STIR-FRIED BROCCOLI AND FISH FILLET

Budget: 150-200 (S$6)
Serves: 2-3 pax

Finish Product

Ingredients:
(Add/replace as you wish)

• Fish fillet (250 grams, cut into bite size, white-meat preferred but may be more expensive)
• Broccoli (1 pc medium, stems cut and hard skin peeled, cut into smaller pieces)
• Carrots (1 pc medium, cut in circular shape)
• Ginger (1 pc of 1-2 inches in size, refer to photo)
• Butter (1-2 tbsp)
• Chicken cube (1 pc, substitute with soy sauce if none, or chicken stock if possible)
• Corn starch (1 tbsp, dissolved in a very small amount of tap/warm water for thickening)
• Sugar (1/2 tsp) 
• Garlic (enough for saute, minced)
• Water (1-2 cups depends on how much sauce you want, I used 1.5 cups for this demo)
• Pepper (to taste, add according to preference)
• Salt (A pinch, to taste) 
• Cooking oil (1 tbsp)

Toman fish fillet. Look how pinkish and pretty that is!

Refer to uncut ginger on left for size

 Directions:
 (Alter as you wish)

1. Blanch vegetables: Rinse carrots and broccoli then put it in boiling water for 3 minutes. Put a pinch of salt. Remove and drain immediately. Run it with normal temp/cold water to stop the vegetables from further cooking. Set aside. (You may not blanch the carrots anymore, I just did so to cook it at a lesser time later)

Water is actually boiling. Just not visible in photo

2. Pre-cook fish: Melt butter in a pan/wok. Once it turns a little brown, cook the fish for about 2 minutes each side. Remove from the pan. (The photo below shows the state we want it to be before removing it from the pan. Don't worry if it looks a little undercooked as we will be cooking it further later)

3.Sauce: In the same pan (with all the burnt stuff removed), heat cooking oil/butter, whichever you prefer. Add ginger and cook for about a minute, pounding/crushing it in the process to release more flavor. Add garlic and saute till brownish in color. Toss in the carrots and increase heat to high (Remember: to stir-fry means to cook in high heat for a short period of time). Add water, chicken cube (or chicken stock or light soy sauce), diluted corn starch, sugar and pepper. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes or until sauce reduced to half.

4. Mix everything: Add in the precooked fish and let it stay for 2 minutes. Mix in the blanched broccoli into the pan. Carefully mix everything for a minute to avoid breaking the fillet and broccoli into pieces. Let it sit in medium heat for a minute to soak in the flavor into your meat and vegetables. (Tip: Using a tooth pick, gently prick the fish to create holes to let more flavor in)

5. Serve hot. Bon appétit!

CREAMY MUSHROOM-GARLIC CHICKEN

Budget: 300-400 pesos (S$12)
Serves: 4-5 pax

Ingredients:
(Add/replace as you wish)

• Chicken (Breast, thigh and legs - 3/4 to 1 kg, cut according to preferred serving size)
• Campbell's Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic (1 can)
• Evaporated Milk (1/2 cup)
• Potato (2 pc medium, diced)
• Carrots (2 pc medium, diced)
• Onion (1 pc medium)
• Garlic (enough for saute, minced)
• Butter (1-2 tbsp)
• Chicken cube (1 pc)
• Water (2 cups)
• Pepper (to taste, add according to preference)
  

 Directions:
 (Alter as you wish)

1. Heat the butter in medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes or until meat turns white. Remove the chicken and set aside (leave the broth).

2. Using the same pan, add the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute.

 

3. Add Cream of Mushroom, evaporated milk, water, chicken cube and pepper. Bring to a boil.

4. Put the chicken back into the mixture. Cook while covered for about 3 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 10 minutes to allow the liquid to reduce and thicken. 

5. Serve. Bon appétit!