I love this recipe not only because it is so flavorful--but also because it is so heart healthy! The recipe calls for salmon, garlic, olive oil, and egg-whites--all of which are good for your heart.
As I've noted elsewhere in this blog, my family comes from the state of Maharashtra in India. Maharashtra is located on the western coast of India. While my family is almost entirely vegetarian, fish is a commonly used in Maharashtrian cooking because it is a coastal state. Many dishes typically made in the neighboring coastal states of Goa and Kerala are also found in Maharashtrian cuisine. This recipe comes to my from my Aunt S. When I attended graduate school, I lived in the same city as Aunt S (and my uncle and cousins). When I felt homesick and had time take a break from studying, I would go to their house for a meal and to spend time together. During these trips, I realized that Aunt S actually cooks fish at home! I really enjoyed the fish she would make because it was simple and flavorful. One of the first fish recipes I tried making myself came from her (black pepper and lemon tilapia).
I love this recipe not only because it is so flavorful--but also because it is so heart healthy! The recipe calls for salmon, garlic, olive oil, and egg-whites--all of which are good for your heart.
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Aloo gobi raswali is one of my favorite dishes, but this was not always the case! As a child, I did not like the taste or texture of cauliflower. When my mom would make this dish, I would often seek out and eat only the pieces of potato. As an adult, however, I have grown to love the light and crisp texture of cauliflower. This recipe is one of my "new" favorites because it is full of many different vegetables and a variety of nutrients. I made a slight change to my mom's recipe--to cut down on the amount of starch, I use less potato and added chickpeas instead. The addition of chickpeas makes this an even more well-balanced meal because chickpeas are chock-full of protein. I really cannot think of many other dishes that are so nutritionally well-balanced!
This recipe is also fantastic because you cook everything in one big pot! I am a huge fan of making food that requires the least amount of tools--especially on a weeknight--so that there is less to clean up. The first time I ate fish was on one of my first dates with my husband, six years ago. I had told him that I wanted to try fish, so he took me to an American "surf and turf" restaurant that he had eaten at previously. This restaurant offered a tandoori halibut and he suggested that I order it because it was flavorful, light, and did not taste or smell "fishy" (the turn-off of every new fish eater). I still remember that tandoori halibut and it is the inspiration for today's post! My husband and I went to a local fish market over the weekend, and I had set out to buy halibut for this recipe. When we got to the market, however, the red snapper looked incredibly fresh so we went with it!
The lesson here: you can use any type of lean white fish and it will turn out just fine! If you want to know what types of fish would be a good substitute for red snapper, you can check out the New York Seafood Council's handy fish substitutions chart. I would suggest using tilapia, rockfish, or maybe halibut. Tilapia might be a good choice if you are new to cooking and eating fish! Growing up, I loved eating paalak paneer at parties. We did not eat it often at home because paneer--a type of non-melting fresh cheese--is not particularly healthy. Yet, that is exactly why I loved eating it as a child! In fact I would often pick out the paneer and eat it by itself, leaving the paalak (spinach) untouched. As I got older, my mother began making paalak paneer at home more often because we discovered that baked tofu is an easy replacement for paneer! It has a similar consistency, and can be cut into cubes just like paneer. My mother's recipe is simple, easy, and well balanced: you get protein from the tofu, iron and other vitamins from the spinach and tomatoes, and spices have been shown to have many health benefits.
Lately, I have been traveling over the weekends--often leaving on a Thursday and not returning until Sunday evening. Traveling this often makes it tricky to cook dinner at home because I am low on both time and groceries. Whenever I am in a time crunch, I turn to my favorite kitchen appliance: the slow cooker. This week's recipe is great because the slow cooker does most of the work for you, allowing you to unpack your suitcase and throw in a load of laundry while it is cooking! I already mentioned that the ability to multi-task while food is cooking in a slow cooker is a huge benefit. Another thing that is great about slow cooking chicken: it turns out very tender!
You may be wondering why there is beer in this recipe! A bit of "science" about cooking--you need to use an ingredient which will tenderize the meat. Many ingredients act as tenderizers--including beer! Other tenderizers include citrus juices (like lemon juice), vinegar, yogurt, and coconut milk. In the same way that red wine is used in cooking, the alcohol of the beer will be cooked away once it is exposed to heat. |
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July 2015
AuthorExploring Indian cuisine and trying to learn the recipes of my family. I hope to help and inspire others along the way. |