Back into the kitchen

I used to be a big fan of Kenny Rogers Rotissries here for many years. But of late, I felt that the quality of the food served has taken a plunge. However, I must add that their Corn Muffins still taste as good as ever and I would sometimes just pop by to pick up a few whenever cravings hit. I love roast chicken. Be it Chinese roast chicken or otherwise, I want them all. One of my ex-office workers mentioned that she would prefer to roast her own chicken whenever time permits than to buy over the counter. Now, I fully understand what she meant.

Last Saturday, I made oven Roast Chicken. After a quick research from The All New Joy of Cooking, I can't believe how simple it was. I came across a blog somewhere, that advised quartering the chicken and roast it skin side up is faster than roasting a whole chicken. So I rubbed my quartered chicken generously with salt and ground black pepper and then drizzled it with an avalanche of melted butter and placed them skin side up on an oiled baking pan. After 35 minutes, I was digging my fingers into a wonderfully tender chicken with a skin that is almost as crispy as those deep fried! Ate this with Potato Salad adapted from Simply Recipes. What was missing are those lovely golden corn muffins to round off the pseudo Kenny Roger experience!

And on Sunday, we made Chicken Debal Curry from Betty Saw's Rasa Malaysia. This curry is better known as Chicken Devil Curry. It is quite spicy and hence its name. The dish is really easy to put together, that's what we like about Betty Saw recipes, and the dish was good enough for Hubby to eat 2 mountainous heaping plates full of rice! (^.^)

P.S.: Will add photos later.

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Chicken Debal Curry
(adapted from Betty Saw's Rasa Malaysia)
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1 chicken, chopped into bite size
1 tsp salt

4 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tsp salt
375 ml of water

Slice:
3 red chillies
6 shallots
6 cloves of garlic

Blend:
30 driend red chillies
8 candlenuts
3 cloves garlic
5 fresh red chillies
5 cm long fresh ginger
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder

Combine:
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp mustard

1. Rub the chicken with salt and set aside.
2. Heat oil in saucepan and brown sliced ingredients.
3. Add blended ingredients and fry till aromatic (or till you start choking from the spicy fumes!). Add mustard seeds and continue frying.
4. Add water and bring to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is tender.
5. Add the combined ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil and serve.