The magic of one meal dishes

 The magic of one meal dishes

Unexpected guests? Cant find the right ingredients? Pressed for time? Then one meal dishes would be the best bet!  Not only are they quick to make, they are nutritious & tasty.  You can never really go wrong with it since there are so many elements to a one meal dish & none of the ingredients dominate.

One meal dishes are prepared across the globe & are a safe bet for any palate.  Some of them could be time consuming but considering its complete in itself you definitely save time on making other courses to a meal.  It is also magical when it comes to packing food for a picnic, for a party, to lunch at office or school.  Since there are multiple ingredients mostly fine chopped, they are not very messy to eat or to serve.  At the end of any one meal dish is a full & happy tummy, one big pot/pan/dish & a few cutleries to wash.  One of the few things that keep the cook & his guests happy.

Today I would like to share with you 3 awesomely easy one meal dishes for 3 different occasions.  A hearty summer salad meal called salad nicoise, an asian noodle recipe with stir fried veggies & crispy chicken & a party.

Salade nicoise

This is a traditional french recipe which was popularized in America by the genius Julia Child who endorsed it in her debut cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" & subsequently through television series in the 60's.  It is light, refreshing & super healthy salad.  The original recipe does not contain rice but to make it a one dish meal, I prefer the one with rice.

Preparation time : 20mins

Cooking time : 10mins

Ingredients (for 4 people) : Ensure all ingredients are chilled before preparation

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• 200g boiled & cooled rice
• 200g tuna
• 200g corn
• 4 ripe, firm tomatoes (bite-size slices)
• 4 hard boiled eggs (quartered)
• 1 small green bell pepper (julienne)
• 4 filets of anchovies
• Handful black olives (deseeded)
• Parsley (substitute: cilantro (coriander)) 

Vinaigrette : mix equal amounts of olive oil & sunflower oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, salt & pepper

In a large salad bowl add the tuna, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, anchovies & olives give them a good mix.  Pour in the vinaigrette & mix until all ingredients are well coated.  Add the hard boiled eggs at the end & give it a slight mix.  Be careful not to break the egg quarters.  You can also add partially boiled egg with oozing yolk on top of the salad just before serving. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.

Crispy sesame chicken with noodles (serves 4)

Preparation time : 10

Cooking time : 20mins  

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt-reduced soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chilli paste
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 300g chicken breast, cut in strips
• 280g dried egg noodles
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 400g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 carrot grated
• 1 bell pepper julienned (optional)
• 1/2 head cabbage, shredded

Instructions

To make marinade, combine soy sauce, oil, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli paste & sesame seeds in a bowl. Add chicken and ensure it is well coated. Set aside. 
Cook noodles as per directions on the packet, drain & set aside.

Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add chicken and marinade. Stir-fry for 8-10 minutes until cooked. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add spring onions, mushrooms, ginger and bell peppers to pan. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add cabbage and stir-fry until softened. Add chicken and noodles to pan. Stir to combine then serve.

Basa fish fillets on a bed of mashed potatoes with tomato & dill (serves 8)

This light & juicy fish fillet is so easy to make that you will find all the time to entertain your guests & give them the shock when you step out of the kitchen in a jiffy with this yummy delight.  The plating in itself gives this dish a restaurant like chic.

Preparation time : 10mins

Cooking time : 20mins

Ingredients

• 8 basa fish fillets (can try red snapper too)
• some flour to dust the fillets
• 16 fresh ripe tomatoes (chopped)
• 6 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 8 onions finely chopped
• 6 table spoons olive oil
• a bunch of dill rougly chopped (can use fresh basil to give a totally different taste to the dish)
• 1 tablespoon of dried herbs
• salt & pepper as desired 
• 3 cups of white wine

For garnishing:

a bunch of parboiled french beans

a bunch of parboiled baby carrots

lemon slices

For mashed potatoes (20mins)

• 1 1/2 kgs of fresh potatoes peeled & quartered
• 100 gms butter chopped
• 2/3 cup of hot milk

Cook potatoes in a saucepan of salted water for about 20mins until  they become tender (not falling apart).  Drain potatoes & place them back in the saucepan & mash them using a masher.  Add butter & hot milk & continue to mash until its fluffy & soft.  Ensure the mix is smooth & free from lumps. You can seive through this mixture to get a silky smooth puree.

Method :
Preheat oven at 200C.  Dust one side of the basa fish fillets with flour, salt & pepper.  On a heated non stick fry pan,  brown one side of the fillet for a minute & place the seared sides down in a baking dish.  
In a shallow pan add the olive oil, garlic, onions & stir fry until the onions turn soft.  Add the chopped tomatoes, dried herbs, a pinch of salt & let it simmer for about 3-4mins.  Add the dill, white wine & simmer for another 2mins.  
Pour this mixture onto the fish & bake for about 15mins.

On individual plates, make a base with the mashed potato about 2 inches thick & wide enough to place the fish fillets.  Cut each fillet into two & place them over the mashed potato. Ensure the tomatoes coat the fillets & sauce runs around the mashed potatoes.   Place a handful of beans & carrots at the side of each plate & serve hot.  
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Whether it is a simple one meal dish for a tired soul after a hard day's work or a picnic or a party meal on a week-day, one meal dishes are wholesome, healthy & come in very handy.  To make them extravagant, I always have nachos & dips served before & if need be, a simple cake with chocolate sauce.  My next blog will carry easy desserts that can go with the one meal dishes.