Noodles Stir-Fry

Stir frying is a cooking technique which is of Chinese origin but is now common amongst people of the world. Stir fried meals, known in Chinese as 'Chow Mein', requires high heat and therefore is typically cooked in a Wok (a concave frying pan which evenly distributes heat)and requires very little oil (thus its health advantage and popularity).  Due to the high level of heat used in this technique of cooking the preparation of ingredients is done before the cooking begins. It also demands that the chef constantly tosses or stirs the food to prevent burning. 

Ingredients
1 Pack Amoy Egg Noodles (250g)
Chicken Breast 0.84kg
2 Medium size Green pepper
4 Large Carrots
2 Handful Green Peas
Cabbage
Seasoning Cube
2 Cloves of Garlic (Use 1 teaspoon minced garlic)
3 Seeds Red Pepper (Ata Rodo)
6 Red Chilli (Sombo)
1 Large Spring Onions
1 Tin Mushroom (If available. I did not add in mine)
Curry Powder
Seasoning Cube (I used Knorr)
3/4 Cup Chicken Broth
2 Table spoon Cornflour
3 Teaspoons Dark Soy Sauce
Canola Oil/Sesame Oil 
1/2 Root of Ginger

Instructions
1. If frozen, let Chicken Breast thaw. Then beat with a meat hammer or rolling pin to reduce size of meat. Alternatively, the meat could be divided in two along its length. This is done to ensure that the interior of the meat cooks easily. 

2. To marinade Chicken Breast, pour 1 cup of water in a big bowl, add 3 tablespoons of Soy Sauce, Seasoning Cube (to taste), Salt (to taste), introduce Chicken Breast, then combine properly. Cover with a marinading hood or cling film and keep in the fridge overnight.

Tip: I usually marinade my meat for longer - a day and half - to ensure that the seasoning penetrates the interior.

3. Chop Green Peas, Carrots, Green Onions, cabbage and Green Pepper separately to bite-able sizes. Also chop marinaded chicken breast into chunks. Mince garlic and ginger. Remove seeds of Chili, then slice. Also slice the Red Pepper (Ata Rodo). Set aside.

4. To prepare noodles, follow direction on packet. I heated up water in a pot added the noodles and let it cook till al dente before turning out water and rinsing with cold water to stop the cooking process.

5. Turn on the gas to high. When the wok is hot, turn in 2 table spoons of canola oil/sesame oil, wait till the oil warms up (this should take seconds if the pan is hot) then introduce 2 teaspoons Curry, minced Ginger and Garlic.

6. Stir for 10 seconds to infuse scent into oil, then add chicken breast chunks.

7. Cook one side until brown then flip over. When cooked remove chicken from pan and set side. Cover with a foil to keep warm.

8. Add little oil if required. Add vegetables starting with the one that takes longest to cook. I added mine in this order: Green Peas, Carrot, Green Pepper, Spring Onions, cabbage and Red Pepper. Add season cube and salt to taste.

Tip: Continuously stir/toss to prevent burning. Alternate between high and medium heat.

9. Re-introduce chicken breast and fry for a minute.

10. Add the cornflour to the chicken broth. Mix until it forms a slurry. Turn in a dip pot and bring to a boil. It should thicken. If too light, add a little more of cornflour. 

11. Turn in fried mixture and leave to simmer for a minute.

12. Add noodles and combine thoroughly. 

13. Taste for seasoning. Add more if required.

14. Serve immediately.

Note: Although a this dish is better prepared using a Wok, a nonstick frying pan can also be used with loads of caution (Like I did, although I have a Wok now. Yay! Thanks Del P). 

The Christ Factor

Hey people! Happy Holidays!

Yesterday I got loads of messages wishing me and my family well as we celebrated the Christmas.   Really appreciated the goodwill messages but made it a point of duty to correct a reoccuring error - the use of 'Xmas' as a short form for 'Christmas'.

'Christmas' and 'Xmas' are not one and the same thing. The reason why we celebrate is not unknown as in an equation where we are required to find  'X'. It is known that the reason for the season is 'Christ'. We celebrate his birth because his death and resurrection guaranteed our redemption and guarantees the preservation of our souls. 

Therefore, if the reason why we celebrate is Christ and not 'X' it only follows that we call the day/season Christmas and not Xmas. Lets celebrate the 'Christ' factor, not 'X' factor.

A Life Style of Gratitude

A few days ago, I felt the need to make a CD compilation of hymns that I love and went about doing exactly that. The first hymn that came to mind was "There Shall Be Showers of Blessing". I fell in love with this hymn when I was studying for my postgraduate degree and I had to attend The Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG) where it was, and still is, their custom to sing a hymn every Sunday service. I wanted to get the lyrics off the internet because I do not know the hymn word for word and then I stumbled upon a comment by another reader. His comment gave me a new perspective about what it means to be grateful and indeed made me love the hymn even more.

There Shall Be Showers of Blessing

There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

Chorus: Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

There shall be showers of blessing
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord!
Grant to us now a refreshing;
Come, and now honor Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing;
O that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.

Most times we spend our time ignoring the 'mercy-drops' God has sent to us in the meantime, because our focus in on the blessings we rather God shower on us at the moment. We often times forget that it is when we are thankful for these 'mercy-drops' (little) that the floodgates of heaven will be opened up to guarantee us a much more bountiful harvest. We forget that our gratitude is the water that gives result to the seed of our prayers.

At the beginning of the year, we had so many aspirations, wishes, dreams and desires. Some came to pass, others did not. However, our focus should not be on what we hoped for that did not manifest, but on that we prayed for and was answered, as well as those that were freely given to us even when we did not ask. Let us rejoice and make joyful sounds unto the Lord because we serve a God who is STRONG and MIGHTY and is ABLE to DO  exceedingly abundantly above ALL we can ever ask or imagine! Rejoice, again I say, Rejoice because although misfortunes we do not understand may have come our way, God's word tells us that His plans for us is to prosper us and to give us a hope and a future.

How I Spent My Weekend

Happy Tuesday all. First I must apologise for not updating you all about the happenings in my life for the last two weeks (can't believe I stayed away that long!). It was as a result of a very hectic work and 'life schedule'. Also, these Nigerian networks have been failing me as well; bad network providers. Mschew!!! Not mentioning names because they are practically all the same.  Forgiven? 

Okay, on to business.  Last week I was opportune to be the maid of honour at a friend's wedding. Myself and Monica go way back to high school and was pleasantly surprised when she asked me to be her 'right hand woman' (that's a nice way of saying 'ekaette') at her wedding...lol. The colours for the occasion were coral, blue and silver; given the liberty to pick what I wanted to wear I decided to go with a peach mono strap dress and a silver shoe. The traditional wedding was on Thursday and the white Saturday.View pictures below.

The Traditional Wedding

The White Wedding Ceremoy

You like? Drop comments below, would like to know your thoughts. 

Moist Apple and Sultana Cake Recipe

Happy Monday y'all! How was your weekend? Mine was short ;) 

I made this awesome goodness earlier this month and it was in my sister's words "the best cake I have ever made". In the spirit of Christmas, I have decided to share this recipe with you all. Enjoy.

Ingredients

323g All Purpose Flour

163g Brown Sugar (Alternate with Caster Sugar)
125g Butter
3 Medium-size Eggs
3 Large Apples (Decored, skinned and diced)
Sultana/Raisins/Mixed Fruits (Be liberal)
2 Teaspoon Bi-carbonate of Soda

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Nutmeg

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

150ml Milk (I used Peak Milk)

Instructions

1. Melt butter and sugar in a pan on low heat. When melted turn off heat and leave to cool for 3-5 minutes.

2. Add vanilla and eggs. Beat until creamy.

3. Combine all dry ingredients. Sift to introduce air in the flour and to help ingredients combine properly.

Tip: I sifted thrice. Sifting flour helps aerate it changing the final texture of cake, it also helps the flour absorbs liquid more evenly. There is however a dispute over these claims; scientists are adamant about the need to sieve flour for recipe to add air because it is believed to be of no value. Nevertheless, I sift mine because 'what of if they are wrong and it does add value?' and of course, it cost me nothing but little time which I don't mind sacrificing.

4. Add dry ingredients and thoroughly combine with a spatula.

5. Add apple and sultana/raisins/mixed fruits.

Tip: Add peanuts, almonds and glazed cherry to give a richer flavour. 

5. Grease a medium size pan with butter and dust off with flour.
Turn mixture into it.

6. Pre-heat oven and toss cake in.

Caveat: I cannot tell you the temperature to use because I do not have an oven thermometer and my oven does not have an automatic temperature reader (sad, right? :( ). Also, I cannot tell you exactly how long I left the cake in the oven because I tossed it in and went to my room to chill.

7. Bake till you smell the cake getting burnt - like in my case...lmao, or till an inserted skewer comes out clean.

If you try out this recipe, please do leave a comment below to tell us how it went. Also if you have your own style of preparation, drop a note for us as well. Cheers!

Hairsense!

There is a hair revolution amongst ladies of colour in the western world and this revolution gathered momentum to the extent that in the last decade or so, it has spread to Nigeria and I have bought, rather, I am buying into this trend. I have decided to carry my natural hair although I am still undecided about what route to take -big chop vs transition. Mind you, my reason is not related in a bit to some of the central ideas behind the movement like black power e.t.c but rather to the fashion side of it.

For the last month/couple of weeks I have been on my natural hair to the extent that a friend who could care less about my hair had to ask (in pidgin) "when you go do your hair"? Due to his prompt, I decided to think of what hairdo to wear. I wanted something different from the regular extension and braids hence decided to go for Mali braid/ kinky braid after get hairspiration from a youtube video.

So I got my hair on! and ever since I have gotten either a 'wow! I love your hair' or 'what kinda hair is this?' comment. Got a lot, I mean, a loooooooooooottt of love from my church family while I got the latter reaction from my sister. Below are some of my looks. Like it? Like it not??? Lemme know. ;)