Monday, January 30, 2017

Asian Dishes for Chinese New Year 2017 - The Year of the Rooster

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Celebrate Chinese New Year 2017, " The Year of the Rooster"  with these fun and easy Asian inspired dishes!

Wishing you a peaceful, healthy and prosperous year ahead! 


 
Stir Fry with Meat:
 
Stir Fry with Seafood:
 
Vegetable Stir Fry:
 
Asian Noodle Stir Fry Dishes:


Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

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 Valentine's Day is coming up in a few weeks and these Strawberry Cheesecake Bites are a very special treat to make your loved ones.  
 
These Strawberry Cheesecake Bites are so fun, quick and easy to make and they only require a handful of ingredients and a little time.  
 
You can even get the kids involved in helping you on this one.   My kids LOVE strawberries and I think they make the perfect Valentine's Day fruit since they are red and shaped like a heart.
 
Share these little beauties with the ones you love and you will be sure to make them happy.


Ingredients:
Strawberries (as needed)
1 soften brick cream cheese (8oz)
1/3 cup up to 1/2 cup sugar ( to taste)
crushed graham crackers (as needed) 
 
Directions:
 Crush some graham crackers.  Reserve until later. Whip together the cream cheese and sugar until it's forms a creamy sweet cheesecake filling.

Wash strawberries.  Trim the tip of the strawberry so it can stand up.  Take a small knife and create a hole by coring the strawberry. (This step is best done by an adult if kids are helping since you will have to carefully use a knife)

Next place cheesecake filling into a pipping bag with a tip and fill the strawberry holes.  Top with some crushed graham cracker crumbs.  Serve immediately or chill and serve. Enjoy.



 



Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Spicy Lentil (Masoor Dal) Soup

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I love this spicy Masoor Dal soup that is truly a protein packed one pot meal.  Although I did not make this a vegetarian meal, it can easily become one by simply substituting vegetable stock and coconut milk if you want to make it vegan.  Masoor Dal is readily available in Indian Grocers and some larger grocery stores in their international section.  

Spicy Lentil (Masoor Dal) Soup
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients:
2 cups of uncooked masoor lentils (washed)
3 cups of water
1 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder (divided)
10-12 curry leaves (optional)
1 cinnamon stick
1 medium onion sliced
1 finely minced jalapeno
3 cloves of garlic finely minced or grated
2 cups finely diced fresh tomato
4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
red chili powder-to taste
1 tsp of dried thyme
1 Tbs of lime juice (more for garnishing)
1 cup of coconut milk (or cow's milk)
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Wash your masoor lentils well with water until the water runs clear. Boil the washed lentils in a large pan with water, cinnamon stick, curry leaves and 1 tsp ground turmeric until water cooks out and lentils are very soft and tender (do not add salt while cooking lentils). If you need to add more water to get your lentils fully cooked do so as needed.  Remove the cinnamon stick and curry leaves out of lentils. Then set cooked lentils aside until later.
 
In a large soup pot, add 1Tbs of canola oil.  Then on medium-low heat saute onion, garlic and jalapeno for 4-5 minutes.  Next increase stove to medium high heat and add tomatoes and saute for several minutes.  Next add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, dried thyme, salt, black pepper, red chili powder

Now add the chicken or vegetable stock, cooked lentils and lime juice.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Then use an immersion blender or put half the soup into a regular blender to cream up. Only partially "cream" the soup... it's nice to have some texture left.   Finally add the milk (coconut or cow's) and taste for salt and seasoning.  Serve hot.  Enjoy.






Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Monday, January 9, 2017

"Lucky" New Year's Biryani

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I am always looking for lucky foods to eat for New Year so we can celebrate the day and hopefully bless us with some luck throughout the year.  

I made this biryani on New Year's Day and my family went crazy for it.  This biryani is packed with all the lucky foods that I make sure I have on hand to cook to celebrate the New Year.  

I had pork (to move forward), collard greens ( for money), and black-eyed peas (fortune) all in this one biryani.  My son loved the black-eyed peas so much in the biryani he said he always wanted them added.  I also cooked a pot of lentils since they represent gold and coins.   

Here's to hoping that 2017 is a great year! Cheers!! 




"Lucky" New Year's Biryani
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients:

The Biryani Curry:
3 pounds boneless pork loin cut into large cubes (all fat removed)
2 Tbs garam masala powder
1 Tbs red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder 
2 Tbs grated ginger
3-4 cloves finely chopped garlic
salt and black pepper 
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large onion finely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers finely chopped
red chili flakes (to taste)
1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes
1 package Biryani powder
2 cans drained and rinsed black-eyed peas
1 small bunch of collard greens cleaned, trimmed and chopped
salt and black pepper to taste (if needed) 
1 1/2 cups sour cream  
2 1/2 cups water

The Rice
3 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice
2 dry bay leaves
3-4 cardamom pods
3-4 cloves
2 star anise
1 stick (2 inches) cinnamon stick
1 Tbs chicken bullion powder
5-6 cups cold water 

Garnishes:
Sliced Red Onions
Green Onions



 Directions:
Making the Biryani Curry:
Heat 1/4 cup of canola oil on high heat.  Add pork, garam masala, turmeric, salt, black pepper, ginger and garlic to pan. Then cook for 5-6 minutes and fry pork and spices.  Next add 2 1/2 cups of water to the pot and stir well. 

 Lower heat to medium heat and place lid on pot.  Cook pork for 45 minutes and check periodically.  ** If needed add water if needed.  

Clean collard greens well and remove the rib/stem.  Chop greens and set aside.  

Chop onion and jalapeno peppers.  Once pork has cooked for 45 minutes and is tender, add the collard greens, onion and biryani powder to the pot with the pork.  Cook for 10 minutes. 


Next add the can of diced tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.  

Then add the rinsed/drained blacked-eyed peas and cook another 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally and taste for seasoning and flavor.



Turn stove off and allow curry to sit for 5 minutes.  Then stir in the sour cream and mix well. 




Cooking the Biryani Rice and Curry:


Prepare rice when biryani curry is half way cooked. Wash rice well until water runs clear. Into a large pot add rice, cold water, bay leaves, star anise, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick and bullion powder.  Place on medium heat and cook until rice is 3/4 of the way cooked.  If necessary drain any extra water out.  My rice absorbed all the water.  Turn stove off and set rice aside until later.   Note:  I took the time to pull out all the aromatics (seeds/pods/cloves) from the rice before assembly.

Assembly ingredients:  (Note: Photos are from another biryani recipe)

Part1:  Partially cooked rice

Part 2: Biryani curry




Layering Process: 
Layer 1: In a large casserole dish place some of the curry gravy on the bottom.  

Layer 2:  Place more than 1/3 of the partially cooked riced in a layer.

Layer 3: Place half of the pork and 1/3 of the gravy over the layer of rice.  

Layer 4:  Layer of rice. *Use the same amount of rice as the first layer.

Layer 5:  Layer rest of pork pieces and 1/3 of the gravy.
 
Layer 6:  Final 1/3 of rice. (this layer can be a little less than the other two layers of rice. 

Layer 7: Spoon remaining curry gravy over top layer of rice. 

Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.  Before you serve biryani, mix all of the rice and chicken well and put into serving dish.   Serve with any curries you wish, salad, raita, boiled eggs etc.. 

Note:  Remember when you eat curry or biryani, the cardamom pods, cloves, seeds are meant to be removed as you eat.  They are only there to enhance the flavors of the dish and are not meant to be eaten.  Eating them does no harm, but the flavors are very strong and not pleasant on their own.







Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Raspberry Sherbet Champagne Cocktail

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Happy New Year 2017!! May the new year be filled with love, prosperity, health and peace for everyone!!   

Here is my champagne cocktail for this new year... and it's all about raspberries!  My kids and I had a lovely non-alcoholic version with chilled sparkling cider, while my husband had it with champagne.

This cocktail comes together in a few seconds and it's such a sweet treat.   Start your new year off right by pouring yourself a glass and toasting 2017!

Raspberry Sherbet Champagne Cocktail
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients:
Champagne or Sparkling Apple Cider
Raspberry Sherbet
Fresh Raspberries

Directions:
Scoop a a little sherbet into each glass.  Top off with fresh raspberries and your champagne or cider or choice.  Enjoy.





Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.