Tag: traderjoes

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Grilled Salmon on Sticky Rice Cakes

Hiya everybody, how’s it going? Pandemic fatigue set in yet? Personally, it is starting to get to me in ways I never thought it would. I do miss the lack of social interaction ( Trip to Trader Joe’s count?) but Cooking, which used to be the joy of my life (other than Le Famille), is seeming like a chore some days.

Remember in the initial days of the lockdown how we prepared these elaborate meals, each one being a masterpiece ? Well that is definitely not happening anymore. With the pounds creeping up unbeknownst, all that baking had to stop. All those heavy meals have to stop.

Our family has switched to simpler, a little healthier, but comfort foods in our home. The fatigue from the past few months and the weather getting a little cooler, warrant that. And what with the infection numbers creeping up again, need to make sure we are all in good health.

That being said, we are to be blessed with some really beautiful, sunny days this week so definitely plan on eating out on the deck. Here I share a recipe I recently tried that works well even if you plan to have some friends over for a socially distanced meal. It lends itself well to some pre-preparation and to individual plating, both needed in this new world of entertaining.

Hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients

1 pound wild caught Salmon cut lengthwise into half

4 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon Fish Sauce

3 Tablespoons finely chopped scallions

1/2 Teaspoon ground pepper

3 Tablespoons Oil

Rice Cakes

2 cups Sushi Rice (about 12 cakes)

3 cups Water

1/2 cup Rice or Sushi Vinegar

1 Teaspoon Sugar

Oil as needed

Salt as needed (1 teaspoon)

Toppings

1 Avocado, sliced

2 Teaspoons Toasted White sesame seeds

1 Teaspoon Furikake Seasoning

1 /2 Teaspoon Togarashi Spice

Wash and pat the salmon dry. Marinate it in the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, scallions, and pepper and refrigerate for an hour.

For the rice cakes, wash the sushi rice in a colander, running it through cold water a couple times till the water runs clear. Combine it with 3 cups water, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook covered for 20 minutes. The rice should pretty much absorb all the moisture by then. Take off the heat. In a saucepan take the vinegar, salt and sugar and boil stirring all the time till the sugar dissolves. Add it to the rice and keep stirring till it is nicely mixed up with the rice. Don’t worry as the rice cools it will absorb all the vinegar mixture.

When the rice is cool enough to handle, but still hot, take medium sized handfuls and shape them into slider shaped cakes. Keep aside.

In a nonstick frying pan start with 2 tablespoon oil and when it’s nice and hot, fry the cakes in small batches, on a medium heat till they are a nice crispy brown on both sides. Remember the rice is already cooked so all it needs is the crisping. Drain on a paper towel and keep aside.

Heat your broiler to 450 degrees. Wipe the nonstick pan clean and add 2-3 tablespoons of oil and heat till it starts smoking. Using tongs, take the salmon out of the marinade and place in the hot oil. Sear on high heat, 2 minutes on each side. Take the pan off the heat and put it straight into the oven, under the broiler for 2 minutes. While it‘s in the broiler take the marinade and bring it to a boil, then keep aside. From the broiler it’s on to your cutting board and let rest for 5-6 minutes. Slice into 1/2 inch steaks at an angle and then plate.

Serving Suggestion

Start with the rice cakes, then the salmon, avocado next, now drizzle on some of the marinade, then sprinkle the sesame seeds, Furikake seasoning, and Togarashi spice and you have a gourmet Japanese meal.

Wine Suggestion

I served this with a crisp Pinot Noir. It is light enough to complement the salmon while not being too acidic as to clash with the vinegar component.

Grocery Shopping

The Rice or Sushi vinegar, Fish and Soy Sauce, Sushi Rice, Furikake seasoning, and Togarishi spices are all available in Asian Grocery stores and most Trader Joe’s carry them too.

HAPPY COOKING!

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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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Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple and Ancho chilies Soup

We live in strange times today when the world is consumed with the COVID19 virus. It has taken over our lives like none else in recent times. 9/11 was devastating but the message was go out and live, as that was the only way to defeat those that would threaten our way of life. But this invader has done the opposite. It has forced us to withdraw, be vary of each other and hoard essentials with no thought for others. We have all witnessed the empty shelves bereft of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, soap and eggs. Fear of course is the number one factor driving this selfish behavior, though how TP is going to get us through this virus God alone knows. Why don’t we all take a step back, reset and be kind and thoughtful to each other and take all the precautions necessary to get us through this pandemic.

We are all scared and worried for ourselves and our loved ones as so little is known about this virus. One way to keep busy is to cook; it has gotten me through some tough times. Especially now with the whole family at home and going out for a meal not being an option, lets all meet up in the kitchen and cook up a storm and bond like never before.

This recipe I share today is a hearty soup whose ingredients are still available on grocery shelves. We all need something warm right now to get through these trying times and a big pot goes a long way.

Soup Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple and Ancho Chillies Soup.

2 cups chopped Butternut Squash

1 Apple, cored and chopped

2 Ancho Chillies

1 Quart Organic Vegetable Broth

1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds

1/2 Teaspoon Tajin or Mexican Chili Lime Powder

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

Salt as needed

Garnish:

2 Tablespoon Pumpkin Seeds

1 Teaspoon Tajin or Mexican Chilli Lime Powder

(Mix the two and store in an air tight container)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the squash, apple and chillies, a little oil and salt and spread it out on a large baking pan. Roast for 25 minutes. Take out and let cool.

In a large stockpot take oil, add cumin seeds and when they sputter add the roasted veggies. Sauté for about 5 minutes on a low flame and then add the broth and the Tajin spice. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes on a low flame. Take the pot off the stove and using an immersion blender , purée till you have a nice thick soup like consistency.

Put it back on the Stove and cook for a couple more minutes.

Garnish with the pumpkin seed mix and serve hot in individual bowls. You could also add a dollop of sour cream or grated cheese as garnish.

Wine pairings:

I served it with an Austrian Gruner Veltliner which is a dry white wine with savory aromas, spicy flavors and good acidity. It holds up well to the robust flavors of the ancho chillies. There are some great ones with 93 points available on wine.com and Binny’s.

Happy Cooking!

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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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Curry ‘n’ Flava with Kavita Atul

So this was supposed to be the name for my blog initially but was rudely struck down by my L&M (Lord and Master) and the PKs (Prodigal kids). The general opinion (to put it mildly) was it sounds like ‘Korean Flavor’, go figure.  But what do I, having stayed home for 20+ years know about the world and the way it turns,  so I gave in and spent another 6 months looking for a new name –  Salt as Needed. Miracle of miracles they approved, Bless my heart !  And the journey starts…….
In India when something is referred to as Curry or Kadhi it really means some kind of a gravy or ‘liquidy” dish made with either lentils, legumes,yogurt, veggies or a protein. Every region in India has their own version of a curry. Western India uses a lot of dry coconut,turmeric, cumin, coriander , jaggery or sugar with tamarind  and kokum (Garcinia Indica)  used to add acidity to the curry . In the North they use  red chili powder, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves along with tomatoes or yogurt to form their curries. .  The South uses fresh coconut, black pepper,dry red chillies, coriander and cumin seeds with tamarind in their lentils and veggies. It is very interesting, in the East they use a lot of coconut milk but very few spices like mustard seeds, fennel seeds and black cumin with jalapeno peppers used for heat in  their curries, relying more on the natural flavors of the veggies and protein  and keeping it delicate. Growing up in India, the  famous “Sindhi Kadhi”, laden with veggies in an aromatic lentil based tamarind and tomato broth,  was a Sunday staple at my house (promise to share that recipe soon).
When I moved to the USA,  I saw a lot of curry powder or Madras curry powder on grocery shelves that smelt and tasted nothing like what we used in Indian cooking. They were the English version of the curry powder, a leftover from their days of colonizing India-  which like their Raj(rule)- they did a terrible job of.
So let me share with you my version of a Shrimp Curry that is like me, a lot of East and a little of the West :
Curried Shrimp garnished with crushed pappadums served with mini pita pockets
 
1 lb medium sized shrimp ( shelled and deveined) drained and dried on a paper towel
2  tbsp olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
7-8 Curry Leaves* torn in half (see note)
1/2 tbsp chili  powder
1/2 tbsp curry powder ( recipe given below)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp lemon juice
1-2 pappadums** crushed
6 Mini pocket Pitas
SALT AS NEEDED

Curry Powder or Garam Masala ( for Milder curries)

Curry Powder or Garam Masala

8 tsp Green Cardamoms seeds only

6 tsp Cumin Seeds

6 Tsp Peppercorns

1 tsp Cinnamon powder
1 tbsp Cloves
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Dry roast all the ingredients (except the cinnamon powder)for the curry powder in a pan and grind or finely crush in a mortar and pestle. Store in an airtight bottle  a cool place.
Heat oil in a  flat bottomed pan, add the chopped onions and saute till translucent . Now add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Put in the red chilli powder, curry leaves, tomato paste, salt and cook on low flame  stirring all the time for 5 minutes. Add a couple tbsp of water if required. Now increase the flame to medium and add the shrimp in a single layer cooking it for 2 minutes on each side. Take off the stove add  lemon juice and sprinkle  curry powder all over and lightly toss. The shrimp should be thickly coated with the tomato gravy and have no extra moisture.
Serving Suggestion:
Take a shallow platter or low bowl, pour the shrimps in the center and arrange pita triangles or baby pitas all around. Garnish the shrimp curry with crushed pappadums, giving the dish a variety of textures and tastes all in one bite. You could serve it with a side of sliced red onions too.  Serve hot as an appetizer or entree.
HAPPY COOKING FROM KAVITA ATUL!!
Wine Pairing :
I paired this dish with the Pavao, Vinho Verde, a  white from Portugal with crisp flavors and just the right acidity and and just enough sweetness to complement shellfish.
Side bar :
  1. *You can find curry leaves, which have a strong citrusy/lemon grassy aroma, in Indian grocery stores but if unable to do so substitute with Basil or Parsley as both are mild herbs that would not overpower the sweetness of the shrimps.

    Curry Leaves
  2. **Pappadums are available in Indian grocery stores in various flavors- cumin, pepper, plain etc. choose any that look good to you. They are easy to cook  in the microwave. Place them one at a time on a paper towel and cook them for 30 seconds on each side (cooking time may vary with different microwaves). They will crisp up and the way to check preparedness is by making sure there are no doughy parts left. Once again if you are not able to find them, crush plain potato chips and use instead.

    Crisp pappadums
  3. Pitas need to be toasted before serving too.

    Mini Pita pockets

    Saute Onions,Garlic Curry Leaves and Chilli Powder

    Add Tomato paste

Add Shrimp in a single layer

Shrimp coated in the tomato base.

Viola!