Shrimp Red Curry Idli Pops

“Between Asia and India
Amongst coconut grove bends,
There sat a priest
Who worked on fusion trends.
He combined this & that
And tasted with a knowing look,
To make sure the new staple
Was worthy of a book.
He owned many a field
And all the rice he grew
Went either to his tummy
Or into an experiment new!
Thus emerged some gems
Born out of grating, grilling & chops,
And while Thailand mastered the curry
He was converting Idlis into pops.”
What do you eat with red curry? Well, rice of course. And what is Idli made of? Rice! That's the simple inspiration behind this dish.
Ingredients
(Makes around 16 mini muffin sized Idlis)
1 cup white rice, soaked overnight
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons greek yogurt
6 tablespoons cup fine semolina
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon split chickpea or yellow lentils
½ teaspoon garlic ginger paste
2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
½ cup prawns, shelled & deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt & pepper
Method
Blend the soaked rice to a fine paste with 1/3 cup water, and mix with the coconut milk. Keep aside for 20 minutes.
Roast the semolina in a non-stick pan till it begins to turn brown. Keep aside to cool.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and cook for a few minutes. Once they begin to splutter, add the garlic ginger paste, red curry paste, all the dry spices and the prawns, along with 1/3 cup of water. Cover and cook till the prawns are cooked. Remove the prawns from the curry and keep aside. Continue to cook the curry till any excess water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and cool.
In a bowl, mix the rice paste, semolina, yogurt and red curry paste. Pour into mini idli pan and steam for 20 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Top with the cooked prawns and serve. A Thai-South Indian fusion!
Feeling lazy? Just substitue the rice, coconut milk, yogurt & semolina with a cup of instant idli mix. Would work just the same.

Don’t worry if you do not own an Idli maker – I don’t either! That’s the beauty of DIY remedies! You have the following options:
1. Bake them at 300 F for 10-15 minutes.
2. Microwave them at high for 7-10 minutes. (not a big fan of this as it makes the idlis slightly harder than steaming or baking)
3. Make your own steamer- this is what I did. Take any deep large pan and fill a little water in it. Put a smaller cake pan (or any pan that has a flat bottom) upside down inside this to make a little stand on the water. Bring the water to boiling point. Now put the idli batter in mini muffin/cupcake pans and put that on top of the ‘stand’. Cover and steam for 15-20 minutes. (refer to pics in the end)


(Setting up the DIY steamer)

Sole with cooked pepper salsa

“Why must you a fish fry
When grilled tender, brown
Out of the oven it does fly
Onto a plate eager & waiting
Along with a sauce varied
That simmers on the edge
Flaky, with buttery goodness
It becomes a pledge”
Ingredients
2 fresh fillets of Sole or Cod (or any light white fish)
For the Marinade
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon thyme flakes
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon fresh garlic & ginger paste
Salt & pepper to taste
For the Salsa
½ tomato, diced
½ cup of diced red and green peppers
¼ onion, sliced lengthwise
Leftover marinade from the fish
Fresh coriander leaves
Lemon juice
Pre heat the oven to 180 deg C
Mix the ingredients for the marinade. Make slight slits in the fish fillets and toss it in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4-5 hours
Drain any excess marinade from the fish. Heat it in a pan. Add the onions and tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are tender. Add the pepper and cook for a few more minutes on low heat. Sprinkle coriander and lime juice and remove from heat.
Put the Fillets on a baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. The fish should begin to flake on touching with a fork. Then turn the oven to grill and grill on 200 deg C for another 5 minutes to get a crisp surface. Remove and serve on a bed of the salsa. A light and quick meal!

Salmon Fillet w/Spicy Butter Sauce & Peri-Peri Mash


“A Salmon,
Swimming up the river,
Crowned in orange
And glistening silver.
The same Salmon
Silly as a bell,
Caught in a fisher’s net
Oh! what the hell.
Cold, lifeless
No glam, no wow,
May as well cook it
And eat it now.”
Ingredients
For the Salmon Fillet
1 Salmon Fillet, 150-200gm
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 cloves, 2 crushed 2 whole
Salt to taste

For the Butter Sauce
6 tablespoons salted butter
2 gloves of garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon grated ginger
2 red chilies, diced
2 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried parsley
Salt to taste

For the Mash
2 potatoes, boiled
¼ cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons peri-peri sauce
1 teaspoon Indian chat masala
Salt & pepper to taste

Marinate the Salmon in 1-tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

To make the sauce: Heat the butter in a pan. Once melted, add lemon juice (or 1 teaspoon white vinegar), ginger, garlic, salt and red chilies and simmer on low flame for a few minutes. Remove from heat.

To make the mash:  Mash the boiled potatoes in a pan. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and blend till the mixture is creamy and smooth.

To make the fillet: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan. Place the salmon fillet (skin side down) and turn the flame to medium. Cook for approx 5 minutes each side, depending on your preference. 

Alternatively, preheat oven to 175 degree C and bake the fillet for 8-10 minutes, carefully turning it in between so it’s evenly cooked on both sides.
Place some mash on a plate. Put the fillet on top and drizzle the lemon butter sauce over it. Serve hot with a side salad or steamed vegetables.