Portuguese Style Chicken

This chicken recipe is great to cook over a BBQ. But if you don't have a BBQ you can place the chicken on a rack over a baking tray/dish and grill them- which was what I did today.

And watch out as this recipe is very hot and spicy! If you prefer your chicken to be less spicy, I would suggest to add fewer chillies or you might be grabbing that glass of water to cool your palate when eating!

Ingredients

1kg chicken thigh fillets
Lemon wedges and hot potato chips, to serve

Chilli Sauce

5-7 small fresh red birdseye chillies, roughly chopped
2 long red chillies, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
¼ cup olive oil
2bs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs sea salt

Method

1. To make chilli sauce, place the chillies and garlic in the bowl of a small food processor and process, scraping down the side occasionally, until chillies are finely chopped. Add oil, lemon juice and salt and process until just combined. Transfer to a screw-top jar or plastic container. 
2. Trim away any excess fat from chicken. Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate. Rub mixture into chicken, cover and refrigerate. Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight for a better result.
3. Preheat barbecue grill to medium high heat. Place the chicken, skin-side up, on the preheated barbecue grill. Cook for 10 minutes, brushing occasionally with a little of the chilli sauce. Brush the top of the chicken with the remaining chilli sauce and then turn over. Cook for a further 8 minutes or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the chicken is pierced with a skewer.
4. Transfer chicken to a plate, cover loosely with foil and set aside for 5 minutes to rest and serve immediately with lemon wedges and chips.

Notes & Tips

You can make the chilli sauce up to 2 weeks ahead. Store in the fridge. The longer it stands, the more the flavours develop.

Chilli Lime Pork Ribs

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been quite busy with work lately and my uni holidays are almost over :(
So with less time on my hands now, I'm in search for recipes that are easy to whip up and tasty when reheated the next day. Here's one such recipe that fits the criteria :)

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 red chillies, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated lime rind
¼ cup lime juice
1 tablespoon kecap manis
⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1.2kg pork spare ribs, cut into 5cm pieces
canola oil cooking spray


Method

1. Combine chilli, lime rind, lime juice, kecap manis, sugar and garlic in a jug. Place pork in a large, shallow, glass or ceramic dish. Pour over chilli mixture. Turn pork to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 2 hours, if time permits.
2. Spray a barbecue plate, chargrill or fry pan with oil. Heat over medium-high. Cook pork for 5 to 6 minutes each side or until browned and cook through. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

Chilli Fried Rice Noodles

Here's a simple Asian stir-fry recipe, that's on the spicy side! You might want to have a glass of water nearby when eating this dish :P

Ingredients

1kg fresh rice noodles
2 tablespoons oil
1-2 onions, sliced
4 small fresh red chillies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups bean sprouts, firmly packed
2 sticks celery, sliced
4 green shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons oil, extra
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

Method

1. Heat oil in wok over medium high heat. Add oinons and stir fry until they are lightly browned.
2. Add chilli, Chinese rice wine and garlic. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds.
3. Add bean sprouts, celery and shallots into wok. Stir-fry until vegetables are just tender, then remove them from the wok and onto a plate.
4. Heat the extra oil in wok, add noodles and stir gently until heated through. Add the vegetable mixture and soy sauces, stir-fry until heated through and all ingredients are mixed together well.

Notes & Tips

Halve the amount of chilli in this dish if you prefer a milder and less spicy dish