Sunday, 12 August 2012

Chicken N Duck Yoghurt Rendang - from Leftover Cooked Poultry

I received a big packet of leftover braised chicken and duck meat from prayer session after dinner yesterday. It really gave me a big headache because I did not know what to do with them other than reheating again in soy sauce. Usually such meat develop a sourish smell after a day so it would be best to consume them as soon as possible! However our stomachs were too full to take in anymore food so I could only dump the one packet of meat into the freezer first. 

It took me quite a while to decide what to do with those meat in the fridge and I guessed using them to cook curry might be a good idea. As cooked meat are usually dry, they will not emit water during the cooking process and hence dry curry (Rendang) seemed to be a better choice now. As usual, I used yoghurt and skimmed milk in place of coconut milk. And this time round, sweet potatoes were used instead of normal potatoes as the curry would lack the natural sweetness from fresh chicken. I also added hard boiled eggs (red eggs from prayers) and some fresh vegetables to make the curry tastier.

The conclusion: Dish tasted mild and healthy! No clearing of throat was needed after eating too. =)

My Chicken N Duck Yoghurt Rendang


Thursday, 9 August 2012

Steamed Chicken in Chicken Soup Mee Sua - Happy Birthday Singapore!

After trying quite a few types of Mee Sua recipes, I did not post one of the most basic ones, Chicken Soup Mee Sua. It may be simple dish but I would usually cook or eat it on birthdays. Today is Singapore's 47th birthday, which means every Singaporean's birthday too including me! So this is a good reason to cook this dish for my family and I for tonight. 

I had not been eating much meat lately except fish due to a terrible cat nightmare. The smell and sight of meat had turned me off quite a couple of times I wanted to start eating some meat again and tried my best to whip up a good Chicken Soup Mee Sua by tweaking the recipe a little. Instead of boiling the chicken meat in soup and all, I steamed the chicken meat and used chicken bones to boil the stock. It may be a bit oilier than the usual boiled ones, but healthy olive oil was used during cooking which helped bring cholesterol and fat levels down by a lot. I also looked forward to my favourite hard-boiled eggs!

The Verdict? Nothing else to say except that it was REALLY good! 

Steamed Chicken in Chicken Soup Mee Sua

Sunday, 5 August 2012

Fried Fish Slices N Sesame Salad Soup Mee Sua

The hot weather has been torturing lately and by eating heavy foods like chicken, pork, lamb and beef only made my body even more uncomfortable. The alternatives would be to eat fish, eggs and soy to get the protein I needed for the many activities planned. What fish recipe would be nice to last me through the day?

Fish soup is an excellent and popular choice for lunch with many locals and the fish would usually be available boiled or fried. I usually ordered fried fish soup at hawker centres or coffeeshops as the soup would be more tasty and fragrant. However, the oil used by the hawkers to fry the fish are usually the cheaper and more unhealthy ones which would result in alot of unwanted calories and cholesterol. So it would be healthier to choose the boiled fish version while at work.

As this recipe was cooked at home, the oil and salt used were healthier and in moderation. In addition, celery and ikan bilis were used for the soup base instead, helping to control cholesterol levels. A sesame salad made from vegetables and egg was added as side dish garnishing, giving more flavour and nutrients to this dish than the usual plain boiled greens.

Yummy Fried Fish Slices and Sesame Salad Soup Mee Sua!


Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Salmon Belly with Radish N Leek Miso Soup - For Mum

Mum's high blood pressure condition has been ongoing for several years and has to take her medicine everyday to keep her blood pressure down. However it isn't good for her body to undergo long term medication so I will cook detox soups for her from time to time. 

I wasn't feeling well today, but still able enough to cook a bowl of soup that could help her body detox and reduce blood pressure at the same time. It had a long name due to all the major ingredients necessary for this dish; Salmon Belly with Radish and Leek in Miso Soup!

The following are some benefits on how these ingredients are able to aid in improving Mum's condition:

Salmon Belly - High in Omega3 Fatty Acids that have mild antihypertensive effects
Radish - No Fat and Cholesterol, high in Vitamin C that eliminates toxins and keeps heart disease at bay
Leek - Contains Allicin that decreases blood vessel stiffness thus reduces blood pressure
Miso - Source of Lactobacillus Acidophilus Lecithin which is effective in prevention of high blood pressure

The Soup for Mum, shared with baby niece


Oriental Pineapple Chicken Pizza - Sweet Day

I was craving for pizza and yet not the usual types. An oriental pizza will be special. Perhaps I could use the leftover tortilla wraps, chicken meat, frozen mixed vegetables, and a slice of pineapple in the fridge. These remind me of one of my favourite foods, Thai Pineapple Rice. Stir frying may be necessary to bring out such a flavour. 

A Crispy Oriental Pineapple Chicken Pizza