One of the great things about "fusion" cooking is how seamless it can actually be.
Canned tuna is not exactly the most exotic of ingredients. It's quite boring and bourgeois and very middle-American. We're just going to use Sri Lankan magic to amp it up a few notches.
There's nothing new about Sri Lankan spices either. They're all there in India but it's the combinations that are new and as the CC has pointed out endlessly, this is just a combinatorial game.
You're most likely to encounter this stuff as "fish cutlets" — the mixture is deep-fried. However, a little dig underneath the surface and you see it also as "fish patties" and "fish rolls" and "fish balls".
There's also the ubiquitous malu paan which is the same fish filling inside a bread that is baked.
For the record, the paan is from the Portuguese pão and is the same as the Japanese パン (pan), the Filipino pandesal (bread with salt), and the Indian paav (a much more accurate transcription of pão.) The Portuguese spread the cult of yeasty bread baking all along South-East Asia.
What matters, of course, is the filling at the center of these concepts.
All the CC has done is to take the patties and stick them in a burger bun (which is vastly simpler) and achieves the same purpose.
Dinner is served.
Ingredients
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black pepper
1 sprig curry leaves
1 piece of fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)
1" ginger
4-5 green chilis
2 large potatoes
1 can tuna
1 medium-sized onion (diced finely)
cilantro (finely chopped)
1 lime
salt (to taste)
Note 1: The combination of cumin, coriander, and fennel in the ratio 2:2:1 along with ground turmeric is often used in Sri Lankan cooking particularly in dishes involving fish. It gives it that characteristic "Sri Lankan" taste.
Note 2: While this mixture is freely available in Sri Lanka pre-made, the CC assumes that the majority of the audience will not have access to this. Also, if you're going to add black pepper to the final mix, you might as well grind it all together.
Note 3: Fresh turmeric adds a complexity that ground turmeric simply doesn't. The CC vastly prefers the former but feel free to use the later.
Recipe
Grind the spices to a fine powder.
Grind the ginger, green chilis, and turmeric to a paste. (If you grind the spices in a mortar and pestle, you can do this in the same step.)
Boil the potatoes in water until tender. Peel and mash gently.
Heat some oil in a pan. Add the diced onions and curry leaves and fry for a bit until the onions have softened. Add the spices and ground paste and fry till the raw smell has dissipated. Roughly 2 minutes.
Add the tuna from the can and break it up. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the boiled potatoes and mix it all well together.
(If you are going to deep-fry into "fish balls", make it drier than normal. Otherwise it should be wet enough to form into patties.)
Dump the whole stuff into a bowl. Let it cool for a bit. Pick out the curry leaves and discard. (They don't do this in Sri Lanka but then the leaves there are more tender than the ones found here.)
Add the chopped cilantro and the juice of one lime and crush gently using a potato masher. Mix and check for salt.
To make the patties, you can just either pan-fry them with some oil (which is the way the CC prefers) or for a fancier richer taste, do the same after an egg-wash and coated with breadcrumbs.
Showing posts with label cumin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cumin. Show all posts
Monday, October 30, 2017
Monday, February 24, 2014
Panch Phoran
The CC has posted about this classical Bengali five-spice mixture before but the sheer beauty of the spices compelled him to post it again.
It composes of equal parts of cumin, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella, and radhuni.
The CC is aware that most online sources suggest mustard seeds but this is wrong. The spices may be fried in mustard oil but you need to have radhuni which are arguably closer in flavor to celery seeds than anything else.
It composes of equal parts of cumin, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella, and radhuni.
The CC is aware that most online sources suggest mustard seeds but this is wrong. The spices may be fried in mustard oil but you need to have radhuni which are arguably closer in flavor to celery seeds than anything else.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Matar ka Nimona (Green Peas in Green Pea Curry Sauce)
This is a reasonably obscure dish from the Northern agricultural belt of India, and like all rural recipes, it is both simple and superb.
Even the name is outstanding. All those m's and n's caressing each other. The CC has been muttering (sic) the title to himself all day long sometimes a little bit sarcastically but mostly sweetly.
The recipe is made at a time when fresh green peas flood the rural markets which explains the dual purpose of the peas. You need to make the excess work somehow.
Let it be noted that this will not work with frozen peas. The curry portion will work fine but you need the starchy nature of fresh peas to make the other component work.
Lately the CC has been seeing fresh shelled peas from Georgia in the markets. He also sees them, of all places, in the Korean markets. So try and hunt around. You'd be surprised where they can be and you really don't want to miss out on this recipe.
Ingredients
3 cups fresh peas
2 cups cilantro leaves (yup!)
4 Thai green chillies
4 cloves garlic
1 piece of fresh turmeric (or 1/2 tbsp. ground)
1 tbsp. cumin seeds
water
salt
Recipe
Take 1 cup of the peas, the cilantro leaves, chillies, garlic, and turmeric and grind to a paste. A food processor makes quick work here.
Heat up some oil in a pan. When shimmering, add the cumin seeds. Let them color but not burn. Add the liquidized sauce from above. Be careful because it is wet and will splatter.
Let it fry until the "raw" smell has disappeared. Roughly 5-6 minutes. Add the remaining fresh peas and salt to taste until they are tender. Be careful not to overcook.
Serve with parathas or rice.
Even the name is outstanding. All those m's and n's caressing each other. The CC has been muttering (sic) the title to himself all day long sometimes a little bit sarcastically but mostly sweetly.
The recipe is made at a time when fresh green peas flood the rural markets which explains the dual purpose of the peas. You need to make the excess work somehow.
Let it be noted that this will not work with frozen peas. The curry portion will work fine but you need the starchy nature of fresh peas to make the other component work.
Lately the CC has been seeing fresh shelled peas from Georgia in the markets. He also sees them, of all places, in the Korean markets. So try and hunt around. You'd be surprised where they can be and you really don't want to miss out on this recipe.
Ingredients
3 cups fresh peas
2 cups cilantro leaves (yup!)
4 Thai green chillies
4 cloves garlic
1 piece of fresh turmeric (or 1/2 tbsp. ground)
1 tbsp. cumin seeds
water
salt
Recipe
Take 1 cup of the peas, the cilantro leaves, chillies, garlic, and turmeric and grind to a paste. A food processor makes quick work here.
Heat up some oil in a pan. When shimmering, add the cumin seeds. Let them color but not burn. Add the liquidized sauce from above. Be careful because it is wet and will splatter.
Let it fry until the "raw" smell has disappeared. Roughly 5-6 minutes. Add the remaining fresh peas and salt to taste until they are tender. Be careful not to overcook.
Serve with parathas or rice.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Food Storm
Apparently, we're stormed in.
However, the CC had two food shopping trips organized on Friday and Saturday. Long before he had heard of this pesky little problem that seems to be imminent.
Friday consisted of some wonderful shopping at the Indian and Korean markets in Jackson Heights.
Saturday consisted of some wonderful shopping at the Greek markets in Astoria.
The latter was followed up by some wonderful Japanese ramen in Astoria. (Those Japanese hipsters! They can't quite resist those cheap rents, can they?)
This (storm) too shall pass.
However, the CC had two food shopping trips organized on Friday and Saturday. Long before he had heard of this pesky little problem that seems to be imminent.
Friday consisted of some wonderful shopping at the Indian and Korean markets in Jackson Heights.
Saturday consisted of some wonderful shopping at the Greek markets in Astoria.
The latter was followed up by some wonderful Japanese ramen in Astoria. (Those Japanese hipsters! They can't quite resist those cheap rents, can they?)
This (storm) too shall pass.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Bengali Cookbook Authenticity Gauge-Meter
There's a shockingly simple way to gauge it.
Just peruse through and check their ingredients for panch phoran (five spices.)
If it features radhuni, it is authentic. If it features mustard seeds, it is not.
For the record, panch phoran consists of radhuni, cumin, fenugreek, fennel and kalonji.
Life can be so simple sometimes.
Just peruse through and check their ingredients for panch phoran (five spices.)
If it features radhuni, it is authentic. If it features mustard seeds, it is not.
For the record, panch phoran consists of radhuni, cumin, fenugreek, fennel and kalonji.
Life can be so simple sometimes.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Exotic
Two days ago, while shopping at the Temple of Food™, the CC encountered a middle-aged woman muttering to herself about "exotic ingredients" while her nervous bored husband hung around the edges wondering what exactly he had gotten himself into.
Then finding what she wanted, she looked at the CC and murmured in a soothing matronly voice, "Cumin is so exotic."
And the CC wanted to tell her, "Lady! Cumin is not exotic. Katsuobushi blocks and dried whole caper fruits are exotic. You need to get out more often."
But he was unerringly polite. This was a mistake. Someday in his anec-dotage, he will regret being polite.
Then finding what she wanted, she looked at the CC and murmured in a soothing matronly voice, "Cumin is so exotic."
And the CC wanted to tell her, "Lady! Cumin is not exotic. Katsuobushi blocks and dried whole caper fruits are exotic. You need to get out more often."
But he was unerringly polite. This was a mistake. Someday in his anec-dotage, he will regret being polite.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Tamatar Shorba
8 pounds of fresh farmers' market tomatoes and a really hot summer's day. What's a crazy chef to do?
Make tomato soup, of course. Rich tomato-ey, cumin-y goodness.
We've seen this recipe before but it's time for a detailed revisit.
Note the changes as improvements in technique, and also various simplifications.
Ingredients
8 lbs tomatoes (quartered)
2 large red onions (diced)
1 large potato (unpeeled, diced)
4 tbsp cumin (read below!)
1 tbsp whole peppercorns
1" ginger (chopped coarsely)
12 curry leaves
2-3 tbsp cumin seeds (read below!)
2 tbsp "home-made" tomato paste (but substitute commercial, you wimps!)
sea salt
extra-virgin olive oil
Recipe
Fry the onions at a low heat. When dark pink, add the curry leaves, half the cumin, the peppercorns and fry for a bit. Fry the ginger for a bit. Then finally, fry the potatoes for a while. (All of this frying should be languid and will probably take 20 minutes.)
Add the quartered tomatoes, and turn the heat to an extreme low. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat. After about 30 minutes, stir so that all the tomatoes are dunked in the liquid. Let it cook for another 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are quite soft.
In a separate pot, heat some olive oil. Fry the rest of the cumin, followed by the tomato paste.
Now pass the first liquid mixture through the finest sieve of a food mill directly into the second pot.
Turn the heat on extreme low, and let it simmer uncovered.
Skim, baby, skim. Every 10 minutes.
Let the soup reduce. You are better off reducing the soup beyond the desired consistency and then thinning it as necessary.
Make tomato soup, of course. Rich tomato-ey, cumin-y goodness.
We've seen this recipe before but it's time for a detailed revisit.
Note the changes as improvements in technique, and also various simplifications.
Ingredients
8 lbs tomatoes (quartered)
2 large red onions (diced)
1 large potato (unpeeled, diced)
4 tbsp cumin (read below!)
1 tbsp whole peppercorns
1" ginger (chopped coarsely)
12 curry leaves
2-3 tbsp cumin seeds (read below!)
2 tbsp "home-made" tomato paste (but substitute commercial, you wimps!)
sea salt
extra-virgin olive oil
Recipe
Fry the onions at a low heat. When dark pink, add the curry leaves, half the cumin, the peppercorns and fry for a bit. Fry the ginger for a bit. Then finally, fry the potatoes for a while. (All of this frying should be languid and will probably take 20 minutes.)
Add the quartered tomatoes, and turn the heat to an extreme low. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat. After about 30 minutes, stir so that all the tomatoes are dunked in the liquid. Let it cook for another 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are quite soft.
In a separate pot, heat some olive oil. Fry the rest of the cumin, followed by the tomato paste.
Now pass the first liquid mixture through the finest sieve of a food mill directly into the second pot.
Turn the heat on extreme low, and let it simmer uncovered.
Skim, baby, skim. Every 10 minutes.
Let the soup reduce. You are better off reducing the soup beyond the desired consistency and then thinning it as necessary.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Tomato Soup (in winter) - Part 4
The "fabled" recipe at long last!
Ingredients
3 lbs tomatoes (chop them in eighths -- fast and simple)
2 large red onions diced coarsely
1 large potato diced coarsely
1 tbsp whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2-3 tbsp cumin seeds (read below!)
2 tbsp "home-made" tomato paste (but substitute commercial, you wimps!)
salt to taste
3 tbsp of olive oil
Required Kitchen Instrument
Food mill
Recipe
The recipe is simple but don't try to "hurry" it. Patience is rewarded. You can coax good taste out of crappy-ass winter tomatoes. Trust me!
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the onions, and the let them "sweat" (as the Italians say.) When the onions are dark pink (but not caramelized), add 1 tbsp of the cumin, the bay leaves, all the peppercorns and saute for a whole minute.
Then, add the tomatoes, and turn the heat down real low (this is the patience part.) Let the tomatoes slowly "melt", and release their juices. This will try your patience as it will take the better part of anywhere between 20-40 minutes. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat. When the fat rises to the surface...
Skim, baby, skim!
When done skimming, add the potatoes, cover the pot, and let it stew for 20 mins or so, on medium heat. The fat's in the pot. No point in the low heat now.
What you need to do is pass this soupy mixture through a food mill but in the interest of time, effort, and the general hatred of washing up dishes, read below!
In a separate pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add 2 tbsp of cumin, fry for 15 seconds. Then add the tomato paste. While this is frying, place the food mill over the second pot, and add the stuff from the first pot into the food mill, and start rotating.
Rotate, baby, rotate!
When you are bored, toss the crap in the food mill away. Let the other stuff come to a gentle rolling boil for a while, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the salt to taste.
Ambrosia, baby, ambrosia!
Honest Confessions:
1. In the interest of being complete, if the soup is too tart which it may very well be, thanks to crappy-ass tomatoes (F**K YOU, genetically modified, crappy-ass tomatoes!), add some sugar to balance the taste. Marcella Hazan, the doyen of Italian food cooking, recommends this, and even though this is an Indian recipe, who am I to argue with her?
(To be fair, if you need to do this with tomatoes at the height of summer, your cooking skills suck!)
2. The CC used 2 potatoes producing a thicker soup, and had to thin it.
3. Don't bother peeling the potatoes. The CC wasted his time. The food mill will take care of it. DOH!
4. I've seen cooks fry curry leaves in the very first step. Didn't have any so didn't add them.
5. I wish I had used more cumin. So will you!
Ingredients
3 lbs tomatoes (chop them in eighths -- fast and simple)
2 large red onions diced coarsely
1 large potato diced coarsely
1 tbsp whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2-3 tbsp cumin seeds (read below!)
2 tbsp "home-made" tomato paste (but substitute commercial, you wimps!)
salt to taste
3 tbsp of olive oil
Required Kitchen Instrument
Food mill
Recipe
The recipe is simple but don't try to "hurry" it. Patience is rewarded. You can coax good taste out of crappy-ass winter tomatoes. Trust me!
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the onions, and the let them "sweat" (as the Italians say.) When the onions are dark pink (but not caramelized), add 1 tbsp of the cumin, the bay leaves, all the peppercorns and saute for a whole minute.
Then, add the tomatoes, and turn the heat down real low (this is the patience part.) Let the tomatoes slowly "melt", and release their juices. This will try your patience as it will take the better part of anywhere between 20-40 minutes. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat. When the fat rises to the surface...
Skim, baby, skim!
When done skimming, add the potatoes, cover the pot, and let it stew for 20 mins or so, on medium heat. The fat's in the pot. No point in the low heat now.
What you need to do is pass this soupy mixture through a food mill but in the interest of time, effort, and the general hatred of washing up dishes, read below!
In a separate pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add 2 tbsp of cumin, fry for 15 seconds. Then add the tomato paste. While this is frying, place the food mill over the second pot, and add the stuff from the first pot into the food mill, and start rotating.
Rotate, baby, rotate!
When you are bored, toss the crap in the food mill away. Let the other stuff come to a gentle rolling boil for a while, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the salt to taste.
Ambrosia, baby, ambrosia!
Honest Confessions:
1. In the interest of being complete, if the soup is too tart which it may very well be, thanks to crappy-ass tomatoes (F**K YOU, genetically modified, crappy-ass tomatoes!), add some sugar to balance the taste. Marcella Hazan, the doyen of Italian food cooking, recommends this, and even though this is an Indian recipe, who am I to argue with her?
(To be fair, if you need to do this with tomatoes at the height of summer, your cooking skills suck!)
2. The CC used 2 potatoes producing a thicker soup, and had to thin it.
3. Don't bother peeling the potatoes. The CC wasted his time. The food mill will take care of it. DOH!
4. I've seen cooks fry curry leaves in the very first step. Didn't have any so didn't add them.
5. I wish I had used more cumin. So will you!
Thursday, March 9, 2006
Tomato Soup (in winter) - Part 3
So the CC was at this Mexican restaurant in NYC earlier this week, and as soon as he entered, he was delightfully pleased with the warm cumin-scented atmosphere reminding him of the tomato soup of his youth.
What does this have to do with the original "tomato soup" postings? Not much. Think of it as a teaser trailer for the recipe later this week.
Dang, these Hollywood folk know more than a few tricks. I need a control group or something.
What does this have to do with the original "tomato soup" postings? Not much. Think of it as a teaser trailer for the recipe later this week.
Dang, these Hollywood folk know more than a few tricks. I need a control group or something.
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