Spicy Grilled Fish

Spicy Grilled Fish

Ramadan is a great time for trying out recipes. A friend gave me some curry paste which was lying around in my kitchen for a while. And I wanted to use it before it expired. This is a blend of Indian and Malay curry paste with tweaks of my own here and there.

The Recipe:

1 large pomfret, cleaned, washed and drained.

Curry Paste:

2 inch piece ginger or galangal;, peeled and cut into pieces;3 stalks lemongrass, 
cut and use the bottom white part only; 3 candlenuts, crushed; 1/2 tsp turmeric;3 big cloves  garlic, peeled;  2- 3 dried chilies to taste; 20 shallots, peeled and cut into half;1 sq inch belachan (fermented shrimp paste); 1 tbsp coriander powder; 1/2 tsp jeera ( cumin) powder; 1 tsp salt; 2-3 tbsp olive oil.       

Fry the above ingredients in the olive oil till aromatic and then cool and blend the above ingredients to a smooth paste. Rub all over and inside the fish and marinade for 30 minutes. Grill on high heat 250 C in a pre heated oven  for 10 minutes each side. Serve with vegetables of your choice.

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Triple Grilled Chicken

                           Honey Soy Sesame Chicken

This is an easy and delicious recipe that can be made in minutes. It goes well with noodles or fried rice and is a succulent appetizer too. All you need is a few pieces of chicken, some sauces and a lot of interest and passion to come up with the perfect dish.

The Recipe: 

250 gms boneless chicken, cubed; 3 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp thick soy sauce; 1 tbsp sesame oil; salt to taste; 1 large clove garlic, crushed; 1/4 inch piece ginger, crushed; 1 tbsp sesame seeds and 1/2 tsp pepper corns, powdered.

Wash and drain chicken cubes. Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl except the sesame seeds. Add chicken cubes and mix until the chicken is fully covered with the mixture. Keep aside for a minimum of 15 minutes. Arrange chicken cubes on a baking tray lined with foil and sprinkle the sesame seeds all over.  Heat  oven for 5 minutes and grill chicken for 7 minutes each side at 200C or 400F till done. Garnish with a few chopped coriander leaves and serve immediately with noodles or rice.

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Double Skewered Grilled Prawns

Cleaning prawns are messy and unless I buy jumbo prawns, I usually avoid this fast food in the market.  Every once in a while I do buy some and make the quickest, simplest recipe to compensate for the time I spend cleaning them.  This is the time I take out my sauces and powders and mix and stir and grill them to luscious perfection.

The Recipe:

50 large prawns, shelled,washed and deveined; 1/2 tsp chilli powder; 1 tsp light soya sauce; 1/4 tsp jeera powder; 1 tsp tomato sauce; 1 tbsp olive oil;salt and pepper to taste.

20 wooden skewers

Drain the prawns thoroughly.   Mix the oil, powders, sauces and salt together.  Marinade the prawns overnight in this mixture.  Soak the skewers in water for 1 hour.  This is to prevent them from burning on the grill.  Next day, take on of the skewers,and poke it through the side of the prawn.  Take another skewer and poke it through the opposite side of the prawn as in the photograph.  Similarly skewer 5 prawns per set of skewers.  Repeat with rest of the prawns and skewers.  Grill on an open grill on high heat for 5 minutes on each side or in a preheated  oven at highest setting for 5 minutes on each side.  Serve hot as an appetiser.

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Grilled Indian Butter Chicken

                                      My Butter Chicken

This is a recipe that I have had for decades and sparingly made because I reserved it for very special occasions.  I felt guilty cooking such rich food and adding to our daily calorie count.  However, after we came to Malaysia, I started grilling meat instead of frying it and experimented with all my recipes until I came up with delicious alternatives.  This is one such and a joy to behold and cook.  The rich, vibrant colour of the gravy makes it a knockout every single time.

The Recipe:

500gms boneless chicken cubes, washed and drained.

Grind  1 tsp chilli powder; 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste; 2 cloves; 2 cardamom pods; 1/2 tsp methi seeds, roasted;  1 tsp vinegar or to taste; salt to taste; juice of 1 lime; 1/2 cup curds. Marinade overnight.

For the Gravy:  500gms tomato puree - tinned or fresh; 50 gms cashew nuts, roasted and powdered; 1/4 tsp pepper powder, freshly crushed; 1/4 tsp chilli powder; 1 tsp brown sugar or more to taste; 1 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup water to mix with the tomato puree.

For the Garnish:  2 tbsp milk powder mixed with 2 tbsp water- should be a thick, pouring consistency; coriander leaves, chopped.

Next day  grill the chicken  in a preheated oven at 250 Celsius for 5 to 7 minutes both sides.  The first side takes longer, so watch the chicken carefully.  When done cover and keep hot.

In the meanwhile make the sauce.  Mix the tomato puree with the water and keep ready for use.  Heat a deep nonstick pan and heat the butter on a medium flame until it melts.  Lower the flame, add the cashew nut powder and stir fry golden brown.  You have to be very quick as the cashew can burn easily.  Pour in the tomato puree, add the salt, chilli powder, pepper powder, sugar and taste to adjust the flavour.   Increase the heat, keep stirring until the gravy is thick and dark red.   Add the chicken, bring to the boil and  remove from the fire.  Transfer to serving dish.  Just before serving garnish with the milk powder  and coriander leaves.  Serve hot with Jeera Rice or any Indian Bread.

NB:  I use fresh, ripe tomatoes for the puree.   Just grind it together and use.

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Green Masala Grilled Fish

Easy Grilled Fish

This is a recipe that I make very often as we love to entertain and barbecues are the best occasion for it.  Just get a medium sized pomfret and ask your fishermonger to clean it, retaining the tail and fins and head.  Marinade it overnight in this unusual green masala and you have a lip smacking flaky masterpiece.

The Recipe:

1 medium sized pomfret (it's easier to turn over when the fish is the right size), cleaned, washed and drained.

Marinade:  1 small bunch coriander leaves; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; salt to taste; 2 green chillies; 1/2 inch piece ginger; 3 flakes garlic.  Grind everything to a smooth paste.

Marinade fish in this paste overnight.  Next day preheat oven to  250 C .  Place fish on oven tray lined with foil.  Dribble 1 tbsp olive oil over fish.  Grill 5 to 7 minutes each side.  Serve with slices of thin lemon and crusty bread.  

Whole Grilled Baby Salmon

Spicy Grilled Baby Salmon

Last week, while shopping for groceries at the supermarket I cam across whole baby salmon for a very reasonable rate.  So I decided to take the plunge and carefully selected one that looked good.  I have numerous recipes that I have been saving for a rainy day and I found one that I wanted to try.  Grilling salmon is very easy.  Since it is an oily fish, all you have to do is marinade it overnight and transfer it to the grill or oven the next day.  The result was delectable and Nehru & I finished it all by ourselves.

The Recipe:

1 whole baby salmon, about 600 gms, scaled, gutted and washed with salt.  Retain tail and side fins.

For the Marinade:  1tsp chilli powder; 1/2 inch piece ginger, minced; 1 tsp garam masala powder; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tsp coriander powder; 1/2 tsp jeera powder; 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper powder; salt to taste and 1 dsp olive oil.  Grind to a coarse paste and rub all over and inside the salmon.  Marinade in the refrigerator overnight.  Next day, bring the salmon to room temperature before grilling it.  Discard the watery part of the marinade.  Line an oven tray with foil and preheat oven at 250 C (grill setting).  Wrap salmon in foil or banana leaves (this makes it easier to turn the salmon over) and grill 10 minutes each side.  Open the foil and return salmon to the oven and grill top again for 5 minutes till brown.  Serve with green salad and warm garlic bread. A must try for busy days when there's simply  too much to do.

NB:  Once the salmon is grilled, you can peel off the skin before browning the flesh.  I left it on and peeled it off while eating.

Grilled Masala Fish

Fishy Flavours

There's nothing easier than Grilled Fish.  All you need is one large fish enough to serve two or three persons.  Get your fishermonger to scale and gut it.  Then it's all yours.  Recently I won an electric grill, so decided to make one of our usual fish recipes.  The grill won a standing ovation and we now know what to do when surprise guests turn up.

The Recipe:

1 medium pomfret, scaled & gutted, keep whole with fins and tail.

For Marinade:  2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice; salt to taste; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tbsp chilli powder.  Mix to a liquidy paste.

Wash fish thoroughly with water, salt and turmeric.  Drain on kitchen towels.  Marinade ( in refrigerator) in the above mixture overnight.  Next day bring to room temperature.  Plug in the grill and adjust settings to 240 Centigrade.  Place a banana leaf on the grill with a little oil on it.  Place the fish on preheated grill (until desired temperature is reached) and grill 5 minutes each side.  Serve hot with lemon wedges.  The aroma wafting on the air is bound to bring the household into the kitchen, awaiting the moment to attack.

Impressive Christmas Chicken

Christmas Chicken

I have had a blast this Christmas, cooking all my favourite foods and trying out new recipes.  There's a real satisfaction in churning out fantastic food and I have experienced it very often.  There's nothing I like better than to see people enjoying the food I cooked.  It makes everything worthwhile and here is another simple recipe for the home cook.  Make your Christmas special with this unique blend of coconut milk, lemon grass, chilli powder and other aromatic ingredients.  This is one Christmas Chicken everyone will love.

The Recipe:

1 chicken, whole without skin, wash and drain completely.  Around 1 to 1.2 kg should do.

1 cup coconut milk; 1/2 tsp tamarind paste; 5 kaffir lime leaves and 2 stalks of lemon grass, slit and bruised

For The Marinade: 1 1/4 tsp chilli powder; 1 stalk lemon grass, use only the white part.  If you cannot get lemon grass use about 1 tsp lemon zest; 5 candle nuts; 1 inch piece ginger; 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled; 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1 large onion, sliced; salt to taste; 3 tbsp oil for frying or grilling.
Blend to a thick paste and keep aside.

Marinade the whole chicken in half the marinade overnight in the refrigerator.  Next day, heat a large non stick wok large enough to hold the chicken.  Add oil and lower flame.  Brown the chicken all over, taking care to keep it whole.  Add the remaining paste, coconut milk, tamarind paste, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves.  Gently stir to mix well.  Cover and cook till chicken is tender.  Garnish with spring onions and serve hot with Fragrant Christmas Rice.

NB:  You can use almonds instead of candlenuts if desired.

Grilled Jeera Chicken

Grilled  Chicken On A Bed Of Rice

Grilled Chicken is an easy recipe for a lazy weekend or party.  All you have to do is prepare the chicken and marinade it overnight and let the magic work itself into the pieces.  This is  delicious and one that will charm its way into your guests hearts forever.

The Recipe:

1 medium sized chicken, skinned and cut into medium pieces;  1 inch ginger, crushed; salt to taste; 3 tbsp vinegar; 1 tbsp jeera powder; 2 tbsp oil.

Mix all the ingredients together and keep overnight in the refrigerator.  Next day, set oven for grill setting and grill at highest option for 5 minutes each side.  Serve hot as a starter or on a bed of ginger rice or garlic buttered rice with a curds salad.