Tag: main course
Chicharron de Pescado
Chicharron de Pescado
This is a great way to prepare fried fish, Peruvian-style. I used walleye, but tilapia, catfish, snapper, cod, or haddock are suitable substitutes. The two main flavor profiles come from the adobo seasoning and the aji amarillo paste used to marinate the fish. You can deep fry the fish, but I feel that’s a waste of oil. I like to pan fry in an inch of oil. Depending on the thickness of the fish, it will take 4-5 minutes a side to cook through. Serve the fish with lime wedges.
Ingredients
- 1 lb walleye fillets cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 tsp adobo seasoning with pepper
- 1 tsp aji amarillo paste
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 large egg beaten with 2 tsp water
- vegetable oil for frying
Garnish
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Mix together the lemon juice, garlic, 1 tsp adobo seasoning, and aji amarillo paste.
- Marinate the fish fillets for 30 minutes.
- Mix together the flour, cornstarch, and 1 tsp adobo seasoning. Dredge the fish in the flour, then the egg wash, then back in the flour.
- Heat up 1” deep of oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Cook the fish in 2 batches, making sure to not overcrowd the pan.
- Fry for 4-5 minutes a side. Drain grease on a rack.
Vegetable Madras Curry
Vegetable Madras Curry
When most people think of Indian curry, this is what they are generalizing. Madras curry is a popular South Indian dish consisting of a variety of vegetables in a soupy curry sauce made from madras curry powder, onions, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. Serve the curry with steamed basmati rice and parathas.
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp ginger minced
- 4 tbsp madras curry powder
- 4 roma tomatoes diced
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 bunch spinach chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add in the curry powder and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.
- Pour in the stock. Add in the cauliflower and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add in the spinach and peas. Cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Beef Pares
Beef Pares
Beef pares is a classic Filipino dish influenced by Chinese asado(meat braised in stock/soy/sugar/star anise). In this case, I used beef brisket. You can also use cheap braising cuts like chuck, arm, short ribs, shanks, or bottom round. The first part of this dish requires the brisket to simmer for a couple of hours, while creating a clear and flavorful beef stock(using another Chinese technique that’s influenced this dish). Once the meat is tender enough, it is sautéed with onions, garlic, and ginger and simmered in the asado sauce until the majority of the liquid has evaporated. The beef is served with garlic fried rice and a side of the broth to dip the meat in.
Ingredients
Beef Broth
- 2 lbs brisket cut into 1 1/2” cubes
- 6 cups water
- 1 onion quartered
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp salt
Beef Asado
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp ginger minced
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 star anise
Garnish
- green onions chopped
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add in the cubed brisket. Simmer for 10 minutes, skimming the top of the water for scum. Drain the brisket and rinse any excess scum off.
- Add the brisket back into the pot with 6 cups of new clean water. Bring to a boil. Skim off any remaining scum.
- Add the onions, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 2 hours.
- Strain the broth. Set the beef aside. Discard the bay leaves. Keep the broth warm.
- Mix 1 cup of the hot broth with the soy sauce and brown sugar. Set aside.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger for 5 minutes.
- Add the brisket in. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the sauce. Toss in the star anise. Simmer for 10 minutes until the majority of the liquid has evaporated.
