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.

African plantain stew

I tasted this raw plantain stew in Zanzibar and it's truly indicative of the melting pot of cultures that Zanzibar is...five to be precise - Arab, Persian, Indian, African and Portuguese! It was served with pan seared king fish as an accompaniment but it's also delicious with plain white rice as a main course.

I was lucky to find raw plantains at the Indian grocery store one day but you can use raw bananas instead.























Ingredients:

3-4 raw plantains
2 onions, chopped
1 can peeled, diced tomatoes in juice
1 small can coconut milk
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
2 star anise
2 large cardamom pods (black), give it a quick whack with the back of the knife so it opens
2 bay leaves



Method:

Peel the plantains, cut into 1'' thick slices and place in a pot of water. Add turmeric, salt and boil until cooked through. Drain and reserve.


Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add cardamom, star anise and bay leaves and saute for a few minutes. Add onions and saute until translucent, then add chili powder, coriander powder, salt and toss until combined. Now add the tomatoes and cook until it is well combined and oil float to the top.


Finally add the coconut milk and cook through until it bubbles, then add the plantains and simmer for a few minutes until flavours are absorbed.


Serve spooned over white rice with piri-piri sauce on the side.

Garlic rosemary fries

I best garlic rosemary fries I've tasted was in Portland Brewing. It was a favorite after-work haunt for some great local micro-brews and food. Unfortunately, it no longer tastes the same after it was bought by a bigger brewing company from Seattle.

Mine is an oven baked version so it's more guilt-free although the original was definitely deep fried :)

















Ingredients:

4-5 large russet potatoes, cut like large steak fries with the skin on
2 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp chopped fresh garlic



Method:


Preheat the oven to 425° F.
Place the fries on a large baking sheet with a lip. Add the oil, salt,pepper and toss using your hands to coat the fries. Then line them in a single layer on the baking sheet.


Bake for around 25 to 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes once after about 15 or 20 minutes.
Take the baking sheet out of the oven and place fries in a serving dish. Combine the garlic and rosemary and sprinkle immediately while the potatoes are still hot.

Almond Pudding (muhallabia)

This a light, refreshing dessert that is an ideal finish to a heavy middle eastern or North Indian meal.


















Ingredients:
3 cups whole milk
3 tbsp sugar, or more to taste
1/4 cup rice flour
3/4 cup ground almonds
1 tbsp rose water
ripe red currants or pomegranate seeds for garnish

method:
Blend ground rice with some of the milk to form a paste and set aside. Heat the rest of the milk until scalding, stir in sugar until dissolved. Now add the rice flour paste and keep stirring with a wooden spoon until it bubbles, then reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes.

Now add the ground almonds and stir continuously until it is smooth and bubbles again. Turn off the heat and add rose water. Pour into individual ramekins, cover with plastic wrap when cooled and chill in fridge until ready to serve.

It is traditionally garnished with pomegranate seeds and or sliced almonds but I used organic, Oregon grown red currants. They look great against the silky, white pudding but also add a nice crunch and zing.

Classic Panna Cotta

This is my favorite Italian dessert. It is extremely simple to make and therefore a great choice when the rest of the meal is more elaborate. The only problem is that it needs sufficient time to set in the refrigerator and leaving it overnight is best. I have tried many variations and find that the recipe below yields the best texture, creaminess and taste!

Ingredients:

4 cups half n half
1/2 cup sugar or according to taste
4 tsp vanilla extract or 2 vanilla beans scraped
2 tsp gelatin powder or use gelatin sheets per package instructions

Method:

Add gelatin powder to ice cold water and set aside until it blooms.

Heat half n half with sugar on low heat until it melts. Then add vanilla, heat through (do not let it boil). Turn off the heat.

Add a little milk to the gelatin and whisk together until incorporated. Now add it back to the rest of the milk, whisk together. Pour into 8 ramekins and chill in refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.

There are so many different options to serve panna cotta. I have used fresh berry sauces and also chocolate sauce...both are fantastic! You can either pour the sauce over the panna cotta in the ramekins or for a more dramatic presentation, un-mould the panna cotta over a plate and spoon the sauce over and around it. To un-mould - place the ramekins over some warm water in a pan for it for a couple of minutes and then turn it over on to a plate.

Dal (Rajastani)

Dals or lentils are a great way of eating heathly, yet divine, comfort food. This is a Rajastani variation made typically with butter. I make it with oil instead and just add a pat of butter in the end.

Ingredients:

lentils:
1/3 cup toor dal
1/3 cup channa dal
1/3 cup split moong dal
1 tbsp whole ural dal
1 tsp whole moong dal

masalas:
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
2 green chilies, slit
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp of butter or ghee
1 tbsp of whole tamarind, soaked in 1/2 cup of hot water
2 tsp amchur


Method:

Pressure cook the dals (lentils) with 4 cups of water until soft.

Heat the oil in a sauce pan and add the bayleaf, cloves and cumin seeds until they crackle.
Add green chilies, asafoetida, turmeric, coriander and chili powders and stir for a minute. Then add the cooked dal, tamarind extract and amchur and cook for a few minutes until combined.

Top with a tsp of butter or ghee to give it a wonderful aroma and some richness. Serve with roti, naan or baati.

Chocolate and pistachio frozen mousse

This is an incredibly rich, luscious, dessert for chocolates lovers and haters alike...was a hit with everyone! I had tasted a similar frozen chocolate mousse with pistachios in Rome and was so excited to see Lynn Rossetto Kasper publish a recipe she was given in Parma. I had to immediately rush to the kitchen and try it out! This is one of those recipes I will cherish and recreate to top off many an Italian meal! It is pretty much unaltered and I wouldn't change a thing!























Ingredients:

Chocolate mousse:
5-1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
4 tbsp butter (unsalted)
5 tbsp Marsala
2 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
a pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped

chocolate marsala sauce:
1-1/2 tablespoons instant espresso
1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup Marsala
4 oz bittersweet chocolate
5 tsp sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Method:

Chocolate mousse:
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler and set aside to cool.

Combine the butter and Marsala in a bowl over boiling water until it starts to bubble then set aside to cool a little. Then beat in the egg yolks and back over boiling water and keep whisking till it thickens. Set aside to cool.

Heat sugar and water until a syrup forms. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Then beat at high speed as you pour the hot sugar syrup into the mixer, then turn to low speed and continue until it reaches room temp.

Fold the egg whites carefully into the chocolate, followed by the whipped cream and the pistachios (set aside a couple tbsp for garnish), then at medium speed until the mixture reaches room temperature. Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

Chocolate marsala Sauce:

Stir the coffee granules in the boiling water until it dissolves. Combine Marsala, chocolate, and sugar in a bowl and stir over hot water until a smooth sauce is formed. Stir in the butter just before serving.


Serve small scoops of the mousse drizzled with the chocolate sauce and sprinkled with chopped pistachios.

Zanzibar pizza

This is very popular, spicy street food from Zanzibar - sold at the night markets at Forodhani. I fell in love with it and went back again the next night to satisfy my craving. I was probably one of the few to ask for extra piri-piri (chili) 'coz he recognized us the next day and made mine with extra zing! I later saw the same guy featured in a book called "Taste of Zanzibar" at a gift store. He was so skilled at making this and I watched in awe trying to pick up some new techniques ;).



The technique used reminds me of how a South Indian bread called barota is made, which actually has more layering involved. The filling is unique - beef, vegetables and egg. There is no cheese and this is certainly not pizza as we know it ...it's topped with hot sauce or ketchup depending on how much heat you can handle. The process is slightly complicated although he made it look incredibly easy...but it is well worth the effort! I tried to do it exactly the same way and it tastes as good as I remember it!

Ingredients

Dough:
3 cups flour
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
warm water

Filling:
1/2 lb ground beef
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp oil
salt to taste

1 small carrot, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 green chili, minced
coriander springs, minced

6 eggs
6 tsp Mayonnaise
6 tsp oil + more for greasing the counter as needed


Method:

Make a well in the flour, add the oil, salt and combine. Start adding warm water and mix until it makes a smooth dough. Knead it for 5 minutes so it is elastic then make a ball, coat it with a bit of oil and let it rest in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 1 hour or more.

To make the beef filling - heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and saute until softened. Then add the meat and crumble with a fork at it cooks. Add the rest of the spices, salt to taste and cook till done. Turn off the heat drain on a paper towel to remove any excess grease.

Combine all the minced vegetables into another bowl. Keep the mayonnaise and the egg handy.

Divide the dough into 9 portions first. Now take 3 of them and divide them equally, roll into 6 small balls. Roll the rest of them into 6 large balls. The idea is to make a small circle and a large circle of dough for each pizza - resulting in 6 pizzas.

The dough should be stretched out by hand on a smooth, oiled surface...granite counter top works best. Take one of the small balls of dough, oil the surface lightly (too much causes the dough to slide and tear) then start stretching the dough out into a circle by using the base of your palm (or your thumb)and rotating the dough. It is actually not too difficult once you get the hang of it and it does not need to be a perfect circle. The dough should become thin and transparent all over. Now do the same with large ball of dough and it should yield a much wider circle.

Heat a non stick skillet, place the small circle in it and cook on low heat (no oil) until it starts turning opaque and slightly golden. Then turn over and do the same.
Remove this circle from the skillet and place it inside the large circle - now this acts as a base for the filling and prevents tearing...genius!

Place a large spoonful of the beef mixture in the center, followed by a spoon of the vegetable mince. Now make some room, crack an egg into it and mix with the beef using a folk. An easier option is to beat an egg in a small cup and spoon that into the beef as you combine it lightly with a fork. Add a tsp of mayonnaise on top and start pulling up the edges to hold the filling like a cup (one of those rustic pies) and place the entire pizza on a skillet (as shown in the first picture). Drizzle a tsp of oil around it and cook on low heat till it is golden and then flip and cook until done.



Serve it the eggy side up with hot sauce or ketchup on top.

African spinach stew

This is spicy African comfort food that can be prepared in just a few minutes. When it is cold and dreary outside, which describes most winter days in Seattle, there's nothing like this stew over hot, steaming rice!






Ingredients:
1 large bunch spinach, chopped
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
1/4 cup good creamy peanut butter (at room temp.)
4 tbsp toasted peanuts
4-5 red chillies
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a wide sauce pan, crumble the red chillies into pieces and saute. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Then add the chopped spinach and cook for a few minutes until cooked.
Make room in the center of the pan and add the peanut butter and half a cup or so of water. Stir on low heat till the peanut butter has melted and then combine with the spinach to form a thick sauce or rather stew. You may need to add more water and/or as needed.
Turn off the heat and sprinkle with peanuts and spoon immediately over steamy white rice.

Spices from Zanzibar

It was the first morning in Zanzibar and we headed to the rooftop for breakfast. The view was breathtaking, all the dilapidated buildings bathed in gold and the water a gorgeous turquoise. This was the best time of the day as there was a cool breeze and it was not so humid.


I started breakfast with a cup of steaming Zanzibar spiced coffee - it is a very strong coffee with the fabulous aroma of cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. I chose a scone and a pastry from the basket along with some passion fruit jam. The scone had currents and was fantastic with this golden home made jam with the crunch of the passion fruit seeds. The pastry was not anything I had ever tasted before. It was shaped like a star, flaky but hollow, I could taste the egg but best of all it had a little honey on the inside...mmm...heaven!

We were spending the day at Nungwi beach in northern Zanzibar and I had decided against the spice tour as we needed to to Pemba, another island. After trying the spiced coffee and the pilaf the previous day though I decided we needed at least get to the spice market. On the way back from the beach, I asked the taxi driver to take us to the market where I could buy some spices and he suggested that he could take us to a family farm if I preferred. I immediately took him up on that and we landed at a farm that was 10 acres or so. It was so lush, green and filled with every spice and fruit imaginable!


Spices included cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, lipstick fruit, ginger, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass, curry leaves, vanilla, pepper, bay leaves, coffee, kaffir and cacao. To see how they grow and harvest these spices was truly educational. They also cultivated wide variety of tropical fruits like pineapple, oranges, limes, jackfruit, breadfruit, passion fruit, mangoes, bananas, coconut, cashew fruit, kiwis, starfruit and the stinkiest of all dorian.


Cardamom is known as the "queen of spices" here. The fruit pods are dried and the tiny, brown, aromatic seeds which are slightly pungent to taste are very popular in South Asian and middle eastern cuisine.





This is what a fresh cardamom pod looks like with the unmistakable aroma. I was a little surprised to see the pods at the bottom of the plant...kinda expected it to be a vine!




















Cloves are most popular spice export from Zanzibar, particularly the island of Pemba. These unopened buds of the flower and have a strong flavour and a sweetness to them. They are picked when the buds are pink and dried. They are known as the "king of spices" here.



Nutmeg and mace are two spices from the same fruit! The fruits have a smooth yellow exterior and cut open to reveal the bright red fibres (mace) covering the seed (nutmeg).





Bay leaves is a staple in most cuisines and used in most curries, soups and stews is pungent and bitter. They used this here in most of the curries, biriyani and pilaus.






Green peppercorns one of my favorite spices and they are great pickled whole if you can find these fresh! Black, red, white and green peppercorns come from the same plant using different harvesting techniques.






Vanilla pods are the fruit of orchids. Here there are grown on vines supported on a trellis and artificially pollinated by hand - now you know why they are so expensive! The pods when green are odourless and need to be cured to get the flavour.






Lipstick fruit are small, fuzzy and crimson. When cut open, the seeds are bright reddish orange and are crushed to a powder easily. This is used here to get the reddish colour of tandoori masala when mixed with turmeric.






Arabica coffee is grown here in Zanzibar unlike the mainland Tanzania and Kenya where the robusta is more popular. These are much taller trees while the robusta are smaller shrubs.
This coffee with the spices here makes this the most incredible coffee with a distinct Arab flavour!





Large bumpy green limes are grown here with aromatic leaves known a kaffir which is very popular in south east Asian cooking.





Bread fruit looks almost like small jackfruit but less spiny. It can only be eaten after it is cooked and is very popular in south east Asian cuisine. Here, in east Africa, they make some wonderful stews and side dishes.





Starfruit is also known as the carambola and is very popular in south east Asia. It has a very complex taste ...a little citrusy, sweet and juicy. They have a wonderful star shape when cut.






Papaya trees look very unique with slender trunk with a very large leaf attached on a long stalk directly to the trunk. They are very popular ripe but unripe papayas can also be cooked in curries and stews. They are also used for tenderizing meat.





Jackfruit is a very large fruit with spiny exterior and large fleshy pods embedded in inedible fibres. The fleshy pods have large seeds in them which are wonderful when roasted or cooked with vegetables. The flesh itself is has a very distinct taste and is incredibly sweet.

They are great drizzled with a bit of honey (this only works when the fruit is not cloyingly sweet which they can be). Raw jackfruit can also be used as a vegetable and very popular in Asian cooking.






Passion fruit was in abundance here in November and at it's sweetest best. They are used in so many different recipes here both sweet and savoury but the passion fruit jam was an absolute standout!