Dum Aloo, Dhal with fried spices, Jeera rice, Naan and mint Raita

So Sunday a couple of cold tired hikers showed up at my door. (Chris and Cassidy) I was warned ahead of time and had prepared a nice vegetarian (for Cass) Indian dinner for them.

Cass even pitched in and chopped Corriander ( Cilantro) for the Dum Aloo

We sat and ate it on the living room floor. Tasty Tasty.

Tandoori Chicken with Jeera rice, Mint Raita and Naan

Well, I went on an kick this weekend and thought I would put on a little SARGAM by Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya and cook up a little tasty Indian dinner.

Lets start with the Tandoori to get it marinating. This is a little complex so I will just go over it quickly. you can find many recipes online.

combine garlic gloves, fresh ginger, hot green or red chilies, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, bayleaf, cinnamon add plain unsweetened notfat organic greek style yogurt and marinate 2-24 hours. Remember eating is about your eyes and most people like Tandoori red so hit a little red food coloring in there... Tandoori tastes way better when you actually grill it. Try to replicate the high heat of the Tandoor without killing your chicken.

For the Mint Raita mix yogurt with a little water, add 1 small onion chopped finely, some salt and 1/tsp mint sauce. garnish with chopped fresh mint leaves.

Don't forget the Naan! brush with melted butter or preferably Ghee if you have it.

Now whip up some Jeera rice. I got this recipe out of Ismael Merchants wonderful Passionate meals.

1 1/2 cups Basmati rice, 3 tbsp Vegetable oil, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2-2" Cinnamon sticks, 4 Cloves, 1/4 tsp salt. First you bloom the spices slowly in the oil making sure they don't scorch and then you boil the rice. Real simple, Real tasty.

I served this all with onion and tomato slices and a nice Pale Ale

Curry Dijon King Salmon on a Bed of Sautéed Onion Ginger Cabbage, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Brown Gravy, with Steamed Green Asparagus on the Side

IMPORTANT NOTE:

THE FOLLOWING POST IS BEING POSTED ON DAD'S BEHALF
THIS IS HIS POST!

Preheat your oven to 400° and then focus on this, your ingredients.
Slice your onions and cabbage, grate your ginger, etc.
Begin by heating your oil and sautée onions until tender and golden.

With your other hand, remove skin from Salmon and place in a prepared roasting dish with the fish's rounded side up.
Mix curry powder, and dijon together with two tsp water. Brush this mixture evenly over Salmon.

Hit it with Dill!
Roast appx. 15 min until opaque through.

While Salmon is roasting, your onions will be done. Add ginger and cumin to skillet. Cook, and stir, 1 minute. Then add cabbage and salt. Cover and cook 10 to 12 minutes until cabbage is just tender and begins to brown.

Spoon Cabbage and onion mixture onto plate and top with Salmon.
Dad's Special Plate

Chris Cracked Pepper and He Don't Care.

Done!

Tasty Grilled Tuna

Mix together in a small bowl: 1 Tbsp Brown sugar, 1 Tbsp Sesame oil, 1/3 cup Soy sauce, 1/3 cup Rice wine vinegar, 2 minced Garlic cloves, 1/4 inch piece fresh ginger grated, Fresh cracked pepper and Chili pepper flakes to taste.

Drop in hunk of tasty Tuna steak and marinate 2-4 hours.

Grill and eat with your favorite sides.

New Instant Coffee from Starbucks!!!

Start with a mug.

Add Hot Water and your choice of Starbucks' new instant coffees... either Columbian or Italian.

Mix water and coffee in mug.
Then realize it still tastes like instant coffee, Starbucks or not.

Old School

Everything Comes From Something.

Squid with Jalapenos, Chipotles and Greens

Rinse and drain Squid.

Clean Squid, remove Quill, seperate head from Mantle, skin and remove Wings, cut Tentacles from eyes and gunk (retaining ink sac if you want to make black crutons later), turn Mantle inside out and rinse any remaining gunk off, cut Tentacles in half making sure to remove beak. you should be left with a clean Mantle, clean Wings, and tasty Tentacle halves. Cut Mantle into rings and wing, maybe in half depending on size.

Ok, here goes! Cook diced Jalapeno , crushed Chipotle and minced Garlic in oil maybe 15 seconds. Do not burn your Garlic! Add clean stemmed and chopped Mustard Greens. Cook until wilted. Add Squid and Salt to taste and cook until Squid is opaque. Serve with your favorite Rice and a drizzle of Tamari sauce.

Enjoy!

Beef.

Mmmmmm. Steak.
(eaten the way God intended, hot and with my fingers)

Sleek

So I found another recipe on the net... This one is for a vegitarian dish called Sleek. I found it because I was looking for a way to cook Kale. I thought this looked good. I figured since it was the first time I was ever going to cook Kale I should be adventurous... Once I started I found out I didn't have any black eyed peas so I had to modify (Great Northern Beans my appologies). It was still delicious! I hope next time will be even better!

1 large Sweet Yellow Onion

1 good bunch of Kale (chopped stems removed)

1/2 cup Bulghar Wheat

1 can Black Eye Peas

Tamari Sauce

Plain Non Fat Yogurt

Toast the Bulghar Wheat in some Olive Oil until golden. Add 1 cup boiling water and set aside. Saute Sweet Yellow Onion in 2 tsp Olive Oil til carmelized. Drain and rinse Black Eye Peas. Add Bulghar, Peas and Kale. Toss gently. Cover and simmer until Kale is cooked down and shiny. Add 1 tbsp Tamari and stir. Serve with a dollop of Yogurt and a sprinkle of Tamari.

Aebleskivers!

A while back I heard a tall tale about a group of famished war weary Viking invaders retiring from battle and replenishing there strength by eating pancakes. The shields that had once been flat and smooth and provided double duty as a camp griddle now were completely covered in dents and dings. Not to be discouraged the proud Viking invaders made their beloved pancakes in the dents and a new tradition was born spherical pancakes filled with apple. Or so they say. At least some of them...

I found a recipe online called "Great-Grandma Hansen's Aebleskiver Recipe." and thought, "Hey I'll use that." but then I found this one...

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Baking soda

1 tbsp ground Cardamom

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp madagasgar bourbon vanilla

2 cups buttermilk

I also figured I might make a variety of fillings. you know, Savory Sausage and Havarti, Huckleberry, Blueberry, Chocolate you know, that kind of thing. so everyone should run out and buy a monk pan and start making these tasty little bites. I mean we are Danish afterall. Think tasty little donut pancakes...

Tragedy

There was a great tragedy in my kitchen today. The other day I made potato salad since the picture of Mom making some inspired me. Oh yum, potato salad. Such a great summery food. It almost makes the rain and snow go away. So taking it out of the fridge for lunch my hand slipped. The entire bowl (minus the small amount I had yesterday) landed on the floor. Upside down. Plastic wrap won't keep potato salad in the bowl, it's not strong enough. Such wonderful food, lost. All that time and effort, wasted. Here's a picture of my trash can full of one of my favorite foods. Such a great tragedy...

Cumin-Pepper Flank Steak with Red Quinoa Swiss Chard and Chimichurri

Rub your flank steak with Cumin, a little salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.

Make a nice Chimichurri, think Parsley, Garlic, Green Onion, Horseradish, Salt, Pepper, Vinegar and a little Olive Oil. puree till thick and pungent. Steam some Chard. Cook up your Quinoa. Grill your Flank Steak.

Eat.

Quick and easy Veggie Pita

Stuff a whole Wheat Pita with Spinach, sliced Onions, a little Ketchup, sliced Tomatoes and your favorite Veggie burger patty.

And "No, I am not a veg-etable-arian!" but I do love me some Veg.

Quick and Healthy Pizza

Slice a whole wheat pita in half. Pan roast Garlic. Toast pita halves and smear with roasted garlic. Top with marinara sauce. Cover with as much Onions, Tomatoes, Olives, Jalapenos, Fresh Basil and Mushrooms as you like. Add 2oz. chopped grilled Chicken and 1oz. Low fat Feta. Bake in 350 degree oven 15 min. Add an additional amount of Tomatoes and fresh Basil.
Eat both!

Quick N' Dirty BLT

I figure I should lead with this pic, just so we all know what exactly is going into our bodies...

If it didn't taste so good, we might not eat it.
Salted & Fried Pork Belly!

(If you would like this picture in a higher resolution, or bigger, so you can use it as your desktop background... just drop me an e-mail. I'd be happy to provide it.)

Otherwise known as Bacon.

Since I make what I like, this is where I start to break from tradition. Usually you'd get a BLT on white bread... probably toasted. But not here! I like dark breads, whole grain breads, etc.

The iceberg lettuce could be considered traditional, even though Romaine is usually what I think of.
(Personally, I would've used fresh spinach if I had it.)

There's nothing else in the world quite like the taste of fresh tomato running smack into some fresh cracked pepper. So I top my tomato with a pinch of salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

The final two steps:
Pick this up.
Put it in you.

tonight's dinner

No picture, but we tried some five-spice orange sesame pork chops for dinner tonight. They were really good, even though (or because of) we spilled twice the amount of oil than we needed in the pan. Really yummy. :) Maybe next time we'll stop eating long enough to grab the camera.

Marinated Steak with steamed Swiss Chard

Marinate a nice Steak in 2 tbsp Vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar), 1/2 tbsp E.V.O.O., 1/2 tbsp Toasted Sesame oil. Throw in some minced Garlic, chopped Scallions and Toasted Sesame seeds. let sit for as long as you like. (maybe 1/2 hour or so cuz I was hungry)

Grill Steak maybe 5 min a side or to desired doneness.

I like 5 min because I steamed the chard stems for 5 min then added the leaves for 5 min more.

works nice with the 5 min a side on the steak.

Top the Chard with a little Salt and Pepper to taste.

Tasty goodness filled with vitamins!

Mom Makes Potato Salad

Smile!

Ingrid

The "Spice Drawer"
:)

Fixin's

Sesame Chicken Chop Salad

1 cup mixed Spring Greens, 1/4 cup chopped Celery, 1/2 cup Yellow Bell Pepper, 1/2 cup chopped Green Beans, 6oz. chopped grilled Chicken Breast and 2 tbsp of your favorite asian style Toasted Sesame dressing.

Pan Grilled Yellowfin with Bok Choy

Cover a beautiful piece of Yellowfin Tuna with Sesame Seeds.

Us a grill pan to sear on both sides. Tuna steak should be pink in the middle and taste sweet.

Nothing like that crap in a can.

Serve on Grilled Bok Choy drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Salt and Pepper.Top with scallions.

Spinach and Mushroom Omelette with Feta

Mix 1 Egg + 3 Egg whites with 1 cup chopped Spinach, 1/2 cup Sliced Mushrooms, Salt and Pepper to taste. Fry in a skillet top with 1 oz. Feta. Cover and cook til eggs are just set.

Rosemary Garlic Chicken

Spray a sheet of foil with cooking spray, throw on some Chicken, top with minced Garlic, fresh chopped Rosemary and S&P to taste. Wrap up and bake at 375 15-20 min.

Serve with steamed Brussel Sprouts. I know, I know. I got lazy so there is no rice or anything. So sue me.

Lemon Time Cod

Take your Cod Piece, drop it on some foil, toss on some diced Shallot, some minced Garlic, some fresh chopped Thyme, diced Tomatoes, Lemon juice and zest. Top with Salt and Pepper to taste. Add 1-2 tbsp water for steam. Wrap up and bake to desired doneness.

Serve over steamed Asparagus.

Yum.

As an alternative you could put the tomatoes on fresh at the end or use Sun Dried Tomatoes...