The Frugal Kitchen: Ginger and Turmeric Chicken and Rice

 I woke up this morning feeling puny and decided to cook a dish that I find both healing and comforting.  It’s a version of chicken and yellow rice that’s heavy on two health giving spices, turmeric and ginger.

Ingredients 

4 chicken thighs 

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 small onion, roughly chopped 

4 or 5 minced garlic cloves 

1 teaspoon powdered turmeric 

4 teaspoons powdered coriander 

2 tablespoons finely minced ginger 

1 teaspoon finely minced jalapeño 

5 cups chicken broth 

1 bunch Tatsoi or Pak Choi, leaves separated from the stems 

1 1/2 cups rice 

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro 

1 teaspoon salt 

Black pepper to taste 

Heat the oil in a heavy pot, add onion, garlic, coriander, turmeric, ginger and jalapeño, lightly sauté.  Add chicken broth, chicken thighs, black pepper and tatsoi stems.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook covered for an hour.  Remove chicken thighs from the pot and allow to cool.  Remove the meat from the bones, return to pot.  Add salt, tatsoi leaves, cilantro and rice to the pot and simmer covered for 30 minutes.  Most, but not all of the liquid should have been absorbed by the rice.  If you prefer to serve this as a soup add more chicken broth.

This dish was a hit with my family and definitely one of my favorite comfort foods.

Enjoy and God Bless,

Pam

The Frugal Kitchen: Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)

Oyakodon is a Japanese comfort food.  Just like we think of home when we eat chicken noodle soup or macaroni and cheese, the Japanese turn to Oyakodon to return them to their grandmother's home.  It is a very easy dish to make and well worth buying a couple of special ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

4 chicken thighs, skinned and boned
1 onion
2 cups dash stock or vegetable stock
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp. mirin (Japanese rice wine)
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. flavorless cooking oil

Start by cooking enough rice for four people.  I used a long grain white rice.

Cut the chicken into one inch pieces (bite sized).  Add the oil to a large skillet (one with a cover), heated to medium.  Add the chicken and cook until all the pink is gone and it is starting to brown.

Cut the onion in half, then slice thinly.  Add to the chicken and stir until onion is soft.

Add the stock, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.  Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered, for about ten minutes.  You want the stock to reduce to concentrate the flavors.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl until well beaten and pour over the ingredients in the pan.  Do not stir.  Cover and cook until the eggs are done, about five minutes.

After cooking it will look like this:

Place the cooked rice in the bowls, then spoon up the egg and chicken mixture.  Make sure to include about a 1/2 cup of the liquid.

This is so good; it's hard to describe the flavor.  Slightly salty, slightly sweet chicken goodness,  Enjoy!

God bless,
Pam