entrees with SPICE
I love spicy food! Both of my parents are from India and I love learning how to cook from my Mom. I don’t think cooking needs a lot of heat to create flavorful dishes. Some of my favorites won’t burn your mouth with the taste of chilis or other peppers but they have a blend of spices in them that make unique and tasty combinations.
Here are some of my favorites:
Tandoori Chicken
I love tandoori chicken for so many reasons- the marinade is made of yogurt, olive oil and spices which tastes fresh. It is typically grilled or oven roasted which also makes it a healthy option. Of course there are pre-mixed jars of marinade available which you can mix with yogurt, but I think it tastes a lot better when you make it from scratch.
Recipe
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground tumeric
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 7-8 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup of whole greek yogurt
- Zest and juice from one lime
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 12 chicken drumsticks (about 4 pounds)
- A few sprigs cilantro, optional for garnishing the platter
In a small pan over medium-low heat, combine the paprika, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, until spices are fragrant
Add the spices to a blender or mini food processor, along with the ginger, garlic, yogurt, lime zest and juice, oil and salt; process until smooth.
Cut slashes into the skin and then pour more marinade on chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and set an oven-proof rack over top. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray or grease with olive or grapeseed oil.
Arrange the chicken on the rack, leaving a bit of space between the pieces. Spoon any marinade left in the bowl evenly over the drumsticks. Roast for 45 minutes, turning once midway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
Saffron Pulao
The next dish for a perfect spicy dinner party is saffron pulao. Saffron pulao can go with main entrees or curries, it’s got a lot more flavor than plain rice you may be used to. The key to my saffron pulao is caramelized onions, and of course saffron!
Recipe
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 yellow onion
- 1-2 whole bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons tumeric
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of golden raisins
- 1/4 cup of frozen vegetables like peas, corn and green beans (optional)
First, start by soaking a generous pinch of saffron in small bowl of warm water for 15-30 minutes.
Next, start a pot for caramelizing 1/2 an onion in olive oil for 30 minutes. Use long thin slivers of onion instead of diced onions.
In a separate pot than the onions, start heating olive oil or ghee and add the other 1/2 of the onion (this half should be diced) and saute about 3-5 minutes. Add in cumin seeds, tumeric, bay leaf and cinnamon for 5 minutes until the spices are fragrant. Next, add in well-rinsed rice for 5 minutes. Pour in 2 cups of water (including the water the saffron sit in), raisins and frozen vegetables, and bring to a boil. Once water reaches a boil turn it down to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add rice to final serving dish, fluff rice, discard cinnamon stick and bay leaf and arrange the caramelized onions on top.
Saag Paneer
For a third dish, I’d recommend saag paneer. Saag paneer is spinach, cheese, and spices- what more could you ask for? It always amazes me when we buy 1-2 tubs of spinach and use it all up for this dish. It makes me feel good about eating a ton of spinach.
Recipe
- 5 thai chilis chopped
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, salt and olive oil. Add paneer cubes and marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the paneer as the pan warms. In a couple of minutes give the pan a toss; each piece of paneer should be browned on one side. Fry another minute or so, and then remove the paneer from the pan onto a plate.
Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile. Make sure you saute the mixture until it’s evenly toffee-coloured, which should take about 15 minutes. If you feel like the mixture is drying out and burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin. If you haven’t already, sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the raw scent of the spices cook out, and it all smells a bit more melodious, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about 5 minutes with the lid off.
Turn the heat off. Add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed into the spinach, add the paneer. Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes.
Salmon + Squash Red Curry
And for the grand finale dish, salmon and squash red curry. I love the sweet and savory combination to this dish.
Recipe
- 4-6 filets wild salmon
- 1 cup butternut squash cubes
- 1 cup of frozen peas
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1-2 thai chilis
- 4 tablespoons of red curry paste
- 1 can of coconut milk
- salt and pepper to season
Sear the salmon on both sides and remove from the pan. Sautee the onions with garlic, ginger and chilis about 4 minutes. In a separate bowl mix together the coconut milk and red curry paste well. Once well combined add coconut milk mixture, squash, peas and salmon back into curry. Depending on cook times you may want to add the squash 10 minutes ahead of time, since the fish and peas will cook sooner. Let curry simmer for 10-15 minutes to bring all flavors together.