Fish paka with palak

The Fish paka has a nice lemon flavor while the coconut is more in the background. We used cayenne pepper in the palak to give it a real kick. some leftover Dal from the freezer and basmati rice and you have a great meal. Brown basmati would be better but once again, we forgot to start it in time. :)

Fish Paka (From "Simply Indian" Tahera Rawhi and Hamida Suleman)
Ingredients:
3 lbs halibut or sole
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1 large lemon (juice of)
1/2 tsp. tumeric

Ingredients for curry:
1 3/4 cups coconut milk
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic (crushed)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 cup water
1 sprig of chopped cilantro

Method for fish:
1. Marinate the fish in the 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes, then wash and pat dry.
2. Mix together chili powder, remaining lemon juice and tumeric and smear over fish.
3. Bake in oven at 400°F for 25 minutes or until fish flakes when touched with a fork
4. prepare basic fish curry while fish is cooking

Method for basic fish curry:
1.pour coconut milk into large saucepan.
2. add chili powder, garlic, salt, tumeric and lemon juice and bring to boil, stirring continuously for 3 minutes
3. add the garam masala and cook for 1 minute. add water and switch off stove.
4. Pour over baked fish before serving and garnish with chopped cilantro

Stir fry Palak
(see title for link to original recipe) our adaptation does not use mustard oil. mustard oil is not safe to eat.

Ingredients:
5 tbs. macadamia oil
1/8 tsp. ground asafetida
1 bunch fresh spinach leaves (thick stems removed) washed and chopped
1 tsp. dry fenugreek leaves
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper optional)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. garam masala

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add asafetida and then all the spinach.
2. stir fry the spinach, add tumeric, chilli powder, fenugreek leaves, salt and continue to stir fry
3. add 1 cup water and steam the spinach. sprinkle garam masala powder on the spinach and stir it in.
(lift spinach out of excess water and serve)

Bison Fajitas

adapted from a recipe on Epicurious (see title for link)

Marinade-
4 cloves garlic, minced and mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons Olive oil


2 pounds Bison steak (striploin is good)
2 tablespoons cold pressed canola oil
3 assorted colored bell peppers, sliced thin
1 large red onion, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves minced
(corn tortillas or flour if you prefer)
make your own guacamole and salsa to serve with it. we did!

make the marinade- in a large bowl whisk together garlic paste, lime juice cumin and the oil
add the steak and turn it to coat,. let it marinate for at least one hour (overnight if you like)
grill the steak to medium rare on barbecue , or pan fry in a cast iron on highest heat
let steak stand for 10 minutes tented.
while the steak is standing, in a large skillet or wok heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, add bell peppers, the onion, and the garlic and saute until bell peppers are softened (5 minutes)
slice the steak thin across the grain on the diagonal and arrange slices on a platter with the bell pepper mixture (add salt to taste). Drizzle any steak juices over the steak and bell pepper mixture and serve on warmed tortillas with guacamole and tomato salsa. sour cream or tofutti

Easy Lentil Dal, Do Piyaza and Aloo Gobi

The Dal recipe is one of those- "oh my goodness that's so delicious, give me the recipe!" kinda things.....
This is a fun meal to prepare with friends. Have your friends assist you with all the chopping and prep work. Serve them a nice red wine as you do this. This meal takes several hours to prepare and cook even with help. Totally worth it as you will all be famished from the delicious smells emanating from the stove top. You will want to start the cooking of the Do Piyaza first and then you can start cooking the dal and lastly the Aloo Gobi, If you use brown basmati rice, remember that takes an hour (you will need at least 2 large pots and 2 med sized pots)



Do Piyaza

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp organic extra virgin coconut oil
3 large onions (sliced)
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground fenugreek
1 tsp. tumeric powder
3 green chilies, chopped
2 1/2 lbs. lamb cut into cubes
2 cups water
1 tsp garam masala

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over high heat, add the onions and fry until soft (2 minutes)
Remove 1/2 the onions from the pan and reserve
add the spices and fry for a few more minutes

2. Add the chilies and meat and fry until meat is brown
Add approximately 2 cups of water and cook partially covered for 1 hour or until meat is tender

3. Add the reserved onion and the garam masala and simmer for 5 minutes or until curry is fairly thick


Lentil Dal

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons organic extra virgin coconut oil
2 large onions, chopped fine
100g fresh ginger , grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground tumeric
3 cardammom pods
4 cloves
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1.25 L gluten free chicken stock
450g red lentils, rinsed well
2 grated apples
salt to taste
lemon juice to taste

Directions:


1. Cook the onion, ginger, cardamom pods and cloves in the oil for 5 minutes without browning. Add garlic, ginger and ground spices. Cook for 1 minute while stirring. add the stock, grated apples and lentils and simmer with lid on for 20-30 minutes until liquid is mostly absorbed. take lid off towards the end if you need to lose some liquid. add the lemon juice just before serving.

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients:

2 cups Cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 garlic pods, 1 tsp ginger minced and mixed into paste
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/4 tsp Tumeric powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp curry masala
1 tbsp organic extra virgin coconut oil
pinch of mustard seeds
salt to taste
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook the sweet potato covered in just about 1 cup water until semi-done (insert a fork and it should barely be able to come out). this should take 5 or 6 minutes.
add the cauliflower to the potatoes and cover again, adding a little more water if required along with tumeric powder. cook until the cauliflower is just tender and not too mushy.
set this aside

2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan (pot) and temper the mustard seeds. as soon as they start to pop, add the chopped onions and saute until the ends turn brown (5 minutes or so)
add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for another 30 seconds
add the chill, cumin, coriander and curry masala. fry another minute until the masala turns brown.
reduce the fire and pour the crushed tomatoes in and mix well. add salt. cook for 5 minutes until the oil separates and there is a thick paste of masala, onions and tomatoes.

3. Add the cooked potato-cauliflower pieces and blend well. adjust salt if needed. (you can add some frozen peas at this time if you like) cook until the curry becomes dry and the gravy just about covers the potato-cauliflower mixture.

Serve with brown basmati rice.

the Dal keeps very nicely in the freezer! the Do Piyaza matures wonderfully as well. and you can freeze it for months if you like

Balsamic Vinaigrette salad- a quick easy meal for one

Dressing ingredients:
1/4 cup cold pressed flax seed oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp dry mustard
3 cloves garlic (pressed)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley

combine the dry mustard, vinegar and water in a lidded jar. shake well to dissolve mustard.
add the remaining ingredients cover and shake well again. stores well in fridge

salad ingredients:
2 cups baby spinach greens (or baby romaine greens or romaine lettuce)
1 avocado sliced into thin slices (optional of course)
2 tbsp organic pumpkin seeds (without shell)
(optional)- 1 small can (106 gram) of wild sockeye salmon (remove hard bits) -this will obviously make it non vegetarian so if you are a vegetarian don't add this. (obviously)

tear lettuce into bite size pieces, add remaining ingredients and dress with 3 tbsp dressing (or to taste) toss and enjoy!

Perfected breakfast cereal

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Brown rice Farina (hot cereal)
1 cup water
I tbsp organic raw sunflower seeds
1 tbsp organic dried currants
1 tbsp shredded coconut
2 tbsp milled flax seeds
1 tbsp Organic Brown Rice syrup
1 tbsp Organic Blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup Ryza- gluten free rice milk
2 organic California dried prunes

boil the water in a pot, add the brown rice cereal and lower heat to med. stir occasionally until cooked (about 5 to 8 minutes)

stir in the brown rice syrup and the molasses, in a serving bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Pour cooked rice cereal mixture over the remaining ingredients and mix well. pour milk on top and add the 2 prunes as garnish.

delicious and very nutritious!

Coconut Rice

see title for link of the original recipe
Coconut Rice
ingredients:
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup long grain rice
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
combine coconut milk, water, rice, ginger and salt in a 2 quart pot. Bring to boil. reduce heat and simmer uncovered, until craters form on the surface of the rice, about 6 to 8 minutes. reduce heat to low, cover, and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes (until water is absorbed)

in the meantime, place the coconut in a small frying pan over med. heat, cook, stirring often until lightly toasted. remove from heat .

when the rice is done, fluff with a fork and sprinkle with the toasted coconut

add a tablespoon of brown rice syrup to sweeten if you like for a snack.

Killer Fish Tacos

adapted from Tofino chef Lisa Ahier's Killer Fish Taco Recipe (see title for link)

Everyone we serve these to loves them and they reach for seconds and thirds. really delicious.
Killer Fish Tacos
16 organic corn tortillas
1 lb halibut fillet, med. diced
1 lb wild salmon fillet, medium diced
1/2 cup chipotle chiles canned in adobo, pureed (or more for kick)
1 cup red onion, small diced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt

Fresh Fruit salsa
2 avocados, diced
1 pear, diced
1 apple, diced
(feel free to use, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, mangos, whatever is in season!)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
juice from 3 small limes
a bit of mango juice

fresh fruit salsa-
dice the ingredients fairly small. combine the fruit, avocado and cilantro (and lime juice) refrigerate until ready to use

Killer fish tacos-
dice the red onion and finely chop the chipotles

dice the fish into 1 inch pieces

pat fish dry and season with kosher salt. Heat oil in a large non stick skillet over moderate high heat. add the onions and sauté them for 1 minute. add the fish and fry for about 3 minutes until just cooked. add the chipolte chiles, stir for 1 more minute and remove from heat.
fill heated tortillas halfway with fish mixture and then top with fruit salsa (heat tortillas wrapped in foil in oven or individually in a skillet)
serve with Organic Refried Beans, sour cream (if you eat dairy) , salsa and brown rice.

Chicken Fried Rice with 10 vegetable

adapted from a Food Network Canada recipe (see title for link)
Ingredients:
Chicken Fried Rice
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp butter
2 tbsp cold pressed organic cooking oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 celery stalk, sliced thin
handful of small broccoli florets
handful of bok choy (cut away the white stalks and slice those thin as well)
1 1/2 cup cooked chicken
4 cups cold cooked brown rice (rice must be made ahead of time and cooled or it will go mushy)
1 cup snow peas
2 green onions, sliced thin
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
3 chillies sliced thin
3 tbsp wheat free soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 cup bean sprouts
3 tbsp sesame seeds

1.heat a saute pan over med. heat. heat 1tsp butter and add beaten eggs, make an omelette. remove from pan, slice and set aside
2. Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a wok over high heat. Add minced garlic, minced ginger, red onion, red pepper, celery, and the white stalks from the bok choy and cook for 2 minutes
3. Add the chicken and cooked rice. once incorporated (and rice has been heated through), add snow peas, scallions (green onions), coriander (chopped cilantro), chillies and bok choy greens. combine the soy sauce and lime juice in a small bowl, add this mixture to the pan and toss until the liquid has been absorbed into rice. add the sliced omlette and mix to reheat. garnish with bean sprouts and sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.