Fried Honey Lemongrass Chicken

By Amy Beh

Ingredients

• 6 chicken wings, chopped into halves
• 3 stalks lemongrass, cut into halve and split up the sheaths
• 1 bird?s eye chilli, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp oil
Seasoning (A)
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp evaporated milk
• 1 tbsp cornflour
Sauce (B)
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 4 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Dash of pepper

Method

Marinate chicken with seasoning (A) then leave aside for at least 1-2 hours. Deep-fry marinated chicken in hot oil until golden brown. Remove and put aside.
Leave 1 tablespoon oil in the wok and add lemongrass, bird?s eye chilli and garlic. Fry until fragrant and crispy. Dish out and leave aside. Pour in sauce (B) and allow to simmer for a while. Return chicken to the wok. Toss and fry until chicken is well coated with the sauce. Dish out and serve.

Spicy Okra

By Chef Priya Menon

Ingredients

• 250g ladies finger or okra, washed and dried
• 1 big onion, sliced finely or diced
• 5 pieces dried chilli, break into small pieces
• 1 tbsp ginger, diced
• 1 tbsp garlic, diced
• 1 tbsp green chilli, diced (optional)
• 1 tsp whole mustard seeds
• 1 tsp whole fennel
• 1 tsp whole cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 small sprig curry leaf
• oil and salt as required

Method

Wash and dry okra. Its important that the okra is dry to avoid its slime. So dry it before you slice the okra as desired.
Heat oil in pan over very low heat and add mustard seeds, cumin and fennel.
When mustard seeds start to splutter, add the diced onions, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, green and dried chillis.
Stir fry the whole masala for about a minute and then add turmeric and okra.
At this stage , bring the heat up to medium and add salt to the okra.
Gently stir fry till the okra is coated with the spices.
When the vegetable is soft to the touch, its done. Remove from heat and serve.
Note : this is the best way to familiarise your self with the taste of whole spices. This is a very familiar classic Indian dish. This is Still one of my favourite all time vegetacle dish. If you add yogurt to this dish , it becomes a fried okra raita. the possibilities with this basic dish is immense.

Soy Pepper Chicken

By Chef Priya Menongal

Ingredients

• 750g chicken, cut into bite size piece
• 3 onions, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 tbsp ginger, diced
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 tsp cumin, coarsely pounded/ground
• 1 tsp fennel, coarsely pounded/ground
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely pounded/ground
• 1 tabsp black pepper, coarsley pounded/ground
• 2 sticks cinnamon, coarsley pounded/ground
• 4 star anise, coarsley pounded/ground
• 4 cardamom, coarsley pounded/ground
• 5 dried chillies, broken
• 3 fresh chillies (optional)
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• coriander leaves for garnishing
• 6-7 tbsp thick soy sauce
• salt or light soy sauce as required
• oil about 1/2 cup

Method

Marinate chicken in soy sauce, pepper, cumin, fennel, coriander and one sprig of curry leaf for about 30 minutes, longer if time permits.
Heat oil in pan and fry cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, dried chillies and curry leaves over low heat. Add onions,garlic and ginger and fry till onions turn slightly golden.
Add the marinated chicken and cook, stirring occasionally. When chicken is almost cooked, add tomatoes and fresh chillies and cook till done.
Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
Note: Always cook on low to medium heat, to prevent chicken from sticking to pot.

Chilli Fried Fish

By Chef Priya Menon

Ingredients

• 250 - 500g of your favourite fish, use whole or sliced
• 1 level tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp black or white pepper, powder or crushed (more if you like it spicy)
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp yogurt (optional)
• salt to taste
• oil for frying

Method

Mix a marinade with the spices, garlic and ginger paste, yogurt, salt and coat the fish. Leave it to marinate for at least 1/2 an hour or more if possible.
The fish can be grilled or fried.
Note: I have used this marinade for Talapia, Siakap and other fresh water fish as well.