ginger and sesame rice with poached chicken

What a day! I'm supposed to have the whole day off but I end up having to go in after yesterday's CMS disaster, cycling almost 10 mile from Kingston. Oh did I not mention I was in Kingston passing my theory test? Getting 49 out of 50, did I not say that was happening? Are you sure I haven't mentioned it? 10 miles? Kingston? Theory test? Passed? 49 out of 50? No? Let me sum up for you...

Actually let me not. Having spent hours in either the saddle or behind a computer I get home in time to help anas put monkey to bed and then go to the off licence for some celebratory booze. But who's this at 20.45 deciding he's slept enough? An hour of hyper singing, dancing and jumping later we put him back to bed and settle down for really rather good Bill Granger experimental dish I've had my eye on for a while.

Admittedly it does look a bit anaemic, but you poach the chicken on top of the rice so it doesn't really colour up. The chicken could've been a little moister, but I blame small people intervention, but the rice tastes a bit like JT's old nasi goring - it's amazing! Even better, it's made using some of my homegrown chilli harvest. This one to be precise:

I'm like a city version of Saint Hugh.

Food of the Milos
Porrige with banana and maple syrup for breakfast, and a cup of tea of course. He is his mother's son after all. Fish fingers for lunch and some of HFW's ratatouille for dinner. Although clearly not enough if he felt the urge to get up in the evening and pillage our plates for rice.

sources
ginger and sesame rice with poached chicken - Bill Granger, Holiday, p172

Recipe
The lovely miss Helen Otter, she of Ottery St Ottery, has specially requested something involving less than three things to cut up. Not because she's lazy you understand, but because she's bloody lazy. Luckily for her I have this, which I'm sure miss Pepper would Bridport. I.E In Dorset. 'Endorse it'? I give up...

spaghetti with cherry tomato sauce
Donna Hay, The Instant Cook, p58

Serves 2
200g spaghetti or linguine
1/5 tablespoon butter
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/3 cup of basil leaves

1. Cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente, drain.
2. While the pasta is cooking, place a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the butter and tomatoes, cut side down, and cook until lightly golden. About 4 minutes.
3. Stir the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 more minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic, sugar, olive oil and basil, stir to combine.
4. Add the spaghetti with a tablespoon of it's water and toss to coat. Top with lots of grated parmesan.

It works very well cold for lunch the next day or you could halve the tomato sauce at the end of step 3, and just reheat and add fresh pasta the next day for dinner. Marvelo!

Salut my pretties