Family Mess Hall - whole food meals dinners recipes

Yellow chicken curry - Malaysian style This most basic yellow chicken curry is mildly spiced but packed with flavour. Any yellow curry blend can be used but I love this combination of turmeric, fenugreek, coriander, chilli celery and black pepper. It's a quick and easy one-pot curry that's great for weeknight dinners and includes a good serve of low cost vegetables.  Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 medium onions ((roughly chopped)) 2 tsp garlic ((minced)) 2 tsp fresh ginger ((minced)) 1/4 tsp belanchan ((optional)) 2 kg bone-in thighs or drumsticks 2 tbsp Keen's curry powder ((or your own favourite yellow curry blend)) 3 medium carrots ((sliced 0.5cm thick, skin on)) 5 medium potatoes ((4cm / 1 1/2 inch dice, skin on)) 2 stalks lemon grass ((left whole)) 1 cinnamon stick 1 cup reduced fat coconut milk 2 tbsp tamarind paste ((optional)) 1 cup stock 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1/2 cup roasted peanuts ((optional garnish)) 1 cup fresh coriander leaves ((optional ...

This tasty and super simple chargrilled chicken is broiled under the oven grill for 40 minutes until juicy and tender.  You only need four ingredients (besides salt and pepper) and most are pantry staples.  Season your chicken with fresh lemon, lemon zest, sage, olive oil and chilli. Chicken alla diavolo - Butterflied and broiled This tasty and simple chargrilled chicken is broiled under the oven grill for 40 minutes until juicy and tender. Lemon, sage, olive oil and chilli 1 whole chicken (medium size) ((butterflied)) 2 lemons ((one juiced and zested) (one sliced)) 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp garlic ((minced)) 1/2 - 1 tsp chilli powder 6 sage leaves 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground black pepper Preheat oven grill / broiler to 230 C / 445 F If the chicken has been refrigerated, take it out and place it on the bench for thirty minutes to raise the temperature closer to room temperature.  This will speed up the cooking time.   Place butterflied chicken on...

This fun and tasty meal is delicious throughout the warmer months of the year and will please all members of the family.  The satay chicken wings are marinated in peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, spices and lemon juice to recreate the flavour of traditional satay chicken.  Baked satay chicken wings with slaw rice paper rolls This tasty meal is delicious throughout the warmer months of the year and will please all members of the family. The satay chicken wings are marinated in peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, spices and lemon juice to recreate the flavour of traditional satay chicken.   Calories include chicken wings only. 1 kg chicken wings ((approximately 10)) Satay chicken wing marinade 1 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ginger ((minced)) 1 tsp garlic ((minced)) 1 tbsp sesame oil squeeze of lemon ((juice only)) 4 tbsp peanut butter ((melted in the microwave 20 seconds)) 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 stalk spring onions ((chopped)) 1 handful...

As a family of four we rarely finish a whole chicken in one sitting.  It's good to know then, that there are so many ways to re-purpose leftover chicken.  This easy chicken pot pie recipe creates a delicious meal with leftover roast chicken. Chicken pot pie with cheese scone crust Cheese scone crust 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 3/4 cup grated cheese ((plus extra for the top if you desire)) 3 tsp baking powder 1 egg 3/4 cup milk 1 tsp thyme 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Pot pie filling 1 1/2 cup potatoes ((1.5cm (1/2 inch) dice)) 1 1/2 cup large sweet potato ((1.5cm (1/2 inch) dice)) 1 1/2 cup carrots ((1.5cm (1/2 inch) dice)) 1 cup peas 1 tbsp butter 2 tbsp all purpose flour 1 cup milk 1/2 cup cream 1/2 whole cooked chicken (rotisserie, roast or bbq) ((shred skin and meat)) 1 onion ((chopped)) 1 tbsp dijon mustard 1 tsp thyme 1 chicken stock cube salt and pepper to taste Make the cheese scone topping In a bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, thyme and grated cheese.  Si...

Pork Adobo Pork Adobo is an extremely flavoursome braised meat dish that plays on sweet, sour, deeply savoury and creamy flavours. Soy sauce provides the salty and savoury base while the creamy, sweet coconut cream offsets the sour vinegar. Whole peppercorns add a little spice and bay leaves, an earthy herbal aroma. Ingredients: 1 kg pork shoulder (1 inch dice) 80 mL soy sauce 80 mL Chinese black (Chinkiang vinegar) 2 - 4 tbsp brown sugar (add to taste) 1 cup water 1 tin coconut milk 10 whole black peppercorns 2 bay leaves 1 tsp minced ginger 2 tsp minced garlic Method: Marinate the pork in all other ingredients except 1 cup of water, over night. Heat a wide pan to medium high heat. Add a little oil and brown the pork in the pan to seal. Add all ingredients (or the saved marinade plus water) to the pork and bring it to a simmer. Cover the pan with a lid for 20 minutes then remove the lid and continue to simmer for another ten minutes or until the sauce is well reduced, thickened and in...

Mex-tinged chicken schnitzel rice bake Ingredients:  Chicken schnitzel 2 skinless chicken breasts 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs 3/4 cup flour 2 eggs (beaten) 1/2 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander and paprika (chilli powder to taste is optional) 1/2 tsp salt Mexican spiced tomato sauce 1 tin crushed tomatoes 1 tsp garlic (minced) 1 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander and paprika 1 tsp cocoa powder 1 tsp sugar Rice and vegetable mixture 3-6 cups cooked rice (cold or hot) (adjust this amount to suit your own rice to vegetable ratio) 1/4 cup fresh coriander (chopped) 1 onion (chopped) 1 green capsicum (chopped) (Option: dice or slivers) 1 tin black or red beans (drained and rinsed) 1 tin corn kernals (or 1 cup fresh from the cob) Optional toppings 1-2 cups grated cheese (Adjust the amount of cheese to your liking) 1 cup sour cream or plain yoghurt 1/4 cup fresh coriander (chopped) tabasco sauce (to increase the the chilli factor) Method: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F. M...

One pot ricecooker chicken, shiitake and lup cheong rice recipe Ingredients: Chicken marinade 500 grams boned chicken thigh fillet ((chopped into bite sized pieces)) 1 tbsp soya sauce 1 tbsp corn flour 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine 1 tsp ginger (minced) 1 tsp garlic (minced) 1/2 tsp sugar One pot ricecooker chicken, shiitake and lap cheong rice 3 cups rice 5 dried shiitake mushrooms ((soaked in 1 cup boiling water)) 3 lup cheong (Chinese cured sausages) (thinly sliced at a diagonal angle) Sauce (for pouring over once rice is cooked) 2 tbsp soya sauce 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine 1 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp garlic (minced) 1/2 tsp ginger (minced) 1 tsp sesame oil 1 spring onion ((finely chopped)) Method: Combine marinade ingredients together in a bowl and stir through chicken.  Allow to marinate for minimum 15 minutes. In the ricecooker bowl, place three cups of rinsed and drained rice.  Fill bowl with mushroom soaking liquid and water until the water level is 2cm above the top ...

Ingredients: 1 whole raw chicken a 5cm piece of ginger  4 spring onions 1 tsp salt 2 tsp  soya sauce 1/2 bunch fresh coriander 3 star anise 1 cinnamon stick 1 cucumber (sliced) 3 tomatoes (sliced) Method: Make the chicken 1.  Stuff chicken with 1/4 bunch of coriander, 1 whole spring onion and 5 slices of ginger. Place chicken breast side down in large stock pot with cinnamon stick, star anise and salt.   2. Fill pot with water until chicken is submerged. 3. Put the lid on the pot and place the pot on high heat.  When it comes to a rolling boil, reduce to medium high heat and continue to boil for 15 minutes.  4. When 15 minutes has passed, turn off the heat but leave the pot on the hot element for another hour. Do not remove the lid.  The chicken will continue to cook gently. 5. After one hour has passed, remove the chicken from the hot broth and allow to cool.  Optional: Place chicken in an ice bath to rapidly cool the chicken and to improve ...

Chicken, apple and almond salad You'll need: 15 minutes, leftover chicken, whole egg mayonnaise, greek yoghurt, mixed greens (I used silverbeet, rainbow chard, cos lettuce), bean sprouts, celery, apple, fresh herbs (I used chives), nuts (eg almonds), pre-prepared vinaigrette 1. Chop and layer the following vegetables in this order.  1 large silverbeet leaf, 2 small rainbow chard leaves, 3 large cos lettuce leaves, two handfuls of bean sprouts, 1 stalk of chopped celery, 1 large diced apple, a handful of chopped chives, roughly chopped almonds.  Then season with salt and pepper and prepare your favourite vinaigrette. 2.  Next place your shredded chicken in a separate dish and mix through a heaped tablespoon each of yoghurt and mayonnaise.  Season with salt and pepper. As a variation, you might like to add a teaspoon of curry power (for a retro twist) OR chopped basil and lemon zest.  Today we went with this most simple version. 3. It's ready to serve and enjoy!...