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Tag: cumin seeds

Ground Pork with Cauliflower in Cilantro Sauce (Keema Gobi)

Ground Pork with Cauliflower in Cilantro Sauce

One of our favorites…

Cilantro Sauce

  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • ½ yellow onion, chopped

Blend the cilantro, green onions, ginger, garlic and onion in a blender till veggies form a smooth paste. Keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
  • Salt
  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a heavy saucepan with the oil. Add the cumin seeds and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the ground meat and sauté on high heat. Separate the meat while stirring with a wooden spoon- for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cilantro paste and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat. Add the cauliflower, coriander powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well and lower heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and turn the heat up, stirring constantly, cook for another five minutes or till the excess moisture has cooked through. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Mattar Paneer (Peas with Paneer) in Cilantro Sauce

A classic made a little different… I love, love cilantro- so I used it as a base for this dish… so, so good!!

  • 1 cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 3 garlic cloves, skin off
  • 6 to 7 scallions, ends cut off and halved
  • ½ cup full fat yogurt
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 12 ounces paneer, cut into 1 inch squares and soaked in warm water (for an hour)
  • 1½ cups frozen peas
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Transfer the cilantro, cumin, garlic, scallions, yogurt, water, salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper and ground coriander to a blender. Blend till a smooth sauce is formed. Keep aside.

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Add the cilantro sauce and sauté on medium heat, stirring every couple of minutes, for about 20 minutes. Drain the paneer and add to the sauce. Mix well and bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the frozen peas, bring to a boil and simmer for another 5 minutes. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Mexican Stew with Chicken and Shrimp

This is a yummy, one pot meal that is a bit reminiscent of a deconstructed paella… I have delicious sauce that I serve with yummy chicken and shrimp…

  • 2 cups tomato sauce, homemade or store bought (14 ounces can of tomato sauce)
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 jalapeno chili, sliced in half and deseeded
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup fish stock
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Transfer the tomato sauce to a medium saucepan. Add the garlic, jalapeno, onion, nutmeg and salt. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes or till the vegetables are soft. Transfer to a blender and add the fish stock and blend till smooth.

Heat the same saucepan with olive oil and add the tomato sauce and sauté for a minute. Turn heat lower and simmer, covered for 15 minutes, till the sauce is thickened. Add the heavy cream, mix well and check for seasonings. Keep aside.

  • 1 pound chicken thighs, skin off with the bone
  • 3 to 4 links chorizo, casings off and crumbled
  • 1 pound medium shrimp
  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Salt
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil and butter. Brown the chicken thighs on high heat on both sides, for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Sprinkle salt on both sides. Take the chicken out and add the chorizo and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan and the tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Add the shrimp right before serving. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes making sure shrimp does not overcook. Serve with arugula rice.

 

Chicken Curry with a South Indian Twist

I concocted this dish for a dinner party we had. I wanted to make a traditional chicken curry but with a twist… a South Indian twist.. which meant I used  curry leaves and mustard seeds… it was delicious…

  • 1 pound chicken thighs, skinless and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 inch ginger piece, chopped
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Process the garlic, ginger and cilantro. Add to a small bow with the yogurt and salt. Mix well and add to a large zip lock bag with the chicken. Marinate over night or at least 2 to 3 hours.

  • 1 14 ounces can diced fire roasted tomatoes with chilies
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cardamom pods
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 cup chicken broth

Transfer all the ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Take off the heat and transfer to a blender and blend till smooth.  Keep aside.

  • 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 8 to 10 curry leaves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute for a minute and add the chicken with the marinade. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat. Add the blended tomato mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. Check for seasonings.

Chicken Curry with a Fenugreek Cream Sauce

This is a very simple dish to make… the only catch is to make sure you have fenugreek seeds and dried fenugreek.. any Indian store will have it and a little goes a long way… especially the seeds. Fenugreek has a very earthy yet pungent flavor.. it adds a certain nuance to a dish which is hard to explain.. you will have to try it yourself… oh and btw, the naans from yesterday will go fabulously with this dish…

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 inch ginger, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons full fat yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons half and half
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 pound chicken thighs, skinless, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a wok like pan with the coconut oil. Add the fenugreek and cumin seeds. Saute for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onion and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fenugreek powder, coriander powder, garam masala, sugar and cayenne pepper. Saute for a minute and add the yogurt, half and half and the water. Bring to a boil. Take off heat and transfer to a blender. Blend till smooth and return to the pan. Bring to a simmer and add the chicken and salt. Simmer the chicken covered with lid for 15 to 20 minutes. Check for seasonings, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Black Beans with Onion and Cumin

This is a very simple yet flavorful side dish to serve with any kind of protein or even just as a snack. I made these beans with the chicken enchiladas… yummy!

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 14 ounces can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 2 14 ounces cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • Salt
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a wide frying pan with the olive oil. Add the cumin and coriander seeds and sauté on medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the black beans, salt and the water. Bring to a boil and simmer with lid on for 15 minutes. Take the lid off and cook for another 5 minutes. Check the seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Shrimp with Pumpkin Seed Sauce

We have a local Mexican restaurant that my daughter absolutely loves.. I on the other hand, am not a fan… well, until recently. I found a delicious shrimp dish cooked in a pumpkin seed sauce. It was creamy but extremely light- unlike a lot of Americanized Mexican dishes… this was perfect.. so I thought why not try to make it at home. It was very delicious and easy to make…

  • 1 pound shrimp, cleaned and deveined
  • 1 cup raw green pumpkin seeds
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, deseeded and chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped

Roast pumpkin seeds in a heavy skillet on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or till the seeds are golden brown. Transfer the roasted seeds, green onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin seeds, salt and 2 cups of chicken broth in a powerful blender and blend till completely smooth. Heat a heavy saucepan with the oil and transfer the sauce into it. Cook on medium heat, stirring for 5 to 6 minutes or till the sauce thickens. Add another cup of chicken broth and continue to cook for another 20 minutes on medium heat. The sauce at this point may separate but don’t worry. Turn heat off and transfer back to the blender and add ¾ cup of cilantro and blend till the sauce is smooth again. Return to the saucepan and adjust seasonings. Cook the shrimp in the sauce and garnish with the remaining cilantro. Serve with lemon and cilantro rice.

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