Tag: unique and excellent fish filet recipe

Anchovy Fillet in Basil & Tamarind Sauce

Anchovy Fillet in Basil & Tamarind Sauce

On By mencanmakehomesIn quick and easy recipes, Urban CookingLeave a comment

Thanx a lot for the amazing response we have to this wonderful new initiative from my loved one. Do check this out too and follow, there will surely be great posts rolling here ..  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmtCkBgnsCo 

https://www.facebook.com/gunnmaymarwaha

Here’s another anchovy recipe which just dished itself out from whatever I could manage on one summer evening. As I state, I had some half plateful of anchovy fillet with me and most of my kitchen replenishment pending. So I chopped some fresh basil from my garden and squeezed some tamarind from an almost over pouch and dished this yummy snack. Just used pinch or teaspoonfuls of other spices so as to not to take the thrill out of the crunchy fried fillets.

Try these and prepare a blockbuster snack for yourself !!

Ingredients of Anchovy Fillet in Basil & Tamarind Sauce
Ingredients of Anchovy Fillet in Basil & Tamarind Sauce
Anchovy Fillet in Basil & Tamarind Sauce
Anchovy Fillet in Basil & Tamarind Sauce

….need to know (food details)

  • Number of people served : 3 to 4.
  • Preparation time : 30 minutes
  • Serving size : 5 to 6 forkful each.

….and we need (ingredients)

  • Anchovy fillet, 500 grams : These are extremely pungent on their own so need good cooking. It’s rich in proteins and Omega 3 fatty acids as well. 
  • Salt, 3/4th teaspoon : Use the coarse sea salt for authenticity and it’s minerals.
  • Oil, 2 tablespoons, to pan fry : I do not mind mustard oil here due to it’s pungency. Works well with these fries.
  • Raw Mango Powder (Amchoor), 1 teaspoon : Amchoor is a sour, fruity spice which is a good antacid and antioxidant. I add it here since the kids would love anything with amchoor in it.
  • Nigela seeds, 1/3rd teaspoon : It’s called kalonji in Indian kitchens and is packed with antibacterials, antioxidants, anti inflammatory. It has a slight bitter, onion like flavor.
  • Mustard seeds, yellow, 1 teaspoon : Mustard tastes from sweet to sour, bitter to steaming hot. But it’s great for digestion and respiration and strengthens bones and teeth. I use it here for the bitter sour essence.
  • Tamarind paste, 1 & 1/2 teaspoon : Tamarind manages body heat well and helps in weight loss and heart regulation. It boosts digestion and immunity. Tamarind brings tanginess in the dish.
  • Coriander seeds, 3/4 teaspoon : With a warm, nutty and orange essence the coriander seeds are great for eyes, digestion, joints, skin and abdomen.
  • Star Shaped Anise, 2 : It has a strong licorice essence and helps in digestion.
  • Sweet Basil, 1 bunch : In this I used sweet or Genovese basil leaves which I pluck-wash at my garden. Basil is the “King of Herbs” for many reasons. It is a strong anti oxidant. It fights virus, bacteria and other microbes in the body. I grow 4 to 5 types of basil in my garden and am always looking for new things to do with it.

….time to cook ‘n roll (preparing instructions)

  • Wash the anchovy (really well) x 2 . Means twice at least. Else you might feel the mud in your fries.
  • Roast all the dry spices ( mustard, coriander seeds, anise, raw mango powder and nigela) and grind them dry in a mortar pestle.
  • Coat the fillet with this powder.
  • Now heat a pan and put oil in it to vaporizing stage.
  • Add the roughly chopped basil in it and cook for about 2 minutes on medium flame.
  • Lay in your coated fish fillet now.
  • Cook for a further 5 minutes on medium heat. Do turn the fillet twice but gently. As they cook, they turn vulnerable to breaking as well.
  • When they feel almost cooked, splatter your panned fish with tamarind paste and salt and cook further for 4 minutes till absolutely well done.
  • Take off and serve hot.
  • Serve with some refrigerated cherries or litchis to get a tropical kick !

Storage : No Way, Jose !! Storing will make it loose the crunch.

Missing Something ? : I would allow you to grind in some curry leaves and mix the in the tamarind paste !!

Advertisement
Cobia in Celery & Tangerine Butter

Cobia in Celery & Tangerine Butter

On By mencanmakehomesIn quick and easy recipes, Urban Cooking1 Comment

We are overwhelmed by the amazing response to the new intiatives (links given below). Do check this out too and follow, there will surely be great posts rolling here .. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmtCkBgnsCo 

https://www.facebook.com/gunnmaymarwaha

Since long have I fancied using these pretty looking citrus fruits in my kitchen. Tangerines have often been relegated to dish washing levels only in my household. So I tend to leave them alone on their twigs, at least they sit pretty like little round perennial flowers.

This is my attempt to conjure a fillet recipe with handful of my garden harvest in late winters. You will have to cook it and enjoy it to believe in it’s amazing lingering taste. Happy Cooking !!

Tangerine in our garden
Cobia Fillet in Celery & Tangerine Butter
Cobia Fillet in Celery & Tangerine Butter
Cobia in Celery & Tangerine Butter

….need to know (food details)

  • Number of people served : 2 will do.
  • Preparation time : 20 minutes.
  • Serving size : 1 to 2 fillet each.

….and we need (ingredients)

  • Cobia (motha) fillet, 500 grams : This is a delicious fish indeed however (like most marine fishes) has a lot of mercury content hence moderate offering to kids is suggested. It is a pleasure to eat since it has little or no bones and just one central bone running across like surmai. It is white and flaky and good for fillets since it’s not very oily. Cobia is rich in Omega 3, vitamins and minerals.
  • Sea Salt, 1/2 teaspoon : Use coarse sea salt for authenticity and it’s minerals.
  • Table Butter, 1 tablespoon : Regular table butter would be in this.
  • Tangerines, 8 to 10 : A tangerine is a hybrid between orange and a mandarin. But I guess the poor guy never really took off in size 🙂 . But it is high in Vitamin C and is great for skin and fighting arthritis and healing cuts and bruises. They look very pretty since even a potted one can give loads of fruits in winters and a grounded one gives scores of them in season.
  • Celery, small bunch of about 100 grams : I grow celery for around 5 months in a year and they grow well in tubs, bags and small planters. They have one of the healthiest foliage & excellent antioxidant. It gives good bitter pungency to the stock. 
  • Sesame Oil, 1 teaspoon : Sesame improves blood pressure, burns fats and is a good source of iron. It enhances the nutty flavor in the dish.

….time to cook ‘n roll (preparing instructions)

  • Harvest some tangerines. Must be all orange and ripened. Peel off and squeeze juice into a small bowl. Seeds are large and the fruit is small. DO NOT get frustrated with your attempts 🙂  .
  • Melt the butter and mix the tangerine juice in it well.
  • Lay the cobia fillets in an aluminium foil.
  • Drench the fillet very well with the tangy butter mix now. If required then poke and puncture the fillets with a fork well to make the butter go well inside the fish.
  • Wash well and chop the celery in 1 inch stalks and sprinkle over the fillets. The butter will make them stick on.
  • Cover wrap the fillets with aluminium foil.
  • Heat the sesame oil in a non stick pan and heat on medium flame till it starts fuming.
  • Place the fillets (wrapped in foil) in it and cook covered for 15 minutes turning twice thrice.
  • Serve hot and steaming.

Storage : You cannot store them, they’ll loose their texture !

Missing Something ? : You can serve some rinds alongwith the fillets. They’ll add to the tangy essence !!

Rosy Basa Fillet

Rosy Basa Fillet

On By mencanmakehomesIn quick and easy recipes, Urban Cooking8 Comments

Late evening walk-in. Can’t even rush to the market or have the courage to order. How do you turn the famished soul into a delightful one ? Well, let me introduce you to another of my ingenuous go to recipe. Just half a beet pulled from my garden by my kiddo and a couple of basa fillet in the freezer will turn your famished and lethargic evening into pure bliss. The taste of the fillet is great and the color is so charming that it makes heads turn inadvertently infallibly every time it’s served around. It’s a G-man, MCMH Original recipe. Enjoy 🙂 …… and yes, there is no rose in this Rosy 😀 , just the color.

Rosy Basa Fillet Ingredients
Rosy Basa Fillet
Beet harvest
Rosy Basa Fillet
Rosy Basa Fillet

….need to know (food details)

  • Number of people served : 2 to 3 famished to delighted seafood lovers
  • Preparation time : 20 minutes of slow grilling + 30 minutes of marinade.

….and we need (ingredients)

  • Basa Fillet, 2 normal size : Pengasius or basa is a popular catfish with a sweet tasting, soft  meat with very little of no bones in big pieces of fillet. I wouldn’t say that it’s the top nutritious fish in the water but it is certainly a very easy and friendly one to serve.
  • Sea salt, to taste : I prefer sea salt in my sea food. Reason = It’s coarse, tastes authentic, is not processed and has all natural minerals originally intended.
  • Black Pepper, ground to powder, 4 – 5 corns : Hot and mildly pungent, black pepper is good for digestion, skin, respiration and is a good antioxidant too. On tables across the world salt n pepper are partners in relation.
  • Lemon juice, 1/2 a lemon : Sour effect of the dish comes from here and bring along with it, the Vitamin C benefits to eyes, hair and skin.
  • Rosemary, dried will do, 1/2 teaspoon : Unfortunately, rosemary doesn’t grow well in Delhi so have to do with dried. Rosemary is a great antioxidant and anti inflammatory and is great for the nervous system too. Since it grows well in the hills, rosemary has a great woody pine fragrance. Still, I would any day choose freshly garden harvested rosemary.
  • Basil, dried powder, 1/2 teaspoon : It has practically all the properties of basil but drying reduces everything. I added dried basil here to give mass and temprate the flavor of dried rosemary and parsley.
  • Basil, sweet, fresh, broken, 1/2 teaspoon : Anti aging, anti cancer, anti bacterial herb is a great garnish due to it’s sweet and mixed spice aroma. Here a harvested a handful of sweet basil from my garden. As always, break their leaves and avoid chopping them. This retains their essence best.
  • Parsley, dried powder, 1/2 teaspoon : Again, not a priority in choice. I had to use dried parsley since it was mid summers. Parsley has a much low essence when dried. It is mildly bitter. It has beta carotene and vitamin c to fight cold and flu. I am sure it is the best breath freshener that you can grow in your garden.
  • Galangal, 1/2 inch : Again an antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal spice. It tastes earthy and citrus. I love galangal though it’s very tough to grow, unlike the cousin ginger. It is also very tough to chop or paste since it has strong fibers.
  • Olive Oil, 1 tablespoon : Keep the oil light so as not to interfere with the flavor of your dish either in odor or in taste. Besides, olive oil is a great antioxidant, anti inflammatory, is good for heart and weight management.

….time to cook ‘n roll (preparing instructions)

  • Grate the beetroot finely. Grate the galangal too and mix them both.
  • Spoon the grated beet (+galangal) and mix the dried spices i.e. the black pepper, the dried basil, the dried parsley and the dried rosemary. Mildly grind them using your mortar & pestle.
  • Marinate the fillets with this mix and keep aside for 30 minutes. I generally poke the fillets with a fork to allow the marinate to get deep inside it.
  • Now set the temperature of your microwave at 425 degrees or just above medium heat  and place the marinated fillets inside.
  • Grill it for 20 minutes turning 3 to 4 times and checking the softness of the fillet.
  • Garnish with broken sweet basil and serve to devour 🙂

Storage : Please do not even think about it. Refrigerating will harden the texture and turn the color much less cheerful.

Missing Something ? : You may choose to season the fish with some dried oregano or fresh chopped parsley. I’ve said this in one more dish of mine, the pan fried red snapper too 😀 !

Surmai / Kingfish in Tangy Masala

Kingfish in Tangy Masala / Surmai South meets West fillet

On By mencanmakehomesIn quick and easy recipes, Urban Cooking11 Comments

Nearing the end of FIFA World Cup 2018 and welcoming the monsoons in Delhi, it’s a wash time literally. The plants get washed, the city gets washed, the toxicity in the sir gets washed and most so, the heat gets washed. So much washing pulls me to my favorite pass time, experimenting with seafood.

Seafood is so easily gobbled since it’s light, nutritious, filling and amazingly tasty. I have tried here to blend the two essences of southern and western coastal Indian cuisines so as not to make a mess of each, rather to create a nice new flavor. Am sure you can chip in with your variations and suggestions. Read on !! 

Surmai / Kingfish in Tangy Masala
Surmai / Kingfish in Tangy Masala
Surmai / Kingfish in Tangy Masala

….need to know (food details)

  • Number of people served : 4
  • Preparation time : 15 minutes
  • Serving Size : 2 to 3 pieces each

….and we need (ingredients)

  • Kingfish fillet, 2 – further cut into 10 pieces total. Will be around 500 gms  : Kingfish is popularly known in Indian markets as Surmai. This is a pinkish fish with firm texture and high fat content. Its popular and easy for kids to eat since it has very less bones. It is also caled king mackerel and is found in South & Central India. High in protiens,this would be slightly expensive than the regular carp in the market.
  • Coriander seeds, 2 teaspoon, roasted : With a warm, nutty and orange essence the coriander seeds are great for eyes, digestion, joints, skin and abdomen. 
  • Curry leaves, 10, broken : There isn’t a household in India which does not have a curry leaves plant. They have high amount of calcium, carbohydrates, fibre, iron, phosphorus, Vitamin E, B, C and A hence helping heart, hair, skin and fighting infections. Here I add them for their extreme spicy aroma.
  • Turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon : Turmeric gives a great orange color and a mild bitter taste to the dish. It is a wonderful antioxidant and anti inflammatory.
  • Tamarind, 3 teaspoon : Tamarind fights cancer and helps in digestion. It is a good source of Vitamin C and anti oxidants. It brings the basic sour and tangy flavor to the gravy of the dish.
  • Coconut oil, sufficient for pan frying, should be around 3 tablespoons in a 10 inch pan : Keep the pan frying with cocnut oil at a low to medium heat only, else it evaporates quickly. It does not leave any flavor or color on the dish and is great for cholesterol control.
  • Garlic cloves, 10 – 12 : Pungent, spicy and sweet flavor is accompanied with benefits of combating cold and reducing blood pressure. Clearly my pungent king 🙂
  • Green chilies, 2 long ones : The pinching tougue biter, the green chilies are great for skin, hair and eyes due to their high Vitamin C & E content. I grow at least 3 varieties in my garden much to the kitchen’s delight.
  • Ginger 2 teaspoons : Ginger is consumed by us dried, fresh and chopped, ground dried or as a paste. It can be stored for very long and is extremely easy to grow in your garden It relieves nausea and is a pain killer. It has a warn, sweet and woody.
  • Onion/Leek greens, 1 cup chopped : I grow leek in my garden. It grows super easily in any garden and requires minimum taking care. They are milder and more flavored than an onion. It is also very healthy for blood vessels, bones, heart, digestion, vision etc. I am always inclined to use leek for the sweetness instead of red onions and also the leaves of these leeks. 
  • Coriander, for garnish : The reasons for garnishing with coriander would be so as to compliment the coriander seeds ground and added in the marinate for the dish.
  • Salt to taste : 😀  Use sea salt to make the flavor more authentic.

….time to cook ‘n roll (preparing instructions)

  • Coarsely grind the ginger, garlic, chilies and coriander seeds in a mortar and a pestle. Be coarse for a grounded feel.
  • Add salt, turmeric and tamarind to it and mix well.
  • Coat the fillet pieces with the spice paste and keep aside for 10 minutes, while you do the next steps. It will be great if you poke the fish with a fork lightly but densely. This would take the flavor deep inside but not enough to disintegrate the fillet.
  • Now heat the coconut oil in a non stick pan.
  • To this add the onion or leek greens and saute well for 2 minutes on medium flame.
  • Add curry leaves and saute further for 2 minutes.
  • Now place the fillet pieces in the pan gently and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add 1 cup water and cook well for 8 minutes till the water dries off completely.
  • Take off flame, garnish with coriander and serve.

Storage : Make small portions, they are an easy cook. I don’t suggest refrigerating this.

Missing Something ? : You can skip garnishing and may replace regular salt with some coarse sea salt for more authentic essence.