Category: Inauthentic Recipes

Honey Ginger Chicken with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes

Leave a comment

Honey Ginger Chicken: Marinate four chicken thighs with 3 tbs soy sauce, 3 tbs oil, 3 tbs honey (I was so close to finishing my honey bear bottle that I just emptied it into the marinade, making it more like 4 tbs honey), 1/2 tsp garlic crushed/paste/minced, whatever you have and 1/2 tsp garlic paste, salt, pepper. Marinated for three hours. I added a few sliced green chili peppers. Baked at 425 for 20-30 minutes.

Wasabi Mashed Potatoes:  Just regular mashed potatoes. Boil potatoes. Mash. Butter 2 tbs. 1/4 cup heavy cream or sour cream. Salt and pepper. Add 1 tsp of wasabi mustard. Top with green onions.

I can’t take credit for the vegetables. It was just a bag of Bird’s Eye Asian Vegetable Medley. But I have to say the baby corn with its metal flavor was NOT my favorite.

Good dinner. Caramelized skin, succulent warmly spiced chicken, creamy and spicy potatoes. Did I say it was super easy?

You can marinate the chicken things in a bag over the weekend and just bake on a weeknight for an easy no prep dinner. I imagine yummy with noodles and rice too. Let me know how it goes, if you try it.

Amani, I hope you try it in your college kitchen, its cheap, quick and neutral enough to suit many taste palates.

Wishing you delicious improvised and inauthentic dishes,

Hungryphil

Sunday Slow Eats (Inauthentic Recipes)

6 Comments

IMG_1927

Last weekend my newly braced child, not in pain, and asked for “deshi” or “home food.” I was only too happy to oblige and enjoy a day of savored chewing with her. It took two hours to slow roast the lamb shank in the oven. While that was cooking in a glaze of ginger, caramelized onions, spices, raisins and nuts, Jim and I cooked Dal (the thick kind my father likes), a spicy shrimp curry and a light vegetable curry.

In my chopped and blended family, Jim can now identify spices, stir until the oil separates from the roasted spices ( a strange and specific Asian cooking technique) and even anticipate when I’ll ask for another onion. Very impressive. He is officially trained in the deshi kitchen (he’s already quite a chef during Steak and Burgers, Southern, Italian and Mexican kitchen nights). Jim not only helps me cook but has also graduated from eating modified Bengali food to keeping up with my confessedly inauthentic taste. No coconut milk or cream was added, no heat removed, no vegetables or spices were denied yesterday.

It was reassuring to be able to share a meal that reminds me of my parents and larger family, with Jim. Cooking may have taken two hours but considering going to the stores and washing dishes afterwards, it was a whole day event. It was time well spent together. What a true luxury to have an open day to make something that invites thoughts of family whether present or not (you are missed and loved).

Here are loose directions for each of the dishes for Amani, my eldest at college (one of many missed yesterday) and you my patient readers:

Thick Split Chana Dal

  1. Cook the lentils in water until tender. I had about 1/2 cup of dal with 2 cups of water. Some kernels will start breaking apart. This takes a while (about an hour on medium heat).
  2. Add salt and tumeric.
  3. Saute cumin seeds until fragrant (about 30 secs), sliced onions, slivers of garlic ( a little later otherwise the garlic will burn and become bitter), chili peppers, in ghee. Add the mixture to the dal, stir and let simmer until desired consistency. Add water if needed.

Mixed Vegetables

This a super easy way to make a light vegetable curry.

  1. Cut vegetables ( I had eggplant, pumpkin, potatoes and a particular type of green large and long squash found in Indian markets, I have no idea what the English name might be) into equal sizes, about a 3/4 inch dice.
  2. Cook with a little water until tender.
  3. Add salt, tumeric to the cooked and soft vegetables.
  4. Repeat step three of the dal recipe. Here you can add 1/2 teaspoon of ginger or a spoon of any indian jarred pickle you might have.

Spicy Shrimp Curry

  1. Make a spice paste with 1 teaspoon tumeric, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic paste, 1/2 garlic, 1/2 cup onion paste (just blend up an onion)  1/2 coriander powder, 1/2 cumin powder and salt. 
  2. saute spice mixture in oil
  3. add 1/2 can (or fresh) of diced tomatoes, saute spice mixture in oil until oil separates. You may have to add oil, until it does so.
  4. Add a bag of cleaned shrimp.
  5. Simmer until shrimp is cooked, add cilantro before serving.

Roasted Lamb Shank

  1. Rub lamb shank with salt, ginger and garlic paste and let rest. If you have any packaged spices or garam masala you like, you can rub that on as well. I’m guessing any spice rub would work.
  2. Brown shank on all sides. Set aside.
  3. In same pan, saute sliced onions, add 1/2 teaspoon each of  ginger and garlic paste, slivered almonds, raisins until roasted and brown. Place the shank (s) in the sauce. Add water to just cover the bottom.
  4. Cover and bake in a low heat oven (325) for about 1 hour-2 hours until meat almost falls off the bone.

We enjoyed these dishes with Pulao (Rice pilaf) and store bought naan. Left-overs are even better! I had a fantastic and fulfilling lunch of vegetables and rice today. Oreo, the dog, who turned 3 yesterday, is chewing on a lamb bone as I write. He is so happy.

That’s my food story for now.

Wishing all of you random days of shared cooking, eating and remembering,

Hungryphil

New Braces: Compromised Chewing not Taste

2 Comments

IMG_1887IMG_1888

Puberty and braces unfortunately happen together here in the U.S.  Last week we had one child completing her time with braces while another began the process. New braces brought new challenges to my already complex chopped and blended dinner table. Soups and smoothies worked until she got tired of a liquid diet. Then came the minimal chewing but more substantial meals. I made her soupy khichuri (a Bengali mix of rice and lentils, lightly spiced), one of her favorite, braces or no braces. She also enjoyed the savory corn pancakes (a batter made with the addition of creamed corn). The chicken enchiladas still required too much chewing for her comfort. I lost a point there. Its always somehow surprising when small unrecognized parts of ourselves, once hurt or broken, change the way we do things. Teeth are wonderful machines that allow us to enjoy so many delicious simple things, like apples and crusty bread. Certainly not to be taken for granted by foodies, eaters and gourmands.

I’ll report back with brace friendly bowl food like khichuri, congee, risotto, grits, polenta and various sauces for the months of tightening to follow.

Second Raw Spice Bar Journey: Jamaican Fish Tacos

5 Comments


My June culinary trip courtesy of my subscription to the online spice purveyor, Raw Spice Bar was to Jamaica. With all the summer fun and travel, it was August before we had the chance to use the delicious recipes and accompanying spices. The delightfully light and tropical menu involved jerk fish tacos, mango corn salsa and banana fritters.  The fish tacos were layered with smoky and fresh flavors, as was the ginger corn salsa.  The combination of heat and fruit gave the meal a distinct island feel. Really good. My food writing is not doing the meal justice. The recipes taught me a few new techniques, like grilling the corn in the husk for 20 minutes for the salsa. And, that salsa can have warm, hearty flavors like ginger and paprika. I also learned that white flaky fish can stand up to heavily spiced marinades and the substantive chew of corn salsa. These were not dainty and delicate fish tacos. I have to confess, like my first experiment and trip to Peru, the dessert was not my favorite. But, I was happy to be challenged by the unusual spicy sweet banana fritters. What a wonderful way to spend an Indiana summer evening on the porch with friends tasting far away flavors together! Thank you, Les and Kara for gastronomically traveling to Jamaica with us and bringing the pina coladas.

https://rawspicebar.com/june-jamaican-spice-box/

If as philosopher Levi Bryant writes, “A recipe is a machine that performs operations on a cook, leading that cook, in her turn, to perform certain operations on various cooking utensils and ingredients” then this culinary trip to Jamaica made me mindful of  all the negotiated details that involved the spice packets, the recipe directions, the ingredients, the cooking methods and utensils, the cultural tastes, my skill level and taste preference, online shopping, reliable mail delivery, producers and collectors of the spices, and more. It mediated a different organization of familiar ingredients. I’ll be thinking about the gravity and media of Jamaican Fish Tacos for a while. More later on recipes as machines, ala Levi Bryant’s machine-oriented ontology.

Garden to Table

2 Comments


  

Summer garden bhaji is what I decided to make with my friend Meg’s gift of fresh veggies this week. A bhaji is basically a stir fry of shredded vegetables with turmeric, onions and other spices ( if desired). Meg’s garden bhaji was a combination of cabbage, green peppers and okra. I added the juicy red cherry tomatoes to a dry shrimp sauté. Some simple dal, lentil soup and rice complete deshi dinner night. Stir fry or bhaji is an easy solution to having little bits of a variety of vegetables.  A good wok is worth having in a busy kitchen. Mine just lives on my stove. This garden to table dinner is a product of west Lafayette, good friends who garden, south Asian cooking techniques and spices. Its a dinner that reminds me of my friend down the street with her bountiful garden, my Bhabi (sister-in-law) who first  taught me how to make a bhaji, my baby girl’s craving for “home food,” my southern-raised beloved’s request for dal and how I need to make this for my vegetarian, Indian-food aware friend, Kathy.  Food is magic in its ability to bring such diversity together, just like a mixed vegetable bhaji. 

Who inspires your dinner plate tonight?

Ohhhhhhkra! Two ways.

2 Comments

Who knew okra flowers were so stunningly beautiful! Apparently everyone who grows them. This beauty is from my super-gardener father-in-law, Dennis’ garden. I know…. okra can be sticky, fuzzy, and slimy when cooked. But somehow the beauty of the flowers helps me forgive those small okra vices. Not only did I get to marvel at the beauty of Dennis’ garden (which also included green beans, corn, peppers, eggplant and my favorite…. Tomatoes), I was also happy to receive the gifts of those blossoms. This is not fancy and abstract “farm to table” restaurant cooking. This is messy, personal and beautiful home garden cooking. My equally super-canner mother-in-law, Rachel, transforms the summer garden into bags of frozen fried okra, salsa, pepper jelly, creamed corn and more to enjoy year round. What a gift! Thank you, both for sharing the love, beauty and deliciousness of your garden. 

What to do when given a basket of goodies? I searched for recipes, of course! As you know, my fellow eaters, so much is out there. Most, very good. In the end, I didn’t want to take attention away from the okra experience by focusing on a new recipe. You know what it’s like….nervously shifting back and forth between screen and actuality, measuring, gauging, checking the images (like a correspondence theory of truth, hoping to match an idea with a reality, …..Very unsatisfying).

Instead, I decided to make two versions. My childhood version of okra, my mom’s favorite, Bengali bhaji, which basically means sautéed thinly sliced vegetables with sliced onions, tumeric, salt, chili peppers and other spices if desired. We had the okra bhaji with rice, salmon tikka (a south Asian version of bbq spice) and light a sweet and spicy tomato sauce ( made from garden tomatoes). I sent a picture of the dinner to my mom. She approved.

I also made fried okra to freeze, my new favorite. Did not turn out as yummy as Rachel’s, despite her gracious efforts to explain the process. Still very good. I cut the pieces a bit larger and added hot sauce to the buttermilk. I am concerned that the crispy bites will not make it to a freezer bag. Fried fish and okra is beginning to sound good for dinner tonight. 

What are your garden-cooking stories? Do gardeners cook differently from non-gardeners? Maybe they demonstrate an object oriented practice, by which the vegetables are not just ingredients but ways to absorb a beautiful and bountiful summer. It is magical, to be able to eat the experience of summer in the dead of winter, isn’t it? Or now…gotta go…time for dinner.

Wishing you happy summer eating or eating summer,

Hungryphil

Dear Meg, my friend who asked for the recipe. I just cut the okra in bite size pieces, soaked them in buttermilk, hot sauce, salt and pepper, as desired. Shake off excess. Coat with a cornmeal and flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. Fry in oil. Enjoy!

Boil, Steam, Eat – no recipe required 

Leave a comment

  
 This year we celebrated the American Declaration of Independence on July 4th with the simplicity of steamed and boiled seafood. A deviation from our usual BBQ chicken and accompaniments, but well worth it! Aside from the seafood, corn and potatoes we had melted butter, ghee, sweet rolls and sweet tea on the table. It was fun, messy, steamy, decadent and delicious.

Frankly, I think the kids would’ve been happier without the old bay seasoning. I, on the hand, had to resist the urge to make a curry with the crab legs. Hmmm… Now that I think about it…. Maybe a few curry dipping sauces next year? Simplicity is difficult.

If you’re in the U.S, I hope you had a delicious and bright holiday too!

Baking Experiment: Elvis Pound Cake

Leave a comment

IMG_1007

Its the cup of heavy cream that makes this pound cake so moist. The extra whipping of the eggs, sugar and cream doesn’t hurt either. It was a fun and very easy recipe to make. Tastes, fantastic! Sweet crust, smooth light texture and very buttery. Very highly rated and reviewed. Only seven ingredients: sugar, eggs, cream, flour, butter, vanilla and salt. Makes two loafs. I’m looking forward to layering my leftovers with strawberries and whipped cream.

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Classic-Elvis-Pound-Cake

Lemongrass Tilapia

1 Comment

IMG_1759

We stopped for lunch at a small Vietnamese place in Indianapolis last weekend and ordered Vietnamese Lemongrass Basa Fish. It was light, delicate and lemony. Perfect for a spring lunch. Inspired by the dish, tonight’s dinner: Lemongrass Tilapia.

Anyone reading this please note, my recipes are for people like me who use recipes as a loose guideline. Sorry for the fuzzy numbers and directions.

I used:

2 Tilapia filets

1/2 small tube lemograss puree (or 2 lemongrass stalks chopped and processed fine)

1/2 teaspoon each of ginger and garlic paste

2 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon of lemony ponzu or just soy sauce

1 tablespoon of sesame oil (although I”m questioning the inclusion of this…seems to add a roasty element to an otherwise citrus dish)

1/2 onion sliced

1/4 red bell pepper sliced

1/4 cup of shredded basil leaves

Salt and pepper (white, if you have it)

1. Rub garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and cornstarch on the fish. Let rest for 5-10 minutes.

2. Make a sauce combining lemongrass, ponzu, sesame oil and enough water to give it a dressing consistency.

3. Fry the filets in 2 tablespoon oil. Set aside.

4. Saute red bell peppers, onions just until soft.

5. Pour sauce mix over and let heat through.

6. Add fish and basil leaves (I added thinly sliced thai peppers). Let it come to a hard simmer, cover and let rest.

Serves two (and a little one) with jasmine rice.

It wasn’t an exact replication but sure was delicious. The lemongrass gives it a gentle citrus flavor that is wonderful. Definitely worth trying and remembering.

The plate needs some vegetable. Next time, maybe some sauteed garlic spinach?

Warm Mother’s Day Wishes with a Bowl of Braised Short Ribs and Polenta

2 Comments

IMG_1753IMG_1750

If you have a weekend to work off a good meal, here’s an idea:  Braised short ribs with Creamy Polenta and Oreo Brownies. Yes it was, over the top. Wow! I really don’t need to say anymore. Both easy recipes. Very forgiving. Didn’t have carrots, didn’t feel the need to reduce the braising liquid, didn’t really have the best short ribs either, didn’t have enough parmesean for the polenta…still delicious and creamy. The brownies…well…I don’t think I ate more than a few bites….super chocolatey…really needs the milk alongside, as the recipe warns. So, be warned. This was an easy recipe to make and very easy to eat. Maybe too easy. Perfect for a weekend treat. Or a beloved’s homecoming.

Had salad and soup for dinner tonight. I feel less guilty about last night. Tomorrow is Mother’s day…all bets are off.

Wishing all of you hungry moms a very warm satisfying meal and HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY,

HungryPhil

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/braised-short-ribs-with-creamy-polenta.html

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Oreo-Brownies-976297 for the Idea Room