Tag: red peppers
Chicken Paprika
I had forgotten about this dish. I grew up eating it. My Mom would make it with green peppers and served it over white rice.
While she was a young girl, she stayed with her brother and sister-in-law in the UK. She learnt a lot of local cooking and one of the dishes my aunt used to make was chicken paprika.
Even after moving to the US, my Mom made this particular chicken dish quite often. I am usually not a big rice eater, but love white rice with this particular dish. As some of you know I am big into healthy eating and brown rice is part of the repertoire- but with this meal white rice tastes the best.
The dish itself is very easy to make. The gravy consists of onion and garlic and the main ingredient is sweet paprika. A pinch of cinnamon brings out the sweetness in the chicken and the peppers. As I mentioned before, my Mom would use green peppers but decided to use one green and one red. It makes a delicious and colorful dish.
My daughter was very curious while I was cooking it. She was a bit put off by the peppers- she doesn’t like them. I told her I would give her the chicken with the rice and one or two pieces of peppers. She loved the chicken and tolerated the peppers. Overall she enjoyed and so did my husband- he thought it was delicious.
Next time you are wondering what to do with the chicken in the fridge- try Chicken Paprika.
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Vegetable Pulao with Paneer
This is a one-pot meal. I love when I am able to come up with something that has everything. This rice dish can be served as an entree as well as a side dish. Ideally it should be served with a delicious bowl of lentils and some raita– perfect!
It also can be served with a roast chicken or fish – really anything. It is extremely versatile.
Preparing it is a cinch. The mixed vegetables can be fresh, if you have time to chop and prep, or they can be frozen. I always have packaged paneer in my freezer and am able to thaw and cook with it in no time. If you don’t have access to paneer (it is available in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods), shredded chicken or any other meat can be substituted.
We had it for lunch on Sunday with a big bowl of yogurt. It was delicious and very satisfying. The spice level can be adjusted according to taste. We tend to keep things mild so Sia can eat as well. I like things spicy and end up pairing a green chili pickle with the rice dish- yum!
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A Mediterranean Condiment: Nancy’s Spicy Hummus
This condiment is my new favorite thing to eat. It’s my friend Nancy’s secret hummus recipe. She has been making it for years now. I remember eating it in her house and thinking it’s delicious but somehow was never curious enough to make it myself. When Eden Gourmet– a specialty food store- opened in our area, Nancy mentioned that all the ingredients for this spicy hummus are available there. She mentioned a Moroccan hot pepper mixture (schug) that makes this hummus special. I went to the store to find the secret ingredient and didn’t have any luck- that was a few months ago.
Last week we went to Nancy’s house for dinner and she brought out the yummy hummus with bread, crackers, olives and cheese. Of course everyone remarked how delicious the dip was- and so she proceeded to make me something she calls ‘heaven’. She took a slice of crusty bread, toasted it and proceeded to spread a thick layer of hummus. She then, added a grilled spicy serrano pepper (serrano peppers are grilled till charred and then cooked in olive oil and lots of fresh garlic). Well, it was delicious- definitely ‘heaven’. The crusty bread was perfect with the creamy, spicy hummus- and the small punch of the serrano chili was amazing on top. It’s definitely not for people who can’t handle spicy foods- my husband for example- did not even try it- the pepper was too intimidating.
I decided to visit Eden Gourmet the next day and made this yummy concoction. It’s very easy to put together since everything is store bought. I processed the hummus till it was smooth and delicious. I added two teaspoons of the hot schug, but you can adjust according to the spice level you can handle. The sundried tomatoes give the dish a tangy creamy texture.
I love having this spicy dip in my fridge- I have been putting it on everything, including my naked finger… thanks for the recipe, Nancy!
Grilled Vegetables with Peanut Sauce
My daughter loves going to Thai restaurants. Her favorite thing to eat are the gyozas and chicken satay. She can really pack away a number of skewers- if I let her. What she doesn’t like is the peanut sauce- very strange! For me it’s the peanut sauce that is the interesting part- like the rest of Thai cuisine- it really assaults your palette. Sweet, salty, sour and spice happening at the same time. I think that is why I love the cuisine so much. I love anything that has the peanut sauce. I usually make a whole lot and keep in my fridge. It is very versatile- it is a great dipping sauce; it goes really well in cold noodles with shrimp and vegetables; it makes a delicious salad dressing- the sky is the limit! One of my favorite things to eat in the summer months is grilled vegetables. I like to grill all sorts of different veggies and serve them with different marinades. This particular one is my favorite way to eat them. The creamy peanut sauce goes really well with the smoky grilled vegetables. In this case I used red peppers, zucchini and a japanese eggplant. I loved the combination of all the veggies- the peppers bring a subtle sweetness; the zucchini is creamy and the eggplant is like a sponge- absorbing all the peanut goodness! I made this with the shrimp fried rice but the dish goes really well with burgers, hot dogs and steaks.
If your kids like peanut sauce, this dish is a great way to give them vegetables- especially if they are grilled- I feel grilling and roasting brings out the natural sweetness of everything. In our case, I gave Sia the vegetables without the peanut sauce- I think she is a bit strange- but then I can’t really complain, she is a very good eater and loves food!
A Recipe Fit For Royalty: Vegetable Korma
I teach cooking classes a couple time a month. I try to come up with a complete and balanced menu that is delicious but easy to make. For last month’s class, I did the chicken malai tikka– I wanted to come up with a vegetable dish people can enjoy. Someone had suggested a navrattan korma- which is a very popular dish in Indian restaurants around here. A korma is a dish with either vegetables or meat cooked in a creamy white sauce. I have never really made a vegetable korma and never really order it at a restaurant either. The reason for not ordering the dish outside is that it is filled with cream and butter. I can’t imagine how many calories are in that small serving!
In my attempt to come up with a healthier version of this dish, I must have looked at hundreds of recipes. I finally came up with the perfect, delicious concoction. In my mind, a korma is creamy, delicate yet full of flavor. I used dry spices to give the dish loads of flavor. The cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and most of all the black cumin give this dish a very delicate aroma and taste. I tend to use black cumin when I am making a white creamy sauce- unlike regular cumin, this variety has a very floral taste- it’s delicate yet full bodied – the flavor is unmistakable! That being said- if you can’t find this spice, regular cumin will be just fine. Also, any combination of vegetables is great in this dish. I went with a combination with great aesthetic appeal, full of color. For the white creamy sauce, I decided to use non-fat evaporated milk with a touch of half and half. The evaporated milk gives the dish great body and taste without any of the fat- how clever was that!! The half and half adds just enough richness without going over the top. To finish off the dish, I added chopped raw cashews and golden raisins. The sweetness of the two ingredients goes very well with the mild creamy dish. To take the korma to another level, I added crumbled paneer- it gives the dish great texture. Overall the dish was a big success. My husband loved it! People at the class enjoyed it as well. We at it with fresh homemade rotis and pink lentils cooked with broccoli rabe- recipe to follow soon!!
Baked Vegetable Pasta with Pesto
This is my go to pasta recipe for when someone is coming over. It’s perfect for a make ahead dish and is absolutely delicious. A friend was coming over for a meal and so I decided to make this dish. I bought some zucchinis and red peppers and decided to roast them with olive oil, salt and pepper. I had already cooked fresh marinara sauce that morning- I added that with pesto. I love using pesto in a variety of dishes. It gives everything an instant boost of flavor. I bought fresh mozzarella- actually it was buffalo mozzarella – which is a lot creamier and flavorful than the regular fresh mozzarella. I had fontina cheese-again, has a great flavor, melts beautifully and is great to use in a baked pasta. All the flavors married beautifully with the vegetables and the pasta in the oven. We had the pasta with garlic bread and some delicious red wine.
- 1 large or 2 medium zucchini, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 large or 2 medium red peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
In a large lined baking sheet, mix the cut vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables under the broiler for 10-15 minutes, or till they are golden brown and soft.
Keep aside.
- 1 cup basic marinara sauce
- ½ pound penne, cooked
- ½ cup basil pesto
- ½ cup fontina cheese, grated
- 1 ball fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, cut into 1inch squares
- Salt and Pepper
Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
In a medium ovenproof dish, add the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, penne, pesto, fontina and the mozzarella cheeses. Mix well, check for seasonings and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 30 minutes and serve.