Crispy Spiced Thai Chicken

"Mystery Box Madness : July 2015", the theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). Ten mystery box ingredients are given and we are to choose at least three from which to cook from any of IHCC's past or present featured chefs' recipe. The ten ingredients are Chicken, Seaweed, Sesame Seeds, Parsley, Mozzarella Cheese, Pasta, Mango, Brown Sugar, Zucchini and Mint.

I've chosen Chicken, Sesame Seeds and Brown Sugar, to cook Donna Hay's delicious and simple Crispy Spiced Thai Chicken. Yup, another chicken dish!  

An easy and simple dish to cook, takes only about half an hour from start to finish! Chicken breast fillet is quartered and mix with egg white, rice flour, chilli, chopped coriander, shredded kaffir lime leaves from my garden pot and sesame seeds. I did not have any red chillies (forgotten to buy!), so I have replaced with some coarse chilli flakes instead. I've added some salt to taste, though it was not indicated in the recipe. Heat up some oil, and pan-fry the chicken fillet on both sides for a few minutes until cooked. Served with some watercress sprigs, which I do not have, so I have shredded some green cabbage and it was great with the chicken.

The dipping sauce is made by mixing soy sauce, lemon juice and brown sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. I have used calamansi lime from my garden pot instead of lemon. 

Note : I used only 1 large chicken breast fillet (instead of 3 as per the recipe) but following the full amount of the other ingredients listed in the recipe below.

A simple, and very, very tasty chicken dish! Both the kaffir lime leaves and the fresh coriander bring such a lovely fragrance and taste. The sesame seeds gives a nice nutty aroma. The next time though, I would bash the chicken fillet lightly to a slightly thinner piece. Eating it together with the shredded cabbage and the dipping sauce is delicious. We had this chicken dish as part of our dinner meal, eaten with white rice and other dishes. There's no leftovers!

Crispy Thai Spiced Chicken

(source from : donnahay.com)

3 chicken breast fillets, quartered (I use 1 large fillet)

some salt to taste (my addition)

2 eggwhites, lightly beaten (I use 1 eggwhite)

2 tablespoons fine rice flour

2 red chillies, chopped (I use 1 heaped teaspoon coarse chilli flakes)

3 tablespoons chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

2-3 tablespoons peanut oil

watercress sprigs, to serve

Dipping sauce :

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Combine the chicken, eggwhite, rice flour, chilli, coriander, lime leaves and sesame seeds in a bowl. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil and cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. Drain on absorbent paper.

To make the dipping sauce, place the soy, lemon juice and sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Serve the chicken on some watercress with dipping sauce on the side. Serves 4.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), for this week's theme :

Mystery Box Madneses : July 2015"

Lemon Bars : Bake-Along #82

It's time for Bake-Along #82, and the theme selected by me is "Lemon Bars". I love lemon bars, and I've selected this theme to bake together with Lena and Zoe. Everyone is welcome to join us!

These lemon bars are just so addictive! I have made them many times, but have never posted it in my blog before.

These squares are so easy to make, and even easier to finish! Either squares or bars, they are the same. Cut into squares, they are called lemon squares, cut into rectangles, they are called lemon bars. The base is a shortbread crust, which is tender and buttery. The topping is tangy lemon curd. Some recipes call for the lemon curd to be cooked before spreading onto the lightly baked crust and baked till done. But this recipe is easier. The ingredients for the topping is mixed in a bowl, and then pour over the crust, baked till the topping is just set. Really easy!

Cut into squares or bars, whichever your prefer. Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the squares just before serving.

These are so addictive! Really difficult to stop at just two pieces! The first time I made this, I followed the exact measurement in the recipe, and find that the topping is really sour. Lemons that are sold here are very sour, unlike the Meyer lemons which has a sweeter taste. I have not tasted Meyer lemons before, have read about it though, and would love to get my hands on some, but have not seen them before. However, the author has made a note for "a less pucker-up lemon flavour", to decrease the lemon juice to 1/3 cup and the flour to 2 tablespoons. I followed this less pucker-up measurements, and the result is one outstanding delicious square, and I have made these delicious squares many times now. Try it yourself, be warned, they are rather addictive!

note : my changes listed in blue
Lemony Lemon Squares
(adapted from "Bake Something Great", Jill Snider)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C)
8-inch square cake pan, greased

Crust :
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar (less 1 tablespoon)
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed (100gm)

Topping :
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar (scant 3/4 cup)
3 tbsp all-purpose flour (2 tbsp)
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/3 cup)

1. For the crust : In a bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, 2 knives or your fingers, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.
2. For the topping : In a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, flour, lemon zest and juice just until smooth. Don't overbeat. Pour over crust.
3. Return to oven and bake just until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into squares.

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Do stop by Lena of Frozen Wings and Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids, and all our friends who has baked along with us in the linky below :

For our next Bake-Along, we will be baking "Devil's Food Cupcake", (from Bon Appetit Desserts Cookbook, pg 129 or here). Please do join us, and  link your post to our linky which will open from 23rd July till 1st August. Everyone is welcome to join us! Only current post please.

A friendly reminder when linking to our linky :

1. Please mention Bake-Along event in your own post linking direct to any of the hosts' post (Joyce, Lena or Zoe)

2. Please link only new and current post, PLEASE FOLLOW THE BAKE OR THEME provided by us. Unrelated post will be deleted.

3. Feel free to display our Bake-Along badge in your post.

and I'm sharing this post with :
Cook-Your-Books #25 @ kitchen flavours

An InLinkz Link-up

Cook-Your-Books #25

Cook-Your-Books is all about cooking or baking from your many cookbooks or magazines that you have collected over the years. If you love collecting cookbooks, read them like novels and love trying out new recipes, then this is the perfect place to share. It's time to get those books (or magazines) out of the shelves, and start using them. Bake or cook anything from any of your books or magazines, and link your posts to Cook-Your-Books here at Kitchen Flavours. The linky will start on the 7th of every month right up to the end of the month. The three most viewed submissions will be featured at the next Cook-Your-Books.

Featured posts for this month

The three most viewed posts from Cook-Your-Books #24

Chocolate Cake - Rice Cooker Cake
by MiMi Bakery House

Orange Syrup Cake
by No-Frills Recipes



Macadamia Fruity Bread
by Coco's Sweet Tooth

Thank you everyone for sharing all the delicious dishes and bakes from your cookbooks!

It's now time to link-up!

A little note when submitting your post to Cook-Your-Books

1. Linky for submissions will start on the 7th of every month right up to the end of the month. The submission with the most views will be featured at the next Cook-Your-Books.
2. All submissions must be new and current posts, within the current month. Old posts will be deleted. Please link directly to your post, not your homepage.
3. Please mention from which book or magazine you are cooking or baking from, as this is a cooking/baking event using recipes from cookbooks and magazines.
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Link-up with Cook-Your-Books #25 from 

7th - 31st July 2015

An InLinkz Link-up