Spicy Golden Rice and Chicken

Quick and tasty. Serves 4 (probably with leftovers)

This mildly spicy rice can make a small amount of chicken go a long way - one or two breasts or two or three thighs will seem like loads


Chop the chicken into small pieces and gently cook in small amount of oil or butter/spread in a pan for a few minutes until all white on the outside. (As it will continue cooking, you don't need worry about whether it is still pink in the middle.)

Add one or two finely chopped onions, some crushed garlic (up to about half a bulb according to how garlicy you like things) and some chopped peppers (I usually add a red and a green one to contrast the colours a bit) and cook gently until they are softened.

Then add the spices:

3 tsps ground coriander

2.5 tsps ground cumin

1.5 tsp turmeric

1 tsp paprika 

1tsp cayenne pepper 


(you can vary the amount of paprika and cayenne if you prefer it milder or spicier, eg 1.5 paprika and just half cayenne will be milder) 

Stir the spices through on a gentle heat for a couple of minutes and then add 8 oz of rice (I usually use basmati), stir to coat the rice and then add 15 fl oz of boiling water and one or two tablespoons of lemon juice. (You can also add half or a whole chicken stock cube if you like, especially if you are using less chicken).

(If I want to make sure of leftovers for lunch the next day I usually add 10 oz of rice and just under a pint of boiling water)

Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down and leave with a lid on for 5 minutes. Stir well and put the lid back on for another 2-3 mins, and check and stir again and repeat. When the rice is soft and the liquid all absorbed it is ready (Usually about 10-15 mins total cooking time for the rice)

It tastes great as is, but serving with some yoghurt (plain or greek) really enhances it.

1tsp = 5ml

1tbsp = 15ml

15 fl oz is about 425 mls

You might also like

Rice with chorizo, prawns/chicken

Spicy Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken and Bacon Casserole

Salsa Salad

Spicy Prawn Salad

Chilli Prawn Curry

Things to have with Poppadoms
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Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )

Kofta Curry

Serves four

Not authentic, but a great curry-in-a-hurry

The Sauce

Finely chop an onion and soften it in a small amount of butter/spread.

Stir in just under an ounce of plain flour (I don't measure it out, either a flattened tablespoon or rounded dessertspoon is about right) and curry powder to taste (I use about three heaped teaspoons of 'mild'), then slowly add while stirring about 3/4 pint of liquid (water is fine, but if you have any apple juice to hand it is richer using up to about half juice), bring gently to the boil and while simmering add a big dessertspoon of chutney (whatever you have or fancy, mango, branston pickle, homemade...). It is nice to peel and grate an apple in to the sauce too. Simmer for about five minutes. I sometimes add half a beef stock-cube, depending on what else I have added.  If it's too thick for your preference, it goes without saying to just add a bit more liquid.

Either add the meatballs while it's simmering, or let the sauce cool to reheat while you quickly make meatballs the next day. I think the flavour improves for leaving it.

I usually serve it with either rice or naan bread

Meatballs

As they are going into a tasty sauce, I make really lazy unseasoned meatballs in the microwave. This takes most of the fat out and you get meatballs which hold their shape in the sauce.

Divide a pound of minced beef into however many meatballs you want to make (I usually chop a slab of mince into quarters, half each quarter, and then split each piece into two to make 16 fair sized meatballs)

Place evenly on a microwaveable dish and microwave for two minutes (this will release a fair amount of fat from the mince, so don't use a shallow plate).

Turn them over (if some of the ones at the centre aren't as cooked, you might also want to swap them with ones at the edges) and cook for probably about another 30-60 seconds.

They should look brown and still be a bit springy. Don't over cook them in the microwave; they are going into a hot sauce and so will continue to cook.

When they are cooked, add to the sauce while you are waiting for the rice or naan bread.

(You can also pour the fat off and add any meat juices to the sauce if you like.)


Things to have with poppadoms

Potato and/or Cauliflower Curry

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Chilli Prawn Curry

Spicy Prawn Salad

Spicy Chicken Drumsticks

Stuffed Peppers

For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas

Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )

Rice with chorizo and prawns (sometimes also with chicken)

Not really a risotto or a paella, but v tasty.

This serves three to four hungry people sometimes with leftovers for lunch the next day.

Takes twenty to thirty mins, depending on how fast you chop.

Quantities of meat and veg up to you, be as economical or indulgent as you like to make what you have go round.

(If you are using chicken chop it into small pieces and cook it before you add in the onions)

Chop an onion or two (depending on size) soften in a big pan with a tiny bit of butter/spread/oil, stirring on a gentle heat.

While onion is softening, chop some peppers  (I usually do one and a half to two, but whatever you have to hand and your own taste) and add to the pan to soften too, stirring.

Boil the kettle. Weigh out rice (about 8 ozs. I usually use basmati, but it doesn't really matter) and stir it into the pan.

Add about 15 fl oz to a pint of boiling water (just to cover) and add some oregano, black pepper and a stock cube (chicken or veg, I usually just add a half,, you probably won't need one at all if you are using a fair bit of chorizo) while bringing back to the boil.

Give it a good stir, lower the heat and stick a lid on for about five minutes while you chop the chorizo into chunks. (You can use a pack of sliced, but I think the cooked sausage ones are better value)

Take the lid off, give it a good stir, especially making sure it isn't sticking to the bottom. (If there's not much liquid left, you might need to add a little more, but beware too much especially  if you are adding frozen stuff in a few minutes)

Add the chorizo, stir and put the lid back on for 2-3 mins.

Check it, if the rice is just about cooked through, add in some prawns (frozen is fine, just they will add more liquid and it'll be saltier than if they are defrosted and drained) and any frozen veg you fancy; sweetcorn, peas, green beans.

Another good stir and cook for another couple of mins until prawns and veg hot through. (Usually with lid back on, but if it is looking a bit wet, leave it off and keep stirring)

Eat!

(8ozs is aprox 250g, 15 fl oz is about 400mls)


You might also like:

Spicy Chicken Drumsticks

Mushroom Rice

Spicy Prawn Salad

Chicken Kebabs


For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas

Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )