This is one of my husband favorite dishes…he claims that he could eat this curry everyday…I still have to test this statement.
Actually it is very simple and yes, it is very tasty, but I could not see myself eating this everyday…
This time I served with udon noodles, but you can serve over rice, pasta…in another words, any kind of carbs.
In this recipe I added extra curry powder for flavor and spiciness enhancement. You can use only the curry cubes if you wish, especially if you are serving to kids.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cut in big chunks
6 small red potatoes, cut into quarters
5 carrots, cut in big chunks
2 zucchinis, cut in big chunks
8 oz crimini mushroom cut in half
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
4 cubes of curry
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ½ to 3 cup water
1 small onion, cut into big chunks

Method:

Sauteé the onion in the olive oil, once the onion start to soften, add the curry powder, continue to cook until a nice fragrance comes out. Add the chicken breast, and brown the chicken. Once the chicken pieces are slightly browned, add the water and let it boil under high heat.
Add the potatoes, cook for a couple of minutes. Add the carrot, until slightly soft, then the mushroom and finally the zucchini. Make sure that you do not overcook the zucchini. Once the vegetables are at the consistency of your liking add the curry cubes. Stir gently so the cubes are all dissolved in the broth. Boil for a minute or two and it is ready to serve.

If you like udon, you might want to check on stir fry udon noodles.

Did you know that curry is a leave? It is confusing since that the curry that we know is a combination of spices and herbs , which may include curry leaves and its mixture varies by countries and regions.

Okay, so here are some more pictures from our vacation in Beijing…Ming Dynasty Tombs and the Great Wall.

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week!

Today I have a very especial post…and yes, it is unusual for me to post on Friday but I had to make an exception since my friend Faith Gorsky from An Edible Mosaic just had her first cookbook released: An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair. I could not wait until Monday to share with you such exciting news and I am so happy to be able to participate in her virtual book launch party.

Faith’s book has over 100 Middle Eastern recipes, with a focus mainly on dishes from the Levant, but also a few recipes from other areas of the Middle East. She has a pretty unique story…after getting married Faith spent six months living in the Middle East, where she fell in love with the culture and cuisine. Subsequently, she returned four more times for visits, each time delving deeper into the cuisine and deepening her passion for and appreciation of the region. Recipes in her book are authentic Middle Eastern (taught to Faith mostly by her mother-in-law, Sahar), but streamlined just a bit for the way we cook today, with unique ingredients demystified and cooking techniques anyone can follow. If you didn’t grow up eating Middle Eastern food, it can be a difficult art to master; Faith understands that, and explains complicated dishes in an approachable, easy-to-follow way. The book is available to order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

The recipe from the book that I’m sharing with you today is for Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts. The recipe is vegan therefore easily incorporated into a vegan or vegetarian meal, but it is just as delicious served with chicken, beef, lamb, or seafood, and it would be really fantastic with just about any curry dish. (In the cookbook, Faith recommends pairing Shrimp in Aromatic Tomato Sauce with this rice dish.)

Saffron Rice with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts.
(ROZ MLOW’WAN)
Recipe courtesy of An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair by Faith Gorsky (Tuttle Publishing; Nov. 2012); reprinted with permission.

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let the rice sit after cooking

Ingredients:

1½ cups (325 g) basmati rice, rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 onion, finely diced
4 tablespoons sultanas (golden raisins)
1¾ cups (425 ml) boiling water
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon saffron threads (or ½ teaspoon turmeric)

Method:

1. Soak the rice in tepid water for 10 minutes; drain. While the rice is soaking, put half a kettle of water on to boil.
2. Add the oil to a medium, thick-bottomed lidded saucepan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the saucepan you cooked the pine nuts in, and cook until softened and just starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the sultanas, boiling water, salt, and saffron (or turmeric), turn the heat up to high, and bring it to a rolling boil.
4. Give the rice a stir, then cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to very low, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (do not open the lid during this time). Turn the heat off and let the rice sit (covered) 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
5. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top; serve.

OPTIONAL Add two pods of cardamom, two whole cloves, and one 2-inch (5 cm) piece of cinnamon stick at the same time that you add the rice.

On Faith’s book you will find a variation of this rice recipe, Mixed White and Yellow Rice.

Please head over to Faith’s blog to check out her virtual book launch party to see the other bloggers who are participating. Also, as part of her virtual book launch, Faith is hosting a giveaway of a fabulous set of prizes. Be sure to head over and enter!

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great weekend!

This is a very tasty dish, it is gluten free since the glass noodles are made of sweet potato starch. In this dish I added some slice chicken, shitake mushrooms, bok choy and lots of Thai basil. This dish has a touch of sweet and spiciness. It is delicious, and you have it all in one dish! It seems more complicated that really it is…I like to cook all the ingredients by steps since different ingredients require different time of cooking, once they are cooked you just need to put them together. The good thing is that you just need a big wok pan.

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast, thinly sliced
4 to 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

6-7 dry shiitake mushrooms
2-3 carrots, sliced
½ onion sliced
½ bunch bok choy, cut in approximately 1 in
1 tablespoon olive oil
Soy sauce to taste
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon chili oil
½ tablespoon sesame oil
Thai basil to taste

Glass noddle

Method:

Marinate the chicken with the garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper. Leave in the refrigerator for approximately ½ hour to 1 hour.

Soak the dry shiitake mushrooms in 1/3 cup warm water. When soft, squeeze the water and slice. Keep the water for later use.

Cook the glass noodle in boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes or until it turn transparent and soft. Drain the water in a colander and run cold water through. Set aside.

In a wok, sauté the chicken in high heat, making sure that is cooked throughout. Remove from the heat and set aside. In the same pan add the carrot and 1 to 2 tablespoons of water, cook until the carrots are slightly soft. Remove and add to the chicken.

Add olive oil to the pan and the sliced onion and shiitake mushroom, sauté until slightly golden brown, remove and add to the chicken and carrot bowl.

Now add the bok choy to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes and again remove it by placing together with the chicken, carrot and mushroom bowl.

Place in the wok the water where the mushrooms were soaked, the soy sauce and the sugar. Once starts to boil toss in the glass noddle, and mix gently until the noodle is evenly coated with the sauce. Add the mixture of chicken and vegetables to the noodle. Mix gently. Add the chili oil, sesame oil and the Thai basil. Toss gently and remove from the heat. Serve hot.

Did you know that there are many varieties of glass noodles in Asian cuisine? These noodles can be made from yam, mung bean, sweet potato, yucca starch.

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week!

Before you ask…yes…I am still using the ham stored in my freezer since Easter, and yes…I still have one frozen little chunk of ham 🙂

This is a very simple and yet so tasty couscous dish. I have to admit that I used the ham from Easter, which I had stored in the freezer. This can be served as a main dish since it contains veggies and protein or with a side of green salad.

Ingredients:

1 small onion chopped
1 ½ cup mixed frozen vegetables, boiled and drained
¼ cup parsley finely chopped
1 cup couscous
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup water
Approximately 2/3 to ¾ cup ham, chopped

Method:

In a pan sauteé the onion in butter until slightly soft, then add the ham and sauteé for a minute. Add the water and let it boil. Once the water boils, add the couscous and lower the temperature, cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables, salt, pepper and parsley. Loose the couscous with a fork and serve hot.

I have been working on the pictures that we took from our vacation in Beijing…since there are so many pictures, I will share with you as I organize them into my album.

So here are some of them…

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week!

This is a very simple way to prepared quinoa. You have all you need in one bowl and it sure makes a great one dish meal. When making this dish I always take the leftover for the next day lunch. It is tasty and colorful so everyone around asks what I am eating…

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup red quinoa

1 cup of cubed carrot
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen soy bean

1 small onion, chopped

1 chicken breast in cubes
2-3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon corn starch
½ tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

Cook the quinoa according to the instruction in the box.
In another pan cook the carrots, corn and soybean in a hot water. Set aside. In the meantime marinate the chicken with garlic, soy sauce, olive oil and corn starch for 5 to 10 minutes.
In a wok pan stir fry the chicken breast with olive oil, and set aside. In the same pan sautee the onion in olive oil, when slightly soft add the chicken, quinoa and the veggies. Mix gently, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Did you know that germinated quinoa has an even higher nutritional values than its raw form? To germinate the seed, just place them in a glass of water for 2-4 hours.

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This is a very simple recipe for making udon noddles, most of the time I cook udon noddles in soup, but this time decided to make a stir fry with it. I love the slightly chewy texture of udon. So yummie! By the time that I mixed all the ingredients together I had lots of noddles, which was great…could pack for lunch next day.

Ingredients:

¾~1 lb chicken breast (or pork) cut in thin strips
3~4 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon cooking wine
½ tablespoon corn starch
Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2~4 green onion chopped
1 can baby corn drained
2 carrots shredded
1 small onion thinly cut
¼ cabbage finely cut
1 pack of mushrooms
5 dry shitake mushrooms, softened in hot water

2 individual packages of frozen udon noddles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1~1½ tablespoon soy sauce

Method:

Mix all the 6 ingredients in the list and stir fry in the olive oil until the chicken is browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the same pan stir fry the onions and place in the same bowl where you set the chicken strips. Sautee the shitake mushrooms and then add the cabbage, carrots, baby corn and the mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In the meantime, boil water and cook the udon noddle according to the package instruction, drain and set aside.

Remove all the cabbage and place again together with the chicken strips. In the same pan, add olive oil and the drained udon noddles, stir gently and add the soy sauce.

Once the udon color is equally browned with soy sauce add all the other ingredients that were prepared, mix gently in low heat.

Remove and serve hot.

Did you know that in Japan udon noddles is served cold in summer and hot in the winter?

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