Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic and Chilli

Do you have one of those days where you are feeling crummy but you still need to cook because 1) you have some beautiful fresh produce that you'll really like to use up or 2) you're sick of eating take-outs or 3) you have a hungry (slow carb diet) husband to feed or 4) all of the above? 

Yesterday was one of those days for me (crummy + option 4) and I thought I'll rely on my new best friend in the kitchen - the oven - to help me prepare a simple dinner of roast chicken and mushrooms (along with instant miso soup and pak choy). 

And because I was feeling crummy, I did not take pictures of my food, as I normally would. It was only when PJ and I were almost done with the mushrooms, did he say that the mushrooms were really delicious and I should have taken a picture. 

So here is the afterthought:  

I am normally quite critical of my own cooking - but I have to shamelessly proclaim this pot as really yummy and the stock tasted like spaghetti alle vongole in bianco (without the spaghetti and clams)! That's because mushrooms are really rich in umami (just as clams are) and combined with olive oil, garlic and chilli flakes... yum!

Serves: 2-4 as a side dish
Cooking time: 30 minutes

ingredients
400g fresh mushrooms (I used a mix of white button and baby portobello), sliced
1 scant tsp salt
3-4 fat garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 scant tsp red chilli flakes
Generous drizzle of olive oil (around 2-3 tbsp)

method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Put the mushrooms in an oven proof casserole with lid. Sprinkle the salt, minced garlic, pepper and chilli flakes over the mushrooms. Drizzle the olive oil over and stir to mix well. Put the lid on, place the casserole in the preheated oven and let it do its magic for 30 minutes.

Serve as a side dish to roast chicken or pour it over spaghetti al dente for a vegetarian vongole! :)

Baked Mushroom and Tomato Rice

A really simple and healthy one-pot dish. 

Serves: 2 hungry people 

Cooking Time: 

ingredients

200g basmati rice, rinsed and drained 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 large onion, chopped 

2 tsp fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary 

250g button mushrooms, quartered 

2 red peppers, diced 

400g tomatoes, chopped 

425ml vegetable stock 

Dash of black pepper 

Chopped parsley (optional) 

method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. 

Heat oil in a casserole dish and fry the chopped onion until soft. Stir in the rosemary and mushrooms and fry briefly. Add the rice, coat it in the oil then add the peppers, tomatoes, vegetable stock and some pepper. Bring to the boil, stir, cover tightly and then bake for 20-25 minutes. 

Serve hot with freshly ground black pepper and chopped parsley. 

Chicken Porridge

Porridge is a staple in my mum's kitchen. We would either have it plain, paired with various stir-fried dishes or just some salty dishes such as salted fish, omelette with preserved radish; or my mum will throw in bits of meat or fish and mushroom to make a complete one-pot meal. The one-pot wonder is also something she cooks when we are sick or nursing a weak stomach (or when we had our wisdom tooth taken out) so you can imagine how porridge screams "comfort food!" for me. As such, when my husband fell sick in Mumbai, I decided to make a one-pot wonder to provide some comfort.

Serves: 2 hungry people 

Cooking time: 1 hr 50 mins

Ingredients

• 10 cups of water
• 250g chicken bones
• 1 medium white onion, halved 
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed 
• 2-3 inch piece of carrot, quartered 
• 2 one-inch fresh ginger, peeled and crushed 
• 10 black (can mix with white) peppercorns, crushed 
• 3 fresh sage/bay/basil leaves (up to your taste) 
• 3/4 cup white rice, pounded 
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 8-10 white button mushrooms, quartered 
• 2 tbsp fish sauce 
• Grounded white pepper to taste
• Sliced ginger to garnish
• Chopped spring onion to garnish   

Method 

1. Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add chicken bones, onion, garlic, carrot, ginger, peppercorns and leaves. Simmer gently (without breaking into a boil), uncovered, for around 1 hour. According to Keys to Good Cooking, bubbling clouds the stock with tiny particles of protein and fat; gently moving water allows the particles to cluster and either rise to the surface or fall to the bottom. The open pot cools the stock surface, dries the protein scum and begins the concentration process. 
2. Keep chicken bones, ginger and carrots in stock. Remove and discard everything else. Skim off most of the fat. 
3. Add pounded rice to stock and simmer, partially covered, for 15-20 mins until rice is cooked. 
4. Add chicken drumsticks and simmer for 12-15 mins.  
5. Add mushrooms and simmer for another 10-15 mins. 
6. Remove chicken bones from pot. 
7. Stir in fish sauce and pepper. 
8. Serve garnished with the sliced ginger and spring onion. 

Notes/Tips

• Pounding is optional but it really helps to create a smoother porridge. 
• Always pound damp/wet rice: The first time I made this dish, I made the mistake of pounding dry rice. It was an uphill task and took up so much of my time. The second time, I pounded damp rice and it was SO EASY. 
• Stir occasionally throughout the simmering process to prevent scorching at the bottom of the pot. 
• Top up with hot water when mixture becomes too dry for your liking. 
• You can marinate the chicken bones and thighs with some cooking wine (I use hua diao jiu), salt and pepper prior to cooking. I like the marinade to sit for at least 2-3 hours. 
• Basmati rice is used for this recipe because this is the main type of rice in India. Thai jasmine rice (which is what my mother uses) will be beautiful too.