Greek Inspired Pork Souvlaki on Pita

Victoria Day is just a few sleeps away and it's about the time to fire up my BBQ grill! I decided to feature a Greek recipe which I think is a perfect meal for a weekend lunch or brunch.

I love Greek Food and feel fortunate to live in a city where ethnic food can be found easily in every street corner.I first tasted Greek food in 2003 when I was shopping for a dress with my blog partner. She suggested Greek cuisine for a quick lunch and I had a classic Greek entree: pork souvlaki with rice and potatoes. The burst of lemon and oregano give it a unique flavour. My food adventure has now expanded beyond food court franchise-style Greek fare. An acquaintance of mine introduced me to a restaurant called That's Greek Cuisine in Etobicoke about 3 years ago. It is now one of my favourite places for a plate of good Greek food. Their gyros, lamb chops and Saganaki Opa are must to order!

Long story short, this food adventure has also entered into my kitchen. Frequently, I see pork tenderloins on sale in weekly flyers and I certainly do not want to miss this great offer. Pork tenderloin is lean, moist, soft and does not require extensive cooking time. Hence, it is a good choice for pork souvlaki. Here is my version of Greek style pork souvlaki on pita bread!

Skill Level: Easy 

Serves: 8 

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 pieces of Pita bread, white or whole wheat

Pork Souvlaki:

• 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
• 1 lemon (grate the skin and retain juice for marinate)
• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper or paprika
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Tzatziki Sauce:

• 1.5 cup plain or Greek yogurt 
• 1/2 cucumber, shredded
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp honey 
• Black pepper, to taste

Toppings:

• Iceberg lettuce, sliced thinly
• Chopped olives
• Cucumbers, sliced
• Tomatoes, sliced
• Red onions, sliced thinly

 METHOD: 

1. Clean the pork tenderloin by removing the silver lining with a small knife. 
2. Cut the tenderloin into bite sized and mix in all seaonings. Marinade for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge
3. Heat up BBQ grill for 325 degree Celcius
4. Grill the pork tenderloin for 5 minutes, on each side or until meat is cooked thoroughly 
5. You can brush the meat with olive oil to help prevent dryness
6. To make the tzatziki sauce, mix in all ingredients and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes
7. Warm the pita bread on BBQ grill for couple of seconds
8. Serve the pita bread with tzatziki sauce, pork souvlaki and toppings

Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce

I recently attended a seminar on fibre and the highlights can be summed up in two points - fibre is absolutely essential in our diets and North Americans do not consume enough. Hot on the heels of this seminar, I decided that we were going to have chickpeas for dinner. Being South Asian, legumes are a substantial part of our diet, it is a complete protein when combined with rice, is easy to make and very versatile. My mum always soaks legumes in water overnight and boils it in a pressure cooker the following day and I continue her practice. The pressure cooker is invaluable, this nifty gadget cooks everything in a matter of minutes, a reverse slow cooker. If you do not own one, I highly recommend it - a true time saver. 

Skill Level: Easy  

Serves:4 - 6

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 cups of cooked chickpeas or 1 can of chickpeas (946 mL)
• 2  large onions chopped
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 1 inch piece of grated ginger
• 4 cloves of garlic crushed
• 1/3 cup of tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon of garam masala (finally  you get to use the garam masala  recipe I posted weeks ago)
• 1/4 teaspoon amchoor powder (dried unripe green mango powder - found at Indian stores or at the international/ethnic section at most grocery stores). Is sour and tart. Lime or lemon juice can be used as a substitute
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves chopped
• salt to taste

METHOD:

1. If using the conventional method, soak 1 cup of chickpeas in water overnight. Pressure cook or boil the following day until soft. If using canned chickpeas, drain the liquid and wash in cold water and set aside
2. Heat oil in a pan and saute onions ginger and garlic until brown
3. Add all the powdered spices and  tomato puree cook for a minute or two
4. Add the  chickpeas and stir until it is well coated in the onion and spice mixture
5. Pour 3/4 cup of water, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer
6. Add the rest of the water if needed - depending on the consistency desired (I use more liquid if serving with rice and less for flatbread like pita, naan or roti
7. Check seasoning and adjust as needed. Add coriander leaves before serving

Spicy Sri Lankan Eggplant

Eggplant or Aubergine as it is also known, is our family's favourite vegetable. From Middle Eastern Baba Ghanoush to Romanian Salata de Vinete - Eggplant dips are a prominent summer time staple in our house, and before BBQ season starts full swing, I will add those recipes as well; but my recipe for today is "Eggplant Goodness" that a Sri Lankan colleague brought to a potluck recently. Not for the faint of heart or the calorie conscious, this dish (made with deep fried eggplant) is served at Sri Lankan weddings and special occasions where one can ignore the richness of this dish and indulge in the delight that is called Vambotu Curry. This recipe may not be the typical way to make this dish, but I have come to this version after making it a couple of times with what my colleague would share of the recipe and what I found on the internet.

I am certain that brushing cubed eggplant with oil and roasting them would work, this however is the deep fried version.

Skill Level: Time consuming but easy to make 

Serves:6-8

INGREDIENTS: 

• 4 medium eggplant
• vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil, extra
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds,slightly crushed in a coffee grinder
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped 
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar or palm sugar or white 
• 1/2 cup coconut milk - you can use a can but shake well. I used coconut milk powder diluted in water and used 1 cup
• salt to taste

METHOD: 

1. Cut eggplant into cubes, wash and pat dry with a paper towel
2. In a frying pan, add oil, when it is hot deep fry eggplant in batches and drain on a paper towels and keep aside
3. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a pan, add curry leaves, onion, ginger, garlic and chili and saute until golden. Add all the powdered spices and cook for a minute or two.
4. Add the vinegar or lemon juice, coconut milk, brown sugar and salt and cook until it comes to a boil 
5. Add the fried eggplant, reduce the heat and allow the eggplant to soak up the liquid. Adjust seasonings
6. Serve with rice or roti or any flat bread.

Fish Rice Congee

Jook or rice congee is a Chinese version of comfort food. It is most commonly eaten as breakfast or as a comfort when you are not feeling well. It is also the first solid food mothers like to introduce to their babies as it is easily swallowed. Rice congee is made of rice that is cooked in either plain or flavoured broth for a period of time to obtain soft and silky texture. Chicken, ground pork, fish or shrimps can be added as a source of protein. I have also seen other varieties of jook. Koreans like to add oysters, abalones and pine nuts into the congee. Others like to cook the congee with root vegetables. Decades ago, when rice was scarce during war time, my grandparents would mix rice congee with sweet potatoes to feed the whole family. Needless to say, it becomes my parents' favourite.

One of my favourite rice congees is fish congee. In this recipe, I use basa fillet and flavour the broth with lots of ginger. Instead of making chicken noodle soup for your cold, why don't you give rice congee a try?

Skill Level: Easy 

Serves:3 - 4

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 cup Thai jasmine rice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can chicken broth
• 6 slices of ginger
• 1 L water
• 2 tbsp of preserved vegetables (dung chai), rinsed
• 1 pieces of Basa fillet, sliced thinly
• White pepper to taste

Toppings:

• 8-10 thin slices of ginger, cut into julienned strips
• a handful of cilantro/coriander
• Chinese pickles such as pickled cucumbers, turnips, olives
• Soy sauce 
• Sesame oil

 METHOD: 

1. Rinse and soak the uncooked rice overnight in a bowl, drain
2. Boil the water in a pot with chicken broth, preserved vegetables and ginger slices over high heat
3. Add in the rice and cook until boil. Lower heat and simmer for 3- to 40 minutes, half covered. Stir every 5 minutes
4. If the congee is too thick, you can add in hot boiling water bit by bit
5. Once the congee has turned into silky smooth texture, add in the sliced basa fillet
6. Cook for another 10 minutes
7. Serve with sesame oil, ginger, cilantro or any of your favourite toppings

Thai Mango Salad

Have you ever found yourself stressing about what to make for summer parties or potlucks? You want to make something exotic and memorable that keeps everyone talking about your dish long after the food has been consumed - something different from your regular garden salad, pasta salad or coleslaw. But then, thinking of the word "exotic" alone, you start to wonder if you can find the required ingredients in your local grocery store.

BBQ season doesn't officially begin until the long weekend of May. However, with the unusually warm weather that we have had, it is not surprising that my neighbourhood is filled with lingering and intoxicating smells of barbecue. My blog partner's sister, G, happened to visit Toronto last week and I decided to throw a Thai-themed dinner and made Thai Mango Salad as a starter and the verdict from my guests: absolutely must be featured on this blog! 

Traditionally, Thai Mango Salad is made with half-ripened mangoes for tanginess and crunch. Ingredients such as shallots, Thai hot peppers and lemongrass are pounded in a mortar with dashes of fish sauce. But because I had limited time to prepare this appetizer, I decided to take a short-cut! I flavoured the mango salad with Thai sauces I have on hand. I complimented my ripened mangoes with Granny Smith apples for a balance of sweet and sour. Let me assure you that this quick and easy recipe still has its authentic flavour.

All ingredients required in this recipe can be found easily in most grocery stores (Canadian Superstore, Loblaws, etc.) and Chinese groceries.

Skill Level: Easy 

Serves: 8 - 10

INGREDIENTS: 

• 6 mangoes
• 2 Granny Smith apples
• 1 red bell pepper
• 8 shallots or 1/2 red onions
• a handful of mint and cilantro, each
• 1 cup roasted cashew nuts, unsalted
• 3/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 5 tbsp fish sauce

 METHOD: 

1. Cut mangoes and apples into julienned strips
2. Similarly, cut red bell peppers into thin julienned strips
3. Slice thinly red onions or shallots
4. Finely chop mint and cilantro
5. In a big salad bowl, mix all ingredients and sauces together
6. Add in cashew nuts
7. Serve right away or fridge for an hour

Sambal Sotong (Spicy Squid)

Ahh....squids...how I hated them when I was young. The minute my mom mentioned we would be having squids for dinner, we knew we were in trouble ... meaning we all had to clean the squids. No work, no dinner! It was not a so-great memory but now, I am thanking my mom for teaching us the skills. Luckily, I no longer have to suffer as I can easily find already-cleaned frozen squids in grocery stores. Yahoo!

One of great ways to enjoy squids is cooking it in a savoury hot sauce. Sambal sotong or spicy squids can be found in every street restaurant in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is spicy yet sweet with a kick of sourness from tamarind. To those of you who love spicy food, this is definitely a must try! 

Skill Level: Easy 

Serves: 4-5

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 lb already-cleaned frozen squids
• 6 shallots, sliced
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste 
• 3 tbsp brown sugar 
• 4 tbsp all-purpose chili paste (click for recipe)
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• Salt to taste 

 METHOD: 

1. In a deep frying pan, cook squids for 7 to 8 minutes. At this time, they will release all the moisture and start curling up 
2. Remove from pan and drain all the liquid. Set aside
3. In the same pan, add in cooking oil and sauté shallots until fragrant and golden brown
4. Stir in all-purpose chili paste and cook with slow heat for 10 minutes. Cover with a glass lid to prevent splatter
5. Add in tamarind paste, and brown sugar. Cook until the sauce turns deep red
6. Lastly, add in squids and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt to your taste 

All-Purpose Sambal (Hot Sauce)

Whenever I wanted to have spicy Indonesian-Malaysian food, I dreaded the troublesome that I had to take to make hot sauce prior to cooking. My mom happened to visit me last Fall and suggested that I should make a big batch and freeze the hot sauce. Wait...why didn't I even think of that? So I managed to buy a bag of red hot chilis from farmer's market and made this hot sauce. I have to agree with mom that now I can whip up authentic Indonesian-Malaysian dishes in minutes. A big thank you to mom! This sauce can be used in soups, noodles, stir-fry dishes and many more! Stay tune to check out more recipes with my all-purpose sambal!

Skill Level: Easy

INGREDIENTS:

• 250 g fresh red hot chilis
• 8 shallots, peeled
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tomato 
• Water
• 1 tbsp salt 
• 5 tbsp cooking oil

METHOD:

1. In a saucepan, cover all ingredients with water and boil for 20 minutes, covered
2. Drain the water and put all ingredients in a food processor, blend for 10 to 15 seconds
3. In a cooking pan, heat up cooking oil and add in the chili paste 
4. Saute under low heat for 5 minutes, add salt 
5. Cook for another 10 minutes and store in freezer

A Perfect -10 Chinese Fried Rice!

Ever wonder why the fried rice that you cook is mushy while the one that you get from Chinese take-out across the street is so light and fluffy? Well, look no further because I have a Perfect-10 Chinese Fried Rice recipe. My recipe gives a light, fluffy and flavourful rice that I am confident you and your guests will go for a second helping without being shy. Let me share some secrets of making the perfect fried rice:

• You must use overnight cooked long grain rice (preferably Thai Jasmine). I repeat: overnight cooked rice is a MUST. So, if you think you want to have a plate of fried rice right away to satisfy your craving...I'm afraid that will not happen unless if you happen to have leftover cooked rice in your fridge
• If you want to add eggs in this dish, you need to make sure that you scramble the eggs until well done before you add in the rice. Adding in rice while your eggs are not fully cooked will give you mushy rice. PATIENCE is the key
• You must use enough cooking oil for fried rice. This will glisten your fried rice without burning them
• Lastly, you need to make sure your pan is really really hot when you cook fried rice. This will give you light and toasty fried rice. If you are not comfortable cooking with high heat, I recommend that you prepare all ingredients ahead and lay them out on your kitchen counter

Skill Level: Easy 

Serves: 4-5

INGREDIENTS: 

• 5 cups cooked Thai jasmine rice, overnight in fridge 
• 1 Chinese sausage (optional) 
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten 
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans) 
• 2 tbsp fish sauce 
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 
• 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce 
• 6 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced 
• 2 dashes of white or black pepper

METHODS: 

1. In a wok or cooking pan, add in cooking oil and Chinese sausages and cook under high heat
2. Once hot, add in garlic and saute until fragrant 
3. Pour in the eggs, let sit for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir until cooked and dry 
4. Add in the frozen vegetables and cook for another 3 minutes
5. Pour in the cooked rice, stir 
6. Add in fish sauce, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Stir until rice is uniformly coated with the wet ingredients
7. If you like it hot, you can add in Sriracha hot sauce, black/white peppers
8. Cook for another 5 minutes or until you hear some "toasted popping" sounds from your pan. That tells you that your rice is toasted and it's time to turn off the pan 
9. Serves hot with cucumbers if you like

Okra with five spice

Okra (or lady's finger as it is known in most of Asia) is a mucilaginous green vegetable that contains soluble fibre and features in European, Asian, American and Mediterranean cuisine. In India, okra is pickled, stuffed, fried and curried. This simple but tasty recipe has few ingredients but gets its unique flavour from a 5 spice blend called Panch Pooran. Available at Indian grocery stores, it can easily be made by mixing together equal amounts of the 5 spices. Fenugreek or Methi mentioned in an earlier post, is used in this recipe, but this time it is the seed not the leaves that make up one of the 5 spices. The others are cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, fennel seeds and nigella or kalonji seeds. Nigella seeds are called onion seeds or black caraway. Tempering these spices releases the aromatic oils in them and adds flavour to the vegetable. You can either purchase a packet of already mixed spices or add 1tsp each of the spices mentioned above. Fresh okra is readily available but I like to have a bag of cut, frozen okra in the freezer as a quick and easy option. 




INGREDIENTS:

• 3 medium onions sliced
• 1 bag of frozen okra or 1/2 lb of fresh okra
• 11/2 tsp panch pooran 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 medium tomato cut into small pieces
• 2 Tbsp dessicated unsweetened coconut
• 2-3 Tbsp cooking oil

METHOD:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the panch pooran
2. Add the sliced onion and sauté until transparent
3. Add coconut powder and turmeric and chili powders and sauté until coconut is aromatic, use medium heat to prevent coconut from burning
4. Add cut okra and salt and mix with the onion coconut mixture
5. Cover the pan and allow the okra to cook
6. When it is almost done, add cut tomatoes and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes

Dhaniya Methi Paneer

There have been no posts for a few weeks; despite (or, maybe because of ) the mild winter, I had the flu that put me out of commission for about ten days. But over the weekend, I managed to cook up a few dishes for "Meatless" March. This dish Dhaniya Methi Paneer is a recipe borrowed from a dear friend - who came over this weekend - and I got high praise from his wife, so it goes to show that I followed the recipe really well. Dhaniya is Coriander or Cilantro. In North America, coriander refers to the seeds and the leaves are called cilantro; however, if you are from India, we refer to it as coriander leaves and coriander seeds. Methi is fenugreek - a medicinal plant whose leaves and seeds are used widely in Indian cuisine. Paneer is fresh cheese made by curdling milk with vinegar or lemon juice. In this age of convenience, paneer is available at most grocery stores. I purchase the Nanak brand. If you would like to make your own paneer, please write and ask so I can include the recipe. Vegans can substitute with firm tofu. This recipe is entirely vegetarian but the base used here works equally well with any white fish fillet. 


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large bunch of coriander leaves trimmed, washed and cut
• 1 green chili (more if you want a spicier dish)
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp Kasuri methi (available at Indian grocery stores, dried leaves)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (available at most grocery stores, this yellow spice is used in  prepared mustard in the West and extensively in Indian cooking)
• 2-3 Tbsp cooking oil 
• 1 block of paneer

METHOD:

1. Cut up the paneer or tofu into bite sized pieces
2. Use a food processor to mix the washed coriander garlic, chili and tomatoes. No water is needed, the mixture should resemble a salsa verde
3. Heat the oil in a pan and add the coriander mixture and cook for 5- 7 minutes
4. Add the methi leaves and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes
5. Season with salt and turmeric powde, add the paneer pieces and allow it to absorb the flavours of the coriander and fenugreek (Dhaniya and Methi)
6. Serve with rice or roti (recipes to follow in the near furure)