The problem with My Kitchen Rules

Yes, sadly, there is a problem with My Kitchen Rules and Masterchef.

With reality cooking shows switching to focus from healthy meals to fine dining, we're less concerned about the fat content of our dishes than trying to spruce up our dinner times. Now, we see everyone who has access to Instagram, Facebook or a qualified publisher 'plating up' gourmet dishes and showing off what wonderful recipes they've created. I could ramble further about the influence of television on society, but that's actually not what I'm meant to be writing about. I'm meant to be writing about student life and the struggle that follows the fateful words, 'I'm hungry'.

I moved out of home two months ago, and besides being able to construct an awesome cheese, onion and tomato sauce toastie, I was a horrendous cook. I left home with little more than a few handwritten recipes from my parents, a chocolate dessert cookbook (an excellent birthday present, but wasn't going to cut it for 3 meals a day) and the knowledge to wash your hands before you cook. Naturally, I turned to the internet for menu inspiration. As I trawled through site after site, I was dismayed to find that most of the meals I was finding were either far too complicated or too expensive for the average student (read: me). Not that everything was lobster stuffed with caviar, but dishes involving red meat (mince excepted), seafood and an exorbitant amount of sauces/spices were out of my price range.

Which leads me here, to My Student Kitchen, where everything I cook is easy, tasty and friendly for a student budget. I'll kick off my first post with a favourite recipe of mine, which is a spin on one of my dad's recipes.

Tandoori Chicken Skewers (feeds 2):

Ingredients:
- 150g chicken, chopped into small bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon natural yoghurt (keep in the freezer until you need it again to stop it going off)
- 2 tablespoons tandoori paste (you should be able to get at least 5 serves out of the jar)
- 1 carrot, cut into sticks
- 5 to 6 pieces of broccoli, depending on how much you would like
- 1 cup frozen peas and corn
- 1/2 cup rice (optional)
- Bamboo skewer sticks

Method:
1. Place chopped chicken in a large bowl with yoghurt and tandoori paste. Mix well, until the yoghurt and tandoori have blended together and the chicken is well coated. Cover bowl with cling wrap and leave to marinate for a few hours.
2. Once marinated, thread the chicken pieces onto bamboo skewers, leaving a small gap in between the pieces. Grill until done.
3. Steam carrot, broccoli, peas and corn in the microwave. Depending on your microwave, this will take around 2 to 3 minutes. If you would like, combine 1/2 cup of rice with 1 cup boiling water and steam in the microwave. This should take around 10 minutes.
4. Once everything is cooked, place on a plate and voila! Dinner is served.

It may interest you to know (although I don't blame you if it doesn't, and you're already tucking into your tandoori skewers!), that this dish contains one serve of protein, three serves of vegetables and one serve of carbohydrates if you opted for rice. Also, the fraction of the carrot under the skin holds most of its valuable nutrients so don't peel the skin away! If you're particularly hungry or don't have enough meat, bulk the dish up with more rice, peas and corn or even a baked potato.


Unfortunately, that's all I have for the moment but I'll be back soon with another update on cheap, easy eats.

Best wishes,
(broke) Masterchef Mel
Xx