Asian Salmon with Bok Choy Stir Fry

Searching for new ways to make salmon, this recipe is for you. An asian twist on the salmon. Very easy to make yet tastes so delicious.

Ingredients:
handful of roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)

for salmon:
2 6-8 oz salmon fillets (I used salmon fillets without skin, I usually find salmon smelly with skin)
3/4 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons good oilve oil
3/4 teaspoon soy sauce
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

for stri fry:
1 pound bok choy - trim the ends. Trim off the ends of the bok choy and chop, keeping the white parts separate from the greens.
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup water
1 inch fresh ginger root, finely minced or grated
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

Method:
Whisk all the ingredients under "for salmon" except salmon (dijon mustard acts as emulsifier). Coat the salmon with the mixture and keep them aside.

In a pan on medium high heat, add vegetable oil, sesame oil. Add white parts of bok choy and saute for 3 minutes. Add the greens and saute for another couple of minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the rest of ingredients under "stir fry". Add this sauce to the bok choy and stir until the water content is evaporated.

Cook the salmon in a pan on medium heat until just cooked (this will take couple of minutes on each side). We don't need to add oil to the pan as there is oil in the marinade. Also try to coat the fish with all the marinade before you add it to the pan. Serve salmon with bok choy stir fry topped with roasted peanuts.

Tips and More:

• Spinach is also a best option for this recipe instead of bok choy. In fact, any greens like chard, kale etc. should work.
• Don't overcook salmon. It will be dry. Turn of the heat when you still see a thin pink line in the middle. Salmon continues to cook by the time you eat. By doing this, you will have a tender moist juicy fish.

Lemon Pasta with Blackened Chicken

It was pasta night again and this recipe was a hit. Blackened seasoning is a tasty spin on a boring salt and pepper chicken. Lemon pasta compliments already delicious tasting chicken.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons blackened seasoning
1 pound whole grain pasta of any type (penne, curly)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons +  2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano
1/4 cup peas (optional)
1 large roasted red bell pepper, skinned and cut into strips (optional)

Method:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, until al dente and drain the water.

Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and apply blackened spice both sides to the chicken. Heat a pan over medium high and add 2 tablespoons of oil to it. Add chicken and cook until the chicken is cooked through and browned on both sides. Remove to a plate and cover with a aluminum foil for 10 minutes. Then slice the chicken.

In a separate pan, add the garlic and red pepper flakes to a saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute until fragrant, around 2 minutes. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, stir well and season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta, peas, roasted red bell pepper, combine all together and turn the heat off. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and mix all together. Add fresh parsley at the end. Plate the pasta and top the pasta with chicken pieces.

Tips and More:

• Make sure to rest the chicken before slicing in order to sear in the juices.
• Plan for tomorrow's lunch. Make 4 blackened chicken breasts instead of 2. 2 for pasta and save 2 for tomorrow. Thinly slice the chicken breast, add these pieces to a mayo or mustard spread whole grain bread. Add fresh tomato, lettuce, red onion and enjoy deli style sandwich.
• Lemon Pasta tastes great by itself. The other version instead of chicken would be Lemon Pasta Shrimp. Saute 1/4 cup finely minced shallots for couple of minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic, red pepper flakes to the pan, add 1/2 a pound of peeled and deveined shrimp and cook until shrimp turns pink. The rest of the procedure is the same.
• If you don't want to buy blackened chicken just for this one recipe, you can make it yourself. It a combination of spices and herbs that you find in your own pantry. 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon ground dried thyme, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano. You can store this in a air tight container.

Red Curry Shrimp

We Indians eat curries with roti or rice very often. I thought why not try curry from other cuisines. My very first thought was thai curry. There are many variations to it and the recipe I tried is red curry with shrimp and of course with lots of veggies.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound shrimp - peeled and deveined
1/2 cup peas
3 carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced (optional)
1 small onion diced
2 table spoons thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons oil (peanut, sesame, canola)
dill or basil for garnish (optional)

Method:
Heat a pan on medium high and add oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add red curry paste (I bought it from a thai grocery store) and saute for another minute until fragrant. Add shrimp to the pan and cook until the shrimp is cooked through, it will take 4-5 minutes. Garnish with basil or dill and serve with white rice or brown rice. Is that quick or what.

Tips and More:

• You can go little or over the board with veggies. Well you got to eat your vegetables.
• I personally don't like coconut milk in curries, but many people love it. Actually, thai curries traditionally have coconut milk as their base to the curries. So, add 1/2 - 1 cup coconut milk, store bought (you can make it yourself if you have all the time in the world) and add it to the pan after you saute the red curry paste for a minute. Let the milk come to a boil and then add the shrimp.
• You can also make chicken version with the same recipe. Add green and red bell peppers for additional flavor.
• Curry paste usually has all the elements but check on the seasoning at the end.

Fish Po Boy

Its time not to order a fish po boy at a restaurant. Because this recipe is so simple to make and taste equally delicious. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
4 burger buns - cut in the middle
lettuce
thinly sliced tomatoes
thinly sliced red onion
4 4oz tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon butter

spice rub:
1/4 teaspoon salt
couple pinches of pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
couple pinches of cayenne pepper (optional)

for sauce:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon finely minced dill (pickle relish)
pinch of salt and pepper
a splash or 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Method:
Mix all the ingredients under sauce and keep it aside. Apply the spice rub to the fish and keep them aside. Heat a pan on medium, add butter to it. Toast the buns on the cut side for couple of minutes and take the buns on to a plate. In the same pan add oil and when the oil is hot, add fish and cook the fish for 3 minutes on each side.
Assemble the burger. On the base bun, put lettuce, tomato, onion and fish. Apply teaspoon of sauce to the cap bun (the remaining piece of the bun) and top the burger. Enjoy the delicious fish po boy.

Tips and More:

• You can use your favorite white fish like halibut, catfish etc. instead of tilapia.
• Also, play with the spice rub. Try the fish with blackened seasoning, cajun spice, grill seasoning etc. for different variations of fish po boy.
• Entertain your friends outdoors with this recipe by cooking the fish on a grill.
• The fish will be juicy and tender if you use fresh fish over a frozen fish.

Roasted Broccolini or Broccolette / Roasted Vegetables

 

This recipe will make delicious vegetable side to your meal. It is easy to make yet tastes simply delicious. The following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
12 stems broccolini or broccolette
3 garlic clove roughly minced
2 table spoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

Trim ends of clean broccolini and scatter evenly over a baking sheet on a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccolini and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Tips and More:

• Make the same recipe with broccoli. Temperature is same, but broccoli might take a little longer, around 20-25 minutes to cook. The other night, I made roasted broccoli

• Sprinkle with 2 table spoons of Parmesan cheese immediately after taking the broccolini out from the oven. It tastes even better with addition of cheese.
• Vegetable tastes great by itself, you don't have to add lot of seasonings. Simply roasting vegetables will enhance the natural flavors and tastes good. Here are some ideas. 

Roasted Rosemary Garlic Potatoes: Potatoes have healthy starches and they are good for your health when they are cooked right. These rosemary garlic potatoes satisfies your craving for french fries but yet keeps you fit and healthy.

Ingredients:
3 pounds small red or white potatoes - cut into halves (any kind you like - cut into any shape, medium size pieces or into wedges or rounds, any way you want, but the cooking time varies depending on the size of the potato piece)
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon regular salt)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or use fresh if you have on hand)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the potatoes on aluminum lined baking sheet and toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic. Toss until the potatoes are well coated. Spread out the potatoes into 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the size of the potato piece) or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning. Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot. Note: I like my potatoes with skin. They crisp up nicely, and adds texture. Also they add more fiber.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts: These cute little babies has great nutritional values.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt (to your taste), and serve immediately.

Roasted Soy Nuts

Wonderful soy!! A healthy way to have your mid afternoon snack. 

Ingredients:
1 cup dried soy beans
salt (optional)
cayenne pepper (optional)
black pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)

Method:
Rinse the soy beans. Soak the soy beans in a bowl large enough, to allow beans to double in size. Allow the beans to soak for at least 8 hours. Preheat the oven to 300 degree F. Drain the beans and pat them with a towel. Toss them in olive oil and this step is optional. Spread the beans on a baking sheet in a single layer. Slow roast them stirring every 10 minutes. It will take around 30 - 40 minutes. The time it will take for crunchy soy nuts will depend on the moisture of the soaked beans. If you under roast them, they will be chewy, if you over roast them, they will be burnt. So, keep a close eye on them at the end. The nuts should turn golden brown and crunchy. Once you take them out from the oven, toss the nuts with a couple of pinches of salt, pepper and paprika for extra flavor. Cool them for 30 minutes, store them in an air tight container and enjoy when ever you want.

Tips and More:

• You can increase the oven temperature up to 350 F if you want to speed up the process. In this case, the nuts will take 20-30 minutes.
• Season the nuts with your favorite spice like Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning etc. instead of paprika and salt.

Spinach Asparagus Stuffed Omelette

Asparagus and scrambled eggs is one delicious combination. I whipped up this recipe by adding a few more ingredients and had this classic breakfast as dinner. This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 asparagus - woody ends removed
2 cups spinach
6 extra large eggs (Use only 2 egg yolks and 6 egg whites)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or chili flakes (optional or adjust to your spice level)
2 tablespoons grated monterey jack cheese

Method:
Heat a pan on medium high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to it. Add asparagus and saute them for 2 minutes. Add 2 pinches of salt (from the 1/4 teaspoon) and couple of pinches of pepper (from 1/2 teaspoon). Add spinach and saute until just wilted. Take them on to a plate and keep them aside. Beat 2 egg yolks, 6 egg whites, remaining salt, remaining pepper, chili powder, milk until just combined. Reduce the flame to medium and pour the egg batter into the pan. Wait just until the top layer of omelette is set and flip it. Wait for 30 seconds and flip again. Switch off the stove, add the asparagus spinach mixture in the center and add cheese to it. Fold the omelette onto the asparagus and spinach and wait until the mixture is heated through and cheese is just melted.

Tips and More:

• Add mushrooms, olives, broccoli, bell peppers or any of your favorite vegetables. 
• We are taking out the egg yolks, just to lower the cholesterol content.
• Serve with couple of slices of your favorite bread or you could make a sandwich out of it, like my husband did :)
• Add 1 clove of garlic (minced finely) to the asparagus spinach mixture for extra flavor. You have to add the garlic after you add the spinach in order to avoid burnt garlic flavor. Nothing worse than the taste of a burnt garlic.

Thai Fried Rice

You can't make a meal quicker than a thai fired rice. If you are planning for a take out tonight, try this recipe and you won't be disappointed. I tried 10 times to perfect this recipe and finally here it is. This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked white rice (I used the left over rice from previous day)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped onion pieces
2 carrots diced
8 thai basil leaves
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon sambal or chili garlic paste (optional or adjust to your spice level)
2 eggs (I used only 1 yolk, 2 egg whites)
3 scallions- both greens and white parts chopped
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
couple of pinches salt

Method:
In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sambal, sesame oil, chicken stock, scallions, turmeric and keep it aside. Heat a pan on high heat, and add peanut oil. When the oil is hot, add onion, carrots and salt. Stir for 2 minutes, add ginger, garlic, turmeric and stir for another 30 seconds. Add eggs to the pan wait until the eggs are settled. Break the eggs into a crumble, add rice, basil and peas to the pan. Stir just until every thing in the pan is mixed well. Add the prepared sauce to the rice and stir well for 1 minute.

Tips and More:

• Add mushrooms, beans, bokchoy, tomatoes, celery, sprouts for more veggies.
• Avoid egg for vegetarian version, add chicken for thai chicken fried rice. If you are adding chicken, add it after you added ginger and garlic to the pan. You can also use vegetable stock or water instead of chicken stock.
• You can add cilantro at the end for extra flavor.
• Don't add too much chicken stock. It will make the rice soupy.
• Use low sodium soy sauce and chicken stock in order to control the amount of sodium in-take.
• Peanut oil has a high smoking point and hence is used in most of the asian recipes. If you don't have peanut oil at hand, use canola or vegetable or any other oil you regularly use.

Fish Piccata

Tilapia is such a delicious fish with almost no fat. Its a good source of protien and always satisfying.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tilapia fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup white wine
1-2 lemons, juiced (depending on how much citrusy you like your fish, I would say 1 lemon is good)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional or adjust to your spice level)
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil

Method:
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, blot the fish dry with paper towels and season with salt, pepper and chili powder. Dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. Saute the fish in oil until just cooked, about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the fish from the pan and place on a platter. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring for about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and capers and stir. Add the butter and stir to bring the sauce together. Pour onto the fish and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Tips and More:
You can use any kind of white fish for this recipe, not just tilapia. Serve with sauteed asparagus or french beans on the side.

Greek Chicken Kebabs

Greek food is very flavorful and satisfying too, yet very healthy. It is one of the recipes to take onto the outdoor grill and entertain your friends. The following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
wooden skewers around 8-9 soaked in water for 20 minutes


for chicken -
2 chicken breasts - cut into cubes
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 garlic cloves grated
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional or adjust to your spice level)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
juice from half a lime

for vegetables -
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic grated
2 pinches of chili powder (optional)
1 medium zucchini - cut 1/2 inch thick
1 medium red bell pepper - cut into squares
1 medium green bell pepper - cut into squares
10-12 broccoli stems

for tzatziki sauce -
1/2 cup greek yogurt 
1 garlic clove grated
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
juice of 1/2 lime
couple of pinches of pepper
4 inch cucumber grated (no seeds, skin can be on if it is an english cucumber)
1 tablespoon of fresh mint or 1 pinch of dried marjoram or 1 pinch of dried/fresh dill

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all the ingredients (under "for chicken") except chicken. Add chicken to the marinade, mix well and keep aside. Chop all the vegetables, drizzle olive oil, add all the ingredients under vegetables and mix until the vegetable are evenly coated. Now skewer the chicken and the vegetables alternatively on to the skewers. Place the skewers on the rack and place the rack on a baking sheet to collect any juices from chicken. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Mix all the ingredients under tzatziki sauce for dipping.

Tips and More:

• To the above vegetables, you can also add red onions. If you don't have marjoram in hand, replace with dried oregano, it tastes almost the same. 
• Also, you can make the same recipe with fish or lamb. However, the cooking time is a little less for fish and little long for lamb.
• You can buy pita pockets from any grocery stores, add these kebabs, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, feta cheese and the tzatziki sauce for gyros.
• Geek yogurt  is a thick and creamy yogurt. You can find it at any regular grocery store. Usually it is high in fat content as they use whole milk. So, to make low fat greek yougurt at home, place the yogurt (low fat) in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• This particular recipe has lot of ingredients but is very simple to prepare. It will not take more that 30 minutes. First marinate the chicken, keep aside. Now preheat the oven, chop the vegetables and coat them with the marinade. Vegetable don't have to marinate, so immediately skewer the chicken and veggies onto the skewer and pop it into the oven. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce :)
• Just to avoid hard scrub cleaning, line the baking dish with an aluminum foil.