Spicy Couple's Night in the Kitchen

in #foodfightfriday6 years ago (edited)

For my First Food Fight Friday, @creationofcare assists me with a full Indian meal of Lamb Tikka Masala, Saag Paneer, Coconut Rice, and Cucumber Mint Raita, all from scratch.

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@creationofcare and I LOVE Indian food. I have made a few Indian-inspired dishes over the last couple of years, but this time I decided we should make an entire meal; like we would normally order at a restaurant. So, we headed out to procure the necessary spices and ingredients. We decided on a Tikka Masala meat dish, and my favorite vegetable dish: Saag Paneer. I love Saag Paneer. I mean, come on… Its second ingredient is fried cheese! Now that is my kind of vegetable dish. We were hoping to find some lamb--for some reason lamb is not very common in the US--and we were able to find a nice piece of lamb leg. Perfect.

One thing I have learned about making Indian food: it takes a Lot of spices. A LOT! No… more than you are thinking… here we go:

Here are the players in this round. Behind the cloves is a jar of coriander seeds. Most of these jars were full before the start of this meal. I begin by making a Garam Masala mix:
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*2 tablespoons Cardamom seeds
*2 tablespoons Coriander seeds
*1 tablespoon Cumin seeds
*1 tablespoon mustard seeds
*2 tablespoons peppercorns
*20 cloves
*1 dried arbol chili (seeded)
*1 tablespoon cinnamon
*1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

I made a double batch of this so when we want another Indian dish we can just grind it up with little hassle.

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We purchased Cardamom pods this time, hoping they would stay fresh longer than the ground cardamom we got last time. I start by toasting the pods a bit before crushing them in the mortar and pestle to get them to release their seeds. I removed most of the pod material before adding the seeds to the mix. This was a lot of work, and I think I will stick to buying just the seeds if possible next time. Unfortunately our local store seems to only carry ground, or still in pods.

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Next was the dried Arbol Chili. I tried to use the blender, but the chili was not quite ‘dry’ enough to blend easily. I threw in a small amount of the cardamom pod shells to help grind it up and that seemed to work nicely.

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With all the spices in the bowl, I mixed them up and filled a spare spice jar with the ‘extra’ for use later.

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Into the mortar went 3 tablespoons of this mix to be ground up for the lamb dish.

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Next, I prepared the lamb. I cut it from the bone, and into 1” strips. This was a 2.5 lb piece with the bone in. This yielded about 1.75 lb of sliced up lamb.

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The slices where put in a 1 gallon ziplock, and 2 tablespoons of the ground Garam Masala spice was added and mixed to coat the meat.

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Next, about a cup and a half of plain, whole milk yogurt was added and the bag was ‘smooshed’ and squeezed until all the meat was coated with the marinade, then into the refrigerator it went while I continued working on the dish.

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I prepared six cloves garlic, one tablespoon ginger, and a fresh Serrano chili from the garden, grinding them in the mortar

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By the time I have the Chili paste prepared, it’s time to get the BBQ going! I fill up the chimney starter with some lump hardwood charcoal, stuff a couple pieces of newspaper under it, and get the fire going!

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While I wait for the coals, I might as well whip up some Raita

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*1 cucumber, peeled and minced
*1/4 cup fresh mint, minced
*2 cups plain yogurt (whole milk)
*1 fresh cayenne, seeded and minced

Into the refrigerator the Raita goes to chill and allow the flavors to meld.

Meanwhile, @creationofcare has been making cheese! I did say this was ‘from scratch’, right? She has been working on this as long as I have been preparing the Lamb, spices, and Raita!

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Holy crap! This is her first time making cheese and it turned out great!

*6 cups whole milk
*1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
*1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
*2 teaspoons kosher salt

Bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt, lemon juice, and salt. Stir until curds form and separate from the whey… drain the whey from the curds through a cheesecloth lined colander, then bundle the curds in the cheesecloth and squeeze out all the excess whey. Hang the bundle from a wooden spoon over the colander, and let drain for 10 minutes. Then twist the cheesecloth again and squeeze out any more whey. Place the cheese on a plate with another plate on top, weigh it down with something heavy, and put it in the refrigerator until a firm cake forms (about an hour). Whew…

Then it’s time for the meat to go on the grill

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And while that cooks, it’s back to the kitchen to blanch 2 lbs of fresh spinach. Washing this much spinach filled the entire sink! It wilts down to a much more reasonable size, though.

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After the spinach has been blanched, it is left to drain while we go check on the meat. We are not fully cooking the meat, just trying to get a nice char on the yogurt marinade.

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I didn’t light up quite enough coals, and the meat is not charring as I would have liked, but it will work. Flip the meat over and back to the kitchen.

One diced onion goes into the cast iron skillet with some olive oil to brown up. When all the edges are browned up, a tablespoon of the garam masala spice goes in, to be mixed into the onions while they continue to cook until completely browned.

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At this point, the lamb is done on the grill, and is brought inside. I quartered 2 pounds of cherry tomatoes, without any of @creationofcare's tomato-pushing machinations! Really, canned tomatoes are typically used in this dish, but we have an abundance of cherry tomatoes from the garden right now, so that is what we are using. By the way, quartering 2 lbs of cherry tomatoes is a PITA, and was probably overkill. Just slicing them in half would have been much faster, and probably just as effective… anyway, into the skillet go the tomatoes.

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Cook down until tomatoes are cooked through and soft. Then, another extra step from using the cherry tomatoes: into the blender the entire concoction goes!

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After blending, it looks more like the sauce it's supposed to be, and we can throw the lamb in.

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And lastly, stir in a can of coconut milk:

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And this dish is pretty much done! It just needs to stew for a while, which is good because we need to get back to that cheese and make the Saag Paneer!

We cubed up the fresh cheese, dusted with flour, and fried it in oil until golden brown:

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Dice and brown another small onion with 2 tablespoons of butter and some olive oil. Meanwhile, we combined the spices, yogurt, and chili paste. Upon reflection, we realized we ought to have added the dry spice mixture with the vegetables, and add the yogurt later. It still tasted great!

*2 teaspoons ground coriander
*1 teaspoon ground cumin
*1/2 teaspoon turmeric
*3/4 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt

After the onions are browned, the spinach goes in to heat thoroughly. Then, the yogurt mixture is added and mixed thoroughly before adding the fried cheese and 2 more tablespoons of butter.

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Are we finally ready to eat?!

What Indian feast is complete without a bed of rice? @creationofcare made her specialty, coconut milk Jasmine rice, this time ramped up with some cardamom pods, star anise, and a splash of mango nectar for good measure.

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Beautifully plated by @creationofcare, who was instrumental in helping me prepare this dish; from making the amazing cheese, to constantly keeping up with the dishes mid prep. Somehow she kept everything I needed clean and at hand, and the counters clear enough for me to work!

And thanks to @foodfightfriday and all the #FFF contestants who inspired me to not only make this dinner, but document and post about it!

Everything turned out really good. @creationofcare‘s fried cheese was the best I have ever tasted. I don’t normally even eat the Raita at restaurants, but this was so fresh and refreshing. The Lamb Tikka Masala was delicious. My only complaint was the ‘heat’ was missing from the Tikka. I realized upon eating it that I had forgot to double the arbol chili when I made the garam masala mix. I think it probably needed at least 2 more chilis. The flavor was all there, it just needed a little more ‘kick’. I suppose I could have just added some cayenne powder at the end… next time.

Happy #FoodFightFriday !

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My god, you knocked it out of the park with this one. You’re making your own cheese now, are you kidding me?! Incredible! Big big round of applause for @creationofcare taking on the dirty dish monster. I know how unruly they can get. Great job team! This is a winner. Dandays and I have never had Indian food (I know, I know) so maybe it’s about time we try it. Thanks for the inspiration @mattlovell. Now go help with the dishes- the messier the kitchen the tastier the food.

Thank you so much! Your comments always make me smile a huge bashful grin. I have been wanting to make cheese for some time now, but kinda wanted to hold out for some grass fed milk. Glad to take the plunge with basic supermarket whole milk (cannot be ultra pasteurized.) If you are lacto vegetarian, not vegan, "farmer's cheese" might become a favorite. It doesn't have any rennet, only lemon juice and yogurt cause the curds to form. I was awkward making it this first time, but on the whole, it is simple and straightforward. Next time, i will make a gallon's worth. Cheers!

No reason to be bashful, you’re a kitchen gangsta and we all know it. We do not eat dairy, anymore that it, but have found a couple vegan cheeses that aren’t bad. I think every dish I make I get awkward in the kitchen. My husband knows, just stay away until it’s finished or I’ve hit a down point. I’ve never tried my hand at a cheese, way too ambitious for me but you guys killed it. Who can make making cheese look easy?! You did! Great job and I’m impressed that you can also work so cohesively in the kitchen. I’m a Tasmanian devil in there so it’s best everyone just enjoy the results and leave the process up to me. Haha

I HIGHLY recommend you try it! a whole WORLD of vegetarian flavor awaits you there...

Do you have a newbie recommendation for a go to dish…? We also have no idea what is a common good dish that veggie eaters enjoy. Thanks @mattlovell, did I already tell you that you and creationofcare killed it this week? Just in case you forgot 🤷🏼‍♀️

You could try the saag paneer above. I think tofu would work nicely for a cheese substitute here. I might spice to the flour a bit (at least salt and pepper) before frying it.

Another dish I like is Cauliflower Masala or Aloo Gobi (cauliflower and potatoes). I think sweet potatoes might work really well in Aloo Gobi too... might have to try that.

Don't be afraid of the spices, and I would probably be prepared to go half again if your spices are pre-mixed or ground. (I would probably go with whatever the recipe calls for, but be prepared to add some more at the end). a final addition of Garam Masala is often used at the end of cooking to add aromatics anyway...

Man, thank you for all of the info. The potato cauliflower dish sounds right up my alley. I ran the idea by my husband and he’s in for an Indian food experience. Now I just have to find a good restaurant by our house. I’d definitely like to taste a couple dishes before I try my hand at cooking one. Thanks again for all the great tips.

Ahh, I see... ganging up on us aye! I thought something fishy was going on when I spotted @creationofcare's stylish plate in your cover photo.

Welcome to #foodfightfriday @mattlovell and what a fantastic entry this is 😎👍

Thank you!

Truth be told, most of my cooking posts involve @mattlovell's hidden hand. This time, I played sous :)

This is a beautiful post. You documented every step so well. I was hungry by the end of it ;) I enjoy cooking with all the spices that Indian Food requires. However, my kids didn't appreciate all the flavors & efforts. So, I don't make it as often as I would like. But, every once in a while, you just gotta have some Indian food! :)

Thank you. I really enjoy the spices too. home made curry powder is so much better than the store bought stuff (mostly due to the freshness).

It is definitely a lot of effort and complexity, much more fun to share than to cook it for one. However, @mattlovell has really proven to me how taking the time to toast and grind the spices, follow the order of operations, etc make each separate flavor sing in a chorus. I couldn't stop saying WOW. Maybe we should have a potluck for our next #socalsteemit meetup? I would love to sample your cooking! Much love

I like this idea ;)

wow wow wow. I've eaten food you've cooked before. I know how great you both cook. This meal looks like it was just as complex and delicious as it was complicated to prepare. All the pictures take me back to watching you two in the kitchen except your kitchen looks different after the remodel. Wish I didn't live so far away from you guys.

I really think this post deserves a @curie. I've resteemed.

Thanks! Miss you too... the kitchen is SOOOO much nicer to work in now, both aesthetically and functionally.

We had some great times, I remember cooking up a ton of mushrooms at your place! Love you!

I see you are new to the Food Fight Arena. I welcome you with a friendly Fish-Slap
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Thanks for using the fff tag and joining the rest of these Food Flingin’ - Bowl lickin’ - egg beatin’ - double dippin’ Food Fight Friday Folks.

It has been really fun following #fff. Im glad @creationofcare found you all.

Yay! My hubby couldn't help his competitive instinct after watching all of us fff'ers enjoy so much fun! Cheers!

First and foremost, welcome!!
Secondly, wow!! That looked delicious.
Thirdly, I am definitely going to give that Raita recipe a go.

the Raita turned out surprisingly well. I was mostly making it because @creationofcare likes it. I usually give her mine at the restaurant, but i actually ate this one!

I adore raita and can eat it up with a spoon. It is so good on spinach salad, too! Or just as a dip for Naan or pita!!!

I bow to a real master!

Damn! And you didn't invite me??? 8(

you know you have an open invite... And i think you WHERE supposed to be there that weekend ;)

Alas... Still no suitible trailer

Come over soon! We would absolutely love to have you.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any harder to compete around here—IN COMES THIS!

That's amazing. Truly amazing. I do like the Indian Food I've eaten, but I couldn't tell you what it was. I've had different dishes two or three times now, but I was never the one ordering it. But I imagine I've had something similar to what you prepared because of the color of the sauce. If so, I really liked it.

Regardless, your meal looked great, your presentation was what we've grown accustomed to seeing from @creationofcare, and I'm just sitting here shaking my head thinking, "I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!"

Well done, and welcome to Food Fight Friday!

Thank you for the compliment. #FFF has certainly upped the kitchen game in our house. I was totally thinking about Food Fight Friday when working on this menu, but I have to admit... it got a little out of hand. Probably could have gone with just one of those dishes, lol. We ended up eating dinner at about midnight!

It turned into a really nice date night for @creationofcare and I though :)

Omg you are so VERY worthy with your hearty dishes! I like to make pretty arrangements, that's just window dressing when it comes to good food.

I too used to only get indian cuisine from fancy restaurants, with all the courses in little bowls. I never dreamed of making a 4 course meal of it myself. @dawg-boy has come over before and made a Buddhist temple feast before, and @mattlovell has made his fabulous garam masala spice blend for a mess of curry, but we've never put in 5 hours of kitchen work to do the whole shebang! But oh holy wow it was good.

Cheers and blessings to you!

Well, after 5 hours of work, it's got to be good. There's just no other option. :) I guess my 2.5 hour endurance cooking could stand a little perspective. There are definitely foods that are a labor of love, but when the payoff is high, it's all worth it. Sounds like you reached that.

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