CHRISTMAS MENU

MY CHRISTMAS MENU

Pork Sorpatel, Chicken Jeera Meera, Chicken Pot Roast, Pasta, Vegetable Stew, Dhahi Vada, Carrot Pickle (homemade), Garlic Bread, Pulao and Sannas.

JERKS'S CHICKEN

Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meat is dry-rubbed or wet marinated with a very hot spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice. Jerk seasoning is traditionally applied to pork and chicken.

"Jerk" is traditional Caribbean barbeque very different than the usual barbeque most persons are used to. Chicken or pork is covered with a thick aromatic paste made from scallions, vinegar, allspice, black pepper, and molasses and allowed to marinate overnight before being placed on a  wood or charcoal fire with the addition of pimento (allspice tree) wood. 

I have modified my recipe a bit (original recipe called for adding 1 tablespoon of dark rum which I skipped).  I made a pot roast instead of grilling this.  This dish has become a hit at home as well as with my friends whom I usually invite for dinner.

JERK's CHICKEN

Ingredients

Chicken leg or drumsticks                  6

Garlic,roughly chopped                      2 cloves

Ginger,roughly chopped                     1/4 inch piece

Green chillies,roughly chopped          4

Onion ,roughly chopped                     1 medium

Fresh thyme                                        1 1/2 sprigs

Spring onions greens,roughly

chopped                                              2

Red chilli powder                                1/2 teaspoon

Black peppercorns,crushed                1/4 teaspoon

Clove powder                                      a pinch

Cinnamon powder                              a pinch

All spice powder                                  1 teaspoon

Soy sauce                                           1 1/2 tablespoons

Oil                                                        4 tablespoons

Method

Grind together garlic, ginger, green chillies, onion, fresh thyme, spring onions with greens, red chilli powder, crushed black peppercorns, clove powder, cinnamon powder, all spice powder and soy sauce to a smooth paste. Apply this paste to the chicken pieces. Add oil and mix and let them marinate for two hours in the refrigerator. Heat a non-stick pan and place the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cover and cook on medium heat. When the underside is cooked, turn over and cook till both the sides are evenly cooked and golden. Serve hot. Enjoy.

Goan Rechado Masala

Goa is famous for its seafood, the ‘classic’ dish being Goan fish curry and rice. Apart from a Curry preparation fish is also fried and sometimes picked. Kingfish is probably the most common item, on the menu, but pomfret, doumer, shark, tuna and mackerel are hot favourites as well. Among the excellent shellfish available are crabs, prawns, tiger prawns and lobster. Other seafood includes squid and mussels. Goa’s luscious coconut and fish based dishes draw in people from all over the world.

Recheado means stuffed in Portuguese and in this recipe, a fresh whole fish, usually a mackerel or pomfret, is slit down the center and stuffed with a spicy red paste, after which it is shallow fried. Mackerel Recheado is one of Goa’s most famous dishes. Other fish can be used is well. The fiery-red Recheado masala made of kashmiri red chilies, garlic, cumin, peppercorns and tamarind is ground into a smooth but thick paste using vinegar. It is very versatile and can be used to prepare many other Goan seafood dishes. The Recheado masala can be made and stored in an airtight container for months as the vinegar in it acts as a preservative.

Goan Rechado Masala

Ingredients

• 10 Kashmiri Chillies (discard stalks & seeds)
• 4 Peppercorns
• 6 Cloves
• ½ inch Cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ¼ tsp. Tamarind Paste
• ½ tsp. Cumin Seeds
• ½ inch fresh Ginger
• 10 cloves Garlic
• ¼ cup Sugarcane Vinegar
• Salt to taste

To prepare Goan Rechado Masala Paste:

Break the chillies into small pieces. Soak in vinegar chillies, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, sugar, tamarind paste, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic & salt for 20 mins.

Grind in a blender/grinder to a fine, thick paste without using any water. Store in a clean sterilized bottle. Use as required

Goan Rechad Masala Fish Fry

Goan Rechad Masala Fish Fry

The  main ingredient for this recipe is homemade Goan Rechad Masala Paste. Fish is almost the staple food of Goans along with Rice and Curry.  At my home, we love to eat this with steamed rice and dal.  

Ingredients :

·   5 slices King Fish (Surmai)

·   1 tbsp. Goan Rechado Masala Paste

·   ¼ tsp. Turmeric pwd (Haldi)

·   Salt to taste

·   Wheat flour

·   3 tbsps. Vegetable Oil

Method :

Wash & drain the King Fish slices well.

To this apply rechado masala, turmeric & salt to taste & let it marinate for about 25 mins. Take sufficient wheat flour on a plate.

Roll each fish slice in the flour making sure it coats each slice well.

Heat a fry pan with oil on med. heat.  Slide the slices gently into the pan & fry well.

Flip gently & fry well on both sides. Make sure it cooks through.

Serve with Dal /Rice.