Coconut-Curry Crusted Mongchong with Fresh Coriander Chutney and Onion Relish

It's all about the condiments--Relishes, Chutneys and Pickles at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week. I found two easy recipes to try in Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking; Fresh Coriander Chutney and Onion Relish, and I tossed together a Coconut-Curry Crusted Fish (local mongchong) and basmati rice to go with them. It made for an easy and relatively quick dinner with lots of flavor.

Coconut-Curry Crusted Fish
by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Serves 2)

2 firm fish fillets of choice (I used mongchong--aka pomfret)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup flour, separated
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
ground pepper to taste
1 egg or egg replacer (I didn't have any eggs!) ;-)
1 Tbsp butter or non-dairy butter spread
1 Tbsp olive oilMix coconut, 1/4 cup of flour, curry, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper together well on a plate or in a shallow bowl. In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg or mix up egg replacer. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup flour on a plate. Dredge the fish in the plain flour and shake/brush off any excess. Then dip fish into in the egg mixture, shaking off any excess and dredge in the coconut-curry mixture, making sure to coat completely.  

Heat the butter and olive oil together over medium high heat. When pan is hot, sauté the fish until nicely browned on both sides and cooked though on the inside.  About 2-3 minutes per side for thinner fillets and up to 6 minutes per side for thicker pieces. 
 
Serve topped with Fresh Coriander Chutney (recipe below)

Jaffrey says, "This is the kind of chutney that is made fresh in our homes everyday. Apart from its sharp, perky taste, it is exceedingly rich in Vitamins A and C as well as in chlorophyll. We eat small amounts 1-2 teaspoons with our meals. It also serves as an excellent dip for snacks such as samosas." 

Fresh Coriander Chutney (Hare Dhaniye Ki Chutney) 
From Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking
(Serves 4-6)

 3 cups (75g) lightly packed fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves & upper leafy pieces, coarsely chopped
1/2 to 1 fresh, hot green chilli, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds
freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in the container of an electric blender. Blend, pushing down with a rubber spatula several times, until you have a paste. Empty the paste into a small glass or other non-metallic bowl.

Jaffrey says, "This is one of those relishes that may be served with almost every Indian meal. It may be familiar to you from Indian restaurants where it is nearly always on the table."

Onion Relish (Pyaz Ka Laccha)
From Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking
(Serves 4)

1 medium onion, peeled
3/4 tsp salt
4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp paprika (the redder in color the better)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Cut the onion crosswise into paper-thin rings. Put the rings in a bowl . Add all the other ingredients. Toss and mix. Set aside for 30 minutes (or more) before eating, in order to let the flavors blend.  

 
Notes/Results: Simple, with good flavors in both the chutney and the onions and they complimented the fish with its coconut and curry crust nicely. The chutney is bright and herby with a nice but not too hot burn from the chilli. If you can't do coriander or cilantro, parsley would work well in this. The onions were my favorite--the lemon juice tenderizers them and the paprika and cayenne give them good flavor. Next time I would truly slice them paper thin but I liked the crispness of the thicker pieces too. (I used my small handheld mandoline slicer rather than digging out and setting up my big fancy one that slices very thinly because I am lazy like that.) ;-) I would make both recipes again.

There will be plenty of other Relishes, Chutneys and Pickles over at the IHCC site this week, so stop by and check them out. 

Happy Aloha Friday!
 

The Book Tour Stops Here: Things Remembered by Georgia Bockoven and Gluten Free Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins with Almonds

Karla's relationship with Anna, the grandmother who raised her and her two sisters, has been tenuous at best. Sent to live with Anna when their parents were killed in an auto accident ten-year-old Heather and six-year-old Grace bonded easily with Anna while Karla, fourteen, always felt excluded and bitter toward her grandmother. Now 85, Anna is dying with congestive heart failure and Karla has returned home to help Anna put her affairs in order. Karla is there from a sense of duty while Anna is hoping to heal the rift between them and make the most of the time she has left.

Things Remembered by Georgia Bockoven is a novel about family, love and healing--letting go of the past and finding a future. Although the story centers mostly around Anna and Karla, we get glimpses into the lives of the sisters--Heather happily married to a wonderful man and expecting her third child--a girl, and Grace, a spoiled and self-indulgent actress who is supported financially and enabled in her selfishness by both Karla and Anna. Karla has focused most of her energy and her life on her coffee shop, especially after her divorce, and has closed herself off emotionally from much of the world. Beginning to open herself up to a relationship with Anna introduces her to new friends and a potential love interest. The relationship between the sisters and their grandmother--very different for each sister, is explored as well. 

I found this book to be a fast and engaging read and I could easily relate to the family dynamics of the sisters and the concerns of having an aging parent or grandparent. It is a sweet story and a perfect fall/winter read as it is set over late October and flows into Christmas and beyond. Things Remembered is good pick for anyone who enjoys books about family and relationships. This is the first book of Bockoven's I have read (although I just realized her The Year Everything Changed is sitting in my massive post-Border's closing sale "to read" pile), and I planning on reading more from this author. 

Author note: Georgia Bockoven is an award-winning author who began writing fiction after a successful career as a freelance journalist and photographer. Her books have sold more than four million copies worldwide. The mother of two, she resides in Northern California with her husband, John.

There was actually plenty of food inspiration in this book. Thanksgiving dinner, home-baked pies and pie crust cookies (I have fond childhood memories of these cinnamony pie crust scrap treats), persimmon cookies, applesauce cake, lasagna, hamburgers... There are even about 17 family-style recipes included in the back of the book, submitted by readers of the original hardback edition. 

In the end, for my book inspired dish, I took inspiration from the the part of herself Karla kept hidden--the mothering, nurturing part. At her core, Karla cares deeply about her family and friends and demonstrates it through her actions.  Making and giving food is a great way of showing you care and so I took the opportunity to bake up a little something for a friend. 

My friend Julie is on a restrictive diet no gluten, dairy, and a host of other ingredients and she has been hungering for some baked goods. I had some nicely brown and over-ripe sweet apple bananas and I whipped them into a vegan Gluten Free Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins with Almonds. Because I let my GF baking ingredients run out, I bought some Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix and adapted the Banana Bread recipe on their website. (My changes are in red below) The result was some pretty moist and tasty little muffins--studded with mini vegan chocolate chips.
 
Gluten Free Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins with Almonds
Adapted from Banana Bread recipe at Pamela's Products
(Makes about 10 muffins)

4 tablespoons butter, melted (I used Earth Balance butter substitute)
1/2 cup sugar or honey (I used 1/3 cup agave)
2 eggs, beaten (I used egg replacer)
1 cup banana, mashed
1-3/4 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
(I added 1/2 teaspoon almond extract)
1/2 cup nuts (optional) (I used 1/2 cup sliced almonds)
(I added 1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips)

Beat together butter, sugar or honey, eggs and banana. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Scoop into lined cupcake pans (about 2/3 full).

Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Notes/Results: I am still always a little leery of baking with GF and vegan ingredients (gluten-free mixes, egg replacer, Earth Balance) and having it turn out with the flavor and texture I am looking for but these muffins were actually really good. They turned out moist and not too dense and of course you can't go wrong with lots of mini chocolate chips. I had a couple and gave the remainder to Jules who proclaimed them really good--so I will call them a success. I would make them again. 

Note: A review copy of Things Remembered was provided by the publisher and TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own. 
 

White Bean Soup with Gremolata: Easy, Beany Goodness for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

It was the gremolata that pulled me into this recipe. I love the bright and zesty flavor this combination of parsley, garlic and lemon rind gives to food and thought it would be perfect to add flavor to a simple bean soup.

This White Bean Soup with Gremolata recipe comes from Cooking Light via myrecipes.com and goes together quickly and simply. I made a few changes (in red below) and omitted the pancetta and chicken stock to make it a veg-friendly soup. 

 
White Bean Soup with Gremolata
Adapted from MyRecipes.com: Cooking Light--Nov. 2009
(Serves 2-4)

Soup:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pancetta (omitted & added 1/2 tsp smoked paprika)
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
(1/2 cup carrot, chopped)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups less-sodium chicken or veggie broth (I used 1 quart Imagine Not-Chicken Stock)
1/2 cup water (omitted)
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 (19-oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I used 3 14-oz cans)
1 bay leaf
 
Gremolata:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon minced garlic

To prepare soup, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in onion, celery, and 2 teaspoons garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until almost tender. Stir in broth and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaf). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To prepare gremolata, combine parsley, rind, and 1 teaspoon garlic. Sprinkle over soup.

Notes/Results: The soup is good on its own, with the gremolata it is even better--so I recommend doubling the gremolata recipe. I added extra beans and doubled the broth--without doing that this recipe would yield about 2 servings. If you eat meat, the pancetta would be a nice touch. I replaced it with some smoked paprika and didn't really miss it. Easy to make, satisfying and with good flavor, I would make this again.

We have soups and stews and a couple of salads waiting in the Souper Sundays kitchen, let's take a look. 

Tigerfish from Teczcape-An Escape to Food is here with Roasted Garlic Black Bean Stew and says, "It was supposed to be only part of the roasted garlic going into this dish but in the end, it's an entire whole bulb of garlic (about 6-8 cloves) into this Roasted Whole-Garlic Black Bean Stew. Garlic-ky!!! Black beans is a great way to up the intake of fiber and protein; also relatively nutritious among beans/legumes especially when it is rich in potassium and iron (folate)."

Janet of The Taste Space made this chunky Moroccan Chana Dal Stew with Green Olives and Preserved Lemons and says, "I liked the creamy nature of the chana dal as a back drop for the stew along with cinnamon and cumin. The buttercup squash was sweet and complemented the grassiness of the green beans (yes, my plants were very prolific this year). For further depth, green Cerignola olives and preserved lemon make this an exotic twist of flavours."

Torwen of Torwen's Blog is back with a creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and says, "Today was kind of a strange day. We are living in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg (now can you pronounce this one *grin*), in a part that borders to another state of Germany. And today I had a holiday and M, who works only 20 km away (but in Hesse) had to go to work. No holiday and no free time for him. Bad for him but good for me :) So I used my time to tend to my slipped disc (basically meaning, I slept long), made a brownie cake for M's birthday and also this wonderfully rich and smoky butternut squash soup which I will gladly share with you, since, although it might look like an ordinary squash soup, is far from it."

Pam of Sidewalk Shoes adapted Dorie Greenspan's Garbure from the Supermarket for the slow cooker and says, "As someone who makes soup practically every single Sunday from October to April, I have eaten a lot of soups, and I have to say that this is in my top 10.  It was wonderful.  It is totally loaded with vegetable and pork goodness.  I used a meaty ham bone and unfortunately didn’t have the optional duck leg and garlic sausage – which probably would have been utterly amazing.  Also, I skipped the turnips because I don’t like them! But even without the optional ingredients – this was fabulous!"

Dave of Inspired By eRecipeCards is here again this week with two soups. The first is this decadent, cheesy stew-like Enchilada Soup. He says, "Much as I try, sometimes I just can't stop myself...This started out as a copy cat recipe and I had every intentions of following the recipe through as written.  If you have never tried the delicious creamy, cheesy, Tex-Mex delight of the Enchilada Soup from Chili's restaurant, you are missing something special. ... Long story short (too late), the creamy delicious ACCURATE Chili's Copy Cat Recipe that Lindsey posted sounded perfect.  But I thought about it and decided I could do a bit better (well, different anyway).  My soup came out much thicker and more of and Enchilada Stew than a soup."

Dave's second soup is this Rotisserie Chicken Corn Chowder about which he says, "Chowders also are traditionally served with those little oyster crackers.  Long time readers will smile when I say, "Who am I to argue with tradition", but in this case.  They go great with chowder! Love this, thick and rich from the Half and Half; a hint of spice from a minced jalapeno, to make up for the cream, loaded with vegetables and plenty of cheese to make it good and hearty! What's not to love."

My pal Stephanie, The Happy Sorceress of Dispensing Happiness is here with this "ridiculously easy and full of flavor" Cambodian Chicken and Rice Soup and says, "I like the cooler temperatures a lot more than Matt. My feeling is that you can  add more layers to get warm, but when it's hot you can only take off so much to get cool! There's another, and more recent, reason I like this time of the year: Matt's more willing to eat soup. (This is called a 'win-win'.) Give it some Asian flavors and he might even have seconds."

Joanne of Eats Well With Others is facing the storm aftermath with this healthy and hearty Broccoli and Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Avocado and Goat Cheese and says, "The one thing I do have? This quinoa salad. And...it's awesome. Stuffed full of roasted cauliflower, a creamy broccoli pesto, almonds, avocado and goat cheese, it'll fill you with a sense of calm during these crazy times so that all you'll be able to focus on is how happy your taste buds are.  Amidst all of this insanity and utter uncertainty...it is logical, rational and/or reasonable.  And sometimes...that's exactly what you need."  

Finally Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog brings a colorful Shaved Carrot Ribbons and Cranberry Salad. She says, "Two simple vegetables, the carrot and the cranberry ( a berry) create a fabulous fall salad! Low calories, yet in high fiber and nutrition, carrots have a rich orange color that is especially appealing in the fall and add a subtle  sweetness to so many recipes. My creation was absolutely delicious, simple, raw and vegan. I made the salad for "one" and ate it as my lunch,  You can double or triple it for a side dish with dinner." 

A wonderful variety of dishes this week--thanks to everyone who joined in. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo for all of the details. 

Have a happy, healthy week!
 

Lemongrass Tea (Leelee Chai)

I drink a lot of tea--black, green, oolong. I drink a lot of lemongrass tisane--fresh lemongrass steeped in hot water. I don't normally drink the two together so I was intrigued by this recipe for Leelee Chai--or Indian Lemongrass Tea from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian.

Jaffrey says, "I have only seen this drunk in the West Indian state of Gujarat. In the city of Ahmedabad we were offered large, handleless bowlfuls of it. It had been made very strong and was served sweetened, with milk. You might like to make it weaker and have it without the milk and sugar."

Lemongrass Tea (Leelee Chai)
From Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian
(Serves 4)

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, the bottom 6-inches, thinly sliced
5 tsp Assam or Darjeeling black tea
milk and sugar to taste

Combine the lemongrass and 4 1/4 cups of water in a pan and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Strain the water into a warmed teapot and immediately add the tea. Allow to steep for 5 minutes. Serve with milk and sugar or plain. 

Notes/Results: I used a first-flush Darjeeling and fresh local lemongrass and it made for a lighter, brighter cup of tea with a slightly floral, lemony finish. Normally I am a no-cream-or-sugar-in-my-tea-kind-of-girl, but this tea was even better with a dash of coconut milk non-dairy creamer and a touch of honey. It's also good iced, with a squeeze of lemon. Definitely drinkable, I will make it again.

There's an Indian Tea Party over at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week. You can check out the tea and tea-friendly treats everyone made by going to the post and following the links.

Happy Aloha Friday!
 

Bread-Tomato-Garlic Soup: For Food 'n Flix: Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and Souper (Soup, Salad, & Sammie) Sundays

In about one third of the time that it will take you to watch the film Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, you can make this bowl of simple, hearty Bread-Tomato-Garlic Soup. And, I do recommend that's where you spend your time--the soup not the movie. 

Elizabeth at The Law Student's Cookbook selected this campy "horror" movie as our Food 'n Flix pick for October--a very fitting choice. Although I generally like B-rated cult-status films, I just couldn't quite get into it this round. Filmed in 1978, (I vaguely remember watching it as a child), the years have not been kind to this film--I think my only real laughs came from the clothing and bad low-budget special effects. Still, seemingly harmless tomatoes intent on taking over the world did inspire this delicious dish. 

This recipe comes from the Jill Dupleix cookbook of the same name, Bread Tomato Garlic--featuring recipes with three "main player" ingredients. The three are used beautifully here in a thick, velvety soup. 

Jill Dupleix says, "A soup that's really a salad: sourdough bread, rich, ripe tomatoes and your fruitiest olive oil."

Bread-Tomato-Garlic Soup 
Adapted from Bread Tomato Garlic by Jill Dupleix
(Serves 4)

Main Players:
12 oz stale sourdough bread
1 lb ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, peeled (I used 3 cloves)

Supporting Cast:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
5 cups chicken stock or veggie broth
1 small bunch basil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove crusts from the bread, thickly slice and cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Coarsely chop the tomatoes, and smash the garlic with the side of a knife until flattened.

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a heavy saucepan. When hot, add the tomatoes and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.

Add the broth gradually, stirring, and bring to a boil. When the mixture is bubbling, add the stale bread cubes, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes. Toss in a handful of fresh basil leave sand stir them through.

Cover and simmer over very low heat for 20-30 minutes. Stir every now and then, squashing some of the bread into the soup with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. 

Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a while. Serve warm, drizzled with extra olive oil.  

Notes/Results: So simple and good. The bread makes this soup thick and smooth. I added a little extra garlic to mine and put half of the basil in when the recipe called for it and the other half in at the end. Playing off of Dupleix comment that this is a soup that is really a salad, I topped mine with a little fresh mozzarella, making it Caprese-ish. This soup is pure comfort food and I would definitely make it again. 

Thanks to Elizabeth for picking a fun October film. She'll be rounding up the killer tomato-inspired dishes on her blog in the next few days. Have a hankering for films and food? Join us for the next Food 'n Flix pick, Julie and Julia hosted by La Cocina de Leslie. 

Now let's visit the Souper Sundays kitchen and see what dishes await. 

Foodycat has a new addiction--Nduja--rich, spicy, paste-like sausage from Calabria and used it to make this hearty Ndjua Meatball Minestrone Soup. She says, "The flavour of the pepper stuffing started me thinking of meatballs. And as the weather has turned distinctly autumnal, it led my thoughts towards soup. A big pot of minestrone, thick with stelline, beans and vegetables, with balls of 'nduja-and-sausagemeat poached gently in it. The chilli-warmth worked its way through the whole pot of broth."

Dave from Inspired by eRecipeCards joins us for the first time at Souper Sundays with two soupy bowls of goodness.  First is this Garlic Garlic Chicken and Dumplings. Dave says, "Not a typo, double Garlic. And as good as that sounds... It tasted better.  In fact, I am out on a limb here, but I really think this is about the best thing I have ever made.  A terrific garlic seasoned vegetable chicken soup, but on top are the most amazing garlic cheese dumplings.  I cried just a bit when the leftovers were gone."

Next, Dave shares this Chicken, Kale, Sweet Potatoes in a Silky Butternut Squash Soup and says, "Today's soup wasn't waiting for Indian Summer, this beauty was made with a base of creamy silky butternut squash (thickened with a roux and pureed).  The meat of the soup was cubes of fried Sweet Potatoes for texture (and health), some Kale for color. texture and even more health and some of my beloved store bought, fully cooked, fully seasoned Rotisserie Chicken..." Welcome to Souper Sundays Dave!

 
Joanne of Eats Well With Others created a fun soupy spin on a classic dish with her Lasagna Soup and says, "My grandmother didn't make lasagna. Perhaps that is why I've never felt that bad taking what should be tradition and transforming it into something totally unrecognizable.  Omitting key ingredients, adding in a rainbow of vegetables that wasn't there before, or saying "who needs an hour of baking or a tray of cheesy perfection...just throw it all on the stovetop and call it soup!" As it turns out, without a gold standard to compare it to, anything goes."

 
Janet of The Taste Space has two salads to share this week. First, this end-of-summer Flageolet Bean Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Leeks. She says, "It is such a simple salad, but capitalizes on summer’s fresh bounty. You could even whip this one out in the middle of winter with green-house tomatoes and nobody would be the wiser. Roasting the tomatoes, leeks and garlic makes a delicious base for this salad. Coated in a touch of coconut oil, it permeates into the juicy tomatoes and silky leeks. I combined them with flageolet beans, perfect for salads with their creamy texture yet firm shape. No need for a dressing, the vegetable juices embrace the beans." 

Janet also made this pretty salad topped with Tomato-Pomegranate Vinaigrette and says, "I was initially perplexed by the recipe since it seemed to be a dressing infused with the flavours instead of being pureed directly into the dressing. So, I experimented. I made half of the recipe through the suggested (infused) method, and half of the dressing was simply pureed. The verdict? Both were good and more surprisingly to me, the blended dressing was creamier. I thought the pureed shallot and garlic would make this a scary dressing, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t as tart and acidic as the infused dressing. However, once mixed with my veggie medley, it was perfect. Both versions were nice."

Becky from veghotpot is back with a satisfying Vegan BLT (BBQ Tofu, Lettuce and Tomato) sandwich and says, "A BLT needs to be slightly smoky, slightly salty and a good contrast between crispy ‘bacon’, crunchy lettuce and juicy tomatoes! ... What I liked about this sandwich was the fact that the tofu packed some great flavour but it also had a creamy subtleness which was delicious against the toasted bread. I actually left the tofu marinating for quite a while as we went to the pub and I can confirm that after a few cold pints of beer on a rainy day, this sandwich was perfect to come home to!"

Finally, Heather of girlichef made these fun Spiced Shawarma Chicken Wraps and says, "Can I just say how much I adore deceptively simple recipes?  Deceptive in that, although fairly quick and definitely no-fuss, they are absolute crowd-pleasers.  That would be exactly the case with the recipe... Everybody loved them exactly as-is.  And me?  Well, I stole away with the remaining garlic mayo all for myself.  And a little bowl of Kalamata olives.  Dip wrap in mayo, pop an olive in my mouth, take glorious free-will-melting bite. Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat."

Wonderful dishes this week--thanks to everyone who joined in. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on my side bar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!