Thai Basil Chicken

Summary: I love the flavors of Thai food and this dish is my all time favorite. The sauce is sweet, salty, and spicy which goes perfectly with white rice. The most traditional way is with ground pork but you can make this dish with any type of meat or seafood.

Ingredients:

• Chicken, 1 lb cut into pieces
• Fish Sauce, 2 tbsp
• Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp
• Oyster Sauce, 2 tbsp
• Brown Sugar, 2 tsp
• Garlic, minced
• Onion, 1/4 cup, minced
• Fresh Chili (de-seed if you don't like it too spicy)
• Fresh Basil, leaves only
• Pepper
• Oil 

Step 1: Heat some oil in a pan and cook the onion and garlic until fragrant, 2 minutes.  Add in the chicken and mix with the onion and garlic.

Step 2: Add in the fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sayce, brown sugar and pepper. Mix well to combine all the flavors with the chicken. Stir constantly until chicken is cooked.

Step 3: Add in the basil and chilis at the last minute and take off the heat. The basil will wilt as you stir it up. Serve over hot rice.

Chinese Cod in Soy and Green Onion

Summary: This is a popular Chinese fish dish that is a staple in homes and restaurants worldwide. Usually it is a whole fish, either steamed or fried, smothered in a delicious soy based sauce that goes perfectly with rice. However, since this is Grubbin' Solo, we use a filet of fish. I'm using the traditional cod here but use any fish you have. It might not be authentic but tastes good just the same.

Ingredients:

•  1 filet of fish, as usual size is up to your appetite. 
• Soy Sauce
• Chinese Cooking Rice Wine
• Brown Sugar (this will give it more depth than regular sugar but regular sugar will still work)
• Sesame Oil
• Ginger, thinly sliced into sticks
• Green Onion, thinly sliced into shreds
• Salt and Pepper
• Oil 
• Optional: Corn Starch

Step 1: I like my fish extra crispy so I lightly dust the fish in corn starch before pan frying. This is completely optional. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. You don't need too much salt as the sauce will provide plenty.

Step 2:  Heat up some oil in a pan. Add the fish and pan fry on both sides until golden brown, 4-5 mintues on each side, depending on the thickness. You can tell the fish is done when the middle is a bit hard and not mushy.

Step 3: Put the cooked fish aside on a serving plate. Now it's time to make the sauce. Heat up a drizzle of oil until very hot, until it just starts to smoke. This allows you to flash fry the green onion and ginger and bring out it's flavor into the sauce.

Step 4: Add in the green onion, ginger. Quickly add in about 3 tbsp of soy sauce and cooking wine. You don't really need to measure it exactly, I just usually pour one drizzle around the pan. If you're nervous, you can measure the soy and wine in advance in the same cup and pour in together. Stir the mixture together. This whole process takes only a minute or two.

Step 5: Pour the sauce mixture on top of your fish and serve with white rice.

Breakfast Burrito

Summary: I like living on the edge by eating breakfast for lunch or dinner. I am a Texan at heart and this breakfast burrito always hits the spot for me when I'm craving some Mexican flavors since it's really hard to find quality Mex out here in Taipei. Feel free to substitute the chicken for beef or even tofu. 

 

Ingredients:

• Chicken, I like mine ground for easier eating
• Onion, minced
• 2 eggs for 1 large burrito or 2 small burritos, beaten
• Shredded Cheese
• Taco Seasoning (fajita seasoning works too, you can find near spices or Mexican section)
• Water, about 1/4 cup
• Salt and Pepper
• Oil
• Optional:
• Salsa or Hot Sauce

Step 1: Heat a drizzle of oil in the pan and add the onions. Once the onions are fragrant, add in the ground chicken.

Step 2: When the chicken is almost cooked, sprinkle about half of the taco seasoning over the chicken. Add a little bit of water, enough to dissolve the seasoning. You can start with a little bit and add more if needed. If it's too watery, let the chicken simmer to evaporate the water. Stir and mix well with the chicken and onions.

Step  3: Set the chicken aside when cooked. Add in the beaten eggs and scramble. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Step 4: Set the egg aside when cooked and heat up the tortillas. Just put it in a dry hot pan for 30 seconds on each side. 

Step 5: Assemble your burrito with the chicken and eggs. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top and add salsa or hot sauce if desired.

Step 5: Roll into a burrito and enjoy!

Chinese Onion Crepe with Egg (Dan Bing)

Summary: This is a common breakfast found in Taiwan sold by street vendors. It's a humble fare that's served in plastic bags drizzled in thick soy or chili sauce. I always find the cheap, humble dishes to be tastier than expensive ones. The Chinese onion crepe or pancake is key here, which you can find at your local Chinese grocery store. You may see many varieties, try to go with the thinnest kind you can find for this dish.

 

Ingredients:

• Chinese Onion Crepe, thin style
• Eggs, 2 per crepe
• Salt and Pepper
• Optional:
• Green Onion
• Dipping Sauce:
• Sweet Chili Sauce
• Option:
• Thick Soy Paste with Chilis, Garlic

Step 1: I am making one here for a snack, but you can make as many as you want for a meal. Start by beating the eggs and adding in the green onion. Season the beaten egg with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Note that it is important when cooking eggs to use a non-stick pan, or else the eggs will just get stuck to the pan an it won't be pretty. Cook ONE side of each crepe until golden brown,  3-5 minutes. Leave the other side uncooked and set to the side. 

Step 3: Pour 2 eggs worth into the pan. Place the COOKED side down on top of the egg. The non-cooked side should be facing up.

If you have a big pan like me, and your egg spread out over the border of the crepe, you can use your spatula to tuck in the egg underneath the crepe.

Step 3: Once the egg is golden brown on the bottom, 2-3 minutes, flip the crepe to cook the uncooked side until golden brown.

Step 4: Roll (more like fold) into a crepe/burrito shape and cut into pieces. Serve with dip of your choosing and enjoy!

Chicken Katsu Curry Rice

Summary: This is a Japanese dish found commonly in cafes and restaurants across Japan. It's really easy to make because all grocery stores today carry the pre-made Japanese curry cubes. What's great about this curry is you can add whatever you want to it, beef, shrimp, carrots, onions, anything is possible! The version I make here is the classic Chicken Katsu with plain curry and rice. Katsu just means fried with Japanese panko breading, but again, that's totally optional! It is just a meal for one after all!

 Ingredients:

• Chicken, however much you want to eat. Cut into long 1/2 inch tenders for easy cooking.
• Japanese curry. These usually come in bricks that are scored into 8 pieces. You only need 1 piece for 1 person. 
• Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp
• Chinese Cooking Wine, 1 tbsp
• Water, 3/4 cup
• Oil
• Rice, cooked
• Breading:
• Egg, beaten
• Panko Style Bread Crumbs
• Salt and Pepper
•  Garnish:
• Green Onion, chopped
• Shichimi (Japanese 7 flavor chili flakes, found in your spice or Japanese section)

Step 1: Dip your sliced chicken tenders into the beaten egg, then coat each tender in the panko bread crumbs. Then lightly season with salt and pepper. You don't need to season heavily as the curry will be salty. 

Option: If you don't want to fry and just want to use cooked meats, cook your meat and/or veggies first and set aside. Skip to Step 4.  

Step 2: Put some oil into a pan so it comes up to half of the chicken. I hate using a lot of oil so that's why I suggest cutting your chicken into 1/2 inch slices. Make sure the oil is hot enough before putting in the chicken by putting a piece of crumb into the oil, it should sizzle immediately.

Step 3: Put in the chicken carefully. Wait until bottom side is golden brown before flipping, 4-5 minutes. Then cook the other side until golden brown. Because the chicken is sliced thin, it will cook all the way through without burning.  Set aside on paper towels when both sides are golden brown.

Step 4: Now clean the pot so you can cook the curry. You can also do this at the same time if you more than one stove top, unlike me. Put in the water, curry cube, soy sauce, and cooking wine. Stir until the cube has dissolved. Taste the curry, if it is too salty, add in a little water.

Option: If you are using cooked meats and veggies, add them into the curry before pouring over rice.

Step 5: Scoop some cooked rice and pour curry sauce over. Add the chicken and garnish with green onion and shichimi.

Mince Meat Sauce Noodles (Zha Jiang Mien)

Summary: This is a simple Chinese noodle dish that my mom used to make all the time. It's considered comfort food for many people. You can make this dish dry or with soup.

Ingredients:

• Noodles (I usually use egg noodles, but rice or flour noodles will work also)
• Ground Pork (use how much you feel like eating, I used 1/2 lb.)
• Chinese Bean Sauce (Black, Spicy, Meat varieties all work)
• Soy Sauce
• Garlic, minced
• Soy Sauce
• Chinese Cooking Rice Wine or Sherry
• Pepper
• Oil
• Garnish: 
• Cucumber, cut into thin sticks
• Green Onion, diced
• Optional: Chicken Stock (I used a bullion cube here)

Step 1: Cook the noodles until al dente, drain and put in a serving bowl when finished. Put a tiny bit of oil in a pot and saute garlic until fragrant.

Step 2: Add in the pork and stir until garlic is mixed through.

Step 3: Add in the bean sauce. Start out with a big spoonful, you can adjust later. Add in a spoonful of soy sauce and rice wine. Stir to incorporate together.

Step 4: Taste the meat sauce. Add more bean sauce to your desired tastes. Add in pepper to taste. If you are making it dry style, pour pork over noodles, add cucumber, green onion. I like to mix it well with the noodle before eating.

Step 5 for wet style: Heat up the chicken stock, add salt to taste if needed. Pour hot stock over the noodles, pile on the cooked pork, add the cucumber and garnish with green onion.

Tuna Cakes

Summary: Canned tuna doesn't have to be boring. It's cheap, quite versatile, like these tuna cakes. You can add in whatever ingredients you have on hand or adjust to your own tastes. 

Ingredients:

• Canned Tuna (I used 2 cans)
• Sour Cream (can use Mayo or even Ranch Dressing)
• Mustard (optional)
• Onion (finely diced)
• 1 Egg
• Bread Crumbs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil (any, I use extra virgin olive oil for everything)
• Options: Diced Chilis, Diced Bell Peppers, Lemon Juice, possibilities are endless

Step 1: Chuck everything into a bowl. I just put in a big spoonful of everything about the size of an egg yolk. Bread crumbs you can put in a handful and adjust if it's still too wet.

You'll notice this blog isn't about precise measurements and it'll usually turn out ok. I'm not always spot on as you'll see in some recipes, but hey, I'm just cooking for myself right?

Step 2: Mix it all up. Add bread crumbs if it's too wet, you'll want a consistency like a hamburger patty. Then make into...hamburger patties....:P

Step 3: I covered the outside with additional bread crumbs but that's optional

Step 4: Use a bit of oil and pan fry until golden brown on both sides. The tuna is already cooked so it's really hard to mess up.

Step 5: Serve on a plate lined with paper towels. I used some sour cream and left over diced onion as a dip. Feel free to squeeze lemon, or use tartar sauce, whatever works!

The Prep

Hey! You found my blog. Amazing. I know you're not wondering what this blog is about, since it clearly states it's purpose on the top of the page, but you might have some questions for me, the author. I'll try to be psychic by reading your mind and anticipating some of the questions while also sharing some background about this blog. If I didn't answer your question, too bad! Just kidding. Feel free to leave me a comment and I'll answer it if it's not too creepy. On with the show!

Q. Who are you?
A. I'm going to be annoying and go by "T" since this is the internetZ and you never know if the aforementioned creepers are around. Friends who read this blog already know who I am and the others are complete strangers who wouldn't know me even if I said my name, so "T" it is.

Q. Where are you located?
A. I live in Taipei, Taiwan but spend quite a bit of time traveling around the world.

Q. Why did you start this blog?
A. Long story short, my other half is a health buff and eats a structured diet (we call it slop) every day. I couldn't eat the slop everyday so decided to start making meals for myself. I posted some pictures of what I was making, friends would ask about the recipe, thus this blog was born. Ta-Da!

Q. Who is this blog for?
A. Any solo grubbers looking for ideas for a meal. That might be a bit obvious, but I want to show them that there are other options than eating out all the time and there isn't a need to make a huge portion which goes to waste.

Q. Where do you get your meal ideas?
A. I don't think any of these meals are particularly original or spectacular, I just think of easy meals I can make for myself. I usually try to use what I have left over in my fridge/pantry and will research ideas on the internet to try.

Q. Are these meals healthy?
A. Sorry in advance, but I can't be bothered to check if they are healthy or not. All I know is that it's delicious. 

Q. What camera are you using?
A. I use a point and shoot: Canon S95 on the Auto setting. I love this camera.

Alright, enough yapping about me. Bon Appetit!