Indian-Spiced Grilled Fish, Onion Bhajis & Rose Water Pudding

The week ended too quickly, with too many Indian recipes left to try, so tonight I made three! I told you this country's cuisine was one of my favorites...  Two recipes came from my cookbook, and the other I found online.

The fish recipe, from the Food Network website, was delicious despite falling apart on the grill - we forgot to buy skin-on filets. Oh well! We boiled the leftover marinade for drizzling and we'll probably mix the rest with some cooked rice for a nice side dish. It's just too good to toss out!

As for the onion bhajis, I can't believe it's taken me so long to try them. They're these amazing fritters, both savory and sweet. Bonus: The weather's so mild, I was able to fry them outdoors on the grill's side burner so the house doesn't smell!

The rose water pudding is still a mystery. It hasn't set yet! Rose water such a unique ingredient. (I had some rose water lemonade at a Greek deli in Seattle that was stunningly good.) I've never prepared anything with it personally, so I'm excited to try this treat. I licked the spoon when I finished making it, and I thought it was lovely. Hopefully, after tasting it cold and gelatinized, I'll feel the same! I'll add a comment to this post with the verdict, but it might have to wait till tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I've got a fantastic destination for the coming week and I'll announce it then. But, once again, I've gotten ahead of myself. Here's how I made tonight's three dishes:

FISH:
½ cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp lemongrass, minced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, grated
1 jalapeño, minced
1 onion, minced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
¼ cup coconut milk
¼ cup oil
salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 white fish filets (mackerel, perch, flounder, etc.), skin on


Combine all the ingredients except the fish in a bowl and mix well. Then, add the fish and marinate for 15 minutes. Grill the fish for about 4-5 minutes per side, starting skin-side up. Baste often with the marinade.

BHAJIS:
¾ cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp ground coriander
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 jalapeño, minced
½ cup warm water
Salt, to taste
2 onions, finely sliced
Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)


Heat a few inches of oil in a deep pan or fryer to 375°.

Add all ingredients except the onions into a food processor and blend till smooth. Pour batter into a bowl and let sit in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Add the onions and deep fry them like fritters, about 2 Tbsp each, about 5 minutes till golden. Try not to make them too thick or the centers won't cook. Drain well on paper towels, and serve them hot sprinkled with the fresh herbs.

I bet this pudding will be delicious!

PUDDING:

2½ cups milk

1 envelope (¼ oz.) powdered unflavored gelatin
3 Tbsp water
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp rose water

Bring the milk almost to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and allow it soften for 2-3 minutes. When the milk is hot, add the gelatin and sugar and stir till completely dissolved. Then mix in the rose water. Remove from the heat and whisk till cooled slightly and frothy. Pour the pudding into either single-serving bowls or a larger one, if desired. Refrigerate till completely set.

Cook's Note: The original recipe for the rose water pudding uses a few drops of red food-coloring to make half the mixture pink. That is poured into the dishes and chilled for about a half hour till partially set. Then the white layer is added, after being kept warm till the pink layer is ready. Then the pudding goes back in the fridge till completely set.

Moghul Duck

Wow, this dish was definitely worth the wait!

I love duck but I've never cooked it, so I've been eager to find a recipe for this blog that uses it. When I read this one, it sounded perfect. Not only because I already had most of the ingredients in my fridge and pantry, but because of the flavors I love so much. Coconut, ginger, garlic, cumin - these are a few of my all-time favorites, and they meld beautifully in this recipe, which is named for the Moghul empire that ruled India for more than 300 years.

Once again, my trusty specialty meat market, Roma Imports in Latham, had several boneless duck breasts in stock. They were about a pound each, so I only needed to purchase one for this dish. If you're concerned that's not a lot of meat, it's plenty and you can easily serve 2-4 people, especially if you're serving it with bread or rice. Be sure to completely remove the fat cap and as much silver skin as you can to help keep the duck tender.

For tomorrow, I'm planning an Indian feast complete with dessert! Some of those recipes, and tonight's, are from my cookbook. For tomorrow's main dish, though, I've found a fish recipe on the Food Network's website.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. This delectable duck deserves its due! So, here's how I made it:

Nut Masala:
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
¾ cup cashew nuts
¼ cup boiling water

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the four spices and sauté till golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a couple minutes more. Put the spice mixture in a food processor with the nuts and water. Carefully blend into a smooth paste (if you're concerned the hot mixture will splash, then allow it to cool slightly). Set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Duck:
1 lb. boneless duck breast, cut into thin strips
4 Tbsp oil, divided
1 onion, minced
Prepared Nut Masala
1 tsp ground turmeric

⅔ cup plain low-fat yogurt

¼ fat-free half-and-half

⅔ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
½ cup golden raisins
⅓ cup cashew nuts
1 green jalapeño, seeded and minced
Fresh cilantro or parsley, minced (optional)

Heat 3 Tbsp of oil over high heat and sauté the duck till browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Turn down the heat to medium-high and sauté the onion in the same pan till golden and soft, about 5 minutes. Mix in the prepared Nut Masala and turmeric and sauté another couple minutes.

Next, add in the yogurt, half-and-half, coconut and raisins and mix well. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes till the duck is cooked and tender. Just before you're ready to serve it, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a small pan and sauté the cashews till golden, just 2-3 minutes. Add the jalapeño and sauté for a couple minutes more. Spoon some of this mixture on top of each serving and sprinkle with the herbs.

Cook's Note: There are many Indian breads and rice dishes that would pair wonderfully with this dish. I actually had some of the Mauritian bread I made in the freezer that needed eating, so I used that (as promised, it kept beautifully and thawed perfectly). But, feel free to experiment on your own. The recipes are easy to find, and none look too difficult. Happy cooking!

My bad...

Sorry, folks! I'd planned to prepare my second recipe tonight, but discovered too late that I'd run out of a couple key ingredients. That means I'll be posting recipes for the next two nights, before I pick our next destination on Sunday. Cheers!

EkoBrew

OK, I know I'm supposed to be blogging about India this week, but my wife made the most incredible discovery at the grocery store!

EkoBrew, have you seen it? Like many of my friends, I'm addicted to my Keurig® single cup coffee brewer, but I hate how expensive the K-cups are and throwing away all those little plastic cups. They aren't recyclable.

When I tweeted Keurig about that, probably a year ago now (using a different account than this one), they responded that they were working on downstream solutions. I'm glad that's the case but, thankfully, I don't have to wait any longer.

There are other reusable filters available, but we couldn't get them to work consistently. Even with Keurig's unit, More often than not, the water would overflow and we'd end up with a bunch of grounds in a cup of weakly brewed coffee. (First world pains, I know.)

Not so with EkoBrew. Perhaps the secret to EkoBrew's success is that you don't have to remove the part of the brewer that holds the K-cup, like you do with other reusable filters. With those, you have to snap out the usual holder and replace it with a temporary one.

Honestly? I don't know why EkoBrew works so much better, but it does. So now, we can enjoy our (current) favorite coffee, Starbuck's new Blonde roasts, and save some cash.

Kashmir Meatball Curry & Fragrant Fried Rice

I've decided to tackle India from north to south. So, my first dish is from the northern, temperate region described in yesterday's post.

Cardamom Pods (en.wikipedia.org)

Kashmir, a hotly disputed territory between India, Pakistan and the People's Republic of China ever since British rule of the subcontinent ended in 1947, is credited as "home" for these curried lamb meatballs. They're easy to make - and absolutely delicious - but they did require a somewhat heavy lift by my spice cabinet.

I tried to substitute certain spices, like whole cloves and cardamom pods, with ground versions rather than buy "duplicative" items. Honestly, I probably should invest in some whole cloves. The cardamom substituted with no problems, but cloves are a uniquely pungent spice that is tricky to moderate. Just a pinch of ground cloves overpowered even the garam masala. Live and learn...

If that wasn't enough, my rice dish also gave me problems! I cooked the rice for twice the amount of time as instructed and it still came out crunchy. That's never happened to me before! Frankly, I was starving, thanks to the delectable aromas from these dishes, so I couldn't wait. I scooped some of the cauliflower and onions off the top and left the rice to finish. Even without the rice, it was amazingly good.

Whole Cloves (en.wikipedia.org)

These dishes are well paired, using many of the same seasonings, and I highly recommend them both - even with all tonight's minor snafus. So, here's how I made them:

LAMB:
1½ lbs. ground lamb
¼ cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
3 Tbsp. Garam Masala
¼ tsp ground cayenne
Salt, to taste
6 Tbsp plain fat-free yogurt, divided
2 Tbsp oil
3-inch cinnamon stick
½ tsp ground cardamom (or 6 green pods, bruised)
2 bay leaves
6 whole cloves (I used probably ⅛ tsp of ground, and it was too much.)
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 cup water
Fresh cilantro or parsley, minced, for garnish (optional)

RICE:
1¼ cups basmati rice, rinsed
2½ cups water
3 Tbsp oil
8 whole cloves (I used the tiniest pinch of ground, and it was actually OK.)
¼ tsp ground cardamom (or 4 black pods, bruised)
1 bay leaf
3-inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
Salt, to taste
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
1 small onion, sliced into rings

Rinse the rice in a sieve till the water runs clear, then soak it in a bowl with 2½ cups of water for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs by combining the lamb, flour, Garam Masala, cayenne, salt and 3 Tbsp of the yogurt in a bowl. Mix well and shape into 16 oblong meatballs.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, bay and cloves and sauté for about 30 seconds before adding the meatballs to the seasoned oil. Brown them well on all sides, about 5 minutes. Then, add the ginger and cook for a couple minutes more. If the meatballs have released a lot of grease, try to skim off as much as possible before proceeding. 

Mix the remaining 3 Tbsp of yogurt with the water and add it to the pan. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer till the meatballs are cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. (Cook's Note: If your sauce doesn't come out creamy, try it in reverse. Add some of the cooking liquid to a ½ cup of yogurt and blend well. Be sure you skim the oil from the cooking liquid, or you might end up with the same problem.)

While the meatballs cook, finish preparing the rice. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cloves, cardamom, bay, cinnamon, peppercorns, cumin and coriander. Sauté for about 30 seconds, then add the onion and cook them till soft, for about 5 minutes.

Drain the rice, reserving the soaking water. Fry the rice with the onions and seasoned oil for a few minutes till lightly golden. Add the reserved water, salt and cauliflower. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer till the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked, about 12 to 15 minutes (in theory).

When everything is ready, add the fresh herbs to the meatballs, serve and enjoy!

India's Diverse Cuisines

As I'd hoped, my Book of Curries & Indian Foods by Linda Fraser, which I've had for ages, contains a succinct explanation of the various influences upon India's cuisine.

In a country with scores of religions, both original and imported, each sect has its own traditions. For example, Muslims and Jews don't eat pork, and Sikhs don't eat beef. Hindus also don't eat beef and, while many are strict vegetarians, others regularly eat fish and shellfish. Plus, "the imaginative use of spices see Indian cooking apart from other cuisines," an assertion by Fraser with which I wholeheartedly agree! But, covering more than a million square miles, topography plays perhaps the biggest role in shaping India's cooking styles.

Even though the book was originally published in 1989, based on what I could find online (here mostly), I think it's still generally accurate and I've inserted extra comments [in square brackets] into the quotations below.

According to the author, "In the north [near Kashmir (populated mainly by Hindus and Buddhists)], where the climate is temperate, sheep are reared - and the dishes are generally cooked slowly in the oven. Traveling south through Delhi and the Punjab [where the Anglo influence is stronger], the diet becomes richer - here they cook mainly with ghee (a clarified butter) and eat both goat and chicken. In these regions, instead of rice, the preference is for breads such as chapatis and parathas."

As you continue to venture further south, the cuisine changes yet again. Fraser continues, "To the east around the Bay of Bengal, there is an abundance of fish from the many rivers and, of course, from the bay itself. Coconut palms grow in the hot and humid climate, so coconut also features strongly in many of their recipes. On the west coast, in Gujarat, the people mainly are vegetarian, eating lots of beans and peas as well as vegetables and in Tamil Nadu in the far southeast, the people are also vegetarian [and change eating habits seasonally, using local produce, like mangoes, when they're freshest. The word "curry" is derived from a Tamil word kari, meaning an additive or side dish to the main course]."

The author concludes her regional assessment of India with, "The humid tropical conditions of the southwest, in Goa and Malabar, mean that date and coconut palms, and banana plants flourish. Here there is also plenty of fish and shellfish [and the food has more international flair, due to the many tourists that visit here]."

Starting tomorrow, I'll begin preparing my dishes, hopefully highlighting the limitless variety of Indian cooking. Stay tuned!

Week #9: India

I'm SO excited for this week's destination!

Indian food is among my most favorite, and I'm eager to explore and learn more about the variety of regional, cultural and religious influences to this country's cuisine.

I've reached out to a few friends who either live(d) or travel there frequently, so hopefully they'll provide some invaluable guidance.

Also, I'll carefully review the Indian cookbook I own to see what that says and what looks appealing.

Stay tuned for what should be a delicious week!