Pan Seared Fish With Cooked Tomato Salsa

I went and bought avocados from the fresh fruit and vegetable market in Dubai and wanted to use them to make a tomato and avocado salsa. I thought pan seared fish would go well with it. After I was done chopping the tomatoes, I sliced open the avocados and it turned out that each one of them was rotten from the inside!! So much for buying "fresh" fruits and vegetables! Since I didn't want to waste the tomatoes, I decided to make a quick cooked tomato salsa. It turned out quite delicious, considering it only took me 10 minutes to make it. Do give it a try...its yummy and very light.

Calories: Approx. 250-280 per serving

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:

For the tomato salsa:

2-3 medium tomatoes, diced

1 medium red onion, sliced into half circles

1 green chili, finely chopped

1/8 tsp cumin powder

Salt, to taste

1/8 tsp paprika (optional)

1 big handful cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1 small lime

1 tsp olive oil

For the fish:

200-250 grams of fish fillet (Mahi Mahi, Tilapia or any white fish), divided into 2 equal portions

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and freshly crushed black pepper, to taste

1 tsp olive oil

In a small pot, heat oil and add garlic. Then add the onions and stir fry for 3-4 minutes before adding the tomatoes. Add the green chilies, salt, paprika, cumin and half the cilantro. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, till tomatoes and onions are soft and have a thick consistency. Squeeze the lime juice on the salsa and sprinkle the rest of the cilantro (saving a little for garnishing later). Cover and keep aside.

Separately, in a flat pan, heat the olive oil and garlic together on a low flame. When the garlic begins to sizzle (but before it starts to brown), increase the heat to medium and add the fish fillets (after sprinkling salt and pepper on one side), spiced side down. Sprinkle the exposed side of the fish with salt and pepper as well. Cook fish for approximately 4 minutes on each side (time differentiates depending on the fillet's thickness) till its flaky and done.

Put a generous portion of the tomato salsa on a plate. Carefully place one fish fillet on top and garnish with a few cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

Note: Do not keep flipping the fish. Let one side cook completely before turning it over and letting the other side cook.

Baked Fish With Chili-Garlic Sauce

We went to the fresh fish market the other day and found an amazingly fresh whole Sea Bass. I used a recipe I found online, altered it slightly and it turned out fantastic!

I used a big banana leaf to wrap the fish in to bake (aluminum foil would work just as well) and not only was it fragrant, but the presentation looked pretty impressive too without having to do much. Sadly, my camera ran out of battery, so I don't have a picture, but I am posting one that I found online which looks a little bit similar to the fish I made.

Ingredients:

1 (about 2 kg) whole fresh fish, scaled and cleaned from the inside and with vertical slits (head to tail) about 1/2 inch apart on both sides of the fish.

6 tbsp oyster sauce

6 tbsp soy sauce

10 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)

2-3 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp black pepper (powder or coarsely ground)

3 tbsp lime juice

3-5 thai chillies (I mixed red and green for color), sliced

1 stalk lemon grass, sliced and smashed (optional)

Handful fresh cilantro/coriander leaves

1 lemon, sliced

Banana leaf or aluminum foil

For the marinade, mix together oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, lime juice, chillies and lemon grass in a bowl.

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and put the banana leaf on top (or another piece of aluminum foil). Place the fish on top and pour about 4 tbsp of the marinade on one side, making sure that the marinade goes into the slits you have made. Flip over the fish and pour about 3 tbsp of the marinade on this side. Then, put about 2 tbsp of the sauce inside the fish (reserve the leftover marinade). Cover with the banana leaf and use toothpicks to secure the leaf into place.

Preheat oven to 375 F and bake the fish for about 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of the fish (till opaque from the inside, not pink). Take out the fish, open the banana leaf and pour the remaining marinade over the top. Place the cilantro in bunches around the fish and the lemon slices on top as well as side. Put the fish under the broiler for about 5-8 minutes (or till the fish is slightly crispy from the top). Serve on the banana leaf.

Asian Mushroom Soup

I was at the grocery store the other day and the fresh mushrooms looked so inviting that i HAD to buy them. I bought a pack of creminis, one big portobella mushroom and a pack of the trusted button mushrooms. So for dinner, I decided to make a mushroom soup with an asian twist. To make it a complete meal (and not a starter), I added whole wheat noodles to it. You can omit the chicken from the ingredients and use tofu instead (or not). You can always make it with shrimp too. The soup turned out rather yummy and wholesome.

Makes: 3-4 servings

Calories: About 250-300 per (large) soup bowl.

Ingredients:

1-2 chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips (optional; can be substituted with tofu or shrimp)

1 tbsp sesame oil (or any other oil you have on hand)

1 tsp garlic paste or finely chopped garlic

1/2 tsp ginger paste

1/2 inch fresh ginger root sliced (optional)

3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used button, portobello and cremini*)

1 and a half cups broth, store bought or homemade

4-5 cups water

3 tblsp soy sauce

3 thai red chillies, whole (optional)

1 cup cabbage (regular or red), sliced

1/2 cup carrot, grated or thinly sliced

1/2 cup scallions (green onions)

3 stems lemon grass, 1-inch each (optional)

2-3 tsp lime juice

1 handful cilantro

3 tsp rice vinegar (optional)

100 grams whole wheat noodles (or 2 noodle cakes)

salt, black pepper and crushed red chillies, to taste

Heat the sesame oil and add the ginger and garlic pastes. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and stir fry for 4-6 minutes. Add mushrooms, sliced ginger root, soy sauce, whole red chillies, lemon grass and cabbage. Cook for a minute and then add the broth and water. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and add carrots and scallions. Let it cook for another minute and then add the noodles. Cook till noodles and chicken are done. Taste and add salt, pepper and crushed red chillies. Add lime juice, cilantro and rice vinegar. Cook another minute and then take off the heat. Serve.

*Always remove the stem when using cremini mushrooms.