Murg Dhaniya – Chicken with Yogurt

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I ate this on one of my trips to India and the flavor is amazing and really robust. If you like fresh cilantro and spicy food, this dish is for you. Its heavy use of cilantro often gives it the name, Green Chicken and it is common in the Bengal region.
It has the mixture of chicken and yogurt, which allows the meat to tenderize and this is common to northern Indian regional cooking and is a holdover from the Mogul emperors.
Ingredients:
1 ½ lb of boneless and skinless Chicken, white, dark or both
1 cup of Yogurt
1 ½ tsp Salt
½ cup of Ghee(clarified butter) or canola oil
5 whole green Cardamom
10 whole Cloves
1 inch piece of stick Cinnamon
1 ½ cup of sliced Onions
4 tsp. chopped Garlic
4 tsp. chopped fresh Ginger
6 sliced green Chilies
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 cup of chopped Tomatoes
1 ½ cup of chopped fresh Coriander
4 tsp. Ginger root julienne
Preparation:
Marinate the chicken in the yogurt and salt for at least one hour.
Heat the oil or ghee in an oven proof pot and add clove, cardamom, onions and sauté until lightly browned, then add chilies, garlic, ginger. Keep cooking until the mixture is fragrant. Be careful not to burn the mixture.
Add the cayenne pepper and tomatoes and cook until the oil separates from the mixture. Add the chicken mixture and stir thoroughly.
Add 1/4- 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil and simmer just until the chicken is tender. You may add more water if the curry becomes too thick.
Sprinkle the chopped fresh coriander and julienned ginger over the top, cover and put into a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Serve with hot basmati rice and chutneys of your choice.

Keralan Fish Curry

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Southern Indian food is often vegetarian, but they also often make use of local seafood, as in this dish, when it is prepared in the traditional manner.
The key to this dish is the tamarind concentrate and coconut milk. I really don’t think there is any substitute for either of these ingredients.
If you have the time, this sauce benefits from a day in the refrigerator. Then you can heat the sauce and add the fish when ready to prepare. Additionally, any leftovers are wonderful when heated up.Note: If you do not have a spice grinder, you can use pre-ground spices.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs Fish, cut into 2 inch chunks. Try to use a firm fleshed fish. Kingfish is traditional.
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
6-7 Curry Leaves
1 large Onion, cut in half and then thinly sliced.
1 tsp Salt
3 long Red Chili Pepper
2 inch piece fresh Ginger Root
3 cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp Kashmiri Chili powder
1 tsp Coriander Seeds, ground in the spice grinder.
1 tsp Turmeric, ground
1/4 tsp Cardamon, ground
1/4 tsp Fenugreek, ground
1 can Coconut Milk
 2 Tbsp Tamarind Concentrate
1 cup Vegetable Stock
Juice of one Lime to finish
Preparation:
Begin by slicing your onions and chilies into thin strips. Peel your garlic and ginger root and chop or grind into a fine paste.
Heat your oil in a large sauté pan or a cast iron Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add in your curry leaves and sauté until they change color.

Then add your garlic and ginger, lightly sauté without browning, add your onions and chili peppers and the salt and cook until the onions are soft. Add your ground spices and gently sauté them, being careful not to scorch them.

Add your coconut milk, tamarind concentrate and vegetable or seafood stock and bring to a soft simmer. You can let this simmer for as long as you like. My trick is to simmer it until the oil separates, then I know it’s ready.

When the sauce is to your liking, add in the fish and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Squeeze on the lime and serve over basmati rice.

Grenada – Ever wonder where nutmeg comes from?

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Just returned from the spice island of Grenada. Such a lush and stunningly beautiful island. Very friendly people and so many wonderful spices, fruits and vegetables. It is a true garden of Eden.
Just to name a few, Grenada’s rich soil supplies nutmeg, mace, clove, bay leaf, cacao, ginger root, banana, breadfruit, star fruit, papaya ,cassava, limes, and too many others to name. It is said they can grow everything on the island except wheat and apples.
Unripe cacao. When it is ripe, it turns yellow. The cacao seeds are inside
Cacao plantation with sorting and drying areas
The process of harvesting nutmeg is truly fascinating. Nutmeg grows on trees which are medium sized and when the fruit drops to the ground, it is ready to be processed.
Nutmeg Tree
After drying for a few weeks the pods are dropped to crack open the outside hull to reveal the nutmeg seed, which is meshed with bright red mace. The mace is then removed and dried in boxes, while the nutmeg is graded, by being suspended in water and then further dried, sorted and packed into sacks.

Nutmeg and ripe Cacao pod with seeds. Note the red colored mace surrounding the nutmeg seed

Nutmeg seeds being suspended in water to rate quality

Nutmeg, ready for shipping

So if you ever wondered why nutmeg was pricey and mace even more so, now you know. I can highly recommend this beautiful island for a visit. You won’t be disappointed.

Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

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These are addictive and can be served as a side dish or over pasta. They are simple to prepare and packed with flavor. Better still, they are vegetarian  and vegan if you sub out the honey with agave syrup.
I find brussels sprouts to be very versatile. Even people who claim not to like them are won over by these. Eating your veggies never tasted so good.
Ingredients: 
2 lbs Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and sliced in half.
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Champagne or White Wine Vinegar
3 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp Sriracha Sauce, more if you want it spicier.
1/8 tsp Sea Salt, or to taste.
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400F and mix together your sauce ingredients, place prepped brussels sprouts into a large bowl and pour sauce over them and mix until they are well coated.
Pour into a large oven proof dish, which will allow them to be in one layer. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the top and into the oven for 15 minutes. Bring them out and give them a stir and then back for 15-20 minutes, until they are crispy and well browned.
Serve promptly.

Pesto Broiled Shrimp

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I can’t imagine a dish easier to prepare than this one. It has a fresh basil pesto taste and slightly crunchy crust.
It works very well with Costco’s Kirkland brand pesto, which I must say, is very good. I prefer my own freshly made, but I never feel the basil in the winter is really up to the task.
One suggestion is to try to get larger sized shrimp. A 21-25 count is perfect. If you’re not familiar with this phrase, it means you will get 21-25 shrimp in one pound. A smaller number would mean the shrimp would be bigger.
Ingredients:
1 lb Raw Shrimp, shelled and cleaned.
1/3 cup Pesto
1 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, grated
Freshly ground Black Pepper
Preparation:
Preheat you oven broiler. Take the raw shrimp and make sure they are patted dry.
Add them into a large bowl and add the pesto. Toss well to coat, then add the Parmesan cheese and the black pepper and toss again.
Place them onto a foil lined baking sheet and put under the broiler. Broil for 3 minutes, turn them over and then another 3 minutes and remove and serve immediately. Tongs are very handy to remove them.
They are wonderful over a salad, on their own as appetizers, or with a side  dish.

Savory, Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash

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This is so decadent and additive. It’s like having your dessert first. It is very easy to make and is quick to cook. It is a little rich, but it is that time of the year.
I’ve yet to meet anyone that doesn’t like this. However, if you have a real squash hater, you can sub out with sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:

2 lbs Butternut Squash, cubed to about 1 inch.
3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/8 tsp Chili Flakes
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
A few grinds of Black Pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400F and arrange all ingredients in a Pyrex baking dish. Ideally, they should be in one layer, but a little overlap is okay.
Bake for 20 minutes, stir things around a bit and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until done.
Note: You can adjust the maple syrup and chili flakes to make it more or less sweet and more or less spicy.

Chu Chee Seafood Curry- Southern Thai Goodness

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This is one of my favorite Thai curries. I first had it in the south of Thailand in Surat Thani at the bus station on my way to Phuket. It had every kind of seafood imaginable. Some of the seafood had been grilled, so it was epic.

My version is much simpler, and although it sounds a bit involved, it really isn’t. Just have everything ready to go and you will be rewarded with a wonderful meal which is bursting with flavors.
Feel free to add whatever seafood you like and if you are allergic to shellfish, it is just perfect with fish.
Ingredients:

1 lb Fish, cut into 3 inch squares. I use cod.
6 Large Shrimp, shelled.
6 large Scallops, scored.
1 4oz can Chu Chee Curry Paste, easily found in Thai or Most Chinese markets.
1 13.5 oz can Coconut Milk
3 Tbsp Oil
4 Thai Chilies, whole or chopped, if you like it very spicy.
2 Tsp Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Fish Sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp Lime Juice
Fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves, lovely if you can find them.
Preparation:
Prepare your fish and other seafood and heat the oil in a large sauté pan which has a lid.
Once the oil is hot, add your curry paste and keep stirring. After it is fragrant, add your fish and lightly sear each side. Maybe 1 minute per side. Remove to a plate and add your Thai chilies. Stir for maybe one minute. Then add your coconut milk and sugar and cook on a medium simmer for 5 minutes.
Add in your fish, shrimp and scallops and make sure they are well coated with the sauce. Reduce the heat to a soft simmer. Put on the lid and cook for 6-7 minutes.
Turn off the heat, add the fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and lime juice, mix well and serve over steamed Jasmine rice.
Note: Kaffir lime leaves are also called makrut lime leaves. They can often be found fresh, but they are also found frozen sometimes. They are fine when they’re frozen.

Coconut Rice – Pure Comfort Food

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I’m not sure if this is more of an southern Indian dish, a Southeast Asian, or Carribean dish, as I have had it in many countries with slight variations, but either way, it is a fantastic side dish which is the perfect foil for so many main dishes. Its easy to prepare and very good indeed.

I will include the variations at the end of the recipe, as there are so many options, but here is my basic recipe and you can let your creativity flow from there.

Ingredients:

2 cups of high quality Jasmine Rice, such as Hom Mali.
1 – 14 oz can of Coconut Milk
1 1/2 cups of water
1 tsp Sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup of toasted Coconut, sweetened or unsweetened.

Preparation:

Begin by rinsing the rice well in cold water. Then drain and add in all ingredients except the toasted coconut.

Bring to a boil and then cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat and allow to cook for 15 minutes. While the rice is cooking, toast the coconut in a 375F oven on a baking sheet and then remove and set aside.

Remove rice from the heat, stir gently with a fork and replace lid and allow to set for 10 minutes. Remove lid, fold in the toasted coconut and serve.

Optional Toppings:
Green Onions
Cashews
Fried Shallots
Cilantro

Note: This can also easily be prepared in your rice cooker.

Guacamole – Avocado Goodness

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This is such a simple dish with very few ingredients, yet I’ve had more average guacamole than really good guacamole. I think thats because many recipes over complicate it and add so many ingredients that you lose the beautiful flavor of the avocado.

I’ve developed this recipe over many years and it is always well received. It goes fast, so a double batch is a good idea.

Ingredients:

3 Avocados, medium/soft to the touch.
1 medium Tomato, chopped
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1 small clove of Garlic, crushed
Juice of one Lime
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Cilantro loosely chopped-optional.

Preparation:

Begin by slicing the avocados in half and scoop out the flesh and put into a medium bowl. Save one seed and set aside.

Mash the avocados with a fork or a potato masher, until there are no large chunks.

Fold in all other ingredients and adjust for salt. Drop in the retained seed and mix it in. This will keep the guacamole from turning brown. Finish with cilantro, if desired.

Allow the guacamole to cool in the refrigerator and then serve with unsalted or lightly salted tortilla chips.

Makes approx 2 cups

Fuchsia Dunlop – The Marcella Hazan of Chinese Cooking.

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If you want to learn to cook Italian you could go to Marcella Hazan, French you could go to Julia Child, Elizabeth David or Jacques Pepin. But, if you want to learn to cook Chinese, you go to Fuchsia Dunlop. I have learned so much from her and I now feel confident in tackling most Chinese food at home.

“Fuchsia Dunlop is a cook and food-writer specialising in Chinese cuisine. She is the author of Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking; Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China, an account of her adventures in exploring Chinese food culture; and two critically-acclaimed Chinese cookery books, Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, and Sichuan Cookery (published in the US as “Land of Plenty)”.

‘The best writer in the West… on Chinese food’ Sunday Telegraph
“Fuchsia has a rare ability to convey an encyclopaedic knowledge of Chinese cuisine in a compelling and totally delicious way.” Heston Blumenthal
“Fuchsia Dunlop joins the ranks of literary food writers such as Elizabeth David and Claudia Roden.” The Independent
“A world authority on Chinese cooking… Her approach is a happy mixture of scholarly and gluttonous.” Observer Food Monthly