How many hours does it take for an engineer to hang a Roman blind? Four. One to make a trip down to the local mega hardware store to buy a stud finder. It can't just be any stud finder, it must have the right technology, design and price. Browsing, testing and dialogues with the store manager all takes time. And while we are there, why not have a look around. One never know what else one may need, like a ride on mower for example. Now, this is one essential item that every household must have, so says the engineer! An hour later and a few hundred dollars poorer, we are back home again trying to finish what we have started. Now where were we? Yes, the Roman blind. It takes another hour to decide if the blind should line up with the ceiling or the window. Does the ceiling and window not align, did you say? Don't be ridiculous, of course they don't. They should, you say? Now you are just being silly. The third to get the level tool from the shed, mark and mount each bracket carefully so they are in a perfectly straight line. And of course the fourth to hang the blind and make adjustments so it fits flawlessly over the window. Now I can proudly boast that we have the most engineered Roman blind in the world.
And what did I do meanwhile? Something a little less machinated. I made a sumptuous roast chicken rice dinner, cleaned the house and had enough time to put my feet up, read a book and enjoy a glass of wine before our good friend turns up for dinner. Just to be relevant, the chicken is cooked with a balance of savory Asian sauces and sweetness from the honey. What makes this dish stands out is the chicken flavoured rice infused with spices from the garlic and ginger.
It is an ideal world we live in, perfectly hung Roman blind, good company and mouth-watering food. What else can one ask for. Well, maybe an internet fridge which does all my grocery shopping, a home cleaning robot that does my ironing as well, a state of the art designer's kitchen and my life is complete.
But in the meantime, here's my recipe that was prepared in our very own down-to-earth, cosy and lovely kitchen with rather primitive appliances in comparison. The results are the same, filled with the same enthusiasm and joy of cooking and sharing. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Roast chicken:
1 Chicken
Seasoning for chicken:
1 tbsp Light soya sauce
1 tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tsp Sesame oil
1 tsp Sweet dark soya sauce (I used ABC Kecap manis)
Cucumber for garnish
Coriander for garnish
Steps:
To marinate chicken:
1. Mix all seasonings for chicken in a bowl. Rub all over the chicken, inside and outside.
2. Warp chicken tightly using plastic warp/cling film.
3. Place in the fridge for at least an hour and a half. Best to leave it to marinate overnight.
To roast chicken:
1. Turn oven on to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Place chicken in the middle of the oven. Do not place it too high as the skin may burn.
3. Bake for an hour.
4. Turn chicken over and bake for another 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Keep an eye on the chicken to make sure it does not burn. Oven temperatures may vary.
5. To test if chicken is cooked, stick a skewer into the thickest part of the chicken. If the liquid that oozes out is not pinkish, it means that the chicken is cooked.
To make chicken rice:
1. Peel garlic and ginger. Smash both garlic and ginger with a rolling pin.
2. Rinse rice and drain on a kitchen towel. This is to get rid of excess starch in the rice.
3. Add 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and ginger. Fry till fragrant and slightly golden brown. Add uncooked rice and stir fry till rice is well coated with oil, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Cooked rice with garlic and ginger in a rice cooker with 4 cups chicken stock. If you do not have a rice cooker, cook rice, garlic and ginger and chicken stock in a covered saucepan on low heat for 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, let rice stand for 5 minutes.
To make dipping sauce:
1. Mix 4 tbsp sweet dark soya sauce with 2 tsp light soya sauce.
2. Pour equally into four individual saucers.
3. Add 1/2 tsp finely crushed ginger in each saucer.
To serve:
1. Chop chicken into large pieces. Place on a serving plate and garnish with coriander.
2. Peel and cut cucumber into thin slices.
3. Serve chicken rice on individual plates garnished with sides of sliced cucumbers.
4. Serve with dipping sauce, sweet chili sauce and/or plum sauce.
Serves 4
And what did I do meanwhile? Something a little less machinated. I made a sumptuous roast chicken rice dinner, cleaned the house and had enough time to put my feet up, read a book and enjoy a glass of wine before our good friend turns up for dinner. Just to be relevant, the chicken is cooked with a balance of savory Asian sauces and sweetness from the honey. What makes this dish stands out is the chicken flavoured rice infused with spices from the garlic and ginger.
It is an ideal world we live in, perfectly hung Roman blind, good company and mouth-watering food. What else can one ask for. Well, maybe an internet fridge which does all my grocery shopping, a home cleaning robot that does my ironing as well, a state of the art designer's kitchen and my life is complete.
But in the meantime, here's my recipe that was prepared in our very own down-to-earth, cosy and lovely kitchen with rather primitive appliances in comparison. The results are the same, filled with the same enthusiasm and joy of cooking and sharing. Enjoy!
 |
| Roast chicken with rice |
Ingredients:
Roast chicken:
1 Chicken
Seasoning for chicken:
1 tbsp Light soya sauce
1 tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tsp Sesame oil
1 tsp Sweet dark soya sauce (I used ABC Kecap manis)
Chicken rice:
2 cups Uncooked jasmine rice
1 inch Fresh ginger
4 cloves Garlic
4 cups Chicken Stock
2 tbsp Oil
Dipping sauce:
4 tbsp Sweet dark soya sauce
2 tsp Light soya sauce
2 tsp Crushed ginger
Coriander for garnish
Steps:
To marinate chicken:
1. Mix all seasonings for chicken in a bowl. Rub all over the chicken, inside and outside.
2. Warp chicken tightly using plastic warp/cling film.
3. Place in the fridge for at least an hour and a half. Best to leave it to marinate overnight.
To roast chicken:
1. Turn oven on to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Place chicken in the middle of the oven. Do not place it too high as the skin may burn.
3. Bake for an hour.
4. Turn chicken over and bake for another 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Keep an eye on the chicken to make sure it does not burn. Oven temperatures may vary.
5. To test if chicken is cooked, stick a skewer into the thickest part of the chicken. If the liquid that oozes out is not pinkish, it means that the chicken is cooked.
To make chicken rice:
1. Peel garlic and ginger. Smash both garlic and ginger with a rolling pin.
2. Rinse rice and drain on a kitchen towel. This is to get rid of excess starch in the rice.
3. Add 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and ginger. Fry till fragrant and slightly golden brown. Add uncooked rice and stir fry till rice is well coated with oil, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Cooked rice with garlic and ginger in a rice cooker with 4 cups chicken stock. If you do not have a rice cooker, cook rice, garlic and ginger and chicken stock in a covered saucepan on low heat for 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, let rice stand for 5 minutes.
To make dipping sauce:
1. Mix 4 tbsp sweet dark soya sauce with 2 tsp light soya sauce.
2. Pour equally into four individual saucers.
3. Add 1/2 tsp finely crushed ginger in each saucer.
To serve:
1. Chop chicken into large pieces. Place on a serving plate and garnish with coriander.
2. Peel and cut cucumber into thin slices.
3. Serve chicken rice on individual plates garnished with sides of sliced cucumbers.
4. Serve with dipping sauce, sweet chili sauce and/or plum sauce.
Serves 4
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