Sunday, October 18, 2009

Basil Chicken with Calamansi Lime

I am such a lousy gardener that the only thing that is kinda surviving are my thai basil and pandan plants. But Greg's Aunty Gim Ai is such a wonderful gardener that everything thrives. Just yesterday she gave me a whole bunch of calamansi lime and kedondong straight from her garden.

So, here's another simple recipe that cannot fail. With the tanginess of the basil and refreshing taste of calamansi lime (in Hokkien S'ng Kam), this dish will definitely conjure your senses.

Feed about 4:

1/2 no of big kampung chicken* or 1 medium free range chicken

Seasoned with:
3 tbsp of light soya,
1 tbsp of dark thick soya
1 tbsp of sesame oil
1 teasp of salt and pepper
1 tbsp of chinese cooking wine like hua tiaw
1 med no of brown onion/5-6 no of red shallots, chopped finely
5-6 slices of ginger
5 no of calamansi lime
2-3 tbsp of sugar


* i used this because i had a few huge gorgeous kampung chicken all the way from Sibu. I think you can only get solid looking fellows around that region nowadays. Chickens here no matter what the sellers claim looks sickly and underexcerised. Almost like child abuse!

1) Season chicken for an hour before cooking.

2) Heat up wok/pot with some oil and stir fry onions with ginger till fragrant and light brown. Add basil leaves.

3) This is followed by the chicken without the seasonings. Stir fry till chicken is all coated with basil, ginger and onions.

4) Add 1/3 cup of water to the seasoning and add into the chicken. Bring to a boil and turn to small fire to cook for 35- 45 min depending on your chicken till soft. I pressure cook for 30 min last night but that was overcooking (meat were all falling off the bones). Try pressure cook for 20 min.

5) Finally add sugar and lime, stir and taste for sweetness and sourness.

Get ready your rice or porridge! I still had some left from last night. So tonight will just be steamed prawns and vegies with this.

8 comments:

dt said...

thanks for the recipe Nee! Will try it next weekend. Do i have to chop the basil leaves up? or just chuck them in whole? and could u add a close up of the basil leaves so that i don't accidentally buy the wrong type?

NEE said...

no worries dt, i will ask greg to take a photo of the basil in my garden. if you a kuchingnites you can get from stutong market, there is a lady who sells all sorts of herbs for lui cha. think she has it all the time. good luck.

Btw i just chuck in the whole thing. and leave some fresh ones to put on top later. also use calamansi lime juice only. because in my recipe i type lime.

terri@adailyobsession said...

hey, great to hav a post from u after so long! love ur recipes n miss ur posts girl!btw, tell greg to jia yew. when'll he get his phD?

Greg Wee said...

Hi Terri. Thanks for the encouragement. IF you hear news of me being inducted into the Happy House (read: Hospital Bahagia), then you'll know I have completed my PHD.

NEE said...

Thanks A Terri. for the compliments. well, that is greg's answer for you. i have been waiting and waiting for the day to come and i think i will be inducted to Happy House first. wats that chinese phrase. hope husband become dragon.

dt said...

nee, is me, wombok's sis :) i think i know the stutong stall ur refering to. the aunty has a very nice selection of herbs

Ensurai said...

Hi
Nice to read this recipe - will be excellent for gatherings etc.

Thanks....

Wishing you happiness....but don't ever become a "happy inmate"...ha hahahaha

well we do say permanent head damage..

dt said...

Nee, i tried the recipe for dinner tonight. It was delicious. My whole family loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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