From The Straits Times    |

Your family is hungry and you need to get dinner on the table — fast. Ming Tan, Singapore chef of Jam Private Dining, shares these quick and tasty meals for every day of the week.

MONDAY
1. PAN-FRIED CATFISH AND SESAME CHICKPEA SALAD WITH GARLIC

This recipe serves four.

INGRIDIENTS
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
Oil, for frying
4 cans chickpeas
3/4 cup spring onion, chopped
8 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp sesame oil
200g flour
4 tsp dried dill
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 pieces 100g catfish fillets, or any other white fish
 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Gently fry garlic slices on medium heat until fragrant.
  2. To make the salad, drain chickpeas and combine with garlic slices, chopped spring onions, lemon juice and sesame oil.
  3. Combine flour with dill, and salt and pepper. Dredge fish fillets through flour mixture, and pan-fry in non-stick pan over medium heat for 3-4min on each side.
  4. Serve with chickpea salad.

 

TUESDAY
2. GRILLED TAMARIND CHICKEN WITH BELL PEPPER AND GLAZED CARROT

Serves four.

INGREDIENTS
4 tsp light soya sauce
12 tsp brown sugar
8 tbsp tamarind paste, de-seeded
4 boneless chicken thighs, with skin intact
8 bell peppers of any colour, seeded and chopped into large pieces
Olive oil, to coat
Salt and pepper, to taste
700g carrots, peeled and finely sliced lengthwise
8 tsp butter, melted
 

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 180 deg C.

  1. Combine soya sauce, 4 tsp brown sugar and tamarind paste with chicken. Let chicken sit in marinade for 10min.
  2. Toss bell peppers with olive oil, and salt and pepper.
  3. Toss carrots, the remaining brown sugar, and melted butter with salt and pepper.
  4. Cook bell peppers, carrots and marinated chicken in the middle rack of the oven for approximately 15-18min. Remove chicken and continue cooking peppers and carrots for 15 minutes at 150 deg C if the vegetables are not done.

 

WEDNESDAY
3. PAN-FRIED PORK CHOP WITH SWEET POTATO AND LONG BEAN GRATIN

Serves four.

INGRIDIENTS
500g sweet potato, finely sliced
300ml cream
280g long beans, chopped into 1- inch segments
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
4 pieces 175g pork chops
Oil, for frying
 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.
  2. In 4 medium-sized ramekins, alternate layers of sweet potatoes, cream and long beans. Season each layer well with salt and pepper. Top with grated cheese and bake in oven for 15min.
  3. Dry the pork chops well with paper towels, then fry over medium heat for 3-4min on each side, seasoning as each side cooks.

 

THURSDAY
4. ROASTED PUMPKIN, CHERRY TOMATO, PRAWN AND ASPARAGUS SALAD

Serves four. 

INGRIDIENTS
600g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
400g asparagus, peeled and cut into 2-inch segments
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup olive oil
400g prawns, peeled and deveined
8 tbsp lemon juice
4 tsp fresh or dried parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
  2. Toss pumpkin and asparagus with salt and pepper, and 8 tbsp of olive oil. Cook in oven for 20min.
  3. Steam prawns for 8-10min.
  4. Combine lemon juice, the remaining olive oil, parsley and minced garlic to make dressing. Season with salt and pepper, then combine with prawns, pumpkin, asparagus and cherry tomatoes.

 

FRIDAY
5. STEAK AND EGG SANDWICH

Serves four.

INGRIDIENTS
4 pieces crusty bread such as foccacia or ciabatta
4 pieces 200g flank steak
Salt and pepper, to taste
Oil, for frying 4 eggs
4 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tomatoes, finely sliced
4 small red onions, finely sliced
8 tbsp steak sauce

DIRECTIONS

  1. Toast bread in warm oven for about 2min.
  2. Season both sides of flank steak with salt and pepper before frying in a hot pan over medium heat for 4min on each side. Let it cool for 5min before slicing against the grain into thin strips.
  3. Pan-fry eggs for 3min, leaving the yolks runny.
  4. Slice toasted bread lengthwise into halves. Spread mayonnaise on each half of the toasted bread, and assemble steak sandwiches by layering tomato and onion slices, then steak strips, steak sauce and fried eggs.


SATURDAY
6. WASABI, SOYA AND HONEY GLAZED PRAWNS WITH SPAGHETTI

Serves four.

INGRIDIENTS
700g dry spaghetti
800g prawns, peeled and deveined
Oil, for frying
2 tsp wasabi
8 tsp light soya sauce
12 tbsp honey
20 stalks spring onion, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water for about 7min until done. Drain and toss with a little olive oil. Set aside.
  2. Butterfly prawns by cutting them down the middle, halfway through. Shallow-fry prawns in oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, cooking prawns in batches if required.
  3. Combine wasabi, soya sauce and honey in a small pot and simmer over medium heat for 5min to thicken and reduce.
  4. Toss prawns in sauce mixture with spring onion and sesame seeds. Serve over spaghetti.


SUNDAY

7. GRILLED HONEY MUSTARD LAMB WITH COUSCOUS AND BABY SPINACH

Serves four.

INGRIDIENTS
8 tbsp honey
4 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp wholegrain mustard
4 tsp fresh rosemary
800g lamb chops
12 cups chicken stock
4 cups dry couscous
4 tbsp butter
300g spinach leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
 

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine honey, mustards and rosemary to marinate lamb chops for at least 10min.
  2. Boil chicken stock in a medium pot and add couscous. Take the pot off the heat and leave covered for 5min.
  3. Stir butter and spinach leaves into couscous mixture; season with salt and pepper then set aside.
  4. Fry marinated lamb chops for 4min on each side while seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with buttered couscous and spinach leaves.

Jam Private Dining offers an international culinary experience in the comforts of your home. Go to www.oooh-jam.com for more information.   

This article was originally published in SimplyHer July 2011.