Recipe Reduction 17-16

Vegetable Biryani
Sasha Martin, Global Table Adventure

I took so many shortcuts on this it's almost embarrassing to pretend I made it. Almost.

But I liked it, so doesn't that count for something?  The recipe is described as a big deal, all day endeavor and it very well could have come down to that.  You soak rice, then parboil it, then let it cool while you fry onions and then fry a mixture of vegetables. You remove them all and fry your masala, a mixture of onion and spices. Then you return the vegetables to the pan, sprinkle with raisins (I skipped, apologies), and cover with rice.  You sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of rose water over the rice. Then you put a tight lid on the pan and cook at low heat until the rice is done.

I was sure the rice would be crunchy and inedible, but it wasn't. I forgot to add the onions at the end and instead mixed them in with the rest, but that didn't change the flavor. And--this is important--I forgot the spices that were supposed to go into the rice cooking water.   Cardomom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and salt.  I wish I hadn't.  While it wasn't at all bland, it missed the spicy aroma these additions would have given.

So the recipe would be a keeper, but I'm thinking of gradually inventing my own recipe for a mixed vegetable masala dish.  The particulars of cooking for this one were too complicated, with too many steps. However, these were points to remember:
1. Don't let your ghee go rancid (I had to use butter)
2. Cooking sliced onion until it caramelizes is a plus for most any dish
3. Brown the vegetables over medium-high heat for 20 minutes, then finish cooking at low heat.
4. Try adding a little yogurt into the masala after it cooks. It makes it rich.

 

Broiled Shrimp and Broccoli with Cashew Sauce
by Amy Stafford

If you're in a hurry for a 20-minute, impressive looking entree, this would be it. I would have swore you'd couldn't get broccoli tender under a broiler.  I left it a little longer than she suggested, with a rest in the middle as I got the other part ready.

The shrimp, as you'll see from the picture, turned out to be catfish nuggets cut bite-size. They made a good substitute, just not as photogenic.  The sauce--cashew butter, honey, lime, soy sauce, sriracha, vinegar, sesame oil--wasn't all that great. I don't think too many ingredients were lugged in that didn't add to the flavor, in particular the sesame oil and vinegar.

But I'll enjoy eating it!  Won't bother making it again since I'm the only one who likes roasted broccoli and I actually prefer steamed.  Strange, but true.