dinner for one – My Whisk and I

Udon and Dumplings

February 29, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

15ml tahini paste
15ml sesame oil
15ml miso
15ml soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
5ml grated ginger
500ml chicken stock
250ml milk
200g udon noodles
frozen dumplings, defrosted
30ml black sesame seeds
45ml chopped chives
chilli oil

Place a saucepan on medium-high heat and add the tahini, sesame, miso, soy, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for one minute or so.
Add the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring continuously. Keep going until all the stock has been added.
Pour in the milk and bring the mixture to a slow simmer.
Add the udon noodles, cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the dumplings, place the lid back on and cook on a low heat until warmed through.
Scatter over the sesame seeds and chives and drizzle with chilli oil to serve.

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Spicy Fried Rice

August 7, 2023July 31, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

15g butter
15ml olive oil
1 large/2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, finely diced
50g curry paste (I used Rogan Josh paste – use a milder paste if you are not a fan of heat!!)
30ml tomato paste
500ml cooked rice
45ml soy sauce

Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add the butter and oil.
Add the onion and fry until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Now add the carrots and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the curry and tomato paste and stir to mix through.
Add the cooked rice and stir until the rice is evenly coated.
Pour in the soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes, until the soy has been absorbed.
Serve warm.

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Soy Chicken with Pickled Cucumber

May 25, 2023May 18, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
60ml apple cider vinegar
5ml salt
5ml sugar

60ml soy sauce
30ml honey
4 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed
30ml vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2,5ml ground coriander

For the pickle:
Add the sliced onion and cucumber to a bowl and pour the vinegar over.
Sprinkle over the salt, sugar and a few grindings of black pepper.
Mix through, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

For the chicken:
Add the soy and honey to a shallow bowl and stir to combine.
Add the chicken to the sauce and stir to coat.
Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil.
Add the garlic and coriander and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Take the breasts from the marinade and cook for 3 minutes per side. It is important to regulate the heat as the chicken can burn easily at this stage.
Add the reserved marinade and 60ml water to the pan.
Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Cover with a lid and cook the breasts for 15 minutes, turning half-way through the cooking time.
Remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium-high.
Cook the chicken for another 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced and the chicken is shiny and glazed.
Serve with steamed rice, pickled cucumber and the sauce.

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Pasta with Peanut Butter Sauce

December 1, 2022November 30, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

You may serve any pasta with this peanut butter sauce but it does coat spaghetti rather well. This is enough sauce for about 250g dry weight, spaghetti.

125ml peanut butter
30ml soy sauce
30ml brown sugar
15ml lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
90ml very warm water
100ml peanuts, chopped

Cook the pasta of your choice while making the sauce/keep your pasta warm.
Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and garlic to a LARGE mixing bowl and whisk together to blend. The mixture will be extremely thick but keep stirring and mixing with the whisk until blended.
Add about 15ml of the warm water to the mixture and stir/blend/whisk until the water has been incorporated.
Keep adding a small amount of water and whisking until all the water is incorporated and you are left with a smooth, thick sauce.
Add the hot pasta to the sauce and toss through until the pasta is covered in the sauce.
Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle the chopped peanuts over to serve.

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Spicy Pad Thai Noodles

October 27, 2022October 27, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

750ml chicken stock
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
2 red chillies, halved
2,5ml ground ginger
20ml soy sauce
10ml sugar
20ml oyster sauce
2,5ml sesame oil
2 x 200g fresh pad thai noodles
2 eggs, soft-boiled, peeled and halved
a handful of sliced green onion

Add the chicken stock, garlic, chillies, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce and sesame oil to a small saucepan and set it over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer.
Add the noodles and gently agitate it with a fork until it comes apart.
Place a lid on the saucepan and gently simmer for 10 minutes until the noodles are cooked.
Spoon the noodles and some of the broth into two serving bowls, add the boiled egg and scatter with the green onion to serve.

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Saucy Udon Noodles

September 8, 2022September 7, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The recipe makes one large portion but may be doubled as needed.

Sauce:
30ml cornstarch
125ml water, room temperature
60ml soy sauce
45ml honey
15ml lemon juice
2,5ml sesame oil

200g udon noodles
100g mushrooms, pan-fried
cucumber cut into thin “sticks”
radish cut into thin “sticks”

Ensure that the mushrooms are cooked and the cucumber and radish have been sliced and prepped.

For the sauce:
Add the cornstarch to a small mixing bowl and add just enough of the 125ml water to dissolve the cornstarch. Stir briefly.
Add the rest of the water, soy, honey, lemon juice and sesame oil and whisk together until fully incorporated.
Place a pan on medium heat, add the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously.
Remove the sauce from the heat as soon as it thickens – it is going back on so simply pull it away.

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions.
Place the sauce back on the heat and add the noodles.
Stir for about a minute so that the noodles absorb some of the sauce.
Spoon the noodles and any sauce into a serving bowl and arrange the mushroom, cucumber and radish on the noodles.
Serve immediately and slurp away!!