Batter-fried Rockfish with Home-grown Potatoes

Not quite prolific yield as some years back, but, despite my inadvertent neglect, the bush green beans are trickling in by the handful. I stuck them in a spot where they barely get a few hours' direct sunlight each day so I am not expecting them to be bountiful this year.

Some of the home-grown potatoes were dug up as well, while they were still young, just the way I like them for a quick steam-and-sauté

Some rockfish caught in Alaska seemed perfect for batter-dipping and frying.

Corn starch plus chickpea flour with salt and paprika blended in ice cold plain soda is my favorite batter for getting a nice crisp crunch. Of course, oil temperate matters, so checking that between batches is something I am training myself to do.

Some chimichurri made with home-garden herbs served as the dip for the fish, although the kids turned up their noses and reached for the ubiquitous ketchup (no HFCS, organic!) when it came to dipping their fish and chips.

Yellow Eye Pan-seared with Wild Rice and Blanched Green Beans

The other adult came back from Alaska with a modest catch of pristine fish.

Humongous Halibut was among the catch. As was immaculate Chinook Salmon. Plus lovely Ling Cod. These are the only kinds of fish, caught fresh in unspoilt waters, that we like. Some Yelloweye came home as well and I sure won't turn up my nose on them either, especially when I know the source and the work that went into catching them and bringing them home for us.

The good part is, it was all cleaned and cut and vacuum sealed and frozen, ready for storing and using over the next few months.

And, yes, I had to ask if the fish suffered much, trying to make peace with the handful he brought home, talking to the frozen packets as if they were alive, thanking them for nourishing us.

Although we don't eat much of ocean's bounty, these few above are the best of the best so am glad to have them.

This is a no-fuss pan-seared yelloweye rockfish dish. Quite a mouthful there.

The fish was marinated in ginger-garlic paste. Then pressed on to seasoned coating and pan-seared in my trusty cast iron skillet to seal and brown the sides, then covered a cooked till the insides were done to flaky tenderness.

Wild rice was cooked in the rice cooker with some garden herbs and aromatic spices. Green beans were blanched to crisp-tender perfection.

Some blistered mild chilies are a fantastic accompaniment for the fish, with some lemon slices and sauteed onions.

Paruppusili: Warm Vegetable Salad with Lentils

Growing up on staple South Indian vegetarian cuisine - vegetables and legumes and grams along with rice and yogurt and a variety of pickles - I find that these still offer the comfort of sumptuous yet quick-fix meals.

Over the last decade, rather than white rice, I opt for quinoa or brown Basmati rice, sometimes millet or barley, with barley being more of a soup additive by preference than a rice alternative.

Combining vegetables with lentils for the protein boost is one of my favorite side dish or starter, if not the main course. The classic example is the Paruppusili dishes I make on and off and can't have enough of.

Just about any vegetable lends itself to this method of presentation, except the squashes (summer and winter) and  bittergourd and beets and greens, according to my mom. And, Kovakkai/Tindora Paruppusili used to be a very special treat during season.

Of course, I beg to differ... Beets+Potatoes Paruppusili is quite delicious with a unique combination of textures and tastes. And there is nothing like the crunch and nutrition of Kale Paruppusili.

The typical method is to soak the toor dal with some cumin and  dry red chilies and then grind it into a coarse paste, steam it, then pan fry it before tossing it with the cooked vegetables. Seems elaborate, but after arriving at some short-cuts and alternatives over the years, this is something I enjoy making on and off.

An alternative to the typical paruppusili is to roast and coarse-grind lentils and stir it into to finish the cooking vegetables:

Simply toast some Urad dal and chana dal till golden brown, along with some dry red chilies, asafoetida and cumin seeds and grind it in a spice-grinder to a coarse powder. Toss in some roasted peanuts, if preferred, while grinding.

I start with tempering for these dishes first - heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, when it is shimmering add mustard seeds and when they pop add some curry leaves if available, then add the chopped vegetable, a pinch of salt and water as needed to cook the vegetables. Finish off the dish by stirring in the ground dal mixture. And for want of a better word, since 'paruppu' means lentils/dals, I still call this style of dish as Paruppusili.

Chayote Squash, Carrots and Cabbage Paruppusili

Stir-fried Yellow and Green Beans with Pan-fried Tofu and Chevre

Being primarily vegetarian, a plateful of vegetables completely satisfies my appetite. 'Primarily vegetarian'? I caught myself asking as I typed, and then started wondering how it might come across. Well, I do taste the poultry and fish I cook for the family (no beef, pork, lamb etc), but I don't relish it as a meal, having spent the first 3 decades of my life as a vegetarian. So, while no strict rules about it, I do tend to avoid eating meat.

Well, now that we've gotten that bit of trivia out of the way, this plate full of stir-fried veggies made quite a sumptuous meal that I wanted to share here.

Pan-fried tofu is a great option for adding protein to a vegetarian meal (well, unless there is some soy intolerance and other health reasons). When we buy a block or two, I tend to bake/pan-fry a batch and have it handy in the fridge/freezer.

The flavoring for the baked tofu is carried through to the vegetables in this recipe via the marinade. Of course, feel free to substitute any other favorite marinade/dressing.

Ingredients
Extra Firm tofu
a variety of green beans and baby carrots, par-cooked
peeled and sliced garlic cloves
Chèvre - Goat Cheese
Crushed roasted peanuts
vegetable oil

Marinade:
Soy sauce
Balsamic vinegar
Minced garlic
Agave nectar (just a tiny bit)
Hot sauce (I used Tapatio Salsa Picante which was handy, but prefer Sambal Oelek)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400° F
2. Stir or blend the marinade well; make enough for tofu as well as vegetables, and maybe save some for drizzling right before serving
3. Slice the block of tofu into 1cm thick slices, drench in marinade and bake for about 45 minutes, flipping half way though and basting with marinade as needed; remove from oven, allow to cool and cut into strips
4. Heat oil in a pan, add the par-cooked beans, some marinade, sliced garlic, and stir fry; toss in strips of tofu as well
5. Off heat, stir in crushed roasted peanuts, drizzle extra marinade if preferred, dot with tangy clean-tasting chèvre to balance the flavors and serve at room temperature

Home-garden Yellow Squash, Chard, Green beans, Tomatoes

Another delicious meal straight from the garden: the yellow Mexican squash was ready to be picked. Some chard, green chilies, green beans and tomatoes were ready as well. They all came together for this simple vegetable medley, with some corn kernels and onions.


Simply sauté together till vegetables are cooked but not mushy. Add favorite spices. I used one of my favorite store-bought paste: Maggi™ "Kitchen Secrets"™ Bhuna Masala Paste for Vegetables and Dal.

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is one of my favorites, especially for Thanksgiving dinner. However, this year, I have made it quite a few times in the last few months, not just on Thanksgiving Day, possibly because casseroles are a great alternative to soups for quick and easy weeknight dinners.

Nothing special about this recipe - very much like what comes on the label of Campbell's™ soup cans. I change the seasoning a bit, and prefer Cream of Asparagus soup rather than Cream of Celery.

Frozen French cut green beans and canned soup makes for a quick meal that cooks under 30-35 minutes. If in season, fresh green beans cut into 1" pieces and blanched, along with a creamy sauce from scratch is a nice alternative (adjust cooking time as needed).

While Green bean casserole is typically served as a side dish, I make it a main meal especially on cold fall and winter nights. Seasoning and flavors can be adjusted to taste - I keep it fairly simple for the kids, and add a few drops of Tabasco™ sauce or Franks™ Red Hot for myself and D.

Ingredients
16 oz of frozen French-cut beans, thawed
1 can (10¾ oz) Cream of Asparagus (or Broccoli or Potato) soup
6 oz evaporated milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon thyme seasoning (optional)
1 Tbsp French Onion Dip mix
2/3 can of French fried onions (about 4 oz)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F; reserve half of the French-fried onions to use as topping at the end
2. In a 9-inch square baking dish, combine all the ingredients, stir well and bake for about 25 minutes till bubbly; if preferred, use about 4oz of evaporated milk (+ a few Tbsp water) instead of 6oz, for a thick casserole
3. Top with the reserved French-fried onions and bake another 3 or 4 minutes to crisp the French-fried onions, taking care not to char them
4. Serve warm

Buckwheat Soba, Teriyaki Chicken and Blanched Green Beans

This Buckwheat Soba, Teriyaki Chicken and Blanched Green Beans is a simple meal combination, another one of D's favorites.

Soba and the green beans are flavored with a dash of Ponzu sauce after cooking and draining. Teriyaki chicken is very much like the usual recipe I follow, nothing new.

Ingredients
for the Teriyaki sauce and glaze:
¼ cup shoyu, or dark soy sauce
¼ cup mirin (or, sherry, if mirin is not handy)
¼ cup sake
1 Tbsp brown sugar (or, superfine caster sugar, if handy)

2 medium frozen skinless boneless chicken breasts, thawed
1 Tbsp sesame oil, or canola oil

Garnish: strips of nori, toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

1. Heat the teriyaki sauce ingredients gradually till sugar dissolves; off heat, let it cool
2. Cut the chicken breast into bite size pieces and marinate in some of the cooled teriyaki sauce, for about 15-20 minutes
3. Heat the oil in the pan to high heat, drain the marinated chicken pieces, toss them into the hot pan and stir them around; alternately, pre-heat grill or broiler and grill or broil the chicken; I prefer to pan-fry
4. Toss around, turning all sides, over medium high heat, adding teriyaki sauce a little at a time to glaze the chicken pieces; cook till chicken is done, still juicy and tender; usually close to 170°F

Green Bean Salad with Marinated Feta and Roasted Red Bell Peppers

Crisply blanched green beans drizzled with my favorite Aka Miso and Blue Agave Nectar Dressing makes a wholesome side for a weeknight meal. When tossed with roasted red bell peppers and marinated feta, this becomes a meal in itself.

Feta can be used without marinating, but, I like to let it sit in a mixture of pomegranate red wine vinegar and olive oil for about 10 minutes while getting the green beans ready.

Store-bought roasted red bell peppers (packed in water) sautéed with some onions can be tossed in with the blanched green beans before drizzling the dressing.

Top with sliced almonds and serve at room temperature.