OrganiSed Chaos

I’ve never been one to post recipes on my blog other than when a request was made or a question asked.
So, I thought, just for a change of pace, I would.
The biggest problem once this decision was made however, was to choose a recipe.
A salad?
Nah!
Too common.
A roast?
A roast isn’t something that really needs a recipe, and I’m not much into cakes or sweet things, so I looked to my favourite foods of all time.
I’m a chicken freak, I love Indian/Asian food, and chili is one of my favourite ingredients, so the logical choice was Chili Chicken of course.
The recipe you see below is one that has been made in my kitchen more times than you could count, and there is little left once we eat.
Maybe a little for lunch the next day, but not too often.
Feel free to copy and paste, then print it out and try it.
If you like your food with some authority, this is for you, trust me!
The chili can be made more or less depending on taste is what I like about it.
I use bucket loads, others use just enough to give them a little taste.
It’s entirely a matter of choice.
The simple method for this is one of the reasons I love making it.
So few steps involved you may think you missed something.
Trust me, you didn’t.
It really is that simple.
So here we go.
One of my favourites.

Ingredients:
4 -6 chicken thighs {you could substitute breasts or a whole chicken cut into serving pieces if you prefer}
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
3 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp red chili powder
chopped habanero chilies to taste {as many as you want, and with or without seeds depending on the heat you want to create. I use 5 or 6 ordinarily, and leave the seeds in}
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
2 tbsp finely chopped onions
Dried red chili pods {again, as many as you want and with or without seeds depending on the heat you want}
Chicken stock to taste {I say this because how much you use is dependent on how much juice you like. I like lots so tend to use a lot of stock}
salt and sugar to taste

Marinate chicken with red chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala spice. Set aside {as with anything, the longer you marinate it, the better…i do mine overnight}
Stir-fry the minced shallots, onions, coriander, mustard seeds, chilies, and dried chili pods till fragrant. Add chicken and pan fry on both sides until nicely browned.
Add water, salt and sugar to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes OR until fully cooked.
Serve with boiled/steamed rice.

I apologise for this interruption to the amazing adventures of Moe and Mark, but I have an important community service announcement.
A new food blog has been born, and we all KNOW how I love new blogs {and food} right??
Mostly we know Michael as just ~m, and we’re well acquainted with Smoke and Mirrors, but this man is like an onion.
He has many layers, and one very close to his heart is his family.
Specifically his 3 daughters {he keeps Pam elsewhere }
After having spent some time with him and his family recently {yes, I can hear you all now “No! You didn’t??? Why didn’t you tell us??? wise arses is what you are} I can tell you, from first hand knowledge, this is a man who loves to cook for his family.
From omelets through to full steak dinners, he simply loves to cook good food.
I’ll add at this point that’s he’s a damned good cook too.
Pam and the girls have many favourites and for some time he’s been trying to find a way to record the many recipes he holds in his head so the girls can carry on the dining tradition when he is no longer able, or perhaps even been cooked himself.
Enter Dad’s Diner.
A food blog dedicated to not only the wonderful food he already cooks, but for any other recipe that may cross his radar and take his family’s fancy.
Please don’t be a stranger over there.
There will be some fabulous stuff to cook, and he won’t mind should you leave the odd comment letting him know how you got on making them yourself.
I’ve tried one of the recipes he has posted already and let me tell you, it was good.
In fact, very good.
Ok, on your way, go find a new recipe for dinner tonight.
Try the Chicken Masala.
Pam and the girls tell me it’s ridiculously good!!
In my words that would be YUM YUM PIGS BUM!!!!!!

At work a week or so ago, I heard about a strange recipe.
Now, I’m an adventurous cook, willing to try anything once, but when I was told the ingredients for this one, my eyebrows shot up.
Have a go at this:
Heat oven to 180C or around 320F
Take one packet of French Onion soup mix and coat some chicken wings with it.
I used a freezer bag to do the shake and roll thing. Less mess, always a bonus.
Put the wings into a baking dish.
Into the dish, with the wings and soup, pour one can of coke.
Normal, diet, zero, which ever you prefer. I used zero cos we like it.
I shit you not my friends.
Chicken wings, French Onion soup and coke.
I made it tonight, and let me assure you, it will be a regular on our menu from here on in!
Fucking beautiful!
You can use as much or as little soup mix and coke to your taste.
I did 1.2kg of wings and used 2 packs and 2 cans.
The soup mixes with the coke and creates a sauce that is good enough to dip bread in and eat once the wings are gone, or even if they’re not gone.
Now I know Mark thought I’d lost the plot when I asked him to bring some coke from downstairs so I could do dinner.
I got one of those “Do you need take a pill and lay down sweetheart?” looks.
He ain’t looking at me strange any more however.
After dipping several pieces of bread in the sauce and inhaling quite a few wings, he’s decided we can maybe try a variation on the wings.
Use thighs, or maybe breasts, coat them in the soup mix, only pour in one can of coke, then have the lot with rice perhaps?
As I said, the soup mix and coke can be adjusted to your taste, and if you want, the sauce can be thickened with corn flour, and you could even throw some veggies in if it takes your fancy.
Take care not to let it dry out in the oven though, and if it looks like it may, simply add more coke! Whatever is left in the can, well, if you have some good bourbon or scotch, there’s no need to waste that either!
Have a drink while waiting for one of the most tasty meals you’ll eat, from a couple of ingredients I would never have though to use together.
In fact one of them would never have entered my head to use at all!
How about you?
What’s the strangest recipe you’ve ever made?

Yes, I’ll say it out loud.
It’s nearly Christmas. As scary as that thought is, it’s the truth and I had to say it. One month and 6 days left.
5 parts of fuck all huh???
So. Who’s organised? Got pressies? Menu sorted? Decided whether to leave Santa a scotch or bourbon?
Shit, not me!!! I have NFI other than we’re going out for Christmas lunch with one daughter and son in law.
No kiddies this year, just the 4 of us. We’ve never gone out for Chrissie dinner before so this is a first for us.
The problem is, we live in the tropical paradise that is Nth QLD. Everybody bitches and whinges when I want a hot lunch and we always have the same old argument.
Hot, cold, seafood, everybody has an opinion and like me, don’t hold back on voicing said opinion.
I love a hot lunch because that’s what I’ve always done you know? I’m not asking them to cook it, or be in the hot kitchen, all I ask is they eat it.
I allowed myself to be talked into a cold buffet one year.
NEVER AGAIN! Never!
Just wasn’t Christmas. Shit, I can have cold meat and salad every day of the week, why the hell do I want to have it for Christmas dinner???
By going out, we all get what we want. They have traditional Christmas fare, and the more unconventional salads, seafood etc. The so called “new age, climate appropriate” food.
Just isn’t the same to me. It should be ham, turkey, chicken, lamb/beef, pork, turkey, mountains of baked vegies, lots of greens, and all smothered with buckets of gravy.
YUM YUM PIGS BUM!!!
Dessert is plum pudding and custard.
Now THAT’S Christmas dinner. If you want prawns, cold meat, whatever, have it Christmas night but not frigging Christmas Day!
I love Christmas. Love, love, love it! It’s my favourite time of year and I look forward to it every year.
It sometimes pisses me off that people lose the meaning, and retailers see it as nothing more than a money making excercise, but overall I love it. No Grinch lives in our house.
December 1 will see a Christmas theme hit Reflections and solace, so be prepared for it.
I’m happy with the theme I have at the moment, but I will have a seasonal one to put up.
Now. Your turn.
Traditions?
Hot/cold meal?
Family coming?
Tell me! I love hearing all of it!!