Dinner

Sinigang… the Tamarind Stew

By Ria / Seafood, Soups / 1 Comment / October 6, 2014

What is with the onset of cold weather and comfort foods? Why don’t I crave comfort foods in the summer? And why are most comfort foods full of all those good things that we have been told over and over, are not good for us? Questions, questions…

Comfort foods are usually food items that we are familiar with, and I believe those that have strong associations with good times. So maybe we are trying to bring back those times, or at least memories of them, by eating the same foods. Yeah, the same old food therapy, looking to make things better with food! 🙂

Every culture has its own favourite comfort foods, which very often are not the best of their cuisine. And individual childhood memories also play into a person’s choice of comfort food.

However, there are common threads connecting all these food items, regardless of which part of the world you are from… they are invariably rich in calories and have high carb and fat levels. And also, they are mostly not complex and easy to prepare items. Say, fish and chips instead of bouillabaisse?

The term ‘comfort food’ was first used in 1977, according to Webster’s and Oxford English dictionaries. Whoever invented that, I like it very much; quite an evocative phrase!

I have a very straight forward approach to the concept… comfort food is for when you are uncomfortable. And what makes me uncomfortable right now is the slowly advancing cold weather. Which is the way it is every year. However, this year instead of going for my routine items, I’m planning to check out comfort food from different parts of the world.

Let’s see… Shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, bangers and mash and a jam roly-poly from the Brits, onion soup and a chicken liver pate from France, pierogies and potato latkes from Poland, blintz, borscht and vareniki from Russia, goulash and paprikash from Hungary, a seafood paella from Spain… the list goes on. Of course, not forgetting local mac and cheese, meatloaf, fried chicken and chicken pot pie.

And I’m starting with sinigang, a Filipino dish which truly deserves the name comfort food. A combination of many vegetables, it can include chicken, pork or beef. Fish goes well too, and shrimp sinigang is one of my favourites. The tanginess of tomatoes and tamarind combined with the hotness from black pepper, lots of it, will bid ‘paalam’ to any gloominess in no time! 🙂

Generally I prefer to prepare all my spice mixes at home, but in this case, I have used a packaged mix. In case you can’t find it, you can use the extracted juice of tamarind. A half-inch diameter round of tamarind or 1 tbsp of tamarind extract will work fine. And of course, as usual I have made some minor adjustments to the original recipe. 🙂

Now that you have read all that about comfort food, one question… do you believe comfort food makes you feel better? Here is a recent news item, reported right on NPR – National Public Radio! Interesting, right?

~Ria

Sinigang... the Tamarind Stew

Author: Ria

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Filipino

Ingredients

2 medium sized red onions
3 tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
½ lb yard long green beans (sitaw)
½ lb radishes
3 small red potatoes
1 each red and green bell peppers
2 banana peppers
1 lb tail-on shrimp
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 packet tamarind seasoning mix (can be replaced with tamarind juice)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Slice the onions into thin wedges.
Cut the yard long beans into 1 ½ inch pieces.
Cut the tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, and banana peppers into bite sized pieces.
Slice the radishes thinly.
Crush the garlic.
In a large pan, heat the oil and sauté half the onions, cut tomatoes and crushed garlic.
When the onions turn transparent, add the vegetables and sauté for five minutes.
Add enough water to cook the vegetables.
Add the fish sauce and crushed black pepper to taste.
Cover and cook.
When the vegetables are almost done, check that there is enough water left in the pan. There should be enough water to make it look like a soup.
Add the shrimp and enough salt.
Stir and allow to come to a boil.
Cook for three more minutes or till the shrimp is cooked.
Check seasoning and remove from heat.
Serve over steamed/ boiled rice or thick slices of bread. No weather blues for a long while!

A Symbol of Fall… Stuffed and Baked Acorn Squash

By Ria / Entrée, Pork / 1 Comment / September 25, 2014

This is a wonderful time of year for locavores. The farmers’ markets are loaded with tomatoes, green beans and Brussels sprouts… kale, fennel and leeks… carrots, parsnips and rhubarb… turnips, pumpkins and squashes… though some of them like tomatoes and green beans will disappear pretty soon. They are all looking so fresh and lovely! Especially the winter squashes… they are new in the season and are at the height of their glory.

I had walked to the local market to pick up some long beans, mini/baby radishes and sweet peppers for a sinigang, a Filipino stew. But I couldn’t leave without a beautiful acorn squash perfectly shaped and a deep green in colour.

Acorn squash is a member of the squash family, belonging to the botanical genus Cucurbita, meaning ‘gourd’ in Latin.

The squashes have their origin in the Andean valleys and Central America. They were growing in those areas when the Europeans first conquered them. These squash varieties were carried to Europe after the discovery of ‘the new world’ and subsequently spread across the world.

Cultivation of the squashes as a plant species started over 5,000–6,500 years ago. It was domesticated before maize or beans, the three staples of Latin American agriculture.

Squashes come in two varieties… summer and winter squash. The summer squash are smaller, thin-skinned and are eaten before they are fully ripened. Zucchini, pattypan, and crookneck squashes belong to this category.

The winter squash grow late in the season and are harvested close to the frost setting in. They have hard rinds and keep for a long time, making them a reliable food source during the cold winter months. Acorn, spaghetti, and butternut squashes are of the winter squash variety.

The word ‘squash’ comes from the native American word ‘askutasquash’ in the Narragansett language, meaning ‘green thing eaten raw or uncooked’. Contrary to the origin of the name, squashes are invariably cooked in modern times.

The squashes are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, dietary fiber, niacin, folic acid, and iron. They do not contain any fat and cholesterol, thus making them an ideal addition to any diet. The early settlers depended a lot on squashes to sustain them during the cold hard winters in America.

The acorn squash got its name due to its acorn-like shape. It is also called pepper squash or Des Moines squash; don’t know why. Though the original acorn squash is a deep green in colour, new varieties are available in golden and white colours.

Preparing the stuffing is quite easy, just like any other.

Acorn squashes generally small in size and that makes them the best for baking. A great selection of fillings can be used to stuff it before baking. In this instance, I have used spinach, carrots, cooked rice, and sausage meat as the filling for the squash.

To add to the tastiness of the squash, rub the insides and cut edge of the squash with salt. Also, drop small pieces of butter inside the squash halves before filling them. This will keep the stuffing moist.

Be careful to fill the squash lightly, without pushing down. Using a spoon, you can pile up the stuffing, again without pressing it down.

And use aluminum foil to loosely cover the squashes till the last 10 minutes of the baking. This will prevent the stuffing drying out in the baking process.

Vegetarians can easily replace the sausage meat with cubed-small potatoes or any kind of beans.

And it was so delicious, the flesh of the squash just melting in the mouth. One of the best things about it is that it freezes very well, heating up well in the oven.

~Ria

A Symbol of Fall… Stuffed and Baked Acorn Squash

Author: Ria

Recipe type: Dinner

Ingredients

1 acorn squash, medium sized
1 tbsp salted butter
2 hot Italian sausage links
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sized onion
2 ribs celery
2 medium sized carrots
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup cooked rice
½ cup spinach, frozen, completely thawed
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Chop the onion, celery ribs and carrots into small pieces and keep aside.
Chop the thawed spinach.
In a large pan, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil.
Remove the casing from the sausage links and crumble into the hot oil.
Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, till the meat is dry.
Drain the meat and keep aside.
Add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.
Add the chopped onion, celery and carrots and cook over medium heat, till they start to turn brown around the edges.
Add the wine and keep stirring for 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate the alcohol content.
Add the sausage meat, cooked rice and spinach. Stir to mix thoroughly.
Add the oregano and salt and black pepper to taste.
Remove from the heat when fully dry and heated through.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit.
Cut the acorn squash into two and remove the seeds and roughage from the inside.
Cut small pieces off the ends to make the halves sit well.
Rub salt inside the squash halves along the cut edges.
Cut the butter into two pieces and drop into the squash halves.
Fill the squash halves with the stuffing till heaped full, without pressing down.
Fashion a loose tent over the squash, using aluminum foil.
Place the filled, tented squash halves on a baking tray lined with parchment.
Place in the oven and bake for an hour.
Ten minutes before the hour is up, remove the aluminum foil and continue baking.
When ready, remove from the oven and serve hot.

Grilled Korean Spiced Pork with Water Chestnut Salad

By Ria / Entrée, Pork / September 4, 2014

With August steadily advancing into September, and the specter of cold also getting nearer, the days of the grill are numbered. So when a lovely weekend came around, we made the best of a sunny Sunday by opting for a grilled pork meal.

The pork was marinated with a kochujoung paste, which is a hot pepper paste commonly used in Korean cuisine. The usual ingredients for the kochujoung paste are red chili powder, powdered glutinous rice, fermented soybeans and salt.

This dark red paste adds layers of flavour to the meat and gives it enough of a kick to make it interesting.

In place of kochujoung paste, you could use samchang paste, which is another hot pepper sauce of Korean origin.

In addition to the water chestnuts, the salad has cucumbers, red and orange peppers, scallions, and cilantro.

The assortment of vegetables adds colour appeal to the salad.

To align the flavours of the salad with the grilled meat, I used a dressing with mirin, tamari, fish sauce, and lime zest.

This worked very well with the crispy vegetables, giving them a lovely coating of tang and freshness.

For a coolish evening, after a sunny day, this meal was just right; fully balanced in flavours and nutrition. A well chilled fruity white wine was the perfect companion for this meal.

And a major plus, the leftover grilled pork makes great sandwiches for next day’s lunch!

~Ria

Grilled Korean Spiced Pork with Water Chestnut Salad

Author: Ria

Recipe type: Dinner

Ingredients

6 pieces thin cut pork loin
1 tbsp kochujoung paste; can be replaced with samchang paste
One 8 oz can of water chestnuts
1 cucumber
4 scallions
1 each red and orange sweet pepper
10 sprigs of cilantro
½ green chili
¼ inch ginger
Zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp mirin
½ tsp tamari
¼ tsp fish sauce
Salt to taste

Directions

Apply the kochujoung paste and salt on the pork and let sit for 30 minutes.
Thinly slice all the vegetables for the salad (can be done in a food processor) and set aside.
Thinly slice the green chili for the dressing.
Finely mince the ginger.
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing, in a small bowl and keep aside.
Cook the pork on an outdoor grill (about 3 minutes per side). You can also use a grill pan indoors, if you prefer.
Toss all the salad vegetables together.
Season with salt and pepper.
Dress the salad with the prepared dressing and serve.

Kerala Fish Meets Mediterranean Bulgur

By Ria / Entrée, Grains, Seafood / 1 Comment / August 7, 2014

We all know what we mean when we refer to the Mediterranean cuisine, though it is up to debate whether there is something called a Mediterranean cuisine at all! After all, the countries where the cuisine is supposed to be practiced – Greece, Turkey, Italy, Spain etc, all countries around the Mediterranean Sea – have such diverse foods and recipes!

Still, Mediterranean food has been identified by study after study, as the healthiest way of eating in the world. And there are diet plans being marketed based on the concepts of Mediterranean food.

So what are the characteristics of the food style known commonly as Mediterranean cuisine? It is based on the traditional food items of the area and consists mostly of plant based ingredients like whole grains, tomatoes, olives, lemons and uses olive oil for cooking.

Also, most of the protein in the diet comes from lentils and fish, with meat, specially red meat, limited to small quantities. In fact, the word Mediterranean itself brings up lovely images of lemon trees and olive orchards, bright sunrises, and silvery fish swimming in blue waters.

One of the cereals that feature prominently among Mediterranean food is bulgur. Made out of wheat groats (hulled kernels that include the cereal germ and bran portion which are lost during regular milling), it is high-fibre, and has a light, nutty flavour. It is different from cracked wheat, which it resembles a lot.

A bulgur with some beautiful red and green components… perfect for a summer dinner!

And to add some protein to the meal, a fish fry from the shores another sea, far away in the south western corner of India!

Fish is one of the mainstays of the food in Kerala, located on the southern most western shores of India. With a long shoreline, fresh fish is abundant except for the few weeks at the height of the monsoon rains.

And as olive oil is typical of the Mediterranean, coconut oil is the main cooking medium in Kerala. At least, it was so till the numerous warnings about the cholesterol in coconut oil turned people towards other oils. I’m so glad to see the tide turning these days and the health benefits of coconut oil being recognised.

So these two items from so far away, but from similar backgrounds, work well together in this great dinner. Try it, you won’t be disappointed!

~Ria

Kerala Fish Meets Mediterranean Bulgur

Author: Ria

Recipe type: Dinner

Ingredients

2 filets of white fish (such as tilapia or hake)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium sized shallot (quarter of a white or red onion will also work)
4 cloves of garlic
1 sprig curry leaves (available in Indian grocery stores)
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder (adjust according to tolerance for heat)
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 cup bulgur
1 cup chopped green olives
1 cup chopped sugar snap peas
½ cup chopped carrots
1 ¾ cups water
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions

Grind together the shallot, garlic, curry leaves, cayenne pepper and turmeric powders, with salt to taste.
Marinate the fish filets in the paste for at least 1 hour. You can keep it in the refrigerator overnight, but bring to room temperature before cooking.
Bring 1 ¾ cups of water to a boil. Add olive oil, lime juice and bulgur. Mix well, remove from heat and let sit covered for about 20 minutes. Once at room temperature, add the chopped ingredients and mix well.
Heat the coconut oil in a non-stick frying pan. When shimmering hot, add the fish filets (keep a splatter screen handy) and cook for about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove and serve with the prepared bulgur.

Cilantro Pesto Pasta

By Ria / Entrée, Vegetarian / 2 Comments / April 28, 2014

There is no easier go-to food than pasta… In the time that the water takes to boil and cook the pasta, you can get the sauce done. And if you are in a hurry, nothing is faster than a pesto sauce. However, just because it can be done quickly, it doesn’t mean that pesto is a simple thing; the flavours in a pesto sauce can be complex and intriguing. What is more, you can experiment with different combinations of ingredients.

Basically, a pesto sauce needs a nut base to give it body. Add to it any green herb to form the foundation of the flavour. And olive oil to bring it all together. The rest is entirely up to you… you can try various accent flavours to focus on, till you find your favourite combinations.

The pesto sauce I have used here is very basic, with cashew nuts and cilantro. Flavoured with garlic, ginger and lemon juice. You can keep this pesto sauce in the refrigerator for a week, in an airtight jar.

This pesto is rather versatile. You can use it with just vegetables or a combination of chicken and vegetables. If using chicken, the easiest way will be to either grill it or pan cook it and then slice it into thin strips. Here I have used just vegetables, a combination of peppers in three colours, mushrooms and egg plant.

Also, you can use any kind small sized pasta for this dish. However, I always prefer spaghetti to go with a pesto sauce. Nice to swirl around your fork!

Enjoy!

~Ria

Cilantro Pesto Pasta

Author: Ria

Recipe type: Dinner

Ingredients

½ cup cashew nuts
1 cup cilantro, measured after cleaning and chopping
½ cup + 2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
A small piece ginger root
2 tsp lemon juice
1 jalapeño or any variety green chilli
1 pinch sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups mixed vegetables, cut into thin long pieces (any combination of peppers, squash, broccoli florets, mushrooms, egg plant, etc)
½ lb spaghetti

Directions

Soak the cashew nuts in sufficient water to submerge for an hour. (If you do not have the time to soak the cashew, you can as well use pine nuts which do not need to be soaked.)
Pick only the leaves and tender stalks of cilantro and chop.
Remove the skins of garlic and ginger.
Carefully remove the stem and seeds of the jalapeno.
In the blender, add the nuts, cilantro, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, lemon juice, and sugar, and blend well. Add salt and black pepper to taste. When blended into a paste, drizzle the olive oil in a thin stream while the blender is still running. When all the oil is used up, switch off the blender and set the pesto sauce aside in a container.
Cut the vegetables into long thin strips.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, on high heat. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and stir fry for three minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
Add some salt to a pot of water and bring to boil. Add the spaghetti and cook uncovered. After 8 minutes, check for doneness. When you can bite into a strand of spaghetti easily, but there is a bit of resistance at the center, it is done enough. Drain the water off the pasta and transfer the pasta to a largish dish. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the pasta and shake together to coat.
Add the stir fired vegetables to the pasta. Drizzle the pesto sauce over the pasta and vegetables and carefully mix together.
Serve hot with extra pesto sauce on the side.

Chicken Sausage Rice… inspired by Paella!

By Ria / Entrée, Pork, Poultry / Leave a Comment / April 24, 2014

Paella is one of my favourite rice dishes... not only is it delicious, it is sort of a complete meal. At least the version that I make where I incorporate some vegetables into a mainly chicken and seafood dish. The other day when the craving for Paella hit me, I was in the midst of a project deadline and in no way able to spend the time to prepare it. Necessity is the mother of invention, right? I did come up with a dish which has chicken and sausages and resembled Paella enough to make my tummy happy. Win-win all the way!

It is actually very simple... cook sausages and chicken separately. Chop some vegetables. Throw everything together along with some rice, and cook till done. Though I used hot Italian sausages, I think chorizo will be even better.

Any vegetables that will not go mushy will work. As this was not a planned-in-advance dish, I used the red peppers I had in the refrigerator. And of course, onions and garlic. Celery adds some additional flavour to the dish, but can easily be omitted.

The rice I used was regular long grained rice, but again, do you think Arborio rice would be better? Maybe next time I’ll try this dish with Arborio rice. And chorizos.

Yeah, many ways to manage this dish with whatever ingredients you have handy!

~Ria

Chicken Sausage Rice... inspired by Paella!

Author: Ria

Recipe type: Dinner

Ingredients

2 lb skinless, boneless chicken, thighs and breasts mixed
1 lb sausages
1 large onion
2 ribs celery
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
2 cups rice, Arborio or long grain
1 large red pepper, or a mix of vegetables
1 can (12 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can chicken stock (can be made from cubes or substituted with water)
Cooking oil, as required
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Cut the chicken into pieces and mix with chilli powder, paprika, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Leave aside in the refrigerator to marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Cut the sausages into bite size pieces.
Wash and drain the rice and leave aside.
Chop the onions and celery roughly. Slice the garlic thinly.
Cut the vegetables into bite size pieces.
In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the sausages. Drain on paper towels.
In the same pan, add another 2 tbsp of oil and brown the marinated chicken pieces on all sides. Keep aside.
Add 2 more tbsp oil to the pan and add the onions, celery and garlic. Fry till they turn transparent.
Add the drained rice and fry for two minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Stir together. Add the sausages and chicken pieces to the mixture. Season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a boil and cover and cook for 15 minutes, checking after 10 minutes to see there is enough liquid in the dish. If not, add enough water to cook.
When the rice is done, switch off the heat and let sit for another 10 minutes.
Serve with a salad dressed with any creamy dressing. Quick and easy and delicious!

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