’Tis the season to eat, drink and make merry with your loved ones over a hearty Christmas dinner! The best part is, you won’t need to spend hours slaving over an elaborate menu. Put together a delicious family feast this Christmas with these three easy-peasy dishes — courtesy of A for Arbite restaurant owner Marc Wee!

Poached Prawns with Roasted Potatoes and Lime and Gula Melaka dressing

Serves four

Ingredients:
A
8 Tiger prawns
Water to poach the prawns
Pinch of salt

B
2 Idaho potatoes
1 tbsp corn oil
50g butter
1 tbsp chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp curry powder
A sprig of curry leaves
A pinch of salt
A pinch of pepper

C
¼ block of gula melaka, grated
1cm ginger, grated
Juice and zest of a seedless lime
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp Dijon mustard
100ml olive oil
A Pinch of salt

Method:
1. For A, shell the prawns, then remove veins after splitting them in half from the middle.
2. Add a pinch of salt to the water and bring to a boil. Lower heat before adding the prawns
3. Once the prawns are cooked, remove and soak in ice water for 10 mins. Pat dry then refrigerate. Keep cooking liquid
4. For B, wash and chop the potatoes into 1.5cm cubes before cooking in the prawn water for about five minutes. Remove and dry on a tray.
5. In a separate pan, heat oil and butter, then add onion, garlic and mustard seeds. Fry till they are translucent then add potatoes, curry powder, and the curry leaves, before frying on medium heat until the potatoes turn golden brown. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. For C, form a paste with the grate gula melaka and grated ginger in a mixing bowl, then add sesame seeds, Dijon mustard as well as the lime juice and zest. Slowly drizzle olive oil into the mixing bowl and whisk till the dressing becomes an emulsion and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Place two prawns on top of the potatoes, then drizzle dressing over before serving.

Read on to find out how to make Moroccan-spiced roast chook!
 

Roasted Moroccan-spiced Chicken

Serves four

Ingredients:
A
Whole chicken (about 1.5kg)
50g cumin powder
50g coriander powder
20g cumin seeds
20g garlic powder
10g turmeric powder
5g paprika
200ml oil
1 tbsp salt
½ tbsp pepper

B
4 Idaho potatoes
2 tbsps corn oil
100g butter
2 tbsps chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp curry powder
A sprig of curry leaves
A pinch of salt
A pinch of pepper

Method:
1. For A, clean then set chicken aside, butt-side down, so that any water drips downwards.
2. Mix all the spices in the bowl then slowly drizzle oil into it to prevent the spices from clumping. Marinate the chicken with this mixture, cover then leave overnight in the fridge.
3. For B, wash and chop the potatoes into 1.5cm cubes, then cook in boiling water for five minutes. Remove and dry on a tray.
4. In a separate pan, heat oil and butter, then add onions, garlic and mustard seeds — fry till they turn translucent. Add potatoes, curry powder and curry leaves and fry on medium heat till potatoes turn golden brown.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C, place the chicken in a roasting pan (with the potatoes arranged around the sides) in the middle of the oven. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes.

End your pig-out with delicious Christmas fruitcake…recipe coming right up!
 

Sugee Fruitcake and Warm Custard

Serves four

Ingredients:
A
80g dried mixed fruits
80ml water
Zest of 1 lemon
250g butter
250g fine sugar
125g flour
125g semolina
10g baking powder
4 eggs

B
200ml milk, divided
1 tsp cornstarch
2 eggs
40g sugar
2 drops vanilla extract

Method
1. For A, preheat the oven to 160 deg C. Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper, or use 12 individual muffin moulds.
2. Soak dried fruit in water and lemon zest, then strain after two hours.
3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar well, then add in flour, semolina, and baking powder. Last, add in the eggs one at a time and continue to mix, before adding in the strained dried fruit (from step 2). Bake for 30 minutes. Slice when cool (after about 2 hours).
4. For B, mix three tbsps of milk with the cornstarch and set aside; pour the rest of the milk into a pot, then bring to a boil.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract, then slowly stir in the boiling milk. Transfer the new mixture back into the cooking pot, then cook over low heat to prevent the eggs from curdling.
6. Once the steam rises from the mixture, add in the cornstarch mixture and stir until the custard thickens.
7. To serve, place a slice of fruitcake on a plate, then drizzle the custard sauce over, or serve it on the side.

These recipes were first published in Mother & Baby, December 2014.

File photos

Like us on Facebook and check SmartParents regularly for the latest reads!

You’d love these fun projects, too!

Make it: Create a Christmas village at home

Celebrate: Recipes for salad, roast and matcha cupcakes

Make it: Zesty orange cake recipes