Tag: main course
Steamed Fish in Banana Leaves
Steamed Fish in Banana Leaves
Maboke de capitaine is a classic dish from the Central African Republic. Traditionally, Nile perch are steamed in banana leaves with an onion/garlic/chilies mix and sliced tomato. You can use tilapia, catfish, snapper, or any other firm fleshed white fish for this recipe. While this might look fancy, it is really easy to prepare and is ready in 25 minutes. Serve the steamed fish with fried plantains and steamed rice.
Equipment
- baking pan with rack
Ingredients
- 2 large tilapia fillets or ocean perch, catfish, snapper, etc
- banana leaves
- 1 small onion
- 1 bird’s eye chili
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 1 medium tomato seeded; thinly sliced
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion, garlic, chilies, and parsley together.
- Cut a foot long piece of a banana leaf. Place 2 tbsp of onion mix in the center of the leaf.
- Place the tilapia fillet on top. Season with salt. Place a few slice of tomato on the fillet, with another tbsp of the onion mix on top.
- Fold up the banana leaf tightly. Place the seam side down on a rack on a baking pan with a 1/2” of water.
- Bake in a 400 degree preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Hmong-Style Larb
Hmong-Style Larb
Larb comes in many forms and spellings. This pork salad is popular all over Southeast Asia in countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. It is herbaceous, pungent, and has a refreshing taste. Larb is served with green leaf lettuce, eaten as a wrap. The best part of larb is the toasted rice powder that adds a slight crunch
Equipment
- Spice grinder
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb ground pork
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp ginger minced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 1 stalk lemongrass minced
- 2 Thai chilies minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup cilantro roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup mint
- 1 cup cucumber chopped into small cubes
- 1 drizzle sesame oil
- green leaf lettuce for serving
Toasted Rice Powder
- 1/4 cup jasmine rice
Instructions
- Add the rice to a small skillet over medium heat. Gently toast the rice for 5 minutes until it is golden brown. Allow to cool.
- Add the toasted rice to a spice grinder.
- Grind into a powder. Set aside.
- In a sauté pan, brown the pork over medium high heat for 8 minutes. Drain any grease from the pan.
- Toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
Lamb Madras Curry
Lamb Madras Curry
This is another version of madras curry, using leg of lamb. Madras curry is from southern India , but is also highly popular in England. The curry sauce is flavored with individual whole spices such as black cardamom, cinnamon sticks, curry leaves, bay leaves, mustard seeds; with onion, garlic, ginger, and chili aromatics; simmered with yogurt, coconut milk, tamarind, and tomatoes. The lamb is simmered in the sauce until tender. This lamb curry is fully flavored and spicy, with a nice tang from the yogurt and tamarind. Serve the curry with basmati rice and naan.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 2 lbs leg of lamb cut into 1” cubes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 6 curry leaves
- 2 whole black cardamom smashed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 2” ginger peeled and minced
- 5 birds eye chilies minced
- 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
- 24 oz canned tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 2 bay leaves
Garnish
- cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Season the lamb with cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Marinate overnight.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 10 minutes.
- Add in the cardamom, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, and birds eye chilies. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the yogurt, coconut milk, tamarind concentrate, and bay leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add in the lamb. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 90 minutes.
- Season with salt to taste.
