Fish Kofta Curry

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
450-500 g mixed skinned fish, such as cod, haddock and salmon, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 onion, grated
1 large egg, beaten
1-2 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp mild chilli powder
salt and pepper

Sauce

2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed with a pestle and mortar
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp mild chilli powder (more if you like it hot)
2 tsp black onion seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 dried bay leaves
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 tsp runny honey
4 tomatoes, chopped
300 ml fish stock
150 ml coconut cream
chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

Method

1. To make the koftas, heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and add the fish. Fry for 4-5 minutes, turning carefully. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
2. Squeeze the grated onion to remove any excess juice and then put in a large bowl along with the remaining kofta ingredients. When the fish is cool enough to handle, flake with your fingers, feeling for any stray bones, and then add to the bowl. Mix well and season with salt and pepper, then squeeze into 12 small balls. Cover loosely with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to firm up.
3. Meanwhile make the sauce. Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add all the spices (whole and ground) and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
5. Add the potatoes, apple, honey and tomatoes and stir together for a few minutes before adding the stock and coconut cream. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
6. Shallow fry your chilled fish balls in batches. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and brown them on all sides. Don’t move them about too much in the pan. They have a more delicate constitution than your average meatball. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
7. When you are nearly ready to eat, add the kofta balls to the pan, easing them into the gently simmering sauce. Cover the pan and poach for 10 minutes. Serve with a scattering of coriander leaves.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: My Family Kitchen

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East-Indian Style Sliders

Ingredients

1 package of naan bread
1 lb lean ground beef
1 jalapeno chili pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely minced
1 tbsp curry powder
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
salt and pepper
1/4 cup (60 mL) Greek-style yogurt
mango chutney
fresh mint

Method

1. Using a 2″ round cookie cutter, cut circles out of naan bread.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, chili, curry, garlic, onion and ginger. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Form beef into 2″ patties.
3. Preheat a gas barbecue or grill pan.
4. Place patties on grill and cook for about 3 minutes a side, or until juices run clear when meat is poked with a toothpick.
5. Place 1 patty on 1 slice of naan and top with a dollop of yogurt, some chutney and a mint leaf.
6. Top with another round of naan and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Flavours magazine

Somen Nests with Eggplant and Shiitake Mushrooms

Ingredients

2 small eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
12 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3-1/2 oz fresh enoki mushrooms
1 teaspoon dashi granules
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup Japanese soy sauce
11 oz dried somen noodles

Method

1. Blanch the sliced eggplant in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a plate and weigh down for 15 minutes to press out any remaining liquid. Pat dry.
2. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the eggplant slices in batches until golden brown on both sides. Remove.
4. Add the enoki mushrooms and cook for 10 seconds. Remove.
5. Stir in the dashi, sugar, miso, mirin, reserved liquid, water, soy sauce and shiitake mushrooms and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Cook the somen noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes or until tender. Drain.
7. Place nests of the noodles onto plates, top with eggplant slices and the mushrooms, and drizzle with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Food Style – Noodles

Asian Carbonara with Braised Pork Belly

Ingredients

750 grams skin-on, well-layered pork belly
40 ml soy sauce
40 ml rice wine
30 grams granulated sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 (40 gram) chunk of ginger
3 garlic cloves
1 dashi bag
480-600 grams fresh egg noodles (of medium thickness)
1 tsp sesame oil
80 grams spring onions
40 grams fried shallots
4 small handfuls of shredded nori
4 eggs
shichimi togarashi
toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Cut the pork belly into pieces that are about 8mm x 8mm. Put the pieces in a pan and add the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and salt.
2. Peel the ginger and garlic, then place the ginger on a cutting board and whack it with a meat mallet or the side of a cleaver, to crush it lightly. Put the garlic and ginger in the pan.
3. Put the dashi bag into a cup and add 1 cup boiling water. Leave for a few minutes, then remove the bag. Add 150 ml of the dashi stock (or chicken broth or water) to the pan and bring to the boil over a medium flame. Lower the heat, cover the pan with the lid and simmer, stirring occasionally.
4. Cook for about 45 minutes, or until the pork is very tender. Check the consistency of the sauce: it should be glossy and sticky. If needed, simmer the ingredients, uncovered and stirring often, until the sauce lightly coats the meat. Remove the ginger and garlic cloves.
5. Chop the spring onions about 5 mm thick.
6. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the egg noodles and cook until done to your liking, then drain. Add the sesame oil and mix to coat the noodles. Divide the noodles between four bowls.
7. Spoon the pork belly (with sauce) over the noodles, then add the spring onions and a small handful of shredded nori to each portion. Make an indentation in the centre of the noodles and add some fried shallots.
8. Crack the eggs, separating the white from the yolk. (Reserve the egg whites for another use.)
9. Put the egg yolk on top of the fried shallots in the centre of the bowl and sprinkle lightly with shichimi togarashi. Sprinkle some sesame seeds over the pork and serve immediately.
10. Diner should mix the ingredients thoroughly so the egg yolk and braised pork belly sauce combine to thickly coat the noodles.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Post Magazine

Miso Soba Bowl with Egg and Vegetables

Ingredients

3 cups water
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1/2 cup sliced green onion bottoms (white and light green parts)
6 (1/4-inch) slices peeled fresh ginger
5 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups unsalted vegetable stock
3 tablespoons yellow or white miso
1 tablespoon lower-sodium soysauce
6 large eggs in shells, refrigerator-cold
9 ounces uncooked soba (buckwheat noodles)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 (14-ounce) package water-packed extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
3 baby bok choy, halved vertically (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup sliced green onion tops (dark green parts)

Method

1. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add mushrooms; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
2. Remove mushrooms from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving liquid. Thinly slice mushrooms.
3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to Dutch oven and swirl to coat. Add green onion bottoms, ginger, and garlic. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add mushrooms, mushroom soaking liquid, stock, miso, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
5. While stock mixture simmers, bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Place eggs in a vegetable steamer basket and lower basket into pan. Cover and cook 6 minutes 45 seconds. Remove and plunge eggs into ice water. Let stand 3 minutes. Drain and peel.
6. Cook soba in boiling water 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain.
7. Stir vinegar and tofu into stock mixture. Arrange bok choy on top, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
8. Place about 3/4 cup soba and 1 bok choy half in each of 6 bowls. Ladle about 1-1/4 cups simmering stock mixture over noodles. Sprinkle each serving with 1-1/2 tablespoons green onion tops. Cut each egg in half and nestle 2 egg halves into each bowl.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Everyday Whole Grains