Thai Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry (Pad Khing) with Cauli-Rice

Ok so I am not going to go all 'banting crazy' here as I am not completely convinced... but I do think it is smart to limit carbs in general, especially at dinner time. I attempted cauliflour pizza's on the weekend (recipe to follow soon) and it was so tasty! I was craving stir fry today so thought I'd try cauli-rice instead of ordinary rice...

Cauli-Rice

So Easy!! OK so for two people I used one small head of cauliflower. I broke off the florets and rinsed them in a colander. I then blitzed the florets in my food processor for about 20 seconds. It will look kind of like cous cous at this stage. 

The next step blew me away at how easy it was!! All I did was put my cauli rice into a microwavable bowl and covered the bowl with cling wrap. I set the microwave to 5 mins and THAT WAS IT! Perfectly cooked cauli-rice.

Thai Ginger Chicken Stir Fry (Pad Khing)

Serves 2

400g chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp chilli

Oil for frying (I used Sesame but ordinary canola is fine)

1 thumb of ginger, cut into match sticks- click here to learn how

4 spring onions, chopped

1 red pepper, sliced

1 packet mushrooms (I used enoki mushrooms from woolworths)

Sauce

2 tbs fish sauce

1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs soya sauce

1tsp sugar/honey

4 tbs water

-combine these ingredients in a bowl

How to

• Heat oil in a suace pan with a lid. I used something like this.
• Add garlic and fry for about 30 seconds. 
• Add the chicken and fry until slightly brown.
• Add the sauce to the chicken and allow to reduce a little bit - about 2 mins.
• Add the remaining ingredients and give it stir. Cook for about a minute and then put the lid on for about 2-3 mins to 'steam' the vegetables.
• Take the lid off and stir in some fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve with cauli-rice.

I am being good in the week with regards to drinking wine but if I wasn't- Alvi's Drift Viognier 2013 is the perfect partner to a good ginger based dish.

Enjoy! 

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Best red quinoa salad

This is so simple and so delicious... even better the next day for lunch. 

Ingredients

1 cup of cooked red quinoa

250g baby rosa tomatoes

1 tablespoon of Pesto (your choice!)

200g feta

3 green onions

4 medium chicken breasts

Pumpkin seeds

1 avo, chopped

1 tin chickpeas, drained

Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

Olive Oil

First you prep the ingredients separately as follows:

• Chicken- coat in salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon and place in a pre heated oven (200'C) for 15 mins. Check to see if they are cooked- the juices will run clear. Leave to cool and then chop into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.
• Baby rosa tomatoes- I like to roast these too. Coat in olive oil and place on a baking tray under your chicken in a preheated oven (200'C). These will also take about 15 mins depending on how 'roasted' you like them. Add these to the bowl with the cooled chicken.
• Chop the spring onion and add to the bowl.
• Add the drained chickpeas
• Crumble in the feta.
• Add your cooked red quinoa 
• Add your pesto and then follow with salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil to taste.
• Finish off with chopped avo, a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and ENJOY!!

Serve with a nice crisp white wine- we drank a La Motte Sauvignon Blanc 2012.

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Pomegranate, feta and rocket salad

So I have just returned from a long and relaxing holiday in Mauritius. I am completely in love with that place. The food is incredible. With Creole, French, Indian and Asian influences you are spoilt for choice! We ate our body weight in the freshest seafood known to man. I also tasted Sea Urchin for the very first time. The French cheese, charcuterie and wine was a real treat!

We were also fortunate, thanks to Cyclone Bejisa, to spend some time indoors cooking and sampling all the fresh produce Mauritius had to offer. I love pomegranate but its expensive and hard to find here in SA. Whilst my foodie friends prepared the main course, I was on salad duty. This is one of my new favourites. Its so easy to make.

Pomegranate, feta and rocket salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 large handfuls of fresh rocket, washed.

200g of feta, cubed

1 small red onion, finely sliced.

Small handful of mint, chopped

I large pomegranate's worth of seeds (don't know how to seed a pomegranate? Look here)

Dressing:

Juice of one or two limes- depending on size

1 tablespoon of honey

Vinegar of your choice ( I used Tarragon infused but a red wine vinegar works really well)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all of the ingredients together and drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Serve with a crisp and fruity rose - Ours was French of course.

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Healthy Salmon, Avo and Lemon "Pizza"

So I have literally JUST made this for lunch and its SO delicious, simple and quick. It makes a great lunch but you could also serve it in slices as canapes or even as a starter.

Ingredients:

Makes 4 "Pizza's"

4 multi-grain wraps from Woolies.

1 large avo

250g Salmon ribbons (or trout)

1 Mediterranean cucumber- thinly sliced

One lemon

salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly grease a pan with olive oil spray and cook and cook the wraps one at a time until crispy (or you can use a grill, panini press etc). Take them off the heat and cut into 6ths whilst it is still slightly warm and 'pliable'. Leave to cool for just a few minutes.

Once its cool to the touch, layer each piece with a slice of avo, some salmon and thinly sliced cucumber. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper.

You can get creative with this recipe. It's so easy. My other favourite is a Caprese 'Pizza' with fresh basil, baby rosa tomatoes and bocconcini.

Serve with a crisp Chenin Blanc

- I had Rickety Bridge 2011 Chenin blanc

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In the Tasting room: La Vierge Weisser Riesling

This wine is the perfect partner to any spicy curry - we enjoyed it last night with my favourite comfort food, Butter Chicken.  This is a typical Weisser Riesling in that the very first thing you get on the nose is a greasy, brake fluid, turpentine smell. Some might be put off but for me that's the sign that you have found yourself a goodie.  You will also get a bit of green melon coming through on the nose too. The wine on its own is racy, with a lingering palate and great texture. As soon as you pair it with something spicy, you have a completely different wine. Round, full bodied and fragrant- delicious. I would say that this is definitely a food wine! I bought mine from the farm for under a R100.

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