Cook 4 Cooks - Chicken Rice

Resolution = eat out less + cook more + healthy eating + quality time with friends.

So it was that a group of us decided to start a regular cooking group call ‘Cook 4 Cooks’. We will take turns to cook what we cook best at home and that way, we get to learn, cook, catch up and eat!

Our first session is off to a good start with it being in January, Could it be the gung-ho healthy spirit that hits after a decadent December? After much discussions ranging from Bak Kut Teh, Hainanese chicken rice, herbal chicken to pan mee, we found ourselves at the place of LC&J.

We thought that we were only having chicken rice but what came out from the tiny kitchen under the hands of LC&J were one mouth watering dishes after another.

From the kitchen, we could hear the sound of a cleaver going bang bang as the whole chicken was chopped. It was then lovingly arranged and garnished. Next was the familiar sizzling sound of a stir fry as vegetables cooked in a wok. You bet we were hungry as our sense of smell and sound had been fully enticed!

Sliding into our seats and with our mouths watering, the dinner started.

If that isn’t a beautiful looking chicken, I don’t know what is. On the sides were an array of the obligatory chilli sauce, ginger and soy sauce.

A lot of times, I find that the rice that accompanies the chicken isn’t flavoursome enough. With people trying to be healthy nowadays, many restrained from using the chicken stock and fat to boil the rice. Good food should be enjoyed and everything in moderation, no?

The rice was just awesome. The level of saltiness, chicken flavour and aroma were so perfectly balanced that second and third helpings were called out many a times.

Not expecting this but out it came was the braised pork belly. Sweet and tender, with the fat melting in your mouth, I couldn’t have been happier.

Stir fry vegetables were needed to help balance out the meal and the Tamarind Sour Assam Mustard Green Stew is one dish that I haven’t had a chance to eat in a long time. Another dish that was eaten with the sauce drank as a soup with lots of gusto.

For dessert, out came the leong fan with lychee. I was seriously bursting at my seams at this point. Your heart and mind still wants to eat more but your body is already protesting.

After all that food, there was more to come and I brought over some gingerbread cookies and chocolate truffles.

Lots of happy and satisfied faces. I can’t wait for the next one.