Travel Eats: Hoe Kee Chicken Rice

Posted on September 8, 2011

The other day I was organizing the millions of photos in my computer. A daunting, frustrating, head-ache-inducing task most of you are undoubtedly familiar with. The majority of my images involve food, and many are from my travels. As I clicked and dragged endless photos across my screen, it dawned on me to share some of these images in my blog…so, in addition to Homemade Rocks! and all my other tips and recipes, I will now throw in some stories about my far-away  food adventures.

I’m launching this series with something fun and light: a trip to Melaka, about two hours by car from Kuala Lumpur. On my last visit to this once-bustling trading port and melting pot of Malay, Chinese, Indians, and Europeans, I was told by numerous friends to sample all the food I could, but not to miss the rice balls with chicken. “Meleka is famous for its rice balls,” seemed to be everyone’s mantra. After exploring the city’s historical sights and numerous museums, we stumbled upon a rice ball restaurant called Hoe Kee Chicken Rice. The long queue at the entrance was what initially drew me to the joint. As my family was getting closer to being seated, I spotted a blue sign taped to the window. I photographed it because: 1) it’s amusing; and 2) because signs like this remind me of a wonderful first trip I took with my husband to Santorini, Greece, where we were sitting in a restaurant overlooking the sparkling sea, giggling at the menu that read, “eggpants” with “bear.” We still call eggplant eggpants.

The menu was short: “Chicken rice, vegetable, chicken, soup, Assam fish (a fish head curry they are famous for), drinks, coconut/beer, and pack.” I’m still wondering what pack is. We ordered the rice balls, a couple portions of chicken, which came with fresh cucumber, and some sauteed cabbage. Lunch at Hoe Kee was what I’d called simple, cheap, good Asian grub. Yes, I’d go back for more, and in case you find yourself in Melaka, the address is 4 Jalan Hang Jebat.

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Homemade Rocks! Grilled Chicken-Veggie Skewers

Posted on September 7, 2011

Well-marinated chicken on the grill makes a perfect dinner. Here, I drizzled a bit of yogurt-herb dipping sauce over the top of the chicken and served it alongside spice-infused basmati rice. I can’t claim to have invented this delicious recipe. It comes from a magazine called Backyard Barbecue: The Absolute Best Recipes for All Your Summer Favorites (August 2011)…a publication from the hit TV show Cook’s Country http://www.cookscountry.com/. Definitely a keeper.

Grilled Chicken Kebabs
Serves 4
½ cup plain yogurt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large red onion, halved and sliced into pieces big enough to skewer

  1. Whisk yogurt, ¼ cup oil, 3 cloves garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne in large bowl. Stir in chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours.  Whisk remaining ¼ cup oil, remaining 1 clove garlic, basil, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate while chicken is marinating.
  2. Remove chicken from yogurt marinade; discard marinade. Thread each skewer with 2 pieces pepper, 1 piece onion, 2 pieces chicken, and 1 piece onion. Repeat twice more, ending with 2 additional pieces pepper.
  3. For a charcoal grill: Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts, about 100 briquettes). When coals are hot, spread them evenly over bottom of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and heat until hot, about 5 minutes.
  4. For a gas grill: Turn all the burners to high, cover and heat until hot, about 15 minutes.
  5. Clean and oil cooking grate. Grill kebabs, uncovered, until vegetables and chicken are charred around the edges on all 4 sides and chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes per side (3 minutes per side if using gas). Transfer to serving platter and brush kebabs all over with lemon dressing. Serve.

Yogurt-Herb Dipping Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

1 cup plain yogurt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped

  1. Whisk yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, basil, mint, salt, and pepper in medium bowl.
  2. Add the cucumber to the bowl and mix to thoroughly coat. Cover mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors blend, about 30 minutes. Serve.


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Chicken or Beef Fajitas for Homemade Tortillas

Posted on March 5, 2011

As promised in my previous blog entry, Homemade Rocks! Sizzling Tortillas, here is my chicken fajitas recipe from Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be. The grilled zucchini is for my vegetarian daughter, but it was so good we all ended up adding it to our tortillas. Some topping ideas for the table include: grated cheese (such as sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack), guacamole or sliced avocado, diced tomatoes, lettuce, olives, jalapeno peppers, fresh cilantro, salsa, sour cream or lime wedges. Any leftovers can be made into delicious sandwiches, a salad, quesadillas, or tacos.

Marinated Grilled Chicken or Beef Fajitas
Serves 4
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar or freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large garlic clove, crushed
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds beef skirt steak or boneless chicken breasts (cut horizontally in half), or cutlets, or a mixture
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 large red bell peppers, washed, cored seeded, and cut into strips
1 sweet onion (such a Vidalia), thinly sliced
12 7-inch flour tortillas

  1. For the marinade, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, and set aside. If you plan to marinate the beef or chicken in a bowl rather than a zip-lock bag, use a large bowl to make the marinade. Using a fork, pierce the beef or chicken all over to allow the marinade to seep in, then place it in a l1 gallon zip-lock bag. Add the marinade, seal (or cover with plastic wrap) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pepper and onion and sauté for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
  3. To grill the beef or chicken, preheat the grill. The chicken will take longer to cook than the beef, so if you are serving both, start the chicken first. Have a clean platter ready for the cooked meat. Grill the chicken for approximately 10 to 12 minutes on each side, or until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with the tip of a knife. Grill the beef for approximately 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness. Transfer to the platter.
  4. As an alternative, to broil the beef or chicken, preheat the broiler. Arrange the beef or chicken in a broiler pan lined with foil. Broil the chicken for approximately 12 minutes on each side, the beef for approximately 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter.
  5. While the meat is cooking, heat the tortillas according to package directions You can also heat them on the grill just before serving by toasting them for a minute or two on each side. Wrap the tortillas in foil to keep them warm.
  6. Using a sharp knife and a chopping board with gutters to catch any juices, slice the cooked beef or chicken, against the grain, about ¼-inch thick on the diagonal and serve immediately with your toppings.

Timesaving Tip: Cut the beef or chicken into ¼-inch strips before marinating. This will cut the marinating time down to about 15 minutes, as the flavor will be more quickly absorbed into the meat. A grill rack will be necessary for the grill, but the strips can also be broiled or sauteed.

Variation: You can replace the chicken or beef with peeled fresh large shrimp. Marinate for about 20 minutes, then grill, broil, or saute for just a couple of minutes on each side…shrimp cook quickly. For vegetarian fajitas, marinate tofu, portobello mushroom, or your favorite vegetables in the marinade for about 30 minutes, then grill or broil to desired tenderness. Slice into strips before serving.

Advance Preparation: The beef or chicken should marinate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 12 hours. The sauteed pepper-onion mixture can be made 2 days in advance, keep covered and refrigerated, reheat before serving.

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Super Quick and Easy Chicken Curry Everyone will LOVE

Posted on December 8, 2010

chicken-curry1The title says it all. When this chicken is served, my nephew, the most picky eater I know, becomes a member of the clean plate club. I serve it for family dinners and when friends come to dinner.  It can be marinated overnight and stir-fried just before serving. It’s perfect with basmati rice (I’ll share tips for cooking basmati rice later) and a side of broccoli steamed then stir-fried with garlic. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

Quick and Easy Chicken Curry

Serves 6
2 pounds chicken breast, cut into ½-inch dice
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, quartered and cut into ¼-inch strips
2 medium sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
6 scallions, trimmed and sliced into large pieces
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Lime wedges for the table

1. Combine the chicken, red bell pepper, onion, curry powder, sugar, 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, and fish sauce in a bowl. Mix until well combined, then allow to marinate, covered and refrigerated, for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken mixture and half of the scallions and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Reheat the skillet, add the remaining chicken mixture and scallions, and repeat the procedure.

3. Garnish with the cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve immediately, with lime wedges.

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Cashew Chicken with Broccoli and Red Bell Peppers

Posted on October 21, 2009

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Cashew Chicken with Broccoli and Red Bell Peppers

After making it at least thirty times, I’ve got this dish down to an art. I cut up everything and prepare the sauce in the morning, then it only takes me 10 minutes to cook at the end of the day. My rice cooker makes the rice in 20 minutes…et voila! A hot, healthy, delicious meal is on the table.

Serves 4
Sauce
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 cups broccoli florets
1-1/2 cups sliced red bell peppers
1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, any visible fat removed,
and cut into ½-inch dice
½ cup sliced scallions
1/3 cup chopped cashew nuts, to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

1. To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix; set aside.
2. Heat 1-½ tablespoons of the canola oil and the sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and red bell peppers and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender; 2 minutes into the cooking time, add 3 tablespoons water to the skillet to prevent the vegetables from sticking. Do not overcook the vegetables. Transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. (Do not rinse the skillet.)
3. Add the remaining 1-½ tablespoons canola to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the scallions, the sauce, and the cashew nuts and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more, or until the sauce thickens slightly.
4. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the bowl containing the vegetables and gently mix. Adjust the seasoning, garnish with the cilantro, if using, and serve immediately.

Substitutions: The chicken can be replaced by one 15-ounce package of extra-firm tofu. Drain the tofu, pat dry with paper towels, and cut into ½-inch cubes. Sauté according to the directions in Step 3, and proceed as above.

Nutrition Highlights: Protein, vitamins A and C, B vitamins, and magnesium

Approximate Nutritional Information: Serving size: one-quarter cashew chicken with broccoli and red bell peppers: Calories: 320 cals, 16%; Protein: 38 g, 76%; Total fat: 11.1 g, 17%; Saturated fat: 1.8 g, 9%; Cholesterol: 82 mg, 27%; Carbohydrates: 18 g, 6%; Fiber: 4 g, 15%; Sodium: 608 mg, 25%; Vitamin A: 2,608 IU, 52%; Vitamin C: 171 mg, 284%; Niacin: 17 mg, 86%; Vitamin B6: 1 mg, 56%; Magnesium: 96 mg, 24%; Vitamin K: 80 mcg, 100%; Diabetic Exchange: 1 Starch, 5 Very Lean meat, 2 Fat, 1 Vegetable
Source: Eating for Lower Cholesterol: A Balanced Approach to Heart Health with Recipes Everyone Will Love

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