Generally speaking (and I know you should never speak in generalities) Saturday nights are takeway nights here in the UK. Most people opting for an Indian or a Chinese from their local takeway restaurant.
It’s something I have only ever very rarely indulged in. Mostly I make our food here in the house by myself. That way I know exactly what is in it.
I suppose our Takeaways here in the UK are similar to what you might buy from a Street Cart in one of the larger cities in the US. I saw this recipe on Serious Eats a few weeks back.
I really wanted to try it myself. It looked and sounded really tasty!
I have never eaten anything from a street cart, either here or in NYC. I have never had this before in my life, so I can't really avow to its authenticity.
I can tell you (having now made it) that its really, really delicious! Phenomenally so!
I loosely basically followed their recipe with a few variations. I did the chicken a bit differently as you will see.
I also didn't think their extra steps were necessary. They basically cooked it twice. I only cooked it once.
I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs that we got from Costco and they were really good. I used dry oregano, which I rubbed between the palms of my hand and I grated/crushed the garlic, really fine.
Then I just mixed them with all of the other ingredients for the marinade. I made the mistake of adding the oil to the marinade, but you know what? It worked beautifully, so it really wasn't a mistake after all.
I cooked the chicken in a heavy bottomed non-stick skillet. I didn't have to add any extra oil to cook it.
The oil that was in the marinade worked well for helping it not to stick. I think it actually helped it to brown better!
The rice was really easy to make and so flavourful! I used Uncle Ben's long grain rice because that is what I had!
You could also use Basmati as the original recipe states. It has a beautiful colour and a lovely flavour! I loved it!
The sauce is delicious too! It’s a simple combination of mayonnaise (I use Hellman's), and Greek yogurt, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, seasoning and plenty of parsley.
I could eat this with a spoon! Seriously. I might have done that a little bit! 😁
It goes beautifully with every element of this dish. Just looking at this makes me want to cook it again.
I am seriously drooling here! Seriously! 😋😋😋
I was lucky enough to get some really lovely soft and fresh white pita breads.
They were gorgeous lightly brushed with butter and toasted in the oven.
Other than that you only need some shredded lettuce (I used Iceberg) and some chopped tomatoes. I used cherry tomatoes.
I am sure that any lettuce or tomatoes would do, so long as they are fresh and flavourful!
Altogether this was absolutely beautiful. We both loved it very much!
I know it is something we will want to eat again! I highly recommend!
Yield: serves 4 generously
Street Cart Chicken & Rice
prep time: 15 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 45 mins
This might look like a lot of work, but this goes together very easily and deliciously! I promise you. Put the chicken in to marinade before you do the rice, etc. Once you have everything ready, the final dish goes together lickety split and is oh sooooo delicious!
ingredients:
For the chicken:
2 TBS fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 TBS dry oregano leaves
1/2 tsp ground coriander
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
60ml light olive oil (1/4 cup)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any excess fat
For the sauce:
110g mayonnaise (1/2 cup)
125g Greek yogurt (1/2 cup)
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS white vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
a large handful fresh parsley, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the rice:
2 TBS butter
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cumin
315g long grain rice (1 1/2 cups)
590ml chicken stock (2 1/2 cups)
fine sea salt and freshly ground back pepper to taste
You will also need:
Shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
whit pita bread, brushed with butter and
lightly toasted, then cut into 1 inch strips
(See note below)
instructions:
Whisk together all of the ingredients for the chicken in a shallow
dish. Add the chicken pieces, turning to coat. Cover and chill for
about an hour, giving them a stir every now and then.
dish. Add the chicken pieces, turning to coat. Cover and chill for
about an hour, giving them a stir every now and then.
Heat
the butter for the rice in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan with a
lid. Add the turmeric and cumin. Heat over moderate heat, until
fragrant. Don't allow it to brown. Add the rice. Cook, stirring, over
moderate heat until the rice begins to toast. Stir in the chicken
stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook
on low heat for about 15 minutes without stirring. Set aside until all
of the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff up with a fork.
the butter for the rice in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan with a
lid. Add the turmeric and cumin. Heat over moderate heat, until
fragrant. Don't allow it to brown. Add the rice. Cook, stirring, over
moderate heat until the rice begins to toast. Stir in the chicken
stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook
on low heat for about 15 minutes without stirring. Set aside until all
of the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff up with a fork.
To make the sauce, whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined.
Remove
the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Cook in a lightly oiled
heavy bottomed pan or on the grill, over high heat, for about four
minutes without disturbing. Reduce heat to medium and flip the chicken.
Cook for a further 6 to 8 minutes until cooked through and the juices
run clear. Transfer to a cutting board, lightly tent with foil and let
rest for about 5 minutes.
the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Cook in a lightly oiled
heavy bottomed pan or on the grill, over high heat, for about four
minutes without disturbing. Reduce heat to medium and flip the chicken.
Cook for a further 6 to 8 minutes until cooked through and the juices
run clear. Transfer to a cutting board, lightly tent with foil and let
rest for about 5 minutes.
Cut the chicken into 1/2 inch chunks. (I use my kitchen scissors to do this)
To
serve, place a portion of rice into each bowl, top each with a portion
of the chicken, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and toasted pita
bread strips. Drizzle the sauce over top and serve.
serve, place a portion of rice into each bowl, top each with a portion
of the chicken, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and toasted pita
bread strips. Drizzle the sauce over top and serve.
Note - to toast the pita breads, brush lightly on both sides with some butter, place on a baking sheet, and then toast in a moderate oven (180*C/350*F/gas mark 4) for 8 to 10 minutes. cut into strips with some kitchen shears.
Created using The Recipes Generator
At first glance it might look like a lot of ingredients and a bit faffy, but trust me it is not. Read the recipe through and then do each element of it one at a time. Once you have all of them together, it all goes together like a breeze! You are going to love this, I guarantee! Bon Appetit!
I was cooking some chicken the other day and wanted a side dish to serve with it, but I wanted something that would be a tiny bit different than what I usually make.
I didn't want mash, or chips, or even roasties . . . but I did want potatoes.
I thought that these Oven Roasted Garlic Potatoes might be nice, but I was also thinking of Greek Roasted Potatoes, which are lovely and lemony and deliciously Herby.
I kind of didn't want garlic with the chicken however and I didn't have any lemons . . . so I decided to make my own version of an oven roasted potato . . .
Tender on the insides, and almost creamy . . . but well flavoured and somewhat crisp on the outsides . . .
I used vegetable stock and Dijon mustard . . . in retrospect, I might have added a bit of olive oil or butter, but I didn't.
They would have browned a bit better with some fat in the mix. Never mind however, these were still bodaciously delicious!
The Dijon mustard added a beautiful depth of flavour to them, without overpowering the integrity of the flavour of the potatoes . . .
I used parsley, but you certainly could use some thyme or marjoram, or even oregano or sage. I wanted to keep it simple.
I use Knorr vegetable stock gel pots. I use their gel pots for all of my stock needs. They are really good.
These came out perfect, knife tender, and yet holding together, having absorbed most of the stock . . .
They were beautifully flavoured and went very well with our chicken!
Yield: 4
Oven Braised Potatoes
prep time: 10 minscook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 10 mins
Quite simply delicious. You can pop these in the oven while you are cooking whatever else you are cooking as your main. The perfect side which cooks itself.
ingredients:
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
240ml vegetable stock
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a shallow baking dish with sides.
Whisk together the vegetable stock, mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried parsley.
the potatoes, cut side down in the baking dish in a single layer. Pour
the stock mixture over and around the potatoes. Cover tightly with
foil and then place into the pre-heated oven. Cook for about an hour
until the potatoes are knife tender, uncovering and basting in the last
10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Serve hot.
Created using The Recipes Generator
These would go with just about anything . . . meat, fish, poultry . . . other vegetables. I hope you will try them and enjoy them as much as we did. Oh, and if you have leftovers, just pop them in the refrigerator. They are great fried up in butter with some onions the day after! (Just saying!) Bon Appetit!
Some other potato recipes you might enjoy are:
Old Mother Rayner went to the cupboard to bake her poor hubby a pie.
When she got there the cupboard was bare, except for a couple of apples, some cornflakes, some butter and a bit of brown sugar and spice and so she did what was the next best thing. Poor Man's Apple Pie.
Not really, I just made that up, but when I came across this old, old recipe that is immediately what came to mind . . .
the wonderful thing that happens when opportunity, need and provenance meet together in a delicious way to create something the family will enjoy eating together.
This is what it looks like before you put it into the oven. Its not really a pie, but layers of thinly sliced apple, with a sprinkling of brown sugar, baking spices and cornflakes.
Oh, and butter. You dot each layer of cornflakes with some butter.
This is what it looks like when it comes out of the oven . . . the apples cook and get soft and almost melt down . . .
The butter and the brown sugar and the spice melt together, with the inner layer of cornflakes thickening up the juices . . .
The Top layer of cornflakes getting crisp and golden brown . . . and yes, slightly sweet and buttery, and lightly spiced . . .
Todd enjoyed his warm, out of the oven . . . with lashings of evaporated milk poured over top as I had no cream . . .
and during the war, when he was growing up, evaporated milk was the only cream-like thing they had to enjoy with their desserts . . . he likes evaporated milk. (Me, not so much. I am spoilt.)
For myself, I would enjoy this with ice cream. A nice ball of good vanilla ice cream.
I did not have more than a little taste of this however, just so I could tell you how good it was.
And it is good, very good . . .
Tart and sweet . . . lightly spiced . . . buttery and crunchy . . .
In short, pretty perfect!
I am really pleased that I took the opportunity to bake this. It sounded interesting and it sounded tasty, and it was very tasty. Very tasty indeed.
I don't think it will ever replace apple pie in the scheme of things, but it did make for a highly enjoyable dessert according to Todd.
Yield: 4-6
Poor Man's Apple Pie
prep time: 15 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 45 mins
I strongly suspect this old, old recipe was born out of need. Layers of sliced apple cornflakes, brown sugar and butter. What can ever be wrong with that!
ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds eating apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
corn flakes
soft light brown sugar
a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
butter to dot
Pouring cream to serveinstructions:
ready a medium sized deep baking dish. Butter the dish. Start layering
in as follows: Sliced apple, cornflakes, a dessertspoon of soft light
brown sugar sprinkled over all, some cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and
dotted butter. Repeat until all your apples are used up and ending with
cornflakes, sugar, seasoning and butter. Bake in the preheated oven
for 25 to 30 minutes until the apples are soft. Spoon out into bowls and
serve with some pouring cream.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Quick, easy, simple and delicious. This ticks all the boxes. Bon Appetit!
Oh by the way, what did you think of the Bake Off? I was thrilled with the results. I called it from the very beginning. I did think that the technical challenge was a really nasty one. Baking Pita Breads and three dips with no work stand and only an open fire.
I told my husband as I was watching it, "And that is why I would never go on GBBO!" In the heat, with the sun beating down on them. I was not at all surprised that everyone's ended up being rubbish! It was a no win challenge!
I can't think of a better way to start your day, or to enjoy a break be it elevenses or lunch time than in the indulgence of a nutritionally sound and delicious smoothie. They are a fabulous way to get in some of your five a day, and I'll be honest here . . . I really enjoy them. They are a lot healthier than a frozen mocha, and . . . lets face it, perfectly portable if need be. Vitamin packed, smooth and delicious you feel like you are indulging in a milkshake, but in reality, you are packing a lot of nutritional punch into a most enjoyable drink! No empty calories here!
You can make a smoothie with just about anything fresh (or frozen) in your kitchen that is edible. I like the addition of something frozen myself, because I love the texture that frozen fruit lends to the end result. True indulgence. That's why I keep bananas sliced and frozen in the freezer for just this purpose.
To make a good smoothie, you will want a combination of fresh and frozen edibles. Some great combinations are frozen banana and fresh tropical fruits, such as mango and pineapple. But there is really no end to the combinations you can come up with. Some of my favourite smoothies are made using fresh berries and frozen bananas.
You will want something creamy to add. Coconut milk goes great in tropical drinks, but I have also used yogurt drinks, or even regular milk. Soy milk works well, almond milk, etc. Fruit juice also works well, but I love the creaminess of the other alternatives. Be sure to add whatever liquid you are choosing to your blender first. After that you can add any solids. I roughly fill my smoothie maker about 1/2 full of the liquid I am using, and then add fruits and solids to fill no more than 2/3 of my container.
I also like to add a dollop of fresh yogurt when I can, and a bit of honey adds a lovely sweetness which is natural. Its not totally necessary however to add anything sweet. Its all a matter of taste. Some great natural sweeteners are date syrup (great with bananas and peanut butter), maple syrup, Agave syrup, etc. As a diabetic I tend to leave out sweeteners unless the fruit I am using is really sour.
Another great thing which is really nutritious to add to your smoothies are some nuts and seeds. They are filled with power and protein, which are really great additions to a healthy diet.
This is what I use. I buy it at Costco. Its packed with delicious nutrition and is great sprinkled on your breakfast oats, and yogurt also, so it is multi-purpose. You can also keep it in the freezer so that it keeps fresh longer. Just a spoonful makes a great addition to any smoothie.
Nut butters are also great additions and can help boost your protein intake. It is important for diabetics to add protein whenever they can as doing so helps your body to process complex carbs in a healthier way.
Any addition of protein also helps you to feel fuller longer, an added bonus!
Just pop what you want into your blender and blitz away to your desired consistency (1) liquid (2) any solids (3) sweetener if desired (4) seeds or nuts (optional) Myself, I prefer a smoother consistency as I have diverticulitis and whole seeds can really create problems with my digestion. You can also add frozen ice cubes if you don't have any frozen fruit. Or (and this is one of my favourite things to do) ahead of time you can freeze cubes of almond milk or coconut milk, etc. and just use a couple of them with your fresh fruit and some fruit juice. Delicious!
Some great combinations:
Mango & Banana - 1/2 mango peeled and cubed, 1/2 banana sliced, 240ml orange juice (1 cup), 1 TBS of plain yogurt, 2 ice cubes and a bit of sweetener if you desire.
Kale & Avocado - 1/2 Avocado, peeled, stoned and roughly chopped, generous handful each of baby spinach and cleaned and chopped kale, 50g (2 ounces) pineapple chunks, 4 inch piece of cucumber roughly chopped, 240ml (1 cup) coconut water.
Banana & Forrest Fruits - 1 small banana sliced, 1 small pot of Forrest fruits yogurt (low fat and sugar), a couple TBS of frozen forest fruits, 240ml (1 cup) apple juice.
Creamy Mango & Coconut - 4 TBS coconut milk yogurt, 1 small banana (sliced), 240ml (1 cup) coconut milk, 120g (4 1/2 ounces) frozen mango chunks, 1 TBS ground flax seed, sunflower and pumpkin seed.
Super Berry - 1 small pot of sugar free/fat free strawberry yogurt, 240ml milk (1 cup), 120g (4 1/2 ounces) frozen berries, 1 TBS porridge oats, 2 tsp honey
Peanut Butter and Banana - 1 small banana, peeled and sliced, 240ml (1 cup) unsweetened almond milk, 2 ice cubes, 1 heaped TBS sugar free peanut butter, 2 tsp honey (you can also add 1 tsp cocoa powder if you like the flavour of chocolate and peanut butter together)
Think Ahead
When you're at work
You might think its impossible to enjoy a delicious and fresh smoothie when you are at work, but I have found a really neat little portable blender that not only light weight, but small and very easy to carry. You can take it with you on your daily commute, or keep it at the office, ready to use. One of the neatest things about it is that you can charge it easily from your computer or your phone!
So now you really have no excuse not to eat a bit healthier, either at home or at work! I might not always have time to sit and eat something healthy, but I always have time to sip away at a deliciously nutritional drink while I am working. Hopefully in the long run it will go a long ways towards making my waistline a tad bit smaller. Watch this space!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons