Shrimp with Homemade Tandoori Marinade

One of my oldest and dearest friends is from New Delhi, India, and it was with him that I ate at my first Indian restaurant. "Never order shrimp in an Indian restaurant," he warned me, and I have always followed his advice. He explained that it was only put on the menu for Americans, and not really Indian at all.

But when I was exploring My Feasts and came across this post, I knew I would have to leave the beaten path and try Tandoori Shrimp for myself. Well, not quite by myself, I invited a friend over and we both agreed it was pretty good!

While the recipe I referenced noted that you can buy Tandoori paste at specialty stores, I knew that I was not going to waste a lot of gas driving around Los Angeles looking for said paste.  (In case you're an experienced Indian cook, I want to be clear that I know that part of what makes a dish "Tandoori" is the type of oven it is cooked in, which I didn't have.) Of course it wasn't too hard to make it from scratch, so being the DIYer I am, that's what happened. I found a recipe here and reduced the portions to what is below. If you like it a bit spicier, increase the paprika.

Shrimp with Homemade Tandoori Marinade

4 tablespoons cilantro, minced
5 tablespoons ginger, chopped
1 large lemon, zest and juice
2 1/2 tablespoons cumin seed, pan toasted
2 tablespoons paprika
2 large red chilies, chopped
2 large garlic cloves
2.2 oz tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

10 shrimp (5 per diner)
3 tablespoons yogurt

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and puree until smooth. You can add a teaspoon of water to ensure smooth blending. Scrap down sides to ensure all is blended. This will make about 8 tablespoons of paste and the best way to preserve it is to spoon it into an ice cube tray and freeze them. Use two cubes (2 tablespoons) for a 2 person meal.

Combine 2 tablespoons of paste with the yogurt and blend well. Marinate shrimp in mixture for 30 minutes and then bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:

Stuffed Cheese Bread with Herbs at Stacey Snacks
Panzanella Bread Salad at Simply Recipes
Asiago Crusted Baked Zucchini Sticks at The Taste Space

Tomato, Mango and Jicama Salad

Here's a super easy and fresh summer salad that uses my favorite root vegetable, jicama. The crunchy, citrus taste of jicama goes really well with the mango and cilantro and the savory taste of tomato just makes your mouth jump with excitement!

Bring this to your next picnic or potluck and watch people turn in surprise as they bite into the crunchy jicama. You could easily add some toasted nuts - cashews or almonds - and make this a heartier salad as a main dish or a side.

Don't add the avocado until the last minute as it has a tendency to get terribly mushed when tossing the ingredients.

Tomato, Mango and Jicama Salad

1 1/2 cups diced jicama
2-3 large tomatoes (I used a mix of heirloom and early girls)
2 large mangos (or 3-4 altufo AKA champagne mangos) diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1 avocado, diced
1 lemon or lime, juiced
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt

Mix all in a bowl and toss gently. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:
 
Vegan Tuna Salad at Gluten Free Goddess
Japanese Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish at Closet Cooking
Shrimp Po Boy with Remoulade at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Gram Flour (chick pea) Pancakes with Coriander Chutney and Raita

Ever since I came across this post here I have been dying to make these pancakes. They sounded so quick, easy and delicious that I knew they would not wallow long in my bookmarked recipes file.

Gram flour, made of ground chick peas, is not only gluten free and full of protein but has a lovely nutty taste. Add any veggies or seasonings that you like and presto! you have a fabulous faux carb for your meal. Don't even think about serving them without the condiments - that's like pie without whipped cream or salsa without chips. The coriander chutney was this recipe that I made before and the raita is just yogurt, cucumber and cilantro (or mint, your choice).

This beauties make a delicious snack or as part of a larger meal. No matter when you eat them I know you'll will enjoy them!

Gram Flour (chick pea flour) Pancakes with Coriander Chutney and Raita

1 1/4 cups chickpea flour (or gram flour)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garam masala
1-2 jalapeno or serrano peppers, minced
2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

Place chickpea flour in a large mixing bowl. Add water and whisk to make a smooth batter. Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and blend well. Set aside for 15 minutes to a couple of hours to thicken. Heat nonstick or cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add oil and spoon batter into pan and cook like regular pancakes, flipping when each pancakes has multitude of popped air bubbles on its uncooked surface. Serve with Chutney and Raita.
Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:

Gluten Free Chicken Burger at Sophie's Foodfiles
Tempeh Hot Wings at The Ordinary Vegetarian
Lamb and Cucumber Kabobs at Ladyberg's Kitchen

Beer Can Chicken

A couple of summers ago I went to a backyard cookout with a bunch of twenty something men who I worked with at Just Food Co-op. As the deli manager at the co-op at the time, I had become the defacto expert on everything cooked, whether that fit the circumstances or not. So when one of the guys kept asking for my tips on how to cook his first beer can chicken I thought I heard him wrong. What in tarnation was a "beer can chicken"?! Turns out, it is a superb way to grill a chicken and keep it moist.

This memory was stirred up by a recent post by Elise at Simple Recipes when she remarked that the concept alone might incite men to cook more. As Elise put it, some guys refer to this as "beer butt chicken" since a half full can of beer is inserted into the cavity of the bird and used to prop it upright on a grill. It definitely is a comical sight which produces fabulous results.

Gazpacho with Heirloom Tomatoes

I know that some parts of the U.S. are still waiting for their tomato abundance to arrive. Here in Southern California we're swimming in them and its a beautiful feeling!

One of my favorite ways to enjoy the tomato bounty is gazpacho - the cold tomato soup made famous in the movie Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. (If you haven't seen it yet, rent it soon, the color palate alone with lift your spirits!) Gazpacho could just as easily been dubbed "Cold summer garden soup" since it seems like its everything from the garden when the tomatoes are at their peak.

This is one of those dishes where every woman has her own version; some prefer basil to cilantro or don't add celery or do add bell pepper. It's up to the cook! My version generally adheres to what I have below, with occasionally more spice in the form of a raw chile like a jalapeno or serrano, nothing too hot. But it is always delicious in a hot day when you're not going to go near any oven devices!

Gazpacho with Heirloom Tomatoes

2 beefsteak tomatoes, cored and quartered
2 heirloom tomatoes (red are best), cored and quartered
1 1/2 stalks celery
1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks
1/2 red onion, cut in chunks
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce

Place all in blender and puree. Serve chilled.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:
Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons at Smitten Kitchen
Thai Fried Rice at ECurry
Broccoli Rabe with Mozzarella Crema at Pithy and Cleaver

Spice-Rubbed Pork Cutlets with Mango Peach Salsa

Mango peach salsa is one of those garnishes that restaurants (of any caliber) love to toss on menus. It sounds lush and exotic and is visually stunning on a plate. I have to confess that I am one of those people who has turned her nose up at the idea of making it at home - it feels so trite and overdone....of course that was how I felt before, before being the operative word  here.

I was shaken out of this stubbornness because I had some overripe mangos and a few peaches and a hot pepper that was dying to be used. This salsa is usually served over fish (salmon, Chilean sea bass) and all I had was a pork cutlet, not something I cook with everyday or almost at all. Someone suggested a spice rub and I thought to myself, "spice plus fruit plus pork, that sounds like a combination I have heard before, I'll give it a try."

Spectatular. Unbelievable. I will actually buy pork cutlets on purpose now to recreate this dish.

Once again, I am humbled by my own stubbornness regarding preconceived notions when it comes to a dish or condiment or garnish. All my notions do is leave me bereft of a great food experience. Please let me continue to remember this point!

Spice Rubbed Pork Cutlets with Mango Peach Salsa

2 large pork cutlets
olive oil

Spice Mix
3 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
1 small dried red pepper
2 dried bay leaves

Mango Salsa
2 large mangos (or 4 altufo aka champagne mangos) cubed
2 ripe peaches, cubed
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1 lime, juiced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeno, deseeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine salsa ingredients and set aside to marry at room temperature. Grind spice mixture in electric grinder or mortar and pestle. Oil pork cutlets lightly and dredge in spice mixture. Grill or pan fry over high heat, 4-5 minutes per side until done. Serve with salsa on top.
Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:
Watermelon Gazpacho at Soup Chick
Homemade Nutella at Family Style Food
Eggplant Rolls at Greek Food Recipes and Reflections