Archive for the ‘5 Ingredients or Less’ Category
Quail Egg Wontons
This is a common street food in Bangkok sold as a snack. This is going to be written as 5 eggs per skewer, and one to two skewers would be an appetizer or snack. If you do not have fresh quail eggs, in the states you can buy these canned in most Asian markets. I made these on 3 Jun 2018, nothing hard about this but it does time if making a lot, I used about 42 eggs for this. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Notes section.
Ingredients
For Each Skewer
- 5 hard boiled quail eggs, peeled, or canned - drained, Shortcut
- 5 wonton wrappers
- 1 wooden skewer
To Fry
- lard, or cooking oil, as needed, Shortcut
Instructions
- Place a wonton wrapper on your work surface with a corner pointed towards you. Dip your finger in a small bowl of water and all 4 edges of the wrapper, place a quail egg on the wrapper.
- Fold the corner closest to you over the egg away from you, then roll the egg away from until you see the corners overlapped.
- Take the left and right corners and fold them one at a time over the egg as well, so they overlap. Place on a skewer, running the skewer through the corners overlapped, as seen in this photo. I folded the left corner first, then right corner, gives a nice uniform appearance.
- Repeat with the remaining eggs and wrappers. Using as many skewers, eggs, and wrappers as desired.
- Heat a pan with about ½ inch of lard, or oil, (I used homemade lard for this), when hot, add a few skewers at a time, fry to golden brown.
- Turn and fry the other side to golden brown. Frying both sides, called a shallow deep fry, takes just 10-20 seconds per side.
- Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Notes
Shortcuts: Perfect Hard Boiled Quail Eggs. Rendering Lard.
Cornmeal Whitefish II (Simplicity)
This a change from Cornmeal Fish I, basically as the result of me taking a nap, and we'll just say that was an extended nap, so I was running late to prepare dinner and this is a delicious result of that error. My wife, and I, actually enjoyed this over the Cornmeal Fish I recipe. When cooking fish, minimum ingredients are need in order not to over power the flavor of the fish. No serving size, times, or quantities are given, this is totally what amount you want to make. And if you want a great fried fish, use lard to fry it in. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- whitefish fillets, figure 1-2 fillets per peron
- cornmeal, as needed
- lemon pepper, as desired
- lard, Shortcut
Instructions
- Cut your whitefish fillets in half if you like, easier to manage that way.
- Place some cornmeal in a shallow dish, season the cornmeal with lemon pepper as desired.
- Heat a large non stick pan with 2-3 tablespoons of lard. When the oil is hot, dredge each fillet in cornmeal, coating it well. place fillets in the hot lard. cook until golden brown on the bottom then turn fillets over with tongs and cook until golden brown, remove to paper towels.
- When all the fillets are cooked, serve with a vegetable or a salad for a nice meal.
Notes
For the fish, go with about 130 Baht/1 kilo of Pangasius fillets. For 4 servings, this is about 96 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Rendering Lard.
Fried Oyster Mushrooms
This comes from a good friend, and this recipe is Chinese in origin, and my friend is Chinese as well, so I will take her word on this, and it not only sounds very good, it is delicious! Using Oyster mushrooms as the base and adding to this, this is wide open to adapt to your liking. Lot of photos here as I used 3 types and want to show how to prep these if you have not used these before. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 400 grams fresh oyster mushrooms, (14 oz)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup corn starch
- salt and pepper, as desired
- 1-2 cups lard, or cooking oil, for frying, OR make from a shortcut
Instructions
- Remove the root end of the mushrooms, rinse the mushrooms and squeeze dry. Using your hands, pull apart the mushrooms into 2 or 3 pieces and place in a mixing bowl.
- I misjudged the amount of Oyster mushrooms I had so I used two more types of mushrooms, first I used a package of white Shimeji mushrooms, 150 grams (5-6 oz). These are in clumps in the package. This photo is I just took them out of the package.
- To prep these, cut off about 1 inch of the root ends of the clumps as shown, rinse, squeeze dry, add to the bowl with the Oyster mushrooms.
- Next mushroom used was a package of Enoki mushrooms, 200 grams (7 oz), in the states, these are also known as Golden mushrooms, and can be found canned as well in the Asian markets there. This photo is the mushrooms taken out of the package, these grow in a large clump and are long slender stems.
- To prep these, cut off about 1 1/2 to two inches from the root end, and cut the mushrooms in half as shown, rinse, squeeze dry and to the bowl with the other mushrooms.
- Use your hands and toss the mushrooms together. This photo really shows how slender the Enoki mushrooms are.
- Sprinkle the corn starch onto the mushrooms and gently mix together to coat the mushrooms.
- Then add the egg, salt and pepper to taste, heavy handed with the pepper works well, and mix together to coat the mushrooms fully.
- Heat the lard or oil in a large non stick pan, when hot but not smoking, carefully slide or place (using tongs) the mushroom in the oil.
- Fry until golden brown, turning them often as you fry them.
- Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
- Place on a serving tray or large plate, serve with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcut: Rendering Lard.
Variant: 1. Reduce the amount of Oyster mushrooms and add in other types of mushrooms.
This recipe for Fried Oyster Mushrooms is from China Sichuan Food.
Easy Spring Roll Wrappers
This comes from a good friend in China to make an easy spring roll wrapper without kneading and fast. This is a non traditional way but seems to work perfect, and is vegan as well, bonus for my vegan friends. Just three ingredients, and read the steps fully as you need to have some patience here and follow the steps.
Ingredients
- 200 grams all purpose flour, (1⅓ cups)
- 1¼ cups water, more as needed, a teaspoon at a time
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the flour and salt, then stir in the water, stir until well mixed.
- Place a strainer on another bowl, pour the mixture through the strainer to remove any lumps. Now your mixture is perfect.
- Now you need a non stick pan with a flat bottom, and a brush. Heat the pan on low heat, then quickly brush the flour mixture into the pan to make a round skin. Increase the heat and the skin will turn white and will lift from the pan. Cooking takes about 10 seconds.
- Flip the skin over and cook for another few seconds and it will lift from the pan. Turn heat to low.
- Place skin on a plate to cool before stacking them to prevent the skins from sticking to each other.
- Wipe out any crumbs in the pan, and repeat the steps until all the batter is used, about 20 wrappers.
Easy Pasta Sauce
Very easy for a base sauce but feel free to tailor this at will, like adding meatballs. Only 4 ingredients and 45 minutes of your time. On my to cook list to verify this. Now I am in Thailand, our can sizes are not that of the states for some items, and canned tomatoes fall into the category. I will clarify this in the procedures. If you are in Thailand or Southeast Asia (or the US), please read the step completely. There is a lot of variants to this as you will read in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, see Step 1, you need to read this if in Thailand
- 1 onion
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1-2 pinches salt
Instructions
- For the US, use a 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes with juice. For Asia, the average can I have seen is 565 grams or about 20 oz, for Asia, use 2 cans, you make more sauce for use in other recipes but keep the onion, butter, and salt measurements the same.
- Open tomatoes and pour the tomatoes and juice, into a medium size pot.
- For the onion, trim both ends, peel, and cut in half, add that to the pot.
- Add the butter to the pot along with a pinch or two of salt as you desire.
- Bring the pot up to a simmer and break up the tomatoes with a spoon as they cook. Stir often just don't let the tomatoes or juice burn.
- Cook the sauce for 45 minutes, add seasoning of your choice (Italian seasoning comes to mind).
- Remove and discard the onion. Add to pasta and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcut: Italian Seasoning.
Variants: 1. Obvious is to use fresh, peeled tomatoes but you will need to add tomato juice as well. 2. Add some crushed garlic cloves while this is simmering. 3. Feel free to add cooked meatballs. Feel free to add ground meat of your choosing, cooked of course, at the end of the cooking. 4. Feel free to use a seasoning during cooking, remember, make this your own sauce, my Italian seasoning is listed as a shortcut.
Mashed Potatoes (Pressure Cooker)
This will use either the steamer tray or basket that came with your pressure cooker or any steamer basket or trivet that will keep the potatoes above the water. This process cooks the potatoes with pressure and heat, they cannot get waterlogged or soggy like boiled potatoes. Only takes 6 minutes on high pressure and a natural release. Follow the safety precautions for your model of pressure cooker. I made this on 17 May 2018, and this is what mashed potatoes are supposed to taste like! These are outstanding!
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 2-6 potatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 cups water
- butter
- milk, as needed
Instructions
- Wash and scrub your potatoes for unpeeled, or wash and peel, totally your preference. Quarter the potatoes.
- Add the water to your pressure cooker, insert the steamer tray or basket, add the potatoes and garlic to the tray or basket.
- Place the lid on and lock, add the weight (the jiggler), turn on the heat to high. when the jiggler starts to move and vent pressure, indication full pressure, start your timer for 6 minutes and reduce the heat to low or medium low to maintain full pressure.
- When 6 minutes have passed, turn off the heat and move the pressure cooker to an unused burner to cool and release the pressure naturally, about 10-15 minutes.
- When the pressure is fully released, open the lid.
- Transfer the potatoes to a medium sized pot (you can use a sturdy mixing bowl but I feel that a pot is much easier to work with) and using a potato masher, mash up the potatoes. Add a splash of milk and 2-4 tablespoons of butter and mash that in.
- Serve as side dish.
Notes
Low cost, and an energy and time saver as a bonus.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
- Ranch Mashed Potatoes.
- Giant Meatball I.
- Colcannon, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Ellen's Beef Manhattans.
Pork Ribs & Sauerkraut (Slow Cooker)
This comes from a friend in Northern Thailand and sounds delicious! This is a change up from common German sausage which is served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. On my to cook list when I source some sauerkraut.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 - 2 kilos pork ribs, or pork belly
- 2 jars sauerkraut, with juice
- caraway seeds, as desired
- hot mashed potatoes, for serving
- vegetable, of your choice, for serving
Instructions
- Cut the ribs between each bone, or if using pork belly, cut that into 1 inch pieces. Place the pork in your slow cooker.
- Add the sauerkraut with the juice to the slow cooker and sprinkle with caraway seeds as desired.
- Cover and cook on Low setting for 6 hours, or 4 hours on High setting.
- When done, switch to Warm setting and prepare your mashed potatoes and a vegetable of your choice.
- Serve.
Notes
I will price this when I locate some sauerkraut 🙂 I will say Fair cost for now.
Provided by friend, Kurt Hammerschmidt.
Thailand.
Thailand.
Hamburger Noodle Supper
This sounds good for a quick dinner, and can be tailored endless ways, consider this just a base recipe. On my to cook list.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- 2 packets ramen noodles, beef flavor
- 1 cup beef stock, fresh or from powder
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add the ground beef, breaking it up with the spatula, and cook until no longer pink then drain.
- While the beef is cooking, heat a sauce pan with the beef stock and when boiling, add the ramen without the seasoning pack, and cook until tender, drain and set aside.
- To the beef, place on low heat add the vegetables and mix in the two seasoning packs as well.
- When the ramen is done, drain, then add to the beef mixture. Mix and heat until everything is heated through.
- Serve.
Notes
Low cost.
Variants: 1. Use ground pork and pork flavored ramen. 2. Use egg noodles in place of ramen. 3. Use fresh cooked corn and diced carrots. 4. Add onion and garlic powder when cooking the beef or fresh diced and minced. 5. Add fresh blanched broccoli.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Chicken & Dressing II (Slow Cooker)
Now depending on where you are from, you could call this Chicken & Stuffing 😉 For those that would not like to heat up their kitchen this is the Slow Cooker version of this recipe. There is two very easy shortcuts you can make to reduce the use of processed items. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, Shortcut
- 1 can water, or 1 1/4 cups if making the soup
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 box Stove Top stuffing, Shortcut
Instructions
- Mix together the soup and water and pour into your slow cooker. Lay the chicken breast in the cooker.
- Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast.
- Add the dry stuffing mix covering the entire pot.
- Cover and set the cooker to High setting and cook for 4 hours without removing the lid.
- Serve.
Notes
Not sure home many chicken breasts are in a kilo so I will price this when I buy 4 of them. If making the shortcuts, this is certainly Low cost.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Stove Top Stuffing.
Variants: 1. Add frozen peas, corn, or carrots to the soup mix. 2. Combination of cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup, or a combination of cream of chicken and cream of celery soup.
Chicken & Dressing I
Now depending on where you are from, you could call this Chicken & Stuffing 😉 This sounds really good, and there is two very easy shortcuts you can make to reduce the use of processed items. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, Shortcut
- 1 can water, or 1 1/4 cups if making the soup
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 box Stove Top stuffing, Shortcut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F).
- Mix together the soup and water and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Lay the chicken breast in the dish.
- Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast.
- Add the dry stuffing mix covering the entire dish.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 50 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
- Serve.
Notes
Not sure home many chicken breasts are in a kilo so I will price this when I buy 4 of them. If making the shortcuts, this is certainly Low cost.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Stove Top Stuffing.
Variants: 1. Add frozen peas, corn, or carrots to the soup mix. 2. Combination of cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup, or a combination of cream of chicken and cream of celery soup.
