Grilled Chicken Chop with Spaghetti aglio e olio

Have been craving for Spaghetti aglio e olio, so simple yet delicious. 

Last weekend, a relative passed me a portion of honey baked ham that was brought back from Australia. Decided to add into my aglio olio. =) 

Ingredients & Cost (Serve 2) 

2 boneless chicken thigh - S$5.10 

1/3 of 1pkt spaghetti - S$2.30/pkt 

5 big cloves garlic - S$0.50/100g

2 chili padi - S$0.80 a bagful

Olive oil 

Butter (optional)

Salt & Pepper 

Vegetarian mushroom or oyster Sauce 

Steps

1. Wash Chicken Thigh and Pat Dry. Use the back of the knife, give the thigh a few chops especially on the thicker parts.

Season with salt and black pepper. Mix in 2 tablespoon of vegetarian mushroom/ oyster sauce. Mix well and put in fridge to let it marinate for at least 2 hours. 

2. Prepare a pot of water and bring to boil. Add in 2-3 tsp of salt and let it boil again. Put in spaghetti and simmer for about 8-10 mins (al dente). Meanwhile, finely chop garlic and chili padi. 

3. Heat Pan, lightly oil the pan and place the chicken with skin down first to release the chicken fats from the skin. Let it brown lightly before you turn the other side. 

Meantime, remember to check on the spaghetti and make sure it's not over cooked. Once it's cooked, drain and set aside. 

Continue to brown both side of chicken, add a little butter and pan fry till cooked. 

4. In a clean pan, add olive oil and fry garlic till fragrance then add in chili padi. If you don't like it too spicy, add later. 

5. As mention earlier, I'm adding some ham to my aglio olio so the ham will go into the pan once garlic is fragrant. 

6. Add in the spaghetti and season with salt and black pepper. (I'm using sea salt and black peppercorn mill). 

Season according to your taste. As I'm using ham hence I use lesser salt because the ham does gives a saltish flavor. 

7. Serve together with the chicken chop. 

Bon Appetit!  

 

Wong Bok Mushroom Chicken Soup

I'm not Cantonese, but I love soup. In order for soup to be flavorful, you need sufficient ingredients and that's gonna burnt your pocket especially meat are so expensive in Singapore. 

Today I crave for something light hence decided to make vegetable chicken soup. 

Ingredients & Cost 

1 chicken breast with bone - S$3.20 

1/2 of a whole Wong Bok - S1.40

2 Carrot - S$0.40 (Fair price sells a bagful at $0.90)

5 Dried Chinese Mushroom (Usually buy in bulk) 

Water 

Salt to taste 

Total cost less than S$6 for a pot of 4-5 servings. 

Steps 

1. Soak dried mushroom in hot water. 

2. Blanch chicken in boiling water for a few mins. Remove and rinse with tap water. 

2. Peel, wash and cut the carrots. Soak, wash and cut Wong Bok. Separate the leaf and white part. 

3. In a soup pot (I'm using a 2.5L toughen claypot), put in chicken; soaked mushroom; carrot and white part of Wong Bok. Add in water just enough to cover. 

4. Bring to boil on high heat and continue to simmer on low medium heat for at least 1.5hours (I love to simm for hours so that all the flavors are released to the soup). 

Add in the leafy parts of Wong Bok and continue to simmer for another few minutes. My husband love soggy Wong Bok so I let it boil on low heat for quite some time. 

Salt to taste and it's ready to serve! 

PS: If you are like my family who doesn't like the meat in soup, you can replace with 2-3 chicken bones (abt S$1 each) instead. It will certainly affect the taste by a little cos the breast meat does release sweetness to the soup. 

Else you can shred/ chop the breast meat and make chicken mayo that can be use for salad or sandwich. 

My Personal Saving Tips: 

Most of the time, dried mushroom used in soup is just to bring out flavors. My family doesn't eat the dried ingredients used in soup, so I usually choose the cheaper range of mushrooms, broken dried scallops & etc that's only meant for boiling soup. 

I shop my dried seafood and goods from Albert Centre Market 3rd Floor. You can choose from different price range sand usually cheaper when you buy in bulk as sometimes they do give extra discount when you buy a lot.. ;) 

Planning meals can reduce wastage

When I first started cooking at home, I will buy ingredients based on what I would like to cook. As I was still working at that time, therefore I don't cook daily. Hence the leftover ingredients are often left to spoil. 

A packet of fresh coconut milk, sometimes you only require a little bit just to elevate the taste of certain dishes and what happen to the balance? Most of the time, you will keep the balance in the fridge and few days later the smell or consistency changed hence you got to throw away. 

The followings are some examples on how I utilized the leftover ingredients that cannot be stored for long. 

Coconut Milk

- If I'm using it for curry, I will keep the balance in the fridge and use it make a dessert or cook nasi lemak within 1-2 days. 

Followings are some of the dishes that uses coconut milk: 

Mango Sticky Rice, Honeydew Sago, Pandan Chiffon, Nasi Lemak, Otah, sambal sotong/ prawns, Laksa, Pulut hitam, Bubur Cha Cha, Agar Agar & etc... 

Luncheon Meat 

- For a family of 4, it's not easy to finish a can of luncheon meat in a day. Hence, if I'm just pan frying half to go with plain porridge or to go with bread, I will keep the balance in fridge and use it within 1-2 days. The taste tends to change when you keep in fridge for too many days. Sometimes I will cook extra rice and leftover the next day to cook luncheon meat fried rice. 

Followings are some of the ideas/ dishes using luncheon meat: 

Onigirazu, Sandwich, Potato and Luncheon meat in ketchup sauce, Fried Rice, omelette, spam fries, stir fry with Egg and bake beans, add to spaghetti to replace ham & etc... 

Mince meat 

- It's always a good habit to divide into small portion and keep in freezer. But if you are like me, always plan to cook on the same day but didn't and can't finish the whole pack of mince pork the next day. Here's what I will do: 

~ Season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, pepper and cornflour. Stir fry with some water so that it will have some gravy. You can eat it with noodles, rice or porridge the same day. Or store it in the fridge and consume within the next few days. You can reheat and top over tofu, add into potato stir fry. 

~ Make into wonton, dumplings or meatballs, it's better to deep fry if you cannot finish on the same day. Fried food keeps better. 

~ One dish meal like Thai Basil mince pork top with an egg (quick & easy), Century egg pork porridge. 

Spring onion

- As it's usually for garnishing purpose, hence when you bought from supermarket it's usually in a pkt of few stalks. Here's how I keep and use my spring onions: 

Daiso Fish Box or Spring onion box

Price: S$2 - $5 (you can get similar boxes from Japan home or isetan) 

It's always OOS at Daiso, when you happen to see it, grab this awesome stuff! 

Wash and remove any browned portion and use kitchen towel to dry it. Put it into the fish box or spring onion box and store it in fridge. It can stay green for more than a week. 

Make into pancakes or fritters 

Simple and quick! You only need flour, eggs, spring onion, salt and oil. (You can add prawns for extra flavor). 

My girl who doesn't like vegetables love this so much. 

Expiring Bread 

- Kids love bread but when you can't finish within 2 days, texture changed and You have to toast it for a better taste. 

Besides toasting, I like to put cheese and grill it. 

When I left too many slices and it's going to expire, I dip into beaten eggs season with salt/ soy sauce and pepper to make into a savory French toast. You can also use it to make hotdog rolls or even dessert, flatten the bread and spread jam/ Nutella, roll and dip in beaten egg and fry till golden brown and sprinkle with icing sugar. 

My Thoughts & Feelings

It's not only about saving money, there are plenty of people out there that are starving. 

We shouldn't waste food, it takes how long for pigs or cow to grow, think about how much effort farmers have to put in. 

Be thankful and grateful of what you have. :) 

A pot of curry chicken on a rainy day

A pot of chicken curry can serve about 5-6 person, we are small family and my family is only after the curry gravy and potatoes hence I always have it for 2 meals or left over till the next day for lunch. 

You can also pack into airtight container and keep in fridge and heat it up when you feel like having it later of the same week. 

Ingredients & Cost 

6-8 pcs Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks ~ abt S$ 6-8 (Depends on size, I prefer buying small-medium thigh and drum. 

Of cos using fresh whole chicken is more economical, I bought my chickens parts from fair price with an extra 10% on pasar brand).  

1 pkt chicken curry paste ~ S$2.30 (I'm using Tean's gourmet) 

2-3 potatoes ~ $1 ( I use 3 because my husband only love to eat potatoes). 

2 lemongrass ~ $0.50 

1 onion ~ $0.40 

3 cloves garlic 

2 shallots 

1chilli padi (for extra spice, omit if you are not hot and spicy person) 

1 small pkt fresh coconut milk (250g) - $1.20

500-600ml water 

Oil (I happen to have coconut oil so I use coconut oil for extra fragrance, normal cooking oil is fine too). 

Cost per person is about S$2-3. 

Because my daughter is only after the gravy hence I often eat curry for many meals. 

I had it with bread, rice and noodles. 

Steps 

1. Peel potatoes and cut 1 into 4. Parboil the potatoes and set aside. 

2. Peel garlic, shallots and onion and dice onion. Peel and discard the first few layers of lemongrass and Chop finely. 

3. Put garlic, shallots, onion, lemongrass and chili padi (If Any) into blender and blend into very fine paste. 

4. Wash chicken, pat dry and set aside. 

5. Heat oil in pan/ pot. (I'm using a enamel cast iron pot) 

6. Pour in the blended paste and fry till fragrance. Add in curry paste and continue to fry till fragrance before adding in chicken parts. 

7. Stir fry and coat the chicken with the paste. 

8. Add water and let it boil. (If you have more potatoes add more water as when you boil the potatoes tend to breakdown and thicken the curry).

9. When boiling, add in the parboiled potatoes and simmer to lower heat and let it cook further about 30-45 mins. 

10. Add in coconut milk and simmer for another 5 mins. (I add my coconut milk bit by bit till it suit my taste and i did not add any salt but you may add salt or chicken power for extra tastiness). 

11. Dish out and serve with bread/ rice/ noodles. 

Bon Appetit! 

My thoughts and feelings

There is no right or wrong in cooking. 

You always have to taste it before adding any seasoning. 

It's always better to be safe than sorry, adding bit by bit may sounds very troublesome but it reduces your risk of a failed meal. 

It's always easier to save a bland dish than a salty dish. 

Pork Burger With Egg On Top

It doesn't cost a lot to have a decent meal at home. Just a little effort that counts. 

Ingredients & Cost

Burger Bun         ~ S$1.60 for a Pack of 4.
Mince Pork         ~ S$3.20
Fresh Eggs          ~ S$0.20 each
Cheese                ~ S$0.40 each
Lettuce                ~ S$1.40
Cherry tomatoes ~ S$1.90

Cost of each burger ~ S$2.70

Condiments Used 
Salt
Black Pepper
Oil
Butter
Japanese Sesame Salad Sauce (You may substitute with any salad sauce of your preference)


Steps

1. Season the mince pork with 1/4 beaten egg, salt and pepper, (I'm using sea salt and black peppercorn mill) 
2. Mix it well using hand. (Tend to season more evenly using hand)
3. Divide into 4 portion and mold the mince pork into meat patty. (I roll into ball and press with palm to the desired thickness)
4. Cling wrap individually and set aside in the fridge. 
5. Soak and wash lettuce and cherry tomatoes and set aside. 
6. Heat pan and oil, crack egg and cook with low heat. Allow the egg white to be cooked slowly without burning the bottom. Set aside separately without stacking the eggs (you do not want the yolk to break before assembling the burger right?). 
7. Using the same pan, make sure it's lightly oiled, melt a cube of butter (ice cube size). Meanwhile cut the burger bun into half and place bun (white part) into the pan of melted butter. (You may also just toast or grill with butter, but I like my bun a little crispy on the side) Remove and set aside on kitchen towel to remove access oil. 
8. Wipe pan with kitchen towel to remove black residue (if any) as butter tends to brown oil easily. 
9. Heat pan and oil, remove meat patty from fridge and place the patty in heated oil. I'm using low-medium heat to cook my meat patty, because it's pork so you need to ensure it's cooked thoroughly. Flip the patty and make sure all sides is browned. The amount of time needed depends on the thickness of the patty. Use a fork or toothpick to poke on the middle of the patty to see the color of the juice flowing out, pink or red means not done yet. 
10. Add a cheese slice to the meat patty while waiting for it to be cooked, (I like melted cheese).
11. Once patty is cooked, assemble with the bun and make sure egg is on top of the patty so that when you half the burger the yolk will coat the patty. 
12. Serve together with salad or you may substitute with fries or chips if you are not a salad person). 

Bon Appetit! 

My thoughts and feelings

Cooking is not mathematics, cooking is Art and Science. Recipes are guidelines not rules, not everybody have the same taste, you got to adjust according to your own liking.