Recent Posts
Shorshe Salmon Curry
Shorshe Salmon Curry
Shorshe curry is commonly eaten in Bangladeshi cuisine. The fish of choice in this spicy mustard based curry is the ilish fish, which is the national fish of Bangladesh. Being similar in flavor to herring and chad, the ilish fish has a high amount of omega 3 fatty acid. But being in the U.S., it is nearly impossible to find. I used a fillet of farm raised salmon as a substitute. This curry is very simple to prepare; ready in 20 minutes from start to finish. Serve the shorshe salmon with steamed basmati rice.
Ingredients
- 8 oz salmon fillet
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 garlic clove thinly sliced
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 green chili slit in half
- 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
Shorshe Sauce
- 1 tbsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
Instructions
- Mix together all of the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Season the salmon fillet with turmeric, cayenne, and sea salt. Set aside.
- Heat up cooking oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the mustard seeds for 1 minute, followed by the cumin and fennel seeds for another 30 seconds.
- Add in the garlic and shallots. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the shorshe sauce. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Place the salmon fillet in the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer for 10 minutes until the fillet is cooked through, basting with the sauce every few minutes.
- Half way through the cooking time, add in the green chili. Add a couple tbsps of water at a time if the sauce gets too thick.
Kwe Tiau Radna (Thai Stir Fried Gravy Noodles)
Kwe Tiau Radna (Thai Stir Fried Gravy Noodles)
Radna is a Thai-style gravy noodle dish that’s not as well known as pad thai or pad see ewe, but is equally just as good. Rice noodles are stir fried then topped with a meat gravy with gai lan. You can use beef, pork, or chicken as your protein. Make sure to use the right stock according the meat you use. My favorite part of this fish is the chili vinegar sauce that adds a sweet/sour/spiciness to the dish.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried flat rice noodles
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 lb gai lan
- 1 tbsp fermented soybean paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
- black and white pepper to taste
Chili Vinegar Sauce
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 bird’s eye chili thinly sliced
Instructions
- Mix together the rice vinegar, sugar, and birds eye chilies. Set aside.
- Soak the rice noodles in hot water for 30 minutes.
- Heat up 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a large sauté pan or wok over high heat. Sauté the rice noodles for 3-4 minutes in 2 batches. Set them aside.
- Add in the rest of the cooking oil. Sauté the garlic for a minute.
- Toss in the chicken. Season with the sugar. Sauté for 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add in the gai lan. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Add in the soybean paste, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.
- Make a slurry with the cornstarch and water. Stir that into the sauce and allow to thicken.
Smoked Pit Beef Tacos
Smoked Pit Beef Tacos
What’s better than tacos? Not much. The meat used in these particular tacos comes from a brined, then smoked chuck roast. This beef can be used in numerous recipes for fillings, sandwiches, nachos, etc.
Ingredients
- smoked chuck roast
- corn or flour tortillas
- cilantro/onion/green onion mix
- smoked tomatillo salsa
Instructions
- Shred the smoked chuck roast.
- Top the tortillas with the beef, cilantro/onion/green onion mix, and the tomatillo salsa.
Smoked Pit Beef
Smoked beef sandwiches!? Fuck yeah, smoked beef sandwiches. They are extremely easy to make as long as you have time and patience. This is better than any smoked beef you can get from a restaurant or smokehouse for a fraction of the price. I’ve seen smoked beef go for as much as $25-$30 per lb, when the chuck roast I purchased was only $3.99lb.Once brined, the chuck will take 2 hours per lb to smoke in order for the meat to shred; exactly like a pork shoulder. To achieve this, use a probe thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. You will want the temp to get to 205-210 degrees. Once finished, let the chuck rest for at least 20 minutes. The beef is great on a sandwich or even used as taco meat.
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
- Probe Thermometer
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb chuck roast
- black pepper
- paprika
Brine
- 1/2 gallon water
- 1/2 cup sea salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 6 shallots sliced
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
Wood Chips
- mesquite wood chips
Instructions
- Mix together the brining ingredients.
- Place the chuck in a gallon sized storage bag with the brine. Brine the chuck for 1 day.
- Pat the chuck dry. Season all sides with black pepper and paprika. Let rest at room temperature for an hour before smoking.
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. Place the chuck in the smoker.
- The chuck will take about 2 hours per lb. Monitor the temp with a probe thermometer. In order for the beef to shred, you will need to reach an internal temp of 205-210 degrees.
- Once finished smoking, pull from the smoker and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Slice or shred the beef.
Smoked Tomatillo Salsa
I really like tomatillo salsa and wanted to see what it tastes like with the ingredients smoked. The answer: even better! The ingredients take no more than 2 hours to smoke in your smoker. It’s ready to use as soon as you purée the ingredients in a food processor. The salsa will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 lb tomatillos
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 jalapeños
- 2 green onions
- 1 head garlic
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wood Chips
- mesquite wood chips
Instructions
- Place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeños, and green onions on your smokers rack.
- Place in a preheated 250 degree smoker for 2 hours.
- Let the ingredients cool.
- Add the smoked ingredients along with the cilantro, vinegar, and salt to a food processor.
- Purée until smooth.
