Experimental: Jamaican Sweet Brown Stew Fish

Taken from Jamaicatravelandculture.com

This is an experimental dish. Next week, we are planning to give it a try inshallah and adjust accordingly . Our goal is to add a sweet curry/stew dish for a change!

• 2lb fish fillets
• A splash of lime juice
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of pepper
• 1 onion
• 3 stalks of scallion
• 1 hot pepper
• 1 sweet pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 inch of ginger
• 3 tomatoes
• Oil for frying
• 3 tablespoons of flour, stirred in to 1/4 cup of flour
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 3 teaspoons of dried thyme)
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon of browning
  
• 2 tablespoons of Halal soy sauce (La Choy)
  
• 2 cups of water

Cooking

1. Mix the lime juice in a bowl with hot water and wash the fish in the mixture
2. Remove the fish from the water, pat dry and rub with the salt and pepper.
3. Leave to marinate for 1 hour.
4. Chop the onion, scallion, hot pepper, sweet pepper, garlic and tomatoes in to small pieces, grate the ginger and mix the flour in 1/4 cup of water.
5. Gently fry both sides of each fish fillet until it has sealed
6. Remove the fish and drain off the oil.
7. Melt the butter in the saucepan and fry the onion, scallion, hot pepper, sweet pepper, garlic, tomatoes and thyme for three minutes
8. Add the water, soy sauce and browning and simmer for five minutes.
9. Stir the flour/water mixture in to the stew then add the fish.
10. Simmer for five minutes, occasionally stirring gently.
11. Serve with rice and peas

Simple Avocado Shake

Ingredients

• 1/2 avocado
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup ice (optional)
  
• 3 tablespoons sugar (more or less to taste)
  

Direction

• Bland for 1 min or more and enjoy!

Simple curry fish with Lentil (Pangash and Chana Dal)

Pangash and Chana Dal

Ingredients:

• 1/4 LB of Chana Dal (Indian Yellow Split Peas/Chickpea)
• 1/2 onion sliced
• 600g of Pangash fish (only sold in Bangladeshi/Thailand store)
• 2 tsp of Turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander
• 4 table spoon of corn oil
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp of garlic paste
• 2 tsp of salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp of red Chile (or to taste)
• 2 green Chile quartered (or to taste).
• cilantro

Directions:Soak the Chana Dal over night in water. Drain the water. Clean the fish (Pangash) but DO NOT remove the fat. Set aside the cilantro and fish. Take a cup/bowl and create a paste by adding some water and all the spices /garlic together. In a stew pot heat the oil. Saute the onion for 5 min in low/medium heat. Add the paste and roast for more 2 min. Throw in the fish + Chana Dal and turn the fish so that all sides are soaked in oil/spice paste for 2 min. Add a lot of cilantro. Finally add the water and cook cover for 25 min.


*Don't try this recipe with other fish. Cooking fish curry requires a lot of diligent care due to strong smell and tasteless nature of most fish in the market. Pangash fish is used here because it has a lot of flavor due to its high fat content.

Thai Curry Tofu

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive/canola oil
• 1 (12 ounce) package extra-firm tofu*, cubed and drained
  
• 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive/canola oil
  
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons curry powder or any combination of spices you like (I've even used Shaan desi spice mix and it's turned out great!)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (10 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh/frozen cilantro

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu cubes, season with salt and fry until golden on all sides, about 15-20 minutes. Remove to paper towels, and set aside.
2. Heat the 2nd tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender. Stir in curry powder/spices, salt and pepper and fry for a few minutes. Add coconut milk and cilantro. Return the tofu to the skillet. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

*Tofu (or bean curd) is cheese made from soy milk, and can be called "vegan cheese." It is very healthy and contains iron, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and calcium, among other vitamins. Tofu by itself is very bland, but absorbs flavors from the other ingredients in the dish beautifully.

Tips:
For this recipe, make sure you use extra-firm tofu. Otherwise, you will end up with Thai Curry Mush! Also, I like to cut the tofu into cubes and drain in a colander over a bowl for at least half an hour to ensure that all the water is drained out. This will speed up the browning time. Use a non-stick skillet to brown the tofu to minimize sticking and avoid the urges to poke at or stir it constantly. Tofu, even the extra-firm kind, is fragile.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Chicken and Bean Quesadilla

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon of oil
• 1 large flour Tortilla
• 1/4 cup of cheese** (cut up or grated)
• Filling* halal refried beans or 1/4 lb of boneless Chicken, cooked and cut up in long strips (leftover chicken works great)
• 1 tablespoon of Salsa (more or less to taste)
• Canned beans, mashed (kidney or black beans work best)
  
• Lettuce

Directions:
Put the oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Place the tortilla in the pan and twirl to make sure the whole side of the tortilla is oiled. Cook the tortilla on that side for a few minutes. Turn the tortilla over and turn the heat to low if the pan is smoking.

Now to add the filling ingredients on the cooked side: Spread the cheese on one half of the tortilla, along with the chicken, salsa, beans and lettuce. Take the plain half and fold over the filling, making sure to crimp the two edges together to make a good seal. The final result should look like a half circle. Place the Quesadilla in a plate and cut in half for easier eating.
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* The filling ingredients are what I generally like. You can make this totally vegetarian or add other types of meats, beans and vegetables.

**Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack is the perfect cheese for Quesadillas. I buy Cabot brand Pepper Jack from Sam's Club, which contains no animal rennet and is certified halal (indicated on packaging). Rennet is the lining of the stomach of the animal, which is used to make the milk curdle and hence we get cheese. Many cheeses use some form of animal rennet or enzymes so check the ingredients carefully.

Hot and Spicy Chicken Soup

Hot and Spicy Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

750ml chicken stock
1/4–1/2 red chilli, de-seeded and very finely chopped
1 small lemongrass stalk, outer leaves removed and finely chopped
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
A handful of coriander, stalks left whole and tied in a little bundle and leaves roughly chopped
160–180g skinless free-range chicken breast
1 spring onion, finely sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 and a 1/2 to 2 tablespoons lime juice

Directions:

Bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan with the chilli, lemongrass, tamarind paste, ginger and stalks of the coriander.
Once boiling, gently lower the chicken breast into the stock and simmer for 20 minutes, covered.
Turn the chicken over halfway through the cooking time. Discard the coriander stalks and remove the chicken breast.
Thinly slice the chicken and add back into the soup with the spring onion, chopped coriander, fish sauce and lime juice.
Reheat the soup and when piping hot, serve.

source http://www.grouprecipes.com/15859/hot-and-spicy-chicken-soup.html

Chile Beef Soup

hile Beef Soup

Serve this hearty soup as a first course or main dish with a salad.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green Chiles
• 1/2 sweet red bell pepper, sliced
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth or beef stock
• 1 to 2 cups cooked or canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper
• cornbread or crusty bread

In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and ground beef; cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until beef is browned. Add garlic, bell pepper, chopped green chile pepper, and flour; stir to blend. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Stir in beans; season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve with cornbread or crusty French or Italian bread.

Original recipe from about.com