My Dhaba’s Tandoori Chicken – From My Rasoi #3 & WHB #21
February 24, 2006 | Filed Under Food Blogging Events, From My Rasoi, Weekend Herb Blogging | Leave a Comment
I recently made My Dhaba’s Tandoori Chicken recipe for my family. They loved it. Another first time recipe preparation for me, it became another winner! Yay!
The recipe is fairly simple, so that a beginner like me can follow it without any problems. The only hard part (not really hard) was to remember to prepare the chicken ahead of time. I had to remember to start early in order to allow the chicken to have time to marinate (a minimum of two hours) before cooking.
The ingredients were easy to find, and as a matter of fact I already had most of them and didn’t need to go searching through different stores for them  something I usually do.
I made a spice mixture out of ginger, garlic, onions, cinnamon, salt, garlic, red chili, cumin, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, nutmeg, and paprika. What an impressive list of spices. There was a party going on in the bowl as I mixed them together!
According to the instructions, I covered the chicken with the spice mixture and yogurt, and sprinkled it with vinegar.
The marinated chicken before it goes into the oven
After it marinated for the minimum amount of time, I put it in the oven.
I garnished the prepared Tandoori Chicken with red onions, tomatoes, lemons, and one of my favorite fresh herbs  cilantro leaves  and served it with rice.
It was a delicious meal, made with love and those who ate it loved it. I didn’t hear one word of complaint.
Thanks, My Dhaba, for the delicious recipe, which you can find here.
I’m submitting this recipe to the From My Rasoi # 3 event. The theme for this month’s event is: “A way to one’s heart is through their tummy!†The participants are asked to make a dish (Indian) that their loved ones would love  Cooking for love!
Also, I’m submitting this same dish for the Weekend Herb Blogging #21 event. It contains tomatoes, and fresh cilantro leaves.
Paz
A plate of My Dhaba’s Tandoori Chicken and rice
You can find the list of scrumptious meals for this event on Hooked on Heat!
*One can blog about herbs, plants, vegetables, or flowers for Weekend Herb Blogging (WHB). To see the list of other interesting WHB posts, go to Kalyn’s Kitchen, Sunday.
Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda
February 23, 2006 | Filed Under Italian Cuisine, Italian Recipes, Seafood, Tilapia | Leave a Comment
A recipe by celebrity chef, Giada, this Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Caôda (also spelled Bagna Cauda) is very good! From Ivonne, I learned that bagna caôda means ‘hot bath’ in Italian.
The recipe made for an easy cooking adventure for me. I prepared the bagna caôda sauce first — the main ingredients included anchiovies, olive oil, and orange juice.
Then I fried the fish. When cooked, I drizzled the sauce over the fish and served it with rice and salad.
Mmmm, Mmmm, good! Good to eat and easy to prepare! The tilapia fish was light and fluffy, and the citrus bagna caôda added a special explosive taste to the fish.
In a previous recipe post where I used tilapia (Fish with Tomato Sauce/Peixe com Mollo de Tomate), the question came up whether one could find tilapia in Italy. According to Helen of Beyond Salmon, the answer is ‘no.’ However, there are many other substitutes, such as:
Catfish Cod Hake Haddock Pollock Red Snapper Bass Sea Bream (Orata in Italian) Mediterranean Bass (Branzino in Italian)
Helen says that you can use, pretty much, any white or cream colored fish that is delicate or slightly firm as a substitute for tilapia. Thanks for the advice, Helen!
Paz
Ed. Note: Gia has informed me, in the comments section, that while not popular, tilapia is available in Torino.
Ed. Note: Feb. 1, 2011 – Seems like I’ve lost half of this post, including the recipe. I’m reposting the recipe, which is by Giada De Laurentis of Food Network.
Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda
Giada De Laurentis (Food Network)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons
- 4 anchovy fillets, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 6 (6-ounce) skinless tilapia fillets
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Cook the butter and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy medium saucepan over low to medium heat just until the butter is melted, stirring frequently. Add the anchovies and stir until the anchovies dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Stir in the orange juice, basil, and lemon and orange zests. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt.
The bagna cauda sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before using.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and brush both sides of the fish with remaining 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil. Working in 2 batches, fry the fish until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter. Cover with foil and keep warm in the oven while cooking the second batch of fish. Drizzle the sauce over and around the fish and serve.
I Heart Cheese Sandwiches and Weekend Herb Blogging!
February 16, 2006 | Filed Under Food Blogging Events, I Heart Cheese Sandwiches, Weekend Herb Blogging | 2 Comments
I really do love cheese sandwiches. In the summer time, I love to have a cheese sandwich made from a couple of slices of American cheese or Munster cheese with lettuce, tomato and mayo (mustard with the Munster cheese) on bread.
In the wintertime, I especially prefer grilled cheese sandwiches.
There’s nothing like a good ole grilled cheese sandwich. Gooey, warm and delicious cheese stuck on the bread (usually white bread and a tomato slice).
What a perfect sandwich to eat on a cold day after a blizzard (which is when I made it)! I loved my sandwich!
While some may think cheese sandwiches are boring, there are many who feel the opposite. In fact in New York City’s lower East side, there used to be a very popular place (called Grilled Cheese NYC) that specialized in different kinds of healthy cheese sandwiches. Their sandwiches ranged from the classic grilled cheese sandwich to cheese sandwiches with meat and vegetable combinations. Unfortunately for many hungry New Yorkers, it recently closed due to extreme rent hikes. Very sad. It isn’t the only popular eating establishment in the city that’s had to close for the same reason.
Last year, Michèle made a delicious sounding and looking Pear and Brie Croque Monsieur that I’d planned on making but never got a chance to do. I think it’s time I pulled out that recipe again.
Thanks to Kalyn and her brother for the really cool cheese sandwich banner. The reason for it can be found here. And thanks for pulling together all the wonderful herb-blogging posts from around the world, Kalyn. Each weekend, I learn something new. Love ya lots!
Paz
*One can blog about herbs, plants, vegetables, or flowers for Weekend Herb Blogging (WHB). To see the list of other interesting WHB posts, go to Kalyn’s Kitchen, Sunday.
Mini Tiramisu Éclairs
February 14, 2006 | Filed Under Desserts/Sweets | Leave a Comment
After making Cordial Cherries (see here) for Zorra’s special Valentine’s Day recipe round up event, I was on a roll and decided to make another Valentine’s Day treat – for everyone. By the way, if you are interested in participating you still have time as it has been extended till February 16. Here are the rules.
I decided to try another recipe from Southern Living – Mini Tiramisu Éclairs. While the recipe was fairly easy to make, I still had a bit of a challenge.
For the first step, I made a sandwich out of the cookies using a filling of mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and chocolate syrup.
Next I made a chocolate mixture (chocolate chips, butter, and whipping cream) to drizzle over the cookies. It involved melting chocolate. Never fear! After my previous chocolate-melting experience, I learned not to burn the chocolate. Thanks for all the tips from everyone who commented. It was very helpful!
I was supposed to drizzle the concoction over the cookies by cutting a hole in the corner of a Ziploc bag and using the bag. This was the challenging part for me. It turns out that I cut a large hole so that big globs of chocolate came out instead of nice tiny lines of chocolate on the cookies. Well, since it was my first time, I hope I may be excused.
I had to use the same technique for drizzle the éclairs evenly with a coffee-powdered sugar mixture. Another challenge for me. Again I think the hole in the plastic bag was too big and my hand wasn’t steady enough to make nice, even patterns over the cookies. My Mini Tiramisu Éclairs creation sort of look like a child’s design.
However, despite their looks, they tasted divine. Something sweet for your sweetheart! They disappeared within minutes in my household.
So, reach through your screen and help yourself to as many as you’d like.
Happy Valentines Day, everyone!
Paz
Half naked Lady Fingers waiting to become fully clothed
Mini Tiramisu Éclairs
Yield: Makes 24 éclairs
Southern Living, FEBRUARY 2003
1/3 cup hot water
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 (3-ounce) packages ladyfingers, split
1 (8-ounce) package mascarpone cheese*
1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon whipping cream
Stir together first 3 ingredients until sugar is dissolved; set aside 2 tablespoons mixture.
Brush cut sides of ladyfingers evenly with remaining coffee mixture.
Stir together mascarpone cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and chocolate syrup until blended.
Spoon or pipe mascarpone cheese mixture evenly onto 24 cut sides of ladyfinger halves; top with remaining ladyfinger halves, cut sides down.
Microwave chocolate morsels, butter, and cream at HIGH 30 seconds or until melted, stirring twice.
Place chocolate mixture in a small heavy-duty zip-top bag; seal bag. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag, and drizzle over éclairs.
Let stand until firm.
Stir together reserved coffee mixture and remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, stirring until blended.
Place coffee-powdered sugar mixture in a small heavy-duty zip-top bag; seal bag. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag.
Drizzle éclairs evenly with coffee-powdered sugar mixture.
Place on a serving platter, cake stand, or in candy boxes, if desired.
*1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened, may be substituted.
New York Monday #13 – Blizzard
February 13, 2006 | Filed Under New York Monday | Leave a Comment
After the unseasonable weather we’ve been having the past few weeks, we were hit by a blizzard on Sunday. Here are a few pics from my neck of the woods. Have a good week, everyone!
Paz
