Baked Salmon in Kerala Fish Fry Masala

Tweet

  Hello lovely people! Once upon a time this was my place to use all my spare time. It was not ages ago only in 2012. Enjoyed it, but yet another move to a different country, Canada this time, and full time work surely made it hard to pursue blogging. Here and there I still keep my personal journalistic blog updated but cooking blog really was not happening because all the cooking and eating was making me gain weight. My metabolism was out of whack and wrecking havoc. I didn't want to cook rich food nor look and drool at my other blogger friends fantastic cooking. Having said that here I am back again writing because you can make all the excuse you want but once you enjoy food and cooking it is hard not to come back to this place which Namitha and I fondly created a while ago. As we were on the phone and reminiscing the good times she suggested I post this recipe. 

  This baked fish came about after I started Whole30 diet. Resetting my metabolism was the whole idea for me. I don't believe in writing all about my health issues because who doesn't have them!? What I do want to say is I managed to lose 10 lbs on this diet. This was 4 months back and the process was gradual and lost the said number of lbs in 3 months. You can look up whole30 or paleo for rules. This recipe today is whole30 compliant. With the amount of paparika and cayanne pepper powder this is not compliant with autoimmune protocol.

   Forget I talked about diet. If you live in North America, you know how Indian food smell lingers and become stale in a heart beat, and therefore most of us shy away from deep frying fish because you know going to work next day even with vague fishy smell is NOT Cool. Now when said fish is baked clean up and freshening up the room is much more effortlessly done. So if you are a Malayalee just get a whole salmon, gash it like in the picture, put you fish fry masala, marinate for at least an hour and bake at 420 D F for about 40 minutes turning it around half way through the process. Line the baking sheet with butter/wax paper and this makes turning the fish easier.

                            

I made baked potato wedges and a quickly thrown together green salad as accompaniment. My husband enjoyed it with rice and curry.

                                

Ingredients:

1. Salmon - 1 1/2 lb

2. Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp

3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn

4. Pepper powder - 1 tspn

5. Garlic powder - 1 tspn

6. Coconut oil - 2 tspn

7. Vinegar - a dash

8. Salt - 1 tspn ( check the marinade for salt before you rub it on the fish) 

Method

1. Clean the fish and make gashes on both sides

2. Heat oil in microwave for 20 seconds 

3. Add all the ingredients to the warm oil 

4. Rub all over the fish and throw away any extra

5. Marinate in fridge for an hour.

6. Lay fish on wax paper lined cookie sheet

7. Bake at 420 D F for 40 minutes turning half way through cooking

Chocolate Oreo Cupcakes with Cookies and Cream Frosting for Back to School

Tweet

It is that time of the year when kids go back to school in US. It is that time of the year you realize your kid is getting older, taking another milestone in their life. It is that time of the year when we know summer is almost over and Fall is upon us. It is that time of the year when my lil monkey goes to kindergarten. It is that time of the year when every Mother whose kids start school wonders - Where did all those five years go ?

Custard with Apple and Nuts

Tweet

I am feeling rather rusted as I try to get back to this space writing about recipes I believe in, and sharing my stories both inside, and outside the kitchen. Isn’t it always comfortable to start off a conversation with stories about weather? Then again this summer being so beastly, not just because of mercury rising, but with the wild fires rampant in Colorado, I am not so sure weather is a fun way to start talking. Coloradans are keeping our fingers and toes crossed wishing not just for rain but a down pour. You must all have heard about floods in India and Calgary, Canada, don’t you think weather is getting most unpredictable? I think so. Before moving on to chirpier topics, here is hoping you and yours are well and enjoying this summer.

We kick started summer with a few hikes both in Front Range and Rocky mountains. It is always a few degrees cooler in the mountains. Added to it the fragrance of the woods is so refreshing I like to just be out and about soaking in the atmosphere come summer. I am glad that my kids enjoy nature as much and are never bored in the outdoors like their parents.

Talking about kids my lil guy is not so little anymore, and he will be going to kindergarten this academic year. Time sure flies! Even as he gets older he does not cease to amuse or entertain with his quirks. Recently I overheard this conversation he had with his sister.

Chechi: What do you want to become when you get older?
Lil M(Without missing a beat replies): A garbage truck driver
Chechi (Aghast) : Why ?
Lil M(with a twinkle in his eyes): Then I can pick ALL the junk from all the people and BRING THEM HOME.

The rest of the family laughed out in unison and he looked at us quizzically as if we are the ones out of our mind. Knowing my son's keen interest in collecting junk, I wasn't surprised at his answer. But the animation with which he replies face all lit up, excited, and in the moment is so precious. Hm.. my son dreams of becoming rich collecting junk, Oh Boy! I might have an entrepreneur on my hands.

My husband and I both being scientifically inclined I wonder where he might have got that genes from. I am optimistic, maybe I have a midget of entrepreneur in me and that is where he gets it from. I will be sure of my selling skills if you are convinced to give this recipe a whirl.

Now, in all honesty what I have to share today is not exactly a recipe. It's just an idea for a quick dessert for summer. A friend of mine introduced it to me back in the days while I was in Hyderabad. It was a regular dessert in my household until some time back when blogging happened and more serious desserts took over. Even then it is so easy and fulfilling to put together this easy dessert it has found it’s way back into my heart and I hope it will into yours as well.

Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 5-6 min
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

Custard powder- 2 to 3 Tbsp
Milk- ~2 cup
Sugar- to taste
Slivered almonds- 2 Tbsp
Blanched almonds- a few
Apple, cut into bite sized pieces- ~ 1/2 cup

Method:

1.Cook the custard according to instructions on the packet. Don't let it go too thick. Add sugar,mix and let cool.
2.Grate the blanched whole almonds, keep aside.
3.When custard is cool, add the grated almonds and mix.
4.Throw in the slivered almonds and apple pieces.
4.Chill in the refrigerator and serve.

Notes:

1.I use Bird's custard powder, but you could use any brand preferably vanilla flavored one for this recipe.
2.The consistency of custard s totally up to you.