papardelle with cauliflower, garlic breadcrumbs and pine nuts

It's not often that you find pasta dishes with cauliflower but this one is a staple in my repertoire. It has great texture ...crunchiness from the breadcrumbs and pine nuts and the creaminess of cauliflower. The florets have to be cooked until really soft. It is a great way to add nutritional value to your meal - I specifically steam the florets so it retains all the goodness.



Ingredients:
1 cauliflower - cut into florets
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
4 - anchovy fillets, minced
1 cup - fresh breadcrumbs made from day old french bread
2 tbsp. - pine nuts
1 tsp. - parsley, chopped
olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup stock (chicken or vege.)

Method:
Steam the florets until cooked through and soft, rough chop and set aside. Boil water for the pasta in the mean time with plenty of salt.

Heat olive oil in a pan, add sliced garlic and saute until golden. Then add breadcrumbs and pine nuts, parsley and toss for a few minutes until golden. Then remove and cool on a plate.

Now for the sauce, heat some oil in a skillet, add the minced anchovy fillets and stir until they disintegrate and flavour the oil. Skip the anchovies for a vegetarian version but they do add great flavour! Then add the chili flakes and then the cauliflower and cook for a few minutes. Add stock as needed to combine and form a sauce.

Cook the pasta until al dente, then add to the sauce and toss. Top with bread crumbs , drizzle some good olive oil and serve.

Curried oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms are really delicate when fresh and are delectable in curries with a surprisingly firm texture when cooked. These are the easiest wild mushrooms to find in super markets year round, esp. in the NW but this recipe is great for maitake mushrooms too.

This version in fond memory of my grand mom who loved mushrooms and cooked them in so many memorable ways!





Ingredients:
4 cups -Mushrooms, torn to pieces
1 medium red onion (sliced)
1 tsp. curry powder
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp. coriander (chopped)
oil
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp. creme fraiche

Method:
Heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the bay leaf to flavour the oil, then add the onions and saute with a bit of salt to make the onions sweat. Meanwhile, discard the tough parts of the stalks and simply tear the mushrooms into bite size pieces. When translucent, add the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms wilt and are cooked (around 5 mins.). Then, add the curry powder and peas and toss until the peas are cooked.

Finally add the creme fraiche and combine, add the coriander and salt to taste. It should give a really creamy consistency. Serve with rice, roti or with french bread.

Shahi Tukda

This is one of my favorite Indian desserts...I am not much of a sweet tooth at all but do like anything made from milk. This one is particularly sinful :) and good way to top off a north Indian meal.



Ingredients:
4 slices white bread, trimmed, cut into triangles
4 tbsp chopped pistachios
1 can condensed milk
1 pint whole milk
4 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 cup sugar or to taste
2 pods cardamom, peel and powder the seeds

Method:
Heat the ghee in a pan and coat the bread on both sides before letting the bread fry in ghee to a golden brown. Continue with the rest of the bread and keep aside.

Pour the milk and the condensed milk in a double boiler. Add the sugar or to taste and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer constantly stirring every few minutes. This is a slightly laborious process and can take 30- 45 mins. for the milk to evaporate and reach a creamier consistency ...like double cream. But so worth it!!

Turn off the heat and stir in the cardamom powder. Let it cool to room temperature.

In a serving dish line the crisp bread triangles and pour the cream on top to cover all the slices. Garnish with chopped pistachios and chill before serving.

Noodles with wood ear mushrooms

This is my favourite way of eating wood ear mushrooms whenever I get my hands on fresh ones at the grocery store. These look pretty bizarre... are blackish brown in colour, are firm but gelatinous and look like a flat ear. They don't really have a taste of their own but are delicious when they absorb the flavours. They are also rich in minerals and vitamins.




Ingredients:
1 cup fresh wood ear mushrooms
3 scallions, sliced
1" ginger, julienned
soy sauce to taste
2 tsp fish sauce
2 red chilies, sliced
sesame oil - 2 tbsp
2 servings noodles - any hearty Chinese or Japanese noodles will work
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method:

Prep the mushrooms by washing in cold water. Then tear larger pieces into bite size ones, discard any tough or sticky bits/stalks.

Heat half the oil in a wok, add the ginger, white parts of the scallion and the chilies and stir fry until softened. Then add the mushrooms, soy sauce and fish sauce (skip if vegetarian) and stir fry a few more minutes until mushrooms are done. Then sprinkle the green parts of the scallions and mix.

Boil the noodles per package instructions in the meantime. Drain and cool.
Now toss the noodles into the mushroom, drizzle with remaining sesame oil. Optionally, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Peruvian corn snack (pop corn)

Peruvian corn called cancha can be found in South american markets. It's is much bigger than the corn we are used to and is also known as the "corn of the giants". This is a corn snack similar to pop corn that is typically served at bars with beer. However, unlike traditional pop corn the large Peruvian corn "pops" on the inside and therefore retains it shape.

This recipe has very little oil and makes a tasty snack that is very rich in fiber.





Ingredients:

Peruvian corn - 1 cup
cayenne - 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
1 or 2 tsp oil

Method:

Heat oil in a non stick skillet. Now add the corn and toss around. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook on low flame, tossing the corn every few minutes to cook it evenly until they are golden. This could take around 10 mins. Now add cayenne, salt and toss while still warm until the corn is coated.

Thai soup (tom yum)

There that those that swear by chicken soup when you have the sniffles or are recuperating from a cold or flu. Then, there is me...I crave for tom yum or rasam (think mulligatawny!).

My version is extremely simple, flavourful and you can substitute the veges with pretty much anything in your fridge. It can become a vegetarian soup by skipping the fish sauce and substituting stock with water.

I also add shrimp (or tofu) to it sometimes for a protein boost. Add them to the soup in the end and cook for a few minutes longer until the prawns turn pinkish and succulent.



Ingredients:

lemongrass - 1 stick, slice the white parts only
galangal - 1" piece, sliced (substitute with fresh ginger if needed)
kaffir (lime leaves) - 3 or 4, sliced
chicken stock - 4 cups
fish sauce - 2 tbsp
soy sauce to taste
spring onions - 4, sliced (separate the white and green parts)
mushrooms - 10, cut into large chunks
baby bok choy - 2, sliced
1 large red chili, sliced
thai red curry paste - 1 tsp
1 tsp oil
juice of 1 lime

Method:

Heat the oil in large pot. Add the white parts of the scallion and saute until soft. Then add the red curry paste and saute, followed by the stock. Now add the rest of the seasoning - galangal, kaffir, fish sauce, lemon grass, bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, add the mushrooms, bok choy and the green parts of the spring onions and simmer for a few more minutes on low heat until cooked through. Serve steaming hot with some lime squeezed in it.

Moroccan style stew

This is a Moroccan inspired, hearty stew that is best with some crusty bread for dipping. Moroccan cuisine typically includes lamb or beef and not pork sausages! However, I find that using sausage cuts down the cooking time drastically while keeping a lot of the flavour. I have used andouille sausage here because I was in the mood for spicy food :) but you could always use milder Italian sausage or even kielbasa.


The picture below is from a few days ago when it was cold and dreary outside (it has that comforting quality)....and served it with some savoury biscotti, which is also a good accompaniment.





Ingredients:

fava beans - 1 cup, frozen or fresh
andouille sausages - 2 (small)
lentils - 1/2 cup (red lentils or yellow spilt peas or toor dal), pressure cooked until soft
chicken stock - 4 cups
onion - 1 (small), chopped
thyme - 1/2 tsp, dried
oregano - 1/2 tsp, dried
cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
1 large red chili - sliced
sea salt to taste
fresh parsley - 1 tbsp, chopped
garlic cloves - 2 large, chopped
Olive oil
Canned diced tomatoes - 1
1 bay leaf


Method:


Heat a large pot, add a tsp of olive oil, then add the sliced sausages and saute until it has browned at the edges. Now, add the garlic, bay leaf and the onions to this and saute until translucent.

Add the fava beans, cumin, coriander and saute for a few more minutes. Now we are ready for the stock, thyme, oregano, canned tomatoes, sliced chili and the salt. Add more waster if needed and bring this mixture to a boil. Mash the lentils and add to the stew as a thickening agent, also add salt to taste.

Continue to simmer on low heat until the fava beans are cooked (around 10-15 mins.) and the desired consistency is reached.
Top with parsley and serve with bread or biscotti.

Zucchini pasta

This is an easy, satisfying week-night recipe and a great way to get your veges! Zucchinis cook down in volume ...so what looks like a lot will end up being just enough. The balsamic vinegar is a great combination with zucchinis and adds a bit of sweetness. The chili flakes counter that with a bit of spiciness.

I prefer to use fresh pasta and stock up my fridge with it but you could always use dried pasta.
















Ingredients:

Zucchini - 2-3, sliced
chili flakes - a pinch or more to taste
Balsamic vinegar - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
2 servings of pasta (tagliatelle, papardelle or similar)
Olive oil
fresh ground black pepper


Method:

Bring a pot of well-salted water to boil. Slice the zucchinis using a food processor or a mandolin into thin slices with the skin on.
Heat a wide skillet, coat with some olive oil and then add the zucchini. Spread it in a thin layer all over the skillet.

In the mean time, boil the pasta according to instructions.

Let the zucchini cook and caramelize for a few minutes, the key is to not keep turning it over as it gets mushy, if you do. Then carefully turn the zucchini over once in portions to cook the other side for a few minutes.

Season with salt, pepper, chili flakes and the balsamic vinegar and toss before you turn off the heat. Add the pasta to the zucchini and toss with enough of the pasta water to make it moist. drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

Badam milk (almond milk)

Almonds and saffron: there is no better way to showcase this winning combination than badam milk or sometimes referred to as badam kheer. The simplicity of ingredients and preparation also make it a great finale to any menu that is Indian or middle eastern. This is not a surprise considering both spices are commonly used in both Indian and middle eastern cooking. In fact, the best saffron I have found was from an Arab market but of the Kashmiri variety which is considered the rarest. It's strands have a deep auburn, almost maroon colour, are much larger than the Spanish ones and have a deeper, flavour too. It good to pick this up and pay the premium if you can find it. It works wonders with Paellas too!

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup condensed milk or to taste
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 pinch saffron strands

Method:

Soak the almonds in hot water for 10 minutes and remove the skins. Crush a pinch of saffron threads with your fingers into a few table spoons of cold milk in a cup and set aside.
Grind the almonds with a little milk to a smooth paste.

Place a sauce pan on low heat and add the paste with half the remaining milk, keep stirring until it thickens slightly. Add the rest of the milk, saffron milk and the condensed milk and keep stirring until heated through. It should look like a thin custard with a gorgeous tangerine colour. I typically like to turn off the heat and chill the mixture at this point as I prefer to serve it in cups making it easier to sip.

However, you could leave it longer if a thicker consistency is desired but remember to keep stirring. If you do decide to go with the thicker consistency, you can serve it in little cups with a spoon garnished with sliced almonds. Either way, chill it in the fridge before serving.

Macchi dum-pukht (baked fish)

This is a unique Indian fish dish that I tried during a business trip to Hyderabad, a real foodie town! I was able to finally recreate it after researching many recipe books. The fish is very flavourful, slightly pungent and has a melt in your mouth texture. It also makes for a great presentation as it can be served right out of the oven in the same dish.














Ingredients:

1 pound firm white fish fillets, cut into 2'' pieces

marinade:
3 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
a pinch of cloves powder
a pinch of cardamon powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp fresh, ginger paste
1 tsp fresh, garlic paste
salt to taste


1 large onion, sliced into large rounds, 1'' thick
2 large tomatoes, sliced 1'' thick
2 tbsp mustard oil


Method:

Powder mustard in a coffee grinder, mix with water to form a paste, add salt to taste and let it sit overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the fermented mustard paste with the rest of the ingredients and marinate the fish for an hour.

In a 10'' baking dish, arrange alternating slices of onions and tomatoes to form a pretty layer. Now cover the top with the fish pieces ensuring there are no overlaps. Drizzle mustard oil on top of the slices and bake in the oven for an hour or until the fish has browned on top.

It might seem like a lot of time for baking fish but it comes out just perfectly cooked! Serve right out of the oven dish with some of the vegetables in the bottom. It pairs well with rotis or rice.