There are some home kitchens that have risen during this pandemic period that rather than offering a plethora of dishes, have opted to maintain a limited menu but ensure that they do each one really well. Precious Recipes of Peachy Mathay is one such kitchen, and it serves its purpose in that if you have a hankering for one of Peachy’s offerings on any given day, you know where to source it, and be assured of the quality and consistency of what you’ll be getting.
My first taste of what Precious Recipes is all about came in the form of her Hainanese Chicken. First, it came in a sturdy box, with the whole chicken expertly packed so the different containers weren’t moving around and spilling. I really appreciated the thought placed into that aspect. The soup broth and the steamed broth rice were also kept separate. And I loved how she had created three sauces. There were the traditional Sweet Soy Kecap Manis, and the Garlic Ginger sauce, and she had concocted her own Chili Ginger sauce. This Chili Ginger was excellent, and the whole chicken easily fed four persons, when coupled with the generous amount of broth rice.
I’ve had the occasion to not just enjoy this at home with my three sons, but to bring it to a party, and you can’t believe how well received it was. My boys thought the steamed broth rice was the best, while the people at the party raved about the Chili Ginger sauce.
Bacalao a la Vizcaina is stewed and salt-cured Atlantic cod with potatoes, briny olives, and capers in an aromatic broth, all doused in olive oil. This one comes in two sizes; and if you’ve been missing Bacalao served in this manner, you now know where to head to get your fix.
The Malaysian Laksa is good for four people as well. It has rice noodles in a creamy curry and coconut milk soup, topped with tofu puffs, eggs, fish balls, prawns, bean sprouts, and coriander leaves. Flavorful and hearty, my boys opted to add spiciness to this one; but appreciated how you had the option to do so. To do the reverse would have been difficult, and that is a problem with some restaurants and home kitchens.
Peachy also has a Green Chicken Curry, and you know how in Thai restaurants, this would have been served in a medium-sized bowl, and you’d dig in to spoon the morsels of chicken. Served in a tray, it may be disorienting at first to see this dish, and actually wonder where the chicken pieces are, but they are there. I enjoyed mixing the sauce with my rice. A new Precious discovery for me!
At Precious Recipes, to order two days in advance is suggested, as it’s not a commercial operation. Head to their Precious Recipes Facebook page to learn more details, or to message your order. You can also reach out to Peachy on Instagram at @preciousrecipes.mnl. Here’s one home kitchen that knows what it’s doing, going for selection quality over quantity, and you’ll be happy you tried them out.