Keema rice. Lamb keema. Indian spice. Basmati rice. Biryani technique. Sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This is one of those times. This is not rice and keema. Well technically it is. I guess. But not really. It’s more like a keema biryani. Done like they would in a good Indian restaurant. What this isn’t is keema stir fry. This is not keema fried rice. Not at all....
Korean bbq shrimp. Think cajun bbq shrimp but with big Korean flavours. Classic Louisiana meets Asia in a mess of buttery goodness. I’ve been a fan of cajun bbq shrimp for most of my life. It was my favourite ways to eat shrimp. Until now. Now it’s tied with Korean BBQ shrimp. I knew Korean BBQ shrimp was going to be good. Just wasn’t quite ready for how good. I had all sorts of words running through my head when I tasted it for the first time....
If vindaloo is the king of curries. And jalfrezi is the queen. Then rogan josh is the crown prince. Spicy. Rich. Delicious. Serious business. This one is world famous for a reason. A very good reason. Rogan josh – a tale of two curries There are two distinct dishes that go by the name rogan josh. There’s the Kashmiri version. The Kashmiri version has no onions or garlic. It’s all about asafoetida and fennel....
Dry brined pork roast. Do it. It’s an easy way to ensure moist, flavourful meat. Spit roasting (preferably over charcoal) gives depth of flavour. Put them together for a killer pork roast. For this recipe I used a whole pork sirloin but it would be even better with a boneless pork shoulder. A little extra fat adds a lot of flavour. Serve it up with a bean recipe of your choice – pintos are nice – and a nice green salad and you have a dinner that screams summer time....
Tandoori masala is a little bit of Indian BBQ fairy dust. The stuff that makes grilled chicken magic. Or lamb chops crazy tasty. You can buy tandoori masala. Just about anywhere. Every Indian grocer on the planet sells it. Super convenient.Comes in a nice neat container even. But it has a fatal flaw. And I just can’t take it anymore. There is too much salt in commercial tandoori masala And that makes me a little crazy....
Tandoori prawns. Indian barbecue shrimp. Spice infused butter. Garlic. Ginger. Lemon. And perfectly cooked prawns. If that doesn’t sound amazing I don’t know what does. I cannot believe this one has taken so long. It’s been staring me in the face for years. And I’ve just finally seen it. Bit embarrassing actually. No barbecue required for tandoori prawns This isn’t fusion. More inspiration than fusion. Indian-ish. A classic cajun dish. Re-imagined....
Mexican pork and black bean stew. This is one of those crazy satisfying recipes that insinuates itself into your list of favourites. This is not just another chili recipe. It’s different. Really good in that sneak up on you sort of way. This is old school Mexican cooking I learned to cook Mexican reading Diana Kennedy. She unlocked Mexican cooking for me in her “Cuisines of Mexico” way back when nobody had a clue....
Steak with thyme white wine reduction. A nice pan-fried steak perched on a smear of truffled mashed potatoes with a drizzle of thyme infused sauce all around. A dish fit for virtually any occasion. Fine dining at home. Make steak with thyme white wine reduction your way This is a bit of a guideline recipe. You can go different ways with it. Blue-cheese mashed instead of truffled. Garlic mashed works too....
Bun bo xao is a quick weeknight meal. Big tastes of lemongrass, beef, chili and fresh herbs hit all the right flavour notes. It’s the best kind of salad. Everything in balance. I’m a omnivore with carnivore tendencies. There’s no doubt. Look around this blog. Probably five recipes that can qualify as vegan. Maybe less. But Vietnamese works for me. Fascinates me really. The notion that meat is another ingredient. Not the star....
Panzanella is a tuscan tomato bread salad from the land of endless summer. If you like tomatoes and you like bread you owe it to yourself to try it at least once. Where I live tomatoes are trucked for miles in winter. I think they’re tomatoes. That what the sign says. The taste says nothing. Nothing. Dust. In summer though, picked at the peak of ripeness from nearby farms the tomato is a magical thing....
Perfect shrimp cocktail. Succulent poached shrimp dipped into a tangy cocktail sauce. Who doesn’t want that? Here’s how to do it right. Every time. I love a good shrimp cocktail. Firm flavourful shrimp. Dipped into a sauce brimming with horseradish and lemon. One of my absolute favourite appetizers. You might say old school. Dated. So 1970s. But I say classic. Something that stands the test of time. It doesn’t always have to be trendy....
Skillet chicken with mozzarella and tomato. Pizza chicken. It’s a recipe mash up. Roast chicken meets pizza Margherita. It’s not on a menu anywhere but it should be. It’s that good. Chicken. Tomato. Cheese. What’s not to love? This is a one skillet meal. Sort of. If you really want to keep it to one skillet you can make the marinara sauce in the skillet. Drain it off and fry the chicken....
Chana chaat is this crazy Indian chickpea salad. Green chilies, onions, cilantro, cucumber, and this crazy tangy spice mix. Not like any chickpea salad you have ever had before. It’s great warm or cold. It’s fun that way. The only thing to remember is you will need to adjust the salt up a bit if you are serving cold. And maybe add a little squeeze of lemon juice. Maybe. Try it both ways....
Want something that’s really long on taste? Slam you in the face flavour? Indian hotel style chicken tikka jalfrezi fits the bill. Stop and think about it. Chicken jalfrezi is a big curry. Toss in some chicken tikka and it’s huge. Wrap it up in Indian hotel style gravy and it’s completely over the top. Lightly charred peppers. Green chilies. Onions. Chicken tikka. Tomatoes. And a whole lot of spice. This is a curry for people who want it turned up to 10....
Chicken tinga tacos are a great alternative to carnitas or carne asada. It’s way easier to make as well. Takes way less time. Delicious though. Definitely tasty. Who needs another chicken taco recipe? Nobody. And yet I’m writing it. I’m doing it because I like tacos. But I’m also doing it because the world does need a better enchilada recipe. This recipe, along with this tomatillo salsa is laying the groundwork....
Creole chicken. Spicy, creamy, a little bit rich. Satisfying. Maybe not what jumps to mind when you think comfort food but satisfying in a way only a fricassee can be. This is a dish that isn’t too fiddly. Measurements don’t need to be that precise. Leave your measuring spoons and cups in the drawer and just cook. Live a little. You’ll surprise yourself. This creole chicken recipe uses a lot of creole seasoning ....
Sometimes I amuse myself. This is one of those times. Methi chicken curry. Simple. And seriously delicious. This one is deceptive. If you look at the ingredients it’s a curry with methi leaves. You might think so what? But that one ingredient changes everything. The fresh methi leaves add a slightly sour, herbal note. It’s surprising what a difference it makes. Oh, and there’s hotel gravy. That changes everything too. Double curry flavour slam....
I like brussels sprouts and I especially like roasted brussels sprouts. There. I said it. Now you know. This recipe intensifies the flavour of the sprouts so don’t serve them with anything delicate. Not everybody likes brussels sprouts – and this isn’t the recipe that will give brussels sprout haters new religion. Not even close. That’s near miracle territory. But it is a way to make those lousy winter brussel sprouts edible....
Saag aloo is a classic vegetarian dish. They serve it at just about every Indian restaurant around. Why not make it at home? It’s not hard at all. If you are used to cooking in the Indian restaurant style that’s all over this blog it should be snap for you. If you are new to Indian restaurant style jump in. Once you get the hang of it you can make anything....
Tandoori chicken tacos. People are making all sorts of funky tacos these days. Korean bulgogi tacos. Japanese teriyaki tacos. Thai shrimp tacos. Why not Indian tandoori chicken tacos? These are a great way to mix things up. To break out of your taco funk. For when you want something new. You can do them straight up as tacos or use an Indian flatbread. If you can get your hands on some parathas you can make one crazy sandwich....
