Month: July 2015

Hamburger at Home – Simpler the better

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The weekend is coming and I thought I would share my burger recipe which is not a recipe really – more a philosophy.  Moreover, I don’t need an excuse like the weekend to have a burger.

I worked at the Union Square Cafe briefly many many moons ago and learned how to make the perfect burger.  Get the best meat you can – preferably ground fresh by a butcher.  Since I was a minion there – they did not tell me the mix that they used.  It is important to have some fat in the mix, else your burger will not be juicy and that is not a good thing.

The most important thing I learned is to season simply with salt and pepper and to handle the meat as little as possible – which means be careful when you mix and try to keep the integrity of the grind and this way you would have a juicy, yet chewy burger – if you know what I mean.

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Here I have seasoned the meat with salt and pepper – made the patties and am searing it in a hot pan.

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A nice sear – do not overcook – I think medium is a good temperature for a burger.

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I like mine with a slice of red onion and a tomato – you can obviously dress yours as you please.

The bun is a kaiser roll – toasted over an open flame to get that smoky flavor.

The fries are frozen – yes I cheated but they are so good and easy that I don’t see the point of making fries from scratch.

I don’t have an outdoor grill and so I am jealous of everyone who has one.

This burger is really good and makes me momentarily forget about those who do have grills and can eat juicy charred burgers.

Tell me how you like your burgers.

Until I cook again!

SAUTED OKRA WITH POTATOES

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Yes its corn season but it is also okra season.

Okra is a lovely vegetable that is eaten in India a lot and for good reason.  It has a unique grassy flavor and those of you who don’t like its gluey nature – there is a way to avoid that.  Putting okra in stews such as gumbo creates a totally different texture than sauteing it on a high heat.

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First off, pick fresh and unblemished okra.  Treat them like green beans in that they should not be swollen or scarred.

When you are ready to cook them, wipe them with a wet cloth much like you would mushrooms.

There are many ways of preparing okra – this is the simplest.

Remove the tips and split into 4.  You can also slice them horizontally in about 1/2 inch pieces.

Also, slice an onion and a couple of potatoes.

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Now begin to saute them a few at a time in hot oil on a fairly high heat.  Season with salt.  You will see they are done when they change color as shown above.  Keep removing the cooked okra and add more till all the okra are tender and nicely caramelized.

Do the same with the onions and potatoes – don’t forget to season as you go.

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Now combine the okra, potatoes and onions.

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Next add turmeric, red chili powder (cayenne) and coriander powder.  Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes until the spices disappear and are well cooked.

Lastly, add aamchur (mango powder) or a generous amount of lime or lemon juice.

Serve hot with lentils and roti.

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Okra is a beautiful vegetable and I urge you to try it.

Until I cook again!

Meatballs in a Creamy Sauce – and a great way to involve your kids in the kitchen

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Just imagine for a moment, tiny hands making tiny meatballs as you sit back and sip a glass of mine.  How heavenly is that?

Well, you could do that with your kids.

Everyone loves meatballs – I know that I do and you can use them in so many ways.

Here I have them in a creamy sauce with Indian flavors but you can flavor them any way that you like and have them with pasta, make mini burgers, as a snack – the sky is really the limit.

For the mix:

Use your choice of meats – mix and match all you like

Use:

beef, pork, chicken, veal or lamb.

Chop up some herbs like cilantro, mint or dill and add to the meat.  Season with salt and pepper and some garlic would be nice.

Now for the secret – how do you make and keep the meatballs soft?

Bread – plain old white bread – moistened in water and then squeezed – trust me, this is waaay better than bread crumbs.

For the sauce, I added some whipped yogurt and a tiny bit of tomato paste for a lovely hue.

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After your kids have formed the balls, just saute them lightly in some oil and then add to the sauce.

If not using a sauce, just finish cooking them and then make mini burgers for your minis.

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This is where I used the same meatballs with pasta, extra dill and red chili flakes.

I urge you to experiment and get your kids involved.  I promise they will eat everything they make and give you a breather.

Until I cook again!

Get your kids in the kitchen early and often.

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  • Taking your kids in the kitchen is a great idea.

    If they participate in the preparation, they are sure to try new foods.

    Cooking is also a great way to learn about math and colors and shapes – patience too.  How to do things methodically and wait for the results.

    Best of all, you get to eat what you make.

    I hope you bring your kids into the kitchen.

    In the coming days I will post recipes and ideas – I hope that you share some with me too.

    Until I cook again!

How to eat a Soup Dumpling safely – haha – important public service message!

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I just love soup dumplings and not too many places serve them or make them well.

I found one in my neighborhood and have to stay away from that block or else I must go in.

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So you may be thinking that I jest when I say how to eat a soup dumpling safely – but that’s really a thing.  I speak from experience.

The most important thing NOT to do is put the whole thing in your mouth no matter how much you want to.

Let me tell you how to do it.

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Pick up the dumpling gingerly with the tongs provided and place it the soup spoon.

Be careful not to puncture it or else all the soup with drip out which is not the end of the world.

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Next bite off a tiny hole on top of the dumpling and you will see the soup inside – it’s like magic.

Now, suck the soup off the top in a lady like fashion if you can manage it – if not, just go for it as I do and slurp away.

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Next, I sometimes add some hot sauce or the sauce they provide which has thinly sliced ginger.

I will be honest, this is not a dish to share.  There are normally 8 to an order and they are all mine.  My dining partner can order their own.

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I post this pic again because it just makes me drool so.

There you have it – the easy and safe way to eat a soup dumpling where you don’t burn your tongue and enjoy all the yummy foods in your future.

Do you have other tips? Please share them.

Now I have to go find me a dumpling.

Until I eat again!

SIMPLE SUMMER VEGETABLE FRITTERS WITH CILANTRO CHUTNEY

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Summer is lovely time for fresh produce and there are hundreds of ways of preparing them.

If you get tired of the roasting and sauteing – here is a simple and fresh vegetable fritter which you can make with almost any vegetable you have at hand.

I have used:

Yellow squash

Corn

Onion

Cilantro

Ginger

Chickpea flour made into a batter akin to that of pancakes

salt and pepper to taste

green chiies

oil

(You can use spinach, zucchini, peppers, potatoes, green peas and so much more)

Grate all the vegetables that you are using and make the chickpea flour batter.

If you can’t find chickpea flour which is easily available in Indian markets, use semolina or white flour – the flavor will be different but delicious nevertheless.

Mix the vegetables with the batter and add the spices and cilantro, even mint if you have it.

Heat some oil in a nonstick pan and spoon dollops of the mixture.

Let brown on one side for a few minutes and then on the other.  Make sure that the flour is cooked through.

Serve hot with cilantro chutney, ketchup in a pinch 🙂

The leftovers make great sandwiches and I just snack on em whenever I am hungry.

Please try these and let me know if you came up with your own vegetable combinations.

Until I cook again!

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Salty Spicy Lassi – the best way to beat the heat

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Most Indian restaurants serve lassi and it is usually sweet or flavored with mango.

That is not the way that I like it.

I enjoy my lassi salty and spicy.

Also, instead of using yogurt I like to use buttermilk – even low fat has a nice mouth feel and the tangyness of it makes for a lovely flavor.

It is so simple.

Butter milk

Heat up a scant tsp. of oil in a pan and add some mustard seeds, a couple of split green chilies, curry leaves and cilantro.

When the seeds have popped, add to the butter milk and add salt to taste.  You might need to put some lemon/lime juice.

This drink is a great way to cool down in the heat and as per ayurveda, buttermilk also cools the body from the inside.

I really hope that you try this very simple and healthful drink.

Enjoy.

Until I drink again!

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Home Made Lime Pickle

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I recently posted a dinner I had with a side of lime pickle and it garnered a lot of interest.

So here is the recipe – not many pictures now as I wasn’t expecting to post it here.

The juiciest limes you can find.

Cut them in quarters or 1/4 inch slices.  Put in a jar with a generous amount of salt – for example if you have a dozen limes, use a cup of kosher salt preferably.

Add spices like nigella seeds, red pepper flakes, green chilies if you have them and some fennel seeds.

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Mix well and put the jar in the sun if you can or just by a window.

Shake everyday and the pickle should be ready in about two weeks.  The longer it sits the softer the lime skin will get but you can start enjoying it in two weeks.

We eat it with Indian food like lentils and rice, etc – you can also add it to stews much like the moroccan limes.

This recipe can also be made with lemons.

I make a great pasta sauce with chopped up limes and anchovies – o so good.

I hope you try this versatile pickle.

Until I eat again!

Oxtail Stew in Red Wine and Thyme

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I mentioned yesterday that in the summer time I like to either quick meals that take under 20 minutes or dishes that can just simmer on the stove while I can relax in an air conditioned room.

This is one of those dishes – it is simple, you can make a large pot and eat it a couple of times or else you can freeze it for a day when you don’t want to be in the kitchen at all.

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Oxtail cut into pieces 2 inches or so thick

3 heaping table spoons tomato paste

2 tbs. olive oil

sprigs or thyme or rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups chicken or beef stock (use water if you like)

1 cup red wine

1 head of garlic cloves, peeled

2 tbs. white vinegar or lemon juice

potatoes or other root vegetables like turnip, parsnip, carrots, etc

2 tbs. flour for thickening

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In a hot skillet, heat the oil and add the salt and peppered ox tail along with sprigs of thyme or rosemary.  Sear on high heat for about 5 minutes on each side.

Remove the seared ox tail to a plate and add the flour and tomato paste – add another tbs of oil if it is too try.  Stir well till the flour and paste are incorporated well and let out the oil and is a glistening red color.

Add the cup of wine to deglaze, the garlic cloves and the broth or water.

Bring liquid to a boil and add the oxtail and any accumulated juices into the pan.  Bring back to a boil and then simmer, covered for about two, two and a half hours or so.

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Add potatoes and any other vegetables you are using and cook another half hour to an hour till the meat is falling off the bone.

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A lot of fat will be rendered.  Either skim it off with a ladle or if eating the next day, put in refrigerator overnight and the layer of fat will set and then you can easily remove it.

Now taste for seasoning and add the vinegar or lemon juice.  Stir well and add some chopped parsley for garnish.

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Serve with a crusty baguette, over pasta, couscous or rice.

Substitute the oxtail with shanks, osso bucco or almost any stew meat

Enjoy.

Until I cook again!

Very Simple Tuna Kebabs

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In the summer I like to be in the kitchen for as short a period as possible.  Either I make very quick cook dishes or things that can just simmer away while I sit in an air conditioned room and sip on something cold.

These tuna kebabs are an example of something that takes less than 10 minutes to create the whole meal.

The key is to buy the freshest sushi quality tuna you can find.  Salmon does very well too.

Season in the manner that you are in the mood for.  Tuna loves Asian flavors and so a little chopped ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil can be lovely.

Make patties and sear for a about a minute on each side.

I decided to go the Indian route and added green chilies, cilantro and some ginger to the kebabs and a quick sear.

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I had then two ways – one day with a salad lightly dressed with some ponzu sauce and another day as an open faced sandwich with home made pesto slathered on the baguette along with grilled onions and summer corn.

I really hope you try this simple recipe.

Let me confess and let you in on a secret – the same thing can be made with canned tuna.  The results are delicious albeit a different flavor.  You might want to use some bread crumbs and an egg to bind the kebabs.  Also season more aggressively.

Enjoy.

Until i cook again!