Crispy Cocunut Chicken with an Apricot Curry Dipping Sauce

This is a very quick and easy recipe to do and it tastes great, hardley any preparation time, not many ingredients and you can have it on the table in about 40 Min's. My Son and Hubby love this one as do I because I don't have to put much effort into it and we all want that during the week when we are busy. The dipping sauce also goes well with prawns, having said that it would also be great if you just wanted to make chicken tenders.

Ingredients

4 Chicken breasts
1-11/2 Cups flaked coconut (I say this as it depends on the size of the breasts.)
Flour to coat chicken
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 Cup butter, melted


Apricot Dipping Sauce

5 Tablespoons apricot preserves
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon Curry powder, I use the hot curry powder

Method

1. Combine coconut, pepper and garlic in a bowl (Note: If your breasts are larger and you need to use 11/2 cups of coconut add more pepper and garlic powder.)

2. Dust breasts in flour shake off excess, dip breast into egg and then into coconut press mixture firmly onto breast.

3. Place breasts in a lightly oiled oven proof pan, drizzle melted butter over and bake in a pre-heated oven 180-190c for 25-30 Min's or until chicken breasts are browned and cooked through, turn the pan once during cooking.

Apricot Dipping Sauce

1. While the breasts are cooking combine all the sauce ingredients in a pan and heat and stir until well combined. You can leave the sauce on a low heat while the breasts finish cooking, just stir occasionaly. This also helps the curry flavour to come through.

Serve with your favourite vegetables and fries or mash what ever you like.

All photo's taken by me unless otherwise stated.

Marinated Seafood Skewers with a Dipping Sauce

Another experiment and I think another success, to me this was a wonderful combination of flavours and the fish was gorgeous. I used Tuna, Salmon and Prawns but feel free to experiment with other fish, just remember you need quite thick fish for skewers. I served mine over stir-fry vegetables which not only went really well but made for a very yummy, healthy, light dinner enjoyed by us all. The ingredients listed below was enough to make 6 skewers I allowed for 2 per person so if you have bigger eaters you will have to adjust amounts to make more. The marinade will be plenty even if you buy more seafood.

Ingredients

Marinade

3 Cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Teaspoon fish sauce
2 Teaspoons sesame oil
2 Teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon ketjap Manis
2 Teaspoons sweet chili sauce
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Teaspoons lemon grass, finely chopped
3 Green onions, sliced thinly

Fish

6 Long wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 min's prior to using
12 Green prawns, peeled
320g Tuna steak, cut in large cubes (allow for 2 cubes per skewer.)
340g Salmon fillet, cut into large cubes (allow for 2 cubes per skewer.)

Dipping Sauce

2 Teaspoons soy sauce
3 Teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 Teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 Cup water
100g Sugar
50ml Lime juice
Zest of 1 small lime
3 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce
11/2-2 Tablespoons coriander, finely chopped


Method

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or storage container, add chopped fish and prawns, refrigerate for several hours.

2. Thread fish onto skewers alternating, tuna, salmon, prawn etc.. reserve marinade.

3. In summer these would be great done on the BBQ, as it is winter I did them under the grill about 6 inches from the heat. Cook for about 8-10 Min's or until done, turning once and basting with reserved marinade during cooking.

Dipping Sauce

1. In a saucepan add water and sugar and cook over a medium high heat until the sugar dissolves.

2. Turn the heat down, add soy, vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice, zest, sweet chili sauce, stir to combine, remove from heat, stir in coriander and serve in individual dipping bowls.

I served mine over stir-fry vegetables, I did a mix of bean sprouts, snow peas, shredded carrot and red pepper.

Serves 3

All photo's taken by me unless otherwise stated.

Simple Scallops with a Dipping Sauce

I made this last night as a stater, to go with a marinated fish recipe, as the main course. (I will post that one probably tomorrow.) It was a lovely recipe very simple to make, I did wonder how the dipping sauce would work with that much fish sauce in it, as I find fish sauce can be very overpowering, well it didn't overpower, it was wonderful. It really complimented the scallops, if you would like to read reviews or look at the wonderful photographs of this dish please click here.


Ingredients

Scallops

olive oil flavored cooking spray
12 Scallops
2 Tablespoons cilantro leaves, for garnish (leaves only)
1 Teaspoon sesame seeds

Dipping Sauce

2 Tablespoons fish sauce
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 Teaspoons red onions, finely diced
2 Teaspoons cucumbers, finely diced
2 Teaspoons carrots, finely diced
1 Teaspoon jalapeno peppers, fresh and finely diced (optional)


Method

1. Combine all ingredients for dipping sauce in a small mixing bowl and mix until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

2. Spray cooking oil in pan, heat pan on a medium heat then cook the scallops on both sides for about 4 minutes each side or until lightly brown.

3. Add cooked scalloped on individual tooth picks then garnish with cilantro leaves and sesame seeds.

4. Serve with dipping sauce.

Serves 4 as a starter (3 scallops per person.)

All photo's taken by me unless otherwise stated.

Steak with a Japanese Style Mustard Dipping Sauce

Very simple, easy and quick recipe to put together that is packed full of flavour. I served mine with spinach drizzled with a roasted sesame seed dressing.


Ingredients

4 Steak Fillet (250-300g each)

Sauce

2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 Teaspoon wasabi (I use powdered wasabi which I prefer, but I prepare it before adding, I don't add in powdered form.)
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons sour cream


Method


1. In a bowl combine soy sauce, vinegar, mustard and wasabi.

2. Whisk in mayonnaise and sour cream. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, the longer it is left the more the flavour comes through.

3. Grill, BBQ or pan fry steaks until desired doneness, slice steaks into thin slices and serve with dipping sauce.

To Serve: Arrange slices of steak on plate, serve dipping sauce along side, with a side of spinach with sesame dressing.

Bon Appetit


All photo's taken by me unless otherwise stated