Living alone has its perks, and its downfalls. One of the latter is that you have to cook. That is only if you want to continue living comfortably while still saving money at the same time because eating out all the time in Osaka can add up quickly. So, even though you are culinarily handicapped, it is your survival at stake here. So learning how to cook essentially becomes top priority.
Because of that, you get around being creative about what kind of food you cook while juggling a work life. Of course, some days you feel like cooking up a feast after watching a couple of Youtube videos or your Instagram feed. However, if you are in a slump about what to cook after the countless days in self-quarantine during this pandemic crisis, or you are just simply out of groceries, here are three easy recipes for your meals of the day using only four ingredients or less.
Also, the good thing about these recipes, they are quick and easy. From preparation to the end result, it takes only 30 minutes, 45 if you have Netflix on, and there's no faffing around for exact measurements. Trust me. I started out not even knowing how to cook rice, and now, I live to tell the tales of my cooking. So if I can make it work, you definitely can too.
BREAKFAST
It is early in the morning and you just do not feel like messing up a bunch of pots and pans, bowls and plates just to make breakfast. At least that is how I feel when I wake up. A solution to that is Cheesy Eggs in a Jar. Sounds fancy right? It's actually really just scrambled eggs with cheese cooked in a microwave oven. Simple as that. You can use a big mug, a mason jar or any microwave-safe container, preferably something tall and compact. The thing that I love about this recipe is that you keep the washing to the absolute minimum. No oil splatters or mixing bowls to clean. For this, you will need:
3 medium-sized eggs / 2 large-sized eggs
Onion (diced) (quantity up to your preference. I like a lot of it.)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
First off, add the eggs, diced onions, salt and pepper into the jar and whisk it well.
After that, place the jar in the microwave oven and cook it at a high setting for about 2-3 minutes. Once about 3/4 cooked, put in the mozzarella cheese and give it a good stir.
Place it back in the microwave oven for an additional 15-20 seconds till the cheese melts and the eggs are fully cooked.
Now, you have a scrumptious, cheesy scrambled eggs you can enjoy with a side of toast, or by itself. No need to whizz through breakfast just to clean up the kitchen or piles of dishes. You just sit back and enjoy that breakfast of yours.
LUNCH
So it is probably the afternoon now and it is time for lunch. Usually, I have a heavier meal at this time of the day as this is when I am running around getting errands done or I have to be at work soon after. So I need proper sustenance to last the day, or at least till dinner. One of the quickest lunches I make is Teriyaki Chicken. What you will need are:
Chicken breast/thigh (cut into pieces)
Light soy sauce
Honey (ratio of honey: soy sauce is 1:2)
Carrots (diced)
- Salt and pepper for seasoning & cooking oil of your preference for frying
Firstly, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Preheat the pan with cooking oil on low medium heat. Once heated, fry the chicken until the meat is cooked and slightly golden brown.
Add in the diced carrots and stir-fry for about 3-5 minutes.
Next. depending on how much chicken you have cooked, pour in just enough light soy sauce to coat all the chicken pieces. Add more if you would like extra sauce. Give it a good stir for 1 to 2 minutes.
Following that, pour in the honey and stir it for another 3-5 minutes till it starts to boil and thicken.
Finally, add in salt and pepper and season to taste. Serve it with piping hot rice.
Again, quick and easy. The measurements are quite flexible - you could adjust it for one serving for yourself or cook for the entire family just by following the ratios stated. Even if you mess up the measurements, you can always keep on adjusting and tasting it till it is perfection. If it is too salty, add a bit more honey or sugar. If it is too sweet, add more soy sauce or salt. Voila!
DINNER
Last but not least, dinner. I do not know about you, but I grew up eating a lot of carbs for every meal, since rice and noodles are the staple food in Singapore. Some might have a lighter meal for dinner for health reasons, but I can not sleep hungry. As such, for dinner, I might whip up Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, a pasta dish with an olive oil-based sauce. Simple ingredients but flavourful. The ingredients you will need are:
Spaghetti pasta (for 1 serving)
6 pieces of Shrimp (deshelled & deveined)
2 cloves of garlic (diced)
3-4 tbsp of Olive oil
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Boil the spaghetti as per the instruction on the packaging. Once cooked, drain the pasta and save one cup of the boiled water for the sauce later.
In a separate pan on low medium heat, heat up the olive oil and sauté the garlic till it is fragrant and slightly brown.
Next, put in the shrimp and add a little pepper for seasoning.
Once the shrimp are cooked, add 2-3 tablespoons of the boiled water from earlier. Add more pepper and salt and season to taste.
Finally, put in the spaghetti and stir well. Add more seasoning if needed.
This recipe is just the bare bones of a Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. I tend to change it up a bit from time to time. For a spicier flavour, add some chilli flakes or chilli powder to the sauce before tossing in the spaghetti. You could also add other herbs like parsley. Another yummy addition is to add in parmesan cheese after tossing the spaghetti with the sauce and you will get a nice, gooey pasta. There are so many options you could add to make it your own. Go and experiment a little because you can easily season it to your liking at any point and it will still turn out just as good.
At the end of the day, I am no Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver, but these recipes are the ones I keep going back to for those quick and easy meals. They are recipes that I have put together from my own personal attempts at learning how to cook and these are what I ended up remembering. They are pretty handy especially when I have just returned from a hard day's work, or I am damn too lazy. We just have those days sometimes. Mine just happens too often, that's all.
But, of course, exercise your culinary prowess on these recipes and customise them as you like. The kitchen is your playground now. Give them a try and I hope to hear how it goes. Just do not burn down the kitchen. Bon appétit!
Comments