From pantry to plate with foreign condiments

If you open your kitchen cupboards, you are likely to find a bottle of Kikkoman soya sauce. This Japanese brand of soya sauce has slowly become a staple on our grocery listThen there was the time when videos such as the 'spicy noodle challenge' went viral on YouTube. It intrigued the local consumers about the extraordinarily spicy instant ramen, the Samyang Buldak noodles.

Whether a coincidence or not, after the ramen's rise in popularity, supermarkets started stocking up on everything they could find under the Samyang brand — including the Buldak sauce and most of its flavour variants. 

Although some items have become popular and staples in our cupboards, the foreign flavours of imported condiments can be daunting. For instance, the number of boxes and bottles lining the supermarket shelves can get overwhelming to navigate, especially if you are still trying to figure out how to work with those ingredients.

But it does not mean you shouldn't give it a chance. A dash of tahini, tom yum paste or fish sauce with the right recipe could introduce you to a whole new flavour profile and perhaps excite your palate in the process. 

Kewpie Mayo Chicken Sandwich 

Kewpie mayonnaise, a bestseller in Japan, has a higher content of egg yolks than regular mayonnaise, giving it a richer taste.

Serves: 4

Photo: Collected

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp of Kewpie Mayo 
• 250g of chicken breast
• 1 piece of bay leaf 
• 4-5 pieces of black peppercorns 
• 1 tsp of garlic paste 
• 1 tsp of ginger paste 
• 2-3 medium pieces of green chilli 
• 1 tbsp of chopped pickled jalapeno 
• Salt and black pepper for seasoning - add according to taste
• Loaf of bread
• Butter
• Choice of hot sauce or ketchup
• Coriander or mint leaves - (Optional)

Method

Start by boiling 500 ml water in a pot, add 1 bay leaf, 4-5 black peppercorns and garlic and ginger paste, 1 teaspoon each. When the water comes to a boil, add the chicken breast. Boil it for 20 minutes at high flame or until the chicken is cooked through and the water has evaporated. Keep the chicken aside and let it cool.

Prepare the dressing

Take 4 tablespoons of Kewpie Mayo in a bowl. Season it with salt and pepper as per taste. Put the chopped pickled jalapenos, and thinly sliced green chillies and mix it well. You can add 1 tablespoon of hot sauce or ketchup of your choice to the dressing.

Shred the chicken using two forks or by hand. Mix the Kewpie dressing well with the shredded chicken until the pieces are well covered. You can add chopped mint or coriander leaves to the mixture. 

Take 4 pieces of bread, and butter it well on both sides. Take a spoonful of the chicken filling and spread it well on one side of the bread until fully covered and cover it with the other piece of bread. 

Do the same with the other pieces of bread. Heat up your sandwich machine and toast it until golden brown. Cut the bread into 4 pieces and serve. 

Stovetop method

Heat a frying pan (preferably a non-stick pan). Add 20-25g of butter and toast the sandwich for 5 minutes on each side on a medium-high flame, or until the bread is well-toasted as per your desire. 

Peri Peri Chicken 

Nando's Peri Peri sauce originates from South Africa and has a balance between its mid-level spice and tangy flavour. 

Photo: Collected

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 250ml of Peri Peri Sauce (flavour of your choice)
• 1 kg of skinned or skinless chicken legs (4 pieces of 250g each)
• 1.5 tbsp of garlic paste
• 2 tsp of yellow mustard paste 
• 1 tbsp of Worcestershire or soya sauce 
• Salt, sugar and pepper (seasoning) to taste
• 20ml + 10ml of cooking oil 
• ¼ lime

Method

Start by preparing the marinade for the chicken. In a small bowl, add 1.5 tablespoons of garlic paste, 2 teaspoons mustard paste, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire or soya sauce, freshly squeezed lime juice, seasoning, and 20ml of oil. Mix everything well and adjust the seasoning as per taste. 

Take the chicken legs and gently cover them with the prepared marinade. Marinate them for at least 30 minutes. It is best if done overnight. 

Take a big sheet of aluminium foil and wrap the chicken pieces. Preheat the oven (electric or gas) to 250 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. 

Place the wrapped chicken in an oven tray and cook them for 25 mins at 250 degrees Celsius. 

Take them out of the oven and let them rest. At this point, take a fork or a knife and poke a hole in the chicken legs to check if they are fully cooked from inside. 

Take a frying pan, preferably a non-stick or a cast iron pan. Put the flame on medium-high to heat up the pan, and then drizzle oil on it. Next, take the pieces of chicken and sear them for 5 minutes on each side or until they are of your desired colour. 

Baste the pieces with the peri peri sauce on both sides and cook for another 2-3 mins. Serve them hot with some extra peri peri sauce over it.

Stovetop method

Take a pan with a lid, place the aluminium wrapped chicken pieces in the pan, cover and cook for 30 minutes (15 minutes on each side) at medium-high flame.

Pro tip: After marinating the chicken legs, put a few pieces of burning coal in a steel bowl, put the bowl in the dish where the chicken legs are kept and cover them with a foil or lid. This will give them the smoky flavour that you get in restaurants.

Honey Buldak Chicken Wings 

Based off of Samyang's popular Buldak ramen, the chicken flavour sauce has a strong spicy flavour.

Serves: 4

Photo: Collected

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp of Buldak sauce 
• 1.5 tbsp of honey 
• 1 tsp of soya sauce
• 1 tbsp of garlic paste 
• 8 pieces of chicken wings 
• Salt, pepper and sugar (seasoning)
• 10ml of oil

Clean the chicken wings and pat them dry with paper towels. In a separate bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of Buldak sauce (preferably 2x spice flavour) with 1.5 tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of soya sauce, 1 tablespoon of garlic paste, 10ml cooking oil or any unflavoured oil, along with seasonings. 

Marinade the chicken with the mix for a minimum of 30 minutes to overnight. 

Oven method (electric or gas)

Preheat the oven at 250 degree celsius for 10 minutes. In a baking tray, spread the chicken wings and bake them for 20 minutes at 200 degree celsius.

Stovetop method

Heat up a frying pan, non-stick or cast iron. Add cooking oil and pan grill the wings for 15 minutes at medium high heat. Serve the wings with mayonnaise or tartar sauce.

Grilled Chicken Penne Pesto 

Traditional pesto has a fresh and bright flavour profile as it is made with herbs, nuts and parmesan.

Serves: 1

Photo: Collected

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp of Pesto Barilla Rustic Basil 
• 60g of uncooked penne pasta
• 1 piece chicken breast 
• 1 tsp mustard paste 
• 1 tsp garlic paste 
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic 
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
• Salt, pepper and paprika (seasoning)
• 50g of butter 
• 10ml of oil (either vegetable oil or olive oil) 

Boil water in a pot. Season the water with a generous amount of salt and drizzle oil. Once the water comes to a boil, add the uncooked pasta and give it a stir. Cook the pasta for 6 mins or until al dente. 

Strain the pasta and toss them with a drizzle of oil. Keep them aside. 

Marinate the chicken breast with 1 teaspoon of garlic paste, 1 teaspoon of mustard paste, 1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Marinate it for at least 30 minutes. 

Heat up a frying pan. Add butter and slowly let it melt. Add a bit of oil to prevent the butter from burning. 

Pan-grill the chicken at medium-high flame for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing. 

In the same pan, add the chopped garlic and sweat it for a minute. Put the cooked penne pasta in the pan and toss them well. Add 2 tablespoons of pesto sauce, toss it again and mix well until the pasta is covered with sauce. 

Served the pasta on a plate and top it off with the grilled chicken.

Recipes by: Chef Tahsin Mahmood Navid

Photo: Courtesy