Cheats Hainan Chicken Rice

It's nowhere near as good as Singapore but for a weeknight dinner that's pretty healthy, give this a go! First make green sauce by blitzing a whole peeled ginger root (about the size of your hand) with a the green parts bunch of spring onions. Add enough oil (I use rice bran) just to wet the mix, a generous pinch of salt and sauté at varoma for 10 mins. This makes a big batch of the sauce so freeze some for later use, or share it with friends! Next chop 1 shallot (the brown onion variety) with 3 gloves of garlic and a peeled thumb size price of fresh ginger for 5 seconds at speed 5. Scrape the sides, add 30ml oil and sauté at varoma for 5 mins. Then weigh and wash 200g of jasmine or basmati rice in the basket and into the bowl add 2 tbs of chicken stock powder (yes Tenina's recipe it's amazing!) and 900ml of water. Insert the basket, and on the top lay 2 skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthways to make 4 pieces. Don't overcrowd the basket so if the pieces are big just use 3. Cook for 20 minutes at varoma temperature speed 4 and leave the measuring cup lid in. About half way through turn the chicken pieces and stir up the rice a little. After the 20 mins take the chicken out, scrape any rice stuck to it away and set aside in your thermo server or a covered bowl. It might look a bit under cooked but should finish off while resting. Just check before you eventually slice to serve. Give the rice another 5 minutes varoma temp, speed 4 but be sure to see if the water needs a top up first. Check to see that it's cooked and if so leave it to stand for 5 minutes, before also removing to the thermo server with the chicken for a further 15 minutes. Hainan Chicken Rice is all about the condiments so here's how we have it- thinly slice chicken and serve with sliced continental cucumber dressed with a few drops of sesame oil. Then have a bowl filled with the seasoned rice, and top with chicken and cucumber as you go along, with liberal dressings of the 'green sauce' and kecap manis (sweet soy) and sriracha chilli sauce to taste. YUM! This would serve 2-3 adults.

Dip Dip Dip

I know we all love our Thermomixes as a last minute entertaining life saver- here's a couple of dips I tried recently! This curried lentil dip is a converted version of a recipe from 'Our Family Kitchen'- contributed by Virginia Rowland and Peter Casserly. First, finely chop 140g sundried tomatoes and a large handful of flat leaf parsley at speed 5 for 10 seconds, scraping sides half way through in need. Set aside. No need to rinse the bowl, just chop 1 brown onion at speed 5 for 5 seconds, add 50 of oil and cook at varoma speed 1 for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp curry powder, 2 cloves garlic crushed, 2 tsp ground cumin, 3 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder and sauté at varoma for a further 2 minutes. Add back the tomatoes and parsley with 2 tbsp each of sugar and red wine vinegar and a rinsed 400g can of brown lentils and stir reverse until combined. Serve warm with crusty bread or crackers. Smoked Salmon Dip is super easy too. Chop 3/4 of a red onion and a large handful (around 1 cup) of flat leaf parsley at speed 5 for 5 seconds. Scrape sides and repeat for 3 seconds. Add a 150 g fillet of hot smoked salmon, a 220g tub of extra light spreadable cream cheese, the juice of one lemon and 6-8 caper berries with stalks removed (or 2tbs rinsed capers). Mix for 20 seconds at speed 3. Yummy served with crackers or toast and a dollop of caviar!

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

I did a cooking class for the Thermomix at The Cooking Professor this week, so I am feeling renewed and inspired to play with the Thermomix some more. I particularly liked Fred's idea to use it to Sous Vide Salmon Fillets, they were really lovely. What I did today was make up a Chocolate Beetroot cake, as hidden veggies are always a favorite for me. After a bit of research here's what I came up with- super easy and kids and husband all ate a piece and declared it delicious. It's moist and rich, but still a nice light texture.

First add 100g butter and 100g dark chocolate to the Thermomix bowl and first blitz at speed 4 for 30 seconds to chop, then melt at 60 degrees speed 2 for a further 3 minutes.

Then add all of the following ingredients together to the bowl;

150g tinned whole beetroot- I used whole baby beets
2tsp baking powder
120g self raising flour
30g cocoa
1 tsp vanilla essence
100g raw sugar
3 whole eggs

Blitz at speed 5 for 30 seconds, scrape the sides down and blitz again for a further 15 seconds. Pour into a lined cake tin and bake at 175 degrees (not fan forced) for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. We ate it warm with no additions, but I think a dusting of icing sugar, or a dollop of greek yoghurt or marscapone cream and fresh sliced berries would be yummy!