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Steamed Pork Patty with Salted Duck Egg
May 13, 2017 Lee
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Steamed Pork Patty with Salted Duck Egg

Adapted from several internet recipes.
For starters, a salted duck egg is very salty, so if you never use salt in cooking or have to limit your salt intake you will want to take a miss on this recipe. This recipe was originally written using a raw salted duck egg, which I have never seen, only the had boiled variety, but I will explain how to use each type. This is a very common Chinese dish, on my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 3 servings

Equipment

  • Rice Cooker with Steamer Tray
  • Steamer

Ingredients
  

  • 250 grams minced pork, (8 oz)
  • 1 raw salted duck egg, only if using a raw egg

For the Marinade

  • pinch baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, very finely slivered or grated
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • 1½ teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • 4 drops sesame oil
  • ½ - ¼ cup water, room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoons corn starch

Use this if using a hard boiled salted egg

  • 1 salted duck egg, hard boiled, diced
  • 2-3 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced

Instructions
 

  • Mix the pork with all the marinade ingredients except the duck egg, water, and corn starch, stir the pork vigorously in one direction only. It is recommended to use a sturdy pair of chopsticks to do this. Then add the corn starch and mix that in well, stirring in the same direction as before.
  • Slowly add enough room temperature water while stirring, yep, you guessed it, in the same direction as before. until the pork is light and fluffy. Let mixture marinate for 10 minutes or so.
  • Heat up your steamer to boiling. Pat the pork mixture into a serving dish or plate that will fit in your steamer, you want the mixture to be about ¾ of an inch thick.
  • If using the raw salted egg, crack the egg over the pork patty putting the yolk in the center. Using a pair of plate lifters, carefully place the plate or dish into the steamer, cover and steam for 18 minutes. Remove from the steamer.
  • If using a hard boiled salted egg, just place the dish or plate into the steamer without any egg on top, cover and steam for 18 minutes. While the patty is steaming, mix together the diced egg, tomatoes, and onion in a small bowl. When the patty is cooked and removed from the steamer, spoon the egg mixture over the top of the patty.
  • Typically how this type of dish is served, the plate or dish with the patty is simply placed in the center of the table, the diners each have a plate of rice, and people just scoop up what they would like.

Notes

For the salted duck egg, these sell for 13 Baht each. The pork would be about 35 Baht/250 grams. For 3 servings, this is about 47 cents per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,Pork - Rice Cooker
Steamed Chinese Sausage & Rice (Rice Cooker)
May 13, 2017 Lee
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Steamed Chinese Sausage & Rice (Rice Cooker)

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Three ingredients, and your rice cooker does the work. This is a good lunch or a even a light dinner. This is about as simple as a recipe gets. I made this on 4 July 2017 and is perfect for a light dinner.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Rice Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 2-4 Chinese sausages
  • dry rice, type and amount is up to you
  • water, as needed

Instructions
 

  • Just prep the rice by rinsing as you would normally do and add to your rice cooker pot. Add water as you would do normally. I use a small 1 liter rice cooker for testing recipes, rice used was 2 cups of a rice blend my wife hand on hand, white rice with just a hint of dried diced vegetable in it. Add water as dictated by the rice you are using.
  • Rinse off the sausages and place onto the rice in water. This will flavor the rice slightly. Turn the rice cooker to Cook.
  • When the rice cooker switches to Warm, the rice will be cooked and the sausage perfectly steamed.
  • Scoop some rice onto a place, and cut the sausages about 1/4 inch thick and place on the side of the rice. As easy as that.

Notes

The sausages will cost about 100 Baht for 4, this is a very approximate cost. For 4 servings, this is about 75 cents per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,Pork - Rice Cooker
Chinese Sausage & Chicken in Soy Sauce
May 13, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Chinese Sausage & Chicken in Soy Sauce

This is very good! I made this on 16 May 2017. We received some Chinese pork sausage from Issan, we can find it locally here as well. I started looking for recipes that used this as an ingredient. Chinese sausage is a sweet, cured pork sausage. Recipe slightly updated with my findings and pricing updated as well.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 links Chinese sausage, short ones or two long ones
  • 5 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cubed
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
  • steamed rice, for serving
  • handful fresh Thai Basil, chopped

For the Sauce

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a steamer and steam the Chinese sausages for 5 minutes. Remove from the steamer and cut into thin slices diagonally. The reason for the steaming is to soften the sausage as it is quite hard out of the package. Photo shows steaming complete before cutting them.
  • While the sausage is steaming, in a measuring cup mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a frying pan or wok on medium heat and cook the garlic until fragrant. Add the sliced sausage and cook for a quick 30 seconds, then add the chicken.
  • Cook until the chicken is no longer pink or very little pink, this is good right here.
  • Pour the sauce in and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has reduced a bit. Remove from heat, stir in the spring onion and basil, cover and let stand for 5-10 minutes.
  • Ready to serve.
  • Serve with rice on the side and some of the sauce spooned over the rice.

Notes

The thighs would be about a 1 kilo, so I will estimate this at 75 Baht. The sausages will cost about 75 Baht. For 4 servings, this is about $1.10 per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,: CHINESE,CHICKEN & TURKEY,Pork - Sausage
One-Pot Chicken & Rice III
May 11, 2017 Lee
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One-Pot Chicken & Rice III

This is another of my versions of the One-Pot Chicken & Rice. This recipe is listed using a recipe on my site as a shortcut for Copycat Rice-A-Roni. The original One-Pot Chicken & Rice recipe is listed in the Recipes Notes below. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 chicken breasts, cubed
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon butter, optional
  • 2 recipes Rice-A-Roni, see Recipe Notes
  • 2 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cups tomates, diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the Copycat Rice-A-Roni, doubling the recipe, using the shortcut recipe listed in the Recipe Notes. The rice will take about 20-30 minutes to prepare.
  • When the rice is almost done cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or medium pot, add the chicken when the oil is hot, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side. Add the onions, garlic, paprika, thyme, parsley, stir and cook 1 additional minute. You want the chicken just cooked through, not over done or you will have tough chicken.
  • Add the water, butter, and the Copycat Rice-A-Roni you prepared. Bring to a boil, and then add bell peppers and tomatoes. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until nearly all the water cooked off. 


  • Remove from heat and mix in the peas. Cover and let rest for about 5 minutes. Stir one more time, garnish with fresh chopped parsley or even diced tomatoes, enjoy.

Notes

For the chicken, this might cost 40 Baht. For the Copycat Rice-A-Roni, that might cost a whole 10 Baht. For 4 servings, this is about 37 cents per serving.
For the boxed Rice-A-Roni, I cannot price that.
Shortcut: Copycat Rice-A-Roni.
Original recipe: One-Pot Chicken & Rice.
Inspired by good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY
One-Pot Chicken & Rice II
May 11, 2017 Lee
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One-Pot Chicken & Rice II

This is my version of the One-Pot Chicken & Rice. This recipe is listed using a recipe on my site as a shortcut for Seasoned Rice which is a copycat of Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice. The original One-Pot Chicken & Rice recipe is listed in the Recipes Notes below. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 chicken breasts, cubed
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon butter, optional
  • 1 recipe Seasoned Rice, see Recipe Notes
  • 2 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cups tomates, diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the Seasoned Rice using the shortcut recipe listed in the Recipe Notes. The rice will take about 20-30 minutes to prepare.
  • When the rice is almost done cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or medium pot, add the chicken when the oil is hot, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side. Add the onions, garlic, paprika, thyme, parsley, stir and cook 1 additional minute. You want the chicken just cooked through, not over done or you will have tough chicken.
  • Add the water, butter, and the Seasoned Rice you prepared. Bring to a boil, and then add bell peppers and tomatoes. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until nearly all the water cooked off. 


  • Remove from heat and mix in the peas. Cover and let rest for about 5 minutes. Stir one more time, garnish with fresh chopped parsley or even diced tomatoes, enjoy.

Notes

For the chicken, this might cost 40 Baht. For the Seasoned Rice, that might cost a whole 5 Baht. For 4 servings, this is about 33 cents per serving.
If using the packaged Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice, that is 155 Baht/box. For 4 servings, this is about $1.45 per serving. Substantial savings in making the Seasoned Rice.
Shortcut: Seasoned Rice.
Original recipe: One-Pot Chicken & Rice.
Inspired by good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY
One-Pot Chicken & Rice I
May 10, 2017 Lee
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One-Pot Chicken & Rice I

Sounds really good, I will have to try this one. This recipe is listed using the Uncle Ben's Flavor Infusion Chicken and Herb Rice. For people in Thailand this might be a tough one to get outside of the larger cities, so I will add two more versions of this and will be listed as ...Rice II and ...Rice III.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 chicken breasts, cubed
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon butter, optional
  • 1 packet Uncle Ben's Flavor Infusion Chicken and Herb
  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cups tomates, diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or a medium size pot. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side. Add the onions, garlic, paprika, thyme, parsley, stir and cook 1 additional minute.
  • Add the water, butter, and contents of Uncle Ben’s Flavor Infusion Chicken and Herb. Bring to a boil, and then add bell peppers and tomatoes. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. 


  • Remove from heat and mix in the peas. Cover and let rest for about 5 minutes. 
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or even diced tomatoes, enjoy.

Notes

For the chicken, this might cost 40 Baht. For the Uncle Ben's Rice I cannot price that yet, I will take a guess at 180 Baht. For 6 servings, this is about $1.10 per serving.
Variants:
Using Seasoned Rice: One-Pot Chicken & Rice II,
Using Copycat Rice-A-Roni: One-Pot Chicken & Rice III.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Tuna & Rice Bowl
May 9, 2017 Lee
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Tuna & Rice Bowl

Stephen Connell, United States.
Sounds really good, I will be making this for sure. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can tuna, in water, drained, or 1 cup fresh cooked tuna, (185 g / 7 oz), Shortcut
  • ½ cup brown rice
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
  • 1 egg
  • 1 avocado, diced

Instructions
 

  • Mix rice, soy sauce, sesame oil and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • When rice is cooked, mix in half of the tuna as well as the ginger powder, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds. Set aside.
  • Fry the egg to your liking.
  • After the egg is cooked, place the rice in a bowl, place the diced avocado on the side of the rice, and the rest of the tuna on another side, and top with the fried egg. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Tuna.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - Tuna
Wedges, Bacon, and Cheese Casserole
May 9, 2017 Lee
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Wedges, Bacon, and Cheese Casserole

This sounds good, probably not the most healthy thing to dine on every day for sure, and not low cost either based on the cheese alone.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large potatoes
  • 100 grams bacon
  • cooking oil, for frying
  • 200 grams Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
  • salt, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C. Get out a square baking dish, 8x8 or 9x9 is fine.
  • Cut the potatoes into wedge shapes and deep fry until golden brown. Drain on several layers of paper towels.
  • Chop the bacon and fry in a separate pan until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
  • Layer half of the potatoes in the square baking dish. Sprinkle half of the Mozzarella cheese over the potatoes. Sprinkle half of the dill over the cheese. Add all of the bacon in a layer on of the dill. Add all of the Cheddar cheese in a layer over the bacon. Add the remaining potato wedges in a layer and sprinkle with some salt to taste. Top with the remaining Mozzarella.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and just starting to brown. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

The Mozzarella cheese will cost 140 Baht/200 gram block, the Cheddar cheese, if you buy a 250 gram block and shred 1/4 of that, the cost would be about 45 Baht. The bacon will cost about 75 Baht/100 grams. For 2 servings, this would cost about $3.82. Not cheap but sounds good.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,POTATOES
Slow Cooker Beef and Potato Au Gratin
May 9, 2017 Lee
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Slow Cooker Beef and Potato Au Gratin

This sounds really good, only expensive part would be the cheese.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams ground beef
  • 1 1/2 kilos potatoes, sliced, 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 cup white onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup beef broth, fresh or from powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste, for seasoning the beef

Instructions
 

  • Brown the ground beef on the stove top, season with salt and pepper to your liking, drain well and set aside.
  • In a small bowl while the beef is browning, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper.
  • Add half of the sliced potatoes to your slow cooker in a layer, add half of the onion in a layer, sprinkle over half of the seasoning mix, add half of the ground beef in a layer, add half of the cheese in a layer. Repeat the layers again. Drizzle the broth evenly over the top.
  • Cover and cook on High setting for 4 hours without opening the cover, opening the cover releases steam which is needed to properly cook the potatoes through.
  • Serve with a vegetable for a complete meal.

Notes

The ground beef will cost about 100 Baht/500 grams. The cheese, figure 180 Baht/250 grams (I would just go with a 250 gram block and shred that, about 100 grams in a cup, this would be 2 1/2 cups, fair enough). For 6 servings, this is about $1.37 per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,CASSEROLES
Mississippi Pot Roast II
May 9, 2017 Lee
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Mississippi Pot Roast II

Provided by a good friend, this is on my to cook list. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 boneless chuck roast, about 1 1/2 to 2 kilos
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • cooking oil, as needed
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, this is 1/2 of a standard block
  • 8 peperoncini peppers, pickled, OR use banana peppers
  • 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 packet dry onion soup mix, OR make from a shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Add a splash of cooking oil to a large pan and heat it up, season the beef with salt and pepper to your liking. Once pan is hot, brown the meat on all sides in the skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
  • Transfer the meat to the slow cooker, sprinkle the dry dressing and soup packets over the beef. Top with the 1/2 block of butter and the peppers.
  • Cover and cook on the Low setting for 8 hours. At the end of the cooking time, the beef should be fall apart tender, shred with two forks and serve on mashed potatoes or even on a roll with a slice of Provolone cheese.

Notes

Beef will run about 150 Baht/kilo, large cities should be able to get a chuck roast, out of the way places, like where I am at, I will try this with just 1-2 large chunks of beef. 300 Baht for 2 kilos would be about $1.47 per serving.
Shortcuts: Ranch Dressing Mix, Onion Soup Mix.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Neal Hightower.
United States.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,Beef - Slow Cooker