Here we invite you to be tempted by spicy recipes coming from all over the world!
We chose for you those invented by famous chefs or confirmed by our families and friends.
If you are not used to cook with spices they can scare you - it's too difficult to cook, you need to buy some even though you're not sure to use them again and they are resting for years somewhere in the kitchen before they finally becoming incipide....
That's why we will show you how you can transfigure your usual meals easily just by adding a few new ingredients. Trust me, try it once you will repeat it over and over!!
The first recipe is very simple. It is proposed by the well known chef Mark Bittman. It is about cooking salmon, delicious and minimalist....mmm, I'm loving it!!!
The Minimalist : Four-Spice Salmon by Mark Bittman
Yield 4 servings
Time 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 6-ounce, skinned salmon fillets
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds or ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon whole or ground cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed or ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, grape seed or other neutral oil, or clarified butter
Method
- 1. Season fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. If necessary, combine spices and grind them to a coarse powder in a coffee or spice grinder. Press some of the mixture onto the top of each fillet.
- 2. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil or butter and, when it shimmers, place the fillets, coated side down, in the pan. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spice mixture forms a nicely browned crust.
- 3. Turn the fillets and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the salmon just slightly resists when pierced with a thin-bladed knife.
Enjoy it!!!
Another one:
Summer days are finally comming. We can chose between plenty of vegetables, fruits and herbs.
Here you will find an idea about how to make your corn perfumed like they do it in India. Allow yourself a trip abroad while sitting at your table!!!
Madhur Jaffrey’s
Corn With Aromatic Seasonings
An easy, perfumed, stir-fried corn dish that can be made with fresh or frozen corn.
Ingridients:
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
4 cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
One 1-inch cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh hot green chiles (do not discard seeds)
4 cups corn cut fresh off the cobs, or two 10-ounce packets of frozen corn, defrosted and drained
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
Method:
1. Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, combine the mustard seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves in a small cup.
3. When the oil is hot, put in all the whole spices. As soon as the mustard seeds pop, a matter of seconds, add the ginger and green chiles. Stir once or twice, and then add in the corn. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the salt and cream. Continue to stir and cook for another minute. Turn heat to low and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until all the cream is absorbed. You can pick out and discard the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves if you are serving those unaccustomed to large whole spices in their foods.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6.
“You get all the authentic taste as you would get with traditional Indian cooking, but you’ve spent much less time doing it,” she says...
Another one, from Marocco... and Mark Bittman
"MORE often than not, it is the seasonings that give recipes a national identity, not the main ingredients or cooking technique. And if you need convincing of this notion, here it is, in the form of a simple shrimp and tomato dish." Mark Bittman
SHRIMP IN MOROCCAN-STYLE TOMATO SAUCE
Time: 40 minutes
Ingridients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 minced fresh lime leaf or 1 teaspoon minced lime zest
1 can (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes, drained, or 3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds peeled shrimp
Minced fresh cilantro for garnish
Lime wedges.
Method:
1. Put olive oil in a deep skillet, and turn heat to medium-high. A minute later, add ginger and cook, stirring, about a minute. Add spices and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and some salt and pepper, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is nearly dry, about 15 minutes.
2. Add shrimp and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary, then serve over white rice, garnished with cilantro and accompanied by lime wedges.
Yield: 4 servings.
SOURCE :
New York Times magazine
One more recipe: a bit difficult but comming from the Heart of India from Tara
Chicken Chettinad Recipe
Chicken Chettinad Recipe
Chicken Chettinad is another authentic south Indian dish. Chettinad is a very special and popular style of cooking in Tamilnadu and kerala. You’ll find Chicken Chettinad listed in almost every South Indian restaurant menu . The chicken is cooked with some distinct ingredients such as poppy seeds , fennel seeds, coriander seeds that give a very special aroma to the curry. Chettinad is known for its culinary delicacies. Chettinad food, now is one of the many reasons why people get to know Chettinad.
Ingredients :
Chicken 2 lb (1 kg)
Poppy seeds 2 tsp
Fennel seeds 1 tsp
Coriander seeds 1 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Red chillies 5 8 nos
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder 1 1/2 tsp
Ginger chopped 2 tsp
Garlic chopped 2 tsp
Tomatoes medum 3 nos chopped
Onions medium 2 nos chopped
Lemon 1 no
Cinnamon 1" stick
Green cardamom 3 4 nos
Cloves 2 4 nos
Curry leaves 10 15 nos
Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
Grated coconut 1/2 of one
Oil As reqd
Salt As reqd
Preparation :
Clean the chicken and cut into small pieces.
Roast the red chillies, grated coconut, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and fennel seeds in oil.
Grind it to a paste along with ginger and garlic.
Heat oil in a large pan.
Fry onions, till golden.
Add curry leaves and the ground paste and sauté for some time.
Add tomatoes, red chilly powder and turmeric powder.
Add chicken and mix well.
Cook for 5 mins.
Add 2 cups of water and lemon juice.
Cover and cook, till the chicken is done.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rice, chappathi, tandoori naan or palappam.
Here some links which would help you know more about spicy food and to see some up to date spicy trends
Unknown facts about spicy food:
http://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/21/garden/eating-spicy-food-what-are-the-effects.html?pagewanted=1
About spicy restorants in Paris:
http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/a-chef-adds-spice-to-the-paris-food-scene/
http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/in-paris-a-festival-for-food-lovers/
Where to by fresh spices in India:
http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/in-mumbai-where-the-spices-are-fresh/?scp=1&sq=spices&st=cse
