Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Indian Inspired Fish Cakes # Cooked In Translation

15 | 08 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

I’m very excited to be hosting this month’s “Cooked In Translation” where we interpret a recipe with our own culinary lens.I chose something that has been a family favorite for years. Its my Indian Inspired Fish Cakes that bring back memories of big gatherings at my parents’.I vividly remember how amongst the multifarious foods being prepared these fish cakes were one of the ‘appetizers’ that had become a staple in our house.

fish cakes honest cooking

The process begins with boiling some potatoes in one pot and poaching the fish in another.You can use any fish of your choice.In this case I’ve used Arctic Char sold at my local Whole Foods, but I’ve also made these using Haddock, Cod and Salmon. Once they’re cooked the actual fun begins.The spices go in and the flavors begin to develop.The whole mixture comes together with three main spices cumin, coriander and garam masala.The fresh coriander leaves further elevate the flavors.The patties are then dipped in a flour batter and rolled in bread crumbs in this case panko for that crisp outer coating.

fish cakes foodgawker

These are great for a light lunch/dinner with salad or as an appetizer!Crispy, flavorful and super easy these are a big hit with adults and kids!

Indian Inspired Fish Cakes

Indian Inspired Fish Cakes

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Ingredients
  

  • Arctic Char-4 small fillets
  • Potatoes-2 medium
  • Onions-1 small
  • Crushed Ginger-1 tsp
  • Crushed Garlic-1 tsp
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-1 tsp
  • Garam Masala-1 tsp
  • Fresh Coriander-1/2 cup chopped
  • Salt-2 tsp
  • Oil- 3-4 tbsp
  • Panko- 2 cups

For the batter:

  • All purpose Flour-1/2 cup
  • Water-1 1/4 cups

Instructions
 

  • Place the fish fillets in a pot with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
  • Lower the heat and cook until the fish is cooked.Once done drain out the liquid and transfer into a bowl.Mash it with a fork.
  • Boil the potatoes until cooked.Peel and mash the potatoes and mix it with the fish.
  • In a pan heat 1 tbsp of oil and add the chopped onions.
  • Saute for about a minute or two and add the ginger and garlic.Saute for a minute and add the spices along with salt.Cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and pour the mixture into the fish/potato mix.Mix well, check the seasonings and make round shaped patties.
  • Dip the patties in the four batter and cover with panko.
  • Heat 3 tbsp of oil and shallow fry the cakes until golden on both sides.

 

Tofu and Vegetables Stir Fry

11 | 08 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Of late I’ve been trying to make really easy recipes to make my life a bit easier!My previous recipe was a quick no cook/bake dessert and this time I’ve followed that up with an easy Tofu dish that makes for a great weeknight meal with noodles or rice.Tofu is very delicate and tends to break-up many-a-times, but if you brown it in a little bit of oil, it holds it shape much better in my opinion.I also buy extra firm tofu for my stir fries and squeeze out all the water before working with it.
tofu and vegetable stir fry

The sauce that I’ve made here is extremely easy with the main ingredient being this Chili Garlic sauce that I picked up at a Korean Store. I’ve made the same recipe with chicken strips for a different variation and it came out delicious.You could use it for any stir fry for that spicy garlicky heat!

lee kum kee

It has just the perfect amount of heat and spice and its very similar to the Indo Chinese preparations served in Indian restaurants without any effort literally.It could easily pass off as one of my best Tofu dishes!


Tofu and Vegetables Stir Fry

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Extra Firm Tofu- 15 oz
  • Green Peppers-2 small chopped
  • Scallions Spring onions-2 stalks chopped
  • Chilli Garlic Sauce-2 tbsp
  • Soy Sauce-1 tbsp + 2 tbsp for marination
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-2 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Cut the Tofu in chunks and marinade in 2 tbsp of Soy Sauce for about 10 minutes.
  • Mix 2 tbsp of chili garlic sauce and 1 tbsp of soy sauce in a separate bowl.Keep aside.
  • Heat a tbsp oil in a non stick pan and fry the tofu pieces until golden on both sides.Take it out and keep aside.
  • In the same pan add 1 tbsp of oil and add the Scallions and Green Peppers.
  • Add the chili sauce mixture and stir fry for about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the Tofu pieces and continue to cook on medium until nicely combined.
  • Check seasoning and add salt if desired.Serve hot with Noodles or Rice!





Mango and Strawberry Cream

04 | 08 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Summer months are my favorite since I get to enjoy my favorite fruit, Mango!Yes, I love mangoes and cannot have enough of them all summer long.I use them in my smoothies,salads,salsa,pies and of course the dessert I have for you today.It’s simple with pure flavors just the way I like my desserts in the summer.

Mango and Strawberry Cream
Its just my take on the good old Fruit Cream that I’ve enjoyed since childhood when Mom used heavy cream every time.Although it tasted delicious, I cannot imagine eating it for my dessert today due to the high fat content and the calories in there.But,I’ve made a healthier version of this family classic using mascarpone and greek yoghurt and it tastes delicious.

fruit cream (strw and mango1)

It can be whipped-up in no time and you can use any fruit on hand.Its an easy chilled dessert that can be made ahead especially when you’re entertaining and also looks super cute.Garnish with a little mint for the finishing touch.Who says healthy cannot be delicious!Enjoy.

Mango and Strawberry Cream

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Strawberries-1/2 cup hulled
  • Ripe Mangoes-1/2 cup peeled and chopped
  • Mascarpone Cheese-2/3 cup
  • Greek Yoghurt-1/2 cup
  • Honey-2-3 tbsp
  • Vanilla Extract-1 tsp

Instructions
 

  • Mix the mascarpone, greek yoghurt,honey and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  • Arrange the fruits and cream in any order that you prefer,into a serving dish.
  • Garnish with a little mint.
  • Serve chilled.




Whole Wheat Macaroni with Spinach Pecan Pesto #SundaySupper

29 | 07 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

In today’s busy lifestyle getting together for a family meal can be quite challenging for most of us.What’s important is the tradition of coming together at the dinner table as a family and consistently maintaining that tradition.We strive to achieve just that by having family meals every evening and its a great way to enjoy some quality time thereby creating some everlasting memories!It could be indoors or outdoors and it could be any day or everyday of the week!That to me is what #SundaySupper is all about.You must be wondering why I’m talking about all this!Well, our SundaySupper team wants to know what #SundaySupper means to us and our lifestyle.

macaroni with pesto 1

During the summer, family meals can be so much more fun since you’re constantly outside enjoying the weather.We often enjoy our dinner outdoors with family picnics.Its perfectly relaxing.We usually end up going to our local park with some mats to sit on, some games for the kids and some fun food.Talking about food, my picnic basket is usually made-up of  fresh fruits,salads,sandwiches,some cool drinks and of course my Macaroni with Spinach Pecan Pesto! 🙂
It can be served warm or cold and is a breeze to put together not to mention incredibly delicious and healthy!I use Whole Wheat Macaroni that has a great flavor and texture.My kids are always excited to see macaroni on the table and this is a lovely variation from the usual mac and cheese that they’re so used to having! 🙂
spinach pecan pesto
The pesto tastes great with the toasted pecans and spinach combo.Mixed with some olive oil and parmesan cheese, its an explosion of delicious flavors in every bite!

Whole Wheat Macaroni with Spinach Pecan Pesto

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Whole Wheat Macaroni-1 lb
  • Baby Spinach leaves-2 cups
  • Pecans-1/4 cup
  • Garlic cloves-2
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil-1/3 cup
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese-1/3 cup
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Boil the macaroni according to the instructions and keep aside.
  • In a pan toast the pecans on low heat until they're nicely toasted.Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
  • In a processor, combine the spinach,toasted pecan and garlic and pulse.With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is creamy.
  • Transfer into a bowl and add parmesan cheese.Season with salt and pepper.
  • Toss the macaroni with the pesto and serve warm or cold.

SundaySupper has teamed up with Merrel and chosen these 10 bloggers to host a giveaway on their sites.Make sure to visit their sites to win cool Merrel products!!!

Take a look at these wonderful stories and recipes for this event:
Join the the celebration each Sunday. We start at 3pm ET by tweeting, pinning, and showcasing recipes and food photos. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and share yours too. The live twitter chat starts at 7pm ET. Take a look at and follow our Pinterest board too.


Apple Ricotta Cake-Guest Post at The German Foodie

22 | 07 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Today its my great pleasure to be guest posting over at my friend Sofie’s blog The German Foodie!!Sofie and I met through one of our facebook groups and I just love her German recipes.She is a great friend and extremely helpful! She is also well versed in photography skills and I enjoyed her little workshop on the same topic some time back!So when Sofie wanted me to guest post for her while she was on vacation I was thrilled! 🙂
I decided to make an Apple Ricotta Cake for this post mainly because it uses two of my favorite ingredients apples and ricotta!I found a simple recipe at All Recipes and just added some ricotta into the mixture!The result was a creamy, moist and delicious cake with a great personality coming from the juicy apples with cinnamon!

Apple Ricotta Cake

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium apples-peeled cored and chopped or sliced
  • Cinnamon-2 tsp
  • Ricotta-1/4 cup
  • Eggs-2
  • Sugar-1 cup
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil-1 cup
  • All purpose flour-1 ½ cup
  • Baking Powder-1 ½ tsp
  • Vanilla extract-1 tsp
  • Kosher salt-1/4 tsp

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grease a 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle some flour all over.
  • Cream the sugar and oil in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer until creamy.
  • Add the ricotta and vanilla and mix. Add the eggs and continue to mix until well combined.
  • Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and ground cinnamon in a separate bowl and add to the liquid mixture. Mix until well combined.
  • Fold in the apples and pour the batter into the greased pan.
  • Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Once done cool on a wire rack and serve warm