Version #2 with grape tomatoes, cucumbers and cashews.
Saw Emily Paster’s recipe in Midwest Living Magazine and realized I had everything I needed to make it. It’s so good and ready in just a few minutes. The dressing would be great on other fresh veggies, too. It’s really the perfect summer salad and we ate every last drop!
Ingredients 2 Tbsp lime juice 1 Tbsp fish sauce 1 Tbsp honey (or agave nectar or sugar) 1 Thai (or Serrano) chile, seeded and minced 2 Tbsp light olive oil ( or a neutral oil like canola oil) 5 medium plum (or heirloom) tomatoes, sliced 1/4 of a red onion, sliced 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs – I used regular basil and spearmint, but you can also use Thai Basil and peppermint 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped – I used half peanuts and half cashews 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Directions
For dressing: whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, honey and the chile, then continue whisking whil you slowly drizzle in the oil.
Arrange tomato slices on a large platter. Top with onion, herbs and nuts.
Spoon dressing over salad, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve immediately.
Version #2; Used grape tomatoes, with some quartered, sliced cucumbers (about a cup) and used cashews instead of peanuts. It was good, too.
I found this recipe by The Doctor’s Kitchen, aka Dr Rupy Aujla, on the BBC website. I was incredibly skeptical about these flavors combined, but I have to say I am totally won over.
It’s super satisfying – a very solid healthy main dish, and very quick and easy to make. I made some tweaks, since he uses some ingredients less easily available in the US.
It uses mostly pantry ingredients, but tastes super fresh and delish. Kumy and I had it with naan and we totally devoured it! It’s also great with toast.
Ingredients 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced (red’s fine, too) ½ tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 can chopped tomatoes, with juice (14.5 oz) 2 tsp honey 1 small dry red chilli, deseeded and broken into chunks 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp paprika 1 tsp dried oregano 1 can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, 14.5 oz (Can use any white beans.) 8 oz baby spinach (really big handful) Feta cheese, crumbled for garnish
Instructions Preheat oven to 400.
Heat the oil in a large oven-proof frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes until softened.
Add the tomatoes, honey, chilli, cinnamon, paprika and oregano. Simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the beans and the greens. Toss the spinach to help it wilt.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes and serve sprinkled with Feta.
This is the first dish I ever learned to cook when I moved to Karachi. I learned it from Kumy’s sister and mom and it remains an all-time favorite. I love to fish out the rounds of corn and dip them in the curry, but it can be messy! If you’re squeamish, cut the corn off the cobs before you cook it.
When sweet corn is in season, there is nothing better.
Ingredients:
6 ears sweet corn, cut into 1½” wide rounds 1 yellow onion, finely diced 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 large bunch cilantro, leaves and about 2″ of stems, rough chopped 2 jalapenos, seeded (if desired) and rough chopped ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt 1 large clove of garlic (or 2 small) 1/2 cup corn water 3 Tbsp gram flour (check online for substitutes) 1 can coconut milk ½ lemon
Boil water (do not add salt!) in a large pot and cook corn pieces for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and drain, saving a cup or so of the corn water.
Heat oil in a large frying pan and add onion. Sauté on medium heat for several minutes until onion is soft and transparent. Let cool a bit.
Add cooked onions with cilantro, jalapenos, turmeric, salt, garlic and water, and buzz with an immersion blender or food processor until smooth. Then pour back into frying pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
In a little cup, stir together a couple spoons of the corn water with the gram flour until smooth. Add gram flour slurry into the frying pan and cook a few more minutes to thicken, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat and add coconut milk. Stir well and finally add the sweet corn, tossing to coat with the curry.
Just before serving over rice, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the dish. Yum!
There is a great Mexican grocery store near us and recently, I noticed a really interesting tray of veggies in the produce section, simply labeled “Mexican Soup Mix.”
Curiosity piqued, I brought them home, along with a ½ lb. of Chorizo. (Not sure if that’s traditional, but I love how Chorizo adds flavor. You could really probably leave it out, too.)
The closest recipe I could find is called Caldo de Res, so that’s what I based my recipe on. Though this is not a classic Caldo de Res, it is an easy and delicious soup, and makes a big batch – perfect for cool fall evenings.
Really almost everything you need is in the package, including about a million extra red chiles. I am not brave enough to use all those chiles, but maybe someday! Here’s all the veggies, in case you can’t find the mix.
The mix includes a Chayote Squash, which is the green veggie on the far left. I used it like any other squash, though I removed the pit, which oddly it has. I chopped all the vegetables in small bite-sizes like for soup, so not too finely.
Ingredients:
½ lb. Chorizo 1 tsp olive oil ½ onion, rough chopped 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 3 long red chiles, whole 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper ½ tsp cumin 2 carrots, diced ½ small cabbage, rough chopped 1 Chayote squash, pit removed and rough chopped 2 potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled and rough chopped 1 small zucchini, rough chopped 1 small tomato, chopped 1 ear of corn, cut into 4-5 sections, or corn kernels removed 4 cups chicken stock 1/3 cup fresh cilantro chopped Juice of one lime
Add oil to large Dutch oven and add Chorizo. Cook a few minutes until lightly browned. Add onion and cook for a few minutes until onion is softened, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and chiles and cook for a minute or two.
Add seasonings and all veggies, except for cilantro and lime. Add chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, covered.
When Chayote Squash and potatoes are soft, gently stir in Cilantro and Lime juice.
Serve in a wide bowl, topped with sour cream, chopped cilantro, mild cheese, lime wedges and Jalapeno slices.
Warm corn tortillas are delicious too, especially dipped into the broth. You can easily heat corn tortillas in the microwave.
Just lay 5-6 tortillas on a small plate and cover with another plate. Microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, until nice and warm. Keep covered when you serve.
This is a tangy and delicious cabbage and noodle main dish salad, based on Hannah Che’s recipe from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen Cookbook. It’s perfect for a late summer evening supper, because it’s easy, super fast and has a dressing that is unbelievably good – plus it’s gluten-free and vegan. If you can’t get Napa cabbage, Romaine lettuce works, too.
INGREDIENTS 1/2 head Napa cabbage, cut in half lengthwise 1 small cucumber, seeds removed and julienned, or cut into little bite sizes 1 tsp kosher salt
1 medium carrot, julienned 1 scallion, cut into 1/8″ rounds (both white and green part) 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 chopped cashews or peanuts 1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded, halved and cut into thin slices
Dressing:
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce 3 Tbsp rice vinegar (cider vinegar would also be fine, I think) 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce (or Hoisin Sauce for a vegan version) 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar 2 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
DIRECTIONS
Cut cabbage lengthwise a few times, then cut very thin slices. Add cabbage and cucumber into a colander and toss with the salt. Leave to drain.
Start water boiling in a small saucepan, add noodles and cook 5-10 seconds. Drain and rinse with cool water. Cut noodles into smaller sections with a scissors. If you are using other noodles, cook as directed on the package, then drain and rinse with cool water. You want to end up with about 1 1/2 cups cooked noodles.
Mix dressing ingredients well in a small bowl. Taste and add more soy sauce if you think it needs it. Add dressing to noodles and toss to combine.
Gently press cabbage and cucumber to remove some of the water. You can also squeeze it gently in your hand. Place in a large bowl, and add noodles, carrots, scallions and cilantro. Toss in a large bowl and top with nuts.
I am practicing making Vietnamese and Thai Spring Rolls and once I’ve got it truly mastered, I’ll add the recipe. But I have to share this Peanut Dipping Sauce now, because it is just so good.
We’ve been using it as a dipping sauce for baby cucumbers and carrot sticks and it is absolutely irresistible.
Ingredients:
2 large cloves of garlic, peeled 2 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar (apple cider vinegar is fine, too) 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce 4 pieces of palm sugar (about 3 Tbsp) or 2 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil 1/3 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy – both are fine) Warm water as needed
In a large mortar and pestle, start by smashing the garlic cloves. Add vinegar, soy suce and palm sugar, and stir, crushing the palm sugar until it’s mostly broken down. Or just add the brown sugar.
Add sesame oil and peanut butter and mix in the mortar bowl, until smooth and creamy. Add warm water a teaspoon at a time until the consistency is a thick but smooth sauce. Check flavorings and add a little soy sauce or sesame oil if it’s tasting too sweet.
Can keep refrigerated for a week. You may need to add a little more warm water to loosen it up after it’s been in the fridge overnight.
If you don’t have a large mortar and pestle, you can always crush the garlic and just mix everything in a small bowl.
Palm sugar adds a wonderful flavor, but if you can’t get it, just use a little less brown sugar. (Brown sugar is sweeter than palm sugar.)
After visiting Kumy’s Mom at the beginning of last year, we were reminded how incredibly delicious Pakistani food is! We were also lucky enough to learn how to make Daal from Mummy’s cook, Mustafa, who is an amazing cook.
It’s a fairly easy recipe, and uses a “bagaar” to add flavor. It was one of the first things we made when we got back. I’m happy to say it was just about as good as Mustafa’s and a welcome reminder of our visit back “home”.
Ingredients:
1 cup Masoor Daal (small, round, split red lentils) 1/2 cup Moong Daal (small, oval split yellow lentils)
4 cups water 2 tsp crushed garlic 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (add more if you dare – it was originally 1 1/4 tsp – but that was too hot!) 1/4 tsp turmeric 3/4 cup diced onions 3/4 cup diced tomato (Can also substitute 1 can of Rotel Tomatoes for the tomato and jalapeno.) 1/2 jalapeno, diced, optional 1/4 cup cilantro, rough-chopped, optional
Bagaar: 2 Tbsp oil 1 1/2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped 1 1/4 tsp whole cumin 3 dry red chilis/peppers (small, round ones, but you can use two long red ones instead.)
Wash both daals well, swirling and rinsing until the water is mostly clear. Add to a large pot. Then add water, garlic, salt, cayenne, turmeric, onions and tomatoes. Cook 30-40 minutes.
Whisk well and add water to get a thick gravy consistency, as needed. You can also use an immersion blender to puree the daal, but be careful not to over do it. Add Jalapeno and Cilantro, and cook 10 minutes more.
In a small frying pan, heat the oil and add the rough-chopped garlic, cook for a minute and then add the dry red chilis/peppers and cumin seeds. Cook 30 seconds more and pour oil mixture right into the daal. Stir to combine and serve with basmati rice or Naan. Can also add a squeeze of lemon when serving if you wish.
I made this remarkably delicious stew last night and it’s a keeper. With a coconutty, fresh lime and cilantro focus, it’s light and the fish and shrimp taste wonderful with it. I’ve tweaked a recipe originally from the New York Times, and everything is very easily available except Dende oil. It may be worth ordering some – since I will definitely make this again.
Ingredients
12 oz peeled, deveined shrimp 12 oz cod fillet, cut into 1″ pieces kosher salt 2 limes (juice of one and the other cut into wedges) 2 Tbsp olive oil (Or Dende oil – traditional but less easily available) 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 small yellow onion, chopped 2 large bell peppers, cut into 1/4″ slices, and halved 1 can Ro-tel tomatoes, drained and juice reserved (Or 1 lb. tomatoes, cut in 1″ wedges, and 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, whole and pricked all over with a a knife.) 1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro steamed rice for serving
Directions
In a bowl, squeeze the juice of one lime and add 1 tsp salt. Place fish chunks in bowl and let marinate.
In a large, deep frying pan, heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook for a minute, then add onions and cook another few minutes. Turn heat up a bit and add the peppers and drained Ro-tel tomatoes. (Save the juice!) Saute for 5 minutes or so, until the peppers are starting to soften.
Reduce heat and add the coconut milk, the Ro-tel juice and simmer about 10 minutes. Add half the chopped cilantro, and the shrimp and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gently place fish and marinade into the pan, and cook 2-3 more minutes until fish is cooked through. Taste and add salt if needed.
To serve, place some steamed rice in the bottom of the bowl and ladle stew over. Top with a squeeze of fresh lime and more chopped cilantro. Delish!
I’ve always loved Chicken Karahi from when we lived in Karachi, but really never made it until I snagged a Shan Masala mix for it. It’s a surprisingly easy dish and Kumy and I both loved it with fresh hot Roti (like whole wheat tortillas.) Another good Shan Masala mix – though it’s pretty spicy when made as directed on the box. I might try doing half the mix in the box if you don’t like things too spicy, or using just one chili.
Also – you’ll note that the recipe on the box calls for 1 1/2 cups of oil, and a 1/2 cup of butter, but have mercy – that’s just too oily! The oil and butter are important to this recipe though, so 1/2 cup of oil and the 1/4 cup of butter are about right.
Ingredients
1/2 to 1 box Shan Karahi Seasoning Mix
3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 Tbsp crushed garlic, or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp grated ginger
2 Tbsp ginger, julienned
5 tomatoes, diced
4 little green chillies
(You can also substitute 1 can Rotel and ½ can diced tomatoes for the tomatoes and chillies.)
½ cup olive oil + 1 Tbsp olive oil
½ stick butter
3 Tbsp fresh chopped Cilantro
Mix crushed garlic, grated ginger and shan masala mix in a medium bowl. Add chicken chunks and stir until everything is well coated. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan, and add meat mixture. Stir fry 5-6 minutes on high heat. Reduce heat and add juliened ginger, cvoer and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.
In a separate pan, heat a Tbsp of olive oil, and saute tomatoes and peppers for a minute or two stirring frequently. Reduce heat and cook 5-6 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add cooked tomatoes and peppers to the chicken mixture, and increase heat to medium. Cook stirring gently but frequently to prevent burning.
Inspired by the Great British Bake Off to try some new flavors – I made Mango Trifle for Samir’s birthday dinner last night. The recipe is very easy and so delicious.
Ingredients
2-3 cups of cake (angel food, lady fingers or yellow cake, unfrosted) cut into 1″ slices 14 oz (or more) frozen mango pulp, or fresh mango chunks Cardamom Custard (recipe below) 2 Tbsp rum fresh mango chunks whipped cream
Cardamom Custard: 1 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cardamom 1/4 cup cornstarch 5 cups whole milk (Can also substitute fat-free 1/2 & 1/2 for some of the milk.) 4 eggs, well beaten in a medium sized bowl
Blend sugar, salt, cardamom, cornstarch and whole milk in a large saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil stirring constantly. Once the custard reaches the boil, remove from heat and add 1 cup to the eggs in the bowl, stirring vigorously so the eggs don’t cook. Add another cup of milk mix to the eggs, and continue stirring.
Return the whole thing to the saucepan and put back on medium/low heat. Heat for 1-2 minutes until the custard is just starting to bubble a little. Don’t leave it for a second at this point or it will curdle. Remove from heat and let cool. It will thicken as it cools.
Toss mango in a bowl with rum and a little powdered sugar if needed. (Frozen mangoes are kind of hit and miss in terms of sweetness.)
To assemble:
Place cake in a thin layer on the bottom and sides of a large bowl or clear trifle dish. (Be a bit neater if using a clear trifle dish.) Place mangoes and rum liquid over cake, placing some on the outside so they show. Pour cooled Rich Custard over fruit and cake, cover and refrigerate at least a couple of hours until lightly set.
Just before serving, top with whipped cream and fresh mango chunks and dust with ground cardamom.
Little Brown Cookbook 