Easy access to fresh fish these days. So, I'm trying out some 'fishy' recipes and plan to try all the variety of fish available at the mall.
This is soo easy to make, the beauty of it is in its simplicity. And moreover, DH picked up some boneless fillets of Singhara. The kids loved it! And so did DH who's not at all a fish fan.
You'll need:
1/2 kg of fish fillets (mine were 6 in no.)
1 + 1 tsp olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Jeeraman masala (I had my own preparation handy. If not available, use Garam masala or some fish tikka masala shd also be good)
1/2 a Lemon deseeded
Some cauliflower florets
a handful of green beans cut longishly
Take as much of these veggies as you'd like. Yoú could also add some carrots for more color on the plate.
1. Wash and pat dry the fish filets on a paper towel. Mix 1 tsp olive oil with the jeeraman masala and apply on both sides of the fillets rubbing it in nicely. Keep aside while you do the rest of teh prep.
2. Cut the cauliflower in manageable florets and the beans into about 2 inch long pieces. Put a steamer on, with some water to boil. Let the veggies steam for 5-10 minutes or until done. I like mine with some bite to them still.
3. Heat up a non-stick pan with 1/2 a tsp of olive oil. Once the oil is hot slide the fish fillets in. mmmm..how they sizzle and smell! Brown the fillets nicely on both sides, sprinkle some salt and pepper on them and take them off into a plate.
4. Heat up the remaining oil and toss the steamed veggies in. They'll quickly get a browned touch on the edges. Saute them for a minute and then sprinkle some salt & pepper on them while still in the pan. Both sides.Get them onto the plate too.
5. Squeeze some lemon juice on the fish fillets as well as the veggies.
Enjoy!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Fish and ... Sprouts
No Chips today. Sorry. I said to Renée. We are having Sprouts chaat. You'll like it.
She did... had all the papaya and fish she could find in the bowl :-)
There was fish, and there were some sprouts. Both had to be had by...today. Ok they weren't exactly going bad but then what's the point in having healthy stuff after killing all their nutrients in the frig??
So, why not combine them and see how it goes?
You'll need:
250 gms Mackerel cut in strips
Salt, Pepper
Olive oil
250 gms sprouts steamed
250 gms Broccoli steamed for 3-5 minutes
a handful of corn kernels + green peas steamed along with the sprouts
Papaya peeled and cut in cubes. As much or as little as you want it
Juice of 1 lemon
1. Wash & then dry the fish on a paper towel. And in a bowl toss it with some salt and pepper. Keep aside for about 20-30 minutes.
2. Heat up about 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a nonstick pan. Saute the steamed veggies and the sprouts in batches, adding more oil when required. Then adding some more oil to the pan, saute the fish strips until lightly browned and crisp.
3. Mix everything in a large salad bowl. Add in the papaya as well. Dress it all up with some salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Serve warm.
My notes: I could marinate and saute just the fish fingers as finger food. Both Renée and Robin just loved it.
She did... had all the papaya and fish she could find in the bowl :-)
There was fish, and there were some sprouts. Both had to be had by...today. Ok they weren't exactly going bad but then what's the point in having healthy stuff after killing all their nutrients in the frig??
So, why not combine them and see how it goes?
You'll need:
250 gms Mackerel cut in strips
Salt, Pepper
Olive oil
250 gms sprouts steamed
250 gms Broccoli steamed for 3-5 minutes
a handful of corn kernels + green peas steamed along with the sprouts
Papaya peeled and cut in cubes. As much or as little as you want it
Juice of 1 lemon
1. Wash & then dry the fish on a paper towel. And in a bowl toss it with some salt and pepper. Keep aside for about 20-30 minutes.
2. Heat up about 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a nonstick pan. Saute the steamed veggies and the sprouts in batches, adding more oil when required. Then adding some more oil to the pan, saute the fish strips until lightly browned and crisp.
3. Mix everything in a large salad bowl. Add in the papaya as well. Dress it all up with some salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Serve warm.
My notes: I could marinate and saute just the fish fingers as finger food. Both Renée and Robin just loved it.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Something about food...
There's something about food that warms your heart. More than just satisfying hunger and filling up the belly, good food has the power to restore depleted energies. And one doesn't mind a hectic day spent, IF you can sit down for a nice warm meal afterwards. All your efforts seem worthwhile then :-)
On the other hand, there are times when I eat on the go..feeding myself is another chore that needs to be taken care of..quite like fueling up the car so it doesn't come to a stop. Do I remember what I ate? NO...
So yesterday evening I'd made some makki ki roti and sarson ka saag AND Gajar Halwa.Too much to do in one go I know, but then I was on a roll :-) and that's how I crash and burn somedays ;-)
Here's how I made the Gajar halwa yesterday. Tweaked it a bit with a little tip I had from my friend's mum whom I saw after a very long time:
You'll need:
1 kg Carrots peeled, washed & grated
2 ltr Skimmed milk
1-2 large tbsp sugar (or more according to taste)
1 tbsp desi Ghee
a handful of chopped Almonds/Pistachios/Cashew/Raisins
a pinch or 2 of Cardamom powder
1. Boil all the milk together or separately. Take half of it in a heavy based wok/saucepan, add the cardamom powder and bring it to a boil. Yesterday I forgot to add the cardamom at this stage and later when I did it's taste was lost :-(
Then add the carrots and let cook on simmer. You'll need to stir it once in a while to make sure that things don't stick to the bottom of the pan/wok, and if they still do you need to lower the heat further.
2. Once all the milk seems absorbed, add half of the remaining half. Toss in some of the chopped nuts and raisins. Let cook and reduce again. Then add the remaining half (and some nuts)and let reduce again. That's the trick - to add the milk in batches instead of in one go.
3. Once all the milk is reduced and the carrots start sticking to the base of the pan/wok, its time to give it a good stir and add the sugar in. Once the sugar is added you can up the heat and then you need to stir it constantly. Once all the sugar seems to have dissolved completely nd the colour appears brighter, add in the ghee and stir for a good 3-5 minutes. Take off the heat, into the serving dish and garnish with the remaining dryfruit.
Serve hot.
3.
On the other hand, there are times when I eat on the go..feeding myself is another chore that needs to be taken care of..quite like fueling up the car so it doesn't come to a stop. Do I remember what I ate? NO...
So yesterday evening I'd made some makki ki roti and sarson ka saag AND Gajar Halwa.Too much to do in one go I know, but then I was on a roll :-) and that's how I crash and burn somedays ;-)
Here's how I made the Gajar halwa yesterday. Tweaked it a bit with a little tip I had from my friend's mum whom I saw after a very long time:
You'll need:
1 kg Carrots peeled, washed & grated
2 ltr Skimmed milk
1-2 large tbsp sugar (or more according to taste)
1 tbsp desi Ghee
a handful of chopped Almonds/Pistachios/Cashew/Raisins
a pinch or 2 of Cardamom powder
1. Boil all the milk together or separately. Take half of it in a heavy based wok/saucepan, add the cardamom powder and bring it to a boil. Yesterday I forgot to add the cardamom at this stage and later when I did it's taste was lost :-(
Then add the carrots and let cook on simmer. You'll need to stir it once in a while to make sure that things don't stick to the bottom of the pan/wok, and if they still do you need to lower the heat further.
2. Once all the milk seems absorbed, add half of the remaining half. Toss in some of the chopped nuts and raisins. Let cook and reduce again. Then add the remaining half (and some nuts)and let reduce again. That's the trick - to add the milk in batches instead of in one go.
3. Once all the milk is reduced and the carrots start sticking to the base of the pan/wok, its time to give it a good stir and add the sugar in. Once the sugar is added you can up the heat and then you need to stir it constantly. Once all the sugar seems to have dissolved completely nd the colour appears brighter, add in the ghee and stir for a good 3-5 minutes. Take off the heat, into the serving dish and garnish with the remaining dryfruit.
Serve hot.
3.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Just because I had to
Today's been one of those crazy days when you kinda get tired doing 'nothing'. These days, my days involve a lot of waiting - waiting for people, for the right time, for the work to get done. As we are getting ready to move into our own house after all these years, I guess the pleasure of it would far exceed the pain of getting it ready...[sigh]
Anyways, that's how the day started out. And then gathered momentum to include a lot of errands, some creative thinking, a lot of refreeing between my two little darlings (who think tagging along with mamma is a lot éventful' than staying at home watching TV)
So, by the time the kids are in bed, I'm thankful to God that I can still think straight. And that I know what new recipe I want to prepare tonite. If I do. Honestly, I'm hard pressed to find any enthusiasm for cooking today. But find it I did! and warmed up along the way. Oh and am I glad that I did ... after the first bite, DH refused to share the plate of gnochhi with me. That's a lot of 'praise' coming from one who's a fussy eater and who decides whether he's hungry or not depending on what the menu is!
Perfecting Gnocchi
(Potato gnocchi with Garlic herb seasoning)
You'll need:
2 large Potatoes
1/4 cup all purpose Flour (maida) + some for dusting
1 large egg yolk
Salt, freshly ground Pepper, garlic herb seasoning
2 tbsp Butter
Cheese (I had some cheddar handy)
1. Boil/microwave the potatoes until tender. Cool, peel, halve and grate them into a comfortably large bowl.
2. Add the egg yolk, salt, and flour to the bowl and mix everything using a fork into a stiff dough. Now knead the dough gently until smooth but slightly sticky.
3. In a deep saucepan, bring salted water to boil and then lower the heat to keep it simmering.
Line a plate with wax paper and dust with flour. On a floured surface, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3/4-inch-think rope.Cut the rope into 3/4-inch pieces. Roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges. Transfer to the plate.
4. Slip the gnocchi into the simmering water in batches and let cook until they float. Then simmer for 2-3 minutes longer. I noticed that the 2nd batch that went in looked much larger while cooking than the size they were cut and were subsequently tastier too. Drain them in a sieve.
5. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan, and using a slotted spoon slip the gnocchi in.
Season with salt and pepper. Toss them well for a minute on high heat, so that both sides get nicely browned and not overdone (like a few of mine did).
Sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.
Anyways, that's how the day started out. And then gathered momentum to include a lot of errands, some creative thinking, a lot of refreeing between my two little darlings (who think tagging along with mamma is a lot éventful' than staying at home watching TV)
So, by the time the kids are in bed, I'm thankful to God that I can still think straight. And that I know what new recipe I want to prepare tonite. If I do. Honestly, I'm hard pressed to find any enthusiasm for cooking today. But find it I did! and warmed up along the way. Oh and am I glad that I did ... after the first bite, DH refused to share the plate of gnochhi with me. That's a lot of 'praise' coming from one who's a fussy eater and who decides whether he's hungry or not depending on what the menu is!
Perfecting Gnocchi
(Potato gnocchi with Garlic herb seasoning)
You'll need:
2 large Potatoes
1/4 cup all purpose Flour (maida) + some for dusting
1 large egg yolk
Salt, freshly ground Pepper, garlic herb seasoning
2 tbsp Butter
Cheese (I had some cheddar handy)
1. Boil/microwave the potatoes until tender. Cool, peel, halve and grate them into a comfortably large bowl.
2. Add the egg yolk, salt, and flour to the bowl and mix everything using a fork into a stiff dough. Now knead the dough gently until smooth but slightly sticky.
3. In a deep saucepan, bring salted water to boil and then lower the heat to keep it simmering.
Line a plate with wax paper and dust with flour. On a floured surface, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a 3/4-inch-think rope.Cut the rope into 3/4-inch pieces. Roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges. Transfer to the plate.
4. Slip the gnocchi into the simmering water in batches and let cook until they float. Then simmer for 2-3 minutes longer. I noticed that the 2nd batch that went in looked much larger while cooking than the size they were cut and were subsequently tastier too. Drain them in a sieve.
5. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan, and using a slotted spoon slip the gnocchi in.
Season with salt and pepper. Toss them well for a minute on high heat, so that both sides get nicely browned and not overdone (like a few of mine did).
Sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Pasta shells with Ratatouille
2nd day of the new year, its afternoon here and I'm back to blog about my 2nd recipe for the year :-) WE are consistent so far. I'm also hoping to find my writing rhythm along the way, so I'll stop agonising about my sentences making sense to the reader (if and when there's a reader!)
I've prepared some Ratatouille to go with Pasta shells in the evening. I think I'll take some along to my mum's and hopefully mum & dad'll like it too.
You'll need:
1 large Zuccini
1 large Bell pepper
2 large onions
3 Tomatoes
1/2 a jar of Pasta sauce
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 cup Pasta shells (whichever shape you prefer/have)
Salt, Pepper
2 cubes cheese, grated
1. Chop all the veggies roughly the same size as the pasta shells that you've taken. Keep the tomatoes separate.
2. Put 3 cups of water to boil, adding some salt to it. Once the water comes to a boil add in the pasta shells and cook them till Al dente (just about cooked). Drain under cold water and set aside.
3. In a wok/saucepan, heat up the oil on high flame and toss the veggies in except the tomatoes. Saute them for a minute and then lower the flame. Add salt and pepper according to taste, and then mix in the tomatoes. Add the pasta sauce as well. Stir well, cover and let cook for a while until the Zuccini is done. Let it rest for a while before serving
4. To serve, spoon the cooked pasta on the platter. Add the veggies on top, garnishing with some grated cheese.
My Notes: DH and I loved this easy to make preparation, even the kids liked it well.
Whole some evening snacks that doubles as an early dinner. Enjoy!
I've prepared some Ratatouille to go with Pasta shells in the evening. I think I'll take some along to my mum's and hopefully mum & dad'll like it too.
You'll need:
1 large Zuccini
1 large Bell pepper
2 large onions
3 Tomatoes
1/2 a jar of Pasta sauce
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 cup Pasta shells (whichever shape you prefer/have)
Salt, Pepper
2 cubes cheese, grated
1. Chop all the veggies roughly the same size as the pasta shells that you've taken. Keep the tomatoes separate.
2. Put 3 cups of water to boil, adding some salt to it. Once the water comes to a boil add in the pasta shells and cook them till Al dente (just about cooked). Drain under cold water and set aside.
3. In a wok/saucepan, heat up the oil on high flame and toss the veggies in except the tomatoes. Saute them for a minute and then lower the flame. Add salt and pepper according to taste, and then mix in the tomatoes. Add the pasta sauce as well. Stir well, cover and let cook for a while until the Zuccini is done. Let it rest for a while before serving
4. To serve, spoon the cooked pasta on the platter. Add the veggies on top, garnishing with some grated cheese.
My Notes: DH and I loved this easy to make preparation, even the kids liked it well.
Whole some evening snacks that doubles as an early dinner. Enjoy!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Deviled Eggs on Toast
(Adapted from the Food and Wine Magazine 2010)
A clean house, good food and everyone together for dinner ..couldn't have asked for a better start to a new year. I chose this simple yet delicious looking recipe to go with the pea soup that I'd prepared for dinner tonight. And moreover, Renee wanted some butter toast too. So, this seemed like an ideal thing for today.
For the Deviled eggs on toast, you'll need:
3 Eggs
Salt, pepper, oregano/pizza masala
4 slices Multi grain bread
1 tbsp Mayonnaise
1 tsp Yellow mustard
Since it was just me and DH who'd have had the eggs, I made a small batch. Others had buttered toast with the soup.
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. In a saucepan, cover the eggs with water, add the salt and bring to a rapid boil. Cover and remove from heat; let stand for 15 minutes. Drain the eggs and cool them under cold running water. Shake the pan vigorously to crack the shells. Let the eggs cool in the water.
2. Quarter the bread slices on the diagonal and arange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Toast the bread in the oven turning once until barely browned.
3. Peel the eggs and halve them lengthwise. Coarsely chop half the egg whites in a bowl. Add the remaining whites and all the yolks to the food processor/blender jar alongwith the mayo and the mustard. Process until smooth. Srape the mixture into a bowl and blend in the chopped egg whites and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Top the toast points with the egg spread and dust lightly with some oregano/pizza masala. Arange the toasts on a platter and serve. Alternatively, you can also serve the egg spread separately in a bowl with the toast points alongside.
My Notes: We loved this prep and it defintiely gets the vote - to be made again! :-)
I wish I had some chive sprigs available to try as garnish. A hearty party snack.
A clean house, good food and everyone together for dinner ..couldn't have asked for a better start to a new year. I chose this simple yet delicious looking recipe to go with the pea soup that I'd prepared for dinner tonight. And moreover, Renee wanted some butter toast too. So, this seemed like an ideal thing for today.
For the Deviled eggs on toast, you'll need:
3 Eggs
Salt, pepper, oregano/pizza masala
4 slices Multi grain bread
1 tbsp Mayonnaise
1 tsp Yellow mustard
Since it was just me and DH who'd have had the eggs, I made a small batch. Others had buttered toast with the soup.
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. In a saucepan, cover the eggs with water, add the salt and bring to a rapid boil. Cover and remove from heat; let stand for 15 minutes. Drain the eggs and cool them under cold running water. Shake the pan vigorously to crack the shells. Let the eggs cool in the water.
2. Quarter the bread slices on the diagonal and arange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Toast the bread in the oven turning once until barely browned.
3. Peel the eggs and halve them lengthwise. Coarsely chop half the egg whites in a bowl. Add the remaining whites and all the yolks to the food processor/blender jar alongwith the mayo and the mustard. Process until smooth. Srape the mixture into a bowl and blend in the chopped egg whites and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Top the toast points with the egg spread and dust lightly with some oregano/pizza masala. Arange the toasts on a platter and serve. Alternatively, you can also serve the egg spread separately in a bowl with the toast points alongside.
My Notes: We loved this prep and it defintiely gets the vote - to be made again! :-)
I wish I had some chive sprigs available to try as garnish. A hearty party snack.
New Year Resolutions!
January 1st, a brand new year, resolutions...go so hand in hand. So, even if I'm wise and cynical about them, I can't help succumbing to the temptation yet again.
Yes, I've already thought of my New Year resolution for this year.
I'm going to try a new recipe every day/week/month and then post the recipe and the experience here. Although the world's already done this... Don't know how frequently I'll be able to post though, don't want to set myself up for failure.
There are so many recipes that I'd like to try out..beginning with the Food and Wine Magazine's annual recipe collection that my very best friend gifted to me. Or from the health magazine that I'm currently enjoying the subscription for.
Ok, so I'm taking up the challenge of posting at least 365 recipes this year, some already tried some new some favorites and some not so. But almost all would be easy and minimalistic. I don't think I'm going to have the time or the patience for the complicated stuff this year.
This blog would also serve as an online repertoire of recipes that I can refer family and friends to, to look up how I cook something/anything particular.
So, all set...setting sail on a cruise of simple home cooked meals. here we go!
Yes, I've already thought of my New Year resolution for this year.
I'm going to try a new recipe every day/week/month and then post the recipe and the experience here. Although the world's already done this... Don't know how frequently I'll be able to post though, don't want to set myself up for failure.
There are so many recipes that I'd like to try out..beginning with the Food and Wine Magazine's annual recipe collection that my very best friend gifted to me. Or from the health magazine that I'm currently enjoying the subscription for.
Ok, so I'm taking up the challenge of posting at least 365 recipes this year, some already tried some new some favorites and some not so. But almost all would be easy and minimalistic. I don't think I'm going to have the time or the patience for the complicated stuff this year.
This blog would also serve as an online repertoire of recipes that I can refer family and friends to, to look up how I cook something/anything particular.
So, all set...setting sail on a cruise of simple home cooked meals. here we go!
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