Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Salmon in Mint and Coriander Sauce #fishrecipes

13 | 11 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Mint is by far my favorite herb.It enhances the flavor of anything you add it into and transforms mundane dishes into something special.I’ve used mint in my favorite dishes over here and here.So good.I like to mix mint with cilantro in my savory dishes to get a subtle balance of flavors without overpowering either herb.I also love Salmon.It’s packed with protein and omega 3.It does have a strong taste and some of you might find it a bit overpowering, but I’ve grown up in India and the fresh water fish in India has a pretty strong flavor too, so I don’t mind it at all.

Salmon in Mint and Coriander Sauce 2

Coming to my recipe, it has the mint and cilantro along with some cumin and coriander. The best part is that the sauce comes together in a blender and the aroma is unbelievable as it cooks.You can smell the lovely herbs and once you add in the spices, you start to get hungry.The yoghurt is a small amount just enough to add the tang and a lovely consistency to the sauce.Serve it with some hot steaming rice and you have one amazing meal.Enjoy.

Salmon in Mint and Coriander Sauce.jpg

Salmon in Mint and Coriander Sauce 4

Salmon in Mint and Coriander Sauce

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Ingredients
  

  • Salmon fillets-4 6oz each
  • Onion-1 small
  • Ginger-1/2 inch
  • Garlic-4 cloves
  • Fresh Mint chopped-1/2 cup
  • Fresh Coriander chopped-1/2 cup
  • Yoghurt-2 tbsp
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander- 1 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric-1/2 tsp
  • Paprika or Red Chili-1/2 tsp
  • 1 Small Tomato- chopped
  • Tomato Paste-1 tbsp
  • Water-1 1/2 cups
  • Salt- to taste
  • Oil-3 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Place the onion,ginger,garlic,mint and fresh coriander(cilantro) in a food processor along with a little water.Blend to make a paste.Keep aside.
  • In a skillet or a wok heat oil.
  • Transfer the mint paste into the oil and saute for about 5-6 minutes until the raw onion smell disappears.
  • Add the spices and continue to cook until all aromatic about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the yoghurt and tomato paste and cook until you see oil separating from the sides.
  • Add the water and salt.Bring to a boil.
  • Add the Salmon, reduce the heat.Cover and cook until Salmon is fully cooked.(about 6-8 minutes)
  • Check seasonings.
  • Serve hot with some rice.Enjoy.

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Kheer(Pudding) #IndianDesserts #Diwali

03 | 11 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Happy Diwali to you all!

I hope you all are having a great day today.I’been busy in my kitchen trying to cook a few of our favorite dishes.The first one being my Aloo Gobi and how can you not have a dessert to celebrate a festival!Today, I’ve got for you a super easy and scrumptious Sweet Potato Kheer or Pudding that comes together in no time.All you need is a few ingredients from your pantry and you’re all set.

Sweet Potato Kheer(Pudding) 1

I have to admit though that I’ve never made this pudding before.It was just a result of having to use up some Sweet Potatoes that I recently bought.Since Sweet Potatoes are the flavor of the season, I thought to myself, ‘why not use them in a Pudding?’.This pudding does not contain any eggs as do most Indian Puddings.It still comes out creamy and delicious.

Sweet Potato Kheer(Pudding) 4

I have another confession to make.I love eating raw peeled Sweet Potatoes.

What?

You’ve never tried a raw Sweet Potato before?

Don’t tell me.

Sweet Potato Kheer(Pudding) 2

Just try it one time and if you’re anything like me, you’ll love it.I don’t know how it all started.But all I remember is that I once had some teeny tiny extra bits that I was about to throw away, but they ended up in my mouth.

I know.I do things like that.There is this crunch,this sort of earthy sweetness, not too overpowering, but still enough for your tongue to taste it.I love it.

Anyway coming back to my dessert, all you need is some Saffron, some crushed Cardamoms and Cashews from your pantry.Its creamy, its sweet, it has this redolence so unique to Indian Desserts that comes from the Saffron and Cardamom and you taste them all in every bite.You could serve it warm or chilled.Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Kheer (Pudding)

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Ingredients
  

  • Sweet Potatoes-2 large peeled
  • Whole Milk-1 1/2 cups
  • Sugar-1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp
  • Crushed Green Cardamom-1/2 tsp
  • Saffron strands-1/4 tsp
  • Cashews-to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Peel and cube the sweet potatoes.
  • Put them in a pot with some water just enough to cover them.
  • Bring to a boil and cook covered on low for about 10 minutes or until they're cooked.
  • Drain the water and mash the sweet potatoes in the same pot.
  • Add the milk, sugar and saffron and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat and cook for about 10-15 minutes until its all creamy and the liquid has reduced.
  • Add the crushed Cardamom and turn off the heat.
  • In a small pan add a tbsp of ghee and fry some cashews until golden.
  • Serve the pudding in individual bowls and garnish with the cashews.Serve warm or chilled.

 

 

 

Roasted Tomato Soup and Croutons

25 | 10 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

With temperatures dropping each day, its time to get cozy with a warm bowl of soup for dinner. Comforting, healthy and delicious, soups are a staple in my house in the cooler days. My kids love it with a grilled cheese sandwich and we just enjoy ours with some crunchy croutons and crusty bread.

My homemade Tomato Soup develops a rich flavor achieved by roasting the tomatoes along with some garlic, herbs and olive oil. The tomatoes along with the juices are then transferred into a saucepan and cooked along with some broth and finished off with a splash of half and half. Its creamy, slightly sweet and absolutely delicious!

Roasted Tomato Soup 1

For the Croutons I just cube some bread, drizzle some olive oil all over and bake it in a preheated oven for 10 minutes until golden and crispy. Couldn’t be easier.

Roasted Tomato Soup and Croutons

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Ingredients
  

  • Large ripe Tomatoes-4-5 quartered
  • Garlic Cloves-3 sliced
  • Thyme – 1 tsp
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil- 2 tbsp
  • Chicken or Vegetable Broth-2 cups
  • Salt- to taste
  • Pepper- 1/2 tsp
  • Brown Sugar-1 1/2 tbsp
  • Half and Half-3/4 cup

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Place the tomatoes on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil,salt,pepper,garlic and thyme.
  • Bake for about 20-25 minutes until tomatoes are softened.
  • Transfer all the contents including the juices and all into a deep pot.
  • Add the stock,sugar,salt and bring to a boil and cook for about 5-10 minutes.
  • Transfer into a blender and puree the soup.Be careful to not burn since it will be really hot.
  • Transfer the puree back into the pot.Add the half and half and cook for another minute or two.
  • Your soup is ready.Arrange croutons and serve immediately.

For the Croutons

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Cube 3-4 bread slices and drizzle some olive oil and salt.
  • Arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet.Bake for 10 minutes until golden.

Almond Flour Apple Crumble #Glutenfree

21 | 08 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Almond Flour Apple Crumble 1

“The warm afternoon sun

on an autumn day

the breeze,the trees

rustling in the wind

the colorful leaves

falling to the ground

the crunchy piles

the magic of Fall

Almond Flour Apple Crumble 3

I revel in this joy

as I take my spoon

a bite is all I need

to make me swoon

The soft apples

the warm cinnamon

the crumbly topping

warm from the oven

the aroma,the delight

on my daughter’s face

that mama made her favorite”

Yeah that’s right,its my daughter’s favorite dessert!Well, you certainly don’t have to wait for autumn to enjoy this dessert. And if you’re like her you will want this all year round!Apple Crumble is her most requested and I make it frequently.But this time round I used Almond Flour instead of All Purpose Flour in the topping and she still loved it!It makes for a rich buttery nutty topping that I’m really fond of and I really like the flavor.In addition, its rich in protein and anti-oxidants and ideal for baking.So even if you don’t have a Gluten allergy you could still use Almond flour for its health benefits.

Almond Flour Apple Crumble 4

I’ve made them in individual ramekins for easier serving.Serve it with whipped cream ,Greek Yoghurt ,custard or Ice cream to take it to another level!The best part is that its so super easy and you can just eyeball the ingredients.Its one of those desserts that’s literally no work but comforts you like none other.It feels like you’ve really put an effort into it but you know it better ! 🙂

Almond Flour Apple Crumble #Glutenfree

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Ingredients
  

  • 3 Granny Smith Apples- peeled cored and sliced
  • Ground Cinnamon-1 tbsp
  • Brown Sugar-1 tbsp

For the topping

  • Almond Flour-1 cup
  • Chilled butter cubed-2 tbsp
  • Packed Brown Sugar -2 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Mix the apples,cinnamon and brown sugar and place in individual ramekins.
  • Mix the topping ingredients by hand or in a food processor until crumbly.
  • Cover the apples with the topping and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes until the topping is slightly golden.
  • Serve with whipped cream or ice-cream!

 

 

 

 

Chewy Cocoa Fudge Cookies

20 | 12 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Its the Holiday season and the one thing we cannot get enough of are cookies! The food world is teeming with thousand of cookie recipes every day .I also jumped into the bandwagon and decided to try something different 🙂

Of late I’ve been using Coconut Oil a lot in my desserts and ever since I laid my eye on a recipe at My Recipes, I’ve been thinking of giving it a try.I finally did that yesterday and put my own spin by substituting Coconut Oil for Butter and boy was it good!

choc fudge cookies2

We’ve all been eating away the cookies and I’m worried we’ll be running out of these too soon 🙂 The coconut oil and the yoghurt gives these cookies a very chewy almost cake-like texture that makes them very indulgent.Who knew healthy could be so so good!The recipe suggested that these were crisp on the edges, but mine were chewy all over and I think the coconut oil made that happen.It makes baked stuff really moist and chewy, just the way I like them :)These also have a longer shelf life since there are no eggs.I couldn’t have asked for a better, healthier , holiday cookie~

choc fudge cookies1

 

Chewy Cocoa Fudge Cookies

Delicious and healthy, these Cocoa Fudge Cookies use Coconut Oil and Yoghurt!
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
  • 7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup plain low-fat yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Cooking spray

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Combine flour, soda, and salt,set aside.
  • Melt coconut oil for about 20 seconds in a microwave.Remove .
  • Stir in cocoa powder and sugars
  • Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine.
  • Add flour mixture, stirring until moist.
  • Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until almost set.
  • Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm.