Author: wendytrivedi

Gulf Shrimp with Fresh Turmeric

On By wendytrivediIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

So if you have been online at all the past year or longer, you know how turmeric is one of the greatest health food/spice that there is. What you may not have seen or used is fresh turmeric!  We found some at the farmers market recently. It is a root a lot like ginger, but instead of hands like ginger, it looks more like thin fingers, with a bit darker skin. One big tip- use latex gloves or kitchen prep gloves when you clean the skin off, or you will have yellowish orangish hands!  I put on my gloves, took a sharp knife, and over the garbage gently scraped the skin off with the edge of a paring knife.  Then I cut the finger up into chunks on an old cutting board that I didn’t mind if it stained.  It smells wonderful -fresh, sort of earthy and warm like sunshine and earth. Here is a recipie that I made up to highlight this wonder spice:

1lb large shrimp, washed and peeled with tail on (for flavor!)

1 fresh jalipino, with seeds- minced

1 inch of ginger, peeled and cut in chunks

1 “finger” fresh turmeric, peeled and cut in chunks 

2 large garlic cloves, peeled

1tbs ghee or butter

1 tbs vegetable oil 

1/2 tsp salt

Chopped cilantro for garnish

*Serve over cooked rice

Put all ingredients but shrimp in a blender, I used my magic bullet (because it’s so small and easy to clean)

Blend to a paste, and add to shrimp. Marinate for at least 15-30 minutes in the fridge.

I chose to grill my shrimp on the gas grill, so I threaded them onto skewers. I preheated the grill to medium, and cooked them on either side for about 90 seconds. You want them to be just done.  In my opinion most people over cook shrimp. It’s a really hard balance, you want them just cooked through, but not tough. It’s better to take them off sooner, slice into one and see if it’s opaque and put them back on for another minute rather than over cook. And make sure you let them sit for a few minutes before serving, so they stay juicy and soft.

You could certainly play with the heat of this dish, if you want it less spicey, remove the seeds. If your jalipino tastes like a bell pepper, add some cayenne. Also, if you don’t have a grill, heat up a sauté pan, spray or add the tiniest bit of oil, and sauté the shrimp for 90 seconds on each side or until they just turn opaque and remove from the pan into a waiting bowl. (Again, you can add them back if they are not cooked all the way through)

 Marinating     Grilled!

Here they are! Start with amazing shrimp, add fresh ingredients, and pat yourself on the back for not only being an amazing cook, but oh so healthy! Fresh turmeric- so amazing!

Let me know if you have other ideas for fresh turmeric!

Lunch – stuffed baby eggplants Mumbai style

On By wendytrivediIn RecipesLeave a comment

I went to the farmers market yesterday and I found these wonderful baby eggplants.I knew I had to do something with them they were too cute to pass up! so I remembered a recipe that I had made a few years ago called maharashtrian stuffed eggplants. As many of you will come to find out my husband is Indian and so he loves it anytime I want to cook Indian food. I have come to have a new appreciation for Indian food with all the wonderful exotic spices and smells that come out of your kitchen, when you’re cooking it’s like a feast for the senses before you even take the first bite! This is a recipe that comes from the state of India called Maharashtra in which Bombay or now we say Mumbai is located.  I tend to tone down the recipies a bit, but you can spice up or down depending on your tastes!

Maharashtrian stuffed baby eggplants

Serves 2 with rice:

2 onions

3 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp amchur powder (pomegranate- find at ethnic/indian grocery)

3tbs shredded coconut- unsweet if you can find it, or if you use sweetened skip the sugar

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp garem masala powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp brown sugar

1tsp red hot chili powder- can substitute cayenne. Add to taste depending on how hot you like it!

3 large garlic cloves.

Dash of salt or to taste- I try to use less salt these days, but sometimes you need a little at least to really bring out the flavors.

Toss all the ingredients in a blender with some water and chop roughly.

Take 6 baby eggplants and slice them from stem to end down the middle. Then rotate them again 1/4 way and slice again. Now you have made it into quarters, but they are attached at the top by the stem.

Divide half the mixture from the blender and stuff the eggplants with it.

Heat up a large sauté pan with 1tbs oil over medium heat, once it’s warm, toss in a cumin seed. If it dances around in the pan, the oil is hot enough!

Add:

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp black mustard seeds

Pinch of hing or asafetida powder

Let the seeds crack and the mustard seeds pop.  Then add the other half of the onion mix and cook until onions become translucent.  Add stuffed baby eggplants, and cover and cook for 5 min, turn eggplants over, and add 1/2 cup warm water.  Cover and cook for another 20-25 min on med low to low heat until the eggplants are soft.

* ps- add more water as needed, it can dry out quickly. You can keep adding water if you like it with a little more gravy or “curry”, or let it dry a bit but not burn.  I personally like a little more curry (gravy) to soak into the rice a bit

Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro for a low fat and healthy yummy lunch!

Let me know what you think!