Thursday, June 7, 2012

Who wants to eat out anyway?

Last night while eating dinner this sentiment was echoed around the table. We didn't always feel this way...we liked a monthly meal out. Often it was to give me time out, sometimes to connect with friends sans kids, but other times because I just didn't feel like cooking. Over the last year we have eaten out less and less to the point that Superman's birthday lunch on Tuesday was probably the first time we have eaten out this year except for my trip to the UK in April.

Radishes - the almost instant gratification vegetable.

Last night's meal, while not earth shattering, was so delicious and fresh. Almost all the ingredients can be traced to source, none are out of season and lots of it was grown in our garden. What a very special thought it was as we sat down to dinner.

Chillies and garlic right next to the stove for easy acess in a bowl my son made me.

Here is our tasty Green Curry:

The chicken pieces, taken from 2 whole birds, need to be browned in a heavy saucepan. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I do not buy precut chicken anymore, just whole ones. This is much cheaper and I can use the carcass for stock. Winter being upon us means lots of soups so we go through a lot of stock.


Place the browned chicken pieces into an oven dish. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

Lemon Grass is great to grow at home in a container.

For the curry sauce:
1 lemon grass stalk, a big bunch coriander, 1 small green chilli (from the garden) - chopped
2cm piece of fresh ginger - grated
1 red onion (or white or spring)- chopped
1 heaped teaspoon of garlic

Add to the pan you browned the chicken in. Let them sizzle a bit.

Add 300ml chicken stock and 1 can of coconut milk. Allow to slightly reduce then pour over chicken.

Cover and cook on 180 deg for about 1 hour.

After the first hour cooking closed.

Top and tail some green beans and add to the curry. Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes.

When cooked open it all crispens and gets much yummier.

While this was cooking I made a fresh Kimchee Salad to go with it.

Radishes, 1 red chilli and more coriander from the garden, another red onion and half a cabbage all very finely sliced and mixed together.


Then add the juice of one lemon, I am collecting the peels for a citrus cleaner so I do this first.

Drizzle generously with sesame oil and mix really well.


This was such a scrumptious meal...and so nice to eat at home.

Linking up at Simple Lives Thursday


8 comments:

Tanya Murray said...

I have to agree. I really like the idea of eating out but I'm usually disappointed. When you get used to having home grown freshly picked ingredients, meals made from very ordinary ingredients fails to reach the mark. Thanks for the green curry recipe.

Lois Evensen said...

We love to eat at home, too. We don't have any choice much of the year since My Honey works away from home, but when we ARE home, we love to cook and eat here. Last night daughter made a wonderful lamb dinner with fresh corn on the cob, baked potatoes, fresh salad.... Oh, yum!

africanaussie said...

I make a very similar green curry chicken, but cook it very quickly - I wonder how different it tastes being baked for a long time - will have to try that - it certainly looks very tasty!

Tammy said...

Ooh i am drooling!

Cath said...

Yummy, this made my mouth water. We eat out a lot less too, and I am finding that here we often are disappointed with the food, preferring our home cooked meals.

Nichole said...

I don't have a lot of money, so eating out better be worth it. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

Urban Homestead South Africa said...

Mmh I hear you Nichole and Cath. When it costs as much to eat out with our family of 6 I know I can serve up 3or 4 decadent wholesome home made meals for the same price!

Urban Homestead South Africa said...

Mmh I hear you Nichole and Cath. When it costs as much to eat out with our family of 6 I know I can serve up 3or 4 decadent wholesome home made meals for the same price!