The Whistling Pressure Cooker

Ginger Crab

2011-10-17T23:27:00.011-04:00

During the years we spent in Calcutta, India, my parents would plan impromptu trips to Digha, a small fishing town along the Bay of Bengal coast, only a few hours' drive from Calcutta. I would emerge out of the car in school uniform and backpack to find my mother’s sticking her head through the wrought iron grill of our balcony shouting out to our chauffeur.

“Don’t head back to the office,” she would scream out over the din of the city and street cricket matches,
“Saheb (Sir) is coming home in a different office car. You’re coming to Digha with us; so go grab some clothes, tank up the car and be back here in an hour!”

These trips were always my father’s idea and I never got an inkling of when one was coming until it was announced. He made his decision on the spur of the moment and we always sportingly went along. Nothing makes a Bengali happier than hot food and tickets to travel somewhere. We would spend the weekend at Digha, leaving Calcutta on a Friday evening and be back again by Monday morning, but always just too late to go to school - and without the required doctor’s note too! - much to the chagrin of my teachers.

By the time Digha’s famous “Matsyakanna” (Mermaid, or literally, fish-girl) statue greeted us, the sun would be red and swollen and falling into the water. The beach would be flaming red from afar -- inch-long red crabs littered all over the sand, basking in the setting sun. I would run out of the car hoping to catch one, but each time the sneaky little things would skutter off sideways into the safety of their holes. And the beach would turn into patches of golden brown skin with old, old acne scars where had agitated their slumber.

Digha is by no means a gorgeous sea resort town. The waves are not spectacular and neither is the sand some rare colour. But it is ocean in all its fishiness and Calcuttans are drawn to it like Tolkien's elves to the Great Sea.

I have never seen small red crabs in America. They're too small to eat anyway. But I always am reminded of the little red crabs taking in the last of the day’s sun when I see crabs in the market, even if the ones I am buying don’t actually turn red until I throw them into hot oil.

Ginger Crab Recipe
Click here for a printable recipe

This recipe is adapted from Rasa Malaysia’s Ginger Scallion Crab recipe. I did not have scallions on hand so I did not add them. I also replaced the white pepper powder with red pepper flakes.. I used smaller crabs so I needed 2. You want to have 1.5 - 2 lbs of whole crab. The dish will serve 2 quite easily when enjoyed with some steaming hot rice. The peanut oil can easily be replaced with corn oil or vegetable oil.

Ingredients:

2 crabs (about 1 ½ lbs)
2 inches ginger, peeled and sliced into matchstick thin pieces
3 tablespoons cornstarch
oil for deep frying

Ingredients for sauce:

1 tablespoon oyster sauce
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅛ teaspoon sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon sugar
5 tablespoons hot water
¾ teaspoon corn starch
1 tablespoon cold water
⅛ teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon peanut oil

Method:

1. Mix the corn starch for the sauce in 1 tablespoon of cold water. Set aside.

2. Mix the other sauce ingredients except the peanut oil together and set aside.

3. Clean the crab and cut into pieces. Dry well with paper towel and sprinkle the corn starch over it. Toss to evenly coat the crab pieces in the cornstarch.

4. Heat oil to 350F for deep frying. The oil should start form bubbles when a wooden spatula is inserted but should not froth over.

Take a handful of crab pieces, in a sieve and shake to remove any excess corn starch. Drop the crab pieces into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Do this in batches if necessary. Remove as soon as the crab turns red.

5. Heat a wok and add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger slices. Stir until the release their aroma, about 30 seconds to a minute. Remove the ginger and discard.

6. Add the crab slices to the wok and stir quickly for a few times. Now add the sauce ingredients and stir to coat the crab in the sauce.

7. Stir the cornstarch and water mixture so that there are no lumps and add it to the sauce. Stir to mix and keep on heat for 2 minutes.

8. Serve immediate with hot jasmine rice.

Pineapple Ginger Scones

2011-07-12T15:32:00.012-04:00

It’s not that I cannot bake; I just do not like to. Barring cooked tuna and sardines in any way, shape or form, I eat everything. I am allergic to eggplant, but that has never really quite stopped me from eating it anyway. I do my best to ignore the varying intensities of itchiness in my throat brought about by different varieties of eggplant. However, I do not have what is commonly understood as “an evergreen sweet tooth”, with just one exception – but I will save that for another day. Besides, to me, cake batter tastes better before baking than after, so I find it hard to see the point in even putting it into the oven. If it were not for the strong resistance to pollutants, toxins and probably common food contaminating bacteria that one invariably develops when they have spent years and years in India, eating all kinds of yumminess from street-food stalls, oblivious to the rush hour traffic puffing out sooty smoke like small, scaled-down factory chimneys, I would probably have died of Salmonella poisoning or Shiga toxins by now. I once ate an entire cake’s worth of cake batter with my Bosnian roommate in Rhode Island while the preheated oven and the cake pan remained waiting in the kitchen.

From Cooking

To make matters worse, I don’t eat chocolate. It’s not a diet thing, or a discipline issue. Nor is it a saddening, debilitating allergic handicap. I just hate – detest, would be a more apt word – chocolate. I always have. It is an unforgivable sin for a foodie and I understand that I am hell-bound for it. But there it is. So, most desserts, so cherished by the all the world, utterly fail to seduce me. I do like a plain crème brûlée or a crème caramel, but not enough that I would inconvenience myself to make it often unless that was the only thing I was setting out to make. So why choose to bake scones without any warning? I have not eaten a scone in over 5 years. I do not sit and reminisce about them, about how unfulfilling my life is without them all around me.

But I grew up reading too much British fiction: Enid Blyton and P. G. Wodehouse. Could the Famous Five or the Secret Seven ever have had the determination and courage to pursue the motley of crooks that they did without their tummies being fuelled by scones and Devonshire cream made by a bona fide English cook? Or would tea time at Blandings Castle have ever been successful if there were no jellied scones to accompany the tea and sandwiches? Would Jeeves, the stiff upper-lipped butler, have permitted such a travesty to befall the table of Bertie Wooster? I have never, in person, been to the English countryside in the summer (or in the winter, for that matter). Nor have I had the pleasure of visiting London. Yet I have been to these places through these books. I have smelled Yorkshire pudding and Christmas plum cake through the pages of books. I would be decidedly shocked if someone were to try to convince me that a steak and kidney pie were not among the best ways to start one’s day – even though I have eaten one just once, and even then, not for breakfast. So also have I had scones and clotted cream at tea time, and a glass of port or sherry after dinner.

The original recipe was for ginger scones, but I did not find candied ginger either at the Asian supermarket nor at the regular supermarket so I substituted candied pineapple for the ginger instead adapting a recipe I found on the Epicurious website.

Recipe:
Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp powdered ginger

¼ tsp lemon zest

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1” cubes and frozen

2/3 cup candied pineapples, chopped into small pieces

2/3 cup heavy cream, plus a little more for brushing

Method:

Step1: Adjust oven rack to middle, preheat the oven to 400⁰F.

Step2: In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder. Pulse to incorporate.

Step 3: Add the butter, lemon zest and the powdered ginger. Pulse until the mixture is pale yellow and reaches the consistency of fine meal.

Step4: Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the pineapple.

Step5: Make a well in the centre; add the heavy cream. Draw in the dry ingredients until just mixed. Do not overmix.

Step6: Dump the dough onto a clean work surface. Pat the dough into a ¾“ circle and cut out circles or just break off equal bits and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bring the trimmings together and cut out more circles.

Step 7: Brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for about 20 minutes. Turn the baking tray once so that the heat is evenly distributed. The baking time depends on the oven so start checking after 14 minutes. The scones are done when their surfaces are light brown and start to crack.

Step8: Allow to cool completely. Enjoy!

Tequila Flambéed Shrimp over Sautéed Asparagus and Parmesan Polenta

2011-04-09T16:36:00.001-04:00

I bought a pound of shrimp a couple days ago because it was on sale. K is very picky when it comes to shrimp -- it cannot just be cooked any which way, the shrimp have to have a good sear on both sides, which pretty much eliminates a lot of Italian recipes and Indian curries. I had been craving polenta since I stole some from K when it came with his braised short-rib dinner at Grafton St. When I saw the cover of the latest "Real Simple" recipe collection with a pretty picture of a shrimp dish with crispy bacon and plum tomatoes over cheesy grits, I thought I could make something like that with polenta underneath instead of grits. That cover dish was my inspiration for this dinner, but I could not make it as is because K does not like tomatoes with shrimp (if he likes tomatoes in anything but salads), and I desperately wanted some spice and cilantro, being the girl from the tropics... so I threw in those plus some tequila for a Mexican-inspired dinner with some asparagus for greenery. And out came a fancy homemade Friday night dinner in under an hour!

The recipe looks long but it a balanced meal - complete with starch, protein and greens. No need to fix a salad and a salad dressing or roast veggies to put on the side; everything is right here and is part of the main course presentation for an eye-catching dinner. This one you can definitely make for a dinner party.

Recipe:
Click here for a printable recipe
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp (21-30 shrimp/lb)
5 strips of bacon
2 Thai chilli peppers (can substitute with jalapeno), slit lengthwise

Maggi Seasoning

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped coarsely
1.5 shots good Tequila (I used Hornitos)
freshly squeezed juice of half a lime
1/3 of a bunch asparagus
1/2 Tb extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 dashes of Maggi Seasoning
1 package instant polenta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Cut the strips of bacon into 1" pieces. Spread the pieces out in a skillet and render the bacon fat out over medium-low heat.

2. While the bacon is on the stove, peel the shrimp, cut the asparagus into 1"pieces on the diagonal discarding the woody stems, and grate the cheese. Move the bacon pieces around so that most of the fat from the bacon is rendered and the pieces crisp up.

3. When the bacon is done, remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain. Turn the heat up to high so the bacon fat heats up to smoking.

4. When the fat starts to smoke add the shrimp in a single layer without overcrowding. You will need to do this in batches. Leave the shrimp undisturbed for a 1-1.5 minutes. Flip using tongs and fry the other side for 1 minute. Remove to paper towel making sure to keep the shrimp in a single layer. Repeat until all the shrimp are fried. Shrimp should not be overcooked or it turns chewy.

5. Cook the polenta according to package instructions. Mine involved bringing 4.5 cups of water to a rapid boil and then adding the polenta in while stirring constantly. The polenta thickens in about 30 seconds. Add in the cheese. Whisk or stir one last time.

6. In a small non-stick skillet, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, throw in the asparagus and spread them out in the skillet. Leave them alone for half a minute and then toss to sauté the other side. Drizzle the Maggi Seasoning over the asparagus and mix once. Turn the heat off. Set aside.

7. Return all the shrimp to the pan along with the Thai chillies and the crispy bacon slices. Remove the seeds from the chillies if you want flavour but not spice. Add the tequila (not straight from the bottle - FIRE HAZARD!) and tilt the skillet to ignite the fumes if you have a gas stove or use a piece of long pasta to ignite the flames. In both cases, keep you face away so you don't singe your eyebrows off!

8. Allow the flames to burn off. Sprinkle the cilantro and the lime juice. Mix one last time.

9. To serve, spread the polenta in the centre of the plate to in a flat round shape, make a bed of asparagus in the middle of the polenta and using a slotted spoon (to avoid any unnecessary artery-clogging bacon fat) layer 7-8 pieces of shrimp and a couple pieces of bacon on top in a mound over the asparagus for a classy, fancy dinner. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Steamed Silken Tofu with Ginger and Scallions

2011-04-09T16:21:00.002-04:00

I have been trying to restrict my intake of non-vegetarian food to only one meal a day. Usually that means eating fruit smoothies for breakfast and salads for lunch (look at my spring salad with honey-roasted butternut squash cubes and walnuts dressed with a lemon-pepper vinaigrette). But on days that I am home I can do some experimenting with new vegetarian dishes. One day I decided to find out what all the hype about steamed silken tofu was all about. Mainly it would give me another opportunity to try out my (then) new bamboo steamer. So of course, we do not generally have a lot of tofu on hand -- K hates it, and I do not love it. But my Chinese friends go on and on about the silky texture and the velvety feel of silken tofu...so off I rush to Super88 to buy myself a brick of silken tofu. My recipe is pretty much straight out of chef and restauranteur Kylie Kwong's book, "Simple Chinese Cooking".

This dish is simple, healthy and vegan -- seldom do I have vegan fare on my blog. And for people that love tofu in its simplest form, without hiding its flavour by drowning it in sauces, this dish is a delight!

From Cooking

Steamed Silken Tofu with ginger and Scallions

From Cooking

Recipe:
Click here for a printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 10oz packet of silken tofu
1Tb shao hsing wine (Chinese cooking wine) or dry sherry
1/3 cup water
1 Tb light soy sauce
1/2 tsp white sugar
1 Tbsp ginger, julienned
1/4 cup scallion (spring onion), julienned
1 Tb peanut oil
1 tsp sesame seed oil
pinch of Sichuan pepper and salt combo (optional)

Method:
Remove the tofu from its packet into a shallow, heat-proof bowl that will fit inside a steamer basket or in a bamboo steamer.

Cut the tofu brick across along it's length into 8 equal-sized pieces. Cover with the shao hsing wine, soy sauce, water, sugar and half the ginger. Place the bowl into the steamer and position over a wok or saucepan of boiling water. Steam for about 6 minutes or until heated through.

Remove the bowl with the tofu being mindful of the hot steam and transfer to a serving dish along with all its liquids. Spread the scallion pieces and the leftover ginger on top.

Heat the peanut oil to a small frying pan until pretty hot and carefully pour over the tofu to release its flavours. You should hear the scallions and ginger sizzle a little. Sprinkle the sesame seed oil and the Sichuan pepper and salt and serve immediately.

My vegetarian meal

Sichuan pepper and Salt Combo:
3 Tbsp coarse sea salt
1 Tb Sichuan peppercorns

Dry-roast the Sichuan peppercorns and the salt in a heavy pan, stirring constantly. When the Sichuan peppercorns start to make a popping sound and release their aromas turn off the heat. Cool at room temperature and then grind to a fine powder in either a mortar pestle or a spice/coffee grinder. Store in an airtight container.

Making Paneer from Scratch

2011-01-30T16:41:00.001-05:00

I think I stopped blogging shortly after we adopted Oscar Schindler, our cat, which means it has been almost a year now. I thought about blogging from time to time... but just never got to it. My blog would just turn into another one of my many projects that I started with great zeal but abandoned somewhere along the way when I picked up one too many newer projects. I thought nobody would notice. But my friend Nick sent me a text-message one evening; He said, "Bring back The Whistling Pressure Cooker". And so I will. Thanks Nick. I still cook. I even still take photos of the food I cook. Why should I stop blogging about it then?

We were discussing making paneer from scratch over delicious dinner and desserts at Finale on Beacon St last night where we had gathered to celebrate Nelsa's birthday. It comes out to be a lot cheaper than buying it from the Indian food markets... and a lot fresher. It's best to use whole milk, although skim milk can also be used. It is so easy, really:

My first ever batch of homemade paneer!

Bring the milk to a boil in a non-reactive pot (so no cast iron or aluminium pots and pans) and then turn the heat down to low and add the acid, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the milk while stirring gently to encourage the milk to curdle. Any kind of acid can be used - in India people use lime juice but lemon juice, distilled white vinegar or even citric acid can be used instead. How much acid you will need depends on the type of acid you are using and the fat content of the milk so I cannot really give an amount. The whey - the protein-rich liquid left behind in the pot once the milk fat curdles out - should be clear. If it isn't just add a little more acid and stir until it is. Now all that is left to do is strain the curdled milk through a sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth, cover it with some more cheesecloth and then place a heavy object - a big can of tomatoes or a grill press work fine - over the strained milk solids for an hour or two to squeeze out all the excess liquid. Then cut the paneer into cubes and that's it... Done!

If you don't need all the paneer at once, line the paneer cubes on a cookie sheet so that they are not touching each other and toss into the freezer for a couple hours. This lets each cube freeze individually. Now you can just put the cubes into a freezer bag until you are craving paneer again. Remember to thaw the paneer cubes overnight in the fridge and you are ready to cook.

French bistro-style steak with a sherry-port sauce

2010-07-05T18:49:00.004-04:00

The French do not believe in medium-rare, medium or (heaven forbid), well done. When you eat at an authentic French restaurant, you really only have two options: blue-rare or rare. If you ask for anything more cooked than that, upon careful observation, you will notice your waiter's eyebrow rise just a little -- a gesture of disapproval commonly used by French waiters and British butlers. The chef will consider you to be a lost cause and bring out that less-than-stellar piece of beef that had been set aside for an uncouth palate such as yours. After all, the way the chef sees it, why waste a prime piece of meat on someone that doesn't know how to enjoy it? Besides, the well-done steak tastes almost like a sub-prime piece of meat anyway, so why not help it along a little? Of course, being a steak-snob was not my intention at all. I was just aiming for some French bistro-style steak and K seemed up to the challenge of a very rare steak. My parents would seriously disapprove -- after all, Hindus are not supposed to eat beef, let alone eat it mostly uncooked! And their disapproval would have been less subtle than the French waiter's or the British butler's.

I know I've said this before, but I feel that I must say it again: bring the steak to room temperature before cooking for about an hour (in the summer) or longer depending on the thickness of the steak. And after the steak has cooked, let it rest so that the muscles in the steak have time to relax. Not resting the steak will make it taste tough no matter how premium the cut was, or how fabulous your recipe is. And if you want a good sear, then remember to pat dry the steak on both sides with paper towels before putting it in the hot oil.

Recipe:
For a printable version of this recipe click here

For the steak:

1 strip steak, over 1" thick
coarsely ground sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil for frying

For the sauce:

1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dried parsley
2 Tbsp cup sweet sherry
2 Tbsp port wine
1/2 cup veal or chicken stock
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Rub all over with some olive oil and let sit for 5 minutes.

Note: Now because I want a good crusty sear on the outside of the steak and the inside to still be very pink, I will cook it on very high heat in a pan that already has smoking hot oil.

2. Heat a stainless steel pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until the oil just starts to smoke. Quickly pat the steak dry on both sides using paper towels and place in the pan. You should hear a loud sizzle as the steak cooks.

3. After 3 minutes check the underside of the steak for searing. If the bottom has already seared well, then flip and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes. Also sear the sides so that the crust forms all over. Once done, set the steak aside and tent with aluminium foil.

4. Turn the heat down to medium. Wait a minute for the pan to cool down. If there isn't enough oil, add a teaspoon or two more. Now add the garlic and stir until the garlic releases its aromas.

5. Pour in the sherry and the port and using a metal spatula, scrape off the caramelised bits from the steak that are stuck to the bottom. Reduce the alcohols until they are thick and syrupy.

6. Add the stock, the sprig of thyme and any drippings from the steak. Reduce the sauce until the sacue is thick enough to coat the bottom of a spoon. Check and adjust seasonings.

7. Add the cold butter and swirl it into the sauce.

8. Slice the steak into quarter-inch thick squares, drizzle some sauce over and serve with some starch and greens.

Pea and Mint Soup

2010-06-19T21:28:00.001-04:00

In Calcutta, a staple starter at Marwari weddings was pea soup. Liveried waiters would carry them around in porcelain cups and would offer a cup to anyone seen without a cup of soup or a glass of some beverage in their hand. My father has always been a big fan of pea soup. He says he finds it hard to turn down that any soup with such peppy green colour.

I found a recipe for pea and mint soup in one of those over-priced recipe compilations that "Fine Cooking" keeps putting out. And of course I couldn't resist tweaking it. Anyone with a blender, which is just about everyone that either cooks or makes cocktails - which should cover everyone in America - can make this. I used a tablespoon of store bought Indian mint chutney instead of fresh mint leaves. If you have neither then skip the mint and just make pea soup. It will still taste scrumptious. This soup can be served both warm or chilled and makes for a great first course to serve to guests or your vegetarian friends. And, it can be made ahead.

There are those that look down their noses at frozen vegetables. I am not one of them. Fresh is great. But fresh goes bad fast, and sometimes, it's just comforting to know that there's something in the freezer to fall back on, should the need arise - like frozen veggies or flash-frozen shrimp.

Recipe:
Click here for printable recipe
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup white onions, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups frozen or fresh peas (I used frozen)
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
freshly cracked pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
1 Tbsp Indian mint chutney (or 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves. I, unfortunately, am not much of a mojito maker, so I never seem to have any on hand)
a dash of granulated sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream

Method:

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and the garlic. Fry for about 8 minutes so that the onions soften, but do not brown. If the onions cook too fast, turn the heat down further.

2. Add the frozen peas and stir until they are soft. Add the broth and first bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the peas are very soft.

3. Season with salt and pepper and add in the sugar. Pour into a blender or a food processor and puree until smooth. Vent the blender while pureeing the hot soup by removing the pop-up centre piece.

4. Return the soup to the pot and add in the cream. Stir, and bring to a gentle simmer. Now either serve warm or chill and serve cold.

Busy Night Tandoori Shrimp

2010-06-19T20:54:00.001-04:00

K is not a huge fan of shrimp. But I am, mostly because on a night when I am tired and do not want to get entangled in a fussy dinner, I can easily pull out the package of frozen raw shrimp tucked away at the back of my freezer. While she shrimp is defrosting under running water in a colander, I can feed my kitty, change and pour myself a glass of crispy clear Austrian Gewurztraminer and put the miseries of the day behind me.

I use a store-bought Tansoori spice mix for this recipe. Of course, I could make my own, but that would involve mincing the ginger and garlic, measuring out the seven different spice powders that tend to make people fear cooking Indian food. Sometimes even that is too much work.

Recipe:

Click here for printable recipe

10-12 medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup thick yoghurt
1 Tbsp Tandoori masala powder (available at Indian grocery stores)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided

Method:

1. In a bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, tandoori masala powder and 1 Tbsp of the vegetable oil. Add the shrimp and mix so that the shrimp is completely coated with the marinade. Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Heat the remaining Tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan over high heat. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and add to the pan in a single layer. Sear for 2 minutes on one side, flip, and sear for another minute or two on the other side. Serve with rice.

Note: If you want a little more sauce, then first remove the shrimp from the marinade and throw out half the marinade. Now add the shrimp back in and turning the heat down to medium-low, slowly add the shrimp and the marinade into the oil and cook for 5 mintues until the shrimp is cooked and you have a little sauce to eat with the rice.

Grilled Asparagus and Cremini Mushrooms

2010-06-19T12:29:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to get K to eat more vegetables. We're still a long way away from doing "Meatless Mondays" but his meals have been more balanced than before. He just can't seem to wrap his head around sweet pea soup for a light lunch (after a disgustingly heavy dinner the night before) or a loaded omlette for lunch - not that I consider eggs to be vegetarian. I have been slipping more and more veggies into our stir-fry dinners, and I am optimistic about getting him to eat cauliflower someday.

K loves the parking lot across from us - the way it is so well maintained - while I look a little higher: at the pretty little porches that belong to the people that get to park their cars in Keith's favourite parking lot with a tiny little charcoal grill in each one. Someday, I think, someday, I too will have space for a grill. But until then, I either use a stove-top grill or just a really hot steel pan or broil things on a rack that allows fat to drip down. These veggies can easily be "grilled" in a hot pan with a little oil and will still taste fabulous. A cast-iron pan is a great substitute for a stove-top grill.

Recipe:
Click here for printable recipe

1 bunch asparagus
6 cremini mushroons
kosher or sea salt to taste
freshly cracker pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil

Method:

1. Rub the mushrooms liberally with olive oil so they don't dry out while grilling. Use less oil if using a stove-top pan.

2. Heat up your stove-top grill if grilling. If cooking on a pan, heat up your pan with a little olive oil. Cast-iron pans take a little longer to heat up.

3. Break off the woody parts of the asparagus stalks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dab a little olive oil on them.

3. Add the veggies to the pan in a single layer. Let cook undisturber for 2-3 minutes. Do NOT cover or the green of the asparagus will turn into an ugly shade of brown. Turn, and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.

Pork chop with herbs de Provence and a marsala-balsamic sauce

2010-05-21T19:49:00.002-04:00

I made this for dinner last night... in under an hour, and am quite proud of myself for it. It is definitely worthy of serving to guests for a fancy dinner. Shaws has been selling pork-chops at unbeatable prices and we have been cashing in on the bargain. I bought a pork chop last week, and this week I bought two: one over an inch thick - which I used in this recipe - and the other thinner and to be the star of tomorrow night's dinner. What I am most proud of is the fact that the meal was balanced with starch (buttered noodles), vitamins (baby bok choy) and protein (pork chop). It was big enough for both K and myself and the entire thing cost less than $6 to make!

Now pork chops cannot be eaten medium-rare. They have to be medium to medium-well. For some people this just means a dried-out chop. The trick is to use a combination of stove (for searing in the flavours on the outside) and oven (cooking the inside to the right temperature) for chops thicker than 1/2", and searing each side on high heat until just cooked through for thinner chops so they are completely cooked without drying out. Whichever type of pork chop you get, and no matter how you cook it, it is very important to rest the meat for 5 minutes after cooking so that the juices get locked in or all the effort put into the cooking will be useless as the chop will just taste chewy.

Recipe:

Click here for printable recipe

For the pork chop with a herby, balsamic vinegar sauce:

1 1.5" centre-cut pork chop, bone-in

2 tsps herbs de Provence

sea salt, to taste

freshly cracked pepper, to taste

1 tsp ground marjoram

3 tsps balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large clove of garlic, sliced thin

1/3 cup Marsala wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

For the seared baby bok choy with garlic:

4-6 baby bok choy, cut lengthwise in half

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium-sized clove of garlic, minced

1 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine/white wine

For the buttered noodles:

1 cup wide egg noodles

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Method:

1. Boil water in a 3-qt saucepan for the noodles. Pre-heat the oven to 400F. When the water comes to a boil, cover the saucepan with a lid and turn the heat off. This will ensure that the water can be brought to a boil quickly when it is time to cook the noodles.

2. Make sure the pork chop has been brought to almost room temperature before you begin cooking. Season both sides with salt, pepper and a teaspoon each of ground marjoram and herbs de Provence. Finally rub in a tsp of balsamic vinegar on either side of the chop.

3. Heat the butter and the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Using a paper towel, quickly blot dry both sides of the chop and lower into the hot oil. Turn the heat to medium. Allow to sear on the first side for 2-3 minutes. 30 secodns before flipping, turn the heat up to medium-high. Sear on the second side for 2-3 minutes.

4. Set the chop aside and tent with tin-foil to keep warm. Now make the sauce. Remove the excess oil in the panleaving only a teaspoon keeping the heat on medium-high. Add the garlic. Stir for 20-30 seconds. Add the marsala wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine is mostly evaporated and looks syrupy, add in the chicken stock, juices from the pork chop and the remaining teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Reduce until the sauce is halved.

5. Pour the sauce into a baking dish and put the pork chop on top. Put into the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the chop once. After 10 minutes reduce the heat to 350F and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes. In the last ten minutes of baking, start the noodles and the bok choy so that everything is ready at the same time.

6. To check for doneness, make a cut near the bone and check for pink colour. A cooked pork chop should have only the slightest tinge of pink and that too, only just close to the bone.

For the buttered noodles and seared baby bok choy halves with garlic:

Method:

1. Bring the water back to a steady boil. Add salt, stir and add the noodles, stirring every now and then to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom. Cook until done to your liking.

2. Heat 1Tbsp vegetable oil in a pan on high heat. When the oil is hot and just starts to smoke, place the bok choy halves, cut side down, firmly into the the hot oil in a single layer.

3. Let sear undisturbed, for 2-3 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side for 1-2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

4. Pour in the cooking wine. Briskly mix everything so that the bok choy pieces are coated with the wine before it evaporates.

5. When the noodles are done, drain (do not rinse) and return to the saucepan. Add the butter and a Tbsp of the sauce from the pork chop. Mix well so everything is uniformly combined.

To serve:

Arrange the bok choy halves to one side of the plate; place the buttered noodles on the rest of the plate and carefully arrange the pork chop on top, spooning the remaining sauce over it. There should be noodles all around the pork chop. Enjoy!

Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

2010-05-16T06:08:00.001-04:00

I found this recipe on Recipezaar, and the person that posted it found it in America's Test Kitchen. The only thing that I changed was that I used steak tips instead of flank steak. Actually, I used exactly 1 steak tip that weighed 0.5 lbs. K is usually not a fan of peanut sauces, but I definitely caught him dunking his satays in the sauce after the first taste!

I used Sambal chilli sauce, which is spicier. For a milder palate, use Sriracha chilli sauce (the Rooster brand is very popular). I saved the extra peanut sauce for a quick noodle salad to take to school for lunch or for an unusually busy night. I served this as an appetizer, but with a bowl of rice and a quick-tossed salad, this can easily be turned into a delightful meal. Not much active cooking time, so great for a week-night!

Recipe:
Click here for a printable recipe

For the satay:

1 lb steak tips
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Asian chilli sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
1 clove garlic, minced fine
1 teaspoon corainder powder
2 scallions, both white and green parts, chopped fine

For the spicy peanut sauce:

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup hot water (or more as required, depending on the desired consistency)
2 tablespoons Asian chilli sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 clove garlic, minced finely
2 scallions, both white and green parts, sliced very finely

Method:

1. Put the beef in the frezer for 30-45 minutes, depending on how cold your freezer is set to be. Partially frozen beef is easy to slice and you can easily get very thin slices, which is important for satays.

2. While the beef is in the freezer, prepare the ingredients for the satay marinade: mince the garlic, chop the scallions and measure out the rest of the ingredients.

3. Combine the soy sauce, vegetable oil, chilli sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, coriander powder and chopped scallions. Whisk to dissolve the sugar.

4. Slice the meat into thin slices against the grain. If the steak tip is too long, then cut in half along the grain first. You want your satay pieces to fit on a 6" skewer with some room left for holding the skewer.

5. Place the beef into the marinade. Make sure the pieces are well coated. Cover with saran wrap and keep in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour at the the maximum. Pre-heat your broiler. Turn the beef once in between to ensure all surfaces are marinating equally.

6. While the beef is marinating, prepare the spicy peanut sauce: simply whisk all the ingredients together to blend the flavours. If the sauce is too thin, add a little more hot water. The extra sauce can be used as a dressing with noodles and keeps well in the fridge for up to a week.

7. Thread the beef onto 6"-skewers. Lay the skewers on a wire rack set over a rimmed-baking sheet. Cover the ends of the skewers with aluminium foil. Broil for 3 minutes. Turn and broil for another 3 minutes for a medium finish. If you want it well done, broil for a total of 7-8 minutes, but no longer.

Aloo Gobi (Indian-style cauliflower and potatoes)

2010-05-14T17:26:00.004-04:00

Lauren found a VHS of the movie "Bend it like Beckham" at a thrift store in Brighton and promptly posted as her Google status the famous line from that movie, "Anyone can make aloo gobhi, but who can bend a ball like Beckham?" I certainly can't, but I can make a pretty good aloo gobhi!

Every region has its own version of aloo gobhi; each family has its own unique variant, as is the case with practically any Indian dish. This is a Punjabi version, as the girl from Bend it like Bechkam" is Punjabi in the movie. This is a dry-style curry with a tang that comes from the amchur - dried mango - powder, so there isn't much sauce. If you want a curry with more sauce, scale up the powder spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, amchur, and even garam masala) and add more water being careful to not boil it all away in the end. All the spices and spice powders can be bought from any Indian grocery store.

I actually managed to get K to eat some of this with aloo paratha (spiced potato stuffed Indian flatbread). Now that's a victory!

Recipe:
Click here for printable recipe

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 medium-sized unpeeled red potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into small cubes
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp hing powder
2 tsps ginger-garlic paste (or 1 tsp each of minced garlic and ginger)
1/2 of a medium onion, sliced thinly
2 Indian or Thai green chilli, cut length-wise (remove the seeds if you want don't want it to be spicy)
1 big juicy tomato, chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp amchur (dried mango) powder
2 tsp salt
a pinch of sugar
2 Tbsp kasuri methi powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
vegetable oil for frying

Method:

1. Keep the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, amchur powders and the salt in a small bowl together. These will be added at the same time.

2. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower florets and fry until they are golden in places. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels.

3. Add a touch more oil and repeat the process with the potatoes.

Note: If you wish to cook with a little less oil, then skip steps 2 and 3 and add the cauliflower and potatoes after the ginger-garlic paste and the onions. Fry for a bit so they get a little colour. After adding all the spices, add 1/2 cup water to the pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for a bit. This will ensure that the vegetables are not too tough.

4. Now you need not more than a 1/2 tablespoon of oil to do the rest of the cooking. Heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the hing powder and the cumin seeds. Stir for 10 seconds. They should release their aromas by then if the oil was hot.

5. Add the ginger-garlic paste. Stir briskly for about 30 seconds. Add the onions, the green chillies and the sugar. Fry until they are beginning to turn golden.

4. Add the spice powders. Stir for a minute. Do not let the spices burn. If they start to catch on the bottom of the pan too much, just sprinkle some water and stir.

5. Add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are smooshed and pulpy, and oil starts to ooze out from them.

6. Add the fried cauliflower florets and the potatoes and stir to mix in with all the spices and the sauce. Taste a piece of potato. If it is still a little tough on the inside, add a 1/4 of a cup of water, stir once, cover and let steam for a couple minutes. Don't let it steam for too long.

7. Now finally, turn up the heat, sprinkle the garam masala and the kasuri methi leaves, crushing the kasuri methi between your palms before adding.

8. Give one final stir, check the seasoning and serve with piping hot rice or with any one of the variety of Indian flatbreads.

New England Steamers in Beer Broth -- Wicked Good!

2010-05-14T11:47:00.003-04:00

In 2006, when K first said to me, "Let's go get some steamers!", I didn't know what he was talking about. That changed -- wicked fast! Steamers with melted butter for dipping became a recurring dinner for us.

The most important thing with steamers is to clean them well. The way to do it is a little different than that for mussels. Improperly cleaned steamers is one of the worst food experiences possible. Steamers live completely buried under the sand in shallow seas so they contain more grit than mussels. also, steamers are soft-shell clams so they require more gentle handling.

To clean steamers, put them gently into a large stockpot. Fill the stockpot up with cold water. Add a heaping tablespoon of cornmeal or black pepper to the water, mix into the water and put the stockpot into the fridge for two hours. The steamers will "sneeze out" their sand. Discard any that float to the surface as these are dead. After 2 hours, gently pick up the steamers from the bottom of the stockpot and put in some other vessel; do NOT pour as you will be just adding the sand right back into the clams and can damage their shells. It's worth the effort to not get yucky grains of grit in between bites of succulent clam. Other than that, steaming them is easier than making a cup of espresso! They go fast so make more rather than less.

Recipe:

Click here for printable recipe

4 pounds steamer clams, cleaned as mentioned above
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt, to taste
fresh cracked pepper to taste
2 cups beer (avoid dark beers like Guiness; I used Heineken)
1/2 stick of butter, melted (for serving)

Method:

1. Heat the butter and the olive oil on medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan.

2. Add the onions. Sprinkle a teaspoon of salt. Stir until translucent. Do not brown.

3. Add the garlic and the parsley. Stir for a minute or so until the garlic releases its aromas.

4. Pour in the beer and gentle add the clams. Cover and steam for 5-6 minutes.

5. Remove the opened clams into a separate bowl. Cook for another minute. If more clams open, transfer them also. Discard the remaining clams.

6. Line a seive with a double layer of paper towels. Pass the broth through this to remove any remaining grit and the onions and garlic.

7. Serve the steamers alongside the melted butter and the bowl of beer broth.

8. Peel the dark skin off of the foot, dip the clam first into the broth and then into the butter and finally into your mouth. Enjoy. Being a New Englander is both easy and tasty!

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

2010-05-14T10:09:00.004-04:00

Chicken tikka masala is the unofficial national dish of England, a curry-crazy country! It is also probably the most popular Indian curry in the US too, being mild in spice and smooth and deliciously creamy. Unfortunately, K isn't a big fan of the curries, even though he bravely had some with rice. But this is a huge hit with all my classmates every time I make it. I found the recipe on Recipezaar, but changed it quite a bit to make it my own and so it fit better how I have always known Chicken Tikka Masala to taste. Indian cooking is not hard, even if the list of ingredients are long. Once you buy the basic spices, you will find yourself using those same spices, in different proportions, over and over again for different dishes. You don't have to always go out for Indian food or be an Indian to cook it! The trick is in the marination -- the longer you marinate, the more flavourful your curry will be. Enjoy!

Recipe:

Click here for printable recipe

For the chicken tikkas:

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes
1 cup plain yoghurt
1" piece ginger, minced
2 big cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garam masala powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
6 skewers (if using bamboo skewers, then soak in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent the skewers from charring in the broiler)

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons ghee (Indian clarified butter) or butter
1 medium onion, very finely cut
2 big cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
1 Indian or Thai green chilli, chopped fine (can be substituted with a jalapeno or serrano chilli; remove seeds if you don't want flavour but not heat)
3 teaspoons coriander powder
1.5 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1.5 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1.5 (12 ounces) tomato puree
1/4 cup yoghurt
1/4 cup half-n-half (or heavy cream)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients except the chicken together in a non-reactive container. Add the chicken cubes. Mix thoroughly to ensure that the marinade reaches all the crivices in the chicken thighs. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and upto 12 hours.

2. Put the cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, turmeric garam masala and black pepper powders along with the salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Preheat the broiler while you prepare the sauce.

4. Melt the ghee or butter on medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan.

5. Add the onions and fry on medium heat until translucent and just starting to turn brown. Add the minced ginger, garlic and green chilli; cook for a minute or so until they release their aromas.

5. Add all the powders that you previously set aside and stir for a minute being careful to not allow the spices to burn. (Sprinkle some water in if they start to burn.)

6. Add the tomato puree. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add a little water if the sauce is getting too thick.

7. Mix the yoghurt with the half and half, whisking to make a uniform mixture. Turn the heat to low and add the yoghurt mixture to the sauce. Stir to combine. Add the sugar and stir to mix. Taste the sauce. You may need more sugar based on how tart the tomato puree was.

8. While the sauce is simmering, skewer the chicken discarding the marinade and place under the broiler. Broil for 8-10 minutes, depending upon your broiler, turning once to ensure uniform browning.

9. Remove chicken from the skewers and add the cubes to the sauce. Mix to coat and simmer the chicken in the sauce for 5-10 minutes so the falvours of the sauce penetrate the chicken.

10. Turn off the heat and add the chopped fresh cilatro. Mix once.

11. Serve hot with basmati rice or naan bread.

SHRIMP TOAST

2010-03-14T09:33:00.003-04:00

I remember this delicious appetizer from the Chinese restaurant at the Bengal Club (Calcutta). Dilip-Jethu (Dilip-Uncle) recommends it to anyone dining there with him. So when I saw Shrimp Toast on the appetizier menu at Pho Lemongrass in Coolidge Corner, I was excited and told K that it was worth a try. K loved it. So when we went back there we ordered it again. In the meantime he keeps bugging me to try making it myself at home. Quite by accident, I found a recipe for 'Shrimp Toast' in an old Oriental cookbook that I had bought at the local library annual book sale in Kingston, RI, while I was reorganising my cookbooks. Now I had to give it a try.

For a long time after my calamari debacle in our old Kingston, RI apartment, I steered clear of any deep-frying. Never before in my life had we had to use a fire extinguisher. Oh the very memory of hot oil spilling over the sides of my pan and catching fire on the red-hot heating element, then flames from all over my stove range, K putting it all out with the extinguisher after I started to panic, anf finally cleaning the entire mess up -- all that was plenty to make me wary of deep frying. But my courage was growing back again. And the last time I deep-fried - to make crab rangoons at home - I had no trouble whatsoever. So I decided to have a go! And am I glad that I did. K says my Shrimp Toast is better than the restaurant. We made an entire dinner out of the appetizer and had some left for shrimp balls. This is a true winner! Serve with some cold beer.

Recipe:
Click here for printable recipe

1/2 lb shrimp, thawed if using frozen, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp fish sauce (I used soy sauce because I didn't have fish sauce)
1.5 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp salt (omit if using regular soy sauce)
1/8 tsp pepper
1/3 cup finely minced onions
4 medium (or 2 large) garlic cloves, minced
12 slices day-old white bread (to make it even classier, use a loaf of fresh French baguette, sliced on a bias)
1 small bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped roughly
oil for deel frying

DIPPING SAUCE:
1 Tbsp honey
1.5 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

Method:
1. Toast the slices of bread slightly. Cut each slice through the middle so you have 2 triangles per slice.

2. Chop shrimp into very small pieces. Alternatively pulse a few times in the food processor. You want small chunks but not a paste.

3. Transfer the shrimp into a big bowl. Add all the other ingredients in and fold to mix.

4. Spread the shrimp mixture onto one side of each piece of bread in a layer of thin to medium thichkness.

5. Heat oil to 375F for deep frying. While the oil is heating, mix the dipping sauce ingredients together and mix to combine the honey and water into a uniform mixture.

6. Fry the bread, inserting them shrimp side into the hot oil, a few pieces at a time, until both sides are browned, about 1-2 minutes each side.

7. Remove the pieces using a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain off any excess oil.

8. Serve with the dipping sauce and some cold beer. Enjoy!

Rib-Eye Steak with a Mushroom-Red Wine Sauce

2010-03-13T22:21:00.000-05:00

Steaks have just been too expensive to accomodate within our weekly food budget, so we have just learned to forgo them. It has probably been over 10 months since we made a steak at home. But K has been craving it... he keeps talking about the red-wine reductions that I make with steaks without actually saying "steak" explicitly. So I decided to get him one anyway.

Steaks are easy to cook. Choosing a good steak is half the battle conquered. There are, however, a few key pointers to cooking a good steak. But they are fairly easy to master. Buy a steak that has good marbelling. Even if you choose prime Angus meat, if the steak has no marbelling, it will not be juicy. Second, never start cooking a steak that has just come out of the fridge. The outsides cook very fast while the insides are too cold. By the time the middle reaches the "medium-rare" stage, the outsides will be horribly overcooked. So bring the steak out from the fridge about 1-2 hours before you plan to start cooking depending on the thickness, giving an hour for every inch of thickness. Season your steak before cooking and pat both sides dry just before putting it into the hot oil; this allows for a good sear. Rest the meat after cooking to relax the muscles. It is best if you can elevate the steak while it is resting so that the juices that come out don't make the bottom soggy. But even if that's not possible please do rest the steak - it makes a HUGE difference! If the steak you are cooking is very thick (~2"), after adding the steak to the pan, bring the heat down to medium. This will ensure that the sides don't overcook before the centre comes to the right temperature.

Recipe:
Click here for printable recipe

1 rib-eye steak (10-oz)
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste

SAUCE:
3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, divided (keep in the fridge to keep cold)
1 heaping cup sliced cremini or white mushrooms
1 tsp minced garlic
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/2 cup of a good, full-bodied red wine like a Merlot
1 cup low-sodium dark chicken stock

Method:

1. Making sure that the steak is no longer cold, season the steak on both sides with sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper. Dab a little olive oil on either side too.

2. Heat a pan on medium-high heat until hot. (Check this video to see how to perfectly heat a stainless steel pan). Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot add the steak. Turn down the heat just a little.

3. Cook until you see a droplet of blood come up to the surface. This means it is time to flip the steak. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and flip. Wait a minute and then turn the heat back down a little.

4. When you see a droplet of blood the steak is cooked to medium-rare. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest. I rest my steak on a cooling rack with a plate underneath to catch any drippings.

To make the sauce:

1. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan. When it melts, add the garlic. Stir for just a minute before adding the mushrooms.

2. Keep the heat on medium. Sprinkle some salt. Cook the mushrooms until they brown.

3. Raise the temperature. Deglaze with the red wine, making sure to scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add any juices from the steak to the pan. Reduce the wine until it reaches a syrupy consistency.

4. Now add the chicken stock and the sprig of thyme. Reduce until the sauce can coat the back of a spoon. Remove the sprig of thyme.

5. Add the rest of the cold butter and stir gently into the sauce. The butter gives a nice sheen to the sauce.

6. Add the steak back to the pan and coat with the sauce.

7. Serve the steak with the mushroom sauce alongside mashed potatoes and a salad. Enjoy with a glass of red wine.

Chinese Braised Chicken Wings

2010-03-13T11:50:00.006-05:00

Chicken wings were selling at $0.79/lb. I bought about 5 lbs. I had already fried, baked and grilled wings and still had a pile of them left. Determined to not make the same thing twice, I brought out the cookbooks looking for inspiration. The Italian and American recipes were simply variations of dishes I had already made that week, so I put those aside and picked up a Chinese cookbook, Kylie Wong's "Simple Chinese Cooking". 'Braised wings'... now that was original. I had never braised wings before... just never thought to. Wings have very little meat and didn't need slow moist cooking - or so I had always thought. The cookbook said that the dihs could be put together in under 30 minutes. It couldn't hurt to try, right?

So I got to work. I rinsed and soaked the rice and then prepped the marinade. I put the wings in the marinade and got the rice into rice cooker and got that started. This way everything would be ready at the same time. While the wings were still marinating, I prepped all the other ingredients. My timing was impeccable that night. K walked in just as I had just finished taking a couple of photos of the dinner for blogging.

Recipe:

Click here for link to printable recipe

MARINADE:
2 Tbsp shao xing wine (or dry sherry)
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp light soy sauce (the Chinese use 2 types of soy sauce - the thinner, saltier light say sauce and the thicker dark soy sauce)
1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp toasted sesame seed oil
1/2 tsp sea salt

6 whole chicken wings
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 of a white onion, cut into wedges and the wedges cut in half across
2 whole scallions, cut into 2" lengths
1/2" length of ginger, cut into rounds and then into matchstick-thin pieces
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp shao xing wine (or dry sherry)
1Tbsp oyster sauce
1 cup water
2 Tbsp very finely sliced scallions (for garnishing)

Method:

Combine the marinade ingredients. Mix until the sugar is dissolved. Add the chicken wings and coat with the marinade. Met marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat the vegetable oil in pan until the surface shimmers and the oil just starts to smoke. Add the onions, scallions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Using tongs add the chicken wings in a single layer. Sear the wings for 1 minute on one side. Flip, and sear on the other side for 1 minute.

Add the leftover marinade, shao xing wine and oyster sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the water. Simmer, covered for 7 minutes.

Uncover the pan. If the sauce is not thick enough boil until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.

Serve over white rice and garnish with the thinly sliced scallions.

CRAB FRITTERS

2010-03-13T10:59:00.002-05:00

I made this to satisfy one of K's late-night cravings for food. He had no business to be hungry, having just eaten dinner a couple hours ago, but when did that even stop him? Anyway, it worked out well because I had been dying to try this out and neither opportunity nor excuse had presented itself so far. Until that night. Because of the substitutions - both intentional (leaving out the corn to turn "crab and corn fritters" into "crab fritters") and forced (evaporated milk to replace buttermilk) the recipe bears very little semblance to the recipe off the internet that inspired me. I served these fritters with a roasted red pepper sauce that I had made to go with salmon cake brunch.

Once again, I refused to buy the $19/lb lump crabmeat and instead used the more affordable canned crabmeat instead. I opened the can, dumped the crabmeat into a coffee filter and squeezed out as much moisture as I could before I added the crab to the batter. I didn't have the big lumps of crab in my fritters, but since I added twice as much crab, there was crabmeat with every bite.

Recipe:

Click here for printable recipe

1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp finely chopped scallions
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup evaporated milk/half-n-half
1 large egg
12 oz (2 6-oz cans) crabmeat
2 Tbsp canola/corn/vegetable oil

Method:

Measure out the flour. Level the flour with knife and add to a large bowl.

Add in the cornmeal, scallions, baking powder, baking powder, salt and the cayenne pepper. Mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, break the eggs and add the evaporated milk (or half-n-half) and whisk to mix. Now add the crab and mix again. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and fold until everything is moist. Do not over-mix.

Heat a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat. When the oil is hot and shimmering add the batter in 1/4 cup mounds in a single layer, pressing down on the mounds to flatten them. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the side is golden. Flip and fry for another 4 minutes. Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

Serve with tartar sauce (or with any serving sauce of your choice)

HONEY-GARLIC GRILLED EGGPLANT

2010-03-12T10:03:00.001-05:00

I love eggplant. For years, when I was in India, I had to stay away from eggplant because, more often than not, eggplants would cause anything ranging from a mild discomfort to an extreme allergic reaction in my mouth. When I came to the US and for the first time found myself face to face with eggplant parm, I took a small bite gingerly with the anti-histamine clutched in my hand, waiting for an explosive allergic reaction to happen any minute. When nothing happened, I took another bite... and then another. I soon found out that I had to steer clear of any eggplant that was sold at the Indian grocery stores. I had no trouble eating the big and small Italian eggplants that most generic grocery stores carried. Even the Japanese eggplant caused no discomfort more severe than a steady buzzing tingle in my mouth for a few hours after I ate them... and even then, not always.

So now I buy Italian eggplants, keep my allergy medicine right in front of me just in case I need it... and eat away! I adapted this recipe from one I found on Helen Rennie's blog Beyond Salmon. With her recipe, I didn't have enough marinade to coat all the pieces of eggplant. Moreover, I didn't want to wait until I had Aleppo peppers so I made my substitution and moved on. This is an easy to make, healthy eggplant dish that can be served on its own, as part of a collection of grilled vegetables or alongside some grilled meat. The marinade can easily be used for grilling other veggies.

Recipe:

Click here for printable recipe
Serves 2 as a main course.
1 eggplant (2 if using small Italian eggplants)
2 Tbsp honey
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 mashed garlic cloves
2 tsp Spanish smoked paprika
1 tsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle chilies; optional)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Peel stripes of skin off the eggplant to create a zebra like pattern of skin and no-skin. This is not only decorative, but makes the skin easier to bite. Slice eggplant into ½ inch thick circles.

2. Lay out a large sheet of paper towels. Sprinkle eggplant generously with salt on both sides and lay out on paper towels. The eggplant will release a lot of liquid. This will help get rid of bitterness (if any) and make the eggplant more succulent and less watery after it’s cooked. Let sit for 15 minutes, then dry both sides well with paper towels.

3. In a large bowl, mix honey, olive oil, garlic, paprika, adobo sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Dunk both sides of each eggplant slice into this marinade.

4. Preheat the grill to high. Grab a wad of paper towel with tongs, dip it in oil, and brush it on the grill. If broiling, preheat the broiler and spray the broiler pan with some non-stick cooking spray.

5. Place the eggplant slices on the grill, cover, and turn down the heat to medium. Grill until marked, about 3 minutes. Turn 90 degrees to make cross-hatch grill marks. Grill until marked, about 3 more minutes.

6. Brush the slices with remaining marinade, flip and repeat the grilling procedure on the other side. Regulate heat so that the eggplant is browning, but not burning. Remove to a plate, and drizzle with olive oil.

ORANGE AND CHIPOTLE BRAISED CHICKEN

2010-02-20T11:46:00.004-05:00

It happens so often that I start with a recipe with full intentions of following it. Sometimes I make it through the whole ingredients list without making any changes. However that's quite rare. There always is some ingredient that needs to be used up, or something I've been craving to eat and would fit in well with the other stuff in the recipe. Some ingredients I know K will make the worst fuss over. Oftentimes, though, it's just plain creativity on my part. If I tweak it - significantly - then it becomes my own recipe. At other times, I chop, mix and marinate according to the recipe. But when I go to cook I think: Hmmm... why not braise this instead of frying and then I can serve it over rice or noodles? Or, I think: if I could do this in the oven instead of on the stove top, then I could go finish reading that chapter for tomorrow's class and have dinner on the table in time. One way or the other, I cannot get myself to stick to recipes. I use them as inspiration and the mood of the moment decides the rest. This recipe I found on Elise's blog Simply Recipes. Her recipe involved marinating boneless-skinless chicken thighs and then discarding most of the marinade to pan fry the chicken pieces. I used bone-in, skin-on thighs and reduced the number of oranges. And I kept the marinade to serve as the liquid for braising. It was delicious! A slight tang from the oranges without being overly acidic and a smoky spicy heat from the chipotle peppers in adobo. I served it over white rice and with a simple salad for a well-balanced and nutritious meal.

Reicpe:

Click here for printable recipe

3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock

MARINADE:

2 navel oranges, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pulpy orange juice
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1/3 of a 7-oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried marjoram powder

Method:

For the marinade:

If using a food processor, add the cloves of garlic and pulse until the garlic is minced. Then add the onion and repeat, until the onion is chopped fine. This is help avoid large chunks of garlic and onion in the final dish. If using a blender, chop the garlic roughly a few times. and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Now add the rest of the ingredients except the oil and pulse/blend. Check to make sure no large chunks remain. Empty the marinade into a bowl big enough to hold the marinade and the chicken. Add the chicken and rub the marinade in well so that the marinade reaches all the crevices of the chicken thighs. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.

For the final dish:

When ready to cook, heat a pan on medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is shimmering add chicken thighs, skin-side down in a single layer. Allow the skin brown to a deep brown colour, about 4 minutes. Do not over-crowd the pan. Do this in 2 or even 3 batches if you need to. After frying the first side, flip the chicken over using tongs and fry the other side for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat down if you feel the brown-bits on the bottom are burning. Remove the fried chicken to a plate.

If there is excess oil in the pan, remove it so that less than a tablespoon of oil is left. Turn the heat back to Add 2/3 of the marinade into the oil and using a flat spatula scrape the bottom to incorporate the browned bits. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Return the chicken -- skin-side up -- and any juices that have oozed out of the chicken into the pan. Spoon a little bit of sauce on the chicken. Cover the pan. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 40-45 minutes.
** You could also put it in an oven pre-heated to 250F for the same amount of time if you'd rather do that, or transfer into a crockpot and set on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve over hot white rice garnished with a fresh sprig of cilantro.

Shrimp Flambéed in Tequila

2010-02-15T21:31:00.005-05:00

Tonight K kept asking me what I was going to do with that shrimp we bought yesterday. He seemed to be in no mood for the leftover Pork Mango Picadillo he was supposed to be eating.

So I ask him: "What do you want me to do with that shrimp?"
He says: "Mmmm... can't you do something with shrimp and tequila?"

I first thought of marinating the shrimp in tequila with some spicy green chillies and throwing them into a very hot pan to sear. But where's the fun in that? That's so old-school. I was a feeling a little adventurous and instead settled on a flambé after checking online if tequila is good for flambéing. I found a recipe on a food blog that I modified for our dinner.

The one thing to remember is to keep your face away from the pan while lighting the alcohol on fire, or you will burn your eyebrows right off (and I'm not sure they grow back again; they probably do - but why try?). So here's my first ever Mexican-inspired dish - Shrimp Flambéed in Tequila!

Click here for printable recipe

Recipe:

1/2 lb shrimp (31-40/lb shrimp), shelled and deveined, tails left on
1 TBsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin lengthwise
3 medium (or 2 large) cloves of garlic
3 Indian/Thai green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup tequila
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 TBsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 TBsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 sprig of cilantro (for garnish)
1 cup cooked white rice

Method:
Add the oil to the pan and heat on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic and the slit green chillies. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions to aid in browning. Fry for about 5 minutes. Now add the salt and fry some more, until the onions get some colour but are not yet golden.

Turn the heat up to high, wait 30 seconds and add the shrimp. Make sure each piece of shrimp is in direct contact with the pan. Fry for 1 minute and then stir, frying for another 30 seconds to a minute.

Now add the tequila and either using a long match (or use a long piece of pasta like fettuccine) or by tilting the pan to bring the vapours of the liquour in contact with the fire from the stove ignite the alcohol. The flames will rise quite high. Allow all the tequila to burn off. The flames will subside naturally.

Now reduce the heat to medium, add the cumin powder, stir, and cook until some of the sauce reduces (skip this if you want more sauce).

Turn the heat off, add the lime juice and the chopped cilantro and give the dish a final stir.

Serve with white rice garnished with a sprig of fresh cilantro leaves.

UDON NOODLE STIR-FRY

2010-02-14T17:17:00.012-05:00

I made this recipe as a vegetarian lunch today and it was fabulous. Even K, the absolute non-vegetarian, had to admit it was really good. A balanced, nutritious meal with protein, starch and greens without any compromise in taste! I didn't have any tofu, but tofu would be good in here too. If you want to put meat in it, just heat up some oil to just smoking, add the thinly sliced meat and stir fry. Once that's done, set aside and carry on with everything else. Just mix in the meat at the end with the egg. There's a lot of room for substitutions in this dish: throw in veggies of your choice - carrots, sugar-snap peas, broccoli florets - whatever.

The one thing with stir-frying is that once you start cooking, everything happens very fast so have everything prepped ahead of time. Put the sauce ingredients into a bowl and mix, cut up the veggies and arrage them in the order they will go in; if two things are added in at the same time, put them in the same bowl. The white in the eggs and the mushrooms give the protein, but if you wish to skip the eggs, go right ahead and skip it. The sauce ingredients are not set in stone either. But some of the sauces are thicker than others, so if all the sauces you are using are thin, you may want to add a bit of cornstarch in with them. Just remember to give the sauce a quick stir before you add it in or the cornstarch will remain clumped.

Click here for printable recipe

To see an enlarged photo, click here

Recipe:

1 pkg udon noodles
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon ginger, finely minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 of a medium-onion
4-5 scallions, cut into 1" pieces
4 dehydrated shitake mushrooms
1/2 lb bok choy, layers separated, then wahsed and drained well
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 cup boiling-hot water

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Sriracha chili paste
1 tablespoon light soy sauce ( the thin and salty kind)
1 tablespoon Tamari (Japanese soy sauce)
1 tablespoon oyster-flavoured sauce
1/2 teasooon toasted sesame seed oil

Method:

If using pre-cooked packaged udon noodles, then put into a colander and add hot water to separate the strands of noodles. If cooking at home, cook noodles, drain in a colander and then add 2 tsps of vegetable oil to coat the strands so that they don't stick to each other.

Rehydrate the mushooms by placing in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. Soak for 20 minutes. Once rehydrated, drain away the water; allow the mushrooms to cool slightly and then cut into thin strips.

Keep the miced ginger and garlic together in one small bowl.

Cut the onion into thick wedges. Then cut each wedge into half or thirds depending on the size of the onion. Separate the layers. Place the onions, scallions and the sliced mushrooms in one bowl.

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar and to mix the thick hoisin and oyster sauce in with the other sauces. Set aside for now.

Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in an 8" frying pan on high heat. Swirl to coat the entire bottom with the oil. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the eggs. Spread the eggs out as much as possible. When the eggs set, loosen the sides and flip. Let the other side cook for 2 minutes. Remove into a plate and cut into 1" pieces.

Add the remaining oil in a wok or big pan on high heat. When smoking, add the ginger and garlic. Stir quickly for about 30 seconds. Now add in the onions, scallions and mushrooms. Stir for about a minute. Then add the bok choy. Using tongs mix the bok choy in well to coat with the oil and the other ingredients. When the bok choy has wilted and become bright green , add the noodles. Using tongs mix everything together and stir-fry the noodles for 2 minutes. Then add the sauce mix and stir-fry, making sure to coat everything well with the sauce and giving a little time for the sauce to thicken slightly. This should take about 2-3 minutes.

Finally add the toasted sesame seeds, mix well, and serve hot.

P.S. See, that wasn't so hard, was it?

BENGALI SUNDAY LUNCH - RICE, DAL, MUTTON CURRY

2010-02-14T08:58:00.011-05:00

Throughout Bengal, the most loved dishes are saved for lunch on Sundays, when the entire household eats together and nobody is in any rush to go anywhere. There is the famous hilsha fish from the river Ganges during found mostly durint the monsoons or jumbo-shrimp cooked in a coconut milk-based curry (Chingri Malaikari). But the most common Sunday lunch dish of all is slow-cooked mutton curry. The familiar smell was everywhere: from almost every kitchen in the neighbourhood came the same wonderful smell, full with promises of a scrumptious meal to come. Bengali mutton curry is different from the mutton curries of other states in India in that Bengalis add potatoes in with the mutton. And these are not fillers added to give additional volume to the curry. We mash the potato in with the rice and the sauce and eat a handful of that with a small bite of mutton and the combination is just heavenly! The next morning when all the mutton is long gone, we eat some sauce with a piece of potato with roti (chapati) and that's such a great way to start the new work/school week that we actually looked forward to it.

A Bengali Sunday lunch typically consists of rice, some greens, a dal, fried potato pieces or fried grates potatoes mutton curry and finally rosogollas (a type of Bengali sweet that is served soaked in simple syrup). All alone here in the US, I did not fry the potatoes or make the greens that day. There would just have been too much leftovers. So I made just the dal and the mutton curry and served it with rice and enjoyed the best Sunday meal since I came to the US.

For printable page click here

KOSHA MANGSHO RECIPE (MUTTON CURRY):

MARINATION:

1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
1-2 Indian or Thai green chillies, slit in half lengthwise
1 cup yoghurt
1 tsp mustard or vegetable oil

WHOLE GARAM MASALA:

1" stick cinnamon (darchini)
2 cardamom pods, bruised to break open the pods (elaichi)
2 cloves (laung)
**If you don't have whole garam masala, just use garam masala powder.

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs mutton (usually bone-in), cut into small pieces
3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cups chopped onions
3-4 Indian or Thai green chillies, slit through in half lengthwise (remove seeds if you don't want the heat)
1.5 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
1 medium tomato, chopped (or a heaped half cup of canned diced tomatoes with juices)
3-4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon turmeric
5 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and chopped in half through the middle as is done for stews
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
water

METHOD:
Step 1: Combine the marinade ingredients in a big steel or glass bowl to make a uniform mixture. Add the mutton pieces to the marinade. Cover with cling-wrap or aluminium foil and let sit for 2-3 hours. Bring the mutton out in the last hour of marination to bring to room temperature.

Step 2: Using a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder (or even the back of a heavy pan), grind the whole garam masala to little pieces. Set aside.

Step 3: If cooking in a pressure cooker heat oil in the pressure cooker. Otherwise heat the oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan. Keep the heat at medium-high to high.

Step 4: When the oil is hot add the bayleaf and the cumin seeds to the oil. When the cumin seeds start to splutter and the bayleaf changes colour, add the onions and the slit green chillies. Fry the onions for a few minutes and then add 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the onions are golden, but not too brown.

Step 5: Now add in the ginger-garlic paste and fry until the spices are all aromatic, 2-3 minutes.

Step 6: Add the tomatoes and any tomato jucies released, remaining salt and turmeric. Fry until the mixture oozes out oil. If at any point you notice that the mixture is sticking to the pan, just sprinkle in some water and scrape the bottom clean.

Step 7: Add the marinated mutton. Fry on high heat, stirring frequently to coat the mutton in the sauce. Lower the heat to medium-high and stir fry every few minutes for about 10 minutes. Add in the potatoes and the crushed whole garam masala from Step 2 and repeat the process for another 15-20 minutes. Once again, if the meat is sticking, sprinkle some water to deglaze. You don't have to stir continuously, just enough so that nothing burns and all the meat is getting exposed to the high heat of the bottom of the pan.

Step 8: Lower the heat to medium. Repeat the cooking process for another 15 minutes, covering the pan partially and checking the meat from time to time.

Step 9: When the meat has completely lost its raw colour and is starting to look nice, check seasoning. Now add in 3 cups of water and stir in to mix if using a pan or a pressure cooker.
* If using a crockpot, transfer everything to a crockpot and add only 2.5 cups of water as crockpots lose very little moisture. Set crockpot to low and cook for 8-10 hours. If possible, check for consistency of the sauce, and add a little water if needed.
* If you are cooking in a pan (you have ample time and patience) keep doing this until the meat is fork tender.

Step 10: If using a pressure cooker, close the lid, allow pressure to build up to high. Once it does, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes. Turn the ehat off and allow the pressure to come back to normal. The meat should be ready but still check to make sure it is fork-tender before serving.

BENGALI DAL WITH NIGELLA SEEDS AND GREEN CHILLI (kalo jeere-kacha lanka)

1 cup split red lentils (masoor dal)
3.5 cups hot water
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
salt to taste
1-2 teaspoons of sugar
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2-3 Indian/Thai green chillies, slit in half through the middle
1 teaspoon nigella seeds

METHOD:

Heat water in a kettle to hot, but not boiling. If doubtful, bring the water to a full boil and then just wait a while before starting to cook.

Wash the dal in 3-4 changes of water to get rid of dirt and grit. The water from the dal should run clear.

Now add 3.5 cups of hot water to a saucepan and add the dal to it. Also add the turmeric powder and 1 green chilli (2 halves) . Bring to a boil. As the dal cooks, foam will accumulate on the surface; skim this off for best results. Stir occasionally so the dal does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Now cook the dal, uncovered until the individual lentil pieces offer no resistance when pressed between the fingers and the dal reaches the texture you want. Some prefer their lentils to be completely turned to mush; others like to still be able to discern the pieces: this is personal preference. (In Sri Lanka, when somebody cooks dal and the lentils turn to mush, the cook is pronounced to be no good).

Add the sugar and the salt to the dal and turn the heat off.

Now heat the oil in a small frying pan on high heat until just smoking. Add the cumin seeds. They should splutter upon contact. Immediately add the green chilli halves and turn the heat off. Stir once, very quickly to coat the green chillies in the oil and immediately, transfer everything into the dal. Stir the dal mo mix well and serve.

PALAK PANEER or SAG PANEER

2010-02-06T19:35:00.012-05:00

Palak Paneer is also called Sag Paneer in the United States. "Sag" just means any green leafy vegetable, like spinach, collard greans, mustard greens etc. "Palak" is the specific term for spinach.

I hadn't made this in ages. Then, two people told me that Palak Paneer is their most favourite Indian dish and I thought that maybe it's time for me to make this again. Now with my new food processor, blending the spinach to a smooth texture was just so easy! You could use a blender just as easily too. Or if you have neither, just chop the spinach into very small pieces before the blanching and you will do quite well even without the blending process. The texture will be a little different, but will taste just as good. Just remember to pull out the whole spices after the first step and before you add the chopped onions. You may want to chop your onions finely if you are not going to blend it, but that's entirely your choice of what you want the final texture to be like.

Recipe:
Click here for printable recipe

WHOLE SPICES:

1 1-inch piece cinnamon

1 bay leaf

2-3 green cardamom pods, slightly bruised

2 cloves

1 dried red chilli

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
8-oz paneer, cut into cubes
2 10-oz bags of fresh spinach (I think you can use frozen too. Just blanch longer to thaw the spinach.)
2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste (or use 2/3 tablespoon each of finely minced ginger and garlic)
2/3 cup chopped tomatoes (If using canned diced tomatoes, add a little bit 4 tablespoons of the juice as well)
1/4 cup yoghurt
2-3 tablespoons half-n-half or milk
2.5 tablespoons kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

GROUND SPICES:
1/2 tablespoon cumin powder
1/2 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

Method:
Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add a little salt and bring back to a boil. Blanch the spinach in the boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes. Do NOT cover. Covering spinach while it cooks dulls the bright green colour as volatile acids in the spinach that would have normally escaped now cannot do so.

While waiting for the spinach to be done, beat the yoghurt with the half-n-half or milk until smooth and creamy.

Remove the spinach to a colander. Rinse immediately with very cold water. Squeeze out excess liquid from the spinach leaves and set aside.

Heat the ghee or oil in a pan. When hot add the whole spices. Stir. When the spices release their aroma and the dried chilli starts to turn dark, add the onions. Fry for a couple minutes and then add a teaspoon of salt. Stir every now and then until the onions are golden brown. Now add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes along with any juices they have released and fry until oil seems to ooze out of the tomatoes. Add all the ground spices and turn the heat down immediately or else the spices will burn. Sprinkle a little water from time to time if it seems like the spices are burning. Crush the kasuri methi leaves between your palms and add to the pan. Take the pan off of the heat and add the yoghurt mixture, slowly, a little bit at a time, so that the yoghurt doesn't curdle.

Turn the heat back up to medium, add the spinach and stir to combine everything. Now dump into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Retun to the pan and add the paneer cubes. If the texture is too thick, add a little half-n-half to thin it out; if too thin, just evaporate off some liquid on medium heat. The spinach should not be covered at any point in the cooking process.

CHINESE CRAB SOUP

2010-02-05T19:24:00.006-05:00

Almost any recipe you find online using crab tells you to buy fresh lump crab claw meat of Dungeness crab. Only, what most cooks on Food Network don't realise that most people can't afford to buy crab claw meat when making bulk amounts of soup. If I were making crab cakes I would probably bite the bullet and buy the good stuff at 17.99/lb but for a soup -- no way! For this soup I used crabmeat that comes in little cans that you find next to the canned tuna and sardines in the supermarket. They cost so much less. I dump the crabmeat in a coffee filter and let the excess liquid drip through. It's probably OK to keep the liquid; it's all going to go into the soup base (more liquid) so a little more moisture wouldn't do any harm to the soup, but I convinced myself that the liquid is all sodium and whatever else but the crab that was in the can, so I'm better off not eating it. You could just use imitation crabmeat chopped up and not even bother with any of this.

This being a Chinese soup, I have used Chinese chicken broth as the base. Asian-style broths are being sold in supermarkets too these days, but you could use a little (diluted a little if the sodium content is high) regular store-bought stock too. Chinese chicken stock is easier to make than Western chicken stock; for a recipe, click here. I have never tried this recipe with Dashi, the Japanese soup base used in Miso soup, but that's something I should do.

Recipe:
Click here for printable recipe

5-6 dried Shitake mushrooms
Boiling water, to soak the mushrooms
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 egg, slightly beaten
5 cups Chinese chicken stock
2 thin slices of fresh ginger, each the size and thickness of a quarter, cut into matchstick-thin strips
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1.5 tablespoons rice wine (sake or mirin) or dry sherry (can be substituted with 1 tablespoon of Xiao Hsing wine)
3 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water
2 6-oz cans of crabmeat
whites only of 2 eggs
4-6 scallions, green parts only, chopped fine

Method:

Place the dried musrhooms in a bowl. Add at least 2 cups of boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes to rehydrate the mushrooms. Using a spoon turn the mushrooms once in between to make sure that all parts of the mushroom are getting soaked. After 30 minutes remove the mushrooms. Save 1 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid. Allow the mushrooms to cool slightly and then cut into thin strips.

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. When the oil is hot, add the eggs. Swirl the pan around to spread the egg out as much as possible. Cook over medium-high until the eggs are set. Loosen the sides and flip the egg to cook the other side. When the egg is done, remove to a plate, roll it up and cut into thin strips.

Put the chicken stock plus the reserved mushroom soaking liquid in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Add the ginger, sliced egg and the crabmeat to the liquid. Bring the soup back to a boil.

Combine the cornstarch, water, soy sauce, and the rice wine in a boil. Stir to combine. When soup is boiling, add the mixture to the sauce; stir. Return the soup to a boil.

Beat the egg whites until frothy. Drizzle the egg whites into the soup while stirring the soup constantly and with modest vigour.

Ladle into soup bowls; top with some chopped scallion pieces. Serve hot.