NICOLA GALLOWAY
Chilli and ginger will help keep you warm from the inside out.
I n the menu line up today I am utilising the warming spices of ginger and chilli. erfect to heat you up from the inside out on a cool night. Sesame seeds also feature along with their paste counterpart, tahini. lthough possibly not a kitchen staple in every home, tahini is an ingredient I always have on hand. It can be used in baking tahini cookie recipe coming soon in dips such as hummus and babaganoush, as a sauce to drizzle over flash-cooked broccoli, as a sandwich / toast spread in place of butter, and the list goes on.
It is important to note, not all tahini is the same and it will go rancid (becoming et ra bitter overtime when kept at room temperature. With that in mind, I always purchase tahini from a bulk bin refillery and store it in the fridge where it will last for many months. If buying pre-packaged tahini, look for tubs in the chilled section of the supermarket, usually positioned near falafel mi and tofu.
Spicy sesame baked chicken & rice
This is a one-dish bake with the rice slowly cooking in the oven as the chicken bakes. The juices of the marinated chicken are soaked up by the rice for one delicious dish. I have used a Korean-inspired marinade here, which is on the spicier side (saying that, my chilli radar daughter still gobbled it up . or a less spicy option use a soy sauce, ginger and honey marinade. (You can find one in my recent recipe feature on mandarins in the uly edition of ,or online on Stuff .
The Korean chilli paste, gochujang, is an ingredient that you won’t find at every supermarket but is readily available at sian food stores. heck the ingredients and choose a paste that has a list you recognise. small container will last for months in the fridge, I love it spread on cheese toasties with sauerkraut. completely untraditional toastie combination, but wonderfully addictive.
PREP TIME: 30 minutes + 1-2 hours marinade time COOK TIME: 45-50 minutes // SERVES 4
1.4kg whole chicken – or use chicken pieces (skin on, bone in)
1 cup (220g) white rice (I used medium-grain)
1½ cups (375ml) hot chicken stock
Salt to season
2 carrots (about 200g), peeled and sliced on a diagonal
Chopped spring onions and toasted sesame seeds to serve
Marinade
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste – or use chilli sauce) 1 tbsp rice vinegar
1½ tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp sesame oil
3cm fresh ginger, finely grated
2-3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1-2 tsp sugar
1. If using a whole chicken, portion into 10 pieces – find easy to follow YouTube tutorials for directions. I prefer to portion a whole chicken as the different cuts satisfy my family’s chicken preferences. The equivalent weight of chicken pieces (skin on, bone in) can also be used.
2. Make the marinade. Lightly crush the toasted sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle. Tip into a large bowl and add the remaining marinade ingredients. Check the taste, adding extra sugar if needed to balance the flavours.
3. Add the chicken and use two spoons (not your hands) to mix well, evenly coating in the marinade. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours, or overnight.
4. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 190ºC (fan 170ºC).
5. In a 25cm lidded baking dish (or similar sized dish – I used a cast iron pan) place the rice, hot stock and sliced carrot. Add a generous pinch of salt – if using store bought stock you may not need extra salt. Stir to combine then nestle the chicken pieces, skin side up, in a single layer on top of the rice – the stock will come up the sides at this stage, but it will soon be absorbed by the rice.
6. Cover, and bake for 20 minutes. Once the rice is hydrated remove the lid and bake for a further 20 minutes. Check the chicken is cooked through then switch to grill for 5-10 minutes to colour the surface of the chicken. This step is worth it for flavourful chicken skin.
7. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and sesame seeds and serve. Scoop portions of chicken and rice onto plates and enjoy. Serve with the tahini ginger slaw that follows for freshness and to mellow the spice of the chicken.
Tahini ginger winter slaw
This winter slaw has a hint of ginger for warmth with freshness from the crunchy vegetables and apple. If you haven’t got tahini on hand – see my notes on previous page – peanut butter could be used in the dressing. It will be di erent compared to using tahini, and a little extra water may be required to thin the dressing. If taking this route, chopped peanuts could also be used in place of the toasted sesame seeds, but either will work. As with any dressing the aim is to get a good balance of avours, always taste and adjust as needed.
PREP TIME: 20 minutes SERVES 4 as a side
3 cups (about 300g), thinly sliced green and/or red cabbage
Half an apple, thinly sliced
1 large carrot (about 150g), peeled and grated
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Dressing
4 tbsp tahini (or peanut butter) Juice of 1 lime, about 1½ tbsp 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1-2 tsp sugar or honey
2cm fresh ginger, finely grated 1-3 tbsp water
1. Measure the dressing ingredients into the base of a salad bowl. Use a spoon to combine into smooth paste, adding extra water to thin as needed. The dressing will be thicker than usual but not so thick that it can’t be easily swirled. Check the taste, adding extra soy sauce or sugar if needed.
2. Prepare the vegetables and apple. Place into the salad bowl, sprinkle over the sesame seeds and toss to combine. The dressing is on the thicker side so take your time to evenly mix together. Serve with spicy baked chicken and rice.
3. If making this salad ahead of time, add the dressing just before serving.