The Apartment Kitchen » rice

Chicken Fried Rice

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:54:03 +0000

I have never (before this post) made chicken fried rice. This is primarily because we never (and I mean never) have leftover rice. So when I made waaaaay too much rice last week aside some chicken, I excitedly got out my wok and made the first fried rice my kitchen has ever seen (outside of a takeout container).

Like most of the things I make, this can be customized with your favorite (read: leftover) meats and veggies. The result was delicious and so easy, I will be making too much rice from now on, just so I can make this the next day!

Chicken Fried Rice

Served 4
Leftover Potential: Reheats well and is pretty good cold – like leftover takeout!

2 bone-in chicken breasts (with skin
salt and pepper, as needed

1 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 cups diced Chinese sausage
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced

2 1/2 cups leftover rice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp garlic-chili sauce, or more to taste
1 tsp Oyster sauce

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Roast it in a 350 degree oven until cooked through, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely. Remove the skin. Dice the meat and reserve.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a wok or large saute pan. Add the diced sausage and saute until the sausage is on the crisp side and the fat is rendered. Remove the sausage and reserve.
3. Add the green onions, celery, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Saute until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
4. Add the rice to the pan and stir to combine. Add the chicken and sausage back to the pan, and toss to combine. Stir fry until the rice is heated through.
5. Season the rice with soy sauce, vinegar, chili sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir well to combine.

Spicy Rice and Beans

theapartmentkitchen — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:58:37 +0000

A few times I like to cook and eat vegetarian. Ok, so more than sometimes. So basically, multiple times a week, I turn to Matt and say “cook whatever meat you want that goes with this.” The man is a major carnivore, but it does not stop me from my tasty plotting. I started craving rice and beans this week – warm and hearty and perfect in cold weather. When I got home from work, I went for a walk with the dog and the roommates, came home, and had dinner on the table in less than half an hour. A perfect night.

Spicy Rice and Beans

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: Reheats pretty well, and made just enough for breakfast the next morning: with a fried egg on top!

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup rice

1/4 cup tomato puree

3/4 cup broth

3/4 cup peas

salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

1/4 cup tomato puree

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp coriander

1 1/2 cup black beans, cooked

1 1/2 cup pinto beans, cooked

1 bunch green onions, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a small pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and rice and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

2. Add the tomato and the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil for the beans in a medium pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add te jalapeno and garlic and saute until fragrant.

4. Add the tomato puree and spices. Simmer until the tomato evaporated somewhat.

5. Stir in the beans and green onions, simmer to heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

6. When the liquid has evaporated and the rice is tender, stir in the peas, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the beans!

Coconut Rice Pudding

theapartmentkitchen — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:13:13 +0000

I’ve been working late on some birthday cakes (soon to be seen in an upcoming post) and after I’m done, I’m wiped out. Tonight my roommate and I went to a local diner for dinner. As we got ready to pay the bill, she said “I think I’ll get some rice pudding to take home with us.” I said no way…there’s nothing better than homemade rice pudding.

And just like that, I was back in the kitchen again.

Coconut Rice Pudding

Makes 8-10 servings.

Leftover Potential: Keep it in the fridge for up to a week for a comfort dessert whenever you need it!

3/4 cups arborio rice

2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1 cinnamon stick (or 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)

1/4 tsp salt

1. In a small pot, heat all ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly.

2. Reduce heat to a simmer, and stir until the rice absorbs the liquid.

3. Pour the pudding into a shallow baking dish and cover directly with plastic wrap so that the pudding doesn’t form a skin. Refrigerate until chilled or ready to serve. Remove vanilla bean.

Coconut Red Curry Lentils n' Rice

theapartmentkitchen — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:51:05 +0000

This blog is about food…but a few people have pointed out to me that the little snippets of text here and there really tie it together. Because it’s not always enough to grab a recipe and run – some of you like a little splash of real life in there too.

We had a fire at my house this week. Yes. It doesn’t get much more real than that. There is minimal damage and everyone and everything is safe (minus my bath mats, shower curtain, toilet seat and the tile in the bathroom). It happened in the middle of the night, which made it extra scary and I spent the next day recovering by ordering Chinese food. Yes…I don’t cook well (for myself) under pressure. But by the next day I had gathered my head and made something simple – a one pot meal that was fast and easy but quite comforting in it’s own right. Lentils and brown rice smothered in creamy coconut red curry. It was delicious and wonderfully spicy (great with a glass of something spritzy). You know what they say, after all, – fight fire with fire…

Coconut Red Curry Lentils n’ Rice

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: You can add any kind of veggies or meat you want to this, which makes it a great meal to make with leftovers. I’ve even made a similar meal substituting other grains: quinoa, barley, split peas, etc.

1/3 cup lentils and rice (combined

2/3 cup vegetable stock

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp ginger, minced

1/2 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 Tbsp red curry paste

3/4 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup veggies (I used carrots, celery, cauliflower, peas, and mushrooms…but you can use anything on hand – just remember to cut them all to roughly the same size…)

cilantro, roughly chopped for garnish

scallions, minced, for garnish

1. In a small pot, bring the lentils/rice and stock to a boil. Cover, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. If the mixture is not done, add a little more liquid and continue to cook until they are tender. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallions and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add he curry paste, stirring to combine. Add the coconut milk, and bring the mixture pan> to a simmer.

3. Stir in the veggies, and cook over medium heat until they are tender, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the cooked lentils and rice. Serve warm with cilantro and scallions.

I know, I know – this is so easy I probably didn’t need to post a recipe! But it is so, so good!

Giant Burritos with All the Fixins!

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:10:47 +0000

There are two parts to this story.

1. I don’t generally love chain restaurants. Sure, I am the occasional patron, but you’d be hard-pressed to find me frequenting the fast food or family-style restaurants that crowd every town’s restaurant landscape. But as with everything, there is one (huge) exception. Chipotle. Oh, how I miss Chipotle. In my hometown, there was one very near my house, and another one on the edge of town – both working to satisfy my gigantic burrito needs. But there is no Chipotle in Hyde Park or it’s surrounding cities. It was a devastating blow to my college years.

2. Funny things happen when you’re jetlagged. Usually, I am dead tired upon returning from a trip of some magnitude and I lounge in bed and struggle to get through the first week as I readjust to reality and my new time zone. But I think I was so used to operating on very little sleep on my European trip, that normal sleeping hours in bed have confounded me. The first night we were home, Matt and I slept at about midnight and found ourselves wide awake at 5:30 a.m. The next day, it was 6:00, and so on. As we strolled the aisles of the grocery store (the only thing to do anywhere at 6:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning), we realized that by shopping for a meal this early, we could do something I hardly ever do on the apartment kitchen – slow cooking techniques. This defies one of the rules I try to abide by – it is not QUICK. But, it’s so incredibly easy that I believe it cancels it out.

It’s the perfect kind of thing to do on a Sunday. Dry rub some ribs, and stick them in the oven at a low temperature, and leave them alone. Then shred the meat, layer it with toppings, and you have one very happy reproduction.

Giant Burritos with Slow-Roasted Spiced Pork and All the Fixins

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: All of these things keep extremely well, except the tortillas, which are never as good the next day. Try what we did – use leftover ingredients to make a burrito bowl or taco salad – it will use up all of the leftovers in a little bit of a new way. Made 2 meals after the initial dinner.

Slow-Roasted Spiced Pork

1 Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp paprika

2 tsp coriander

1 small pinch cayenne pepper

2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 pounds pork spare ribs

1. In a small bowl, mix the spices together to combine. Evenly apply the dry rub to the ribs. If it appears you’ll be needed more dry rub, double the recipe to ensure all the ribs have great flavor.

2. Place the ribs on a baking sheet in a 270 degree oven. Roast the ribs for 45 minutes, then turn each rib over using tongs, and roast for another 45 minutes.

3. Remove the ribs from the oven. Gently sprinkle sugar over the tops of the finished ribs, and turn the oven up to broil. Finish the ribs for 3 minutes under the broiler. Allow to cool slightly, and peel the meat from the bone. Set aside.

Mama’s Salsa

2 (14 oz) cans of diced tomatoes

1 (2 oz) can of diced green chilies

1/2 red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

salt and pepper, as needed

1. Mix all ingredients to combine in a large bowl. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor, and process lightly until smooth. Place the ingredients back in the bowl, and allow flavors to meld under refrigeration for at least 1/2 hour.

Fixins

guacamole (1 avocado, diced; 1/2 red onion, diced; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped; salt and pepper, as needed – mash to combine)

rice (1/4 cup rice; 1/2 cup water or broth; salt and pepper as needed; garnish with lime juice and cilantro)

corn and black bean mash (combine in a bowl, mashing the black beans slightly to release starches)

tortillas (best with homemade tortillas, rolled out extra large (use a dinner plate as a template))

Creamy Coconut Stir Fry

theapartmentkitchen — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:49:46 +0000

div>Matt and I rarely argue about food. We rarely argue at all, but he certainly (and most faithfully) eats whatever I plan to make. But yesterday he was in the mood for steak, and I was craving a Thai-inspired dish. So we did something we don’t normally do, we entered the store and later, the kitchen, divided. He made his steak, and I made a stir fry with crisp veggies and creamy coconut rice. Coconut water is something I love to use – it adds incredible coconut flavor without any fat, unlike coconut milk (another favorite ingredient). In the end, he cut me off a piece of his steak, and helped himself to a heaping spoonful of the rice. Because even when we do argue about food, it doesn’t change the fact that we’re hungry for more.

Creamy Coconut Stir Fry

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: I ate this as an entree and Matt ate it as a side, and we still had enough left over for a little lunch the next day.

1/2 cup rice

1 cup coconut water

1 Tbsp peanut oil

1/2 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup snap peas, halved

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 jalapeno, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ginger, minced

shredded chicken (optional)

salt, as needed

scallions, thinly sliced

cilantro, roughly chopped

1. In a small pot cook the rice in the coconut water until it is tender and has absorbed all of the liquid. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and snap peas. Stir fry until tender-crisp, 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the jalapeno, garlic, and ginger, and saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. If using, add the chicken and the rice, and toss to heat through. Season with salt.

4. Serve in warm bowls garnished with scallions and cilantro.

Indian Spiced Pork

theapartmentkitchen — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:41:23 +0000

Ok. So I admit it. I’m an Indian food junkie. It is what it is. And while there is a huge array of Indian recipes out there: my favorites tend to be those covered in thick, creamy sauces. Incredibly delicious, of course, but not incredible for the waistline. So I got the idea the other day to make a dish with all the flavors of one of my favorite Indian dishes – Rogan Josh – with a healthier edge. Rogan Josh is usually made with lamb, but I switched my recipe to pork (primarily due to a current lack of lamb in my store) and lightened up the sauce with tomato and Greek yogurt – so you still get a little bit of that creaminess going on.

The result was amazing – all Indian food is packed with flavor due to all the incredible spices, but in this dish they came through even more because they were’nt smothered behind an overly thick, fatty sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never abandon my now-perfected Chicken Tikka Masala recipe, but this does provide an answer for all you Indian food junkies out there who are occasionally looking for a healthier option (you know who you are).

Indian Spiced Pork

Served 2.
Leftover Potential: Reheats smashingly, and the flavors intensify over time.

1 Tbsp oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
salt, as needed
pepper, as needed
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp garam masala
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp oil
1 pound lean pork
salt, as needed
pepper, as needed
garam masala, as needed to coat

1. In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until aromatic, about 1 minute.
2. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, tumeric, paprika, and garam masala. Cook until fragrant, toasty aromas emit from the spices. Add the tomato paste and stir until browned slightly, 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until heated through. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt.
4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Season the pork with salt, pepper, and garam masalsa. Cook the pork until nicely browned on both sides, and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Toss in warm sauce to coat. Serve with rice (I used tasty brown rice cooked with garlic and chicken stock) and grilled scallions.

Poblanos Rellenos – Stuffed Poblano Peppers

theapartmentkitchen — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:19:46 +0000

A friend of mine asked me a few months ago how to reuse leftovers in new ways. Jessica Foulke, if you’re out there, this post is an answer to a question you asked me so long ago. At least, it’s one approach. I love to make “base” dishes that can be used in any number of ways – salads, stuffings, even as toppings for pizza. Think of something with basic layers of flavor, like this combination of beans, corn, rice, and meat. The resulting mix will, inevitably, produce leftovers, but ones that are quite versatile. I love to eat this mixture as a warm salad over wilted greens. Or, alternately, this recipe halves very easily. Then any other ingredients you have leftover can be used for a completely new recipe!

Poblanos Rellenos

Served 3.

Leftover Potential: Filling reheats very well, and roasted peppers can be kept refrigerated for up to a week.

3 poblano peppers

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground chicken, beef, or turkey

1 cup rice, cooked (I used brown rice, but any kind will work well)

1 1/2 cups corn

1 1/2 cups pinto beans

1 package taco seasoning (or your own blend: 2 tsp of cumin, 2 tsp of coriander, 1/4 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

salsa, to garnish

sour cream, to garnish

shredded cheese, to garnish

1. Roast the peppers over an open flame. This can be done on a grill, a gas stove, or even with a torch and tongs. Roast until the skins become blackened and blistered. Popping sounds are normal.

2. Heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add the ground meat. Break up the meat with your spatula, and cook until browned completely. Add the corn, beans, and rice and stir to combine completely and heat through. Season with the taco seasoning and toss to combine.

4. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and shredded cheese, if desired (without the sour cream and cheese, this is an extremely healthy, low calorie dish!!!)

Spicy Chicken and Rice

theapartmentkitchen — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:13:50 +0000

Nothing beats a meal made in one pot. It’s almost as fast to make as it is to clean up. Great for a weekend – just get all the ingredients going and the more it simmers – the more flavor builds up. So this weekend I decided to make a delicious, healthy, spicy comfort food – chicken and rice with peas, peppers, and onions. Simple, basic, and tasty. Best of all, you can add your own creativity to it – add any other vegetables or meat or spices that you like. So spice up the weekend – but don’t take forever to do the dishes.

Spicy Chicken and Rice

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: Reheats very well. Made 2 meals after the initial dinner.

2 Tbsp oil

1 onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small can tomato paste

1 1/2 cups rice

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 lb chicken thighs, skins removed, cut into bite size pieces

1 bag frozen peas

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp cayenne pepper

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

jalapenos, for garnish

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and the pepper and cook until lightly softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

2. Add the rice, and stir to combine. Cover the whole mixture with the chicken broth and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the chicken. Stir to combine. Season with the spices, salt and pepper.

3. Simmer everything until the liquid has nearly evaporated. Test the chicken for doneness then taste the rice for softness.

4. Serve the finished dish in warm bowls and garnish with jalapenos for extra kick.

Chicken Tikka Masala with Spiced Rice and Naan

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:29:00 +0000

There are some foods you just crave. The thought of it comes into your mind and you can physically not stop thinking about it until it’s resting comfortably in your belly. Chicken Tikka Masala is one of those foods for me. Though it’s widely regarded as an Americanized Indian dish, Chicken Tikka Masala is full of classic Indian flavors.

As with most Indian food, the ingredient list can look daunting, but it’s primarily due to the array of spices used. And nothing tops off the flavors like fluffy rice and some delicious naan, so all in all, this meal takes a bit more effort. You could always leave out any of the components, but if you’ve got the time, it’s definitely worth it.

Like a thick, creamy, delicious stew this is comfort food at it’s finest.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Served 3, plus leftovers
Leftover Potential: Naan never lasts long enough to become leftovers, but the rice and the chicken reheat easily, and can be mixed together for easy storage in the fridge. Made 2 more meals after the initial dinner.

For the marinade:
1 cup yogurt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp ginger, finely minced
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into cubes

bamboo skewers, for grilling*

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely minced
2 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp Garam Masala**
2 tsp salt, or more to taste
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream

cilantro, for garnish

1. Prepare the marinade by mixing all ingredients but the chicken together in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and allow to marinate for at least one hour in the refrigerator.
2. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.
3. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sweat until translucent. Then add the garlic and the jalapeno, and cook until aromatic.
4. Add the cilantro, cumin, paprika, garam masala, and salt. Stir to combine.
5. Add the tomatoes, and simmer over medium low heat until heated through and good flavor has developed.
6. Add the heavy cream and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
7. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and thread cubes onto the skewers. Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 8-9 minutes.
8. Remove chicken from skewers and add to sauce. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice and naan.

* Chicken can also be cooked in a large saute pan without the skewers, or broiled in the oven.
** You can make your own Garam Masala or use a purchased spice blend.

For the Spiced Rice:
1 tsp oil
1 clove garlic, minced finely
1/2 cup short grain white rice
1 cup chicken stock, or more as needed
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin

1. In a small pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic.
2. Add the rice, and then the chicken stock. Season with turmeric and cumin. Allow to simmer until the rice has absorbed the liquid completely. As more as needed. Serve with Chicken Tikka Masala.

For the Naan:

1/2 pound all purpose flour

1/2 oz yeast

1 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup water, or more as needed

1/4 cup whole milk yogurt

1/2 oz butter, melted

butter or oil, as needed for cooking

kosher salt, as needed

1. Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a medium bowl.

2. Combine water, yogurt, and butter in a small bowl.

3. Combine dry and wet ingredients. If using a mixer, mix on medium speed for 5 minutes. If kneading by hand, mix for 10 minutes.

4. Place in an oiled bowl and let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes – 1 hour or until doubled in size.

5. Cut the dough into smaller pieces, roll into a ball with your hands, then roll out flat with a rolling pin.

6. Brush both sides with butter, sprinkle lightly with salt, and cook in a small saute pan over medium high heat. Cook each side until brown and risen slightly. Serve warm.