FOOD ON THE FOOD

Anglo-Indian Beef Stir-Fry

UGLY FOOD ALERT! I'm on a roll with the brown food lately, but at least I gave you a glinty fork in the background this time so count your blessings.

This Anglo-Indian beef stir-fry is a good dish to know: a quick sauté of shaved sirloin and sliced onions flavored with apple cider vinegar and turmeric. I like to serve it over rice with a side of aloo gobi (Indian-spiced cauliflower and potatoes). I have it on good authority that this stir-fry is also good with leftover, reheated Five Guys fries. (Never mind who told me, a journalist never reveals her sources.)

This recipe is an especially good use for grass-fed steak. I love my meat CSA, but I've had a tough time adapting to grass-fed steak, I'll be honest. The flavor is great and I know pasture is better for the cows, but the texture of the meat can be so chewy sometimes. It instantly activates my TMJ causing horrible popping and grinding noises to emanate from my face like some kind of rock tumbler wearing away at the joint's protective cartilage and polishing my jaw bones to a smooth, painful shine. Such is my commitment to sustainable meat.

But when you shave beef very thinly across the bias, there's not enough muscle depth to tense up appreciably. And then if you marinate those slices in something acidic, like vinegar, that helps break down the muscle fibers further. The result is tender, tasty meat in less than 20 minutes. It's a meal my whole family loves.

Other tricks for tenderizing super-lean grass-fed beef:

• Marinate steaks overnight in an acid-based marinade;

• Cook steaks at a lower temperature on the grill;

• Dry-brine steaks with sea salt for an hour, then rinse and dry them before grilling or pan-frying (I haven't tried this yet, but I will soon);

• Slow-cook cheaper cuts of meat in a crockpot (I don't use this method for steaks, which I prefer medium rare); and

• Add bacon fat to burgers (I usually don't have a problem with grass-fed burgers, but if yours seem a little dry, you can always add a tablespoon or two of bacon fat from the fridge to the ground beef before forming the patties).

Any other techniques that have worked well for you?


Anglo-Indian Beef Stir-Fry  

This recipe evolved as a fusion between Indian and British colonial influences. Though I tend to serve the meat over rice, it's more traditionally eaten with crispy potato wedges and ketchup.

1 pound beef sirloin or other tender cut of beef, sliced very thinly against grain
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. turmeric
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1½ Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
Cayenne pepper to taste

In a shallow bowl, rub the beef slices with the vinegar, salt, and turmeric. Set aside to marinate while preparing the other ingredients.

Heat the oil in a large skillet until hot. Fry the onion and ginger until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the cayenne and then the marinated beef. Stir-fry over high heat until cooked but still tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Source: Adapted from 5 Spices, 50 Dishes by Ruta Kahate

Curried Zucchini Soup

Summer squash getting you down? Do you have enough bat-sized zucchini to supply a major league baseball team? If so, then you need to make this soup. It's bright and flavorful with Indian flavors and only requires a half hour of work. More importantly, you will use up a full three pounds of zucchini while furnishing yourself with lunch for a week.

Curried Zucchini Soup  

I like to brown the vegetables to give this soup extra flavor. Feel free to adjust the amount of curry powder to your liking. You can add a little cayenne, too.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 small onion, peeled, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), cut into cubes
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and curry powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables soften and start to turn brown.

Stir in the zucchini. Add the stock, salt, and pepper, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until the zucchini is tender. Stir in the cream. Remove the soup from the heat to cool slightly before blending.

Using a blender, process the soup in batches until smooth (or use a stick blender). Reheat and season the soup to taste. Makes 8 servings (or freeze half for later).

Source: Adapted from The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook by Debra Ponzek and Mary Goodbody

Local Ingredients:
Zucchini, carrots: Waltham Fields Community Farm, Waltham, MA
Onion: School garden, Waltham, MA
Butter: Cabot, Cabot, VT
Cream: High Lawn Farm, Lee, MA

Indian Cauliflower and Potatoes

Here's another Indian vegetable recipe we make a lot, and one of my faaaavorite ways to eat cauliflower. I posted about this six years ago, but there was no photo and little in the way of a charming introduction. At least now there's a photo!


Indian Cauliflower and Potatoes (Aloo Gobi) (print-friendly version)

Again, use your discretion with the cayenne. Add more if you like things spicy, or scale it back to a pinch if you're scared.

2 to 3 medium potatoes
1 medium cauliflower
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne
1 tsp. salt
Black pepper

Boil the potatoes in their jackets until tender when pierced with a knife. Cut the cauliflower into florets about 1½-inches wide. Soak them in a bowl of water for 30 minutes.  Drain.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into ¾-inch dice. In a large, non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the onion until translucent, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin seeds and sauté for about a minute. Add the cauliflower and stir until it starts to brown in spots, about 5 minutes. Cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer until cauliflower is almost done, but still has a bit of crispness (8 to 12 minutes). Add the diced potatoes and the rest of the spices, and gently stir. Cook uncovered over low heat until potatoes are heated through, about 5 minutes more.

Source: Adapted from Illustrated Indian Cookery by Madhur Jaffrey

Stir-Fried Indian Cabbage

When I went through and categorized all of the recipes on this site a few months ago, I was shocked—shocked, I say—to discover that the Indian category was so empty. I mean, we're not having Indian food every night, but there are definitely a few dishes that come up over and over in the rotation (if you can call my whim-based menu-planning a rotation). Vikram Vij's goat curry is one I want to post about in the cooler months because it is completely unbelievable, as well as a variation on Madhur Jaffrey's lamb korma, another personal favorite.

But today we're talking about cabbage. Because sometimes I get sick of coleslaw. Sometimes I just want something different, and the only way to make any serious headway through the piles and piles of shredded cabbage is to cook it down quickly with garlic and Indian spices until it's so fricking delicious, you just eat it like candy. And I haven't even gotten to the health benefits, which include, but are not limited to, cancer prevention and inflammation reduction. But that's not really why I eat it. I eat it because it's delicious. The rest is a perk.

This dish only takes 5 minutes on the range so it won't heat up the house too much. Serve it with chana masala (chick pea curry) with brown or basmati rice, and you've got yourself a meal!

Stir-Fried Indian Cabbage (print-friendly version)

Adjust the cayenne to your liking. The original recipe called for something like 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne, but that's too much for me, never mind the kids. But do put in at least a pinch.

2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 lb. green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 1/2 head)
2 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed with the side of a knife
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. When super-hot, add the mustard seeds and cover with a splatter screen or lid to keep the seeds from flying out. When the seeds stop sputtering, add the turmeric, cabbage, garlic, salt, and cayenne. Toss well. Stir-fry until the cabbage is crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Source: Adapted from 5 Spices, 50 Dishes by Ruta Kahate.

Local Ingredients:
Cabbage, garlic: Waltham Fields Community Farm, Waltham, MA

Curried Chicken Salad

One of my lasting memories of Nonni is of her standing at the kitchen counter after a roast chicken dinner and pulling every last shred of meat off the bones.  The chicken would then find its way into soup or whatever else she pleased.

Her depression-era tactics have served me well.  On these warmer days, I like to use the scavenged meat in a quick curried chicken salad.  If I'm diligent, I can get enough meat for 2 to 4 sandwiches before I freeze the stripped carcass for soup stock.  That's three separate and substantial meals from a single chicken, if anyone is keeping count.  Nonni would approve.

Curried Chicken Salad

If you don't like raisins, you can substitute chopped grapes, but I'm partial to the raisin version. 

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Handful or two of raisins
1/2 cup mayo
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. curry powder (or more)
Salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, onion, and raisins.  Make a well in the ingredients and stir together mayo, mustard, curry powder, and plenty of salt and pepper.  Mix everything together well.  Heap into your favorite sandwich configuration.

Masala Fried Chicken

So, what do you think?  Is it time for another chicken recipe?  I think it’s time for another chicken recipe.

I know you liked the last one I did: lemon balsamic chicken.  Saveur did, too.  But that was a while ago, so here’s another chicken dish from that same cookbook, American Masala.  It’s fried chicken, but with an Indian twist.  Take your basic Southern fried chicken recipe and replace the basil, thyme, and sage (or whatever herbs you use) with coriander, turmeric, and garam masala.  This is a good example of how just a sprinkling of a few well-chosen spices can change the character of a dish entirely.  The rest of the technique is exactly the same.

I get the most succulent chickens from Chestnut Farms out in Hardwick, MA.  They don’t need any sort of brine to be tender and juicy, but I’m including the brine recipe anyway.  It’s simple enough and certainly doesn’t hurt anything.  Serve your fried chicken with aloo gobi (Indian cauliflower and potatoes) and garlicky greens, and you’ve got yourself a great meal.

 

Masala Fried Chicken

The cinnamon notes in garam masala seem to appeal to children, so if you want to entice your kids to eat chicken on the bone, this is a good contender.  Just ease up on the cayenne a bit if they’re not used to spice.

Brine
3 cups buttermilk
¼ kosher salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1½ tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground peppercorns
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Batter and Fry
1 chicken (4 lbs.), cut into 8 serving pieces, or 2-3 lbs. of drumsticks, thighs, wings
Canola oil, for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. ground peppercorns
1 tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

For the brine, mix buttermilk with the eight spices in a large bowl.  Add the chicken and turn to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or as many hours as you can spare.

Heat an inch of canola oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.  In a pie plate, whisk together the flour and remaining spices.  Add the brined chicken and turn to coat.  If you’re not brining, you can dip the chicken pieces in a little buttermilk or egg, even yogurt, before coating with flour.  Let the chicken pieces rest in the flour while the oil finishes heating to 375°F.  That’s the secret to a crunchy, flaky crust—gluten.  Shake off any excess flour then fry in batches until browned 5-8 minutes.  Don’t crowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop and the batter will absorb too much oil.  In short, you’ll be disappointed.  Turn the chicken over and fry until browned on the other side, 5-8 minutes.  Transfer chicken to paper towels to drain.  Enjoy.

Source: Adapted from American Masala by Suvir Saran and Raquel Pelzel.

Fish Three Ways, Part 2

So we’ve done fish Italian-style; now it’s time to do it Indian-style. Think tomatoes, garlic, fennel seed…wait that still sounds Italian. Okay, but then add some cumin, turmeric, cayenne, garam masala…. This takes things in an entirely different direction, making it hard to remember that it’s the exact same fish you just cooked last week.

You can skip the dry rub if you’re short on time. The sauce need only simmer for about 15 minutes, so you can fillet the fish at that point. Or, you know, buy it already filleted. I hear you can do that. Point is, it doesn’t take long. Serve the fish with ample sauce over basmati rice with some roasted cauliflower or stir-fried cabbage, and you will find yourself eating something on par with (or in some cases better) than what the local Indian restaurants serve.

Next up, roasted fish in a soy-ginger sauce.

Fish in an Indian-Spiced Tomato Sauce

Adjust the cayenne to your taste. I’ve reduced the amount here because my youngest complained, “My neck is spicing.”

1½ lbs. white fish fillets (cod, haddock, pollock, bass), cut into two-inch pieces
1¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. turmeric
2 pinches cayenne
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp. cumin
14 oz. tomatoes, canned is fine
¼ tsp. garam masala (if you don’t have this spice mix, add a pinch each of whatever of the following you have: cinnamon, black pepper, coriander, cardamom, and the tiniest pinch of cloves, and you’ll approximate it pretty well)

Pat the cod fillets dry and sprinkle with a mixture of ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. turmeric, and a pinch of cayenne. Set aside for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the fennel and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the onion and garlic. Fry until the onion turns slightly brown, about 7 minutes. Add the cumin, remaining 1 tsp. salt, and the other pinch of cayenne, and stir. Add the tomatoes and their liquid as well as the garam masala. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, until sauce starts to thicken and darken.

Nestle fish fillets into the sauce, spooning additional sauce on top. Cover pan and simmer gently over medium-low heat until fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes for thin fillets. Serve over basmati rice.

Source: Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s Illustrated Indian Cookery (out of print).

Dill and Repose

Do you know what’s really good for cancer patients?  Spending time on a farm.  Snipping flowers.  Picking yellow, green, and purple beans.  Falling asleep amid the scented, feathery fronds of dill blowing in the breeze.  (Just kidding.  I wasn’t really asleep.  Just resting.)

Here’s a great recipe that will use up the rest of that big bunch of dill you don’t know what to do with.  After all, one can’t live on pickles alone (at least if you want to keep your red cell counts up).  This easy curry dresses up a can of beans from the pantry, which means you won’t use up the day’s energy making lunch.  And if you do, well, I know a nice, cozy spot where you can spend the rest of the afternoon.  Just watch out for tractors.

Quick Chickpea Curry with Dill

The original recipe calls for two whole bunches of dill, but that seems a little extreme.  One suits me just fine.

2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely grated
1-inch piece of ginger, finely grated
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. cayenne (or more to taste)
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained
¼ cup water
1 tsp. salt

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Sauté onion until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, and stir for 3 minutes or so.  Mix in the tomato and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the dill, chickpeas, water, and salt, and simmer until the dill is tender, maybe 5 minutes more.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: Adapted from 5 Spices, 50 Dishes by Ruta Kahate.

Bollywood Beets

We saw Slumdog Millionaire over the weekend and, boy oh boy, did that movie ever make me hungry.  So many delicious parts to speak of, especially in the beginning.  Or it could have been all the dancing I did in the aisles during the closing credits.  Either way, I had a hankering for Indian food afterwards and, naturally, I thought of beets.

Actually, I didn’t think of beets at all.  Rarely do I give beets much thought.  I like them, but that’s usually overridden by the fact that I object to the way they stain your fingers and bleed all over everything.  Yes, I know that’s a girly thing to say, but I thought one of the benefits of eating vegetables was not having any blood on your hands. 

So lately I’ve been indulging in golden beets.  Just as tasty, but no mess.  And things were going fine, really they were, until I saw a photo in my new Indian cookbook pictured above, 5 Spices, 50 Dishes by Ruta Kahate, which showed both kinds of beets together like so many garnets and topaz.  Oooooooooooo, pretty.  That combined with my newly revised image of what squalor looks like, I thought maybe a little purple dye on my hands wasn’t so bad after all.

Except here’s the thing, and I knew this: You can’t cook both kinds of beets together and expect them to retain their original color.  No way.  Beautiful as it is, that picture up there is a total food-styling cheat.  Nowhere in the recipe does it say to sauté the beets separately, and even if it did, let’s face it, I would have ignored it.  If you do boil them together and then sauté them together, they will end up looking like this:

Two-toned magenta in all its hideousness.  But you know what?  When you finally sample the dish, it tastes every bit the way that first picture looks.  Which, I guess, is the argument behind all those crazy tricks that the really good food photographers use.  And it’s why I’m risking a copyright infringement lawsuit by posting that photo.  You can’t go by my shot, which makes the dish look like it’ll taste like crap.  Then, when you scan the humble ingredient list, you’ll wonder what’s so special about it, anyway.  Beets, a little lemon juice, some mustard seeds, cilantro.  Big deal.  I don’t know why it tastes so good, but it does.  It sings.  It dances.  You’ll like it.  I bet you a million dollars.

 

Sautéed Beets with Mustard and Lemon Juice

You’ll be tempted to leave out the chiles, am I right?  Don’t do it.  Sweet with a little bit of heat is an addictive combination.  Plus, don’t you have a whole bunch in the freezer from the summer?  No?  Next year, save some.  Serranos are yummy! 

2 lb. red and golden beets (about 8 medium)
3 Tbsp. canola oil
½ tsp. mustard seeds
2 small green Serrano chiles, sliced thinly (or just one if you’re scared)
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, or more to taste
2 Tbsp. minced cilantro leaves

Scrub and rinse the beets well.  Cover with water in a medium pot and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and cook, covered, until tender, 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the beets.  If a paring knife slides into the thickest part of the beet fairly easily, then they’re done.  Drain, cool, peel, and then chop the beets into ½-inch cubes (baby beets can be quartered).

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat.  When the oil begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds and cover with a lid or splatter screen.  The seeds will pop right out of there if given half a chance.  When the seeds have stopped sputtering, add the chiles and give a quick stir.  Quickly throw in the beets and salt.  Toss, cover, and steam over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Remove to a serving dish and toss with lemon juice and cilantro.  Serve warm or cold.

Source: Adapted minimally from 5 Spices, 50 Dishes by Ruta Kahate

Of Chickens and Morons

I used to think that the people who swarm to the grocery store at the first mention of snow were morons.  Can’t you live without your Ho Ho’s for a mere 24 hours?  Don’t you have a few cans of tuna fish somewhere? 

But I was wrong.  There is a worse kind of moron.  The sort of moron that knows we’re running low on milk, bread, feminine products, etc. a week before the snow is set to hit, and, still, no trips to the grocery store are made.  And when that special brand of New England slush starts falling from the sky, fusing itself to every possible surface, and then freezing solid so you’re encased in your own personal life-sized snow globe prison, well by then I’m too much of a wuss to fishtail my way to the moron store to stock up on all the moronic products that, apparently, only morons don’t have.

So, that’s how I found myself with nothing even remotely delicious in the house, trying to concoct dinner from the slim pickings I had in the pantry.  Rice.  Coconut milk.  Pumpkin pie filling.  Except that I can’t touch the pumpkin pie filling or an irate engineer will spontaneously crash through the ceiling with a ridiculous but fierce display of Kung Fu-ish flailing.  You can’t mess with the man’s pumpkin pie ingredients.

The refrigerator was completely empty.  We had finished off the condiments during our afternoon snack.  In the freezer, there were all kinds of mysterious things, but all I could immediately recognize were: 1) a lone freezer-burned chicken breast, and 2) a million kinds of stock.  So, what can you make with rice, coconut milk, chicken, and how about duck stock? 

Chicken Mulligatawny

1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ Sambhar curry powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. ground ginger
6 cups homemade yummy poultry stock of your choice
½ cup basmati rice
1 large chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. toasted, sliced almonds, optional

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add curry powder, cumin, coriander, and ginger, and cook a minute or two.  Add the stock and rice.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 12 minutes.

Add chicken, return to a simmer, and cook until chicken is done and rice is tender, about 8-10 minutes more.  Stir in coconut milk and return to a simmer.  Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Garnish with almonds, unless you’re a moron.

Source: Adapted from Eating Well.  The original recipe called for 2 diced Granny Smith apples, but the moron didn’t have any apples.  Plus, she wasn’t so sure about apples in her Mulligatawny.  So, instead, she decided to use full-fat coconut milk in place of the “lite” coconut milk originally listed in the recipe, and just call it even.