Uncategorized – Page 2 – Prateek Dhar Wali

Eggplant and Tomato Curry

December 16, 2017December 16, 2017Leave a comment

I love eggplant in any form but especially with tomatoes with spices. This is a simple recipe for a weeknight vegetarian dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 onion, diced thin
1 eggplant, diced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon coriander
14 ounces canned peeled tomatoes, with juice
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oil in a stainless steel pan or ceramic dutch oven. Add the cumin seeds and heat about 30 seconds.
Add the diced onions, and stir occasionally over medium heat until they are translucent.
Add the eggplant and saute until the skin is turning brown and the flesh just starts to soften. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Add the red pepper flakes, coriander, garam masala, hand-crushed tomatoes, and salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until the eggplant is soft.
Serve with basmati rice.

Turkey Chili

April 10, 2017April 10, 2017Leave a comment

Michaela and I were watching Beat Bobby Flay last week on Food Network. They were having a chili contest, interestingly both used lamb for their main ingredient. So I figured we would try to make a healthier version with ground turkey. This ended up being a delicious recipe with layers of flavor. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons of grapeseed or olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, smashed,  peeled and chopped

2 poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded and diced

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeño, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pounds ground turkey

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 can of San Marzano Organic Peeled Tomatoes

4 tablespoons of spring onions

1 can of pinto beans

1 cup of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth/stock

½ cup of dark beer (optional)

3 tablespoons paprika powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

Dash of ground clove and cinnamon

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

Dashes of Worcestershire sauce Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy, dutch oven medium-high heat.
Add the garlic, poblanos, celery and onions. Saute until the vegetables soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the turkey and saute while breaking it up with the spoon until no longer pink.
Sprinkle the flour over and stir to blend.
Add the tomatoes, crush them by hand.
Add paprika powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cinnamon, cloves and Worcestershire sauce.
Add the broth, beer and beans. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper.
Thicken chili by smashing some of the beans and mix.
Add the green onions on top as a garnish.
Serve with cornbread or just toasted bread.

Chana Aloo (chickpeas with potato)

April 5, 2017April 10, 20171 Comment

We have been eating vegetarian this week and one of our favorite dishes is chickpeas with potato in a tomato and onion curry. Chickpeas are in the legume family and high in protein. They has been eaten for over 7,500 years. They were introduced to India via Kabul, Afghanistan in the 18th century. This vegetarian Indian dish is often made in Northern Indian, especially in the state of Punjab or as my friend, Namrata would say “the best place on Earth”. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, diced

1 can of chickpeas

2 medium potatoes, cubed

1 tbsp garlic/ginger paste or fresh garlic/ginger

1 tsp paprika or chili powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp garam masala

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tbsp grapeseed or olive oil

Salt to taste

Pinch of cinnamon

Cilantro for presentation

Heat a pressure cooker over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, onion, cumin, cinnamon, bay leaf and a pinch of salt.
Add garlic-ginger paste, cilantro to the pan with the onions.
Add the diced tomatoes and mix until it looks thickened.
Next add coriander, chili powder, turmeric, cumin powder, garam masala and stir to coat.
Now add the chickpeas and cubed potatoes. Add 1 ½ cup of water.
Close the pressure cooker and continue to heat on medium.
Wait for 5 pressures, and then turn off the heat.
Let the pressure cooker cool on its own to improve the flavor of the chickpeas.
Open the pressure cooker and check to see that the chickpeas and potatoes are cooked well, otherwise you can boil a bit further.
Mash some of the chickpeas to thicken the curry.
Add the chopped cilantro on top. Also squeeze half a lemon on top.
Serve over rice, preferably Basmati rice.

Japanese Salmon

April 2, 2017April 10, 2017Leave a comment

In an attempt to try a different asian marinade for salmon, I went back to the basics. The following recipe is simple but flavorful. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 salmon fillet

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Fish Sauce

2 teaspoons Sesame Oil

1/2 teaspoons chili paste

1/2 cup sliced scallions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, scallions, garlic, ginger in a bowl. Keep 4 tablespoons separate for use as a sauce later.
Place salmon skin side down into the mixture. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Take it out of the mixture onto a plate, sprinkle the panko evenly over the fillet. Pour the soy marinade evenly over the panko with a spoon.
Place the salmon skin side down on the hot iron skillet, which has been covered with grapeseed or olive oil on medium heat.
Cook for 3 minutes then turn using a fish spatula (spat). Turn carefully cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven to cook through. Check the internal temperature, it should be 140 degrees F, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the fish to a flat plate, skin side down. Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes.
Serve with rice, and remaining soy mixture.

Coq au vin

February 17, 2017April 5, 2017Leave a comment

I was reading a article on river blindness and its relation to Nodding Syndrome in Africa on the New York Times website when I saw a sidebar article on classic french recipes. I obviously clicked on the link and came upon coq au vin. It seemed to be a perfect recipe for winter time in Syracuse, NY. Coq au vin was featured in Julia Child’s breakthrough cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. So, I found a more modern recipe from Ina Garten for coq au vin as listed below with some preference changes. The dish was fabulous.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

2 strips of bacon, diced

6 skinless chicken thigh

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

5 carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup brandy

1/4 bottle pinot noir

1 cup good chicken stock

1 fresh thyme sprig

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided

1 1/2tablespoons all-purpose flour

Large handful of cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 1 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the brandy and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 60 minutes at 250F. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Udon Noddle with Bok Choy and Poached Egg

February 14, 2017April 5, 2017Leave a comment

I was curious to try different types of Asian noodles this week. I found three types in particular, udon, soba and ramen. Udon noodles are made of wheat, usually thick and chewy. Soba noodles are made of buckwheat, usually have a nutty flavor. Ramen noodles are made of wheat, usually thinner and chewy. This recipe uses udon noodles with a classic Asian green, Bok Choy, which is a type of Chinese cabbage, found at many Asian and now American grocers. And of course an egg goes well with everything.

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken broth

1 stick whole cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 packet of dried udon noodles

4 large bok choy leaves, torn to smaller pieces

Handful of spring onions, thinly sliced for topping

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Directions:

In a medium saucepan bring chicken broth to a simmer. Add the cinnamon, ginger paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Crack the eggs into a measuring cup and slip them into the simmering broth, one at a time and cook for 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and udon noodles for additional 2 minutes. Stir gently to avoid breaking the eggs. Wait for the noodles to be ready and then transfer to a bowl. If you like your eggs more runny on the inside then take them out earlier. Add the spring onions. Add more soy sauce as needed. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash with Farro

November 14, 2016April 5, 2017Leave a comment

I have been interested in trying farro for some time and found this recipe for a enjoyable autumn recipe. Farro is originally from the Fertile Crescent, used by Egyptians, Romans and Italians. It can be found as three varieties; piccolo (einkorn), medio (emmer), and grande (spelt). It is definitely a preferred rustic grain to savor.

Recipe from Ina Garten (who took it from Maria Sinskey). I used turkey sausage instead of bacon.

Ingredients

3 links of turkey italian sausage, casing removed
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups pearled farro
3 cups good chicken stock, low sodium
1 Butternut squash, peeled and diced
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
In a Dutch oven heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, then add turkey sausage and break apart. Add the thyme, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook until sausage is starting to brown. Add the farro and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Place the squash on top of the farro mixture, cover, and bake until the squash and farro are tender, about 30 minutes. Check once during cooking and add a little chicken stock if it’s dry. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates, the farro and butternut squash are tender.