Ziti for the Masses

There are times when gourmet intentions must be thrown out the window.

Last fall, for example, our son was born, and my time to cook disappeared. We received a steady stream of visitors, and none of them came empty handed. Before they sat down to chat with me they handed Shefali a casserole dish large enough to feed the two of us for days. We were humbled by their generosity, as we received more than 30 meals from friends and family. What they'd cooked didn't matter. The food was always satisfying.

When friends of ours recently had triplets, I paid it forward and made portable meals - 24 total - fast enough to deliver them that evening. 

When I was a child my dad traveled often and my mom had to feed the three kids. Between long days at the pool and ball games in the evenings she couldn't spend much time in the kitchen, but we always ate home-cooked food.

This week, 13 of us gathered at my table for Thanksgiving Dinner. Everyone arrived a day or two early, so as host I needed a meal before "the meal."

Arati's Fish Curry

Here's another recipe in honor of November 13's Diwali celebration:

My mother-in-law, Arati, was back this summer, which means I got free cooking lessons. This is another one of her staples. It's very similar to the family's chicken curry recipes, but the change in protein calls for several adjustments, particularly coconut and mustard seed. Use a flaky white fish, like catfish or cod. 

 

Arati's Fish Curry

vegetable oil

2 onions, diced

1 cup shaved, unsweetened coconut

3 cloves garlic

1/2-inch of ginger root

1 pound white, flaky fish filets, cut into pieces

3 dried red chillies (not the spicy type)

1 diced tomato

1-2 tbs yoghurt

1 tsp mustard seed, ground, or 1/2 tsp powder

1/4 tbs cumin

2 small cardamoms

2 cloves

1 full star anise

1 big black cardamom

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 tsp coriander powder 
3/4 tsp red chili powder (or more, to taste)

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tbs ghee (clarified butter) (optional)

fresh cilantro

1. In 2 tbs oil, brown the shaved coconut, then transfer to a blender or food processor.

2. In 2 more tbs oil, brown the onions, garlic, ginger and red chillies, then transfer to the blender.

3. In the now-empty pan, add extra oil if needed, then add the dry ingredients: mustard seed, cumin, cardamom, cloves, anise, bay leaves, coriander, turmeric and chili powder. Add 2 tbs of water and let the flavors blend for 1-2 minutes.

4. While the spices are simmering, add the tomato and yoghurt to the blender and puree. You may need to add a little water to get the desired consistency.

5. Add the puree to the pan and stir.

6. Add salt (to taste) and ghee to the pan.

7. Add water to the pan until the curry reaches your desired consistency. Use 1/2 cup for a thick sauce and 1.5 cups for a thin sauce. Bring to a boil.

8. Add the fish and simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until it’s cooked through.

9. Top with fresh cilantro, check the spices (especially the salt), and serve with rotis, naan or basmati rice.

Arati's Beef Curry

In honor of Diwali coming up on November 13 I'll be featuring more of my mother-in-law's recipes.

Another one of Arati's staples, beef curry is almost identical to her chicken curry recipe, but instead of adding yoghurt and tomatoes she substitutes vinegar. You can use many cuts of meat.

Arati's Beef Curry

vegetable oil

2 onions, diced

3 cloves garlic

1/2-inch of ginger root

1 pound stew meat

3 dried red chillies

2 tbs vinegar

1 1/2 tsp coriander powder 
3/4 tsp red chili powder (or more, to taste)

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tbs ghee (clarified butter) (optional)

fresh cilantro

masala combo:

1/4 tbs cumin

2 small cardamoms

2 cloves

1 full star anise

1 big black cardamom

2 bay leaves

1. In 3 tbs oil, brown onions with garlic, ginger and red chillies.

2. When the onions have browned, transfer them to a blender or food processor.

3. In the now-empty pan, add the masala combo and let cook (add a little more oil if necessary) for about 30 seconds, then add the beef and 2 tbs water.

4. While the beef is cooking (not browning), add the vinegar to the onions and puree. You may need to add a little water to get the desired consistency.

5. After the beef has cooked for up to 5 minutes, add the onion puree to the pan and stir to coat the meat.

6. Add the corriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric, salt (to taste) and ghee to the pan, then cover and let the sauce cook on low heat until the beef is cooked.

7. Add water to the pan until the curry reaches your desired consistency. (use 1/2 cup for a thick sauce and 1.5 cups for a thin sauce)

8. Add 1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro, let simmer for another 5 minutes. Check the spices (especially the salt), and serve with rotis, naan or basmati rice.