OCTOBER 2017: South India Fish Curry

photoed by A. Rajan

I make this curry with any type of fish. Trout, halibut, or tilapia could be a good choice of fish for this curry in western countries wherein it's not easy to get fresh Indian fish.

This is my comfort food with a lemon wedge and slices of onions on the side. Beautiful red color curry glistening on the bed of white Basmati rice is oh so tempting.

So how will you make this? Very simple. :)

You will need: 
Fillet of salmon (cut into big cubes to fill 2 cups)
1 tsp ginger, crushed
1 tsp garlic, crushed
Some curry leaves, optional
1 tsp tamarind pulp
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp Kashmir chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala powder
cilantro for garnish


In a wok, add some coconut oil. 

Once hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves into it. 

Once the mustard seeds start popping, add onions. Saute. 

Once the onions start looking a little golden, add ginger and garlic into it. 

Now add tomato paste into the mix. Saute till this mixture cooks and you see oil leaving the sides. 

Add chilli, turmeric, and salt. Now add the fish. 

Add about 2 cups of water and stir in the tamarind. 

Let the fish cook for about 6-7 minutes or more. 

Add cilantro and garam masala for garnish.

Serve with a bowl of rice.

Enjoy!
--A.R.

SEPTEMBER 2017: Classique Crepe (sweet)

photoed by D. Liongson

Bon jour!

In this edition, I gave a go to try out Le Jardin Cafe-Restaurant.

Although I'm a big fan for chocolate stuff, I ordered something else for a kick of dining adventure. I picked...

Classique Crepe
(In a previous menu photo, it was spelled "Classic".
Somehow there seems to be a switch before I first browsed their menu.)

It is like one large paper thin pancake with caramelized sugar and lemon juice with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.  Like most of the available sweet crepes, it's served with whipped cream, ice cream, and a strawberry.

It is an exploration of textures such as smooth, creamy, chewy. Temperatures ranging from warm to chilled. Tastes from sweet to tart.

Smooth and creamy creams; chewy crepe; warm crepe; sweet caramelized sugar and powdered sugar crepe; room temperature whipped cream; chilled ice cream; tart lemon juice and fresh strawberry.

A pleasant combination to be enjoyed by those who are immune to allergies (that may come from this treat).  Now you know what the visible components of this dish are, you may decide if this is for you or not.

If you'd like to give this resto a go, you aren't limited to just crepes. Quite an interesting assortment to explore what they have to offer. Have a look at their menu.

Based on feedback from foodies (FFF ;-) it rates above average. Feeling an uncertainty about this? Have a read at this and that.

Although websites glorify this resto, is this the best cafe of all time? Add to your foodie bucket list and figure it out. :-)
--D.L.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D'HAIKU
Try the Classique Crepe;
berry lemony sweetie;
warms heart, cools temper.
--D.L.

AUGUST 2017: Cream of Vegetables Soup (with a twist)

The twist is nacho chips & cheese

I remember having tortilla soup somewhere. So I experimented a bit with nacho chips.

photoed by A. Rajan

Ingredients 

----------------

2 carrots

2 potatoes

Few stalks of celery, chopped 

1 medium size onion

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon of dill, chopped

1 Teaspoon of rosemary, chopped 

946 mL of organic chicken stock

Butter

Salt & pepper 

1 tablespoon of unbleached all-purpose flour 

2 cups of milk

a handful of old Dutch nacho chips

shredded Cheddar cheese 

How to?

-----------

In a big pot, add 1 Tbsp butter, garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes and onion; sauté.

photoed by A. Rajan

Once the onion is transparent, add chicken stock. Let the vegetables cook till they become soft.

After about 20 minutes, remove some of the cooked vegetables. Cool them a little to blend them later (to be added in a soup later).

In another pan, add 1 Tbsp butter. Sauté the flour ensuring its cooked through. Once fragrant, add milk or cream. Whisk to remove any lumps. 

photoed by A. Rajan

Blend the cooled vegetables with few nacho chips. Add this mix to the pot of stock & vegetables. Stir in the cream sauce. Then add dill, rosemary, salt, & pepper.

Combine well. Bring to a boil.

Your soup is ready to enjoy. Add a little cheese and crushed nacho chips to your hot bowl of soup.

photoed by A. Rajan

Try it and let us know.

--A.R.

JULY 2017: Acai Bowl

When cruising nearby this resto, I saw its poster about Acai Bowl. It caught my fancy and told myself one day I will order it, eat it, and see how it goes.

As I passed this:

photoed by D. Liongson

(resto)

I went in and ordered an:

photoed by D. Liongson

(Acai Bowl)

After yumming the combination of fresh strawberry slices, fresh banana slices, shredded coconut, and granola, I saw:

photoed by D. Liongson

(purple stuff)

Let's see that up close:

photoed by D. Liongson

(Acai!)

That is the ice cold Acai (ah-sigh-EE). It's from a berry known as a superfood with a lot of health perks. Although my job is to share my dining experience as foodies do, I'm the wrong person to consult about its nutritional value. Perhaps a doctor from the Mayo Clinic may help through this article.

It helps to take a spoon, grab a piece of the topping together with a spoonful of Acai. It's a pleasure enjoy the combination effect: to let that sweet purple stuff roll about my mouth while chewing its sweet and succulent fresh fruit goodness plus some moisture added to the dry coconut and granola that led to a chewy effect. I felt all that rich texture and chilly effect in my mouth. 

Quite a mistake for me to eat most of the topping without pairing them with the Acai. But somehow I was able to catch up while I still had some remaining toppings swimming in the Acai. Strawberries with Acai, bananas with Acai, coconut with Acai, granola with Acai. Oh... so... good!

I believe the Acai Bowl is best eaten on a hot day. Silly of me to choose winter morning to eat it. But then, it's still fine since it's been a snowless winter. And, I'll never know till I try.

By the way, since this is breakfast food, it's available from 5 AM to 11:30 AM.  Click THIS for trading hours, and click THAT for the menu.

Acai Bowl: 

When you need a thrill, as soon as you will, of sweet yummy chill. 

--D.L.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D'HAIKU

Swirly yum you go,

coat toppings with purple glow;

Acai Bowl's flow.

--D.L.

JUNE 2017: Mac n Cheese

photoed by A. Rajan

After tasting Kraft Dinner, I wasn’t impressed with the box dinner concept. I was kind of not a Mac n Cheese girl. One of the pub nights with my colleagues, I ordered Mac n Cheese with smoked paprika and blackened Chicken as a garnish. The Mac n Cheese itself was so yummy that I was hooked. I started craving for the exact taste; never mind the Chicken.

So, one evening on my hubby’s birthday, my friends and I showed up to surprise him. The only thing I could think of to make was... Mac n Cheese.


Ingredients:
---------------
3 cups pasta (macaroni, bow tie pasta, penne, shell or whatever)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon of unbleached all-purpose flour
1-2 cloves of garlic
One whole bunch of green onions (about 6-7 stalks) 
2-3 cups whole milk
2 cups cheddar cheese (or a mix of mozzarella and cheddar)
Smoked paprika
Salt and pepper 
1 oval baking dish, slightly buttered

How to?
----------
Get a big pot of water to a rolling boil, 
add little salt and olive oil into it. 

Now cook your pasta; don’t over cook; it still needs a bite to it (al dente).
In a pan, add butter and olive oil together.

Sauté the flour into it and 
keep stirring till the raw smell goes off; 
(I don’t mind if it looks slightly browned). 

Once that’s done, lightly sauté grated garlic; and then 
add green onions to it. 

After about two to three minutes, add milk into this mix. 
Keep stirring till the sauce thickens to white sauce consistency. 
(If its not happening, don’t worry); 
add one (1) cup of grated cheese into this mixture.

Add paprika, salt, and pepper.
Now add pasta to this mix. 
Cook for 2 minutes. 
Now transfer the pasta in an oval baking dish. 

Layer the remaining cup of grated cheese on top, and a pinch or two of smoked paprika.

photoed by A. Rajan

Preheat oven at 350 degrees and 
let the pasta bake for about 10-12 min, and then 
set the oven to broil setting for about 3-5 minutes. 

I started doing something else during this process; hence instead of golden brown, you can see burnt black on top. 

Still it turned out fabulous. Everyone loved it! 

Easy and delicious. Please try it yourself and let us know.
--A.R.

MAY 2017: Fish and Chips (ala McDonald's)

photoed by D. Liongson

Every customer of McDonalds most likely have a favorite "usual" to order.  My usual is Filet-O-Fish meal with OJ (That's orange juice and not OJ Simpson. Hee-hee-hee... :-)

This fish-wich is quite popular in Lenten Season. Maybe it is an all year round popular thing because it hasn't left the menu yet.

What is in this sandwich? You have a bun (warm soft and firm to the bite) with cheese (golden and lightly salty), tartare sauce (creamy and tangy), and fish patty (steamy, square, succulent, crisp, and boneless). As Huey Lewis and the News would sing, it's hip to be square. ;-)

Then there are the chips. The McDonald's menu would call them "fries". Some would like to eat them with ketchup, others would like them with mayonnaise. It seems like the popular choice is ketchup. (I eat the fries either with ketchup or as is, how about you?) If you want mayo but the resto doesn't offer it, perhaps it would help to eat a chip after every bite of the fish-wich to have a smidgeon of tartare with each chip.

Chips are best eaten hot. Eating them cold can be such a wet blanket.  Sorry, they can't be fixed by stove, oven, or microwave. But if you're a fan of cold chips, then that's not a problem.

If traditional fish and chips is a piece of fish with fried potato sticks served with tartare sauce, McDonald's serves the fish+cheese+tartare in a bun and fries with optional ketchup. 

As like every sandwich, purpose of the bread is to keep your hands off the sticky elements inside it. It is a concept created by the 4th Earl of Sandwich. No kidding. :-)

Is Filet-O-Fish your McDonald's thing or your Lenten Season thing? It is my McDonald's-before-and-after-the-breakfast-menu-thing.

--D.L.

APRIL 2017: Saag Paneer

photoed by A. Rajan

Saag Paneer (Cheesy-licious goodness galore!)

This is a treat that one of my Canadian friend enjoys. So on her visit to Edmonton, I decided to treat her with this.

Items required:

• some water
• A bunch or two of fresh spinach
• some oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1/2 inch ginger, julienned
• one clove of garlic
• A small shallot (or onion)
• 1 green chilli, optional
• salt to taste
• garam masala
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder 
• 1 tablespoon of fresh cream
• 100-200 grams of Paneer, cubed
• a little kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• some paneer, grated (for garnish)
• a little butter (for garnish)
• julienned ginger (for garnish)
• whipping cream, optional

First boil some water 

and throw in washed spinach leaves into it. 

Remove the leaves from the water in two minutes 

and let them cool. 

Once cool blend it, just 2 three pulses is good 

(so that it doesn't become a smoothie consistency).

In a pan, take some oil. 

Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, 

and once they start crackling, add chopped ginger and garlic. 

Sauté a little and add chopped onion into this, 

sauté till translucent and golden at the edges. 

You can throw in chopped green chilli (or skip it).

Add spinach purée into the pan 

and add salt, garam masala and coriander powder into the mix. 

Once it starts boiling, add cubed paneer 

and lightly sauté the mixture. 

Add a little Kasoori methi for flavour about two pinches. 

You can add whipping cream for added creamy taste. 

Garnish with grated paneer, a little butter, and julienned ginger.

Eat with Naan or Rice.

--A.R.

(Plus sugar and spice

And everything nice.) 

--heehee from D.L.