Category: Keto

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GOAN FISH CURRY

1 pound whole fish cut up in 1/2 “ steaks (Catfish or Black Pomfret) or any fleshy fish.

Juice of one lemon

3 tablespoons oil

1 onion diced

1 14 oz can Coconut milk

10 Curry leaves *

Curry Leaves

Paste:

6-7 pieces Kokum( garcinia indica) (Substitute 1 tablespoon tamarind paste)**

4 Dry Red Chillies

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon whole black pepper

6 cloves garlic

1” piece ginger

salt as needed

Wash fish, pat dry and marinate in salt and lemon juice.

Soak the kokum in a little water and keep aside. If using **tamarind paste add it to a 1/2 cup water and keep aside.

Dry roast the cumin, coriander and pepper seeds along with the chillies on a low flame till you get a nice aroma. Blend them into a fine paste with the ginger , garlic and half of the soaked kokum or all the tamarind paste.

In a broad bottomed pan, take oil, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame till light brown. Add the blended paste and fry on a low flame till the oil leaves the sides of the pan. Now add the can of coconut milk, fish and the rest of the kokum along with its juice.

Cover and bring to a boil, add chopped coriander leaves and cook till fish is done.

Serve with white rice, riced cauliflower or crusty bread.

Wine Suggestions:

I paired it with Tire Bouchon, a French blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Any medium bodied wine like the South African Hermitage or a Malbec or even a crisp Pinot Grigio will work well.

*If you are not able to get your hands on curry leaves, substitute it with a mix of lime zest and basil leaves. You could also use bay leaves or basil instead.

**Kokum is hard to find other than in Indian grocery stores but tamarind paste mixed in a 1/4 of water keeps the flavor component in tact.

HAPPY COOKING!!

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Cauliflower crusted Whole Silver Pomfret Fish stuffed with a spicy peanut chutney.

For this recipe I am using Silver pomfret but it works well with Pampano and Butter fish, too. Both of these are delicate fish but with a subtle non-fishy flavor. Ask your fish monger to Scale the fish, cut off the head and clean it from inside after slitting it. These fish don’t lend well to filleting as the pieces get too thin. If you want to fry them just have the fish cleaned and cut up into 1/2” steaks. There are some bones so be careful when eating or feeding kids.

Recipe:

1 large Silver Pomfret, Butterfish or Pampano , cleaned and slit.

4 Large florets cauliflower riced or grated

3 tsp Almond flour

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp oil

Salt as needed

Chutney:

5 -6 Serrano peppers

1/2 cup peanuts (no skin)

Juice of 2 lemons

Salt as needed

Marinate fish in salt , lemon juice and turmeric. keep aside for 30 minutes.

In a pan take a 1 tbsp oil, add the chilies and sauté on a low flame till nicely seared on all sides. take out and let cool. In the same pan, take the peanuts and roast till light brown. After the chilies and peanuts have cooled put them in a food processor with lemon juice and salt And grind to a slightly rough and thick consistency.

Put the fish in a lined or nicely oiled baking pan, leaving all the juices from the marination behind. Stuff the inside with the chutney spreading it nicely inside the slit.

Mix together the oil, riced cauliflower and flour with some salt and pat on to the fish for the crust. Do it only on one side.

Bake for 35 minutes at 375. Take out , let cool and serve whole or sliced.

Serving Suggestion:

With Roti or naan.

On a salad as your protein.

Happy Cooking! And keep the comments coming.

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To Keto or Not

Welcome me back ! I took some time off from talking/writing to change my relationship with food. I am probably not there all the way but its been a learning experience for sure. A process where I actually took the time to learn about my body and my mind because what you eat, your level of activity and the amount of exercise, all contribute to the mind-body sync. Cliched, but easier said than done but like they say, wisdom comes to the old. Oh well better late than never.

One part of my journey towards good health involved talking to friends and reading up on the subject. Very often we equate losing weight with a healthy lifestyle, and end up looking for quick fixes. We listen to the weighing machine more than our body. The mantra has always been been the two P’s ; Persistence and Patience. It’s a work in progress for me…. 3 months and counting – almost like an AA program but with food and exercise. Everyday is a new challenge that you have to overcome ,but play it like a game of Snakes and Ladders (remember those!) and its fun. Up a ladder one day and slither down a snake another.

The Keto diet has been trending for a while now and people have successfully lost weight but I personally, my body does not react well on a meat and high fat diet. I decided to go the low carb route so I took the Keto guidelines for carbs and incorporated it into my version . To lower my carb intake I use almond and coconut flours instead of wheat or all purpose, Xanthan gum and eggs for binding and flax seeds and psyllium husk for fiber. As for fruits and vegetables, I pretty much eat everything other than potatoes and bananas, more berries though. My biggest challenge was eating out but to my pleasant surprise most restaurants have low/no carbs alternatives on their menu. It’s difficult, an uphill climb both ways, but well worth it. My food has to be delicious and interesting, so its been fun trying to cook with all these new ingredients. Its almost been like out with the old and in with the new in my kitchen adventures. Its not all roses, what I miss most is bread and wine but I am learning to restrict myself to a couple cheat days a month and that too within limits.

And yes, I will be posting non- Keto recipes too! Wish me luck!

Here is one recipe for a soup I cooked up.

Keto Kadhi. (Indian Buttermilk soup)

450 ml Buttermilk

2 1/2 tbsp Almond flour

A few sprigs of cilantro

1 jalapeño

1/2 pc ginger

2 pods garlic

Salt as needed

Blend all the ingredients together well till fully smooth and pour into a heavy bottomed pan. Bring to a boil on a low flame, stirring all the time so the buttermilk does not split. Take out in a soup bowl.

Tempering

2 tbsp avocado oil

1/2 tsp mustard and cumin seeds each

2 dry red chilies

In a small saucepan, heat oil, add the seeds and when they sputter add the chilies. Pour over the soup .

Serving Suggestion:

Hot with riced cauliflower

As a cold consommé .

Side Bar :

Add zucchini roundels to the soup as it boils and cook till al dente .

Happy Cooking!

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Thanksgiving with Hen

Every family I know has a Thanksgiving tradition they strictly adhere to and so does mine.  I can say with all certainty that never has a Turkey crossed my kitchen doorstep.  And all because the “Holy Trinity” does not like turkey. Anyways, our family tradition has been to cook a couple of Cornish Hens instead of the traditional turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. We stick with the usual sides like mashed potatoes, potato salad, cranberry chutney (must share this recipe with you soon), brussel sprouts cooked in bacon, corn bread stuffing and pecan and or pumpkin pie.

Of course as with every family, recipes evolve over time making them unique and special.  So over the years what started off as a Stuffed Chicken Tandoori has emerged as a Lamb mince stuffed Cornish Hen.  Its a small bird, definitely more flavorful, can be served as a whole bird (conducive to table top carving)  and most important, we don’t have humongous amounts of left overs.

Here is the recipe; From my kitchen to yours.

 

Lamb Mince Stuffed Cornish Hen

2 Cornish hens

3/4 cup oil (shallow frying)

Marinade: ( overnight)

4 tbs Ginger – garlic paste

1 tbsp red chilli powder

Juice of 1 lemon

salt as needed

Stuffing:

1 lb Lamb or Turkey mince

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 1/2 tsp Garam Masala

15 almonds soaked, peeled and sliced

2 hard boiled eggs minced

2 “piece ginger julienne

salt as needed

Basting:

4 tbsp sour cream or yogurt

3 tbsp heavy cream

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

a couple pinches mace powder

a couple pinches nutmeg powder

10 strands saffron

1/4 tsp green cardamom powder

In a broad bottomed pan heat oil and brown the marinated birds, one at a time, over medium heat,  turning gently with cooking tongs so they are nicely browned on all sides.  Take the birds out of the pan on to a paper towel to drain the excess oil.  To the same oil add onions and saute till transluscent.  Now add the mince and saute till nicely browned. Put in the Garam Masala, ginger and almonds and saute for about 10 minutes.  To finish add the minced eggs and salt and cook for a couple minutes, stirring gently, and take off the flame.

After it cools , stuff the birds with this mince, leaving enough for a side dish.

Pre-heat oven  to 375  degrees.  Place the bird on a roasting pan, baste with the sour cream sauce and  roast for 30 minutes (or till cooked), basting regularly till all the sauce is used.

Garnish with Fresh chopped coriander.

Happy Cooking and a Very Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Wine Suggestions:

Lambrusco or Pinot Noir. If you want to go really bold, a Zin works really well with the strong flavors of the spices.

 

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Butter and spice and everything nice

Greetings from sunny Florida once again! There is something to be said about being around good weather, it makes you a nicer human being.  Really, I feel mentally upbeat, I have been working out and eating healthy. All of this positivity brings my thoughts to the matter of making a lifestyle change and settling into a regimen that is sustainable for me.  Easier said than done because I haven’t found one yet, so instead I get to wax eloquent on the subject in my blog today. Authorship has it’s privileges.

There  are quite a few diets making the rounds , right from utter starvation (fasting diet) to intermittent eating ( 8/16 formula) to the Keto diet( no sugar or carbs). I personally have not been able to stick to any of these but have friends, bravehearts actually, who are doing a bang up job on them. Only time will tell if these can be sustained but for now, boy do they look like a million bucks. There are studies out there extolling the virtues of one as opposed to the dangers of others, but at the end of the day if any of these diets can be used as an initial weight loss tool on the path to maintain a better body/ weight/ fat index, I say so be it.

The Keto diet according to me is one of the more fun diets to be on as you are allowed all the meat and fats in the world. That brings me to the world famous Indian chicken dish Butter Chicken, which is loved by kids and adults all over and is tailor made for Ketonians. It’s origins can be traced to a restaurant in Delhi  called Moti Mahal and was the brainchild of the three owners who came up with the recipe. Folklore goes that they wanted to do something with all the tandoori chicken that they would have left over every night and needed to put it to good use. So they basically took the left over chicken mixed it up in a rich tomato gravy , rich in butter and cream.  Their version of the hundreds of recipes that sprung out of a need to use left over turkey after Thanksgiving.

I  have come up with my own easy, breezy version of that dish which I kid you not, touches the soul. It’s a hit with all my guests and so I share it with you today(It comes with a vegetarian / vegan option too).

Butter Chicken / Paneer/ Tofu

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (whole not cubed)

Or 1 lb paneer ( cottage cheese) or extra firm tofu

1 tbsp garlic and red chili paste ( use 3 dry red chilies soaked for an hour in warm water and then grind with the garlic)

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 stick Butter

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

2 tsp dry fenugreek leaves ( kasuri methi)

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 28oz can San Marzano crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp honey

1/2 cup whipping cream

#salt as needed

Marinate the chicken for about 4 hours in the garlic- red chili paste, lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil , turmeric and salt. Pre- heat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for about 40 minutes or till chicken is cooked but still moist. Cool on a rack and cut up into 2″ pieces. Set aside. If using paneer or tofu use pre- cubed and the baking time would be about 15 minutes.

In a heavy bottom pan on medium flame take the butter and  2 tbsp olive oil, when heated add the fenugreek leaves crushing it with your fingers as you drop it in. Sauté for a minute on a low flame, now add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes.  Next put in the red chili  and coriander powder, cook for a couple minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes  and salt and let it come to a boil. Next add the chicken/ paneer/ tofu and gently stir.  Now put in the honey and after a few minutes add the cream ( save a tbsp for the garnish). Let the cream just about warm up and then take the pan off the  stove.

Just before serving garnish with a spoon of cream and chopped coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestions:

1. With Naan or Rotis

2. On al dente Penne Pasta or Fettuccine

3. As a Tapas in a small earthen dish with dipping bread on the side.

Wine Pairing: I think this dish would go great with your favorite Zin. I love the 7 Deadly Zins from Trader Joe’s .

Notes:

1.For Vegan substitute tofu instead of chicken and use full fat coconut milk instead of cream.

2. Paneer is available at all Indian stores and Costco. Tofu and coconut milk can be bought at ant local grocery store.

Happy Cooking !!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fish and Foremost

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.  I would love to a go a step further and add ; Teach him how to cook it and the whole family eats well. This is an old Chinese proverb where men and women shared all kinds of household chores, so let us not get into the gender bias argument.  But seriously, so few people actually like fish that something needs to be done about it.  The kids, in particular, complain about the fishy smell and will not eat it unless its double dipped in flour and eggs and deep fried making the whole idea of eating the healthy option such a wasted exercise.  The Prodigal Kids (mine, for the uninitiated) love sushi, so go figure.

Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is essential for development of the brain and eyes. Research shows that making fish a part of your regular diet, has been helpful for patients with diabetes, asthama and also cognitive dysfunction . The caveat being to mostly eat  wild caught as opposed to farmed fish. Rainbow trout, squid, salmon, walleye are some tasty and easily available wild caught fish. But as in anything in life everything should be done in a balanced way rather than take one thing and run with it. I get catfish and black pampano sometimes because they both take to Indian spices really well.

I make it a couple different ways: baked or curry.  In India some of the best fish preparations come from the coastal areas, be it the Macher Jhol from the east, the Meen Kuzhambhu from the south or my personal favorite  the Malwani masala fish from the west coast that is spicy and flavorful but bakes well and the masala translates well to the curry form , too. You could definitely shallow fry it too. Today I share with you a recipe for the masala, which stores well in an air tight container and the dish itself.

Malwani masala

5 tsp coriander seeds

2 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

7-8 dried red chillies

1 small star anise

1 inch pc cinnamon

2 tsp black peppercorns

5 cloves

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp mace

2 tsp dry dessicated coconut (optional)

Dry roast all the ingredients on a low flame till light brown. Cool off and then grind, store well.

Baked fish

1 lb fish (  salmon, black pampano or trout) or any fish you prefer.

1 tsp garlic and jalapeno and  paste (5 garlic pods and 2 jalapenos)

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp tamarind paste (bottled works well)

2 tsp malwani masala

2 tbsp oil

salt as needed

Wash fish well and pat dry. In a bowl mix all the other ingredients well and apply to the fish using your hands so it spreads nicely. Marinate in the refrigerator for about an hour. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, lay the fish out on a pan covered in foil and use a light cooking spray. bake for 20-25 minutes(depending on the fish).

Serving suggestions;

  1. With Dal and Roti with a side of an onion and tomato kachumber (salad)
  2. With Dal and Rice with a side of sliced onion and cucumber tossed in vinegar, sugar and salt.
  3. With  Gnocchi tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper.

Wine Suggestions;

A good rose will go well or a Gruner Veltliner which is an Austrian white that compares well with any good chardonnay.

Side bar:

This masala can used to make a curry using fish, shrimp, chicken or dried peas (soaked over night).

Basic  Malwani  Curry

3 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp ustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 onion chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 tsp malwani masala

1 tbsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chilli powder

5-6 curry leaves (important but optional)

2 tsp tamarind paste (4 chopped tomatoes for chicken)

salt as needed

Add mustard and cumin seeds to 1 tbsp oil, when they sputter add the curry leaves and turmeric. Add  onions and saute till light brown and then add  ginger garlic paste. Add the malwani masala, coriander powder. Saute well, cool and grind to a paste. Take 2 tbsp oil in the same pan and add the ground masala to it , saute. Now add the tamarind paste (or chopped tomatoes ) and salt. Saute well till  oil appears on the sides. Now add your protein and cook. If using dried peas, soak overnite and pressure cook before adding it to your curry.

HAPPY COOKING FROM KAVITA ATUL!