Tuna ki Achar

So this may sound unappealing to many but I think it will work.

In an effort to lower my cholesterol, I am trying to eat more fish. I was craving tuna salad (the kind with mayo) the other day and thought it would be nice to have something like a mango-pickle or ginger-pickle that I could just come home, warm up some frozen paratha, and eat with some yogurt and my protein-filled tuna ki achar.

Unfortunately, I searched the internet for such a recipe and could not find anything, suprisingly. The following is the closest that I found so if anyone else has any ideas, please let me know. Since part of the goals are decreasing my cholesterol, I was hoping for something that was not fried and more oil/vinegar based. When I actually try it, I will post the results.

From http://deepann.wordpress.com...

2 lb King fish, diced

1/2 c Ginger, thinly sliced

1/2 c Garlic, tinly sliced

10 Green chillies

1/4 cup Chilly Powder with vinegar to form paste

1 c vinegar

1 sprig curry leaves

2 tsp mustard seeds

Salt, to taste

Oil PRN

For marinade:

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp salt

Water PRN

1. Marinade fish piece and keep in refrigerator for half an hour. Then deep fry fish.

2. Heat oil in another pan. Add mustard seeds until pops occur, then curry leaves. Then ginger, garlic,, and chillies. Saute. Mix in chilly paste and saute.

3. Add vinegar and salt and bring to a boil. Add the fish and simmer another 5-6 minutes. Additional water or vinegar can be added PRN.

4. Allow to cool and store in an air tight container.

Willie's Grilled Salmon Marinade

1 cup white wine

3 tsp brown suger

3-4 bay leaves

2 pinch salt

2 pinch pepper

1 tsp  garlic

1/c cup coarse German mustard

Courtesy Ta'I Loving

Peanut Chicken

Walking through the hospital one day, I was smelled peanut butter.  I came home and found a recipe on www.epicurious.com (Soba with Chicken and Peanut Sauce, Gourmet Jun 2007) that I then adapted into the following recipe.  I was amazed how fast it was and the texture of adding cucumber.

1 pound chicken, thinly sliced (I used breasts)

1 onion, 1 pepper or 1 cup frozen onions and peppers

1 tsp minced garlic (heaping)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1-2 tbsp chili sauce (I used a combination of the red kind you get at the chinese stores with the chicken on it and Frank's red hot)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 cup peanut butter

1 pound soba noodles

1 cucumber, sliced or diced

1.  In a large pot bring water or chicken stock to a boil.  Boil chicken for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove chicken and set aside. 

2.  Return water to a boil and cook noodles according to manufacture instructions. 

3.  While the chicken is boiling, saute 1 onions, peppers and garlic until clear onions soft.  Whisk in chili sauce, sesame oil, and peanut butter and heat.  Balance the thickness of the sauce with the chicken stock/water from the noodles.  (I ended up adding about a cup or so).

4.  Prior to serving, return the chicken to the sauce and add the cucumbers.  Serve over noodles.  

I think this recipe only took about 15 minutes from start to finish to make so it is great if you are in a hurry (or just in the mood for peanut butter).  I wonder how it would taste over greens rather than with noodles.  

Chili

These following are estimates and guesses at best but hope it gives you the idea.  The theme for this chili is three thus: three meats, three peppers, three types of beans.  This recipe is based on a recipe from Tyler Florence.

1/2 - 1 lb lamb, cubed

1 pound turkey

1-2 lbs. chicken breast, cubed

1 bag frozen onions and peppers (bell)

2 tbsp (heaping) minced garlic

3 jalapeno peppers, preferably smoked and diced

1 habenero pepper (or milder if desired)

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1/2-1 tbsp crushed red pepper

1 tbsp garam masala or 2 tsp chili powder with 1 tsp cinnamon 

salt to taste

1 box stock (I used chicken)

1 can kidney beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 can garbanzo beans (or other white bean of choice)

1 can black beans

1. In a large pot, sear lamb and then set aside.  In the same pot, brown turkey with salt and pepper and set aside.  Finally, in the same pan lightly brown chicken for 1-2 minutes and set aside.

2. Saute the onions, peppers, and garlic in the same pot that the meat was cooked until onions and peppers clear/soft.  Return meat to pot and mix ingredients.  Season with spices and continue cooking until fragrant.  (the measurements are approximates at best; I usually just sprinkle on the spices until it smells right)

3. When happy with the spices, add stock, kidney beans, tomato, and tomato paste.  Bring chili to a boil.

4. After chili has boiled for five minutes, return to a simmer and then add garbanzo beans and black beans (if you add then too early, they become mushy).  Cook for about 15-20 until chicken is cook through and then longer if time permits.

5. Serve with shredded cheese of choice.

*I sometimes add frozen corn returning to a simmer.  Fresh cilantro is a nice touch as well.  Please post your suggestions and your chili recipes here.

San Bei Ji (Three Cup Chicken): a traditional Taiwanese dish

1.5 pounds of chicken (thighs, legs, whatever you want)
2 inches of ginger (peeled and sliced)
4 cloves garlic (sliced or chopped)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup rice wine (available at Chinese grocery stores)
Chopped green onion
Fresh Basil leaves

Add some sesame oil to a large pot or wok and add chicken. Start to cook chicken for about 4 minutes. Add Ginger and Garlic to pot and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the three liquids and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes. Shortly before serving, add green onions and basil leaves. Serve with rice.

Slow Cooker Italian Style Pot Roast

2 - 3 pounds boneless beef roast
28 ounce can italian style tomato sauce
one packet italian dressing mix
one chopped onion

place all the ingredients in your slow cooker
cook for 8 hours


the leftovers make a great meat pasta sauce.....just shred the beef & add some mushrooms to the sauce, along with crushed red peppers & italian seasoning to taste.

-- adapted from recipezaar.com

Turkey Meatloaf

this is a variation of a Rachel Ray recipe.

1 pound ground turkey (93% fat free)
1 medium onion chopped (a 12 ounce bag of frozen chopped onions works perfectly!)
1 large egg with a splash of milk
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grill seasoning
1 cup smoky barbeque sauce
1/2 cup salsa (1/4 cup regular salsa with 1/4 cup chipotle salsa)
extra virgin olive oil/vegetable oil

-- can also add 1 chopped green pepper & 2 chopped celery stalks

preheat oven to 400 degrees

1) put ground turkey into a big bowl
2) add the chopped/food processed veggies to the meat in the bowl
3) add bread crumbs & grill seasoning to the meat bowl
4) beat the egg with a splash of milk & then add to the meat bowl
5) in a separate bowl, mix the salsa & the bbq sauce
6) pour 1/2 of the salsa/bbq sauce mixture into the meat bowl
7) brush the bottom/sides of a 9 by 13 baking pan with the veggie/olive oil to prevent sticking
8) using your hands, mix the meatloaf together in the big bowl
9) spread the meatloaf mixture into the baking pan
10) top the entire meatloaf with the remaining salsa/bbq sauce mixture

bake for 45 - 50 minutes. cut into pieces when done & serve.

Mixed Indian Vegetables with Puff Pastry Crust

This recipe is a fusion recipe of pav bhaji and chicken pot pie, comfort foods from India and the West.

Pav bhaji is dish from Western India, mainly Mumbai (Bombay) and a comfort food to most Indians. It was developed during the period of the textile mills when workers only had a brief period for lunch. Bhaji or mixed vegetables were cooked on a tava or flat pan along with pav or bread and the two were served together by street vendors. Today, you can still find pav bhaji from street vendors as we buy hot dogs or pizza.

This recipe involves the combination of vegetables used by my family. The vegetables are usually mashed but I left them whole and added chicken for more of the pot pie consistency. The pav is replaced with the pot pie pastry. For a vegetarian option, increase the amount of vegetables and/or add potatoes.

1 package of puff pastry
2 tbsp oil
3 heaping tsp garlic, minced (divided)
3-4 chicken breasts, cubed
1 large onion, sliced (or about 1/2 14 oz bag frozen onion/pepper)
approximately 1/2 box (3.5 oz box) pav bhaji masala*
1 14 oz bag mixed vegetables
1 15 oz. can creamed corn
3 tablespoon lemon juice (divided)
1/2 cup chicken broth (option)
1 cup yogurt or cream
1 tbsp butter
1 heaping tsp poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Thaw puff pastry and set aside. Butter baking dish.
2. Sweat garlic in oil over low heat for a few minutes. Then increase heat and lightly brown chicken (does not need to be cooked through). Set chicken aside.
3. In same pan, saute onion/pepper mix until soft and clear. Add masala and salt. Once fragrant, return chicken to pan and coat with spices. Add mixed vegetables, creamed corn, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Then transfer chicken and vegetables to baking dish, leaving sauce in pan.
4. Add yogurt or cream to sauce to thicken and pour over vegetables in baking dish.
5. In a small boil, melt butter, 1 tbsp lemon juice, poppy seeds, 1 tsp minced garlic. Lay puff pastry over baking dish and then spread butter sauce over baking dish.
6. Bake for 25-35 minutes. Watch puff pastry to prevent burning.

I think caramelized onions would like be a nice touch on top. Cilantro could (and should) be used as a garnish, I was just hungry and in a hurry.

*Pav bhaji masala is available at your friendly neighborhood Indian grocer. It is a combination of coriander, chili, cumin, dry mango, cardamom seeds, black pepper, salt, fennel, cinnamon, dry ginger, bay leaf cloves, star anise, caraway, nutmeg, mace.

Braised Korean Short Ribs (Gal Bee Jim)

This is from a Korean cookbook that our family friend published. It can be modified to make a stew by adding more water and vegetables which would be great in a crock pot!!

1 1/2 lb beef short ribs, 2 inch thick slices
2 T sugar
1 T rice wine
2 T flour
1 T cooking oil

Seasoning sauce:
4 T soy sauce
2 T sugar
2 T rice wince
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 slice ginger
1/8 tsp pepper
5 T water

1. Separate bones (usually 3 bones are sold together), rinse and dry the meat. Then remove the visible fat. Make diagonal slashes halfway through the meat about 1 inch apart.
2. Place the meat in a bowl and add sugar and wine. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Coat the meat lightly with flour. Heat oil in large frying pan, then brown the meat on both sides.
3. Combine the seasoning ingredients and mix well.
4. Place the meat in a heavy cooking pot or casserole dish (or possibly a crock pot!). Pour the seasoning sauce over the meat.
5. Cook over high heat until the sauce comes to a boil, then turn the heat down to very low. Cover and cook about 40 minutes to 1 hour. From time to time, collect the sauce in a ladle and moisten the top of the meat. When nearly all the sauce has been absorbed the dish is ready to serve. (When making a stew, you can add more water and vegetables such as potatoes or carrots to cook with the meat)
6. Serve with steamed rice.

Malaysian Fish Curry and Rice

Fish:

1 1/2 lb fish
lemon juice
tumeric, salt, pepper
2 onions
3 cloves of crushed garlic
1 tsp ginger
3 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 large tomato peeled and chopped
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup coconut milk

1. Sprinkle fish with lemon juice, tumeric, salt and pepper. Leave for 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels and fry.
2. In separate pan, fry onions, garlic, ginger. Add coriander, cumin, 1/2 tumeric and stir.
3. Add tomato and stir. Add water and salt.
4. Cover and simmer for few minutes. Uncover and add coconut milk. Simmer until sauce is thick. Add fish and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
5. May serve with basmati rice. To spice up the rice, see below.

Rice (I've never tried this part before but this is my friend's recipe & tasted great when she made it)

2 T oil
1 onion
5 cardamon seeds
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
Basmati rice
4 C water
2 tsp salt

Fry onion in oil. Add spices and rice and fry. Add water, salt. Boil 15 minutes covered. Later rice and fish. Cover and bake at 350 F x 25 minutes.

Goan Fish

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder (or amount needed for rub)

tilapia filets
semolina

rice flour

1. Mix turmeric, salt and chili powder. Pat filets dry and coat with spice rub. Allow to sit for approximately 30 minutes.
2. Dredge fish in mixture of semolina and rice flour.
3. Pan fry fish and serve with rice or bread of choice.

Courtesy of Smita Vyas

Buffalo Chicken

1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp Tabasco, or to taste
1 tbsp brown sugar
onions and peppers (used 1/4 bag frozen onions and peppers)
2-4 chicken breasts, or cut of choice

1. Combine above ingredients except onions, peppers, and chicken.

2. Place chicken in slow cooker (CrockPot) with onions/peppers. Cover with sauce.

3. Cook for 8 hours (+/- 2 hours) on low, or per manufacture suggestions.*

4. Serve on bread as a sandwich, with greens as a salad, or even with pizza.

*If your slow cooker only has one setting, it is likely low. See your manafacture directions for suggested cooking times.

Courtesy of Jin Shin Kwak

Mango-Fish Salad

Salad:
lettuce and/or mix greens
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (remove 1 tablespoon for fish)
1 tbsp lime juice
1 mango, chopped
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne or chili powder, to taste
salt to taste
-mix above ingredients and refrigerate (for about 1 hour)

Fish:
1 lb. light fish (ex. orange roughy, tilapia)
1/2 teaspoon of the following
-chilli powder
-cumin powder
-cilantro powder
-paprika
-black pepper
olive oil
cilantro from above
-Coat meat with spice mix and then dribble with oil. Garnish with cilantro and broil according to fish (approximately 5-10 minutes on each side).
-Serve on salad either whole or in bite-size pieces.

Persian Kabobs

1 tsp ground saffron dissolved in 2 T hot water (can get saffron cheap at trader joes)
1 C fresh lime juice
2 T olive oil
2 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cruhed
2 T zest of orange
2 T yogurt
2 tsp salt
2tsp black pepper
3 lbs boneless chicken cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
5 medium tomatoes, halved (plus other desired vegetables)

BASTE
juice of 1 lime
1/4 c butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 above saffron water

2 limes cut in half
parsley springs
2 12 oz packages of lavash bread
6 skewers

1. In a large bowl, combine half the saffron water, lime juice, olive oil, onions, garlic, orange, yogurt, salt and pepper. Beat well with fork. Add the chicken and toss well with marinade. Cover and marinade for at least 8 hrs and up to 2 days in the fridge. Turn chicken over during this time.

2. Add the juice of 1 lime, remaining saffron water, salt and pepper to the melted butter. Mix well and set aside.

3. Start bed of charcoal or preheat oven broiler. Skewer the tomatoes and spear the chicken.

4. Pain the tomatoes, chicken with the basting mixture. Grill 8-15 min of until done. Turn often and baste.

7. Serve on lavash bread. Garnish with lime juice and parsley

Courtesy of Jin Shin Kwak

Barbequed Ribs

1. Move the bottom rack of the oven to the bottom row; move the top rack to the middle and cover with silver foil. Preheat oven to 200 - 250 degrees.
2. Soak ribs in cola (ie. Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper).
3. Meanwhile, mix the following rub:
-1/4 cup paprika
-1/4 cup chile powder
-2 tsp cumin powder
-2 tsp cayenne pepper
-2 tsp black pepper (coarse ground)
-1 tbsp kosher salt (with a little bit of garlic salt)
4. Cover the ribs with the above rub and let marinade for 30-60 minutes.
5. In a large casserole dish, pour 1 liter of chosen beverage. Add bay leaves and any remaining spice rub. Place the casserole dish on the bottom rack of the oven (so it functions as a steamer).
6. Pour a little beverage over the ribs so they are moist. Be gentle to not wash off the rub.
7. Place the ribs on the top rack. Cook for 2 - 3 hours with intermittent basting. Adjust silver foil to keep them moist.
8. After cooking in the oven, the ribs can then be cooked on the grill for an additional 30 minutes or so.
9. You can use another barbeque sauce or take the casserole dish beverage and cook it down in a pot.

Enjoy and let me know what you think or how you cook your ribs... am definitely interested in other spice rubs that people have.

Stuffed Eggplant

Stuffed Eggplant

1. Warm baby eggplant in oven so they become slightly soft.
2. In a skillet, lightly brown ground meat with garlic and onions.*
3. While meat is browning, place tomato paste and water in pan (1:2 ratio). Add desired spices and ingredients...I used salt, pepper, garlic, onion, basil, cilantro, paprika, and ginger. Bring the sauce to a boil and then lower to a simmer.
4. Once the meat is browned, take the warmed eggplant and score them. Then cut a large slit lengthwise. Place the meat in the eggplant and then place them in a baking dish. Cover eggplants with remaining meat and then sauce.
5. Bake in oven at 350 until eggplant done (I did for a little over 30 minutes).
6. Garnish and serve.

* You can take bread crumbs and soak them in a milk and then mix this with the meat mixture. This prevent the meat from getting dry. Other possible additives include rice or bulgar.