Raspberry Chicken.

Served here with seasoned bulgar and broccoli.

Here is an incredibly easy dish that will impress anyone. Fresh raspberries are typically available year round, but if you can find fresh ones that are actually local, and in-season, even better. Serve this with couscous, rice, pasta, bulgar or whatever...and maybe a salad or veggies. The recipe serves two. The sauce can also be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week or so.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup white wine vinegar (red works too in a pinch)
1/4 cup natural raspberry preserves, seedless*
2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce or Bragg Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 Tablespoon of oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thick
1-2 shallots, peeled and sliced
A few fresh raspberries

*If you have preserves with seeds, heat in a microwave first until thin and smooth, then mix with the vinegar and water. Pass through a strainer/sieve to remove seeds, and continue.

Whisk first four ingredients together until smooth. Add the pepper flakes and set aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat until hot. Stir-fry chicken and shallots until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and leave the shallots in the pan. Add the raspberry sauce to the pan and continue to simmer, scraping up any bits from the bottom, until sauce thickens to your liking. Add the fresh raspberries to the sauce and stir for a few seconds. Plate the chicken and pour sauce over. Finish with a bit of salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Okra.

Served here with black eyed peas, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes.

Growing up in Tennessee, okra was everywhere. During the summer, when it was maturing, folks were always willing to pass along a big bag full from their gardens, which were overflowing. Some folks love it, others hate it. There are few in between. If you belong to the love camp, then you HAVE to try this recipe. If no, it might just change your mind. The slimy green veggie to which many are accustomed becomes something different with this recipe. Whole young pods are stuffed with spices and sautéed with onions until slightly browned and crisp. It's simple, though a bit time-consuming if you are making a large batch (in which case you crack open a couple of beers and get someone to help you).

This dish is perfect for any meal. It works with an Indian spread, goes with southern food really well, and fits right in on the Thanksgiving table or at a picnic (yes, it's even good at room temp). I am a huge fan of okra, and since moving to Seattle, I do have a problem finding it fresh sometimes. Your best bet is an Asian produce stand. You can find it usually at most locations in the International District much cheaper than at local grocery stores.

This recipe makes enough for two. Double the recipe for more. Don't be afraid to mix up the spices a bit and make it your own way!

If it's messy, it's okay.

You will need:

30-40 small-medium young okra
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon mango powder*
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 or 3 Tablespoons of peanut or vegetable oil
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
A few cherry tomatoes (optional)
Cilantro (optional)

Stir-fry in hot oil.

Fry until golden brown.

Wash and dry the okra. Working with each pod separately, cut off most of the hard stem and make a long slit, from just near the stem, stopping just before the tip. Don't cut the okra into 2 parts; rather make a pocket to hold the spice mixture.
In a small bowl, mix the spices and salt. Using a small spoon or your fingers, stuff a pinch of the spice mix into each okra pod. Save any left over. If the okra splits in half, or you don't have enough spice, or it looks messy, don't fret. Everything is just fine.

Sautéed with sweet onions.

Heat a couple Tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat until hot. Add the stuffed pods and stir fry until beginning to brown (in batches if necessary). Reduce heat to medium and cook until browned and tender, 10-15 minutes or so. Remove okra from pan and set aside on a plate.
Add a Tablespoon or so of oil into the pan and return to heat. Increase heat slightly and add the onion. Stir-fry the onion until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes or so. Transfer the okra back to the pan and stir gently to combine with the onion. Add any leftover spice, reduce heat to medium, and cook for another minute or two. Toss in a few cherry tomatoes and some cilantro if you like and serve.

*Mango powder can be found at Indian groceries or online. Although it isn't completely necessary, it does add a wonderful flavor to the recipe. Just go order some now and forget about it. You will be happy you did. If you wanna be stubborn and skip it, squeeze a bit of lemon over the dish just before serving instead.

Your Last Beef Stroganoff Recipe.

When I developed recipes for Dinosaur Takeout last year, the greatest challenge was taking classics and adapting them for a 3-step, 30-minutes-or-less meal that still delivered flavor and quality. Our biggest seller, by far, was our Beef Stroganoff. I'm not surprised. After visiting recipe after recipe, and borrowing tips and ingredients from each one, I created one that I believe has excellent balance, rich flavor, and is a tiny bit better for you than the traditional recipe. So look no further! You will notice that the cream has been cut with some nonfat yogurt. Make sure you get natural yogurt! If the ingredients go beyond milk and enzymes, skip it. Same goes for your sour cream...it should contain cream, milk, and enzymes...no fillers. This really will make a difference. The yogurt lightens the sauce a tad, but it tastes just as good. Go ahead and make a batch and store it in the fridge. It will keep for a few days, and the flavors will combine over time. Plus, when the sauce is pre-made, cooking dinner is a snap later on.

You can't lose with this one!

This batch makes about 1 3/4 cups of sauce...plenty for two people. Double it if you'd like.

You will need:

1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of plain nonfat yogurt
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
8 oz sirloin (or whatever steak you like), thinly sliced against the grain
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1 Tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
2 oz cherry tomatoes (optional)

4 oz egg noodles (cook according to package directions while sauce is simmering)

To make the sauce, combine all 9 ingredients and mix well until smooth. Set aside.

For the stroganoff, heat a frying pan over medium high heat until hot. Add the butter, give it a swirl, then add the next 5 ingredients. Stir-fry until steak is cooked to your liking. Remove the steak and transfer to a side plate. Continue cooking the rest for a minute or two until onions begin to brown. Pour the sauce (as much or little as you'd like) into the pan with the onions and simmer until thickened. Return beef to the pan, toss, and serve over cooked egg noodles. Enjoy!

Indian Food 101.

You wanna cook some Indian food but don't know how? Well, follow these three steps, and you'll be on your way!

Step 1: Get yourself a good cookbook. There are many out there, and you can spend days deciding. But don't. Order a copy of The Indian Vegetarian by Neelam Batra. If you are a meat eater, order it anyway. Concentrate on building really good sauces and exploring new flavors. You can always incorporate meats and fish later on. Also, don't just dive into the recipes. Read the introduction for a basic understanding of the ingredients.

Step 2: Find a source for spices and ingredients. I'm lucky because I have an Indian grocery store nearby. I buy most of my spices in bulk (which saves tons of $$), and they are really helpful so I can ask a lot of dumb questions. Do a search and see if there is one in your neighborhood. If not, you can easily find a supplier online or make a trip to a nearby town that has one. If all else fails, try Amazon. Also, if you don't have fresh tomatoes, use canned...if you don't have fresh peas, use frozen. Take a shortcut or two and relax.

Step 3: Stock up. Collect your ingredients and get to work. The list of spices can be intimidating, but don't let it stop you. With most of the exotic spices, a little goes a long way. Buy or make yourself some chutneys, some pickles, and some spice blends (the book explains it all, and most keep for a good while). Also, if you buy whole spices, get yourself a spice grinder. A mortar & pestle works, but a grinder will make you happier. Oh, and don't use your coffee grinder to grind spices. You will regret it forever.

How to make your own Garam Masala

Garam Masala is a spice blend as common in India as salt & pepper is here. Garam means "hot" in the Hindi language. And though this blend does deliver a bit of heat due to the black pepper, the name comes from the fact that the spices included are warming spices which produce internal heat in the body. Commercial mixes are available, but they are usually expensive and contain other spices to increase their volume. If you find one you like, great...otherwise, here is an easy recipe to make your own.

You will need:

a spice grinder

a small nonstick skillet

a screened strainer or sieve

25 black cardamom pods

3 Tablespoons ground cloves

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 Tablespoons ground black pepper

Grind the cardamom pods with their skins in a grinder until powdered. Pass through a sieve and discard the husks. Place all four ground spices in a dry nonstick skillet and roast over medium heat until heated through, only 30 to 40 seconds (or until it begins smoking). Shake to stir the spices. Transfer to a bowl or plate and cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Garam Masala is typically added to dishes just before serving, but it is also used during cooking.

"Well, aloe there lemonade!"

It's no secret that aloe is rather miraculous, so I won't go into details on why it should be your friend. However, I will comment on my new found love, GIGANTIC FRESH ALOE LEAVES from my fabulous Asian produce stand! I've seen them there for ages, but it wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I actually bought one. It is rather intimidating because of its size, but after a bit of searching, I found instructions on how to properly "fillet" a leaf and prepare it for consumption. Unless you are using the whole thing at once, simply cut off what you need, then stick the cut end of the remaining leaf into a plastic bag, and store it in the fridge unpeeled.

It's easier to peel chunks of the leaf rather than the whole thing at once.

Slimy deliciousness!

The gel is kinda crazy. It's super slimy, cool, crystal clear, and slippery. You can't really eat it without mixing it with something because it is bitter. Mixing it in a smoothie is perfect...just give it a little extra time in the blender to liquify it. It actually adds a nice smooth texture to your beverage with no bitter taste. My favorite preparation so far though is aloe lemonade. It's easy, refreshing, and delicious. Here is my basic recipe. You can use more or less sugar if you want. You can also use honey, but good luck with that. When I tried it, it just stuck to the bottom of the blender.

You will need:

a blender
a pitcher or jug

1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1/2 cup sugar
6 oz or so of peeled aloe gel
3 1/4 cups water (or soda water)


Place lemon juice, sugar, and aloe in the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour contents into a pitcher or jug and add water. Give it a stir and pour over ice. This will keep for a couple of days in the fridge too. Enjoy!

Feel free to substitute prepared lemonade or frozen concentrate for a shortcut. Soda water makes a great fizzy beverage! Also, try adding berries or any fruit you like to the blender.

Party time!