Cooking Lab - Skinny Saucy Chicken Taco

As much as I love Mexican food it is not known to be particularly healthy. However, taco can be quite healthy if we tweak the normal recipe a bit. 


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This is a healthy grilled chicken taco loaded with fresh and nutritious salad. It contains asparagus, coriander, shallot, tomato, cucumber and guacamole. 

I am only using small amount of meat and a lot of vegetables to make my taco more satisfying and less greasy. 

Ingredients:

- 12 taco shells 
- 500g chicken thigh fillets 
- 3 tablespoon taco seasoning 
- 4 tablespoon salsa 
- 1 bunch of asparagus 
- 150g fresh coriander 
- 2 truss tomato 
- 2 cucumber 
- 1 avocado 
- 50g green shallot 
- 1/2 lemon 
- 100g cheese 
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil 
- Salt and pepper 

Method:

1. Dice the chicken thigh fillets and marinate with taco seasoning and salsa sauce overnight.

2. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a fry pan over medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened.

4. Season with light salt and remove from heat.

5 .In the same pan, add the remaining oil and pan-fry the marinated chicken fillets until caramelized.

6. Thoroughly wash the fresh coriander, green shallot, cucumber, tomato and asparagus and leave to dry.

7. Whilst the chicken is cooking, finely chop the coriander, green shallot, tomato and cucumber.

8.Place each ingredient on individual plate.

9. Mash up a avocado, season with lemon juice and smoky paprika.

10. Heat the taco shell in the oven for 5 minutes.

11. Spoon the grilled chicken pieces into warmed taco shells. Add the salad toppings.

12. Garnish with some cheese.

13. Serve with a scoop of guacamole on the top.

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Cooking Lab - Pickles Vegetables Fried Rice with Mini Meatballs (高菜チャーハン)

This is a popular Japanese/Korean rice dish (高菜チャーハン). The main star of this dish is the pickled vegetable, similar to German's sauerkraut, the Asian pickled mustard have a sweet texture and it is not too sour.


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Add some pickled mustard, mini meat balls and some Korean kimchi to jazz up the plain ordinary rice.

Tip - Use a day old rice. It is less sticky and much better for frying. 

IF there is any leftover, perfect for lunch box the next day.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of cooked rice 
- 2 tablespoon of cooking oil 
- 300g pickled mustard 
- 150g button mushroom 
- 1 tablespoon chicken stock 
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
- 6 mini pre-cooked parsley meat balls 
- 60g Korean kimchi 
- 50g green shallot 

Method:

1. Finely dice the pickled cabbage, mushroom and shallots.

2. Heat cooking oil in a hot frying pan.

3. Add in the mushroom and shallots and stir fry until fragrant.

4. Add in the diced pickled cabbage and the pre-cooked meatballs into the pan.

5. Add in the rice, chicken stock and mix thoroughly.

6. Make sure there are no clumps in the rice. The rice grains should be loose and soft.

7. Fold in with light soy sauce.

8. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

9. Place the mini meat balls on top of the rice.

10. Add some peri peri mayonnaise (optional).

11. Serve immediately with some kimchi on the side.

It is seriously flavourful and its time to eat.... 

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Event - Melbourne Cup Lunch

Cooking Lab - 5 Grains Origiri Rice Ball

Rice balls are super easy to make and fun to eat. 

Making my own version. 

(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

 

圓圓的飯團這回成三角型。

話說昨天沒吃到我想吃的飯團口味，所以今天就來自己動手做做。

用健康的五穀米，加豬肉酥，酸菜。。。。快樂的做，挰，滾。好玩又好吃。全吃完後，才發現，又忘了油條!

Cooking Lab - Lamb Cutlet Stack with Parsley Pesto

Spring time is all about vibrant green vegetables and herbs and I can’t stop thinking about lamb.... 

Spring lamb cutlets are so tender and full of taste....


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When stacked high, paired with baby asparagus and add a dollop of home-made creamy parsley pesto, you will get a gourmet cafe-style meal. 

Ingredients:

- 6 Spring lamb cutlets 
- 2 cup fresh parsley 
- 1 bunch baby asparagus 
- 1/2 cup walnut 
- 3 tablespoon olive oil 
- 3 large tomato 
- 4 cloves of garlic 
- 2 bay leaves 
- 1 cup all purpose flour 
- 100ml red wine 
- 100ml white wine 
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika 
- Pink salt and pepper 

Instructions: 

1. Marinate the lamb cutlets in red wine and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until required.

2. Press the lamb cutlets firmly into the flour mixture.

3. Lightly spray cutlets with olive oil and place them in a hot skillet pan.

4. Pan fry for 3-5 minutes until golden on both sides.

5. Add the baby asparagus and 2 cloves of garlic into a fry pan. Cook until tender and season with light salt.

6. In a saucepan, add diced tomato, bay leaves, garlic, water and white wine. Bring it to boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Keep warm.

7. Place parsley, walnuts, garlic in a food processor and process until combined. Slowly add in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth and creamy.

8. Season with paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.

9. Place a layer of asparagus in the center of each serving plate. Add a spoonful of tomato jus. Place a lamb cutlet on top. Drizzle with a spoonful of parsley pesto on top.

10. Repeat the process.

11. Finish with a dollop of the parsley pesto and just a little more tomato jus.

12. Season with salt and pepper.

13. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Cooking Lab - Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad

Summer is just around the corner and this refreshing Vietnamese-style salad is gorgeous on its own. Or you add some sizzling beef for a perfect evening meal. 

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I just love the flavour explosion of Vietnamese salad, the fresh herbs, slippery noodles and the drizzle of lemon juice. It gets better from the first bite :)

It is so refreshing and filling. I feel so healthy with this salad. I can eat as much as I can :)

Ingredients: 

- 250g rice vermicelli

- 1 cup fresh coriander

- 1/2 cup fresh mint

- 1/4 cup fresh shallot

- 1/4 cup fresh basil

- 1 carrot

- 200g pistachio 

- 2 tablespoon of fried onion 
- 250g beef slices 
- 50g kale 
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce 
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce 
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
- 1 teaspoon chili 
- 1/2 lemon 
- Salt and pepper to season

*Add some French onion and Lebanese cucumber if available...

Salad Dressing:

- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

- 1/8 cup white vinegar

- 2 tablespoon soy 

- 1 tablespoon brown sugar

- Juice of 1 lemon 

- 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce

Instructions:

1. Cook the vermicelli noodles according to the packet instructions.

2. Rinse the noodle under running cold water.

3. Keep it cool with ice.

4. Rinse the fresh herbs: coriander, basil, mint and shallot under running cold water.

5. Grate carrot into long stripes.

6. Soak the carrot stripes in sweet vinegar water.

7. Marinate the beef slices in soy sauce, fish sauce, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, fried onion, salt and pepper for at least 30 minutes.

8. Place the pistachio nuts in a food processor and grind until coarse.

9. Heat up a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil and grill the beef slices until fragrant.

10. Add some slices of onion and kale. Season with salt and pepper.

11. Place the cooled vermicelli noodles in a large serving platter.

12. In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing ingredients and mix well. Adjust if necessary. The taste should be sweet, tangy and sour.

13. Chop the coriander, mint, basil and shallots in small pieces and toss on top of the vermicelli noodles. Place the pickled carrots around the side.

14. In a large bowl, toss the vermicelli noodle, herbs and chili with half of the salad dressing. 

15. Garnish with fried onions and pistachio nuts on top.

16. Serve together with grilled beef.

17. Squeeze some lemon juice on top to lighten up the meal.

Cooking Lab - Light & Tangy Crab Salad Dip

This is such a versatile great salad and we used to have it at every extended family lunch. Seafood highlighter is not real crab - it just have the crab taste. 


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I always remember this dish fondly. Perhaps its because of the tangy, refreshing taste, or I was really tricked into believing that its real crab :) 

This is very versatile salad and you can enjoy it on its own, or use it as a sandwich filling or make California sushi roll with it. 

I am using the seafood highlighter in this salad dip, but, of course you can use real crab meat - and that would taste so gourmet.


If you are not a fan of crab, you can replace it with tuna, prawn or chicken. 

Ingredients:

- 250g seafood highlighter (imitation crab meat)
- 50g chopped parsley 
- 3 tablespoon thousand island dressing
- 1/2 lemon
- 10g finely diced French onion
- 10g finely diced apple
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper

Instructions:

1. Separate the pieces of crab (seafood highlighter) by hand. Save 30g of whole pieces of crab aside.

2. Boil a pot of water and cook the seafood highligher for 3 minutes.

3. Drain and set aside to cool.

4. Once cooled, place the seafood highlighter, thousand island salad dressing ,finely chopped parsley, apple and onion in the blender.

Note: Celery usually go nicely in this salad. I've use apple instead because I am just not a big fan of celery. 

5. Season with black pepper.

6. Half way through the blending, add in the lemon juice and olive oil.

7. Continue blending until you achieve a nice fine coarse texture.

8. Season with salt.

9. Scoop the crab dip from the blender and set in the fridge over 1 hour before serving.

10. In a fry pan, shallow pan fry the ribboned seafood highlighter.

11. Season with salt and place on top of the crab dip salad.

12. Serve the salad dip with fresh avocado slices and lemon wedges.

It is the guilt-free kind of salad!~