Author: natashapaterson

Chicken Vindaloo

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Vindaloo

4 Tbsp butter or ghee
4 onions, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp ginger powder
2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp turmeric

4 tsp cumin powder
4 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp cayenne pepper (For medium heat. Add or reduce by ½ tsp if desired.)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt

4 Tbsp white vinegar
4 Tbsp tamarind paste
4 tsp lemon juice

2 cup tomato sauce (or passata)
2 ½ cup water

3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or thighs) cut into bite size chunks
2 Tbsp tandoori masala (optional)

  1. Melt a few tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and cook slowly until the it caramelizes to a dark brown, about 15 minutes.
  2. When the onions are almost done, add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes. Stir in all the spices and saute for another minute.
  3. Transfer onion mixture to a blender. Add everything else, except water, chicken and tandoori masala. Blend until smooth.
  4. Transfer the sauce to a pot. Add the water to the blender and blend to clean it, add to the pot. Simmer for about 45 minutes.
  5. Toss cubed chicken breast with tandoori masala and spread out onto a baking sheet.
  6. Bake chicken at 375 until no longer pink in the center, about 12 minutes.
  7. Once the chicken is cooked, add it to the sauce. (This can be added during the simmering time.)

Sushi

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P1120750

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups uncooked sushi rice
2 1/3 cups water

5 sheets of sushi nori (seaweed in big squares)

1 large cucumber
2 to 3 avocados
Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Cooked crab meat or imitation crab sticks

Wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
Soy sauce

Preparing the sushi rice (prepare approximately two hours before sushi rolls)

  1. Combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Heat mixture over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves (do not let it boil). Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.
  2. Cook rice according to package directions, and let rest for 15 minutes.
  3. Transfer rice to a large bowl using a rubber spatula.
  4. Sprinkle the cooled rice vinegar mixture over the rice, gently mixing as you sprinkle. Add enough to coat the rice but not make it damp. Let cool.

Preparing the sushi ingredients

  1. Wash, the cucumber. Slice in quarters, lengthwise. Cut the strip containing the seeds off. Then cut into long, slender strips.
  2. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise; remove the pit; cut each section in half again (lengthwise), and carefully remove the peel. Cut the section in long slender strips. Sprinkle the sliced avocado with lemon juice to keep from discoloring.
  3. If you are using imitation crab sticks, remove the plastic wrapping and cut each in half lengthwise.

Rolling and cutting the Sushi

Google “how to roll sushi” for visual examples of how to do this. The more you roll, the better you get at it.

  1. Lay the nori sheet on the counter.
  2. Spread a thin layer (about ¾ cup) of rice over the sheet, leaving approximately one inch uncovered at each end.
  3. Arrange strips of avocado, cucumber and crab along the centre of the rice.
  4. Carefully roll, tucking the end of the nori to start the roll. Roll tightly with firm pressure. At the end, you can use a small amount of water on the edge of the nori to seal the roll. (You can use a bamboo mat, but I don’t.)
  5. Place the roll on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut it in half. Then slice each section in half again, twice (creating 8 pieces total).
  6. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi.

Other ideas for fillings

  • Smoked salmon and cream cheese
  • Tempura shrimp
  • Tobiko (flying fish egg)

On eating raw fish…

You’ve likely heard stories about people eating raw fish and getting sick. If you’re wondering what fish you can use raw in sushi, you may find these resources helpful:

Raw Fish Safety (bacteria and parasite education for sushi lovers)

Slicing fish for sushi, sashimi and crudo

Salmon sashimi from Costco

Butter Chicken

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2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1” cubes
¾ cup plain yogurt
4 Tbsp tandoori masala
2 tsp ginger paste, or minced ginger
2 tsp garlic paste, or crushed garlic
1 Tbsp oil (for frying)

3 Tbsp ghee (or butter if you don’t have ghee)
2 large onions, chopped (will later be pureed)
4 tsp ginger paste, or minced ginger
4 tsp garlic paste, or minced garlic
4 tsp coriander
4 tsp cumin
3 tsp chili powder
1 ½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp turmeric
680 ml jar of passata (or about 3 ¾ cups tomato puree)
1 tsp brown sugar (or to taste)

1 cup heavy (35% whipping) cream

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, yogurt, tandoori masala, ginger and garlic. Allow to marinade for 20 minutes to 24 hours, covered in the refrigerator. (If rushed, you can use non-marinated chicken.)
  2. Melt the ghee in a large pot, over medium heat. Sauté the onions until they turn translucent and begin to sweat, about 5-7 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and let cook for 30 seconds, stirring so it doesn’t burn. Add all the spices and cook for a few more seconds.
  3. Transfer the onion and spice mix to a blender. Add the passata and blend until smooth. (You can add a bit of water if necessary, to help it blend.)
  4. Put the blended sauce back in the the pot and cook over medium-low heat for ten minutes. (If you have time, you simmer it longer for even better flavour.) Taste it and if you’d like it a bit sweeter, add the sugar.
  5. Heat the Tbsp of oil in a frying pan, over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken (discard any extra marinade) and cook for about 5-6 minutes.
  6. Add the chicken to the sauce and heat everything through and allow to simmer for a few more minutes to ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Stir in the cream.
  7. Serve over rice, with naan and oven-roasted broccoli.

Carrot Cake

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P1150586

1 cup sugar (this has been halved from the original recipe)

¼ cup oil

4 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 cups grated carrots

1 (19-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

¼ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

  1. Mix the sugar and oil together in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and stir in.
  2. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. (You can do this right in a 2-cup measuring cup.)
  3. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture.
  4. Blend in the carrots, pineapple, and pecans.

Icing:

½ cup butter
1 cup cream cheese (one 8 oz pkg)
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla

  1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Stir in the icing sugar, and finally the vanilla.
  2. Spread evenly over the cooled cake.

Apple Crisp

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1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups oats
2 tsp cinnamon
5-6 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced

  1. Cream together the butter, sugar, flour, oats and cinnamon until crumbly.
  2. Place the apples in an un-greased 8” X 8” pan. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples. Pat it in with your hands.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Suggestions:
Serve this hot out of the oven with vanilla ice cream or milk.

Apple Bavarian Torte

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Crust:
1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp salt
1 cup flour

Filling:
1 (8 ounce) pkg cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg

Topping:
4 cups sliced apples
3 Tbsp water
1 tsp cinnamon

Crumble:
3 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup sliced almonds

  1. Combine ingredients for the crust and press into the bottom of an 8×8 pan.
  2. Cream ingredients for the filling until smooth and spread over crust.
  3. Place ingredients for the topping in a saucepan and cook over low heat until apples are just slightly tender. Spread over filling.
  4. Combine butter, flour and sugar for the crumble and sprinkle evenly on top. Sprinkle almonds over that.
  5. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Decrease to 375 degrees and bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Zucchini Muffins

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Makes two dozen.

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp baking powder

3 eggs

2 cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup oil

3 cups grated zucchini

½ cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

  1. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Beat eggs until light and fluffy, in another bowl. Add sugar, vanilla and oil. Stir in zucchini and nuts.
  3. Stir zucchini mixture into the dry ingredients. Fill greased muffin tins.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Suggestion:
For chocolate zucchini muffins, add ½ cup cocoa to the dry ingredients in step 1.

Apple Cinnamon Crepes

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Crepes:
1 ½ cups milk
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp oil
4 tsp butter

Crepe Filling:
Apples, peeled/sliced (about five)
Butter (2 Tbsp.)
Sugar (to taste)
Cinnamon (to taste)

Vanilla yogurt

Grated cheddar cheese

  1. Blend eggs and milk with an electric beater.
  2. Add flour and oil and mix until smooth.
  3. Heat frying pan to medium-high heat. Grease lightly with a little butter. Stir batter, then pour 2-3 Tbsp of batter all at once into the pan, swiftly tilting pan in all directions so batter flows over entire surface. After about 30-40 seconds (when surface looks slightly dry), flip the crepe. Cook for about 20 seconds longer.
  4. Fry apples in butter (leave slightly firm). Add sugar and cinnamon.
  5. To serve, place crepe on plate, top with apple filling, sprinkle cheese on top, add yogurt and wrap up.

Makes about 10 crepes.

Carrot Orange Muffins

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½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar* (original recipe had 2 cups)
2 eggs
1 cup carrots, grated
1 orange, peeled, then grated
2 cups whole wheat flour (can substitute all purpose)
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup walnuts or pecans (optional)

  1. Mix together the oil, sugar and eggs. Then stir in the carrots and orange.
  2. Mix together in another bowl the flour, soda, powder and salt. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together. Stir in the nuts last.
  3. Pour into greased muffin tins.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.

* For a sugar-free option, you can replace the sugar with 1 cup of honey, or 2 cups of pureed dates.

If you have a food processor, just grate the carrots in there, and then puree the orange afterwards to save on dishes.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

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1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup water (approx.), divided
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1. In a small bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar oil. Whisk in eggs, vanilla and half of the water. Fold in flour mixture (do not overmix). If batter is too thick, stir in the remaining water, a little at a time. Fold in pecans.

3. Spoon batter into a lined muffin tin.

4. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until top is firm to the touch and a tester comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.