Thai Chicken - Retro-style!

Oh my word, friends!  This is one heck of a retro recipe!  And I love it - such fun:=)  Here is a recipe from one of my fave authors Roald Dahl; he and his wife Felicity (Flick) put together a cookbook called Memories with Food At Gipsy House, published in 1991.  It clearly has a 1980s vibe though!  I remember making "coconut milk" this way, by soaking dessicated coconut in boiling water.  Crikey, this sounds like something from the Ark :=)  Well, it makes me sound like a deckhand from the Ark.

I may have mentioned my story before, about making several different types of curry, and lugging the big pots to a local park (back in our younger days).  We invited heaps of friends, and had "Curry in a Hurry" in the park's rotunda.  Luckily, the local police were understanding of our madness :=)  

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention a fave recipe from this book - Rose Petal Sorbet.  I used to "borrow" lots of rose petals from the old couple next door's garden, to make it!  Yep I was a naughty gal back then!  He was Dutch and had fought in the Second World War, and she was the daughter of the fellow who owned the local stables waaay back in the day (I'm thinking turn of the century).  We still had the old horse troughs buried in our yard (we shared a boundary line with them).  And mysteriously, our backyard was (very) full of ashes - perhaps the dead horses? :=)

        

throw on that coriander

Marinate this overnight, folks (or at least 8 hours)!

Serves 6:

ingredients:

Marinade:

6 Tbs dark soy sauce

2 Tbs ground cummin

3 Tbs hot Madras curry powder

1 Tbs turmeric

3 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped finely

4 Tbs sweet chilli sauce

3 sticks lemongrass (or use 3 tsp of lemongrass paste from a tube!)

150 mL/5 fl oz oil (I used olive oil, but use a neutral oil like grapeseed if you please)

1.6 kg/3.5 lb chicken breasts, chopped or (large) diced   see Notes

The Sauce:

5 Tbs crunchy peanut butter

85g./3 oz dessicated or shredded (unsweetened) coconut, soaked in 180 mL/6 fl oz boiling water

1 bunch fresh coriander leaves, chopped or torn (by hand)

Garnish:

230g./8 oz bean sprouts (who cares?  No need to measure these)

more coriander leaves, if you wish

guess?!

Method:

Grab a large non-reactive bowl (glass or ceramic), and throw in the marinade ingredients

Give it a good stir, and then add the chopped chicken pieces - and let it marinate overnight (I forgot and only gave it 9 hours the next day - in fact, I'd suggest if you buy the already-chopped chook, the shorter marination time is fine and dandy)

The next day, in a large and heavy-based frypan, saucepan or skillet, cook up the chicken pieces till they turn opaque, then add the peanut butter and the coconut and soaking water

Cover and simmer very slowly for 15-20 minutes till the chicken is tender, then add some of the coriander leaves

Serve with rice or rice noodles, and add plenty of the bean sprouts and more coriander leaves

add plenty!

Notes:

I wish they had given a weight for the chicken!  I looked it up, and Google says a chicken breast can be anything from 170g.-250g.  I just based it on 200g./7 oz per breast; the recipe says to use 8 breasts

I bought diced chicken breast that is already chopped into large chunks - saved so much time and mess :=)

My (and Mr P.'s) suggestion is to add less chicken, but bung in some eggplant and capsicum - it was a bit too meaty for us

Also I reckon a good big slurp of tinned coconut milk at the end would be a splendid thing!  And probably some chilli flakes (I only had a mild Madras curry powder, so extra chilli was needed)

lemongrass stalks

(most of the) ingredients gathered 

the marinade

chuck in the chook!

some more ingredients

9 hours later - I started cooking ...

and in go the peanut butter and coconut

and on goes the coriander

add the bean sprouts to your bowl

Mr P. bought me this one - mm yep just a few years ago :=)

(Joining in with Jo from BKD Cookbook Club for her monthly link-up!  This month we are focusing on an "oldie but a goodie" cookbook in our collections.)

Peanut Chutney - and What to do With It

Chutney?  Interesting word for it.  Nah, I think this is more of a marinade-type thingy.  I made this for Cookbook Club, waaaaay back in August last year.  The recipe is from Everything is Indian by Justin Narayan.  I decided to use it as a marinade for some chicken tenderloins.  I gave half the chutney to a friend (who used it as a marinade for chicken, too), and made this for dinner.  Great minds ...

deliciously nutty

Makes approx. 200g./7 oz:

ingredients:

130g./4.5 oz unsalted peanuts OR 130g. of peanut butter

30g./1 oz white sesame seeds

1/2 brown onion, roughly chopped   see Notes

2 tsp tamarind paste  (or 2-3 tsp lemon juice)

1 Tbs lemon juice

3 small red chillies (or your fave chilli), roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves - yep, roughly chopped :=)

100-125 mL  (3.4-4.3 oz water)

sea salt flakes (1/8-1/4 tsp) and freshly ground black pepper

luckily for me, I don't taste soap when I eat fresh coriander :)

Serves 4:

For the chicken dish:

500-600g./18-21 oz chicken tenderloins (or chop up some breasts)

Peanut chutney - maybe half the jar; just have the chicken well-coated     see Notes

Lemon juice - maybe 3 Tbs

Fresh coriander leaves, torn or chopped - a big handful, or to your taste

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Rice or rice noodles, to serve

Cucumber and tomato, chopped, to serve

small red chillies

peanuts!

Method:

Grab a wee saucepan/frying pan and toast your nuts and seeds till golden brown (obvs. no need to toast the peanut butter, if  using)

Tip them into a blender or small food processor, with the other ingredients, except the salt and pepper

And blend away till it looks like the consistency of peanut butter

Add more water if you fancy it a bit thinner

Season with the salt and pepper

For the chicken dish:

Marinate the chicken pieces in the chutney for at least 30 minutes

Fry in 2 Tbs of vegetable or olive oil, which you have heated up

Add lemon juice, coriander leaves, salt and pepper

Throw on some white and/or black sesame seeds, if you like

Serve with rice or rice noodles

And chop up some cucumber, tomato and fresh coriander leaves, to go with ...

Notes:

I used peanut butter made from just peanuts and salt

The average brown onion weighs around 150-200g.; I used c. 90g.

I gave half the chutney away to a friend, so I probably used about 100g/3.5 oz for the chicken dish

Throw some mustard seeds or cummin seeds into the chutney (after blitzing to a smooth sauce) - if you fancy!

        brown onion

        cucumber

ingredients gathered

get ready to blitz!

and ... blitzed!  See how smooth :=)

ready for dinner!

Mangoes update: all 200 kilos! (maybe 150 kg.) of fruit has been laboriously picked up (even dug out) from the backyard.  The fruit bats, possums and birds are very sad!  The crows have been indignantly squawking for days about it.  I do love me a crow - so smart, so kind, dropping off gifts now and then.  And did you know? - they absolutely adore fruit.

Mr P. is very slowly getting over his cough, which has lasted for well over 3 weeks!  I can't believe I haven't caught it from him, though he has been politely sleeping downstairs so I don't get it!  Autumn is nearly here, and we have had copious amounts of rain over the last week.  And some flooding out west; it never ends here with the weird weather!!  Hope you are all doing well, my friends.

Guess who?  Yes, moi!  (c. G McKinnon)

Kotopoulo Kapama AKA Greek Chicken Stew with Tomatoes and Cinnamon

I have to confess I made this in our Autumn - in April!  Sure, it's hearty but so delicious, you can eat it all year round.  This is from The Complete Middle East Cookbook by Tess Mallos, a well-known Greek/Aussie cook and writer.  I've made many of her recipes over the years, but this one was a first for me.  I love chicken and I love cinnamon, (tomatoes not so much), but I can handle them in a dish like this.  

Tess calls this Kotopoulo Kapama - braised chicken, but I just call it Greek Chicken Stew!  She cooks it on the stovetop, but I decided it was much easier to give it a short simmer, then whack it into the oven till deliciously tender.  I also added more herbs and seasonings (and the red wine vinegar) than she decrees.  

tender, herby chicken with potatoes and veg.

Serves 6:

ingredients:

1 kg./2.2 lb chicken thighs   see Notes!

1-2 Tbs EV olive oil

1/2 Tbs butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed

385g./14 oz (c. 3) fresh tomatoes   see Notes

30 mL/2 Tbs red wine vinegar

3 bay leaves

1 heaped tsp dried oregano

1-2 tsp honey

1 Tbs tomato paste

125 mL/4 oz dry white wine  (aka 1/2 cup)

2 pieces of cinnamon bark

1/2 tsp sugar

sea salt, to taste - 1/2 tsp, more or less as you fancy

freshly ground black pepper

1/2-1 cup chicken stock, if you need/want more liquid (125 mL-250 mL) - I did!

fresh parsley (or other herb), for serving

tomatoes!

        yep!  Bay leaves

Method:

Heat up the EV olive oil and butter in a large frypan or saucepan, brown the chicken pieces all over, then remove onto a plate

Turn down the heat, add the onion and garlic, and fry gently till tender (keep an eye on the garlic, or add it a few minutes in)

Now add all the other ingredients, whack on the saucepan lid, and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes  (20 mins. if planning to cook on the stovetop the whole time)

Then either return the browned chicken pieces to the pan, and simmer for another 45 minutes till tender (that word again - hehehe) OR spoon/pour the tomato-y sauce into a large baking dish (with a lid) and bake (lid on) in a 170C/340F oven for about 40 minutes - you've guessed it! - till tender :=)

Serve with veg. of your choice - I baked (or fried?) some potato slices, and steamed up some veg.

honey!

Notes:

Tess says to cut up a 2 kg chook/chicken, but I preferred to use skinless, boneless thighs, but you do as you please: use a whole, chopped chook, or thighs with skin and bones - up to you, my friends!

Okay, use 3 or so fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped - or throw them in the food processor - and zap away!  I sometimes just grate them, as the skin comes off easily   (No need to peel if zapping or grating!)

ingredients gathered

chop or zap those tomatoes

rest the browned chicken pieces till the sauce is ready for their return:=)

fry up the onion and garlic till tender!

throw in your tomatoes et al.

simmer your sauce

and add the chicken

into a lined baking dish @170C/340F for about 40 mins.

juicy!

add some veg. or maybe some rice or couscous (?)

Just for a funny aside, Mr P., myself and some other Committee members of our Historical Society gave a talk to 100 school children last weekend.  Wow, 8 year olds are so canny these days :=)  I talked about using phone directories as toilet paper back in the good old days!  They had never seen a phone book, to begin with ...  

I mentioned how one house we lived in had a toilet underneath the house, with a big gap at the top - where possums used to sit and watch us do our thing.  I didn't mention the feral chooks when we were children; you had to have a sibling guarding the door as you used the facilities (on the dunny can/toilet seat - hehehe) ; otherwise the mad chooks would rush in and peck (and claw) you!!

guess?  yep - a brown onion, of course :)

Bill Granger's Baked Chicken with Lemon, Potato and Green Olives

Wow!  I made this dish in February 2024!  Crikey, how time flies.  This is a dish from Bill Granger, well-known and beloved Aussie cook who died way too young on Christmas Day 2023.  We ate at his Bondi restaurant several times over the years, on our trips down south.  And we always had a good feed there :=)  His scrambled eggs were legendary - nearly equal parts eggs to cream!  (I posted my version of his eggs in Feb 2024, too!)  Must have been a good month :=)

Have just been to the Japanese shop again!  Mmm, did I buy a few too many Pocky sticks, and matcha biscuits?  Well, maybe.  And they've opened a Japanese deli next door, and there'll be a cafe as well soon.  And of course, can't forget the Asian shop nearby - with even more delights!  My pantry is groaning.  I remember Mr P.'s SIL diving into our pantry one day, and being dragged out by her hubby.  She thought it was full of fascinating stuff - and how right she was - hehehe :=)

    

how good does this look?  Yep, heaps good!

Serves 4:

ingredients:

1kg/2.2lb potatoes like Desiree (a good roasting tater, as Samwise Gamgee would say)

1 red onion, cut into big chunks or wedges (peeled of course, silly!)

75g./2.6 oz green olives

1 lemon, sliced

50g./1.8 oz pancetta, or bacon, or capers or caperberries, or all of 'em

2 dried or fresh bay leaves  -  I used 6!

1 Tbs tomato paste

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar  (but use whatever you have; I used cranberry balsamic)

120mL/4 oz chicken stock  (pour it into a jug for easy stirring)

1.2kg/2.6lb chicken thighs (I used skinless, and boneless)  see Notes

1 Tbs EV olive oil

sea salt flakes

freshly ground black pepper, to taste - maybe 10-12 grinds?

1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes  (optional)

yep, it's taters!

and a lemon

Method:

Whack on your oven to 180C/350F to heat up

Chop the taters (potatoes) into chunks (you choose the size), and tip them into a roasting pan (I like to line my baking dish with baking paper = easy cleaning)

Then chuck the onion chunks, olives, lemon slices, pancetta and bay leaves over the potato pieces

Now comes the tomato paste and vinegar - which you stir into your jug of chicken stock - give it a good mix!

And pour this mixture over your veg. in the tray/pan

Your chicken pieces go on top of the veg. and the stock in the pan

Then drizzle the EVoo over it all, and season with salt, pepper (and chilli flakes if using)

Shove the dish into the oven, and bake for 50 minutes

Now take it out of the oven, remove the chicken pieces, and crank up your oven to 220C/430F

Place the dish back into the oven with the veg. mix, and bake for a further 10-15 minutes till the veg. looks well-coloured and delicious

The chicken goes back into the pan, on top of the veg., for serving  (Bill says to take out the bay leaves first ... hehehe)

red onion, natch!

you know what these are, my friends :=)

Notes:

Bill says to use a 1.7kg/3.7 lb chicken, jointed - but why not buy 'em in pieces already, I say? :=)  And I cut 'em up into 3 or 4 pieces

I'd suggest throwing in a few whole cloves of garlic too!

ingredients gathered 

veg. in the baking dish

on go the chicken pieces

out comes the cooked chook

and back go the veg.

and done!

eat up!

delicious!

juicy, salty - yum!

green olives