The ongoing pandemic has probably changed our food habits for the long run. So many of us developed a newfound love for cooking at home, and an entire generation of home chefs discovered the joys of experimenting with recipes and ingredients (remember the Dalgona coffee craze of 2020?).
And now with the announcement that Phase One of the new MCO is to last for some time, it is really putting our skills in the kitchen to the test when it comes to preparing nutritious and easy-to-cook meals for the whole family.
Fear not! Here are three simple recipes that you can try to add a little bit of flair to your daily meals. You can enjoy a fluffy pancake breakfast, a quick and easy noodle lunch and a hearty chicken dish for dinner.
With a little ingenuity you can modify any of these recipes to suit your own personal tastes!
Breakfast
Easy Fluffy Pancakes
This super easy recipe makes delicious pancakes that are light and fluffy and you only need a few simple ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now. The best thing about pancakes is how each family member can tweak his or her pancake to suit their individual tastes.
(Makes 4 servings of 2 pancakes each)
Ingredients:
-> 1 ½ cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour, see tips below for how to measure flour
-> 2 tablespoons sugar
-> 1 tablespoon baking powder
-> 1/2 teaspoon of salt
-> 1 ¼ cups (295 ml) milk, dairy or non-dairy
-> 1 large egg
-> 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the skillet. You can use salted butter, but you may want to reduce the amount of salt used.
-> 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
1. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Warm milk in the microwave or on the stove until lukewarm, not hot.
3. Whisk milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until combined.
4. Heat a large skillet (or use griddle) over medium heat. The pan is ready if when you splatter a little water onto the pan surface, the water dances around the pan and eventually evaporates.
5. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, pour milk mixture into the well and use a fork or whisk to stir until you no longer see clumps of flour. Don’t worry if the batter has small lumps – it is important not to over-mix the batter.
6. Lightly brush skillet with melted butter. Use a 1/4-cup measuring cup to spoon batter onto the skillet. Gently spread the batter into a 4-inch circle.
7. When edges look dry, and bubbles start to appear and pop on the top surfaces of the pancake, turn over. This takes about 2 minutes. Once flipped, cook another 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked in the middle.
8. Serve immediately with honey, syrup, butter, berries, bananas etc.
Lunch
Fried Instant Noodles
Instant noodles are a staple in Malaysian kitchens as the most common go-to meal around the clock. Indeed, we Malaysians love our instant noodles and have come up with a variety of interesting ways to elevate the dish from instant to gourmet. Here is a tried and tested simple fried instant noodle recipe that will have your family coming back for more.
(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients:
-> 4 packets of instant noodle of choice ( 3 if you’re using the larger Ramen noodles)
-> 3 tablespoons of cooking oil
-> 150g - 200g of chicken breast sliced or cubed
-> 100-200g of vegetables of choice (lightly chopped)
-> 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
-> 1/2 teaspoon of salt
-> 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
Sauce:
-> 1 teaspoon of fish sauce (optional but recommended)
-> 2 tablespoon of light soya sauce
-> 1/2 tablespoon of dark soya sauce
Directions:
1. Cook and drain your instant noodles then set them aside for now
2. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok on high heat.
3. When the oil is hot, add the sliced chicken and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Stir fry for 1 minute making sure the meat is cooked evenly.
5. Add in garlic and stir for another minute.
6. Turn the heat down to medium.
7. Add chopped vegetables and stir for another 2 minutes. If you’re not using vegetables, skip this step.
8. Add the prepared sauce ingredients and mix everything together.
9. Add about 50ml of water to the sauce if it is too dry.
10. Turn the heat down to low and let everything simmer.
11. Do a taste test and add salt, pepper, light soya sauce as needed.
12. Finally, toss your cooked noodles into the wok/pan and mix well before serving. Don’t be afraid to add a little water to loosen the noodles if too dry. Bon appetite!
Dinner
Rosemary & Thyme Roasted Chicken Breast
This herb-infused chicken dish uses only 7 ingredients is incredibly simple to make yet yields a flavorful, juicy main course each time. You can serve this dish to accompany stir fried vegetables, soup and rice or just have it as is with bread. Any leftovers can easily be diced and refrigerated to make sandwiches for breakfast the next morning.
(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients:
-> Split 2 whole boneless chicken breasts, skin-on
-> 4 large garlic cloves finely chopped or grated
-> 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
-> 1 1/2 tbsp thyme
-> 1 tablespoon olive oil
-> ½-1 teaspoon salt
-> Freshly ground black pepper to taste
-> The second is using fresh herbs, which provide a lot more flavor than dried herbs.
Directions:
1. Wash the chicken breast and pat dry with kitchen towels.
2. Next, prepare the herb mixture by finely mincing the rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Make sure to use fresh rosemary and thyme for this recipe as it will make a big difference in how the dish tastes. Learn how to grow your own fresh herbs at home.
3. Mix the herbs and garlic together with the salt, pepper, and olive oil to form a paste.
4. Spread the herb mixture over the chicken, making sure to get some under the skin.
5. Drizzle some olive oil on your baking tray then place the chicken on top of it.
6. Sprinkle black pepper on top of the chicken then roast at 200 degrees Celsius or 400 Fahrenheit for 35 minutes.
7. When you take the tray out of the oven, cover it with foil and let the chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Hopefully these recipes will give you some ideas for your next meal!
