I am supposed to be recipe testing the anchovy paste, but after chicken-gate this morning, guess what we’re having this eve? So I thought I would write up this recipe. It’s something I found somewhere or other and tweaked, as you do.
A few years ago, a very good friend, who lives just round the corner from me, had some Frenchmen staying as part of an exchange visit. She worked very hard while they were with her, feeding them lovely food, she is a very good cook.
Shortly before they left, they asked for just the one recipe, and to her utter disgust, this was the recipe, that she had got from me. Couldn’t help feeling just the teensiest bit smug 😉
Chicken, Soy, Honey and Sesame with Rice
Honey, 2 tblsp Asda Smartprice £1.24/425g, 9p
Soy sauce 2 tblsp Asda £1.58/375ml, 13p
Sesame seeds, 5g Asda £1.28/150g, 4p
Chicken, 200g Asda Smartprice Breast Fillet £3.99/1kg, 80p
Peas, Asda Smartprice 98p/1kg, 16p
Rice, value 40p/kg, 6p
Cut the chicken into small strips and fry in a little oil until crispy.
Stir in the soy sauce and honey. Simmer gently until the sauce is just a sticky residue, then throw in a few sesame seeds and stir in.
Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of salted water until tender, not soggy.
Serve with the peas on the side, or stir them into the rice if you fancy.
This makes a simply delicious, sticky, savoury, sweet, sauced dish. It goes beautifully with the rice, or you could use noodles, mashed potato (maybe some dried mash) or even a jkt potato
You could substitute beef strips, prawns, white fish, pork or paneer
If you are getting protein elsewhere during the day, you could try this using diced potato for a really cheap version.
To stick with £1 for the day, have something like one of the soups at 17p’ish and porridge, cinnamon toast or raisin pancakes for breakfast at 5p or less.
Per serving, calories 480, fat 4g, protein 30g, carbs 30g
Absolutely NOT encouraging bad habits. Little treats are very important. When things were at their bleakest here, I’d always make meals for less than our daily budget allowance to leave a little over each week so we could have a treat from time to time. It may only have been E.V. smoked salmon trimmings, but those small treats are very important.
Sounds like your mum had a tough old time of it.
I’m glad you like the idea of the sweet elements so much. Sometimes I feel a bit bad about including them, like I’m encouraging bad habits.
Lesley, the fact that you manage to include sweets in your weekly menus is especially noteworthy.
My mother loved sweets and affording bit of dessert meant that she was not a complete failure in her eyes. During her worst times, when money was really tight and she was really sad,
I used to work extra hard to insure there was some sort of sweet during the week which also included parts of our basic nutrition.
I love that you understand this and are able to pull off such great menus. Sustainable nutrition is about more that basic food costs.
It sure can. At times when I have been broke it is the seeming endlessness that can be SO hard, everything seems to be about what you can’t have, and not just in groceries either
It is one of the reasons I started this, so much is about no, and parsimony, I wanted to show that there are bits that can be yes, and plentiful – like the utter blowout meatless Sunday lunch AND baked sponge pudding
Yes, it reheats beautifully. I have never frozen it as it is so quick to do the need has never arisen.
We have been having frozen green beans recently. I had a fancy for some, so we bought a kg bag. Get tired of carrots and onions in the winter, and although there are several winter salads I could do, I don’t fancy them much when it’s cold
I need to clarify that I do not consider trying to feed yourself on very little to be a game or an idle amusement.
It is something that I had to do for years and I stayed sane (and fed)
by making it both a person and political challenge that I was deteremi ed to win.
I saw my mother descend into despair and depression trying to make do on little. It can consume you and your family.
This sounds really tasty and it is so simple to do!
Chicken thighs can be had for a good deal less than breast filets here, so this could be a really thrifty and special family meal or a wonderful buffet addition.
Does it reheat well?
I love peas and rice…they are not only low cost but really easy to adapt to what bits are in the fridge when freash veg are too expensive not in season.
I always have a bag of frozen peas and portion sized containers of
cooked brown rice in the fridge for quick, tasty and inexpensive dinners. Cheap food can be tasty, colorful and satisfying. I love the challenge!