Kitchen Venture #10

Alright, another amatuer cooking experience but the end result (taste wise) really is yummy! Decided to blog about this after a nice conversation on how I "dont" cook. I can cook, but the efforts. Goodness me. And I am so not fond of touching raw meat. If I had to cook everyday, I would turn vegetarian!

This dish may not look tempting but it is such a simple adventure. Its basil pesto sweetchilli chicken pasta. Weird combi?

How does it look? Hmmmmmm.... I really cooked it a the spur of the moment and didnt really think I would take a record of it. But thought it tasted pretty yummy so here goes!

First ingredient, heinz shredded chicken - spicy chilli can

Next. I tried this new basil pesto brand (for me). I usually use Leggo's. You also need:
Olive Oil
Pasta (I used whoelmeal moose-shaped ones from Ikea)
Carrots (round slices)
Red Onions (chopped finely)
Minced garlic

Pretty standard and easy.

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com

So first, cook your pasta in another pot in salted boiling water. Next, prepare another pan/pot with olive oil and stir-fry those carrots and onions with minced garlic. Once both of these pots are ready, drain the pasta and add it to the carrots and onions. Mix well.

Add the basil pesto sauce to that and stir. Add water to halfway of the pesto bottle and shake before pouring it into the pasta pot. Let that simmer for abit before adding the shredded chicken. Let it sit and stir for another five to ten minutes and we are all good to go. Add cracked pepper to taste.

The resulting taste was a little hint of chilli/curry and basil. Very fresh and creamy. But I didn't quite like the Barilla pesto sauce because it was too thick and creamy in my opinion. For a more garden fresh herb taste, use Leggo's.

So I hope the photos dont put you off too much. Its worth a try!

Till my next kitchen venture, Mayy xo

Kitchen Venture #7: Pan fried basil pesto salmon and Cold Soba part 5

Rightey-o, let's wrap up the Cold Soba series with my very first version and favourite one! It definitely requires more work than the other versions in the previous parts. I would suggest also that you do this on the day you prepare your cold soba. So maybe it is slightly hot, warm soba. But I can always tell you how to make it cold in a short amount of time. Leave it in the fridge on a separate plate on top of ice cubes!

Preparation for the salmon pieces:

1. Salmon with skin on will give you more texture because of the crispy skin at the end of it. Do wash the fish properly and make sure there are no scales left on the skin.

2. Slice the salmon into thick pieces so it retains its juices but will be cooked through. Season with salt and pepper at this point.

3. Chop onions (red or brown doesn't matter, but here I used brown so there will be no colour clash). Not too finely, just so you can have bite and the crunch.

3. Heat up frying pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or butter.

4. Fry the minced garlic until brownish.

5. Add salmon pieces to the hot pan on top of the garlic. Use a pair of tongs or chopsticks to turn them. Throw in onions around it too.

6. While one side is cooking, add a layer of basil pesto (dips are fine) onto the other side of salmon. Once browned, turn salmon pieces.

7. Make sure to also sear the skin side till crispy. You can do this one by one while the other pieces are cooking on the meat sides.

8. Poke one to check if it is cooked through. Once done, use a spatula to push it around and mix the garlic and onions with salmon pieces for a minute or two. Switch the stove off after and let it sit.

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com
Preparing the plate:

1. Twirl noodles as tight as you can, not in the direct middle of the plate, slightly to the right. It should sit high.

2. Position 4 salmon pieces to the left before adding onion pieces on top of it and a sprinkle on top of the noodles. Pepper to season.

3. Clean sides and decorate with Balsamic Glaze (I used Balsamic Apple Glaze).

4. It is now ready to be served. The balsamic glaze is actually to be eaten and dipped into! If you want the traditional soba soya mirin sauce, it is not difficult to buy a bottle of it. Pour it into individual bowls, only 1/3 of the bowl and add some water. Throw in some spring onions.

Now, it is lunchtime and I am hungry again...Hmmm....I sure hope you have fun with your cold soba noodles and be sure to tell me if you come up with any versions!

Till my next kitchen venture, Mayy xo