THAI EGG NOODLES WITH CHICKEN

Today noodles. A very rewarding dish. Easy to make and easy to eat. A good option. I like to use lots of vegetables. They are always good. In that way you can get a complete meal. Let’s go to the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 packet of egg noodles
Some extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of salt
½ chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
½ chopped green pepper
½ cup diced squash
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
½ chicken breast, cubed
5 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
1 dried chili
A pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
Some drops of sesame oil
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

First we will have to prepare the pasta. Follow the instructions of the pasta package. You normally will have to heat quite a lot of water in a pan, adding some drops of oil and some salt. Once it is boiling, add the pasta and cook it following the instructions. But do not overcook. In fact it is better to let the pasta be not completely cooked at this stage. When the pasta is ready, drain tha pasta and reserve it.
We will have to prepare the spices. Do this grinding them in a mortar. Grind the peppercorns, the cumin, the coriander seeds, the cardamom and the dried chili. Once it is ground, reserve it.
The next step is to put some oil in a wok or big frying pan. Then heat it and sauté the onion, the carrot, the pepper, the squash, the garlic and the ginger. Do this at high heat. But be careful because we do not want our vegetables to get burned.
Now we will add the chicken and we will sauté it. Then add the spices from the mortar, the sugar, the fish sauce and some drops of sesame oil. Cook for some minutes and add the lime juice and the cilantro.
Finally, add the pasta. Mix well and keep on cooking for a couple of minutes. Then we will have our dish ready. The secret is cooking fast and at high heat. But being careful so that our food does not get burned. Delicious.
Enjoy!

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LENTILS WITH CHORIZO

Pulses. I love lentils. And I love chorizo. So let’s make Lentils with Chorizo today. We should be eating beans and pulses at least once a week. Or even more. And there are very good ways of cooking them. To the kitchen!

Ingredients:

1 cup brown lentils
2 bay leaves
Some extra virgin olive oil
½ chopped onion
½ chopped green pepper
1 chopped carrot
½ cup chopped squash
1 chopped chorizo
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon sweet Spanish pimentón (or paprika)
1 chopped tomato

Depending on the kind of lentils you use you will have to soak them overnight. Check the package of the lentils you use.
If you have soaked them, discard the water. Then put the lentils in a pan with enough water. Add some salt and some drops of olive oil. Cook the lentils. It is better if the heat is low. When they are almost done, we will remove the liquid from the lentils but we will reserve it.
While we are cooking the lentils, we can cook the vegetables. Put some extra virgin olive oil in a pan and heat it. Once it is hot, add the onion, the pepper, the carrot, the squash and the chorizo. Cook for some minutes and then add the garlic and the herbs and spices. Salt to taste and add some pepper. When the vegetables are almost ready, not too well done, though, we will add them to the pan with the lentils. Then it is up to you. You can add as much of the liquid we have reserved, depending on the way you like your lentils.
We only have to add the tomato. Keep on cooking for some minutes. The heat low, remember. And your lentils will be ready. Serve them hot. Enjoy!

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