Archive for the ‘5 Ingredients or Less’ Category
Simple Salmon
This is your basic stove top recipe, and it could not be any easier. Only 4 ingredients and no quantities needed, figure 1 fillet per serving.
Ingredients
- salmon fillets, or steaks
- salt and pepper, as desired
- extra light olive oil
Instructions
- I used 3 skin on fillets from Tesco, each is 120 grams or about 4¼ oz. Rinse the fillets and check for and remove any stray scales and pin bones.
- Season the flesh side with salt and pepper as desired.
- Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a non stick pan on medium high heat, when hot, add the salmon skin side down. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, most of the cooking takes place with the skin side down.
- As the color of the flesh on the sides of each fillet changes from the bottom upwards, and the skin is crispy, turn each fillet over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Serve with sides of your choice.
Notes
At 69 Baht for each salmon fillet, this is about $2.15 per serving.
Yellow Rice III (Rice Cooker)
Another variant to yellow rice, this is also turmeric based not saffron, and is a straightforward base recipe.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry white rice, rinsed
- 1½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add rice to your rice cooker, then add the turmeric, salt, and oil, stir until the rice is lightly coated with the oil and is yellow.
- Add the water, cover, press Cook and when it switches to Warm, fluff with a fork, serve as a side dish.
Notes
Variant: 1. Replace the water with chicken stock.
Slow Cooker Whole Duck
Sounds good, and easy. Key thing is to elevate the duck above the bottom of the slow cooker and the Low temp setting on the cooker. On my to cook list.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 1 whole duck
- oranges, as needed, quartered
- fresh carrots, as needed
- onions, as needed
Instructions
- Prep the duck by removing the giblets from the inside (if a local bought duck from an open market, remove the head, neck, and feet if they are still attached). Trim off any fat around the cavity open but do not discard, just set that aside, you will need that in a few minutes.
- Rinse the duck inside and out. pat dry with paper towels. Place quartered oranges inside the duck, plus the fat you trimmed off. Close the cavity opening best you can with toothpicks.
- Place several carrots cut in half lengthwise and/or onions that are peeled and cut in half on the bottom of your slow cooker, this is to keep the duck elevated above the bottom where the fat will collect.
- Heat a large non stick pan and place the duck, breast side down in the pan, cook until the breast is lightly browned. Remove the duck from the pan and place breast side up on 2 layers of cheesecloth that is large enough to wrap around the duck, pick the duck up with the cheesecloth and set on top of the vegetable in the slow cooker, loosely push down the cheesecloth around the duck. Prick the skin, not the meat on the breast in several places, this helps allow the fat to render out but results in juicy meat. Reason for the cheesecloth is so you can lift the duck out without it falling apart when it is done cooking. This is a fall off the bone duck.
- Cook on Low setting for 6 to 7 hours. Check the fat level at the 3 hour mark, remove excess fat if the duck is resting in the fat. Reserve the fat, great for cooking fried potatoes.
- At 6 to 7 hours, check the duck for tenderness, should be fall off the bone tender, when ready, lift the duck out with the cheesecloth to a platter, serve.
Notes
I have to buy another duck, last time I bought one, I think it was 250 Baht, but I will verify this when I buy a duck. I will say fair value for now until I confirm the cost.
Bottle Gourd Soup
This is a standard Thai soup, very inexpensive. This is a side dish to a Thai meal. Measurements are estimates based on the size of the gourd you are using, my wife made this today and used about a 5 inch diameter gourd.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle gourd, sliced into this pieces
- 1 small onion, chopped
- salt, to taste
- chicken stock powder, to taste
Instructions
- As you slice up the gourd, place in a large bowl of water. Add the chopped onion to a medium size pot.
- Drain the gourd slices and add to the pot. Add water to the pot and cover the gourd by about an inch, bring to a boil. Add chicken stock powder and salt to taste.
- Once boiling, reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Spoon into a large bowl, serve, just that easy.
Notes
Low cost.
Variant: Boil some chicken when cooking to make the stock and to add a bit of meat to the soup.
Watched my wife, Rrayada Thayer make this.
Thailand.
Thailand.
Roast Red Pork (Char Siu)
This is Chinese in origin, but adapted to Thai cooking. This recipe is from a seasoning packet, as many westerners seem to be cautious with using these. This is straight forward and easy. And keep in mind, the Lobo brand packet has two packets inside for making this dish twice, cost savings right there. This packet is available in the US at most Asian markets. This is a very nice, mild flavor, the red is not from chili powder.
Ingredients
- 600 grams pork loin, (about 1⅓ lb)
- 1 packet package has 2 packets, Lobo brand package
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Cut the loins into 1 inch thick strips about 6 to 8 inches long.
- Mix 1 packet of seasoning in the ½ cup water in a shallow bowl, then add the pork loin in a single layer, turn the loins every 15 minutes or so. Marinate for 2-3 hours.
- This is the package I use, excellent quality, Lobo brand.
- Heat a large non stick pan on low heat, add the loin strips in a single layer, cover and cook for 5 minutes, turn over, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook turning occasionally until tender, about 5-10 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate.
- Slice and serve with rice, vegetables, and Roast Pork Gravy if desired (also available in Lobo brand).
Notes
Pork loin would cost about 75 Baht/600 grams. For 4 servings, this is about 56 cents per serving.
3-Ingredient Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops II
This is a quick to put together meal. I will use pork loin when I make this, thick cut as well, that should work equally as well as chops. Several shortcuts to use as well. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops, thick cut, or loin chops
- 2-3 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix, OR make from a shortcut
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
Instructions
- Lightly butter the slow cooker insert. Place chops in the slow cooker, sprinkle chops with the ranch dressing mix,
- Pour the condensed soup over the top. You can use either cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Do not remove the lid before 6 hours, check for tenderness, if tender, serve, if not continue cooking until 7 or 8 hours.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or pasta and gravy from the slow cooker and a vegetable for a complete meal.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcuts: Ranch Dressing Mix, Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Provided by Slow Cooker Kitchen and the link to this recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
3-Ingredient Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops I
This is a quick to put together meal with only 3 ingredients and two you can make from shortcuts for cost savings. I made this yesterday 14 Sep 2017 and used bone in pork chops I found in Tesco, thick cut as well, and wow is this good! I think thick cut pork loin would equally as well. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops, bone in, thick cut
- 1-2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix, OR make from a shortcut
- 2 cups chicken gravy, OR make from a shortcut
Instructions
- Lightly butter the slow cooker insert. Place chops in the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle chops with the ranch dressing mix.
- Pour the gravy over the top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Do not remove the lid before 6 hours, check for tenderness, if tender, serve, if not continue cooking until 7 or 8 hours.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy from the slow cooker and a vegetable for a complete meal.
Notes
The pork chops I found at Tesco, thick cut, bone in, 250 grams each, were 160 Baht each making this about $4.70 per serving but these are so good I will make this once every 3 months, when I go to the city for my address report, I will look in Makro for these and the cost should be less. I will also test this recipe with just thick cut pork loin, which would make this a low cost meal.
Shortcuts: Ranch Dressing Mix, Chicken Gravy.
Provided by Slow Cooker Kitchen and the link to this recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Kielbasa & Onions
This is an old classic. I remember this well, perfect with a side of mashed or boiled potatoes, egg noodles, or even better, fried yellow summer squash. In Makro there is what is called Spicy Smoked Sausage, very similar in taste to Kielbasa and is very good, there is also packages of what is called Sausage Scraps, those also contain this sausage.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo Kielbasa sausage, or Spicy Smoked Sausage from Makro
- 2 onions, sliced, separated into rings
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the sausage into ½ inch slices at an angle. Onions and sausage prepped, as well as some zucchini for another dish.
- In a large non stick pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and butter, when hot, add sausage and onion.
- Cook, stirring often, until the sausage is browned, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper as desired.
- Ready to serve.
- I served this with fried zucchini and egg noodles, perfect meal.
Notes
Fair cost per serving.
Oven Pork Chops
This sounds really good. I am going to have to search for pork chops now due to my location, or I will try this recipe using just sliced pork loin. I made these on 26 Mar 2018, excellent flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops, thin cut would be good
- 1/2 small onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Tenderize each chop with a hammer or needle tenderizer. Tenderize each side. Place chops on the baking sheet.
- Mix together the mayo and onion. Season chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste, spread the mayo mixture evenly over the chops, top with the shredded cheese.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and chops are cooked through.
- Serve with buttered mashed potatoes and a vegetable for a complete meal.
Notes
I will say low cost for now, pork is cheap, pork chops however, I need to price those.
Variant: 1. Gouda cheese works well.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
Ham-O, Egg-O, Cheese-O Sandwich
I don't know why I thought of this last night, I must have been chatting with some of my Navy friends. For anyone that has been in South Korea, in the bar districts when the Navy visited, there was a street vendor with a cart, they made and sold Ham-O, Egg-O, Cheese-O sandwiches. This is a basic sandwich, and they made bank with these! These were made when you ordered, wrapped in paper and placed in a bag. I recall these were $1 each.
Ingredients
- 1 slice ham
- 1 egg
- 1 slice cheese
- 1 hamburger bun
- mayo, as needed
Instructions
- Keep in mind this was done on a large griddle, the woman running the cart was probably making up to 6 of these at a time.
- Fry the ham, while the ham is cooking, fry an egg hard, breaking the yolk, flipping it once.
- Spread mayo on the top and bottom bun, add the fried ham slice on the bottom bun.
- Top the ham with the fried egg.
- Top the egg with a slice of cheese (I used Gouda).
- Add the top bun. As simple as that. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Have enjoyed these many times in South Korea.