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Tag Archives: chicken recipes

Semolina Peri-Peri Chicken Nuggets…….and the TOP CHEF contest

Appetizers, Chicken, Non vegetarian January 10, 2014 Comments: 7

An interesting twist to classic chicken nuggets!

Who does not love to bite into succulent, juicy nuggets of crispy fried chicken – no one I know of. This recipe is also proof of my obsession with the peri-peri sauce range by Nando’s. I discovered this product after shifting to Oz land and yes, like I said, it has become an obsession. In fact, it has firmly replaced ‘the Tabasco’ in my pantry.

If you cannot lay your hands on Nando’s sauces, then a good alternative would be Tabasco or even hot paprika powder. Instead of the classic batter or breadcrumb mixture, I decided to use coarse semolina (rava) which is a staple especially in the Indian households.

Ah! The delight of biting through the crunch into the spicy, juiciness of fried chicken.

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The semolina peri-peri chicken nuggets are the perfect appetizer or after-school snack and hence it is also my entry into the TOP CHEF contest being held by the Home Chefs Guild (https://www.facebook.com/groups/142075655974701/)

If you liked this recipe as much as I do, please click the link and vote for me by liking the image – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=725070430866627&set=oa.232586383590294&type=3&theater

Thanks a ton!

Ingredients:

1. Lean chicken breast (boneless) – 300 gm, cut into small pieces
2. Nando’s medium peri-peri sauce – 3-4 tbsp
3. Soy sauce – 1 tbsp
4. Salt – to taste
5. Pepper – to taste
6. Semolina (coarse rava) – enough to coat the chicken pieces
7. Vegetable oil – 4-5 tbsp for shallow frying

Method:

Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and add the peri-peri sauce and soy sauce. Rub well into the chicken pieces to form a wet coating.
•Season with salt and pepper. (Remember that both the sauces contain salt, so taste before adding more)
•Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the marinade work its magic.
•Coat the chicken pieces well in semolina and shallow fry on a tava.

Note – You could also bake these nuggets.

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Aamras Murgh (Chicken in Spicy Mango Yoghurt Gravy)

Chicken, Mains, Non vegetarian, Side Dishes January 5, 2014 Comments: 10

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I came across this recipe in the Femina magazine, a premier Indian beauty and lifestyle magazine. In my teens, I used to gape at the beautiful women adorning the pages of Femina but today, it is the food section that gets my first attention.

The combination of raw or ripe mango with seafood is pretty common in Kerala, where I come from. But I had never had a savory meat dish which used mango puree in it. I knew I had to try out this one and I must say, I was deliciously surprised with the result.

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The dish has underlying Rajasthani flavours with the use of saffron, hing (asafetida) and dried kasuri methi (fenugreek) leaves. It is summer here in Melbourne and mangoes are in plenty. After trying so many different varieties, both locally grown and flown in from other countries, I am yet to taste the sweet succulence of our Indian mangoes. But at the same time, the ones here are not very sweet and hence make it perfect for use in savory dishes like this.

So to cut the story short, Aamras Murgh (sounds exotic too) or chicken in spicy mango yoghurt curry is definitely different from anything I have tasted before. The succulent chicken pieces are coated in a rich, creamy, sweet and spicy gravy, perfect with a bowl of hot, steaming rice or to mop up with a buttery naan/roti.

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Ingredients:

1. Chicken – 1 kg, boneless pieces
2. Marinade:
• Yoghurt – 1 cup
• Salt – to season
• Green chillies – 2, minced
• Ginger paste – 1 tsp
• Pepper powder – 1 tsp
• Saffron – 4-5 threads

3. Gravy:
• Ghee – 3-4 tbsp
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Dry red chilli – 3
• Cardamom – 2
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander/cumin paste – ½ tbsp
• Ripe mango pulp – 1 cup
• Salt – to season
• Hing/asafetida – a pinch
• Dried kasuri methi/fenugreek leaves – ¾ ths tsp

Method:

1. Prepare the marinade by mixing together ingredients under 2.
2. Coat the chicken pieces well. Leave it overnight if possible or at least for 2 hours before preparation.
3. In a kadai/pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds, dry red chillies and cardamom.
4. Then add the chicken pieces with the marinade; mix well and bring to boil over medium heat.
5. Add the rest of the spices and mango pulp. Season with salt and add water if necessary for the gravy. Cook till the chicken pieces are juicy and succulent.
6. Heat ghee in a small pan and temper hing and kasuri methi. Take care not to burn and add this to the top of the dish to complete it.
7. Serve hot with rice or roti

aam ras murgh

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Which is your favourite chicken dish?

A lovely North Indian dish and hence sending it to be a part of the North East West Indian cooking event being hosted by an amazing Indian food blog, Anuz healthy kitchen

NEW I C Event LOGO - Jan 5th to Mar 5th

Chicken bezule……….wrapped up!

Chicken, Mains, Non vegetarian, Sandwiches December 22, 2013 Leave a comment

I have been seeing a lot of food bloggers post a recipe for Chicken bezule on their blogs and my first thought has always been, ‘arre, that is our chicken pakoda’.

Chicken bezule is a famous Mangalorean street food and what I call chicken pakoda enjoys the same cult status on the streets of Tamil Nadu. Now, I have made chicken pakoda before but my marinade incorporated more of the Kerala flavours (my twist basically). While there are plenty of recipes for this dish on the Internet, the one that caught my fancy was from the blog, http://www.theredchillies.com/– do check out this blog for some awesome recipes.

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Now coming back to chicken bezule aka pakoda, I loved the fact that there is no thick and hard outer coat but just a thin, crispy layer coating the juicy and succulent chicken. There is an explosion of flavours in this yoghurt-based marinade with the aromatics and spices which works best if made fresh each time. Though the recipe did use red food colour for that rich red hue to the chicken pieces, I didn’t use any. Instead I used Kashmiri chilli powder to get the red colour without the heat. But if you must, it is always advisable to use organic food colours.

Usually served as an accompaniment or starter, I wanted to convert this into a full-fledged meal and the best way to do it was ‘wrap it up’!

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Layered up on a wheat wrap with the succulent pieces of chicken and added a good measure of fresh salsa, cucumber slices, avocado dip, squeezed some lemon over – the result was culinary perfection! A filling, delicious sandwich that is perfect for a weekday meal or a party.

So let’s get wrapping, oops cooking, Chicken Bezule…

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Ingredients:

Chicken bezule:

1. Chicken (boneless pieces) – 500 gm
2. Ginger – 1 inch
3. Garlic – 4 cloves
4. Coriander leaves – 1/3rd cup
5. Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
6. Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
7. Kashmiri chilli powder – 2 tsp
8. Garam masala – ½ tsp
9. Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
10. Curd – 2 tbsp
11. Rice flour – 2 tbsp
12. Maida/bleached wheat flour – 2 tbsp
13. Salt – to season
14. Vegetable oil – for deep frying

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Avocado dip:

15. Ripe avocado – 2, mashed well
16. Juice of one lemon
17. Salt – to season
18. Chilli flakes (optional)– ½ tsp

Salsa:

19. Ripe red tomatoes – 2 large, chopped finely
20. Red onion – 1, chopped finely
21. Green chilli – 1, chopped finely
22. Salt – to season
23. Juice of ½ lemon

To finish off:

24. Cucumber – cut into thin slices
25. Wheat wraps

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Method:

To prepare chicken bezule:

• Grind the aromatics i.e. ingredients 2-5 into a fine paste.
• In a bowl, mix yoghurt, spice powders, rice flour, wheat flour, lemon juice and salt.

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• Add the chicken pieces into the marinade and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (the more the better)

chicken bezule

• Heat oil in a large, deep pan and deep fry the chicken pieces.

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To prepare avocado dip:

• Mix mashed avocado with lemon juice. Season with salt and chilli flakes.

To prepare salsa:

• Mix together ingredients 19-23.

Note – What I do to get the perfect salsa is put all the ingredients in a large bowl with a tight lid. And then its shake baby shake. Open up for a perfect juicy salsa.

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To assemble the wrap, spoon the salsa, place the chicken pieces on top and then add the avocado dip, sliced cucumbers and a dash of lemon.

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Happy eating!

I have tried to re-create this age-old Manglorean street food and given it a new avatar. And hence sending it to the South Indian cooking event hosted by http://nandooskitchen.blogspot.in/2014/01/south-indian-cooking-event.html and http://anuzhealthykitchen.blogspot.com.au/ (2 amazing Indian food blogs)

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Grilled Cajun Chicken…served with tangy Indian sauce, oven roasted baby tomatoes and fresh green salad

Chicken, Mains, Non vegetarian December 12, 2013 Comments: 2

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This dish is a complete experiment – the result of a random food thought that originated while I was tossing and turning trying to catch some sleep. Now, I do have food dreams especially since I have started blogging and there are times when an idea would suddenly pop up and I frantically search for my mobile trying to jot it down for future experimentation.

Every time I visit the local farmer’s market or any supermarket for that fact, the first aisle I want to visit is the spices and condiments section. I love learning about new spices, buying it and then experimenting with these trying to come up with unique spice blends and thereby new dishes. Very rarely do I buy commercial spice blends – I love the process of making these at home itself.

On one such trip to the spice aisle, I came across the Cajun seasoning which is quite a commonly used spice blend in Australia. The main ingredients of this blend are paprika, fennel, garlic, chilli, pepper etc. which makes it a good marinade/rub for meats and seafood. I bought a bottle and decided to put it to the test with this recipe.

Somewhere along the way, as the recipe took shape, I decided to incorporate some Indian flavours too (and this is proof that Indian flavours can be incorporated and teamed well with international dishes) and hence decided to make an Indian inspired base/sauce.

So, the final dish – grilled chicken breasts with Cajun seasoning served with Indian inspired tomato sauce, oven roasted vine-ripened tomatoes and a fresh green salad. The flavours went well and the dish was a total ripper.

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Ingredients:

For the chicken:

1. Chicken breast, skinless – 2
2. Cajun seasoning (store-bought) – 1-2 tsp
3. Salt – to season
4. Black pepper – to season
5. Lemon juice – 1 tsp

For the tomato sauce:

6. Ripe red tomatoes – 2
7. Ginger – ½ inch piece
8. Lime juice – 1-2 tbsp
9. Olive oil – 5 tbsp
10. Shallots – 3 medium
11. Garlic – 2 cloves, chopped finely
12. Smoked paprika (you may also use kashmiri chilli powder) – 1 tsp
13. Chilli flakes – to season
14. Sugar – ½ tsp
15. Salt – to season
16. Balsamic vinegar – ½ – 1 tsp
17. Coriander leaves – ½ cup, finely chopped
18. Black olives – 4, finely chopped

For the salad:

19. Iceberg lettuce – 1 cup, shredded
20. Lebanese cucumber – 1, sliced finely
21. Red onion – 1, sliced finely
22. Lemon juice
23. Salt – to season

For the tomatoes:

24. Vine-ripened baby tomatoes – 1 bunch
25. Salt – to season
26. Olive oil – 1 tbsp.

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Method:

For the chicken:

• Make a marinade with ingredients 2-5 and marinate the chicken breasts in this for at least one hour.
• Grill the chicken breasts till tender and juicy. Take care not to overcook the chicken as this tends to make the meat rubbery and hard.
• Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

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For the tomato sauce:

• Blend ingredients 6-9 to create a smooth sauce.
• In a pan, sauté shallots and garlic till soft and then add the tomato puree.
• Season with salt, sugar, paprika and chilli flakes, mixing well.
• Then add balsamic vinegar and cook till the sauce is reduced to a nice, creamy and smooth consistency.
• Finish off with coriander leaves and olives.

Note – Make sure to keep tasting to ensure that the flavours are in balance.

For the salad:

• Mix ingredients 19-22 in a bowl and keep aside. Season with salt just before serving.

For the oven-roasted tomatoes:

• Place the tomatoes in a baking tray and season with salt. Drizzle olive oil on top and roast at 200°C for 10 to 15 minutes or till soft.

The final dish:

• On a plate, spoon the tomato sauce generously and place the chicken breast on top. Pour a little of the sauce on top of the breast too.
• Finish off with the oven roasted tomatoes on one side and the fresh, green salad on another.
• Serve with any crusted bread.

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This might seem to be a lengthy recipe but the individual components are simple to prepare and hardly takes up any time at all.

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Cheers, foodies!

Tomato Chilli Chicken

Chicken, Mains, Non vegetarian, Side Dishes October 29, 2013 Comments: 6

This dish is an adaptation of a long-standing, frequently-prepared chicken dish in my home. Ever since I can remember, my mum used to prepare this chicken dish which in her words, is the easiest chicken recipe which anyone (and I vouch for this!) can make.

Like the name indicates, this tomato chilli chicken recipe has red chilli powder and tomato as the star ingredients. A good handful of crushed garlic lends the classic aromatic flavour to the chicken. You can use any type of chicken – with or without bones; but ensure that the pieces are small to get the flavours work right through the meat.

So here’s the recipe for easy peasy tomato chilli chicken.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken pieces – 500 gm
2. Garlic – 5 cloves, crushed
3. Curry leaves – ½ cup
4. Red chilli powder – 1 ½ tbsp (quantity can be adjusted depending on how hot your prefer)
5. Tomato – 1 ripe, roughly chopped
6. Salt – to season
7. Pepper – to season
8. Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp, chopped for garnish
9. Vegetable oil – 3 tbsp

Method:

• Pressure cook the chicken pieces with salt and pepper for one whistle. Do not add any water. If you are not using a pressure cooker, then cook the chicken pieces with salt and pepper in a deep pan with minimal water till 3/4 ths done.
• In another deep pan, heat oil; add the crushed garlic and curry leaves.
• Then add the red chilli powder and tomatoes. Saute on high heat till the oil clears and the tomatoes turn mushy.
• Add the broth from the cooked chicken pieces; continue cooking on high heat till the gravy thickens. Add the chicken pieces and continue to cook till the gravy just about coats the chicken.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

tomato chilli chicken

Malaysian Pickled Chicken

Chicken, Mains, Non vegetarian, Side Dishes October 11, 2013 Leave a comment

Malaysian cuisine is highly varied and exotic due to the culinary influences of the different ethnic groups like Indians, Malay and Chinese. Malaysian pickled chicken is an amalgamation of both Chinese and Indian flavours with the generous use of spices along with vinegar for the tart pickling effect. Reminds me of our very own vindaloo which uses a similar set of ingredients.

Malaysian pickled chicken is usually served with roti jala – traditional flat net-shaped bread. I did try to make it but the result was a disaster – it came out nothing like it was supposed to and I ended up with something like chappathis. Anyway, that is an experiment to be perfected later. But the chicken was a roaring success – all of us loved it!

The aroma and flavours of the fragrant whole spices, lemon grass and the aromatics is taken a notch higher up with the addition of vinegar. A dish you definitely have to try!

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Recipe Courtesy – Gourmet Traveller

Ingredients:

1. Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
2. Cloves – 4
3. Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
5. Nutmeg – 1 tsp, finely grated
6. Cardamom pods – from 4 cardamoms
7. Cinnamon bark – ½ inch
8. Chicken (on the bone) – 1 kg
9. Dry red chilli – 8
10. Shallots – 10, thinly sliced
11. Ginger – 1 tsp, grated
12. Garlic cloves – 4, grated
13. Lemon grass stalk (white part only) – 2, finely chopped
14. Ghee – 2 tbsp
15. White vinegar – ½ cup
16. Sugar – 1 tsp
17. Mint leaves – for garnish
18. Coriander leaves – for garnish

Method:

• Dry roast the whole spices, cool and grind with the powdered spices (except dry red chilli) in a grinder/mortar and pestle.
• Marinate the chicken pieces with the spice mixture and salt; leave for at least 30 minutes. (It is not necessary to use the entire spice mixture, use according to taste and spice preference)
• Soak the dry red chillies in water for 30 minutes. Squeeze excess water and process along with shallots, ginger, garlic and lemon grass to get a coarse paste.
• Heat ghee in a deep pan, add the aromatics paste and stir-fry on medium heat to remove rawness. Add the marinated chicken pieces and brown.
• Then add enough water for gravy, vinegar, sugar and salt to taste. Cook till the chicken pieces are tender.

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Chicken Stir-fry with Chillies and Basil

Chicken, Non vegetarian, Side Dishes October 7, 2013 Comments: 2

Balance of flavours – this is key to preparing delicious food. But I find this challenge slightly more daunting when I cook Chinese food. Juxtaposition of so many flavours in a single dish – sweet, sour, salty….endless!

If you are a newbie to Chinese cooking, then it is always better to start off with simple dishes where you have more control over the flavours and ingredients. The list of sauces used in Chinese cooking can get a little overwhelming if you are a beginner. This simple chicken stir-fry is a classic and is inspired by a similar recipe by Les Huynh (a self-taught chef specializing in Asian cuisine) from his best selling cookbook ‘Blue Ginger’.

It’s simple, quick with just a handful of ingredients, perfect for a mid week meal.  A perfect accompaniment to noodles, fried rice or simply as a starter.

Chicken Stir-fry with Chillies and Basil - thespiceadventuress.com

Ingredients:

  1. Chicken thigh fillet (skinless) – 500 gm, finely sliced or cut into thin strips
  2. Garlic – 4 medium cloves
  3. Long red chillies – 2-3 (adjust to heat preferences)
  4. Dark soy sauce – 2 tbsp
  5. Raw Sugar – 1 tbsp
  6. Semi dried Basil leaves – 1 tsp (use fresh basil if you have)
  7. Salt – to taste
  8. Vegetable oil – 2-3 tbsp
  9. Sesame oil – a few drops

Method:

• Pound garlic and chillies into a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle or a food processor.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan/wok. Add the chilli-garlic paste and fry on medium heat constantly stirring for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces and then add soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook on high heat till the chicken pieces have cooked. Add sugar, taste and season with salt as desired.
• Add the basil and toss well to combine.
• Remove from heat and garnish with fresh basil.

Chicken Stir-fry with Chillies and Basil - thespiceadventuress.com

Chicken Chukka Varuval (Indian style slow cooked chicken with spices and aromatics)

Chicken, Non vegetarian, Side Dishes September 29, 2013 Leave a comment

Chukka or sukka usually refers to a South Indian meat dish (mostly mutton but these days, you can find all kinds of meat being used) that is prepared using a myriad of spices and aromatics. The meat is cooked on low fire so that the spices get to do its work. A spicy, flavoursome preparation where the meat is juicy and succulent with the aroma of the spices wafting through……

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Recipe Courtesy, from this site.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken (boneless) – 500 gms
2. Red onion – 1, finely chopped
3. Cinnamon bark – ½ inch
4. Cloves – 2
5. Fennel/perinjeera seeds – 1 tsp
6. Curry leaves – a big handful
7. Black pepper powder – 2 tsp
8. Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
9. Coriander powder – 2 tsp
10. Ginger paste – ½ tsp
11. Garlic paste – ½ tsp
12. Salt – to season
13. Oil – 5 tbsp

Method:

• Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste for upto 1 hour or longer.
• Dry roast cinnamon, cloves and fennel; grind to fine powder.
• Heat oil in a kadai/pan and sauté onions till translucent.
• Add all the spices and curry leaves, sauté for a minute on low heat.
• Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook on low fire, occasionally stirring, till the meat becomes juicy and succulent.

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Is chicken your favourite protein? Then click here for a delish spread of chicken dishes from around the world…..

Chilli Chicken Drumsticks (A Pressure Cooker Recipe)

Chicken, Non vegetarian, Side Dishes September 20, 2013 Comments: 8

This is an OPOS recipe. Wondering what OPOS stands for? It is One Pot One Shot cooking that is currently creating a culinary stir these days. If you want to read more about this, check out the Facebook group, United by Food. If you are a newbie or hesitant cook, then this link will help you gain the culinary confidence that you are looking for.

This chilli chicken drumstick is inspired from an easy chicken dish that my mum used to make when she is really in no mood for cooking. Throw all the ingredients into a pressure cooker, give a whistle or two and open up to a delish dish.

The ingredients are few and the technique is simple, so there is nothing stopping you from trying out this spicy tangy chicken dish.

chilli drumstick

Ingredients:

1. Chicken drumstick (skinless) – 5
2. Shallots/small onion – 4, sliced
3. Garlic – 3 cloves, crushed
4. Tomato ketchup/sauce – 2 tbsp
5. Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
6. Kashmiri chilli powder – 2 tsp
7. Coriander leaves – ½ cup, finely chopped
8. Salt – to season
9. Vegetable oil – 3 tbsp.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the shallots and garlic. Saute for a minute and add tomato sauce and both chilli powders.
• Add the chicken drumsticks and season with salt. Mix well to combine, close the lid and cook for 2 whistles. Do not add any water.
• Open the PC, remove the drumsticks to a dish, reduce the liquid to get saucy consistency and add coriander leaves. Remove from flame and spoon the sauce over the drumsticks.

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Shrimp Noodles with Chicken and Enoki Mushrooms

Chicken, Mains, Non vegetarian, Noodles September 13, 2013 Leave a comment

After a decade of eating Indo-Chinese food, true Chinese flavours were a culinary revelation for me. The flavours are so different, a stark contrast to the chatpata Manchurians and Schezwans! But I must admit I did like the authentic flavours too though most Indians actually find real Chinese food bland.

The Chinese love their sauces – soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce…the list is endless. I am slowly grappling and trying to comprehend the different flavours and how to incorporate these sauces along with the sugar and spices. Chinese food is all about balance, very much like their philosophy of yin and yang.

This recipe incorporates the true Chinese flavours – the ‘fishy’ shrimp noodles against the ‘earthy’ enoki mushrooms with the ‘succulence’ of chicken all tied together to create a wonderful dish.

shrimp noodles with chicken and enoki mushrooms

Ingredients:
1. Shrimp noodles – 1 packet (plain noodles can also be used, but the flavor of the dish will be different as this one has got a distinct and strong shrimp flavor)
2. Chicken – 200 gm, small boneless pieces
3. Enoki mushrooms – one cup
4. Soy sauce – 3 tbsp
5. Fish sauce – 1/2 to 1 tsp
6. Salt – for seasoning, only if necessary
7. Pepper – to season
8. Ginger – ½ tsp, grated
9. Vegetable oil – 2-3 tbsp
10. Spring onion – for garnish

Method:
• Cook the noodles in salted boiling water, drain and keep aside.
• In a large wok or pan, heat oil and add the chicken pieces; cook for 3-4 minutes till ¾ ths done.
• Add enoki mushrooms and mix well for 30 seconds.
• Add soy sauce, fish sauce, grated ginger and pepper and mix well.
• Add the cooked noodles and toss well.
• Garnish with chopped spring onions.

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