Moroccan Apricot Chicken

This is an easy chicken dish that won't ruffle your feather, it's plump fruit and rich nectar make it a family favourite. Dried Apricot Pieces are rich source of beta carotene (which the body converts into vitamin A for healthy skin, cell development, immune function and vision); good source of iron and fibre; excellent source of potassium (helps reduce blood pressure).


The cuisine of Morocco is rated among the best in the world, and rightly so. There are few places where food is more carefully and artistically prepared, more delightfully served, and more enjoyed than in this country. So this Moroccan Apricot Chicken is of a mixture of sweet, sour and hot taste you had to give it a try before you can understand that kind of middle east cooking.

Ingredients: (serves 4)
1/2 Cup Cornflour
8 Pieces Skinless Chicken Cutlets, trimmed
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Large Brown Onion, peeled, cut into thin wedges
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
1 Tablespoon Moroccan Seasoning
400ml Can Apricot Nectar
1/2 Cup Dried Apricots
1/3 Cup Flat-leaf Parsley Leaves, chopped
1/4 Cup Roasted Cashew Nut(optional)

Methods:
1. Place flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag and mixed well. Lightly coat chicken pieces in seasoned flour, shaking off excess.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a deep, large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat.
3. Cook chicken, in batches for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate, repeat with remaining chicken and oil, cover and set aside.
4. Add onion and garlic to frying pan, cook and stir occasionally for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
5. Sprinkle Moroccan seasoning over onion and stir until well combined.
6. Stir in apricot nectar, bring to the boil and reduce heat to low. Return the chicken to frying pan.
7. Add apricot and cover and cook for 20 minutes in low heat. Stir on and off to prevent the sauce from drying out. If the sauce dry up too fast before the chicken is done, add 50ml more of water.
8. Cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened.
9. Next sprinkle some chopped parsley and roasted cashew nut on top before sever.

Notes: If you don't have Apricot Nectar and Moroccan Seasoning, please refer to the recipe below.

Apricot Nectar
Ingredients:
1 Can Of Apricot In syrup(about 825g)

Methods:
1. Blend the apricot with some of it's syrup in a blend until smooth to produce about 450ml of apricot puree.

Moroccan Seasoning Mix
Ingredients:(make 8 tablespoons)
5 Teaspoons Nutmeg
5 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
5 Teaspoons Ground Coriander
2 1/2 Teaspoons Ground All Spice
2 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 1/4 Teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1 1/4 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

Methods:
1. Place all the spices in a food processor and blend well.
2. You can store the blended spice in an air-tigh container in the fridge.

Notes: You can used either Drumsticks, Chicken Thigh on Bone or Marylands for this recipe.

Mix Fruits & Vegetables Salad

Craving for Fruit Salad recently, so try to source for as many fruits as possible to make this Mix Fruits and Vegetables Salad. It's really a refreshing and colourful appetizing dish before meal......

In order to make it a more filling dish, I add in some Japanese Purple Potato and Potato together with some Mayo and Aloe Vera Yoghurt. You can add in whatever fruits or vegetables that you had in your kitchen pantry instead of what I am using.


Ingredients:
1 Orange, remove outer skin
1 Apple, remove outer skin, cut into cubes
1 Banana, remove skin, cut into cubes
2 Japanese Purple Sweet Potato
2 Potato
Some Strawberries, Grapes & Cherry Tomatoes
1 - 2 Cups Of Aloe Vera Yoghurt
3 Tablespoons Of Mayonnaise Sauce

Methods:
1. Wash and remove the skin of the potato and sweet potato then steam over medium heat until tender.
2. In the meantime, wash and cut the rest of the fruits into cubes then put in a big mixing bowl.
3. Cool the cooked sweet potato and potato then cut into cubes and add into the rest of the fruit.
4. Pour in the Aloe Vera Yoghurt and Mayonnaise Suace then mix well with the fruits until well combined and chilled in the fridge until serve.

Notes: You can used any type of favour yoghurt that you prefer.

Traditional English Breakfast

Went to Delifrance for breakfast a few days ago. I order one of their Traditional English Breakfast which cost about $6.50 for Scrambled Eggs or Sunny Side Up + 2 Slices Turkey Ham + 1 Tomato Provencal & Duchess Potato + 1/4 Baguettet and served with coffee/tea.


Since I had almost all the ingredients in my fridge, I decided to try making this for breakfast today. So these are the ingredients for my English Breakfast.....

Ingredients:(serves 2)
4 Pieces Of Breakfast Ham/Turkey Ham
2 Eggs
50ml Fresh Milk
2 Tablespoons Cream
4 Slices White Bread
2 Tomatoes
1 Slices Of Sandwich Cheese

Methods:
1. Heat up a non-stick pan with some olive oil then pan-fry the ham on both side for a few second and dish up.
2. Beat the eggs with fresh milk and cream together with some salt and pepper until well combined.
3. Heat up the pan with some butter and pour in the egg mixture, keep stirring until you get the scrambled egg texture to your preference.
4. Cut of the top off from the 2 tomatoes and top with half slice of cheese each. Sprinkle with some Italian herbs and bake for about 10 minutes.
5. Toast the bread and spread with some butter or jam and place on the plate with the rest of the ingredients and serve with coffee or tea for a hearty breakfast.

White Fungus & Wooden Ear Soup

This is a very soothing and nutritious soup which required very little ingredients such as either Lean Pork or Chicken Drumsticks together with some White Fungus, Wooden Ear and Red Dates. Due to the long hours of boiling, the texture of the soup will be sort of sticky rather than those normal clear soup. The texture is fragrant and refreshing due adding a few slices of ginger.


Wooden Ear(黑木耳): This contain much protein, carotene, vitamins A & B. It also improves blood circulation, benefits the spleen, moisturizes the lungs.

White Fungus(雪耳): It tastes slightly sweet and of neutral nature. It benefits the spleen, strengthens the stomach and expel Dryness. It calms the spirit, treats insomnia and is good for the body type that resists beneficial food.

Red Date(红枣): It is a blood tonic which can be widely used with other ingredients to nourish the body.

This soup helps to prevent blood vessel blockage, reduce cholesterol level, reduce blood pressure, avoids stroke and arteriosclerosis. Other then that it also helps reduce spot appearance, cleanse and moisturize the skin.

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Drumstick, removed skin
2 Pieces Of Wooden Ear(黑木耳), about 40g
1 Pieces Of White Fungus(雪耳), about 10g
10 – 12 Red Dates(红枣)
1 Tablespoon Ji Zi(枸杞子)
3 Slices Ginger(老姜)

Methods:
1. Soak white fungus and wooden ear in water until soft.
2. Remove the stems, rinse well and tear into small pieces and scald then set aside.
3. Rinse and scald the chicken.
4. Crush the red dates with flat side of knife, remove the seeds and rinse well.
5. Boil 1.5 – 2 Litres of water to boil, then add in all the ingredients and boil for 10 minutes.
6. Transfer to a slow cooker and simmer on low heat for about 3 – 4 hours.
7. Season with salt and serve.

Notes: You can either used Chicken or Lean Pork for this recipe.