BAKED GINGER-PLUM CHICKEN

Asian cooking is often easy and uncomplicated, it's just a matter of proper management: heat, time, ingredients, texture and taste.  Baking is a no fuss cooking as long as you have the right temperature and timing.  It even gives you time to watch your favourite movie without fear of burning. ;-)  Just mix the ingredients, place it in a baking dish and voila!  

Tonight is a no fuss cooking, if laziness really kicked in but you have to prepare a meal, just clean and mix everything, toss into the dish and bake. Then you can sit and relax and let the oven call you when it's done. Ting!

BAKED GINGER-PLUM CHICKEN

Ingredients:

750 g chicken or one whole (1kg) spring chicken -quarterly cut

1 thumb ginger -grated

1 whole Garlic (one single clove garlic)-minced

1/3 c plum sauce

1/3 c Superior Light soya sauce

1/4 c water

Dash of salt and pepper to season the chicken before browning.

EVOO and half tablespoon unsalted butter

Spring onion for garnishing

Method:

Season chicken with salt and pepper

Place EVOO and butter in the pan.

Brown chicken on both sides.When done, transfer to the baking dish.

In the same pan, place the rest of the ingredients except spring onion.

Bring to a boil. When done, pour over the chicken in the baking dish.

Bake the chicken covered (you can use foil to cover) at 175 degrees for 45 minutes.

10 minutes before baking is done, open the oven remove the cover and baste the chicken with its own sauce and continue baking it uncovered.

When done, remove from the oven and sprinkle the spring onions before serving.

Serve hot with blanched greens and rice.

>> or you can just place the seasoned chicken into the baking dish. Mix the rest of the ingredients except spring onion and pour over the chicken. Cover the dish and bake.