Swop the greasy takeout for a lunchbox and eat clean al-desko with these chef-endorsed (read: really yummy) recipes. They take a little effort, but they’re worth it – we promise.
Swop the greasy takeout for a lunchbox and eat clean al-desko with these chef-endorsed (read: really yummy) recipes. They take a little effort, but they’re worth it – we promise.
1 Cold Capellini with Runny Soya Egg
Ingredients
2 eggs, room temperature 120ml soya sauce
100ml mirin or rice wine 50ml water
100g capellini
100ml olive oil
20ml sesame oil
20g spring onions, chopped
20ml Japanese rice vinegar
A pinch of chilli flakes
A pinch of seaweed flakes
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Make the soya eggs (at least one day before): Add eggs to salted, boiling water, cook for six minutes, then soak in ice water; peel. Mix 100ml soya sauce, mirin and water, and soak eggs in marinade for at least a day. They keep for up to three days.
Make the pasta: Cook capellini in salted, boiling water for three minutes. Strain into a large bowl, toss with olive oil, then mix in 20ml soya sauce, sesame oil, spring onions and rice vinegar. Leave to cool, then add a little more olive oil and sprinkle with chilli flakes, seaweed flakes and sesame seeds. Serve with eggs.
2 Grilled Garlic Prawns with Avocado Rice
Ingredients
A pinch of salt
A pinch of sugar
100ml coconut water
4 fresh prawns, shelled
1 clove of garlic, minced
60ml + 2 tbsp olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
200g overnight rice
2 avocados, diced
1 tbsp crushed pistachios
1 shallot, diced
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp hot sauce
For the prawns: Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Whisk salt and sugar into coconut water until dissolved; soak prawns in it for 30 minutes. Strain, then coat prawns with garlic and 60ml olive oil. Bake for five minutes, then season with lemon zest and salt.
For the rice: Mix rice with avocados, pistachios, shallots, lime juice, and cumin and chilli powders. Add hot sauce, two tablespoons of olive oil and salt to taste.
3 Power Greens
Ingredients
100g broccolini, rinsed
50g fresh edamame*, rinsed and dried
1 avocado, diced
20g fresh blueberries
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
20ml white sesame dressing*
5g puffed buckwheat*
50g cooked quinoa (optional)
Cook broccolini for two minutes in 1 litre salted, boiling water, then place in ice water to stop the cooking. Pat dry and cut into 2.5cm pieces. Mix all veggies and fruits together, drizzle dressing over it, then add puffed buckwheat and quinoa.
*Find fresh edamame at Fairprice supermarkets, puffed buckwheat at Phoon Huat, and a good white sesame dressing (Kenko Rich Taste Kin Goma Dressing) in the Japanese section of major supermarkets.
4 Baked Spiced Chicken with Cauliflower and Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
100g butter, melted
5g cumin powder
5g curry powder
8g salt
3g black pepper
1 chicken breast, butterflied and halved
1 whole cauliflower
100g yogurt
Zest of 1 lemon
For the chicken: Put melted butter, cumin and curry powders, 3g salt and black pepper into a bowl and mix well. Marinate chicken breast overnight in the fridge. The next day, bake for 20 minutes in a 140 deg C oven. Leave to cool.
For the cauliflower and sauce: Blanch cauliflower in boiling water for a minute, then remove and cut into bite-sized pieces. Mix yogurt with lemon zest and 5g salt. Serve chicken with sauce and cauliflower.
5 Smoked Salmon with Kale, Portobello and Honey Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
2 portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
Zest of 1 lemon, plus the juice
50g honey
100ml extra virgin olive oil
100g kale, stalks removed and shredded
1 avocado, diced
1 green apple, cut into strips
100g smoked salmon
A pinch of almond flakes
Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Toss mushrooms, garlic, olive oil and sea salt in a bowl; bake for 15 minutes. Mix lemon zest and juice, honey and extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. Combine dressing, baked mushrooms, kale, avocado and green apples. Finish with smoked salmon and almond flakes.
PHOTOGRAPHY FRENCHESCAR LIM
STYLING ALICE CHUA
PRODUCT PHOTO VEE CHIN
