Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Red Curry Chicken Kebabs with Thai Mango Salad

21 | 05 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Today I’ve got for you my most favorite appetizer in recent months.Each of these kebabs are a carnival of spicy deliciousness.The flavors just explode in your mouth.So succulent, so juicy, so moist,I’m telling you’ll fall in love with this dish.

red curry kebab fg

This recipe is the result of trying to use-up two items I had on hand, some Ground Chicken and with the abundance of mangoes in the stores,some big juicy mangoes!Thai cuisine came to mind and since I had Red Curry paste in my refrigerator, I thought of making these Red Curry Kebabs along with a delicious Mango Salad!I found this amazing recipe for the kebabs in a blog called Gourmet Getaways and the recipe was exactly what I was looking for!

mango salad

I’ve used ripe mangoes for the salad, although most Thai Mango salads call for unripe mangoes.Like I said I just used what I had available.If you want you can substitute unripe mangoes as well.This makes for a great party food and will appeal to both kids and adults.The salad is very easy to put together and goes very well with these kebabs!The earthy spices in the Red Curry combined with the ginger and garlic flavors the kebabs.The cilantro leaves add some freshness and the Mango Salad makes this combination complete!Earthy, sweet, tangy, exotic flavors at their best!

Red Curry Chicken Kebabs with Thai Mango Salad

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

For the Kebab

  • Chicken Mince-1 lb
  • Red Curry Paste-2 tbsp
  • Ginger crushed-1 tsp
  • Garlic Crushed-1 tsp
  • Green Chillies-2 chopped
  • lemon juice-1 tbsp
  • Coriander leaves-1/2 cup chopped
  • Cornflour-2 tbsp
  • Fish Sauce-1 tsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-2 tbsp

Thai Mango Salad

  • Firm Ripe Mango-1 large
  • Orange Pepper-1 cubed

Dressing

  • Soy Sauce-2 tbsp
  • Fish Sauce-1/2 tsp
  • Brown Sugar-1 tbsp
  • Lemon juice-2 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Mix all the kebab ingredients except oil in a bowl and make small round shaped patties.
  • Heat the oil in a skillet and cook on both sides until they're golden brown.
  • Peel and cube the mangoes.
  • Whisk the dressing and pour over the mangoes and peppers.Your salad is ready.
  • Arrange the kebabs and the salad on a platter and serve!



 

Baked Vegetable Spring Rolls-Indian Inspired~#SundaySupper

10 | 05 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Celebrate this Mother’s Day with an appetizer/snack that’s easy, quick and delicious!
When we were living in England, our favorite appetizer at any party we hosted were these amazing Spring Rolls sold in this tiny Indian sweet shop.Their Indian style spring rolls were made of just Paneer and tasted divine!It was very different from any other Spring rolls I’d ever had and I instantly fell in love with it!When I picked up some Spring Roll Wrappers from a Korean Store recently, I thought of recreating the same recipe, but with different vegetables for more flavor and some crunch.

spr9

These are very mild with just 5 ingredients in the filling and go well with a hot sauce like Sriracha on the side.You could use your imagination and add anything else you want to it like green chillies or some paprika, but I’ve kept it really simple.The process is fairly easy and does not take too long.These are also good for you since I’ve baked them instead of deep frying!The result is a crisp, crunchy and delicious appetizer that you can serve your guest at your next party!

spr10

Baked Vegetable Spring Rolls-Indian Inspired~

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Spring Roll Wrappers-10-12 sheets
  • Cabbage-11/2 cups sliced thinly
  • Frozen Corn-1 cup
  • Yellow Peppers-1 cup sliced
  • Ginger-1/2 inch crushed
  • Cumin Seeds-2 tsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-1 tbsp
  • Cooking Spray

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • In a skillet, heat oil and the cumin seeds.Once they crackle add the ginger and saute for about a minute.Add all the ready vegetables.Stir fry on high for about 2 minutes.Turn the heat off and keep aside to cool.
  • Place the spring roll sheets in a plate and cover it with a moist towel to prevent it from becoming dry.
  • Work with one sheet at a time, take about 2tbsp of the filling mixture and place in about 2 inches from the edge facing you.
  • Fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling.Fold-in both of the sides of the wrapper and continue rolling till you reach the top end.
  • Brush some oil over the rolls and place them seam side down on a greased baking tray.
  • Bake for about 12-15 minutes and turn them over.
  • Bake for another 8-10 minutes until slightly brown.
  • Serve hot with your favorite sauce!

I’m also taking this opportunity to announce the #CookForMom contest this #Sunday Supper started by our friend Isabel @Family Foodie for a chance to win a Kitchen Aid Hand Blender!The contest opens on 12th May 2012 and will run until 19th May 2012!The winners will be announced on 20th May 2012!

This contest is open to both bloggers and non-bloggers with a Pinterest Account.All you have to do is to create a recipe using the Hand Blender for Mom on Mother’s Day and create a Board on Pinterest with 5 pins (the other recipes can be your older recipes or could come from any source validly credited).The pins with most likes wins!
Please click on Pinterest Contest for the exact details and rules to enter!!

****This Contest is now Closed****

 

Spicy Mexican Pasta Bake.. #Pastalove

05 | 05 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Aah its almost summer although the weather is playing its own little tricks on us, with April-like showers this past week.It has gotten better though and I hope that it stays this way from now on!Talking about summer, our aptly titled Pastalove bloghop is underway and with today being Cinco de Mayo what better way to celebrate than by making some Spicy Mexican Pasta Bake!!

spicy mexican pasta bake
 
Baked Pasta for me is pure comfort food and this Mexican version is a great variation for your tastebuds.Its got so much flavor with the sausages, vegetables and the spices that every bite gives you a kick!!Its a meal that’s going to become your family’s favorite in any season.Its also a perfect party/potluck food that’s super easy to prepare since you can make it ahead of time or even freeze.
You can easily make a vegetarian version of this, by omitting the sausage and using black beans instead.I wanted to use the Spicy Jalapeño Chicken Sausage sold at Trader Joe’s, but they ran out of it and I settled for the Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausage instead which is a pretty good substitute in terms of spiciness.If you want it less spicy you can opt for a milder sausage.I’ve used Whole Wheat Fusilli that makes this a healthy, wholesome dish for the whole family.

Spicy Mexican Pasta Bake

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Whole Wheat Fusilli or any other pasta-4 cups
  • Smoked Andouille Chicken Sausage or any of your choice-1 pck (6 links cubed)
  • Onion-1 large chopped
  • Jalapeños green chillies -2 chopped
  • Garlic-6 cloves crushed
  • Green Bell Pepper-1 large chopped
  • Frozen Corn-1 cup
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Paprika-1 tsp
  • Oregano-2 tsp
  • 16 oz can of Crushed Tomatoes-1
  • Mexican Blend Cheese shredded-2 cups
  • Water- 1cup
  • Olive Oil-2 tbsp
  • Salt -to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a deep skillet heat the olive oil and add the sausages.Fry until golden and add the onions. Saute for a minute and add the garlic.
  • Add the green bell peppers, frozen corn and the tomatoes.
  • Add the Jalapeños,ground cumin, paprika, oregano and salt.Add a cup of water. Cover and cook on medium until the sauce comes nicely together.
  • In the meantime cook the Fusilli for about 7-8 minutes.
  • Mix 2 tbsp of the pasta liquid into the sauce.Take out a large baking dish and pour a little bit of the sauce in the dish.Spread all over.
  • The fusilli goes next, spread evenly and pour the remaining sauce all over the pasta.Top it up with the mexican blend cheeses and broil until the cheese is all bubbly.Your Spicy Mexican Pasta Bake is ready!Garnish with cilantro and serve hot!

I’m co-hosting #Pastalove bloghop with these fabulous friends!Please visit their pages too while you’re here :)Link up your pasta recipes from the month of May!

Astig Veganwww.astigvegan.com
Badger Girl Learns to Cookhttp://www.learntocookbadgergirl.com
BigFatBakerhttp://bigfatbaker.com
Bon à croquerhttp://www.bonacroquer.com/
Cake Duchesshttp://www.cakeduchess.com
Elephant Eatswww.elephanteats.com
Hobby And Morehttp://hobbyandmore.blogspot.com/
Mis Pensamientoshttp://juniakk.blogspot.com
No One Likes Crumbley Cookieshttp://tcrumbley.blogspot.com/
Oh Cakehttp://cake-o-cake.blogspot.com/
Rico sin Azúcarhttp://ricosinazucar.com
Simply Reemwww.simplyreem.com
Soni’s Food for Thoughthttp://sonisfoodforthought.blogspot.com/
Teaspoon of Spicewww.teaspoonofspice.com
The Spicy RDwww.eastewart.com/blog
The Wimpy Vegetarianhttp://thewimpyvegetarian.com
Vegetarian Mammawww.vegetarianmamma.com
You Made That?http://www.you-made-that.com/
Vegan Yack Attackhttp://veganyackattack.com

Arctic Char in Mustard Sauce

01 | 05 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

The weather this morning played a dampener yet again and has been for the past few days except for Sunday which was beautiful without the occasional winds.On days like these I really feel like making a nice,comforting meal to cheer me up and talking about comforting,nothing beats this delicious Arctic Char in mustard sauce!You will be amazed at how the simple flavors bring together this sauce so beautifully!For those of you who are not familiar with Arctic Char read this;

Arctic char is a member of the Salmonid family. It resembles a Salmon in appearance but is genetically more closely linked to Trout. While some populations of Arctic Char migrate to the ocean and return to freshwater to spawn, others spend their entire life in freshwater. -(Source Seafood Choices Alliance)
You can also make this sauce with Salmon or Trout.

Arctic Char in Mustard sauce

If you feel like making a Fish curry that is totally different from the usual but easy enough to prepare then this is for you!This dish comes from the Eastern states of Bihar and West Bengal in India where fresh fish is available in abundance.The mustard sauce is one of the most popular preparations in these regions and I’ve grown-up having this Fish Curry all the time.My mom is a great cook and its one of her signature dishes!Traditionally Whole Mustard seeds are ground to make a paste along with green chillies,but I’ve modified Mom’s version by going for Coleman’s English Mustard Paste for ease and convenience.
Coleman's English Mustard
Mustard and Fish are a marriage made in heaven since they complement each other beautifully.
The use of Nigella Seeds is very important in this sauce,since it imparts that almost smoky flavor to the sauce.The garlic balances the bitterness of the mustard and the coriander adds a little earthy spiciness to the curry.The Amchur Powder (dry mango powder)is also a necessary ingredient to finish off this dish and should not be missed.If you don’t have Amchur,you could substitute Lemon Juice instead.Its one of the most delicious sauces you’ll ever try.

Arctic Char in Mustard Sauce

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Arctic Char Fillets-5-6
  • Nigella seeds kalonji-1 tsp
  • Coleman's English Mustard Paste-3 tbsp
  • Garlic Crushed-2 tbsp
  • Tomatoes-2 medium chopped
  • Ground Coriander-1 tsp
  • Turmeric-1/2 tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder-1/2 tsp
  • Water-1 cup
  • Amchur Dry Mango PowderEasily available at your Indian Grocer-2 tsp (you could also substitute 2 tbsp of lemon juice)
  • Coriander leaves-2 tbsp chopped
  • Salt- to taste
  • Oil-3 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • In a deep skillet heat oil and add the Nigella Seeds.
  • Add the crushed garlic and saute on low heat until golden but not burnt.
  • Add the mustard paste.Saute for about a minute and add the tomatoes.
  • Mix well and cook for about a minute and add the ground Coriander, Turmeric,Red Chilli and salt.
  • Stir frequently on medium heat for about 4-5 mins until all the paste comes together and the tomatoes are cooked.
  • Add the fish fillets and mix very gently.Add the water and bring to a boil.
  • Cover and cook on medium until the fish is fully cooked,about 5-6 mins.Add the chopped coriander leaves and turn off the heat.
  • Sprinkle the Amchur powder or lemon juice and mix.Your fish is ready!Serve hot with rice.

 

Berry Strudel with Chocolate Drizzle

26 | 04 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

One of the most versatile products available in the stores is the Puff Pastry!Great with sweet or savory, you can create gorgeous recipes using these store-bought packets of convenience.The reason I always have them in my freezer! This recipe is one of the easiest and easily feeds a crowd.

berry strudel

I recently made these for a party.The recipe is fairly simple, yet delicious without too much effort.It was a hit with my guests and the kids alike.I also made a chocolate sauce to drizzle over the top that my guests loved!

Berry Strudel 4

The berries ooze out their juices and mix in with the Cinnamon Sugar and every bite is filled with the deliciousness!

Berry Strudel with Chocolate Drizzle

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

For the Strudel

  • Store bought Puff Pastry-1 sheet thawed
  • Strawberries slicedand Blackberries-1 1/2 cup mixed together
  • Brown Sugar-2 tbsp plus 2 tbsp for dusting
  • All Purpose Flour-1 tbsp
  • Cinnamon-1 tsp
  • Egg -1
  • Water-1 tbsp

For the Chocolate Drizzle

  • 14 oz can of Sweetened Condensed Milk-1
  • Semisweet chocolate chips-1 cup
  • Butter-2 tbsp
  • Vanilla extract-1/2 tsp
  • Salt-1/8 tsp

Instructions
 

Chocolate Drizzle:

  • In a saucepan combine all the ingredients for the sauce and cook on low heat until the chocolate melts.Add a tsp of vanilla.You can freeze any leftover sauce for later use.

Streudel

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.Mix the berries along with the 2 tbsp of brown sugar, flour and the cinnamon.
  • Unfold the puff pastry.Flour your surface and roll out the puff pastry into a 16 by12 inch rectangle.
  • Dust the remaining brown sugar all over.
  • With the side facing you spread the strawberry mixture at the bottom half about 2 inches from the edge.Roll up the dough till you reach the end making sure to secure the filling inside and place seam side down on a greased baking tray.
  • Mix the egg with water and brush the top with the egg mixture.Make slits all along the pastry.
  • Bake for 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden.Let it cool on a wire rack.Once cool drizzle the chocolate sauce all over.Your Strudel is ready!

 

Sending this to our #Berrylove bloghop co-hosted by these fabulous bloggers!Please visit their pages while you’re here!

A Little bit of everything ~ Roxana GreenGirl ~ @RoxanaGreenGirl,Baker Street ~ Anuradha ~ @bakerstreet29,Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves ~ Becky Higgins,BigFatBaker ~ Erin ~ @BigFatBaker,Bon à croquer ~ Valerie ~ @Valouth,Cake Duchess ~ Lora ~ @Cakeduchess,Easily Good Eats ~ Three Cookies,Elephant Eats ~ Amy,GeorgieCakes ~ Georgie ~ @georgiecakes,Hobby and More ~ Richa ~ @betit19,Java Cupcake ~ Betsy Eves ~ @JavaCupcake,Mis Pensamientos ~ Junia ~ @juniakk,No One Likes Crumbley Cookies ~ TR ~ @TRCrumbley,Oh Cake ~ Jessica ~ @jesshose,Queen’s Notebook ~ Elizabeth ~ @Mango_Queen,Rico sin Azúcar ~ Helena ~ @ricosinazucar,Simply Reem ~ Reem ~ @simplyreem,Soni’s Food for Thought ~ Soni ~ @sonisfood,Teaspoon of Spice ~ Deanna ~ @tspbasil,That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!! ~ Liz ~ @Thatskinnychick,The Art of Cooking Real Food ~ Laura ~@TAofCRF,The Wimpy Vegetarian ~ Susan ~ @wimpyvegetarian,Vegan Yack Attack! ~ Jackie ~ @veganyackattack,Vegetarian Mamma ~ Cindy ~ @VegetarianMamma