Whether you have 15 or 50 minutes to whip up
something delicious, we guarantee it’ll be a snap with these easy, quick-fire
recipes.
Monday: Roast chicken salad sandwich
10 minutes
Make use of shredded roast chicken to rice
up this classic. Add caramelized onions and red bell peppers for a touch of
sweetness. For even more flavor, toss leftover roast chicken skin into the mix.
Serves: 4 to
5 (makes around 8 sandwiches)
Prep time: 6
minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes
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1½ tablespoons olive oil
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1 cup diced onions
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1 cup red bell peppers
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3 cups shredded roast chicken
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1½ cups mayonnaise
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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Salt and white bread, toasted
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8 leaves lettuce (optional)
1. Heat oil in a skillet and sauté onions. Caramelize over medium heat
for 2 minutes or until are translucent and light brown in color.
2. Add red bell peppers and continue to sauté for another minute.
Remove from heat and let cool.
3. In a bowl, mix together shredded chicken, mayonnaise, lemon juice,
onions, and bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve chicken salad sandwich between 2 slices of white bread and
some lettuce.
Tuesday: Shrimp and black mushroom fried rice
20 minutes
Who doesn’t enjoy good ol’ fried rice?
Simply toss everything into a wok and it’s ready to go!
Serve: 4
Prep time:
12 minutes, plus marinating time
Cooking time: 8 minutes
For the marinade
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4 tablespoons oyster sauce
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4 tablespoons soy sauce
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1½ teaspoons sugar
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15 pieces, shrimp, peeled and deveined
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Olive oil for sautéing
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½ cup diced onions
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8 pieces dried black mushroom, soaked in water
for 3 or 4 minutes and sliced
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4 cups cooked rice
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2 eggs, beaten
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Salt and pepper, to taste
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Chopped spring onions for garnish
1. Make the marinade: Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in a
bowl. Marinate shrimp for 10 to 20 minutes.
2. In a wok or a large frying pan over medium heat, sauté onions in
olive oil until translucent. Add shrimp and cook well; reserve marinade.
3. Add mushroom and half the shrimp marinade. Add rice, making sure to
mix well.
4. Lower heat and pour in beaten egg. Mix well until incorporated.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped spring onions
before serving.
Tip
For a more colorful and flavorful dish, add
other meats and vegetables such as diced ham or sliced carrots.
Wednesday: Chicken shish taouk with garlic yogurt
30 minutes
A traditional Lebanese dish, these chicken
kebabs are marinated in yogurt and then flavored with cumin and paprika. Serve
with garlic yogurt and pita bread on the side to complete the dining
experience.
Make: 8
kebabs
Prep time:
18 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating time
Cooking time: 12 minutes
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12 (175-gram) chicken breast fillets
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1 cup plain yogurt
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4 tablespoons cumin
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2 tablespoons paprika
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3 tablespoons tomato paste
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2 tablespoons rock salt
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1 tablespoons ground black pepper
For the garlic yogurt
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3 heads garlic, peeled
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1 cup yogurt
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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Salt and pepper, to taste
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2 large red bell peppers
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2 large green bell peppers
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2 large red onions, peeled
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8 skewers (if using bamboo skewers, soak in
water before using)
1. Slice chicken fillets into 1-inch cubes. Marinate cubed chicken in
yogurt, cumin, paprika, tomato paste, salt, and pepper for at least 20 minutes
or an hour at most.
2. Meanwhile, make the garlic yogurt: Slice off tops of garlic heads.
Place on a tray and roast in a toaster oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the
outsides are brown and crisp and the clovers have the consistency of paste. Mix
garlic cloves with yogurt; add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Chill until ready
to serve.
3. Slice bell peppers into 1½-inch squares. Slice red onions into
quarters.
4. Alternately thread chicken, bell peppers, and onions onto skewers.
Grill kebabs for 2 minutes on each side or until chicken is fully cooked. Serve
with garlic yogurt and pita bread, if desired.
Tip
The yogurt marinade can cause kebabs to
stick to the grill, so be sure to oil the grill well.
