Derailed

Ravings: I’m not even sure how to begin this post. I know it’s been a week since I’ve posted anything, despite having planned to post at the end of last week. I even had one started. I swear!!!

However, life has left me a bit dazed the past few days. So while I figure out how to put it into words that are at least slightly coherent, just enjoy the recipes!


Cravings: It was fish night again, but it went pretty well this time. I think I'm getting better at this. It was flounder, however, which is one of the rare fishes he will eat willingly. I'm calling it Spice Crusted Flounder with Rajma Masala (that part I didn't make up).

Spice Crusted Flounder

1-2 flounder filets (Jason and I split one and it was plenty)
1 Tbsp five spice powder
1 Tbsp turmeric

Coat the fish with the spices and cook it on a baking sheet (lined with foil for easy clean-up) at 350 for 5-10 minutes.

Rajma Masala (from The Steaming Pot)

Rajma (red kidney beans) – 1 cup

Tomatoes – 4
Onions – 1
Ginger – 1-inch piece
Garlic – 6 cloves
Green chillies – 2, slit vertically
Chilli powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon
Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
Garam masala – 1/2 teaspoon
Oil – 1 tablespoon
Salt – to taste

The original recipe starts with how to cook the dried beans, but we had then frozen, so I just used those and added some water. Grind the onions, garlic and ginger together to a fine paste. Heat the oil in a flat-bottomed pan. Pop in slit green chillies. When the chillies change color, add the onion-ginger-garlic paste. Fry on medium-high heat till the paste turns golden-brown. Add coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilly powder. Mix well and cook for a minute. Puree the tomatoes. Turn the heat to high and mix in the tomato puree along with some salt. Cook, stirring frequently till the oil begins to leave the sides of the pan (8-10 minutes). Mix in the boiled rajma at this stage along with a cup of the water it was cooked in – add more if you want a thinner gravy. Cook covered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When nearly done, stir in garam masala.
 
Serve the fish over the Rajma Masala with a dollop of sour cream and a side salad. Yum!

From later in the week:

Spicy Garlic Stir Fry

1 package rice noodles
4 cups veggies for stir fry (we used a combination of broccoli, red peppers, and snow peas)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp sriracha
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar
sliced napa cabbage and green onions to garnish
toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Chop veggies and begin to stir fry. Mix soy sauce through honey and add to veggies just before the are done. Cook for a couple more minutes to coat veggies and allow sauce to heat through. Serve veggies on top of noodles and garnish with the cabbage, green onions and sesame seeds.

For dessert, we had sliced strawberries over Greek yogurt, drizzled with honey and a Coconut Lemon Meltaway.

I also made a healthier version of General Tso's chicken from a recipe I found on Pinterest. The flavor was fantastic, but the chicken just wasn't crispy enough. I'm trying to decide if I should fry it longer or try baking it in the oven. Any suggestions?

Healthier General Tso's Chicken (from Kitchen Simplicity, adapted from Martha Stewart)

Sauce:


1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups snow peas, trimmed and halved diagonally
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chicken and Coating:

2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

For sauce: Mix together water and cornstarch until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Set aside. For chicken: Whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Stir in chicken. To cook: Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil. Add half of chicken to pan, dripping off excess coating. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan, add more oil if necessary and repeat with remaining chicken. Set the chicken aside. Add sauce to skillet and cook until snow peas are tender and sauce is thickened. Add chicken (and any collected juices) to skillet.Toss to coat.

We served over brown rice.