As wind rattles the windows and dusk settles early, there is a quiet invitation to curl up, wrap in a blanket, and drift into another world.
Pages turn like soft footsteps, carrying readers through mystery, romance, or adventure while the chill remains safely outside.
With a warm drink at hand, time seems to slow, and the noise of daily life fades.
In winter, reading isn’t just a pastime; it becomes a small, glowing refuge that reminds us how comforting stories can be for us all.
The other type of book that comes in handy in these cooler months is the good old recipe book.
Get some inspiration and cook up a feat that will warm you from the inside out.
To help get you started, we share a recipe from Elizabeth Hewson’s ‘Home Food’ cookbook.
Described as “the perfect cookbook for imperfect cooks”, it features “simple, comforting, sometimes nostalgic, always proudly imperfect family eating – from weeknight ease to weekend pottering”.
The book is available to purchase at Deniliquin Newsagency and Bookstore.
One pot chicken, brown rice and greens with a ginger and spring onion sauce
Ingredients
- Salt
- 650g (4-6) chicken thighs
- 5 tablespoon neutral oil like vegetable oil (2 tbsp for chicken + 3 tbsp for the sauce)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 40g ginger, finely chopped or grated
- 6 spring onions, finely chopped (white and darker green parts separated)
- 2 cups basmati brown rice
- 2 cups - 500ml chicken stock
- 1½ cups – 375ml water
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce (2 tbsp for rice + 2 tbsp for the sauce)
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- 120g snow peas, thinly sliced lengthways (a big handful)
- 1 pak choy or bok choy, roughly chopped (keep leaves and stems separate)
- Handful of bean sprouts
Method:
1. Season the chicken thighs. Heat a large, deep pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp oil. Brown the chicken thighs until they get some colour. You might need to do this in batches. Set the chicken aside.
2. Prep the spring onions. Slice up the spring onions. Set aside the darker ends for the sauce, and throw the white and very light green parts into your pot along with the garlic and half of your ginger (about 20g). Cook, stirring frequently, for about a minute until fragrant. Use this opportunity to scrape off those lovely chickeny bits left from browning the thighs.
3. Add the rice and liquids. Add the rice and toss it around for a further minute before adding 500ml chicken stock, 375ml water, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, and 2 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (see note below for replacement). Give the bottom of the pan a good scrape. Bring to a simmer, then nestle the chicken back into the liquid. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and leave to cook for 45 minutes. No peeking! Seriously, this can disrupt the rice cooking and turn it from fluffy to soggy.
4. Check the rice. After 45 minutes, check your rice by lifting the lid slightly trying to avoid letting out too much steam. It should be tender with a bite, and the liquid absorbed. If the rice needs longer, cover and cook for another 10 minutes. If done, turn off the heat but leave the pot on the stove with the lid on. We will be using the residual heat to steam the greens.
5. Steam the greens. Quickly pile your snow peas, pak choy stems, pak choy leaves, and bean sprouts on top of the rice (note the order I do it here). Cover immediately to use the residual heat to steam the greens for 10 minutes. This also gives the rice time to relax and finish cooking too.
6. Make the sauce. Meanwhile, add the reserved green spring onion tops to a heatproof bowl along with the remaining ginger (20g) and 2 tablespoon soy sauce. Heat 3 tbs of neutral oil in a small saucepan until it's very hot and simmering. Carefully pour this over the spring onions and ginger. It will sizzle and bubble for a few seconds. Stir and set aside.
7. Serve. When ready, serve some of the sauce on top and on the side.
16°C