Brilliant Monday, yeah..........

"Not everything that is more difficult is more meritorious" 
                     Thomas Aquinas

Shake off the Monday morning blues just think next week is a bank holiday if you are in the UK. Otherwise I'm sure you can find an excuse to be joyous perhaps your life is really fulfilled.

You did all sorts of things to your body over the weekend, probably not intentionally bad things so a gentler approach to the inner workings of the digestive tract and all it feeds would be good for lunch or dinner. Coupled with keeping it cheap here's a recipe to be gentle on your stomach, enrich your dietary needs and it's only a couple of chicken legs.

Poached chicken with brown rice and fresh ginger relish 

Serves 4

1x1.5kg chicken, excess fat removed
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), including roots (reserve leaves for sauce)
3 spring (green) onions, chopped
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons salt
500g long-grain rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 onion, finely sliced
1x1.5kg chicken, excess fat removed
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), including roots (reserve leaves for sauce)
3 spring (green) onions, chopped
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons salt
500g long-grain rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 onion, finely sliced
To serve:
coriander (cilantro) sprigs
fresh ginger relish (below)
cucumber
Place chicken in a large saucepan and add coriander roots and stems, spring onions, peppercorns, salt and two litres of water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a bare simmer, cover saucepan and continue to simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and leave the chicken in the pot for a further 40 minutes, without lifting the lid.
Wash rice until water runs clear. Heat the oils in a saucepan over low heat and add garlic, ginger and onion. Cook for 15 minutes. Add rice to the pan and stir-fry for three minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add a litre of chicken liquid to rice and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove and leave for 10 minutes without lifting the lid. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
Cut chicken into serving-size pieces. Decorate with sprigs of coriander. Serve with onion rice, fresh ginger relish and a bowl of sliced cucumber.
Fresh ginger relish
2 tablespoons ginger, cut into matchsticks
8 springs (green) onions, finely sliced
¹/₄ cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper
Lightly bruise the ginger and spring onions. Heat the oil in a pan until smoking and pour over ginger mixture in a heat-proof bowl. Season.
4444 chicken legs, excess fat removed               
1 bunch coriander                                          
2 spring onions, chopped                                
1 teaspoon black peppercorns                        
2 tablespoons salt                                           
500g brown rice                                             
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil                              
1 tablespoon sesame oil                                   
1 tablespoon crushed garlic                              
1 tablespoon grated ginger                              
1 onion, finely sliced                                     

Fresh ginger relish
2 tablespoons ginger, cut into matchsticks        
8 spring (green) onions, finely sliced                 

100 ml vegetable oil                                              
salt and pepper

To serve:
coriander sprigs
fresh ginger relish  
cucumber

Julienne of red chilli

Place chicken legs in a large saucepan and add coriander roots and stems, spring onions, peppercorns, salt and one and half litres of water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover saucepan and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and leave the chicken in the pan for a further 15 minutes, keep the lid on.
Make up the ginger relish by lightly bruising the ginger and spring onions in a bowl with a rolling pin or use a mortar and pestle. Heat the oil in a pan do not allow to smoke, pour over the ginger mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat the oils in a saucepan over low heat and add garlic, ginger and onion. Cook for 15 minutes. Add rice to the pan and stir-fry for two minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add a litre of stock from the chicken to the rice and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove and leave for 10 minutes without lifting the lid. Season with salt and pepper before serving.
To serve spoon rice onto plates and place the chicken next to it, place a cluster of the relish next to the chicken and drizzle with a little sesame oil.
Decorate with sprigs of coriander and julienne of red chilli. Serve with cucumber salad.

 

I hope not how you turned up today, 
                                            must have been a full on weekend!