The International Low Carb Cookbook

The International Low Carb Cookbook

One of the biggest reasons people struggle with low carb eating is that they fail to add variety to their diet. They then get bored with the foods they’re eating and start to crave carbs.

However, there are plenty of options when it comes to low carb eating. If you’re willing to be creative, you can enjoy endless tasty low carb meals that contain a range of delicious flavors.

In this International Low Carb Cookbook, we’ll be providing you with a range of low carb recipes that incorporate a variety of cuisines including Chinese, Korean and Indian.

Each recipe is beautifully illustrated with food photography that guides you through every step of the cooking process.

So, let’s get cooking up some delicious international low carb meals!

Bacon & Egg Cups Recipe

With breakfast typically being the most hurried meal of the day, wouldn’t it be great if there is a portable easy to prepare ahead of time breakfast idea? Oh yes, it is! So to take that idea into life, try this bacon and eggs cups that only takes minutes to prepare and can be frozen or refrigerated for a whole week of hearty breakfast which only needs a minute of microwave time.

What You Will Need:

• Eggs (as many as you want)
• Bacon (enough bacon to cover the bottom of your ramekins or cupcake tins)
• Cheese (your favorite cheese, a few ounces will do)
• Parsley for garnish

Whip Up Some Bacon and Egg Cups, Shall We?

• Bring all your ingredients and kitchen tools ready. Preheat the oven to 180C for 10-15 minutes as you prepare the ingredients and the ramekins or cupcake tins.

• Cook the bacon (we are using bacon rounds in this demo), in a bit of water and oil, this will prevent the bacon from shrinking later.

• Place the cooked bacon to form a cup on your ramekins or cupcake tins.

• Add in about a tablespoon of grated cheese.

• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the eggs are done to desired consistency.

• Crack an egg over the bacon and cheese so that it is nestled inside the bacon cup.

• Serve immediately with fried mushrooms, onions and peppers.

• You may freeze them for easy breakfast on lazy mornings, or refrigerate them covered in plastic wrap for breakfast on the go for days you don’t have time to slave in the kitchen in the morning. Enjoy!

Baechu Kimchi Recipe

You gotta love kimchi! And if you do, then you would surely like this easy kimchi recipe. Who knew you can totally make kimchi at home? This kimchi recipe is great right after it’s mixed and stays good the longer it sits on the refrigerator. At about a month, you’ll have perfectly aged kimchi which you can use for appetizer or bibimbap! Yum!

What You’ll Need:

• 3 lbs napa cabbage (use smaller heads since this kimchi will not be chopped up)
• ½ to 1 cup Korean red pepper flakes (make sure you use the Korean variety because western red pepper flake turns dark brown during fermentation and is very hot)
• 1 apple (any kind)
• 1 big bunch scallions
• 2 thumb size pieces of ginger
• Half a cup of rock salt (use only ¼ cup if using table salt)
• 1 whole garlic bulb
• ¼ cup fish sauce (use half a tablespoon of salt if you don’t want to use this ingredient)
• 6 cups or more of water

Let’s Make Some Baechu Kimchi!

• Because baechu kimchi uses either whole or halved heads of napa cabbage, it is best to choose smaller ones, less than a pound per head.

• Slice the napa cabbage in half. Leave the core intact.

• In a big basin/container, dissolve the half a cup of salt in the 6 cups of water and soak the napa cabbage in it. Make sure the cabbage are really submerged. Leave the cabbage like this for about 2-3 up to 6 hours.

• After the soaking in salted water, rinse the cabbage twice and make sure they are well drained. They would still be crunchy but are obviously wilted. The perfect kimchi consistency!

• Prepare the kimchi paste. You can do this on a blender or a food processor.

• Simply blend/process together the white parts of the scallions, the apple, the fish sauce, garlic, and ginger. It will look like pureed apple.

• Mix the Korean red pepper flakes with the pureed mixture. Start with only half a cup of the red pepper flakes and add more if you want more heat.

• Mix in the green parts of the scallions. It will feel like mashed potatoes.

• Spread the paste in between the leaves of the napa cabbage, making sure every little bit has some of the paste.

• Place in a canning jar with the lid unscrewed. Tightly pack together and allow to sit on the counter for a day to jumpstart the fermentation process then keep in the fridge. The kimchi will begin tasting really great at about 12-24 hours if you’re from a warm climate but if you’re from a cold region, it will taste best at around 3 days to 3 weeks. Always refrigerate your kimchi! Enjoy!

Boiled Pork in Sichuan Oil Recipe

Sichuan oil, oh that amazing blend of spices which gives simple boiled pork such a distinctive flavor! It is deceptive in its simplicity but once you have a taste of it, you’ll surely crave for more!

What You’ll Need:

• 1 lb of pork leg, shoulder, or ribs, slowly cooked in boiling water until it is tender
• Half a cup plain vegetable oil
• 1 piece star anise
• 2 small pieces  of ginger (about the size of your thumb)
• 1 tablespoon whole black pepper corns
• 2 pieces green chili
• 1-2 pieces Thai red chili either dried or fresh, about 1 tablespoon chopped
• 1 bundle scallions

Let’s Heat Up the Kitchen!

• Prepare your ingredients.

• Heat the oil over medium heat. Once the oil is very hot, turn heat to low.

• Add in the spices except the green parts of the scallions and let the spices slightly fry or steep in the oil for about 1-2 minutes.

• Turn off the heat and add the green parts of the scallions. Mix.

• Pour the spicy oil over the boiled pork.

• Deceptively simple but oh so yummy! Serve with a variety of vegetables. Enjoy!

Tips:

• The secret to this dish is really tender meat paired with very spicy oil. The tender meat makes the oil not so hot when you’re savoring it but once you’re done chewing, you’ll be left with the pleasant spicy after-taste.

• Another secret is the choice of spices. Only use the freshest and best ingredients.

Broccoli Soup With Carrots Recipe

This is a recipe for broccoli soup with carrots, which has flavor from the onions and garlic in it. This is a very simple recipe and very tasty too. You can choose to add more vegetables of your choice.

What You’ll Need:

• ¼ cup onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ cup carrots
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 3 cups of water
• Salt, pepper and lemon juice as per taste

Method:

• Heat oil in pan, then add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

• Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

• Add carrots and salt, and sauté for 5 minutes.

• Add broccoli and sauté for 5 minutes.

• Add water and let it boil.

• Once it has boiled, let it simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.

• Add pepper and lemon juice.

• Serve hot.

Chicken Stir-Fry Recipe

An easy and fast recipe for weekday dinners need not be boring. Try this chicken stir-fry and get dinner done in less than 30 minutes including prep!

What You’ll Need:

• ½ pound chicken breast, sliced thinly.
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup baby corn sliced diagonally
• 1 medium sized red bell pepper cut into strips
• 1 small bundle of green onion cut into two inch long pieces (about ½ cup or a bit more)
• 1 to 1 ½ cup sugar snap peas (also goes by chicharo or snow peas)
• 1 tablespoon soybean oil or any light cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos

Let’s Make Some Awesome Chicken Stir-Fry!

• Cut up and wash everything in advance. This recipe goes pretty fast in the cooking department so make sure all veggies are ready to go.

• Heat your wok or heavy bottom frying pan over medium to high heat and brown the sliced chicken breast on all sides.

• Add the ginger.

• Sauté until the ginger’s flavor has infused with the chicken.

• Add the baby corn and the white and thick parts of the green onion then sauté for about a minute. Make sure to keep everything moving on the pan or wok so that it won’t burn.

• Add the coconut aminos.

• And stir, stir, stir!

• In the last minute, add the sugar snap peas, red bell pepper, and the green stalks of the green onion. Don’t cook for longer than a minute at this point.

• Serve hot. Make it pretty with some optional sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil.

This recipe makes 2 servings.

Crispy Tuna Skin Recipe

Commonly accompanying alcohol and karaoke on small south-east Asian pubs, crispy tuna skin is a way to use up the tuna skin left over from serving other delicious tuna dishes. From its lowly beginnings as kitchen scrap, tuna skin is transformed into a delicious and crispy accompaniment to a side of fresh greens. Traditionally deep-fried, this oven-baked version is healthier and friendly to the western palate.

What You Will Need:

• ½ to 1 pound of tuna skin (the fish monger may even give this to you for free). It is normal to have a thin layer of flesh attached to it.
• 1 teaspoon of rock salt
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil (regular vegetable oil works too)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Tim to Crisp-Up Some Tuna Skin!

• Gather all the ingredients you need and preheat the oven to 225C.

• Wash and clean the tuna skin. You may slice it into 6 inches square sections to make it easier to handle.

• Rub the oil, salt and pepper all over the tuna skin. Make sure to cover both sides.

• Place in the oven (convection oven, typical oven or broiler oven) skin side up and cook for 10 minutes.

• Flip it over, flesh side up and cook for 8-10 minutes more. This ensures it will be crispy.

• Once cooked, cool for 5 minutes and break into bite size pieces. It is so crispy that it will produce a crunching sound when you do this.

• Serve with lettuce and tomatoes or other salad greens. Lemon or lime slices are a must!

Egg Curry Recipe

Egg curry is a very famous dish from south Asia. It consists of boiled eggs served with a curry of onion, tomato and spices.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 2 boiled eggs
• Small piece of ginger, green chilly
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 cups of water
• Coriander, chopped for garnishing

Spices:

• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder (or as per taste)
• 2 tsp. salt (or as per taste)

Method:

• Heat oil in pan.

• Add onions, ginger and green chili.

• Sauté for 5 minutes, until onions are golden brown.

• Add tomatoes, salt and sauté for 10 minutes.

• Add 2 cups of water and let it simmer.

• Add remaining spices and sauté for 5 minutes.

• Add the boiled eggs and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

• Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with mixed vegetables.

Tips:

• You can choose to blend the gravy in a mixer before adding the boiled eggs.

• You can add garam masala to the curry.

Fish Curry Recipe

This curry is truly delicious! I love experimenting with food and one day I made this fish curry with very basic ingredients. Right now it is one of my moms’ favorite recipes and it takes just 20 minutes to prepare. So let’s gets started!

Ingredients:

• Fish – Scaled and Cleaned
• Tomato Paste – 3 tsp.
• Onion Paste – 3 tsp.
• Garlic & Chili Paste – 6 -7 pods and 4 chilies
• Turmeric Powder – 1tsp.
• Roasted Black Cumin – 1tsp.
• Coriander Leaves
• Salt to Taste

Method:

• Choose any fish you like, wash it properly and prepare the other ingredients.

• In a non-stick pan, heat the oil and then add the onion paste.

• Cook it till it becomes slightly golden brown, then add the garlic and chili paste to it and cook for 2-3 minutes.

• Add 1 tsp. of Turmeric and Roasted Black Cumin, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

• Add the tomato paste and cook it till the tomato becomes slightly dark.

• Cook it till the water content disappears.

• Add a small amount of coriander leaves.

• Add the fish into the mixture and then stir it till the fish is covered in the paste.

• Add water to it. Since fish cooks very fast, don’t add so much of water unless you prefer thin gravy.

• Then cook the fish curry till the gravy becomes thick and nice.

• Add the coriander leaves for garnish.

• Serve it with mixed vegetables. Eat it when it is slightly warm because it taste even better. So there you go, Fish Curry is ready in approximately 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Grilled Garlic Broccoli Recipe

This is a very simple and tasty recipe. It is nice way to enjoy broccoli with the pure flavor of garlic.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 6-8 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Marinate broccoli florets for 30 minutes with olive oil and salt, so that they become tender.

• Pre-heat the oven at 175 C (350 F) for 5 minutes.

• In a baking tray, place the broccoli florets and garlic cloves.

• Place the tray in the oven at 175 C (350 F) for 10 minutes.

• Toss the broccoli and bake for further 10-15 minutes or until broccoli is cooked and crispy.

• Serve warm.

Tips:

• You may add more veggies like carrots, zucchini etc.

• Keep a watch on the broccoli while it’s being cooked to ensure it does not get burned.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Grilled Shrimp Salad Recipe

Fancy a fresh tasting, tangy and sweet light seafood salad? Try this Asian grilled shrimp salad for brunch or even a picnic. The combination of the smoky grilled flavor from the grilled shrimp, the slightly sweet and salty shrimp taste, plus the tart and spicy dressing makes for a feast your senses will surely love.

What You Will Need:

• 1 small head of lettuce, leaves separated (romaine or ice berg lettuce)
• 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 cup of medium sized shrimps, deveined, cleaned and without shell
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1-3 teaspoons of wasabi paste, adjust according to taste
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Time for Some Awesome Shrimp Salad!

• Gather all the needed ingredients together.

• Coat the shrimps with the vegetable oil, garlic, and half the sesame oil.

• Grill on a pan or stove top grill.

• For the dressing, combine the wasabi paste, mayonnaise and red wine vinegar.

• To assemble the salad, lay down the lettuce leaves, sprinkle the red onions over it and add the cooked shrimp. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and sprinkle the sesame seeds. Don’t forget to drizzle half of the sesame oil to give it an extra layer of flavor!

• Serves two persons. Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Beef-Wrapped Asparagus Recipe

For an easy and fast dinner appetizer with a mix of eastern and western flavors, try this roasted beef wrapped asparagus which comes together in less than an hour.  With this recipe, there is no excuse for not impressing guests at your dinner table even if it is an after-work-hours gathering.

What You’ll Need:

• ½ lb Beef sliced thinly or sukiyaki style
• 1 bundle asparagus spears
• ½  teaspoon freshly cracked blacked pepper
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 small piece of ginger (makes about 1 teaspoon of grated ginger)
• 2 cloves of garlic

Let’s Wrap Em Asparagus!        

• Make sure you got all the ingredients that you need ready.

• In a bowl, grate the ginger and garlic.

• Add in the beef, soy sauce, chili flakes, freshly cracked black pepper, vegetable oil, and sesame seeds.

• Mix together and let stand for 15 minutes while you clean and cut up the asparagus stalks.

• Wrap each asparagus stalk with a piece of beef while you preheat the oven at 200C. You may also use the griller or broiler.

• Here they are all wrapped up!

• Arrange on a baking tray at least an inch apart if using the oven. They can be grilled on the griller too especially if you have an outdoor party or gathering. Bake for 15 minutes or until the asparagus are tender but not soggy and the beef is cooked through.

• Serve up as is or with some sriracha for an added kick! Don’t forget to drizzle in some sesame oil just before serving.

• Enjoy this eastern inspired beef-wrapped asparagus!

Palak Paneer Recipe

This is a recipe for a very famous Indian dish, Palak Paneer (cottage cheese cooked in a spinach curry). This is one of the flagship Indian dishes which is widely appreciated by all and found in the main course of most of the Indian restaurants.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 spinach bunch(fresh or equal quantity of frozen spinach)
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• ½  cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup cottage cheese (Paneer, around 200 gms)
• Small piece of ginger, green chilly
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 cups of water
• Coriander, chopped for garnishing.

Spices:

• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder (or as per taste)
• 2 tsp. salt (or as per taste)
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder (or green/black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon)

Method:

• Prepare all the ingredients.

• Heat water (around 1 liter) in a pan. Let it boil.

• Add spinach, and let it boil for 2 minutes.

• Drain the water and keep the spinach aside.

• Heat oil in pan.

• Add cumin seeds and whole spices, let them crackle; add onions, ginger and green chili.

• Sauté for 5 minutes, until onions are golden brown.

• Add tomatoes, salt and sauté for 10 minutes.

• Add remaining spices and sauté for 5 minutes.

• Turn off the heat when the tomatoes have cooked completed.

• Add the onion/tomato mix to the mixer with blanched spinach, and blend with 2 cups of water in a mixer.

• Heat the pan and add the onion/tomato/spinach paste.

• Add the cheese cubes and let it boil for 5 minutes.

• Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with mixed vegetables.

Radish With Sesame Seed Paste Salad Recipe

Radish with Sesame Paste Salad is something I grew up eating. It and can be eaten with bread or rice. It takes just 10 minutes to make it but the taste is amazing. So let’s get started!

Ingredients:

• Radish
• Onion – 1
• Green Chilies – 3
• Sesame Seed Paste – 2 tbsps.
• Coriander Leaves 
• Lemon – Half
• Salt to Taste

Preparation:

• Get all your ingredients ready.

• Wash the radish under running water, then using a potato peeler, peel the cover of the radish.

• Once done, cut the entire radish and the stem into 2 cms long thin pieces.

• Also cut the onion and chilies into thin long pieces, then cut the coriander into small pieces.

• Soak the radish in a salt water to reduce the gas in it. Leave it for at least 10 minutes.

• Then mix all the ingredients together and then add 2 tbsp. of sesame seed paste.

• Mix it properly and then add the salt to taste.

• For the final touch, squeeze half a lemon into the salad.

• That’s all. It’s best to let this salad sit in the fridge for 10 minutes so the flavors can mix well. Enjoy! Serve at room temperature. Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with mixed vegetables.

Shahi Paneer Recipe

This is a recipe for a very famous Indian dish, Shahi Paneer. This is one of the flagship Indian dishes which is widely appreciated by all and found in the main course of most of the Indian restaurants.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup cottage cheese (Paneer, around 200 gms)
• Small piece of ginger, green chilly
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 cups of water
• Coriander, chopped for garnishing

Spices:

• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder (or as per taste)
• 2 tsp. salt (or as per taste)
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder (or green/black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon)

Method:

• Heat oil in pan

• Add cumin seeds and whole spices, let them crackle; add onions, ginger and green chili.

• Sauté for 5 minutes, until onions are golden brown.

• Add tomatoes, salt and sauté for 10 minutes.

• Add remaining spices and sauté for 5 minutes.

• Turn off the heat when the tomatoes have cooked completely.

• Add all the cooked ingredients to a mixer, and blend with 2 cups of water.

• Heat the pan and add the onion/tomato paste.

• Add the cheese cubes and let it boil for 5 minutes.

• Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot with mixed vegetables.

Sisig Recipe

Sisig or sizzling pork crackling is an exotic dish traditionally made with pork liver and pig ear. However, not everyone is a fan of eating pig’s ear so a more modernized version uses pork belly instead. You can ask your butcher to give you some pork belly (with the skin on) and roughly chop it into small pieces to create this exotic dish.

What You Will Need:

• A pound of pork belly (with the skin on) chopped into small pieces
• Green finger chilies (one or two depending on how much you love spicy food)
• Thai red chili or wild chili, it also has a Taiwanese variety. This chili is mainly used for color but you can substitute a small piece of bell pepper if you cannot find this or you are not a fan of very spicy food.
• One egg
• One large red onion
• 3 pieces of Philippine lime or use 1 regular lime
• Salt and pepper

*you will also need a hot sizzling plate or use your stove-top grill

Let’s Start Sizzling Some Crackling!

• Boil the chopped up pork belly in enough water to cover it together with half a teaspoon of ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt.

• Once cooked, drain the water and fry the pork in its own fat until well browned, drain.

• Gather the rest of your ingredients.

• Chop the onion into small cubes and the chilies into small pieces.

• Heat up your sizzling plate on your stove until it begins to smoke.

• Add in the pork, chilies and the chopped onion and let it sizzle for a minute.

• Mix everything together.

• Create a well in the middle and crack your egg in it.

• Transfer your sizzling plate unto its wooden rack and decorate with additional chilies and slices of lime. Enjoy!

Tips:

• If you do not have a sizzling plate, you can do steps 5-8 on a frying pan but fry the egg separately. Traditionally, the egg is mixed into the pork mixture while the plate is still sizzling hot and the lime is squeezed on top prior to eating.

• This is not to be served as a main dish but rather as an appetizer much like Spanish tapas.

• This is a popular dish in some parts the Philippines and Asia and usually eaten accompanied by beer or local wine. Although this version has been modified and is not 100% authentic compared to the version made by locals, it still retains all the good flavors of the authentic version without the hours of kitchen labor involved.

Spicy Ribs In Black Bean Sauce Recipe

The beauty of Chinese cuisine is partly due to the sub-cuisines from each of China’s regions. This spicy ribs in black bean sauce hails from Sichuan but has been influenced by the street food carts of old Hong Kong and the immigrant cuisine from the southern parts of the country. This simplified version is of course not as labor-intensive nor as complex as the original but is just as tasty. This dish is deceptively simple but is bursting with flavor, you’ll surely want more.

What You’ll Need:

• 2 lbs (1 kilo) of pork short ribs, cut into 1 to 2 inch sections
• ½ cup fermented black beans
• 3 red Thai chilies sliced
• 3 green curry chilies or finger chilies (you can use jalapeno) sliced
• 1 ounce ginger root, sliced thinly
• ½ cup pork stock
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• Chives for garnish

Let’s Make Some Awesome Spicy Ribs!

• Begin by washing the ribs and then placing it in a pot with enough water to cover it for about an inch.

• Boil until tender (about 25 to 30 minutes) and the drain. Reserve the stock for soups and save half a cup for this recipe.

• Slice up the ginger and the chilies.

• To cook this, it is best to cook it in 2 or 3 batches to not crowd the wok or frying pan. In a very hot wok or frying pan, heat up the sliced ginger and chilies with some oil.

• Add the fermented black beans, ribs, and a bit of stock. Stir until the ribs is fully coated with the sauce and sauté-fry until all liquid has been absorbed.

• Serve with mixed vegetables or eat as an appetizer!

• Garnish with some chives and enjoy!

Squash & String Beans In Coconut Cream Recipe

A favorite regional dish in Southeast Asia, this squash and string beans in coconut cream recipe goes well with plain steamed rice and some fried fish. However, even when served just by itself, this dish does shine with its delicate mix of subtle pork flavor, sweet and savory squash, and creamy coconut sauce. You’ll surely want some rice to go with this!

What You’ll Need:

• ½ pound pork belly, sliced thinly
• 4 cups squash, cut into 1 by ½ inch pieces
• 2 cups string beans, cut into 2 inch long sections
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• Red chili flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 cup coconut cream (not coconut milk)
• 1 thumb size piece of ginger, sliced
• ½ cup water

Let’s Start Cooking!

• Chop up the vegetables.

• In a pan or wok over medium-high heat, brown the sliced pork belly with the oil.

• Once the pork is cooked through, add the ginger and sauté until the oil is infused with the ginger’s flavor.

• Dump in the squash and string beans.

• Add the fish sauce.

• Pour in the coconut cream and all the water.

• Cover and turn the heat down to medium. Boil and let simmer until squash is tender (about 10 minutes).

• Serve with a sprinkling of red chili flakes!

This recipe serves 4-6 persons.

Spicy Poached Chicken Recipe

This Chinese-fusion dish is usually served at formal functions and gatherings but you don’t need any special event to make this right at your kitchen! All you need is some spices, half an hour of your time, and voila! You have spicy poached chicken!

What You’ll Need:

• 1 to 2 pounds chicken pieces (with the bones in)
• 1 small stalk of lemongrass
• Peel of half an orange
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 ounce piece fresh ginger root
• 1 red Thai chili
• 2 green finger chilies
• 2 pieces star anise
• Half a red onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Some water
• Half a cup light flavored oil (such as palm oil or vegetable oil)

Let’s Cook Up Some Spicy Poached Chicken!

• Begin by placing cleaned chicken pieces in a pot or pan with enough water to cover the chicken. Add in the lemongrass, orange peel, celery, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for another 15 to 20 minutes.

• Once done, the chicken can be eaten as is but this won’t be spicy poached chicken without the spicy part!

• For the spicy ‘sauce’ gather the peppercorns, onion, chilies, star anise, oil, ginger, and caraway seeds. Slice the ginger, onions, and chili.

• In a small pan over medium heat, place all the spices and the oil. Slowly heat up to infuse the oil with the spices.

• After about 5 minutes of the spices steeping in the oil, pour the ‘sauce’ over the drained chicken pieces.

• You can strain the oil but the traditional way of serving this dish is with all the spices left in the oil, that way, people would know what’s in it.

• This dish is best enjoyed with mixed vegetables.

• Don’t forget to use the oil as a dipping sauce, you’ll be in for a tasty surprise!

Tomato Basil Chicken Recipe

Want a quick and easy ‘gourmet’ entrée recipe? Check out this recipe for tomato basil chicken. Besides being healthy with all fresh ingredients, this recipe is reminiscent of warm weather and luscious Mediterranean summers.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 lb boneless chicken breast (about 2-3 medium sized pieces) with the skin on
• 1 tsp rock salt (equivalent to 1/2 tsp table salt)
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 handfuls of fresh chopped basil (about 1.5 cups)
• 1 ½ -2 cups fresh diced tomato
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves of garlic

Let’s Make Some Tomato Basil Chicken!

• Gather all the ingredients you need.

• Chop the fresh ingredients.

• Season the chicken breasts with rock salt and pepper. You may use table salt but the rock salt lends a more rustic appeal to the dish.

• In a preheated pan over medium-high heat, place the chicken skin side down with the oil.

• Add the garlic and allow the chicken to brown on both sides, turning once.

• Once both sides are adequately crisped up, add the tomatoes. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and some of it has formed a sauce with the olive oil and garlic.

• Add the basil and cook for another minute.

• Sprinkle generously with grated parmesan cheese and remove from heat.

• Makes 2-3 dinner sized servings. Best served with mixed vegetables.

Best Low Carb Cookbooks