Someone was feeling a little ambitious today! I took a stab at creating a recipe for my most favorite Indian dish: paneer makhani. Paneer Makhani is made with an incredible, creamy, spicy tomato sauce surround cubes of cottage cheese. It's amazing with basmati rice or with naan! There are a lot of ingredients in the sauce, but it doesn't take a long time to make & it is sooo worth it.
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pack paneer, diced (or how much you prefer)
- 1 can tomato sauce (no flavor, just plain puréed tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped onion or sliced onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 chili peppers, diced
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons tumeric
- 1.5 teaspoons ginger powder
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried methi leaves (fenugreek leaves)
- 2-3 whole chili peppers if you like it extra spicy
- Salt to taste
Recipe:
- Use a large pan, wok, or pot to heat the the onion, garlic, chili peppers & all of the spices just until lightly cooked (about 30 seconds). Mix to combine.
- Pour the tomato sauce or purée & the methi leaves into the pot. Let simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream (room temperate). Mix well to combine.
- Add salt as desired then taste & add more spices if needed.
- Important: turn off the heat! Then add the paneer & toss until it is well coated. Leave the stove on for just a few minutes so the paneer heats up.
Serve with naan or over basmati rice.
Ok so this is pretty much Asian-flavored stuffed cabbage... But calling them dumplings is way cuter! And makes me feel fuller somehow :) it's Glutenfree, low in fat, carbless & delicious!
Time: 45 mins
Ingredients:
- 6 whole leaves of cabbage, washed & boiled ~2 mins to soften
- 1 pack ground turkey or ground meat of your choice
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1.5 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ginger soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Recipe:
- In a medium sauce pan, pan-sear the ground meat in the vegetable oil with the salt, chili powder, & black pepper. Turn off when browned (~15 minutes)
- Let the meat cool for at least 15 minutes then stuff each cabbage leaf with 1.5 tablespoons of meat filling & about 2-3 pieces of chopped scallion.
- Fold each leaf from the two sides in, then from top to bottom, over (so it forms a cute little dumpling.)
- Place the stuffed cabbage leaves with the seal-side down in a small Pyrex bowl.
- Pour the soy sauce over the dumplings & place them in the oven on 350 for 10 minutes.
- Serve alone (eat like tacos) or with your favorite side.
One of my fave Guyanese meals - it tastes complicated but is easy to make! Just takes a little longer than my typical recipes. In my tastebud's & stomach's opinion, it is worth the wait!
Time: ~1.5 hours + dough set time
Ingredients:
Saltfish Stew:
- ~1.5 lbs of salt fish (can be purchased at a West Indian grocery store)
- ~1/2 a large tomato, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 wiri-wiri peppers (or peppers of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Bake:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoon crushed red peppers
- 1.5 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1.5 cups vegetable oil
Recipe:
- Soak the saltfish overnight in water (to help get the salt out of it).
- Mix the above Bake ingredients in a basin & kneed the dough
- Cover the basin with a towel or plate & set aside to rise for at least an hour (can leave it during the day if you're making it before work)
- Boil the saltfish in ~3 cups of water. Strain then keep washing it under the faucet until most of the fishy smell goes away. I added lemon juice to help but it is optional.
- In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil with the onions & garlic for about 5 mins until the onion is transparent.
- Add the saltfish, let it simmer and brown, breaking it apart into small chunks.
- Add the tomatoes & mix to incorporate the ingredients.
- Throw in the peppers if desired & then let the ingredients simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes.
- While the saltfish is stewing, take the dough out & roll it down to about 1/4 inch thick.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the bake into triangular slices.
- Heat the 1.5 cups vegetable oil in a small pot to medium heat.
- Slowly add the bake slices 1 by 1 and fry each for about 20-30 seconds or until each bake is golden brown.
- Serve the saltfish stew with 2-3 bake & enjoy!
Here's another Guyanese dish for you: fish cakes! I love recipes that have multiple uses. Fish cakes can be an appetizer, side dish, part of a whole meal for lunch or dinner, or a light snack! It uses a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your home. This recipe can be multiplied for catering-sized trays or just stick to the portions below to feed a few family members.
Ingredients:
- 2 lb frozen whiting fish fillet, fully thawed
Seasoning tip: 2 portions of the below ingredients are needed (1 portion to season the fish to fry and 1 portion to add to the fish after you fry it) - 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 tablespoon chopped onion
- 3 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup veggie oil
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
Recipe:
- Heat oil in pan – medium heat
- Wash and pat the fillets dry
- Lightly season the fish with all of the above ingredients except the eggs and the bread crumbs
- Put fish in oil to fry until slightly brown on each side (about 2-3 mins)
- Take the fish out of the pan and put it in a medium-large basin
- Use a fork to break the fish apart, adding bread crumbs, egg and another round of the ingredients from above (then mix to incorporate)
- Form cake-like patties out of the mixture
- Re-heat the ¼ cup of oil to medium heat
- Place the fish cakes in the oil and fry until golden brown on each side
- Enjoy with brown rice, dhal, and mango chutney or pepper sauce of your choice!
Here's another 20 minute meal for you! A delicious, light, soury soup that is loaded with tamarind paste, meaty trout, crunchy summer squash and daikon radishes - and my personal addition: sliced habañero peppers! You can tell I'm on a habañero craze :)
Sinigang is served even during summertime in the Philippines. It encompasses all of my favorite elements of a home-cooked meal: ethnic, healthy, fast, and delicious!
Time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 lb rainbow trout or fish of your choice (tilapia or salmon work well) (cleaned and de-boned - cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 packets tamarind stir-fry paste (or whatever tamarind paste you can find)
- 1/2 of a fresh diakon radish, thinly sliced
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup summer squash, diced
- 1 habanero pepper, thinly sliced with the seeds removed
- 2-3 cups water
- Salt/pepper to taste
- 2 tamarind strings, cleaned, seeds pulled apart (optional)
- Rice for serving (optional)
Recipe:
- Use a medium-large bowl to combine the tamarind paste and the water - you'll want to stir and have the paste dissolve a bit.
- In a medium pot, place the fish, squash, tomatoes and radish before turning on the heat. Then, pour the tamarind mixture on top and turn the heat on medium.
- Add the habanero and bring the mixture to a boil (you'll want to raise the heat for this). Cover the pot.
- Fish should cook in 5-7 minutes, then you can remove the pot from the heat and serve! Traditionally this dish is served over rice but you can drink it as a soup if desired.
Whenever I re-create one of my favorite Guyanese dishes, I feel extra excited to share the recipe with you all! This recipe is now approved by my parents, grandparents & fiancé, phew! Enjoy!
Time: 45 mins
Ingredients:
- ~4-5 lbs of lamb meat (ask the butcher to chop it up for stew)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 2-3 plum tomatoes
- 3-4 hot peppers, whole
- 2-3 potatoes, diced
- 1-3 cups of water
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh ginger, chopped
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Recipe:
- Cut the lamb meat into smaller bite-sized pieces.
- In a large pot, bring the vegetable oil to medium heat. Add the onion & let it cook until opaque.
- Add the garlic & ginger, sauté for about 3-4 minutes.
- Put the lamb meat into the pot with the potato pieces.
- Add the tomato paste, stir to coat the lamb & potatoes with the paste.
- Pour in the water, salt, & plum tomatoes.
- Bring a water to a boil, add the hot peppers, then lower to a simmer & cover the pot.
- You'll want to stir the stew every so often to make sure the tomatoes are melting down & the potatoes are cooked through. If you see the stew drying down, add some more water & salt. I always put 2 cups initially & that seems fine for this amount of meat.
- When the potatoes are cooked, uncover the pot & raise the heat to medium. You want the liquid to reduce to about half, so you have a nice gravy. Taste for salt at this time too.
- Serve with white or brown rice, or roti!
My miso-ginger glazed rainbow trout recipe is so easy & fast to prepare for dinner. What I love the most is the burst of flavor you get in every bite! No bland fish in this house!
Time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
- 2 rainbow trout, cleaned (got mine from BJs for $10!
- 4 tablespoons miso paste
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 piece fresh ginger, peeled & chopped into bite-sized pieces (~1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Recipe:
- Rinse the trout with cool water & drizzle 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice over & inside each piece.
- In a small pot, add remaining tablespoon of lemon juice & all other ingredients above. Keep the heat very low, stirring to combine.
- Get a frying pan ready on high heat. Drizzle olive oil inside & pan-sear each trout for about 3-4 mins on each side or until cooked.
- Plate the trout with a side of your choice, scoop some of the miso glaze inside & drizzle the remaining glaze over the top of each trout.
- Enjoy!
Who else is obsessed with hummus? I usually settle for store-bought hummus but I wanted to experiment with different flavors & create a homemade version. So easy & so healthy for you!
Time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 can chickpeas
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon chili paste (I used Sambal Oelek from the Asian aisle!)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon tahini sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
Recipe:
- Open the can of chickpeas & rinse them in a strainer.
- Put all ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor (careful when juicing the lemon to not let seeds into the mix!)
- Pulse until smooth.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into the food processor then pulse for another 15 seconds.
- Scoop the hummus into a serving dish & drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
Duck curry has always been one of my favorite Guyanese dishes! It tastes complex and seems like a lot of work, but once you get all of the ingredients, it's super easy to make!
Tip: Get a good-sized duck from your trusted butcher and ask him to skin, clean, and cut up the duck for curry/stew before you buy it. This takes out a lot of the work!
Time: ~2.5 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 duck, chopped into smaller pieces for curry (I used a 10.5 lb one for this recipe)
- 7 - 8 tablespoons Chief curry powder for duck/goat curry (you can also get a plain curry powder and add garam masala & geera masala, but this way is easier).
- 2 -3 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons cassareep (from the cassava root) - this is optional
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium rustic potatoes, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- ~5 cups water (enough to cover the meat in the pot) + additional for steaming the meat
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (optional)
- 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce or diced hot pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried methi leaves (fenu-greek leaves)
Recipe:
- Use a large pot filled with boiling water to steam out the duck meat before cooking it. Let it boil for about 15 - 20 minutes.
- Strain the meat then put the pot back onto the stove and turn the heat back on.
- Add the vegetable oil, chopped onion, and garlic. Stir and let sit for about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Then add your meat back to the pot.
- Sprinkle the curry powder over the meat, stir to coat evenly.
- Pour the water over the meat so that it just about covers the top layer of meat, add in the dried thyme, methi leaves, and bring this to a boil. You'll want to cover it so that it gets boiling quicker since there's so much meat!
- Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn; add more water if needed. Add the potatoes after 35 minutes.
- After another 20 minutes, taste the curry for salt, then add if needed. You can also add curry powder if you feel the flavor isn't strong enough. At this point you can add the pepper or pepper sauce if you want, and any additional spices if the flavor isn't what you prefer.
- Once the meat is tender, you can leave it uncovered and let the water dry down. This will thicken into a nice sauce for the meat.
- Serve with rice or roti and enjoy!
Another quick meal for Meatless Monday! Seasoned chickpeas in a spinach wrap with spinach leaves and mango chutney = YUM!
Time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 2 spinach wraps
- 1 tablespoon mango chutney
- 2 handfuls spinach leaves
Recipe:
- Open the can of chickpeas - rinse thoroughly.
- In a medium frying pan, add chickpeas and taco seasoning - stir occasionally for about 3 minutes or until the chickpeas are warm.
- Lay out the spinach wraps and add the real spinach leaves or toppings of your choice.
- Scoop the chickpeas in the middle of each wrap.
- Pour mango chutney over both of them, wrap like a burrito and enjoy!
Who doesn't love a one-pot dish? Kichri is my kinda vegetarian comfort food! It combines the heat of spiced split peas with cumin & curry powder, creamy coconut milk, & fresh spinach!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup split peas
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1.5 teaspoon curry powder
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper sauce
- 1 can coconut milk
- 4 cups water
- 1 handful fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup white rice (I used basmati)
Recipe:
- In a large pot, sauté the onions & garlic in the vegetable oil for ~2 mins.
- Add the split peas, curry powder & cumin. Add chilli paste or pepper sauce if desired, mix until combined.
- Add 1 cup of water & bring to a boil, then cover the pot & let the split peas soften for at least 25 minutes or until you can break a pea easily with your fingertips. You should check it halfway & add another cup of water, the peas will soak up the water as they boil.
- Uncover the pot, add the rice, coconut milk & the last 2 cups of water. Bring this to a boil uncovered for another 15-20 minutes or so until the rice cooks completely - turning it every so often so the bottom doesn't burn. You want it to cook until the liquid boils down so the dish is creamy, but not too liquidy.
Hard-boiled eggs covered in seasoned mashed potatoes & a homemade batter then fried to golden perfection! Try this delicious Guyanese recipe for breakfast, an easy snack, or appetizer.
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 6 hard-boiled eggs
- 2.5 cups vegetable oil for frying
Potato mixture:
- 3 potatoes, washed & scrubbed
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons ground onion
- Salt to taste
Batter:
- 4 tablespoons ground split peas
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water (or more, added slowly to create batter consistency)
- Salt to taste
Recipe:
- Boil potatoes for 15 mins.
- Mash them in a bowl with all the potato spices above, set aside.
- Peel the hard-boiled eggs.
- Use your hands to cover the eggs one by one with the mashed potatoes, creating a large ball.
- Dip the ball into the batter so it's evenly coated.
- Place the ball into the hot oil & fry for about 1 minute (or until golden).
- Place on a paper towel to drain off any excess oil.
Serve with some homemade mango chutney or sauce of your choice!
Spiced lamb meat slow cooked in a warm broth of casreep (a thick black liquid made from cassava root), cinnamon sticks, clove, dark brown sugar, and other spices. Try this delicious Guyanese dish this holiday season & savor it for days!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs lamb meat - cut into chunks for stew
- 1 cup casreep (find it in a West Indian store)
- 1.5 tablespoon whole cloves
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- Enough hot water to cover the meat in the pot
- 5 cinnamon sticks
- 3 tablespoons minced/chopped garlic
- 1 large onion chopped/minced
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley leaves
- 1 bunch fresh oregano
- 5 fresh basil leaves
- 3 leaves of broadleaf thyme, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- 3-4 hot peppers (optional)
Recipe:
- Sautée onion, garlic, and lamb meet with the casreep for 5 mins on low heat
- Add all other ingredients + the water, bring to a boil.
- Cover for about 40 mins, or until the meat is tender. Turn it occasionally during this time.
- Enjoy!
Pepper pot should be served with Guyanese plait bread (can be found in a West Indian store). It tastes even better days after it's cooked - reheated. The flavors in the broth saturate the meat and make it even more flavorful in every bite!
Bitter melon - bitter gourd - karela.. no matter what you call it, it is delicious pan-fried and filled with curried shrimp! Try this fantastic Guyanese dish for dinner tonight!
Time: Approx 1 hour - makes 4 kalonji (double this recipe to make 8)
Ingredients:
- 2 bitter melons (karela) - get ones that are wide so you can scoop out the seeds and stuff them
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon ground geera (ground cumin)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1.5 cups raw peeled & de-veined shrimp
- 2 garlic cloves - minced or finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Recipe:
- Set a pot of 3 cups water + 1 teaspoon salt to boil.
- Cut off the ends of the karela (bitter melon) so the tips and stem are off but the end is not open (you need it closed so you can stuff it later).
- Put the karela to boil in the pot for 15 mins, turning it every so often so it boils on all sides.
- In a frying pan, heat the vegetable oil to medium heat and add chopped garlic and onion until golden brown.
- Next, add the shrimp to the pan - and the remaining teaspoon of salt, curry powder, ground geera, garam masala, and coriander.
- By now the karela should be ready for straining. Strain and wash with cold water so it cools off soon.
- Fry the shrimp in the curry mixture until cooked through - then move it to another bowl.
- When the karela is cooled enough to handle without burning yourself, cut both of them in half. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon so you have 4 hollow pieces.
- Fill about 2-3 spoonfuls of the shrimp mixture inside each karela. Press it in with the back of your spoon so it's tightly packed.
- Turn the stove back on with the same pan that you fried your shrimp in, let it get to medium heat.
- Add each piece of stuffed karela to the pan and pan-sear on all sides so that the outer edge of the karela is browned.
- Serve over a plate of homemade rice and dhal (as pictured) - enjoy!
Another perfect meal for Meatless Monday's! Falafels remind me of street food in NYC, on a cold night like tonight! They're very easy to make - and they're ready in just 20 mins - so I no longer have to stand in a cold line to have some!
Time: 20 mins - makes ~8 - 10 falafels
Ingredients:
- 1 can garbanzo beans
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon diced onion
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- 2.5 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2-3 hot wiri wiri peppers if desired
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Recipe:
- Strain & wash the garbanzo beans.
- Add all ingredients in a food processor & pulse for 2-3 mins until the mixture is fine & grainy.
- In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil (make sure the oil height is about 1 inch thick) to medium heat.
- Break off golf ball sized pieces of the mixture & form into falafel patties with your fingers.
- Add the falafels one by one to the pan & fry for 2 mins on each side (or until golden brown).
- Lay on paper towels to get any excess oil off, and serve. These go great in a salad or in pita bread!
Pita Bread:
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1 packet fast acting yeast
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Recipe:
- Pour the yeast packet in a measuring cup. Add the sugar & warm water, stir. Place it aside in a room temperature, dark space (I put it in the microwave without turning it on). Leave it for 15 mins so the yeast bubbles up.
- Put the flour & salt in a basin. Add the yeast water, knead into a dough.
- Break 2" balls of dough & roll them each out with a rolling pin. You may need to add a little dry flour so it doesn't stick to the surface you're rolling it on. Don't roll them out too thin, let them be about 1/2 inch thick.
- Use PAM spray on a flat griddle or frying pan to cook the pita bread for about 5 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown.
Tonight was Mexican night! Naturally with this cold weather, I was craving some comfort food. Warm up with some hearty chicken and cheese enchiladas, Mexican-spiced kidney beans, and flavor-bursting cilantro lime rice. Enjoy!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken strips or tenders, raw
- 1 pack enchilada seasoning (you can use 2 teaspoons chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt if you don't have enchilada seasoning)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sliced fresh jalapenos
- 6 flour tortillas
- 2 cans enchilada sauce (you can Google a DIY enchilada sauce recipe if you don't have the cans)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese + 1 more tablespoon for toppings (optional)
- 1/4 cup Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis (you can also use salsa)
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 cup white rice (I used basmati)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice for boiling
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- In a medium pot, bring 2 cups water to a boil for the rice.
- While the water is boiling, cut your chicken tenders into small cubes.
- Heat a medium-large skillet to medium heat and add the chicken cubes, enchilada seasoning packet & tablespoon of water.
- Stir the chicken so it's coated evenly. The water will start to evaporate and thicken into a sauce around the chicken. At this point, the chicken will start to be cooked through (about 5 mins). Add jalapeno slices and turn the heat off.
- When the water starts boiling, add the lime juice and the rice. Cook until the rice is done, then strain.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. After the chicken mixture has cooled for 10 mins, add the shredded cheese and mix around.
- Fill each of the flour tortillas with the chicken and cheese mixture, rolling them up and placing them in a greased 13x9 inch Pyrex pan.
- Pour the enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas, coating them all over.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake on 400 degrees for 20 mins.
- Strain the rice and let cool for 10 mins.
- Pour the beans and bean seasonings in the skillet that the chicken was in, mix and let heat for about 5 mins until the seasonings are incorporated. Turn off the skillet and move to a serving bowl or plate.
- Put the rice back into the pot it was in before you strained it. Mix in the teaspoon of lime juice, lime zest, salt, and the handful of cilantro leaves. Taste it - if it needs more lime juice, you can add it while it's still hot so the liquid absorbs. The rice is now ready to be plated or set aside.
- Open the foil after 20 mins and sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top, allowing it to melt.
- Top with diced tomatoes and green chillies, or salsa, and sour cream. Serve with seasoned beans and cilantro lime rice!
Creamy, hearty, meaty, warm, YUMMY! Cookup rice is an amazing Guyanese dish.. and one of my favorite dishes ever! I've deviated slightly from the traditional way of making it, simply to save some time and get it in my belly faster - but I've included a disclaimer of how to make it the traditional way if you have more time. This recipe seems intimidating because of the number of ingredients, but it is really easy! It's kind of like a big pot of gumbo.
FYI you can substitute the lamb with a meat of your choice. Enjoy!
Time: 45 mins
Ingredients:
- 2-3 lbs lamb meat (I got shoulder chops & cut them into bite sized pieces)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 can blackeyed peas, rinsed and strained (Disclaimer: the traditional way to make this dish is with a bag of blackeyed peas soaked overnight, then boiled (15 mins) and strained, before using in the recipe)
- 1 cup white rice, washed but uncooked (I used basmati)
- 1 tablespoon diced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- 1 bullion cube (chicken flavored) - this is optional
- A handful of baby spinach, or okra (bok choy can also work)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt/black pepper to taste
- 2 diced wiri-wiri peppers (can sub chili peppers or peppers of your choice!)
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
Recipe:
- Heat a medium-large sized pot to medium/high heat. Add the lamb pieces, with the fat on (so you don't need to add extra oil or butter for frying the meat). Allow this to brown for about 5 mins, turning it so all sides of the meat are browned.
- Remove the lamb pieces and set them in a plate or bowl for use later - they won't be completely cooked through.
- In the same pot that you cooked the lamb, lower the heat to medium/low, and add the diced onions, thyme, and garlic. Let simmer for about 3 mins.
- Add the uncooked rice and can of blackeyed peas to this mixture, so they are coated in the lamb fat. Let fry for about 2 mins.
- Add the can of coconut milk and the bullion cube. Stir so the ingredients are incorporated and covered with liquid. If they are not, add a cup of water.
- Bring mixture to a boil, add salt, black pepper, wiri-wiri pepper and bay leaves if you'd like, then cover at lower the heat to a simmer for 20 mins, turning a few times so the bottom doesn't burn.
- Uncover the pot, stir until you find the bay leaves and remove them. At this time you should add in the baby spinach, bok choy, or okra. Add the tablespoon of butter and mix it around so it melts into the cookup rice.
- Serve hot, with sliced cucumbers or salad on the side!
A warm, flaky, savory turnover with a kick of Caribbean spice!
Serving: Makes 6 patties
Ingredients:
Filling:
- 1 pack ground chicken (or meat of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons chilli powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1-2 sprays of PAM/other cooking spray
Crust:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons cold butter, chopped into cubes
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 egg yolk + a splash of water for egg wash
Recipe:
- Put all crust ingredients into a food processor and pulse until a dough forms.
- Take the dough out of the food processor and form it into a ball with your hands. Cover it with clear wrap and leave it in the refrigerator for about 15-20 mins.
- Heat a large frying pan to medium heat. Coat the bottom evenly with cooking spray.
- Add the ground chicken and seasonings, fry until the chicken is browned. Allow the chicken to cool for 10 mins.
- Take dough out of the refrigerator and break it into 6 palm-sized balls.
- Roll each ball out using a rolling pin, and fill with 2 tablespoons of the ground chicken mixture.
- Fold the top of the dough over the filling and seal with your fingers, pressing the top and bottom together. You can provide an additional seal using a fork pressed into the dough.
- Make your egg wash by beating the egg yolk and a splash of room temperature water together. Use a pastry brush to coat all of the patties with the egg wash.
- Bake on 350 for about 30 mins or until crust is golden brown.
- Enjoy!
A delicious Filipino dish that's perfect for the cold weather! This is one of my favorite soups lately because I'm obsessed with garlic and ginger. Enjoy!
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken thighs with bones-in (either skin-on or skinless will work. Skinless is healthier!)
- 1 tablespoon chopped onion
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger (it's easier to grate it using a cheese grater!)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or more if you love that flavor!)
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock (can substitute 1 boullion cube with 1 cup water)
- 2 cups rice wash (rinse rice well in a basin and strain, then add water again to the rice and swish around until the water is cloudy - this is rice wash!)
- 1/2 diced & pealed chayote squash (can substitute kale, yellow squash, or any other veggies you love!)
- 1 head bok choy, chopped or pulled apart (you can sub spinach, broccoli or any other greens)
- 2-3 whole chili peppers (optional, I use Guyanese wiri-wiri peppers, it gives it an amazing kick!)
- Salt/pepper to taste
Recipe:
- Sautée onion & garlic in a large pot with the veggie oil
- Add the chopped ginger & let simmer for about 1-2 mins until the onion is clear
- Add the chicken thighs & brown on both sides
- Pour in the fish sauce, stock, and rice wash - bring to a boil
- Cover and let simmer for ~40 mins (I added a few whole chili peppers before covering)
- Add bok choy & diced chayote squash once the chicken is fork-tender
- Sprinkle in black pepper & salt to taste - then let simmer for about 5 more mins
- Served in a bowl on top of cooked white rice or brown rice, enjoy!
Below is a picture of the tinola with the skin-on, just to show another variation.
Just what you need on a cold night! Some Thai Green Curry Soup!
Time: 30 - 40 mins
Ingredients:
- 1 pack chicken tenders
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
- 3 gloves of chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion (or yellow, I had red on hand)
- 1/4 cup chopped ginger
- 1 head bok choy
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 or 2 whole green chilies
Recipes:
- Cut chicken tenders into cubes & tossed them in soy sauce
- Sautée chicken pieces in olive oil with chopped garlic & chopped onion & chopped fresh ginger
- When the chicken is browned, added salt, green curry paste, fish sauce & a can of coconut milk
- Let it simmer 5 mins then add in the bok choy until it's wilted
- Add chili powder & some fresh chili's to make it more spicy
- Serve with some cooked basmati rice or add in some noodles and drink it as a soup!
