Your Cooking Coach
Show MenuHide Menu

Tag: Food Blog

Besan and Nariyal Barfi (Indian Confection Made with Chickpea Flour and Coconut)

Here is one of my favorite Indian sweets! Happy Diwali! Enjoy..

  • 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • ½ cup fresh ricotta cheese
  • 4 to 5 green cardamoms (seeds taken out and crushed)
  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • Sliced almonds
  • Pistachios, chopped

Heat a medium frying pan and add the coconut oil. Add the besan and sauté on medium heat for at least 30 minutes (or more) till the mixture turns a light caramel color.
Add the ricotta, coconut and cardamom seeds. Mix well and let the moisture from the ricotta cook out- about ten minutes.
Turn the heat off and add the sugar. Mix well until all is incorporated.
Spread the mixture on to a shallow platter with edges. Smooth with a spatula and sprinkle the almonds and pistachios and press down with fingers. Keep in fridge for half an hour to set. Take out and cut into small squares and serve.

Irish Soda Bread

3 cups all purpose
¼ cup evaporated cane juice (sugar)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mixture of raisins, cranberries and currants, chopped
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed or powdered
4 tablespoons super cold butter, cut into little pieces
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400.
Grease a large cast iron skillet or a 10 inch cake pan.

Transfer the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl, whisk together. Add the butter and mix briefly with fingers, incorporating the butter. Add the raisins mixture, zest and fennel seeds and mix well. Mix the buttermilk and egg together in a small bowl and whisk well and refrigerate until needed (the key is to have this liquid as cold as possible) Add the liquid slowly to the dry mixture while mixing it with a fork. Once all the liquid is incorporated, gently mix everything with your fingers and form an 8 inch round loaf and transfer to the cast iron skillet or cake pan. Mark the top with an ‘X’ with a knife about ½ inch deep.
Bake for 20 minutes in the oven and check if the top is getting too brown. If it is, then top with aluminum foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. Take out of oven and keep the foil on till it cools off.

Steak Tacos with Fresh Guacamole

  • 1 to 1½ pounds tip steak, sliced thin diagonally

Spice Mix

  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Mix together and add the spice mix and steak pieces into a ziplock bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours.

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 to 6 corn tortillas

Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan with the olive oil. Cook the steak pieces making sure they are not over done.
Heat the corn tortillas and serve with steak, guacamole and salsa.

Guacamole

  • 2 ripe avocados cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup red onion, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Juice of 2 limes

Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Turkish Style Cucumber And Parsley Salad

  • 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 3 to 4 Persian cucumbers, chopped
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses or lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Transfer the parsley, cucumbers and green onions to a medium bowl. Add the salt, pomegranate molasses and olive oil. Mix well and serve!

White Chili with Shredded Chicken

It’s that time of year… yummy chili with a beautiful glass of red wine..

  • 4 chicken thighs, skin off with bones
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Transfer chicken thighs to a lined cookie sheet.

Drizzle olive oil on both sides of the chicken thighs. Sprinkle salt, smoked paprika and chipotle powder and rub all over the thighs. Roast in the hot oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Keep aside and let cool. Shred the chicken with the fork and keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • ½ green pepper, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 4 ounce can roasted green chilies
  • 1½ cups roasted frozen corn
  • 1 can cannellini beans
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • Salt
  • Grated cheese for garnish

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, garlic and jalapeno. Saute on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat, stirring constantly. Add the canned green chilies, corn, beans, cooked chicken and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer and cook for about 20 minutes with lid on. Take the lid off, check for seasonings and serve with a garnish of grated cheese.

 

 

 

Chili Verde

Great recipe for the big game!

  • 4 to 5 medium tomatillos, cleaned and cut in half
  • 2 ancho chilies, cut in half and deseeded
  • 3 garlic cloves, with skin on
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Salt
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 4 to 5 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place all the ingredients onto a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle the olive oil and bit of salt. Roast for about 30 to 40 minutes till the vegetables are soft. Let cool and slide the skin off the ancho chilies. Place in a blender with cilantro and green onions and blend till smooth. Keep aside.

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 pound dark meat ground turkey
  • 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 to 2 cups chicken broth
  • Salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • Squeeze of lime

Heat a large saucepan with the oil. Add the chili powder and oregano. Saute for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add the ground meat and sauté over high heat, separating the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the meat is golden brown. Add the beans, tomatillo sauce and 1 cup broth. Bring to a boil, add some salt and simmer on a medium heat covered for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and continue cooking on simmer for another 15 minutes. Add more broth if needed. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro and lime. Serve with corn bread.

 

Mushroom and Bean Chili with Mushroom Quinoa

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters
  • 1 5 ounces shiitaki mushrooms, cut into quarters
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro stems, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dill stems, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 medium red pepper, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, crushed
  • 1 cup tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
  • 1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups mushroom broth
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Heat a saucepan with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté on medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or till the mushrooms are golden brown. Take out with a slotted spoon and keep aside. Reheat the pan and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the cilantro stems, dill stems, onion, garlic, red pepper, cumin seeds and chili powder. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and sauté for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the beans, mushroom broth and salt. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and add the mushrooms. Take for seasonings and garnish with cilantro and dill. Serve with mushroom quinoa.

Mushroom Quinoa

  • 1 cup white quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups mushroom broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Heat a small saucepan with the oil and add the rinsed quinoa. Saute on medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add the mushroom broth and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer till the moisture has evaporated on the surface. Cover with lid and lower the heat and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or till the quinoa is cooked through.