Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Indian Spiced Tuna Balls (Tuna Chop) #SundaySupper

16 | 12 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

The horrific shooting in Connecticut has left us shaken and saddened. Beautiful, innocent little kids,their lives so inhumanely cut short.My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of these beautiful kids and teachers who were targeted for no fault of theirs.While we’ve all hugged our children a little tighter,embraced them a little longer, enjoyed our family time a little better, let’s not forget that these are the things that matter the most.These little moments of love with our families are priceless and a blessing.

As a Mom, I feel greatful for my life with my kids,my family,the time we spend each day, the little joys, silly laughs,funny antics all of them.The time spent in the kitchen together cooking and baking.Nothing is more pleasing to the eye, than my kids happily enjoying the food I cook for them.In the wake of this incident,these moments feel so precious. I’m praying for the families of those who lost their lives and I hope they find the strength to cope with this tragedy.

tuna chop2

My dish for today is a easy appetizer, that is also a family favorite!My Tuna Balls are easy, bursting with flavor and stuffed with a surprise, Cranberries!Yes, the sweet and tart Cranberries are hidden in the center of each ball and give it so much body.My Tuna Balls have been quite popular with my friends and I think they make a perfect party starter!You can make these ahead and fry at the last minute.The balls are crispy on the outside but very soft and moist on the inside.

tuna chop 4


Indian Spiced Tuna Balls (Tuna Chop) #SundaySupper

Delicious Indian Spiced Tuna Balls with a surprise!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 31 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Albacore Tuna in Water-2 5oz Cans
  • Potatoes-3 medium
  • Crushed Ginger-1 tbsp
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-1 tsp
  • Garam Masala-1/2 tsp
  • Fresh Coriander- 1/2 cup chopped
  • Jalapeño-1 chopped
  • Cornstarch-3 tbsp
  • Dried Sweetened Cranberries-3/4 cup
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil- to deep fry

Instructions
 

  • Boil the potatoes.Peel and mash using a potato masher.
  • In the same bowl mash the canned tuna and all the other spices,salt, cornstarch and coriander.
  • Take a small amount in your hand and stuff 2-3 cranberries in the center.Cover from all the sides and roll into small balls.Repeat for the whole mixture.
  • In a deep pan heat oil and deep fry the balls until golden.
  • Serve with Sriracha on the side!Serve hot or at room temperature.
 

tuna chop5

Our host this #SundaySupper is the lovely Connie Smith from The Foodie Army Wife and we’re sharing Drinks and Appetizers!Look at the menu for some inspiration for the Holidays.

Holiday Cocktails

Holiday Appetizers or Hors d’oeuvres

Do you have a favorite dish or beverage to take to a party?   We’d love to feature your recipe for holiday parties on our#SundaySupper Pinterest board to share them with all of our followers, too.

Please note – out of respect for those in Connecticut who are suffering from the tragedy that occurred this week, we have suspended the regular twitter chat this week. The posts will be here for you to enjoy, and for future plans. Hug your loved ones a little tighter, and please continue to keep those impacted in your thoughts and prayers

 

Leek and Mushroom Puff Pastry Tarts

13 | 12 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

No party is complete without some appetizing appetizers!I so look forward to appetizers in any party and for the hubby, they’re the most important part of a meal!I made these some time ago for our friends and they turned out really good. Easy to use and inexpensive,Puff Pastry Sheets are a freezer staple in my house.Not being much of a baker, it comes in really handy for me for creating dishes like these that look professional! The buttery layers of the puff pastry gives a richness to anything you add into it and transforms it into something special!

My Leek and Mushroom tarts make for an easy and quick appetizer for any party or potluck.The mushrooms are golden and meaty.The leeks give a sweet subtle flavor and for me they’re a classic combination.These also look great on any table and I top these with some Crumbled Feta for a delicious finish!

Leek and Mushroom Puff Pastry Tarts

Delicious puff pastry tarts with leeks and mushrooms for an easy party appetizer!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Frozen Puff Pastry Sheet-1
  • Leeks-2 stalks chopped
  • Baby Bella Mushrooms-4 cups chopped
  • Butter- 1 tbsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Pepper-1 tsp
  • Crumbled Feta-3 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Thaw the frozen Puff Pastry for about 30 minutes.Flour your surface and unfold the sheet.Prick all over with a fork.
  • Cut through the middle of the puff pastry lengthwise (you can also roll it to make a bigger square and then cut through the middle) and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until puff pastry is golden.
  • In a pan heat the butter and saute the leeks for about a minute.Add the mushrooms and cook until golden.
  • Add salt and pepper.Keep aside.
  • Spoon the vegetable mixture evenly all over the baked sheets and put it back into the oven for about 5-6 minutes.
  • Sprinkle feta all over.Cut into small rectangles/squares and serve warm or at room temperature!

 

 

 

 

 

leek mushroom tart2

For an easy Holiday Cookie idea try my No Bake Date Coconut Snowballs and don’t forget to enter my Tropical Traditions Giveaway to win a Quart of Organic Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil which runs until 12/16!!!Enjoy 🙂

 

Sweet and Spicy Curried Nuts- Gifts for the Holidays #SundaySupper

11 | 11 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Its the beginning of the Holiday season and for us Hindus our biggest festival Diwali is round the corner too!That makes for double celebrations this month!We also exchange gifts and sweets with friends and family during this time and nothing says it better than a home made gift from your kitchen.Who doesn’t like edible gifts?Its fun, its tasty, its personal and it comes from the heart!

I love munching on nuts and there’s something about the sweet and spicy ones that I find hard to resist!My Sweet and Spicy Curried Nuts make for an ideal holiday gift!I have to warn you though that these are highly addictive!I’ve used a combination of Cashews, Walnuts and Hazelnuts, but you could use any nut of your choice.I’ve used Extra Virgin Coconut Oil that gives it more depth of flavor and works beautifully with the curry powder!

When you first bite into it there’s this hint of sweet, followed by the spices and the coconut in the background and then the ginger hits the palate and somehow you find yourself, craving for more and more!

 

Sweet and Spicy Curried Nuts- Gifts for the Holidays #SundaySupper

A combination of nuts roasted with Indian spices for a sweet, spicy,crunchy healthy snack or a holiday gift!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Cashews Walnut halves,and Hazelnuts-2 cups
  • Ground Cumin-1 1/2 tsp
  • Ginger Powder-1/2 tsp
  • Curry Powder-1/2 tsp
  • Cayenne-1/2 tsp
  • Sugar-2 tbsp
  • Salt-1 tsp
  • Extra Virgin Coconut Oil-2 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a pan heat the Coconut Oil and with all the spices on low heat and stir for about 5-6 seconds until they're aromatic.
  • Pour the mixture over the nuts and add the sugar and salt.Mix well.
  • Spread the nuts in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Cool completely.Pack them in small air tight jars!
Our host for this event is the lovely Susan Pridmore from The Wimpy Vegetarian .We have 50 recipe ideas from our group for holiday gifts, hostess gifts, or just something you might want to gift yourself with :-) .

 Breads/Breakfast

Condiments/Ingredients
Soups and Snacks
Sweets
Drinks

Please join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper on November 11.  In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat.

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your own posts for Gifts From the Kitchen on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board to share them with all of our followers, too.

 

 

Indian Spiced Chicken Meatballs ~Its Tailgating time!! #SundaySupper

09 | 09 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

chicken meatballs 1

Its tailgating time!!

I learnt about ‘tailgating’ only after we moved to America!For those who do not know what it signifies ‘a tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots, stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and concerts.’ {Source-Wikipedia}.Having said that, you don’t really have to be at the game venues to enjoy a tailgating party.You can have it indoors or outdoors, with a group of friends or lounge on your own!Its a great way to enjoy some great foods that are easy to make and eat!Its the start of the football season and my friend Lane from Supper for a Steal  proposed ‘tailgating foods’ for this Sunday Supper!

chicken meatballs

I’m bringing Chicken Meatballs for this event that has just the right flavors with an Indian twist!My meatballs are moist, juicy, perfectly sized to munch-on while watching your favorite team play!These balls are crunchy and rustic looking on the outside but incredibly soft on the inside with the lovely mint and coriander marrying beautifully giving them lots of fresh flavor.The best thing about these are that the food processor does all the work for you so you don’t have to work out a sweat in preparing them 🙂 They’re super easy, delicious and certain to please kids and adults 🙂

Indian Spiced Chicken Meatballs

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Chicken Thigh/breast mince-1 lb
  • Small Onion-1
  • Yoghurt-1 tbsp
  • Crushed Ginger-2 tsp
  • Crushed Garlic-2 tsp
  • Green Chillies jalapenos-2 chopped
  • Fresh Coriander -1/2 cup chopped
  • Mint -1/2 cup chopped
  • Plain bread crumbs-3 tbsp
  • Coarse Ground Semolina-2 cups
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-2 cups for frying

Instructions
 

  • In a food processor mix all the ingredients except semolina and oil.Make round balls and roll them in the Semolina.Deep fry in batches until nice and golden.Serve hot with Tomato ketchup!

 Look at the menu below for some great ideas for your next ‘tailgating party’!!This is one #SundaySupper you do not want to miss!! Hop on twitter at 7pm EST for the live #SundaySupper chat.

Pre Game Warm-ups:

On the Sidelines:

Main Events:

Overtime:

From the Cooler:

Wine Pairings by Wine Everyday

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

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

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.