Posts filed under 'dinner'
This meal kind of blew up on me. At first I was like, oh, we have some okra! I should make fried okra. Then, gee, wouldn’t mashed potatoes be nice with that? And then I had to make gravy, too. What about cornbread? That sounds nice! But, oh, I need more greens. I guess I need to make collards, as well!
See what I mean? Blew right up.
While not one of my healthier meals, it was downright delicious. The fried okra was really fun, especially because I had never had it before. It was quite easy to make, but boy did it fry for much longer than I expected! I thought it’d be done in 3-4 minutes, but I left it in for probably 10, maybe 15, and it was perfect that way.
Fried Okra
Serves 3-4 side dishes
3 Cups Chopped Okra, frozen or fresh (I used frozen)
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Cornmeal
2 tsp Old Bay
2 tsp Soymilk
All Purpose Flour
Peanut Oil for frying (or other high heat oil)
Heat 1/4″ to 1/2″ oil in a large skillet, I used my cast-iron pan. Mix cornmeal and Old Bay together. Defrost or slice your okra (1/2″ pieces) and place in a large bowl. Toss with soymilk. The okra should get kind of sticky, but the you shouldn’t have a pool of soymilk at the bottom. Drain it out if you do.
Add cornmeal mixture to okra and toss. If still moist, add all purpose flour by the tablespoon full until each piece is coated and relatively dry. Remove one piece of okra and put it in the oil to test the temperature. It should bubble up immediately, but not go totally crazy and begin to scorch. Adjust heat accordingly.
CAREFULLY dump all the okra into your oil, being careful not to splatter hot oil everywhere. DO NOT TOUCH or mix it for a few minutes. Then, gently turn over the pieces. All sides should be brown, and it should be very crispy. You can test the okra by removing one piece. Mine took about 10-15 minutes.
Remove and drain on a paper towel. Serve immediately, with ketchup if desired!
May 9th, 2007
Everywhere we went in Belize, people were eating a red-colored chicken dish. One of our guides told me that red color comes from a spice mixture called recado, which contains red annatto seeds. The powder (or paste) is sometimes called achiote, which is the name of the tree that produces the annatto. Annatto is tangy and is mixed with oregano, cumin, clove, cinnamon, pepper, allspice and garlic to spice chicken in Belize and other parts of the Yucatan.
Since I couldn’t try it while I was there, I picked up a jar of recado powder at a grocery store so I could try it on some seitan when I got home. A lot of recipes call for recado rojo, or paste, instead of powder. I’m not sure if there is any substantial difference in taste between the two. The powder seemed like it’d be easier for me to transport, so I went with that. It has a beautiful red color, and I’m excited in experimenting with it more.
Obviously I have no way of comparing this to the original dish to see if it’s close, but I can tell you it’s pretty tasty, if not authentic. I’m sure traditional recipes don’t ask for tamari, but I prefer it’s flavor to salt in many dishes, so I’ve included it here. The first time I made it I found the lime juice to be overwhelming, so this recipe calls for a reduced amount. It’s delicious served with some salty black beans, lettuce, shredded carrots, and wrapped up in a tortilla.
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Yucatan Seitan
Serves four
1 8oz Package of Seitan
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
2 Tbs Lime Juice
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Cloves Garlic
1 1/2 tsp Recado Powder
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Allspice
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1 Clove, crushed
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
2 Tbs Tamari
Preheat oven to 400º F.
Slice the seitan into wide but thin strips. Place all other ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Place seitan into a small baking dish, so it is roughly in one layer, overlappng some. Pour over marinade and cover tightly with two layers of aluminum foil.
Bake for 30 minutes, but give it a shake at 15. Don’t peek! You don’t want to let the moisture escape. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes if it’s too liquidy. Serve immediately.
May 5th, 2007
We’re back from Belize. I took about a hundred bajillion photos, some of which are currently on flickr if you’re interested.
The trip was wonderful, but the food was not! We did just fine, however, with the help of kind waiters and lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It’s good to be back in my own kitchen, even when I’m not the one cooking; tonight I had the extra special treat of eating one of my husband’s lovely meals. I really shouldn’t hog the kitchen so much. I always love what he makes!
Here we have his recipe for gobi (cauliflower) matar (peas) masala (spicy). “Gobi matar masala” sounds better than “cauliflower peas spicy”, doesn’t it? You can also add aloo (potatoes) if you want, but it’s darn tasty with gobi as the main vegetable.
Gobi Matar Masala
Serves Three, more if you add potatoes
1 Cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
1 Onion, chopped small
1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
1 tsp Powdered Cumin
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Chili Powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Turmeric
4 tsp Olive Oil
1 Can Chopped Tomatoes
1/4 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Frozen Peas
Salt to taste
Fresh Cilantro
1 Lemon
Heat the oil in a large pot with a tight fitting lid. Add onion and saute until soft. Add dry spices and cook for 1 minute over medium high. Add cauliflower and tomatoes, toss to coat. Add water and bring to a simmer. Turn down heat to low and cover.
Simmer for 20-30 minutes until cauliflower is tender and liquid has reduced. Add salt to taste. Add peas, allow to defrost. Sprinkle with fresh squeezed lemon juice if desired. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with brown rice and/or bread. Roti or naan is nice!
May 3rd, 2007
Sometimes I want to make a tasty side dish that I can start and forget about while I’m making the rest of my dinner. Anything roasted or baked tends to fall into this category. Throw it in the oven until it’s done! These potatoes were a big hit with us tonight, and I especially loved them because they were really simple to prepare.
Toasting the spices in the releases their flavor into the oil, and the fresh lemon juice does something magical to the whole thing. Not exactly a technical explanation, I know, but it balances the salt without being overpowering. Just trust me on this one!
I served the potatoes with naan and tamarind lentils, a test recipe for the PPK’s new cookbook. The lentils were tangy and sweet, perfect alongside the salty, lemony potatoes. I should eat more lentils, and this dish is a great way to accomplish that.
Thanks to Terry for the wonderful lentil recipe. I’m SO going to make this again in the future!
Three Spice Potatoes
Serves two
15 oz Russet Potatoes (about three medium potatoes)
3 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Black/Brown Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
Preheat oven to 400º F.
Scrub potatoes and leave skins on. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again to form four long wedges. Cut each wedge in half widthwise to make chunks. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large, oven proof skillet that has a tight fitting lid. Add spices and salt and mix well, until the seeds begin to pop. Add lemon juice. When the bubbling subsides, add potatoes and toss well to coat with the oil and spices. Make sure the potatoes are resting on their cut sides (as opposed to their skins). Cover and place in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and use a spatula to loosen potatoes from the bottom of the pan. Turn them so browned sides are up and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes, uncovered, or until potatoes are tender but still hold their shape.
When finished baking, squeeze a bit of extra lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with a dash of salt. Serve immediately.
April 10th, 2007
If you’re thinking about making the crispy sweet and sour tofu, may I suggest that you turn it into a meal by adding some brown rice, sliced almonds, and broccoli?
When the tofu is almost done frying, dump 1/4 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds on top so they fall into the oil. As SOON as they start to turn color, take it off the heat and drain the oil. In my experience, almonds taste burnt before they look burnt, so don’t let them sit in the oil forever.
Transfer the tofu and almonds into a large bowl and add some steamed broccoli - 1-2 cups or to your liking. Toss with the sweet and sour sauce and serve over rice.
I promise my next post won’t be fried tofu. Promise!
April 5th, 2007
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