Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Salmon Yoghurt Curry

06 | 12 | 2018
By Soni Sinha

Curry is the ultimate comfort food! In these harsh and bitter cold days nothing beats a warm bowl full of homemade curry and rice!From the moment you start cooking, the emanating redolence of warm spices fill the air resulting in hunger pangs all around!The aroma, the vibrant color and the unbeatable flavor of a good curry is a food lover’s ultimate joy. Its no wonder that a curry is so loved by people everywhere.If you’re a curry lover then this easy recipe will blow you away with its deliciousness. I’m sharing with you my Salmon yoghurt curry that I’ve learnt from my Dad and cook it all the time.If you don’t like Salmon, then Arctic Char or Tilapia will also work well.

Salmon Yoghurt Curry

I used my latest kitchen addition (my new Air Fryer) to fry the fish first before adding it into the sauce. I loved how the fish cubes developed a lovely golden color without the use of too much oil (I just drizzled a few drops) in a matter of minutes and I couldn’t resist eating a couple just on their own! The Air Fryer does a good job of cooking things really fast and I like using it. I will be trying more Air Fryer recipes and sharing it with you.

This curry does require a few ingredients from your Indian grocers like nigella seeds and Kashmiri chilies. The Kashmiri chilies are non-spicy and just used to give that vibrant color to the sauce. The yoghurt is added towards the end of the cooking and make sure to keep stirring it until its nicely incorporated into the curry and does not curdle.

Salmon Yoghurt Curry

The aromatic nigella seeds, cardamom and cinnamon are the first ingredients that flavor the oil. Some onions, ginger, cumin and coriander go next adding the next layers of flavor to this dish. Once the sauce simmers away its time to add the perfectly golden Salmon cubes and they don’t take long to come together since they’re already cooked in the air fryer.The resulting curry is a harmonious blend of wonderful spices with Salmon that’s sure to satiate your taste buds. Enjoy!

Here are a few other curries that you can try!
Easy Indian Chicken Curry
Pumpkin Masala
Paneer Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala

Print
Salmon Yoghurt Curry

Ingredients

    Fried Salmon marinade
  • 1 lb of cubed Salmon
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp red chili or cayenne
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Drizzle of mustard oil
    • Curry
  • 1 tsp Nigella Seeds
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1/2 inch cinnamon
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 1/4 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
  • 2 tsbp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 medium tomato chopped
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 2-3 fresh green chillies (optional)
  • 2 tbsp beaten yoghurt
  • Salt
  • 3 tbsp mustard oil

Instructions

  1. Marinade the Salmon cubes with the 4 ingredients.Leave aside for 15 mins.
  2. Arrange the cubes in the air fryer tray and cook on 400 degrees for about 8-10 mins or until you see the pieces turn golden.
  3. Take them out and set aside.
  4. Heat the mustard oil in a deep skillet.Add the nigella seeds,cardamom and cinnamon.Cook for about 1/2 a minute and add the chopped onions.
  5. Saute the onions until slightly golden and add the ginger paste.Cook for about 1 minute.
  6. Add all the spices and mix well.Add the tomatoes and let it cook on low medium heat until the tomatoes are cooked and oil separates from the sides.
  7. Add water,salt and green chilies.Bring to a boil and let the sauce simmer on low heat for about 10 mins.
  8. Add the salmon cubes.Mix gently.Chk the seasonings.
  9. Add the beaten yoghurt and keep stirring until all incorporated.
  10. Serve hot with rice.
https://www.sonisfood.com/2018/12/salmon-yoghurt-curry.html

4th of July Menu Ideas with a Twist!

02 | 07 | 2017
By Soni Sinha

Celebrate Independence Day with these amazing recipes with a delicious twist that’ll wow your guests.Summer is in full swing, so fire up your grills and get cooking!I’ve compiled a list of our favorite foods that you can try.Click on the recipe titles to view each recipe.Happy Fourth of July!

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Cumin and Garlic

Roasted Red Pepper Dip with Mint

Coconut Crusted Tofu with Spicy Mango Cucumber Topping

Tandoori Turkey Sliders with Mint Raita

Harissa Mint Chicken Kebabs

Lemon Chicken Kebabs

Fish Tikka Bites

Fish Kebabs with Mint Chutney

Individual Strawberry Trifle

Mango and Strawberry Cream

4th of July Menu Ideas

 

 

Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

28 | 06 | 2016
By Soni Sinha

Summer is upon us and I’m loving the days spent with my kids being home and our plans for each day that involves generous amounts of chocolate and sugar in the form of cake-in-a-mug and brownies that my 12yr old loves to bake these days. I get to enjoy the desserts but I’ll have to increase my Fitbit steps to cope up with the calorific sugar intake as a result! I tend to balance that with a healthy dinner like this Fish Curry over a warm bed of Quinoa.Have I told you that I also love Quinoa?These Quinoa Potato Cakes are a favorite when entertaining and I love Stir fried Quinoa for my lunch.

Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

We’re big fish lovers over here and it’s served on our table every week.I’m constantly experimenting with different flavors to break the monotony.My Fish Curry with Coconut Milk is an easy dish that takes minutes to prepare but is insanely delicious! The onion and garlic together with cumin and curry powder provide the flavor base and the coconut milk adds that creamy richness that brings it all together. I’ve used Arctic Char since we love it but you could choose any fish of your choice.

Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Serve this over a warm bed of rice or Quinoa (if you’re watching your calories like me)and a simple salad on the side.This is a perfect dish for an easy curry night at home.Simple pleasures of life.Enjoy.

Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

Fish Curry with Coconut Milk

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Ingredients
  

  • Arctic Char or any fish of your choice-1 lb cubed
  • Onion-1
  • Garlic-5-6 cloves
  • Curry Powder-1 1/2 tbsp
  • Ground Cumin-2 tbsp
  • Turmeric-1 tsp
  • Red chili or paprika-1 tsp
  • Coconut Milk-14 oz can
  • ½ cup water
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil-4 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Blend the onion and garlic into a paste using a little water.
  • Heat oil and add the onion garlic paste.
  • Saute for a few minutes until the raw onion smell goes away.
  • Add the spices and cook on low heat for a few minutes (4-5 minutes apprx) until aromatic
  • Add the fish pieces and mix gently.Add the coconut milk and salt and water.
  • Mix well and bring to a boil.Lower the heat, cover and cook until all cooked (about 6-8 minutes).
  • Check the seasonings.Serve hot.

Grouper Fritters by Chef Paul Menta #FLKeys

13 | 04 | 2016
By Soni Sinha

This post is in partnership with Honest Cooking.Handing it over to them for some delicious food and delightful activities that can be found in Florida Keys and Key West.Enjoy!

A favorite destination for Ernest Hemingway, Jimmy Buffett, and many more, Key West is known for its palm lined streets and fish that is fresh enough to draw any committed culinary traveler. With a distinct mixture of cultures, the island is not only home to a strong seafood scene, but a tantalizing fusion of cuisines. At night, the street are lit up with vibrant sidewalk cafes that lure-in passersby with delicious scents of their specialties. Live music and hopping bars are the perfect pairings to watch the sunset into the Gulf of Mexico.

key west street

The Florida Keys is home to five districts, each with their own personality and attractions that make visitors feel like they are a world away. The southernmost paradise, Key West, is just miles from Cuba and is home to an enviably temperate climate and a delicious array of fresh seafood set to a beautiful backdrop. Bringing together a multitude of cultures that have made Key West home during its history, Key West’s food scene has delicious flavors, like African and Cuban, that are difficult to find anywhere else in the US.

Key West

As a guide to the restaurant and seafood landscape, Paul Menta of Three Hands Fish gave us the lowdown. A professional chef and community advocate, with long locks and a chill attitude that makes him seem more like a pro kite surfer, which he also is, Paul is the perfect person to talk to to find out the secret dining spots of Key West. The Philly native began his culinary career in Spain and France and eventually came to Key West to continue his love for competitive kite surfing. An athlete, distiller, chef, and entrepreneur, Paul has made it his mission to tap into all Key West has to offer.

Paul Menta

His most recent venture, Three Hands Fish is a community supported fish market in Key West. Its members, chefs and home-cooks, have access to the freshest fish, shrimp, stone crabs, and lobster that come in on the docks. As Paul describes it, the first hand is the hand of the fisherman, the second the market, and the third is when the fish makes it into the hands of the individual or restaurant. Paul is proud of his market as it brings local, traceable seafood to the people with plenty of variety to avoid over fishing a specific species.

Key West 4

Key West has seafood unlike anywhere in the world and the crucial ingredient is the water. The Gulf of Mexico mixes with the Atlantic ocean making a perfect nursery for a plethora of fish, crab, and lobster. Not to mention, the fishermen of the region have come together to create a sustainable plan for the future of their industry, naturally controlling over-producing populations that threaten to take over the ecosystem.“Not only are visitors able to jump on the boat for themselves and go fishing in some of the clearest waters, but they are able to sit back and relax, knowing they can find the same fresh fish in local restaurants,” says Paul.

If you are looking for a taste of the freshest seafood right on the dock, Paul suggests visiting The Stoned Crab restaurant. This restaurant serves up some of the best of what Key West is known for, the stone crab, but they also do it in a stunning setting with an unbeatable view of the water. The moment you set foot in the restaurant you will feel as if you have traveled back in time to the 1950s. Housed in a resort built in 1956, the restaurant keeps alive the tradition of the fishermen bringing their catches straight to their dock, something that is no longer happening in other areas. And if you are looking for a place to stay, Paul recommends Ibis Bay Resort, which is home to The Stoned Crab and also has a retro feel. Stop in for fun cocktails and great seafood the restaurant catches themselves. Head here for stone crab, lobster, Key West shrimp, and more local fish. Be ready for a good time at The Stoned Crab!

Key West 7

For the die-hard cooks, go for a ride on a private charter to catch the freshest fish for yourself. Paul recommends Lucky Fleet, chartered by Captain Moe, to take you on this adventure and help guide you in hooking the best seasonable seafood. Moe has been fishing the waters around Key West for over 30 years and knows his way around. Whether you are an avid deep sea fisher or this is your first time, Captain Moe will take you on a great adventure not just a boat ride. From sailfish to tuna or grouper, they will lead you to the right spot.To learn how to prepare the seafood you just caught, take a class at Isle Cook where Paul himself will teach you how to cook local recipes and healthy meals with seafood.“Being a chef and commercial fisherman I can tell you there is no better teacher of how to use, care for, store, cook and eat a product than a fishermen. They have ideas and techniques that most chefs would die for….but they have to ask…..so we spread the word to them,” says Paul.

When visiting Key West, be sure to try fish you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. Considered local to Key West are the Hogfish, Mangrove Snapper, and as of late the Lion Fish. Paul’s favorite? The Hogfish. This fish is caught by spear fishing, which is a fun challenge to try. Speared yourself or not, Paul suggests serving the fish whole and affectionately calls it the Key West Turkey, stuffed with lobster, onions, and herbs.

While you may have heard of Key West’s conch fritters, which is fried conch meat that actually native to the Caribbean, Paul prefers to make grouper fritters. Fisherman of Key West are able to catch the grouper right off the coast, so this is a true local specialty.

Grouper Fritters

Similar to the conch fritter, the grouper is mixed with onions carrots and a traditional Key West seafood seasoning by Key West Spice Company that is made of celery seed, salt, paprika, and red pepper. It is simple, but fresh grouper doesn’t need an overpowering of flavors. Once the batter is made, Paul fries the fish balls until golden and enjoys them inside of a sandwich or as an appetizer by the water.

Grouper Fritters

Author: Paul Menta

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Grouper
  • ½ cup Onions
  • ½ cup Carrots
  • 1½ Tablespoons Key West seafood seasoning
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • 2 Tablespoons Key lime juice
  • ½ cup Flour
  • Coconut oil, for frying

Instructions

  1. Chop up, or use food processor, grouper.
  2. Fine dice, onions, carrots and mix with grouper.
  3. Add key west seafood seasoning, about 1½ tablespoon
  4. Mix all together with 1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of key lime juice.
  5. Add ½ cup of flour until mixture starts to form a batter.
  6. Use a spoon to make balls, fry in coconut oil till brown or bake in the oven on sheet tray.
  7. As a sandwich filling instead of an appetizer, make the rounds larger.



Tuna Sandwich with Onions and Peppers-Guest post by Shiv

31 | 05 | 2014
By Soni Sinha

Greetings to all Soni’s Food Readers. My name is Shiv and I am Soni’s husband. Soni was away on a much-deserved vacation recently after a tireless few months working on her blog. Not only is she a warm and kind person but her posts demonstrate her warm and personable personality in her food. I am doing this guest post to honor the cooking she does for me and the kids on a daily basis.I have to say that I’m a very lucky man!

Tuna Melt with Onions and Peppers.jpg

I love experimenting with my Sandwiches and today I’m sharing with you a recent attempt at a Tuna Melt.It turned out delicious to say the least and I have to stress on Fresh Tuna steak for this recipe.The flavors are unbelievable.

Tuna Melt with Onions and Peppers

Tuna Sandwich with Onions and Peppers

Ingredients

1 Tuna steak

3 tablespoons of canola (or regular) mayonnaise

1 teaspoon of English (or any other) mustard

2 slices of bread (cab be replaced by lettuce leaves to avoid carbohydrates)

Olive Oil

Some honey

Black pepper

Sea salt

Paprika

Onions

Green peppers (+add more colorful peppers as you wish)

Process:

I took a small skillet flung in some Olive Oil and let it get warm. While that bit of oil was getting heated I layered one side of the Tuna steak with black peppers, sea salt and a dollop of English mustard. Threw the steak with the seasoned side into the skillet. While in the skillet I seasoned the remaining side with more black peppers and sea salt. However, this time just to add some kick I also put on some fairly hot (though you can choose a non hot version) of paprika. Finally, to round it off I covered the paprika side with some honey and flipped the steak in the skillet to thoroughly cook both sides and the entire steak fully.

Once done I put the steak into a bowl and then put on three really big dollops of mayo of choice (I used canola mayo). Mixed the concoction with a fork. To add some crunch I chopped some onions and green peppers and put them into the mix. Looks good already and that steak is still warm. Finally you bring on some bread (or use lettuce leaves for the carb conscious) and add the Tuna Mayo mix. Voilà! No more than 15 minutes of cooking time.Hope you enjoy this recipe!