25 November 2014

Chicken Satay & a Fiery Noodle Salad


This is one of Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals & yes it did take a little longer. Maybe 45 minutes which was fine by me.  45 minutes chilling, chopping, whizzing, grilling was the perfect wind down for me after a busy day.  A little me time & at the end of it a fresh, full of flavour, spicy, fresh dinner.

And why not just take a little time?  We spend so much time rushing around. There's really no need to run around frantic just to save a few minutes.  Just take a few & enjoy the process &  you'll have dinner on the table & everyone happy & eating in no time at all. Sometimes you should just take a little time.

I was having a chat with a friend the other day who asked me how I had time to chill out & take some me time. It's simple really I just make a little time for me time, otherwise I would go insane. Sometimes you just need the quiet. Besides I think we will always find the time to do things that we really want to do whether it's to read a book, watch a movie or a favorite TV show, take a yoga class or hit the gym. For me a little me time is good for body & soul, it's a little calm out of the daily crazy.  And if it means a few chores don't get done until later so be it.  There's most definitely more to life than chores & a never ending list of things to be done; a compelling need to always have something you have to do. Just stop for a little.



Here's a wee poem from Rose Milligan that sums it up nicely.


Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.


So leave the dusting for another day & do something you enjoy & take a little me time.

The cat has the right idea!
Chicken Satay & a Fiery Noodle Salad, from Jamie's 30 Minute Meals

Ingredients

Satay
½ a small bunch of fresh coriander
1 fresh red chilli, roughly chopped
½ a clove of garlic, peeled & roughly chopped
3 heaped tbsp good-quality crunchy peanut butter, I used Pics*
Soy sauce
A 2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled & roughly chopped
2 limes

the best peanut butter...ever!

Chicken
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Runny honey, for drizzling

Noodle Salad
250g dried medium egg noodles (1 nest per person)
100g unsalted cashews, roughly chopped
½ a medium-sized red onion, peeled & roughly chopped
1 red chilli, roughly chopped
A small bunch of fresh coriander
1–2 tbsp soy sauce
1 lime
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp runny honey

Garnish
2 baby cos lettuce
½ a small bunch of fresh coriander
1 red chilli, sliced
1 lime



Directions

Turn your grill on to high & soak the wooden skewers in a tray of cold water.

For the satay place the coriander (stalks & all) into a food processor; I used my trusty Russell Hobbs.  Add the chilli, garlic, peanut butter & a splash of soy sauce. Just add a splash for now & then you can add a little more if need be, it’s a lot easier to add then take out & you don’t want it to overpower the satay.  I found a splash to be plenty. Add the ginger, the zest of both the limes & the juice of one. Add a couple of splashes of water & whizz to a spoonable consistency. Season to taste & adjust if need be. Spoon half the satay into a little bowl & place on a large platter.

Cut the chicken in to bite sized pieces & thread them on to the skewers.  Scoop the rest of the satay mix from the processor into a roasting tray, add the chicken skewers & toss with your hands to coat, rubbing the flavour into the chicken. Put on the top shelf of the oven, under the grill, for about 8 to 10 minutes on each side, or until golden & cooked through.

Trim the bases off the little lettuces & get rid of any wilted outer leaves. Pick the rest of the leaves off, halving the cores, rinse & dry& place on a platter. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil & cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.   Place a medium frying pan over a low heat & add the cashew nuts & toast, tossing occasionally until golden.  But keep an eye on then as they can go from toasty to totally charred very quickly.


Rinse out your food processor & pop the red onion half in with the chilli & the stalks from the coriander.  Pulse until finely chopped & then place into a large serving bowl with 1 or 2 tablespoons of soy sauce & a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime & stir in 1 teaspoon each of sesame oil & fish sauce. Mix well, then taste & adjust the seasoning if need be. Drain the noodles in a colander, refresh quickly under cold water, drain again & add to the bowl.

Toss your cashews & turn the heat under them up to high. Add 1 teaspoon of honey, mixing & tossing the nuts in the pan. Once dark golden, tip them into the serving bowl & add the coriander leaves. Toss everything together & place on the platter with the lettuce & satay sauce.

Turn the skewers over, drizzle with a little runny honey & place them back under the grill for 8 to 10 minutes more or until cooked through.

Roughly chop the coriander leaves and finely slice the chilli & pop them in to little side bowls & add them to the platter along with some lime wedges.  Pile the chicken skewers on the platter & serve alongside the noodle salad.  Scoop up a lettuce leaf & fill with chicken, a little satay, chilli, coriander, noodle salad & a squeeze of lime & eat.

Bright, fresh & just a little fiery!


For all things Russell Hobbs head here.



Enjoy!

5 comments:

  1. Girl after my own heart - bugger the dust, I say. Love that poem and this dish pretty good too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Mairi, oooh I do hope you'll swing by to Food on Friday to add this to Chicken! Cheers from Carole from Carole's Chatter

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is a really special satay and noodle, probably will have a lot flavors in it. But rather refreshing if compare with Asian style satay that has added more spices and strong flavors. And I am thinking to use the satay sauce as the dressing for the noodle. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm a country girl at heart. I tried living in the city and it just didn't work. Welcome to my ramblings as a teacher and wife.

    from katie evans
    http://tasteusa.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

  5. This is a website that sells Dog food. Not only can you buy it here, but you can also buy snacks for pets and reward your pet for good behavior. Your pet will be happy to cuddle with you.Not only is there just food for dogs,there are purina dog food to choose from,and you can definitely buy the best and most suitable pet foods for your pet.

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