Quick Raja Phanna Upkari ( Mackeral cooked in spicy onion tempered sauce)

Any Mangalorean GSB is familiar with Raja  Phanna upkari. This is mackerel curried in a fiery red and equally spicy sauce is traditionally made with a paste of ground dried red chillies and roasted coriander seeds that has then been tempered with fried onions. While it is commonly made with  Mackerel, it can also be made using sardines and shrimp. It is absolutely delicious. I do not do any grinding. I have a cheat trick for it. By now, I am sure you all know that I like everything quick and easy! :)

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients :

Mackeral : 1 large cut into medium slices.
Onion: 1 medium, chopped fine
Kashmiri Red chilli powder: 1 1/2- 2 tsp ( adjust based on your spice level)
Coriander powder: 1 heaped tsp
Haldi powder: 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil: 1 tsp + 1 tbsp
Tamarind pulp: 1/2 tsp
Water: 1/2 + 1 1/2 cups
Salt: to taste

Method:

Clean the fish thoroughly, marinate with salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

Dissolve tamarind pulp in 1/2 cup of water and keep aside.

Heat coconut oil in a small pot on medium heat. Add coriander powder, chilli powder and saut� for few seconds.Add the tamarind pulp, 1 1/2 cups water, quarter of the chopped onions, salt and bring it to a boil.

Now add the marinated fish slices to the sauce, cover and cook until the fish is tender ( around 10 minutes). You can adjust the time based on how cooked you want the fish to be.

In a small frying pan heat 1 tbsp of coconut and fry the rest of the chopped onions until golden brown.

Add these onions to the above pot.

Serve hot with steamed white or brown rice.

Yum! Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

Mackerel can at times be smelly. Any fish that is fresh should not smell! However, if you are like me who loves fish but does not like "fishy" smell on the dishes, hands etc then the best way to clean your fish and get rid of this leftover fishy smell is to clean the fish with a little lemon juice and salt. This is a sure way of getting rid of the lingering "fishy" smell. You can also wash using a diluted solution of vinegar.

Tip for healthy living:

Eating fish on a regular basis is a great way to keep healthy. Fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that play an important anti-inflammatory role in the body.

Food for thought:

Any truth is better than infinite doubt. Arthur Conan Doyle

Broiled Vs Pan-grilled Salmon

Salmon is one fish that I make often. Reason: simple; me and my husband both like it. Apart from that it tastes good, is good for you and most importantly does not smell up the house.My husband and I just cannot stand the residual smell lingering in the house.Being said that, I am very partial to fish. Given a choice between chicken and fish, I will always go for the fish. Most often though, I go for what I call the "non-smelly" fish. Salmon again is one of them. I mostly get Salmon fillets but this time I got two pieces of salmon steak from our local fish market to cook for dinner. My Salmon adventures are relatively new. Up until I moved to the US, I didn't even know what Salmon was. My initial encounter with Salmon was a one that left a bad aftertaste. I had eaten smoked Salmon. I don't care for uncooked/ half-cooked fish/ meat. Hence, I always shied away from Salmon. Then a Filipino colleague of mine re-introduced me to the wonderful Salmon! Since then, Salmon has been a regular at my home.

Most of the time I steam it or pan-fry it and serve it with saut�ed mushrooms. This time I decided to experiment and see which tastes better: broiling it or grilling it in a grill pan over the stove-top. I used the same marination for both of them; just the cooking method was different. Here is how I made it:

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Salmon steak: 2
Sea Salt : 1 tsp ( approximately)
Black pepper: 1 tsp, freshly ground
Lemon juice: from 1 medium lemon
Turmeric powder:1/8 tsp
Garlic powder: 1/4 tsp
Mixed dry Italian herbs: 1/2 tsp
Fresh basil: 1 tbsp, chopped
Olive oil for greasing and brushing.

Method:

Clean the salmon and marinate with all the above ingredients except fresh basil. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Broiling:

Preheat the oven on broil.

Place one marinated fish steak on a greased baking sheet. Brush the top with olive oil. You could spray the oil too if you have a sprayer. Sprinkle half of the chopped fresh basil on top. Broil for 8-10 minutes on each side. Make sure you checkin between to see if it is done. ( It is done when it is no longer pink inside).You don't want it to be overdone( which will make it dry)or burnt.

Grilling in a grill-pan over the stove-top:

Grease the grill pan and heat it on high over the stove. Place the fish in it and leave the flame high for 5 mins to sear the bottom. Now flip it and do the same for the other side. Reduce the flame to medium and cook it until done. May be another 6-8 minutes. It is done when the inside is no longer pink.

Serve hot with some steamed vegetable. I served mine with some mushroom bruschetta and cilantro dip.

Enjoy!

Verdict:

The broiled salmon tasted much better than the one done in the grill-pan over the stove-top.

Cooking made easy:

Whenever you cook anything in the oven, line the baking tray or pan with aluminum foil and then grease the foil. This ways when you are done, you can just remove the aluminum foil and trash it. You won't have to spend a lot of time scrubbing and cleaning the baking dish/pan/tray. Cleaning-up becomes a breeze! :)

Tip for healthy living:

While cooking try to use minimal oil that the recipe calls for. Use healthy oils like olive oil or coconut oil which have heart-healthy fats. Look for alternative healthier ways of cooking the same food. Broiling is better than frying. You still get the same taste. Baking/steaming is also a great alternative method to cooking fish.

Food for thought:

Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Kurt Vonnegut.