Grilled Salmon

    Salmon is one of the best sources of protein and omega 3 fattyacids. Living here in UK, we are lucky enough to get the best salmon in the world from the freshwater Lochs in Scotland. The meat is marbeled with enough fat which keeps the flesh soft after cooking. Here is a lip smacking version of the salmon - grilled salmon and my favourite of all time. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Filleted Salmon (skinless & boneless) - 350 gms

Garlic butter - 1 Tablespoon (optional)

For Marinade

Red Chilli Powder - 11/2 Teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon

Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon

Salt - as required

Dried Thyme - 1/2 Teaspoon

Lime Juice - Juice of 1/2 lime

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients mentioned under the for marinade header and make a fine paste. Check for heat and salt and adjust it according to your palate.

2. Cut the salmon steak into equal sized pieces.

3. Marinate the salmon with the marinade and let it marinate for an hour or longer.

4. Arrange the salmon pieces with the skin side down and leave enough space between them in a baking tray lined with aluminium foil.

5. Smear the garlic butter on the top and sides of the salmon pieces.

6. Pre-heat the oven to 200 C and place the baking tray in the middle rack of the oven and cook for 8 - 10 minutes. 

7. Turn the salmon to the other side and cook for just 1 minute until the skin side gets crispier.

8. Take the tray outside and allow it to rest for 2 minutes.

9. Serve hot with a squeeze of lime and sliced onion by the side.

Note 

* Do not over cook as all the water and oil from the fish will ooze out and the meat will become harder.

Pepper Prawn

I have become obsessed with prawns after coming to UK. Myself and my hubby would have them at least one every two weeks. To our surprise, it tasted amazing the day after its preparation, so I would always spare some for the next day. Here s the recipe of this mouth watering dish, Enjoy!

Ingredients
King Prawns - 500 gms (peeled n cooked)
Olive Oil - 1/2 Tablespoon
Gingely Oil - 1/2 Tablespoon
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
Bay leaf - 1
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Green Chilli - 1
Onion (medium) - 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 1/2 Tablespoon
Tomato (medium) - 2 (finely chopped)
Curry Leaves - 10
Fresh Coriander Leaves - to garnish
Salt - to taste
Pepper - 1 Tablespoon
Masalas
 Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
 Red Chilli Powder - 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 2 Teaspoon


Method
1. Heat both the oils in a pan and add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, fennel seeds and cumin seeds and fry for 5 seconds.
2. Add the green chilli followed by onion and sauté in a medium high flame until the onion is completely cooked. (It takes about 7-10 minutes)
3.  Now add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 3 minutes and then add the tomatoes followed by salt and the masalas. Reduce the heat to medium low.
4. Fry until the raw smell of the masalas go away. Add 1/4 cup of water and stir the contents. 
5. Close the pan with a lid and allow it to cook for 10 minutes.
6. Now add the prawns and cook for 6 minutes in a medium flame. Prawns will give out lot of water.
7. After 6 minutes increase the flame to high and allow the water to dry. Stir constantly until you get the desired gravy content.
8. Finally add the ground pepper and curry leaves, give a quick stir and turn off the heat. Cover the pan with a lid. Pepper and curry leaves will get cooked in the heat of the pan itself.
9. Open the lid after 5 minutes, you will smell the amazing aroma of the prawns, pepper and curry leaves.
          Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Pepper prawn is ready to be served.

Note
* Pepper prawn goes well with rotis and rice.
* The amount of pepper can be altered.

Grilled Fish

I was not a big fan of fish and other sea food until I reached UK. We once spent our vacation in Italy, exploring pizzas, pasta and sea food. We had grilled fish with a side salad, since then I started loving fresh grilled fish. Myself and my husband will have them almost every Friday night, watching movies with a dim ambience set at our home. I gave a little desi twist to the one we had in Italy and here it goes....Enjoy!

Ingredients
Whole Fish - 1 ( I used sea bass)
Chilli powder - 1 Tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 Tablespoon
Pepper- 1/4Tablespoon
Lemon juice - juice of 1/2 lemon
Oil - 2 Tablespoon
Salt - to taste


Method
1. Scale and gut the fish, clean and wash the fish properly. I usually get them completely cleaned from the market. Make 3 to 4 slits on both sides of the fish.
2. Marinate the fish with chilli powder, turmeric powder, pepper, lemon juice and salt for 2 to 4 hours. The longer the better!

3. Preheat the oven to the highest that you have at your home for 10 minutes. Meanwhile line the oven tray with aluminium foil and drizzle some oil over the foil and place the fish on the tray.
4. Place the tray with fish in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes and turn the fish to the other side and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes by drizzling some oil over the fish.
5. You can cook for another 5 minutes if you want the skin to be more crispy.
6. Serve the fish with lemon squeezed on top with fresh onion and lettuce.

Note
* Sea bream, sea bass, rainbow trout or any other fish of your choice can be used.
* The slits that you make should not be too deep because they might break the bones and when cooked the fish will be totally out of shape.
* I prefer to use the whole fish without any of the fins being removed because they become crispy and tastes good when grilled. But make sure you spread some oil on the foil because the fins might stick to the foil over the cooking period.

Fish Curry- Meen Kuzhambu

Fish curry or Meen Kuzhambu is the most favorite dish of many South Indians. Fish curry tastes the best next day, and it goes well with rice, idly and dhosa. This tasty delicious fish curry has tamarind as base and definitely a treat for your taste buds. Here I have given my version of simple meen kuzhambu which I have tried a zillion times in my kitchen. 

Ingredients: 

Fish (any fish that would go for curry) - 6-7 pieces

To grind:

Small onions- 1 cup

Garlic - 10-12 cloves 

Tomato - 1 (big size)

For Seasoning:

Gingely/sesame oil - 2 Tbsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Methi/fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - little

Green Chilly - 1 (optional)

Tamarind - a big lemon size

coriander powder- 2 Tbsp

Chilly powder- 1 Tbsp (variable according to your taste)

Salt- to taste

Method

1. Clean the fish pieces and marinate them with a pinch of chilly powder and turmeric powder and keep them aside.

2. Fry onions and garlic cloves in a pan with little oil until they turn golden brown. Add tomato, cut into pieces, to the pan and saute well. Grind this mixture into a thick paste.

3. Take a heavy-bottomed pan and heat sesame oil. Season with mustard, methi seeds and curry leaves. 

4. Saute a small amount of finely chopped onions and chilly along with the seasoning. Then, add the ground paste to it. 

5. Add coriander powder and chilly powder to the mix and cook well.  Add salt to taste.

6. Once the spices get cooked, add the tamarind pulp (make tamarind pulp according to the amount of sauce needed). Allow it to boil for 10-15 mins, in low fire, until the raw smell of tamarind goes off. 

7. Finally, add the fish pieces to the curry, allow to boil for five more mins and remove from the gas. 

8. Meen Kuzhambu is ready.

Note

Onion and garlic paste gives a thick texture to the curry. I have not added coconut. If you prefer, you can also add a piece of coconut while grinding onion and garlic.

Do not use Salmon for this curry, as the fish becomes rubbery with tamarind and spoils the taste.

Do not let the curry on fire for long time after adding the fish and do not mix too much with the spoon as the pieces might break.

Make sure that you leave it to stand for at least 2 hours before eating, so the curry gets the essence of fish and tastes better.

Take care while adding salt to the curry if you use sea fishes.