One Pot Goodness: Pumpkin Chicken Rice

* sorry this pic was very badly taken because the lighting was bad in the kitchen and I was just too lazy

I love these one pot goodness because they are easy to make and very little washing up. Preparation and washing can be done under 30 mins - * I like :) This particular dish has been my comfort food since Brisbane days.

Ingredients:

Rice - (I used 1/2 short grain rice because I like it slightly sticky)

Chicken fillet (Breast or Thigh) - Sliced up into small pieces, marinate with soya sauce, dash of wine, pepper, sesame oil, and corn flour

Dried Shitake Mushrooms - Pre-soaked for 1-2 hrs

Dried Shrimps - A small handful

Garlic - chopped up

Pumpkin - Cubed

Soya Sauce light and dark

Method:

Put rice into rice cooker

While rice is being cooked,  I prepared the ingredients

- sliced up chicken

- marinate chicken

- chopped up garlic
- cubed the pumpkin

- used scissors to cut up the dried mushrooms

Cooking portion:
- heat up frying pan with oil (I used grapeseed oil)
- add garlic and let it sizzle (not burnt)
- add dried shrimp
- add in pumpkin (if you prefer, you can pre-steam the pumpkin a little to soften and quicken the process)
- add in chicken
- add a dash of dark soya sauce
Lightly stir fry for a minute or so (Pumpkin should more or less be softened and chicken almost fully cooked)

By then the rice in the rice cooker should be almost done (Water dried up when you open the rice cooker)
Add all the ingredients onto the rice and mix well
Let the rice cooker finish its job

Meanwhile, wash up and by then everything should be done.
Serve and garnish with Fried Shallots and sesame seeds (optional)

Today, I have sharks fin melon soup and purple cabbage salad to go with the rice.

Dips

Dips are yummy and you need them at any parties. They are so good for nibbling off carrot & celery sticks and water-thin crackers. A few friends have requested for some dips recipes. My take is that as long as there is garlic and lemon juice + herbs, it would taste good. But be sure to brush your teeth after eating, unless your partner doesn't mind your garlic breath. :)

Hommus
Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic
• 400g Chick peas
• Fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tahini (I blended my own sesame seeds)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Blend everything together. 

Garlic and Herb Dip

Ingredients:

• Small bunch of parsley (Or chives)
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 Shallots/spring onions (actually 1 small onion also can) 
• 250g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp plain yoghurt or milk

Blend everything together. 

Blessed New Year! - 2012

2011 has been an incredible year for us. Over the past 6 months, we’ve really tasted and experience the goodness of God and we are truly grateful for what He has done for us. Though it was a tremendously difficult time and all still seem surreal to us, we have really been blessed so much: Generosity of friends, who’ve blessed us with friendship and finances, and the unconditional love from our family members. God has really shown us how faithful He is through so many different events: The salvation of my parents, financial provision, supportive bosses and colleagues, spiritual support and love from all around us.

Though it has been a roller coaster ride with my condition fluctuating over the months, we thank God that we could celebrate this festive time and welcome the new year with the post radiation X-ray showing good signs of recovery. We are definitely entering the new year, a different person and we've never learnt to trust God this way. We continue to believe God for His healing hands as we learn to embrace the New Year with hopes and greater trust in the Lord’s good plans.

Thank you for journeying with us: For your unceasing prayers, messages, emails, visits, phone calls etc. We pray that you will too experience His great love, and His mighty power.

Have a wonderful 2012!