger
a generous pinch of salt, to taste
Directions
Prep the ginger and garlic: peel 5 inches of ginger. Take 4 inches and slice in 1/4″ slices. Mince remaining inch of ginger. Mince ginger. Slice green onions in 1″ pieces.
Rinse rice and set aside to soak.
Prep the chicken: Clean the chicken with a small handful of kosher salt. Rub the chicken all over, getting rid of any loose skin and dirt. Rinse chicken well, inside and outside. Season generously with salt inside and outside. Stuff the chicken with the ginger slices and the green onion.
Cooking the Chicken
Place the chicken in a large stockpot and cover chicken w/1 inch of water. If the chicken is smaller than the width of the pot, fill with less water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down to simmer.
Cook for about 30 minutes or less if you’re using a smaller chicken.
To check chicken: See if the juices run clear or check temperature (170 F) when the time is up.
Prep ice bath for the chicken.
When the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat. Transfer the chicken into a bath of ice water to stop the chicken’s cooking and throw out ginger and green onion.
Reserve the broth for your rice, your sauce, and the accompanying soup. There should be at least six or seven cups of broth reserved for soup.
Cooking the Rice
Drain the rice. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and the garlic and add in your drained rice and stir to coat, cook for 2 minutes. Add the sesame oil, mix well.
Stovetop: Add 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth, add salt and bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and cook for ~ 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes.
Rice cooker: Combine fried rice, ginger and garlic with 2.5 cups of chicken broth and salt in rice cooker. Follow rice cooker instructions.
Chili Sauce
Blend all chili sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth and bright red.
Serving
Remove from the ice bath and rub the outside of the chicken with the sesame oil. Carve the chicken and slice tomatoes and cucumbers for serving. Heat up the broth and season with salt to taste.
Serve the chicken rice with chili sauce, soy sauce, tomato and cucumber slices, and a bowl of hot broth garnished with scallions.
April 22, 2012
PiC scheduled me for a pain therapy massage last weekend. As usual, I felt like a completely spoilt brat every step of the way.
There’s this oddly named Chinese restaurant nearby that has an awesome lunch special that goes until mid-afternoon so my appointments can be obscenely late and still squeeze in a delicious cheap meal afterward. This time I had a solo lunch including my favorite bowl of hot and sour soup. It’s always almost too hot and too sour but juuust on this side of tolerable. Usually I steal PiC’s too so I had to settle for just the one bowl, and my own meal. 🙂
When I walked into the spa, one of the ladies at the front desk greeted me by name, asking if I’d gotten her message that my requested masseuse could see me. It took me completely aback, startled that she recognized me. She just laughed and waved me through. Snuggled into my warm, freshly laundered robe and slippers, I had a drink of fruity water and an unnecessary brownie.
My favorite therapist checked with me about what I needed this visit and we settled in. As always, she asked after my comfort level with the pressure some time into the massage even though it wasn’t necessary – she’s always spot on whenever I let her know what to do from the beginning and she still always checks. After our appointment, I felt as close to pain-free as I have felt in years. Amazing. It lasted about 6 hours but it was still absolutely lovely.
Posts for Perusal
SingleMa mostly unraveled IRA contributions for High Income Earners. I hadn’t even touched IRA contributions this year because I had no clue what PiC and my combined MAGI would be. Heck, at this point I still don’t know. *shakes fist* Complications!
Ella describes Maternity Leave in Norway. It was a big surprise though, made me really sad as I responded with what we have in the US. Wow. We … we suck. Yet another reason I’m having some trouble imagining motherhood. I don’t think I want to stay home a year, to be honest, but to go back in six weeks if I were to bear a child also feels rather too short.
Nicole and Maggie asked what I’d been asking myself quietly: what would you do if you didn’t have to have a job?
Interesting. I’ve been secretly griping of late, overwhelmed with waves of fatigue and pain that feel unstoppable and so tempted to just … stop. And I wondered, what if I could? What if I found myself somehow able to not need to work? What would I do with myself? Eat, sleep, cook. Play with the dog, play on the internet, work on the internet. Probably actually manage to write like I mean to several times a week but never have time to. I’d need to find more animals to play with, groom, do something helpful with. But then I would get bored and want something more. Or maybe I would start healing and getting better. Who knows. Or bored. In which case…
Travel, yes. Friend time, yes. More of what I was doing during that unemployment stint minus the fretting about being unemployed and trying to find a new job. Gardening because I wouldn’t be taking this time unless we’d gotten out of this place and into a place with a yard so Doggle could roam and I could garden. All in all, things productive. Plus some elusive project that would likely generate income because we all know I have a complex about not being income positive. What would that be? What would you do?
Donna’s revelation about her war with her body is strikingly similar to how I’m feeling right now. Hence the massage that I wasn’t bright enough to schedule for myself.
A recipe
@clareyt led me to her bestie’s site Whit’s Amuse Bouche which had the most mouthwatering chicken and dumpling recipe I’ve ever seen. Sadly, my hands were simply not up to manually making the dumplings and we don’t have even the most basic of kitchen implements any self-respecting cook should have so I had to figure some alterations that would preserve the deliciousness.
Chicken N’ Potato Stew
(6 servings)
Ingredients:
1 roasted chicken, shredded
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
3 small potatoes, diced
Directions:
To start, shred your roasted chicken, and set the meat aside. (I did this last.)
Melt the butter and add the flour, cooking for about 2 minutes to create the roux. Slowly add the chicken stock, constantly whisking to avoid lumps. Add the carrots, celery and onion, and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the heavy cream, and bring to a simmer.
Add diced potatoes to the pot, place the lid over the pot and gently simmer for 20 minutes while shredding roasted chicken. Add the chicken, and cook for 5 more minutes.
December 20, 2010
After some months in which PiC was so over-generous in treating his family that I cannot even write down the numbers here, PiC and I are well into our new quest to keep our grocery and eating out bills down to an almost unimaginable $400/month.
Much like 444 Express, we’re making an effort to go through the foods in our cabinets, and I’ve been keeping certain staples in stock for our new go-to recipes that are delicious, versatile and last a heck of a long time.
I adapted this Full-Bodied Tomato Soup from Not Quite Nigella, tripling the garlic because we loooove garlic. Dropping the meatballs keeps the cost down to about $5 per large pot of six or ten servings and we really didn’t notice any difference. We did add a half cup of orzo to the last batch and it took over the entire soup like a mad mutation. By the third bowl, it was just a pasta dish. I’m not sure we should do that again.
I’m sort of considering adding some of our 99 cent per box tofu to the next serving, just to see if it’s weird or if it works. Thoughts? In original form, the soup was excellent by itself or as a side to my constant stream of cheese quesadillas. Mmm….
Managing to continually rotate a menu that includes fresh produce without wasting food due to spoilage is tougher than it should be with modern conveniences, but between a busy work schedule and my inherent laziness about eating balanced meals if I’m tired, I admit to failing more often than not of late. Still, we’re fighting the good fight, and the more new recipes I find, the more interested and invested I can be in the process.
August 13, 2010
That is an absolutely normal size, average, run of the mill pen. That is a zucchini. Surprisingly, not on ‘roids. Grown in someone’s backyard, visiting friends brought three of those monstrosities to me and insisted I take them. 1/4 of the fat end made 4 servings of this:
I’m gonna be eating free zucchini for a week. Quick zucchini saute recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.
December 22, 2009
We’re scant days away from CookFest 2009 … er, Christmas, and I’ve been compiling a whole mess of recipes to last through the weekend.
Wish I had pictures, but I’ll share those afterward if this all turns out well.
I’ve already got an idea about Shrimp Scampi, we’ll serve my now-perfected baked fish with roasted tomatoes and pesto, we’ll have to work a miracle with a pork loin of some sort, and then on to a frugal Almond Pecan Pie for dessert.
I know we’ll serve wine, but I’m hoping to make VH’s pineapple punch. Sounds delicious!
Clearly, there’s some fleshing out to do here, but we’ve got a good start.
June 29, 2009
Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg
[Image and Recipe courtesy of Closetcooking.blogspot.com]
Ingredients
1 pound thick asparagus (trimmed)
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
parmigiano reggiano to taste (grated, optional)
balsamic vinegar to taste (optional)
Directions:
1. Spread the asparagus out in a single layer on a flat baking dish.
2. Roast in a preheated 400F oven until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and reduce the heat to medium.
4. Crack an egg into a bowl and pour the egg from the bowl into the water and repeat for remaining eggs.
5. Let the eggs cook until the whites are set but the yolks are not, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Arrange the asparagus on plates and top with the poached eggs.
7. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on some parmigiano reggiano.
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It’s no secret I adore
Closet Cooking and Kevin’s cooking style. Some of his very best recipes are just so simple and delicious! It’s unfortunate that the 99 cent bundles of asparagus have been so rare this summer because I can’t imagine getting tired of this dish any time soon.
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Guys, I almost did not survive that wedding on Saturday. I love my friend to death, and I love that she was so very non-Bridezilla about most of the arrangements. She had her sis in law set up make-up shop and help all 5 gals with their faces, one of the bridesmaids was an absolute wizard with the curling iron. My amateur photographer friend was late, thereby delaying me, and she didn’t bat an eyelash. None of that mattered.
BUT.
It was so so so very laidback that she didn’t bother to hold rehearsal. I knew that, but figured she’d briefed the wedding party. Wrong. I kid you not, our instructions were “no sunglasses, and MOH/Best Man go last!” The kid I was paired with told me he didn’t know where he was supposed to go once we made it up the aisle!
We made it through the ceremony, then lost the MOH to something she’d had for lunch, and gathering the family for photos was literally like catching goldfish barehanded. Everytime I snared a parent, another sibling disappeared. Gathered grandparents, and lost the bride’s parents!! Happily, daylight lasted long enough to get just about all the group pictures they wanted. The weather was perfect, cool with a breeze, but never cold.
Which leads me to the killer bit: that meant everyone hung out, and the DJ played music for-ev-er. And this cute little girl wouldn’t let go of my hands, much less let me sit down between songs during the dancing, and guys? Four and a half hours of dancing in heels? I wanted to die Sunday. Just die. I’m too old for this, and am officially retiring from the bridesmaiding business. You heard it here: I’m hanging up my last bridesmaid dress for good.
June 26, 2009
Penne in Spicy Tomato Sauce (Penne all’arrabbiata)
[Image and Recipe courtesy of Delish.com]
Ingredients
* 1 pound(s) whole-wheat penne
* 1 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper, or to taste
* 1 can(s) ((28-ounce)) plum tomatoes, drained
* 1/2 cup(s) freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
* 1/4 cup(s) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
* Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, crushing them roughly with the back of a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
3. When the pasta is ready, drain and return to the pot. Stir in the sauce and place the pot over high heat. Stir until the mixture sizzles. Remove from heat. Add cheese and parsley; toss well. Taste and adjust seasonings; serve immediately.
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Again, with the whole wheat pasta. I know I grabbed this from the “healthy” section but how much am I compromising by using regular ol’ semolina pasta?
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I’m trying to pack for the New York trip and my girlfriends are telling me that I should be thinking of lighter clothing like skirts and dresses. That’s all very well, but I need pockets! It’s almost a pathological need, really. But on second thought, why DO I need pockets? It’s not like I’m working and need to carry … pens … around. (Ok, why do I even need pockets at work?)
Is it just me? Am I just weird needing pockets?
What is it with needing/wanting the comforts of home on this trip? I want my ergonomic pillow, my laptop, my backpack. None of these are necessary. The benefit of staying with friends, other than not having to pay for a hotel, is getting to use their stuff and not toting it with, duh. Except for towels. I’ll bring my own so they don’t have to provide one.
In return for their hosting generosity, I want to take them out for drinks and/or dinner (their choice). Does anyone have any suggestions? I’m going to have to treat at least 3 friends. And any suggestions for frugal daytime entertainment for me?
