Chicken Empanadas

The chinese has dumplings, the Portuguese/Indonesians/Angolans have pastel. The Spaniards have empanadas.

I made this little cuties for Christmas entree and boy, were they delicious!!

It took quite a lot of work, nothing too difficult, and if you spread the work over few days, it is very doable.

Recipe courtesy of Crumbly Cookie.

Day 1: The filling
Ingredients:

* 3 large chicken thighs, 3 large chicken drumsticks. Skin on, pat dry.
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp black pepper
* 1/4 tsp chilli powder
* 2 large onions, diced
* 2 large cloves garlic, minced
* 2 bay leaves
* 1/3 cup diced chorizo
* 1/4 cup raisins
* 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chardonnay)
* 1/2 cup chicken broth

How to:
* Season the dried chicken with salt, pepper & chilli powder. Heat up oil in a deep skillet with cover, cook the chicken (skin side down). Do not disturb, touch & turn, until brown. Turn to other side. Once brown on both sides, set aside.

* Onto the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, bay leaves. Cook until onions are soft, before adding the chorizo. Let it cook for 1 min, then add the raisins, wine & chicken broth. Let it boil, while continuing to stir and scrapping the bottom. Add back the chicken and cover. Cook for 30 mins, and turn the chicken only once.

* After 30 mins, the juice of the chicken + broth + wine mixture should be thick and creamy. Turn off fire, and transfer chicken et all to a clean plate to cool down. Once it's cool enough to handle, peel off the chicken skin, de-bone and then roughly diced the meat.

* Transfer meat, sauce et all into a container. Covered and store in fridge for the next day. Fight the temptation to eat it, I know it's really good.

Day 2: Doing the dough
Ingredients:
* 4.5 C all purp. flour
* 3 tsp salt
* 227 gr of butter, cold
* 2 large eggs
* 2/3 cup ice water
* 2 tbsp white vinegar

How to:
* In a large bowl, mix in the flour & salt. Using your hand, incorporate the butter until it turns crumbly (pea size).

* In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, water & vinegar. Add into the flour mixture until just incorporated. The mixture will be extremely wet.

* Onto a lightly floured surface, knead the dough a little. Gently. Cut into 4 of equal portion. Keep on freezer for at least 1 hour before you start working on it.

Day 2/3/4/ .. : after freezing the dough for at least 1 hour
* Preheat oven 200 C

* Prepare the egg wash: 1 egg + 1 tbsp water + a pinch of salt. Whisk in a small bowl.

* Work in batches. Take out 1/4 of the dough from your freezer. Mold into a ball and flatten it. Cut into 8 pieces of equal size. Flatten each piece, scoop 1.5 tsp of filling, and fold.

* Use back of fork to close it. And brush with egg wash.

* Bake for about 20-25 mins till golden brown.

Baked Chicken Spring Roll

I like my spring rolls baked, not fried. More waist-friendly. 

Extremely crunchy just with a smudge of oil on your fingers :)

Baked Chicken Spring Roll (10 rolls)

Ingredients

french beans, sliced slanted

grated carrots, some bean sprouts

2 cloves garlic, minced

(not shown) 3 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked for few hours till soft, then minced

(not shown) 1/2 scallion, sliced

(not shown) 1 chicken breast meat

1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt

Pepper
10 spring roll wrapper

How to

(not shown) rub the chicken breast meat with OO, S+P and baked for 20 mins (10 mins each side).

When it's cool to handle, shred them and set aside. 

In a pan, heat up some oil and add in the garlic till fragrant, add in the mushroom.

After a minute or so, add in the rest of ingredients.

Season with 1 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp salt + some pepper

Add in some chicken seasoning if desired.

Once all vegetables have turned soft, turn off the fire and cool the ingredients.

Because I wanted to share this with my vegetarian neighbour, I set aside the vegetable before mixing the rest with the shredded chicken. 

Preheat oven to 180 C, while you start folding the spring roll. 

Spray with some oil and bake for 15 mins on each side

Or till brown. 

Serve with nuoc cham.

(3 tbsp lime juice + 2 tbsp sugar + 1/2 C water + 2.5 tbsp fish sauce)

Acar Kuning & Stuffed Snap Peas

I actually wanted to post something Indonesian-ey, something like Ikan Acar Kuning (Fried fish in yellow vinaigrette sauce). I sauteed the fish, I prepared the sauce.. short of adding the fish into the vinaigrette sauce when H asked, what is that smell.
"It's the sauce for the fish. Vinegar + sugar + few other things like onion, garlic etc.."
"No. I don't want the sauce. Eugh.. I don't like, mon coeur."
(sigh).. "Ok, so just the fried fish?"
"Yes. Just the fish.. Healthy food, yummy."

So my grand plan of Ikan Acar Kuning failed miserably. Fine.

Scrap the post, scrap Day 23 challenge. Hah, it's proving more difficult than I thought.

Anyway, last weekend I bought some snap peas to change from our usual diets of cauliflower, broccoli, etc. I usually sauteed it Chinese style with some mushroom, carrots & baby corn. In fact, I did just that to accompany H's fish.

But I thought I wanted to play a little bit with this mange tout (which literally means eat everything). What an apt description of moi :) I opened the fridge.. and grabbed some stuff.

First, half tin of left over tuna & one slice of charred red bell pepper

I added 1 tsp mayonaise, lemon juice & lemon zest as well.

I boiled the mange-tout for about 1 min with salt

And slice one side open to create pockets

I stuffed the stuffing inside and sprinkle with some pepper.

It tastes okay, but they aren't the best pairing. Hmm.. crap!!

H spread the extra stuffing over a toasted bread.

Yeah, double crap. 

Day 22: Vegetable Fritters

Something to eat on the road.. la di dah! 

Original recipe is courtesy of Indochinekitchen here..

and here's how I did mine.

Dont worry about measurement. Have no fear.

Everything will turn out well...

.. eventually..

.. usually..

Start by chopping your vegetables. 

I used 3/4 can of corn, drained

6 long beans, chopped

 1 large red chili, deseed & chopped

In your pestle & mortar, 1 medium garlic, 2 candlenuts, several shallots. 

Pounded till turn into a paste.

Add in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 white pepper, 1/2 tsp sugar,1/2 tsp coriander powder

Voila. 

And while rummaging my things, I found a can of beansprouts. 

Off they go to the bowl :)

Add 1 egg

5 heaping tbsp of flour (I actually used self raising flour, to make them fat :))

1 tbsp of chicken coating (I didn't have rice flour)

A little water.. don't worry about the exact measurement.

You'll soon see what I mean.

Mix them till they start gluing together and not too wet.

If still too wet, add in the flour. 

Scoop 1 tbsp into hot oil & deep fry till brown on all sides.

If you see them breaking (i.e. as in my case, several corns decided to fly solo), add in more flour

to form a thicker batter.

Don't worry. Drink a glass of wine.

Who cares it's 9am. Your kitchen. Your rules.

Don't forget to taste & adjust seasoning. 

Add salt, pepper or any seasoning if you wish.

Then fry one more.

Taste and adjust till you're happy.

I know my driver and I were very happy. 

"muito boa, madam"

Carrot Salad Chez Nous

There are many carrot salad out there but here's I did mine, inspired by Aarti Party Morrocan Carrot Salad.

First, do the lemon infused oil.

In a cast iron, pour OO just enough to cover the base and throw in some slices of lemon. I used 3 slices, which then I cut into half moon, then further into quarter.

Let it cook/fry until caramelization happens. Yeap, you read it right. After 5-10 mins, you'll start seeing the edges turn brown and starts to caramelize. Cook for about 15 mins till done. Don't let it burn!

Carrot Salad Chez Nous (serve 2)

Ingredients:
* 3 medium-large carrot, shredded
* 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, pounded
* 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, pounded
* 1 tsp black peppercorn, pounded
* 1/2 tsp paprika
* 3 tbsp chopped parsley
* 3 tbsp Orange juice
* cheddar, cubed.. quantity as desired
* 2 tbsp sliced almonds
* 1.5 tbsp Lemon infused oil
* 4 tbsp OO
* Balsamic vinegar

How to:
* In large bowl, add in your spices, orange juice, olive oil, lemon infused oil & some balsamic vinegar. Whisk well.

* Add in the shredded carrot, toss. Add in the parsley & the almonds, toss. Add in the cheddar, toss.

* Taste & adjust the seasoning if needed.

Champignons farcis au Jambon & Amande

Ola. 

I wish I could tell you something monumental happened during the absence. Nope. Nein. Nich. H's company just forgot to pay the internet bill, as is the case every month. Before you say anything, mind you that he's working for a MNC. But even a big corporation such as his adapts to local flavor. 

Anyway, you'd be please to know that I'm still experimenting with recipes and do my own rendition. First coming up, stuffed mushroom. Original recipe came from this tapas book I bought last Xmas. 

It calls for pistachio (ka-ching), mushroom (double ka-ching) and jambon (ok..). Here's my Angolan version.

Stuffed mushroom with Ham & Almond (serve 2)

Ingredients

* 6 button mushroom, wiped clean and buttons removed

* 4 ham (I used salami this round)

* 1 knob butter

* handful of fresh almonds, toasted

* 5-6 medium shallots

* S+P

How to:

* Preheat oven to 175C. 

* Except the mushroom, add all ingredients into the food processor. Process till smooth. Add more butter if they are too crumbly or not sticking together. 

* Stuffed the mushroom with the paste and bake for 10 mins. 

Serve VERY HOT. 

Baked Tuna Wonton

Inspired by Tuna Rangoon here, I sacrificed my wonton wrappers and made some party starters.

Tuna Wonton (yield 12 wontons)

Ingredients:
* 2 tin of tuna, drained
* 2 wedges of cream cheese (I use President)
* 1.5 tsp mayonaise
* 2 green onions/ chives
* 1 small red onion
* 1 clove garlic
* 12 wonton wrappers.  I used spring roll wrapper that I cut into 4 sheets each.

How to: 
* Preheat oven to 175 C.

* Add the green onions/ chives, red onion & garlic in a food processor, and spin for 5-10 sec till they are roughly minced.

* Add the rest of ingredients and spin for another few second. Try not to make the paste too smooth. Some texture is better.

* On your wrapper, dump 1.5 tsp of tuna paste right in the middle. Wet the edges and fold into triangle. Repeat for the rest of wrappers.

* Bake for 10 mins or less, till brown. Leave in wire rack till cool. You do not want to burn your tongue.

Serve with cold beer :)

Personal note: I think I will add some water chestnut, or pistachio or diced prosciutto to give it even more texture as you bite through. Even some mushroom will be good. But H loves it as it is. The skin is very crispy and the tuna is very smooth :) 

They are gone within 5 mins. Watch out, they are quite filling.