Lemongrass Chicken

What you eat when you are breastfeeding is just as important as your pregnancy diet. Although the same rule of a balanced diet applies, having a variety of food when nursing would eventually influence your baby’s food preference when he starts on solids. A varied diet changes the way milk smells and tastes, exposing your baby to a range of flavours while still on breast milk. This, in turn, could even minimize your baby’s food pickiness when solids are introduced.

The Lemongrass Chicken is a simple, easy to prepare protein dish. You can have it with steamed rice and wholesome stir-fried vegetables or even with a scrumptious bed of colourful salad. Either way, it is an appetizing dish that uses aromatic herbs like kafir lime leaves, lemongrass, turmeric and lime. It also takes minimal prep time as all you have to do is mix the ingredients in a bowl and marinate the chicken with that for 30 minutes before cooking it on a pan.

An important thing to consider when using meat and poultry is to aim for the organic or antibiotic free range. Children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to the effects of growth hormones that may be used on cattle and poultry that provide our meat. So, to stay away from possible additives, know the source of your meat and produce. Nursing mothers should keep this in mind too as what they eat go into the breast milk and eventually the baby.

Ingredients

500g chicken fillet

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

3 bird's eye chili, finely chopped

2 Kafir lime leaves, finely chopped

3 stalks lemongrass, the soft inner part finely chopped

1 tablespoon palm sugar or agave nectar

Juice of a lime

A dash of salt

Some ground black pepper

Some coconut oil to fry

Method

1. Mix all ingredients except the chicken in a bowl and taste to see if you like the balance. Add more sugar or lime juice as per your preference.

2. Pour the mixture over chicken fillets and refrigerate for 20-30mins.

3. Place a skillet with a dash of coconut oil over medium fire. Cook the fillets about a minute on each side.

4. Serve with rice or use it on a bed of a hearty salad.

Reference: http://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-diet.aspx

Written by:

Jay Jayaraj is a freelance journalist/ writer and embroidery artist who is passionate about health, fitness, food, craft, culture and travel. She loves everything homemade and handmade, and currently lives in Kuala Lumpur with her husband.

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