Pan fried Cajun spiced Salmon with Stir fried vegetable nooodles

This is a recipe that I've enjoyed over the years. It was something that I created with ingredients that I had available one night. It may seem like an unusual mix of ingredients but it has all the right flavours.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Chopping board and knife
  • Wok
  • Frying pan
  • Pot and Spoon

Ingredients
  

Salmon Marination

  • 4 Salmon fillets
  • 1 tsp Cajun Spice
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Stir fried noodles

  • 250-300 gm Noodles I use medium egg noodles
  • 1 large red onion sliced
  • 1 large red pepper sliced
  • 100 gm Tenderstem broccoli
  • ¾ tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 4 large cloves of garlic
  • 2 finely slices green chillies optional
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • drizzle of Sriracha sauce you can use any chilly or hot sauce
  • ¾ tbsp dark soya sauce
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

Marination

  • Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl to make a paste.
  • Apply this mixture to the fillets and leave for a while. I refrigerate it until I'm ready to cook.

Stir fried vegetable noodles

  • Heat a Wok. Once the Wok is hot, add the oil
  • Add chopped ginger and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the sliced onions and stir fry until lightly brown. To this add chopped garlic and cook for a minute. This is when you would add the chillies.
  • Now you can add the peppers and the Tenderstem broccoli. Stir fry for another minute and then add the vinegar, pepper, salt to taste and mix well.
  • Once the vegetables are cooked, add in the soya sauce and Sriracha or chilli sauce. Stir fry for another couple of minutes. Noodles are ready to serve

Frying the Salmon

  • Heat a frying pan. Ensure this is really hot before adding the salmon fillets to the pan. I use skin on Salmon fillets and fry the salmon to ensure the skin is crispy.
  • Turn the fish on each side to ensure it cooked well on all sides. Fish should be ready in 7 minutes

Notes

I love adding a drizzle of Balsamic glaze on the top which adds a lovely sweetness to the dish. 

Goan green chutney

This is a recipe that's got so many memories linked with it. My grandmother used to make chutney sandwiches and sell them outside the school. Back then we did not have a food processor, people used to use the granite pestle and motors. I still remember making all the masala paste using this really big granite stone till one day, a mixer and grinder was bought home.
I hope you try and enjoy this!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Equipment

  • Chopping board and knife
  • Food Processor or Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup grated coconut I use the frozen coconut packs
  • 1 cup fresh coriander
  • 2 green chillies you can add more or less to suit your spice palate
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 small ball of tamarind or 1/4 tsp of tamarind paste you can use 2 tbsp of lemon juice if you do not have tamarind.
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to the blender and add enough water to grind to a fine paste. The consistency should be good to spread for a sandwich 
    Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.  

Notes

My perfect sandwich will always have a layer of butter and a layer of the chutney…and always generous with both!

Mutton Xacuti

This is one of my favourite dishes growing up. Xacuti is a Goan masala that every family prepares and they would have their own blend of spices.
Along with the spice blend, I also believe marinating the meat is an important step. This tenderises the meat, reducing the cooking time but also enhances the flavour.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Pot and pan
  • Chopping board and knife
  • Food Processor or Blender
  • Pressure cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 11/2 kg Mutton

For marination

  • 5 tbsp yoghurt
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 11/2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
  • 4 tbsp ground masala

Masala

  • 350 gms grated coconut I use frozen grated coconut
  • 5 kashmiri chillies
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 11/2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 star anise
  • 2 black cardamon
  • 2 green cardamon
  • 1 mace
  • 1 tsp poppy seeds
  • 1 tsp nutmeg powder
  • 26 peppercorns
  • 18 cloves
  • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 inch ginger
  • 14 cloves garlic
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp oil

Gravy preparation

  • 2 medium onions finely chopped
  • 2 large potatoes cut into medium pieces
  • 1 large tomato finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

Masala preparation

  • In a pan, dry roast the spices. I always do the chillies first, then the coriander seeds followed by the rest of the whole spices. Add a little salt to the spices when you roast them.
    Add these spices, powdered turmeric and nutmeg along with the ginger and garlic to the food processor. Blend with a little bit of water. Keep this aside.
  • To the same pan, add one tbsp oil and fry the onions until lightly brown. Then put in the coconut and fry until till its golden brown.
    It's important that you take your time doing this process, you have to ensure you do not burn the spices or the coconut.
    Add the coconut and onions to the spice blend in the food processor and grind this to a slightly coarse consistency.
    Xacuti masala is meant to be a coarse masala

Meat Marination

  • Wash the meat, add salt, yoghurt and ginger garlic paste. Add 4 tblsp of ground masala to this. Mix well and marinate this for 4 hours. I marinate it overnight.

Curry preparation

  • In a pressure cooker, put the oil and add one chopped onion. Fry for a few minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Put in the marinated mutton and fry for a few minutes. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook this for 3 – 4 whistles. I boil the mutton until it's soft but not fully cooked because, I like to cook it further in the masala
  • In a pot, add 3 tbsp oil. Add one chopped onion, fry till the onions are light brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till soft. To this, add the masala and fry for 5-7 minutes on low heat.
    Add the chopped potatoes and the boiled mutton and mix well. Add salt. Cook until the potatoes and mutton are soft and cooked.

Notes

I enjoy this with steamed rice or paratha. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do

Tomato Chutney

I love the tomato chutney that is served with Dosa's at the restaurants here in the UK. Back home in Mumbai, it was always Sambhar (a south Indian lentil dish) and Coconut chutney that was served with Dosa's.
Trying to create the chutney at home, I have a recipe here inspired by Vahchef's recipe.
It's a quick and easy recipe that you can keep refrigerated for 7 days.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Pot and pan
  • Chopping board and knife
  • Hand blender or a food processor

Ingredients
  

  • 8 tomatoes You can use a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes for this recipe
  • 4 large garlic cloves
  • 2 green chillies add or reduce this to suit your spice palate
  • 6 whole cashew nuts
  • 1 tsp chopped ginger
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 3 dried red chillies
  • 1/2 tsp tamarind paste or a pound coin size of tamarind
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • salt to taste

For tempering

  • 6 curry leaves
  • 2 dried red chillies

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a pan, add red chilli, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and saute for minute
  • Add green chillies, tamarind paste or whole tamarind, cashew nuts and tomatoes and fry for another 2 minutes. Season with salt, cover the pot and let this cook on a low to medium heat for 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Blend to a paste.
    In a pan, add oil. Once hot, add the curry leaves and red chillies. Add this on top of the chutney.
    Enjoy this with Dosa or idli.

Notes

You can skip the tempering. The choice is entirely yours. 
Here is a link for a coconut chutney from the same chef that I’ve tried and enjoyed!
https://www.vahrehvah.com/coconut-chutney   

Egg Biryani

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Equipment

  • Pots and Spoons
  • Chopping board and knife
  • Kettle for hot water

Ingredients
  

Egg Masala

  • 6 hard boiled eggs
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 cardamon
  • 1 tsp mace
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp chilli powder I use Deggi Mirch Powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 large finely chopped onion
  • 300 gms canned chopped tomatoes or 3 large fresh tomatoes chopped fine
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
  • 5-7 mint leaves
  • 11/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 2 tbsp yoghurt
  • Salt to taste

Rice preparation

  • 3 cups Basmati rice soaked for 30 minutes in cold water
  • 3 tbsp ghee
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 star anise
  • 5 cardamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • water for boiling the rice approximately 8 cups

Garnish

  • 2 cups fried onion
  • A few strands of Saffron
  • 2 tbsp warm milk

Instructions
 

Rice Preparation

  • Add ghee to the pan followed by the whole spices (cinnamon, mace, jeera, bay leaves, cardamon). Once this is fragrant, add the rice and fry on medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add water, salt and bring to a boil till the rice is 70% cooked. You need the rice to be al dente. Strain, rinse in cold water and set aside

Egg Masala

  • Add oil to the pan, followed with whole spices. In a minute, add chopped onions and fry till it’s golden brown. Add ginger & garlic paste and fry further for another 2 minutes. To this mixture, add all the powdered spices and chopped tomatoes. You can add a dash of water to the mixture if it's too dry. Fry until the oil separates and you can then stir in the Yoghurt. Keep stirring until the yoghurt is cooked which is when the oil appears on the top. Put in the chopped coriander and mint leaves and mix well. Season with salt and add the eggs along with dried fenugreek leaves. Cook for 3-4 minutes. It’s time to layer the Biryani  

Layer the Biryani

  • Add a little ghee to the pot, add 1/4th of the cooked rice and spread it to cover the bottom of the pot. Add the egg masala on top of this. Then add the remaining rice ensuring you have covered all of it. At this stage, a few table spoons of milk flavoured with saffron. Sprinkle the fried onions on the top and pour a table spoon of ghee. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.  

Notes

Serve it with raita or spiced yoghurt. 

Tomato Curry

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Pot and Spoon
  • Hand blender or food blender
  • Chopping board and knife

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes I have used a 400 gms tin
  • 2 fresh tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 green chillies
  • 5-7 curry leaves
  • 1 tbsp chopped garlic
  • 1 tsp chopped ginger
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 3/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 300-400 ml water
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Blend the tomatoes and onion to make a thick puree.
  • Heat oil in a pot, add mustard seeds and cumin to this. Once the seeds splutter, you can put in the garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Stir and let this fry for a minute or 2. It's now time to add all the powdered spices along with a splash of water. The water will help bring the temperature down and avoid the spices from burning.
  • In 2 minutes pour in the puree and cook this for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally. Add  the water, sugar and salt and continue to bring to a boil for another 10 minutes on low heat.  

Notes

The humble tomato curry is ready to serve. Back home we always had this with rice and a side of fried fish or a fish salad or an omelette. 

Macaroni Soup

ameliascanteen
This is a recipe my mum used to make when were kids… We used the alphabet pasta back then which was always fun to eat. I still remember finding alphabets in there, do you? 
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2

Equipment

  • Pot and Spoon
  • Chopping board and knife

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup macaroni
  • 1/2 cup Frozen vegetables I use a mix of carrot, beans, sweetcorn and peas
  • 3 cups hot water
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped fine
  • 1/2 cup canned chopped tomatoes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 stock cube I use a small cube (vegetable or chicken)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a hot pan, add oil and whole spices followed by onions. Fry till the onions is soft and translucent. Now you can add the chopped tomatoes, oregano and stock cube. Mix thoroughly and add Frozen vegetables with 3 cups of water. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil. Once this liquid is boiling, you can put in the Macaroni. Cook till the pasta is cooked. Serve with Garlic bread or croutons

Notes

You can add chicken or any other vegetables to this soup. I use shredded chicken!