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Hed Chef
Savoury substitute for love
By Hedy Khoo
January 11, 2010
THERE is love at first sight, then there is the one night encounter which leaves you pining for more.
I experienced both at a house party held by my Bulgarian friend Maya Nova last Monday.
The brief romance started and ended on the sofa where I spent the night engaged in an intimate and meaningful cultural exhange with two dishy Bulgarian strangers - home-brewed grappa made from apricots, and baked chicken seasoned with Balkan savory, compliments of the host.
Clothes courtesy of River Island. Location courtesy of kitchen culture at Leng Kee Road. Hair and make up by Helen Wong from Make Up For Ever Academy (Tel: 63330678) TNP PICTURES: KUA CHEE SIONG
Sadly, my budding relationship with the grappa ended when the bottle ran dry.
To cheer me up, Maya gave me a bottle of Balkan herb and spice mix which contains Balkan savory to recreate the chicken experience at home.
For readers who want to try this recipe, the bad news is Balkan savory is near impossible to find here.
But the good news is, it can be substituted with sage and thyme.
So while home-brewed grappa remains in a class of its own and requires a plane trip to have a reunion with, perhaps a Balkan-inspired baked chicken can bring back memories of that wonderful first sip of love.
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BULGARIAN-INSPIRED BAKED CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken breast
1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil spray
3 tbsp plain yogurt (I like the Greek variety)
1 tbsp honey
SEASONING MIX
2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp parsley
Marinate the chicken with yogurt and the seasoning in a re-sealable bag preferably overnight before baking. Do not add the salt until you are ready to bake.
Line a baking tray with foil and place chicken skin-side down on wire rack. Spray with olive oil.
Bake at 180 deg C for 20mins. Turn chicken over, baste with marinate, brush on honey, then spray with more olive oil. Pop it back in the oven for another 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked.
Side Dish Of Pan-fried Vegetables
INGREDIENTS
1 bell pepper
Sprinkle of thyme, sage, oregano, paprika, parsley, salt.
2 tbsp olive oil
Cut the bell pepper and tomato into bite-size pieces.
Heat oil. Throw in vegetables and stir-fry on medium heat for a minute before adding the herb and spice mix. After a minute more, add salt to taste. Serve as a side with chicken.
Hed Chef
Savoury substitute for love
By Hedy Khoo
January 11, 2010
THERE is love at first sight, then there is the one night encounter which leaves you pining for more.
I experienced both at a house party held by my Bulgarian friend Maya Nova last Monday.
The brief romance started and ended on the sofa where I spent the night engaged in an intimate and meaningful cultural exhange with two dishy Bulgarian strangers - home-brewed grappa made from apricots, and baked chicken seasoned with Balkan savory, compliments of the host.
Clothes courtesy of River Island. Location courtesy of kitchen culture at Leng Kee Road. Hair and make up by Helen Wong from Make Up For Ever Academy (Tel: 63330678) TNP PICTURES: KUA CHEE SIONG
Sadly, my budding relationship with the grappa ended when the bottle ran dry.
To cheer me up, Maya gave me a bottle of Balkan herb and spice mix which contains Balkan savory to recreate the chicken experience at home.
For readers who want to try this recipe, the bad news is Balkan savory is near impossible to find here.
But the good news is, it can be substituted with sage and thyme.
So while home-brewed grappa remains in a class of its own and requires a plane trip to have a reunion with, perhaps a Balkan-inspired baked chicken can bring back memories of that wonderful first sip of love.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BULGARIAN-INSPIRED BAKED CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken breast
1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil spray
3 tbsp plain yogurt (I like the Greek variety)
1 tbsp honey
SEASONING MIX
2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp parsley
Marinate the chicken with yogurt and the seasoning in a re-sealable bag preferably overnight before baking. Do not add the salt until you are ready to bake.
Line a baking tray with foil and place chicken skin-side down on wire rack. Spray with olive oil.
Bake at 180 deg C for 20mins. Turn chicken over, baste with marinate, brush on honey, then spray with more olive oil. Pop it back in the oven for another 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked.
Side Dish Of Pan-fried Vegetables
INGREDIENTS
1 bell pepper
Sprinkle of thyme, sage, oregano, paprika, parsley, salt.
2 tbsp olive oil
Cut the bell pepper and tomato into bite-size pieces.
Heat oil. Throw in vegetables and stir-fry on medium heat for a minute before adding the herb and spice mix. After a minute more, add salt to taste. Serve as a side with chicken.
