MEXICAN AND CHINESE FOR NONCOOKS

So, at the behest of friends I am going to share my cheat cooking tips that I have learned from living in Scotland. Adam and I love great chinese food and I absolutely love fabulous Mexican food (how could I not when its made on my doorstep at home with the best possible ingredients?) But here I have discovered two meals that I can make with the grocery store kits that actually taste pretty good.

ENCHILADAS

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:
Buy this kit at Sainsburys (probably other places but I get it there)
Chicken (sliced into bite size pieces)
Cheese (I use the mild plain white pre-shredded cheese)
Coriander
A lime
If you like flour tortillas, buy those separately as this kit has corn tortillas (I prefer flour)

Then just follow the kit specifications and add chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime into your chicken filler. Put a little sprinkle of coriander over the whole thing and bake it.

Add refried beans, avocado, sour cream, and the Uncle Ben's mexican rice on the side and you've got a fabulous meal that takes little prep and even littler brain power. I love it and I know good Mexican food. This isn't the best I've had but it sure beats waiting it out till I visit home.

CHINESE FOOD

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN:
A deep fryer basket (I borrowed one from a friend)

Chicken cut into bite size pieces
Cornstarch (cornflour)
Two egg whites
Ginger
Salt and Pepper
Uncle Ben's Sweet and Sour Sauce (below)
Vegetable Oil (lots)
- Turn on oven at Gas Mark 2
- Mix a few tablespoons of cornstarch with the two egg whites and coat chicken pieces. Let sit for ten minutes, stirring occasionally to fully coat chicken.
- Fill a saucepan one-third full with vegetable oil. Heat oil on medium to high heat. It will be ready when a little piece of dry bread turns golden in less than a minute.
- Drop chicken into saucepan with space around each piece and fry until golden brown (about 3 minutes)
- Put finished chicken pieces on a paper towel to remove excess oil and then slip them in the oven while other pieces are finishing to keep them warm.
- Put Uncle Ben's sweet and sour sauce in a frying pan and heat over low.
- Finish chicken and mix it with the sauce and serve!

ROASTED PEANUT BEEF:
stir fry beef cut into bite size pieces
snow peas or any vegetables you'd also like to stirfry
AMOY straight to Wok ROASTED PEANUT SATAY stir fry sauce (Sainsburys in little black sachets in with the chinese food)
Vegetable oil

- Put a little oil in a wok and stir fry beef
- add veggies and stir fry a further 4 minutes or so depending on your veggie taste
- add stir fry sauce and mix

CHOW MEIN:
Egg noodles (in the Chinese food section)
AMOY Straight To Wok CHOW MEIN Stir Fry Sauce

Boil noodles for 3 to 4 minutes, drain, and add the sauce...seriously!

Steam some white rice and you've got yourself a full Chinese banquet without ordering terrible take out.


Editor's Note:
I am in no way shape or form a good or even remotely interested cook and both these meals turned out fab. Who says you can't use the store's version and make it taste like home? Hope you enjoy, we did :)