Sri Lankan Beef Stir Fry

Last Christmas (no, I didn't give you my heart - great, now that song is stuck in my head) we went to a stuff-yourself-till-you-fall-into-a-coma kind of a family and friends gathering. The food was predominantly Sub-Continental and I had one mouth watering dish that was so simple, yet so delicious that I HAD to have the recipe! So, I hounded the cook of said dish till she relinquished the recipe. She said it was Sri Lankan style beef and the recipe was simple enough. 

Now, I don't claim to know much about about Sri Lankan cooking, so I started researching the cuisine on encyclopedia Google and came up a bit empty as far as this beef dish goes. So, I asked one of my Sri Lankan work mates about it. After describing it to her, she said that it sounded like what they call a stir fry. But then she also added a disclaimer: "I can't help you if you have the Sri Lankan community after you with pitch forks." (Thanks, Sala) 

This is not like the other quick-cook stir fries I have done in the past on the blog. The recipe calls for A TON of onions which give this dish a natural sweetness. The spices themselves are subtle and it is nothing like the creamy spicy fare you sometimes have to suffer through in Indian/  Sri Lankan restaurants in western countries. 

Yield - Serves 3
Prep Time -15 Minutes + Overnight Marination
Cook Time - 40 Minutes

Continue Reading....

Leave a Comment | LABELS: Indian, Meat

Mughlai Paratha with Minty Lamb Filling

You really have to try these parathas, you guys! In just in time for Durga Puja! For those of you not familiar with this festival - Durga Puja, is an annual Hindu festival celebrating the Goddess Durga. It is quite a big deal for most bengalis. That's where my knowledge of the subject ends. Even though I am a bengali, I am what they call "probashi" meaning someone who wasn't born or brought up in Bengal. 

In Bombay, Durga puja wasn't quite celebrated in the same grand scale that it was in Calcutta (which by all accounts sounds quite manic to be honest). But boy was it fun! We went pandal  hopping all over Bombay, catching up with other bong friends along the way. And the food! Once my dad was done with his customary dad duties, i.e propping me up on his shoulders so I could check out the idol, off to the Mughlai Paratha stall we went! He even went through a phase back in the nineties when he was making these pretty much every weekend, trying to get the recipe right. He's a great Sunday cook, my dad! 

Here I have come up with my own version of Mughlai Paratha and it was a trip down memory lane.

Yield - Makes 6 Parathas

Time - 2 Hours

Continue Reading....

2 comments LABELS: Indian, Meat

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ah! The humble 'Spag-Bol'! Call it whatever you like - Spaghetti sauce, Meat sauce, Ragu - It is a hearty dish and a favorite comfort food for many. Make a big batch of this meat sauce, portion it and freeze it for those days that you just don't feel like cooking and don't really feel like eating out. I have such limited take out options here that this is a common occurrence.  Bolognese sauce freezes really well and generally tastes better the next day if refrigerated. 

This recipe is simple but packs a punch. Here's a tip - when in doubt add more garlic. Also, more wine. Definitely more wine!

Yield - Serves 6

Prep Time - 20 Minutes

Cook Time - 1 Hour

Continue Reading....

4 comments LABELS: Italian, Meat, Weeknight Lifesavers

Empanada de Carne

I have a weakness and I can't deny it - meat wrapped in any kind of pastry. Boil it, steam it or fry it, I will eat it and I will love it. This is why I make 120 dumplings at a time, even when there are only four people eating them. Of course, if I ate 120 (or even 3 for that matter) of these empanadas, I'd probably look like an empanada myself. So the numbers were a little bit more respectable this time around.

These are perfect little coffee time snacks and work with just about any kind of filling - a little make over for left overs really. These empanadas are made with a delicious picadillo filling. Much as I'd like you to think that I had leftover picadillo sitting in my refrigerator, it is simply not true. When I make picadillo, there are NO leftovers. Ever. So I cooked some especially for these chubby little babies. These empanadas are baked not fried so there's a saving grace! I had posted my go-to picadillo recipe some time ago, click here and follow along for the filling recipe.

Yield - Makes 8 
Time - 1 Hour

Continue Reading....

5 comments LABELS: Appetizers, Latin, Meat, Snack

Lamb Kofta Curry

Sometimes, I am at a complete loss for words when I sit down to write a post. I really just want to say "This is good. Eat it!"

Meatballs exist in every culture in some form or other and they are always some of the heartiest, most satisfying dishes. "Kofta" is essentially the Indian version of this well loved hearty dish. The word "kofta" isn't exclusive to India, it is used all over the Middle East and there are just as many varieties. 

In this recipe, I have used ground lamb. Ground beef can be used too. A while ago, I discovered that I could substitute wheat bran for breadcrumbs in meatballs. It works just as well and is a healthy little substitute. If you don't have wheat bran, just use regular breadcrumbs.

Yield - Serves 4

Prep Time - 30 Minutes

Cook Time - 45 Minutes

Continue Reading....

Leave a Comment | LABELS: Indian, Meat

Bo Kho - Vietnamese Spicy Beef Stew

The first time I had Bo Kho was at a Vietnamese restaurant called Far East Cuisine at a strip mall in Tallahassee. I kept going back again and again to that restaurant just for their Bo Kho. I am sure they had other things on their menu, and I might have even tried a few over the years but their Bo Kho was love at first bite. Bo Kho is Pho's distant spicy, stewy cousin flavored with ginger, star anise and lemongrass. I haven't found it on the menu at any of Vietnamese restaurants I have frequented here in NZ, which is such a shame! I have decided to try and recreate the magic by turning to the internet for recipes.Wandering Chopsticks have come to my rescue with their recipe. I have adapted their recipe and tweaked it to resemble the Bo Kho I remember. Though I have cooked it in a slow cooker, I think a pressure cooker will work well too. If using a slow cooker, I'd recommend not skipping on searing the meat with the spices. It tastes a lot better when cooked this way. Also, an added benefit to this method is that the flavor of the spices get released beautifully.

If you are in Tallahassee, my advice would be to stop reading now, haul yourself to Far East Cuisine on Thomasville Road and order some Bo Kho ASAP!

Yield - Serves 4
Prep Time - 30 Minutes
Cook Time - 7 Hours (Slow Cooker)

Bo Kho - Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew

Continue Reading....

2 comments LABELS: Asian, Meat

Game Night Beer Chili

I love game nights! They are a fantastic way to get a group of people to relax, unwind and have an absolute ball of a time. My voice is still a bit hoarse from all the screaming and laughing during our last game night. Food, wine and 'Taboo' are sure shot ingredients for a smashing fun evening. 

Chili is an easy choice for game night food. It can feed a crowd and you can mix things up with a variety of toppings. Best of all, it tastes better the next day, so you can make it ahead of time for a stress free game night. 

The only thing to watch out for is the average heat tolerance of your guests, so you might need to go easy on some of the ingredients marked '*' below.

Yield : Serves 6-8

Prep Time : 15 Minutes

Cook Time : 1.5 Hours

Game Night Beer Chili

Ingredients

2 LB (1 Kilo) Ground Beef

1 LB (0.5 Kilo) Pork Sausage

2 Onions, diced

6-7 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 Bell Peppers, large dice (1 green and 1 red)

3 Cans Kidney Beans (dark red)

1 Can Crushed Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons Tomato Puree

1-2 Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce*

1-2 Green Chilies (Fresh)

2 Tablespoons Cumin (Ground)

2 Tablespoons Oregano (dried)

1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder*

1 Tablespoon Black Pepper (Ground)

16 Oz Dark Beer
2 Tablespoons Oil

Salt to taste

Cilantro, for garnish

Scallions, for garnish

Sour cream, for garnish

Lime wedges, for garnish

Method

Continue Reading....

Leave a Comment | LABELS: Latin, Meat

Pepper Steak Stir Fry with Black Bean Sauce

Stir fries are the perfect weeknight lifesavers. They are highly customizable, healthy and ridiculously easy to put together. 

There are just three things you need to keep in mind to create the perfect stir fry:

1) Prep all of the ingredients before you start cooking. So slice the meat, chop the vegetables and the herbs before you even think of putting the wok/ skillet on the stove top.

2) Cook everything fast and on high heat. This is quick work, the veggies will get soggy and over cooked if you take too long to cook them. Unfortunately, most domestic stove tops are not nearly as hot as you need them to be, so go ahead and cook it on the highest heat it will get to.

3) Do not over crowd while cooking. Refer to point # 2 above. Over crowding will reduce the overall heat distribution. Split it in two batches if need be.

Steak and peppers are a match made in heaven. The flavors are classic, simple and work fantastically together.

Yield : Serves 2 - 3
Prep Time: 10 - 15 Minutes
Cook Time : 10 - 15 Minutes

Pepper Steak Stir Fry With Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

1 LB  ( little less than half a kilo) Steak Meat (Whatever kind you prefer)

2 Red Bell Peppers (Red Capsicum)

1 Onion 

3 Scallions (Spring Onions)

1/2 inch Ginger

3-4 cloves Garlic

1-2 Green Chiles

4-5 Tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Black Bean Sauce (fermented black soy)

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

Salt (very little if at all)

1-2 Tablespoons Oil

Method

Cut the red bell peppers and onions into a one inch dice. Chop the garlic and ginger finely but don't mince it.  Slice the chiles and scallions. 

Slice the steak into thin strips. I asked my sous chef to cut it in thin strips and he took it as a challenge to cut it as fine as he could. Oh well, it worked pretty well!

Sprinkle and combine with corn flour and salt. Don't use too much salt because you will be dousing this with soy sauce later.

Continue Reading....

Leave a Comment | LABELS: Asian, Meat, Weeknight Lifesavers

Cuban Picadillo

As you start to read recipes on this blog, you will notice that certain words pop up fairly often. "Easy" is one of those words. When you work 8 - 5 and need to keep your weeknights stress free, 'easy' is not a cop out. You need easy. 

Picadillo is a delicious Cuban dish. Dried cranberries add an unexpected kick to this flavorful dish of spiced ground meat.

And guess what? It is easy-as.

Ingredients

1 lb - Ground Meat (Beef is traditional, you can also try turkey)

4-5 - Cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 - Onion, chopped

1/2 - Green Bell Pepper/ Capsicum (if small then use whole), diced

2 - Tablespoons, Tomato Puree

1 Teaspoon - dried Parsley

1/2 cup - Dried Cranberries

1/2 cup - Spanish Olives, sliced

1 cup - Red Wine

A few sprigs of Cilantro (Coriander leaves)

2 Tablespoons - Oil

Seasoning

1.5 Teaspoon Cumin

1 Teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 Teaspoon Mild Chili Powder

1.5 Teaspoon Oregano

Salt to taste 

Continue Reading....

Leave a Comment | LABELS: Cuban, Latin, Meat, Weeknight Lifesavers