How to Cook a Lovely Fluffy Rice

Serves: 4                 Prep Time: 5 minutes                     Cooking Time: 16 minutes

The above picture shows 2 different rice’s – the first one is an Azafrán rice and the second is a mild green curry spiced one. It isnt that difficult to produce a lovely fluffy rice. I normally use Basmati Rice because it’s healthier than ordinary white rice. If you think rice is just rice, here are just a few of the reasons why Basmati is best and why to choose Basmati over ordinary rice. Basmati is gluten-free and low in fat. It contains all eight essential amino acids, folic acid, and is very low in sodium and has no cholesterol. And to top this: Basmati rice has fewer calories in a serving than its grainy cousins. You can reduce the amount of calorie intake by 20 calories with just one serving. Eating three portions of Basmati rice a week, you are already saving 60 calories per week.

• 1 Onion, medium sized, finely chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Cooking Oil
• Pinch Salt and Pepper
• Spice depending on what flavour you want: –
  Azafrán, Curry, Sweet Paprika, Tomato Puree …
• 150g Basmati Rice
• 300ml Water

1. Sautee the onion and garlic in the oil in a hot saucepan.
2. When blanched add the spices, salt and pepper, and stir for approx.. 1 minute to increases the flavour.
3. Then stir-in the rice and make sure it looks like each rice corn is coated in oil and spices.
4. Then add the water, bring to boil and lover the heat to 1/3 cover the pan and leave for 16 minutes. Do NOT feel tempted to stir, its not needed and you’ll lose some liquid.
5. Remove from heat after 16 minutes, check if the rice is cooked to your preference, if you want the rice softer, add 2 tbsp water to the pan and return it to the heat, simmer for max 2 minutes.

That’s it, you now have a perfect rice, and it only took 5 minutes handling.
When cooked you’ll have approx. 600g rice, at a stretch it could feed 6 persons when you serve a lot of vegetables as well as the meat, fish, chicken or turkey.

PER SERVING: 179 Kcals

Total Fat 3.7g	(Saturated 0.6g)	Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 44mg	Total Carbohydrate 32.8g	(Sugars 1.2g)
(Fibre 1.1g)	Protein 3g	Potassium 87mg

You can freeze the leftover rice and when I cook rice I ALWAYS cook for 4, that means that I have 3 portions in the freezer for when I don’t want to cook.

1. Wait until the rice is cold. Place approx. 150g (this is regarded as one portion) per bag. Take a little time and roll the rice like the front package and not like the rear, this will ensure ease of storage, and as you can see it takes up less space.
2. It is also a good idea to write on a sticky label or directly onto the bag (with a marker pen) what flavour rice and the date of freezing as it is impossible to see which flavour rice it is once it is frozen.

Chicken Brest on Skewers

Serves: 4-6 Prep: 15 minutes (plus 1h rest) Cooking Time: 15 minutes

This will make a lovely summer evening meal.
Served with a side salad and not too difficult to make.
I think this is a winner, especially as every thing can be made
in advance and the actual frying can be done just before needed.

• 2-4 fresh chicken breasts
  150ml Lemon Juice
  75ml Olive Oil
  1 tsp salt
  1 tsp pepper
  2 tsp brown sugar
  2 eggs

• Cut 4 Chicken breast into thin stripes
• In a medium to large bow Add and Mix:
  · 150ml Lemon Juice
  · 75ml Olive Oil
  · 1 tsp salt
  · 1 tsp pepper
  · 2 tsp brown sugar
• Soak all the chicken strips in this liquid.
  Cover with cling film and place in fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
• Remove from fridge and skewer 2 stripes onto one skewer,
  and place the skewer in a deep oven dish (1st and 2nd picture),
  making sure all the skewers are tightly packed but not stacked.
• Whip 2 eggs, with a little salt and pepper, and pour this over the skewers,
  making sure each skewer is covered.
• Take each skewer and turn them in breadcrumbs
• Use a high edged frying pan, or a deep fryer, and fry the skewers (in badges) until brown,
  you must keep turning the skewers.
• Drain on kitchen paper and serve.

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Bolognaise Leftover Supper

Serves 1         Prep. time 5 minutes         Oven time 40-45 minutes
I had a small portion of bolognaise sauce leftover, and didn’t want to cook pasta so I decided to make stuffed open sweet pepper to be served with baked potato and onion.

• 1 small portion of leftover bolognaise sauce
• 1 large Sweet Pepper, halved length wise
• 1 large potato, quartered into boats
• 1 large shallot, halved length wise
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for the oven tray and to brush potatoes and onion
• 2 tbsp grated cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, in the meantime:
2. Clean the two halves of Sweet Pepper, fill the cavity with the bolognaise sauce
3. Place everything in a sparsely greased baking tray as in the picture.
4. Brush a little oil on each potato boat and the two onion halves.
5. Sprinkle the potatoes and onion with salt & pepper
6. Cover the tray with foil, and place the hot oven for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the foil, and sprinkle the Sweet peppers with the cheese.
8. Return the baking tray to the oven for another 10-15 minutes.

And serve. It’s delicious.

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Salmon Broccoli Pie

Prep time 2 minutes	Cooking time 15-20 minutes
Serves 2

I had purchased a side of fresh salmon (for myself) and just didn’t want to freeze half of it. So, I cut the side into 3 pieces and griddled them. I ate 1 slice, froze another slice and made a pie with the last piece. This is the result.

• 200g cooked/fried fresh salmon
• 1 handful frozen prawns (optional)
• 1 small broccoli (cut into florets, stem- peeled and cut into smallish pieces)
• ¾l milk and fish stock (dissolve a fish-stock cube in ½l hot water & use half)
• 20g butter (10g each for the filling and the broccoli mash)
• 2 tbsp Cornflour (to make the roux gluten free)
• Salt & Pepper and herbs (onion, garlic salt and green herbs) to taste.

1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
2. Place the broccoli in a steamer and microwave for 4 minutes.
3. Remove the skin from the salmon, flake it, making sure to remove all fishbones. Spread this into 1 big oven dish or 2 smaller portion oven dishes.
4. Spread the frozen prawns evenly over the salmon.
5. Make a roux with butter and corn flower, and gradually add the milk & water mixture.
6. When the sauce is smooth add salt, pepper, garlic or onion granules and the dried parsley and pour this evenly over the fish.
7. Place the cooked broccoli in a food processor (using a blade) and add the butter (flake it), salt, pepper and other herbs if wanted. Pulse it until it has a slightly grained consistency. I also use a little of the leftover fish stock to make it easier to pulse. Spread evenly over the dish(s) making the pie lid.
8. Place in the hot oven for approx. 15 minutes, until the lop looks crusty.
9. Finish off by placing the dish under the grill for 2 min to get a lovely crunchy brown top.

Enjoy!

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