Curried Indian Meatballs

While making this dish, I tasted the sauce for the first time and since I didn't quite like it I thought I would never make this dish again. But after the sauce simmered for 20 minutes on the stove it totally changed its taste, a little bit sour with a hint of spicyness. In the end I had an incredible aromatic dish, the sauce reminded me a little bit of our German Gulash and the meatballs were juicy and tender even after reheating the leftovers the next day.
I am not sure if this a typical Indian dish, because the Indian flavors were very subtle, but either way it was absolutely delicious.

Curried Meatballs

(Bal Arneson)

• Meatballs
• 1 lb. ground meat (pork, beef or veal)
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp*
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• *Can be found at specialty Asian and Indian markets.
• Sauce
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
• 1 green chile, minced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp*
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 
  

For the meatballs: Combine the ground meat, bread crumbs, cheese, tamarind pulp, oregano, fennel seeds, salt, and egg in a large bowl and mix well with your hands to combine. Form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs and set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Fry the meatballs on all sides until browned and then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until the meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Keep the meatballs warm.

To make the sauce:

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil and then the garlic and chile. Saute for one minute and then add the bay leaves, garam masala, oregano, turmeric, salt, and black pepper and toast for 10 seconds. Stir in the tamarind pulp and then add the tomatoes and red wine and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the warm meatballs to the sauce and stir gently to coat well with the sauce. Serve the meatballs with rice

Indian Fishcakes with Indian spiced Potatoes

Made from cooked fish and chickpea flour these fish cakes come together really quickly. They don't contain eggs which makes them really light and tender and the indian spices give them a certain warmth but are not overpowering. I served them with Indian spiced Potatoes, also a very easy and healthy dish.

The long list of ingredients might turn you off, but you don't actually need all the spices listed in the recipe. Just take whatever you have in your cabinet or a mix of the spices you like and they will still taste great.

Paneer Fish Cakes
(adapted from Bal Arneson)
makes 6 to 8 cakes)

• For the Fish Cakes
• 1 (6 ounce) cooked salmon or other flaky fillet, skin removed
• ½ cup paneer
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• ½ cup chickpea flour
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves ( I used toasted and grinded coriander seeds)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

• Apple and Fig Chutney  (I used store bought Mango Chutney, but this sounds really good)
• 4 cups whole milk
• ¼ cup vinegar
• Apple and Fig Chutney
• 1 cup chopped gala apples
• ¼ cup dried figs, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup slivered almonds
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
• 2 cups water
• 
  

Fish Cakes


Mash the salmon with the paneer in a large bowl and then add the yogurt, onion, chickpea flour, spices, salt and pepper and mix well. Form the mixture into small patties about 1 to 2 inches in diameter. 
Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet and begin to fry patties for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Serve the patties with Apple and Fig Chutney.

Apple and Fig Chutney

Mix the apples, figs, almonds, raisins, cardamom, fennel seed, and water in a medium saucepan and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Let the mixture cool, and then place the mixture in a food processor and puree to a paste. Store the chutney in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Spiced Indian Potatoes

adapted from "Show me the Curry"

serves 2

Boiled Potatoes – 3-4 med., cubed (1/2kg/1.13lb) 

(You can cook them, already cubed, in a microwave friendly dish, covered, on high heat for about 4 - 7 minutes)

Amchur/Dry Mango Powder – 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala – 1/4 tsp

Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder – 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli Powder – to taste

Salt
Oil 2 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
Dry Red Chili – 1 or to taste

Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp 
Turmeric Powder/Haldi – 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves – few leaves
Green Chillies – to taste, finely chopped

Lemon Juice – to taste

Cilantro – 1/2 bunch, finely chopped

Sprinkle the dry spices (Garam Masala, Mango Powder,Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Red Chilli Powder) over the cooled potatoes. 

Mix well but gently. 

Add in Salt, a lot of dry spices have salt so do the taste test and mix. 

In a pan, heat Oil on medium heat. Once the Oil is hot, add in Mustard Seeds and allow them to pop. 

Add in the Dry Red Chili (optional). 

Add in Asafoetida, Turmeric Powder, Curry Leaves, Green Chillies in that order. 

Add in the Potatoes and Mix well. 

Sprinkle some Lemon or Lime Juice and Cilantro. Mix well. 

Cook the Potatoes till they are heated all the way through and further if you want them caramelized. 

Serve as a side dish or as an appetizer.

Bye, bye Summer Salads

Fall is almost here and before the tomato season is totally over you have to give one of these fresh salads a try. One of them has a very mediterranean touch to it with kapers, olives, lots of herbs and anchovies. I burned my vinegar reduction a little and didn't want to make it again, so I just drizzled some balsamic vinegar over the finished salad and I think it was as great as with the balsamic reduction.

The other salad has an Indian touch. Tomatoes are paired with pieces of juicy mango and the vinegraitte is spiced with coriander, clove powder, mango juice and lemon juice. These salads will really make you miss the summer...

MANGO AND BABY TOMATO SALAD

(Bal Arneson)

serves 4

• Dressing
• ¼ cup mango juice (I took orange juice)
• 3 tablespoons flaxseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Pinch coriander powder
• Pinch clove powder
• Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Salad
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
• ¼ cup minced red onion
• 1 cup baby tomatoes (cherry or grape), cut in half
• 1 cup ripe mango chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the mango juice, oil, lemon juice, coriander, clove powder, salt, and pepper together in the bottom of a salad bowl. Add the mint, onion, tomatoes, mango, and cilantro and toss well. Taste the dressing and season again with salt, and pepper, if necessary. Let the dressing sit for 5 minutes before serving.

ROMAN SUMMER SALAD

(Giada de Laurentis)

serves  4

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup pitted green and black olives, halved
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 3 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 8 fresh basil leaves, shredded
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. vine-ripened tomatoes (about 3 tomatoes)

1.Cook the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat until thick, syrupy, and measuring 1/4 cup, about 20       minutes. Set aside to cool.

2.Combine the olives, parsley, anchovies, capers, garlic, basil, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl and toss to combine.

3.To serve, slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place, slightly overlapping, on a serving plate. Spoon the olive and parsley mixture over the tomatoes. Drizzle the reduced balsamic over the salad and serve.

Indian Fish Curry

I love Indian Curries, but sometimes they seem a little bit time consuming to prepare, also it is not always easy to find the right spices. This is, why I think it is best to always have a recipe on hand that you can whip up last minute.

Nigella's recipe is really easy, fast and super tasty. It has a very hot and sour flavor (depending on your chili's) and makes a perfect fast meal together with the lemon rice. 

You can prepare the sauce a couple of hours ahead of time and when you are ready to serve it just heat the fish gently in the prepared curry. I used Mahi Mahi for this curry but I am sure you can use any firm fish.

KERALAN FISH CURRY
(Nigella Lawson)
serves 4 - 6

• 2¾ pounds firm white fish, such as sole, cod, haddock, or halibut
• salt
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, halved and cut into thin half-moons
• 2 long red chillies
• 1½-inch piece fresh ginger
• pinch ground cumin
• 13¾ ounces (about 1 2/3 cups) canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 1–2 tablespoons concentrated tamarind
• 1 tablespoon liquid fish stock

Directions

Cut the fish into bite-sized chunks, put them into a large bowl, and rub with a little salt and 1 teaspoon turmeric. Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan and peel and tip in your fine half-moons of onion; sprinkle them with a little salt to stop them browning and then cook, stirring, until they’ve softened; this should take scarcely 5 minutes.

Cut the whole, unseeded chillies into thin slices across (although if you really don’t want this at all hot, you can seed and then just chop them) and then toss them into the pan of softened onions. Peel the ginger and slice it, then cut the slices into straw-like strips and add them, too, along with the remaining teaspoon of turmeric and the cumin. Fry them with the onions for a few minutes.

Pour the can of coconut milk into a large glass measuring cup and add a tablespoon of tamarind paste and the fish stock, using boiling water from the kettle to bring the liquid up to the 4-cup mark. Pour it into the pan, stirring it in to make the delicate curry sauce. Taste and add more tamarind paste if you want to. And actually you can do all this hours in advance if it helps.

When you are absolutely ready to eat, add the fish to the hot sauce and heat for a couple of minutes until it’s cooked through, but still tender.

Khandvi

Weeks ago, I was hosting an Indian Dinner Party and tried new recipes. I stumbled over this recipe in the Internet, it is an appetizer called Khandvi and prepared in the microwave.
Usually, I don't use the microwave as a cooking tool but it turned out to work perfectly. The dish basically consists of cooked chickpeaflower, water, yogurt and spices. You spread it out on foil, let it sit for a couple of minutes, cut it and roll it in little cute rolls. They are then sprinkled with a flavored oil, coconut and coriander. Perfect to prepare in advance and a nice little appetizer for my party. The only thing I would change next time is adding some ginger to the dough.

Khandvi - Gujarati Snack

(from:showmethecurry.com) Watch this video how to make them!

Ingredients; Besan/Chickpea (Gram) Flour – 1 cup Buttermilk – 2 cups (or 1 cup yogurt + 1 cup water) Turmeric Powder – 1/8 tsp Asafoetida – pinch Salt – to taste For Seasoning: Oil – 4 tsp Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp Asafoetida – pinch Green Chillies – 2 (cut length wise) Grated Coconut – 1 Tbsp Cilantro (Coriander) – chopped for garnishing Method: 1. In a large microwave safe bowl, mix Besan (Gram Flour), Yogurt,  Turmeric Powder, Salt and Asafoetida. 2. Add Water and blend the mixture to a smooth (lump-free) paste. 3. Cook uncovered in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. 4. Remove from microwave and stir to break up any lumps. 5. Microwave again for 1 1/2 minutes and stir again. 6. Microwave for last 1 1/2 minutes and mix well. You may have to use a hand blender to remove any lumps. 7. Lay out Aluminum Foil in long sheets (approx 2 ft) on the counter top. (Tip – this step should be done while batter is cooking. Once the batter is out of the microwave, you have to work fast before it solidifies.) 8. Spoon batter along one edge of the foil and with a flat spatula, gently pull the batter down along the foil (spreading it thin). Once the foil is completely covered, start on the next piece of foil. Repeat until all batter is thinly spread. 9. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes and allow it to solidify. 10. With a sharp knife, cut long 1 to 1 1/2 inch strips in the solid batter. 11. Gently lift the edge and roll the strip into a tight roll. You can make the rolls as big as you like. If they get too thick, cut it off and start a new roll. 12. Repeat rolling and placing rolls on a platter. 13. Sprinkle Coconut and Cilantro (Coriander) over the Khandvi. 14. Heat Oil in a small skillet. Add Mustard Seeds, allow them to  pop. Add Asofoetida, Green Chilies and swith off  the heat. Sprinkle seasoning over the Khandvi.

Indian Naan

I had been looking for a good, decent naan bread for a long time and none of the recipes that I tried really turned out how I wanted them- until I found this recipe. The naan is fluffy on the inside with a little crunch on the outside. If you can find Nigella seeds sprinkle them on the naan, it makes a big difference. This bread is a great side dish or appetizer served with chutney. I was so happy when I finally found the perfect recipe!

Naan

(The flavors of Asia)

serves8

Note: Start 6 hours in advance

1 lb 8 oz (675 g) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil, plus as needed for garnish

3/4 teaspoon yeast

1 to 1 1/4 cups warm water, or as needed

Optional: Nigella for sprinkling

1. Mix all of the ingredients except for the water together in a bow.

2. Gradually add the water and knead until a smooth, soft dough is achieved, about 10 minutes.

3. Set aside for about 6 hours in a warm place.

4. Make tennis ball-sized pieces of dough, and place the balls in a warm place until they  rise again, about 1 hour.

5. Preheat the oven to 475 F (240C)

6. Flatten each dough ball and spread it with a rolling pin or by hand by tossing and slapping with both hands. Gently stretch each piece of dough into a round 7 inches (18cm) in diameter, so that the center is 1/4 inch (6mm) thick and there is a border 1/2 inch (1cm) wide all around. Pull one edge out to elongate each round slightly, creating a teardrop shape.

7. Place the bread onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and brush with a little butter. Sprinkle with Nigella, if using

(I baked mine on a pizza stone that was place in the top third of the oven and preheated for about an hour)

8. Bake the naans in the oven  until golden brown and puffed, 4 to 5 minutes. Cool completely on racks.

9. Garnish with a little butter.