Grilled Basa

My beloved readers, first of all please allow me to apologize for vanishing from the face of the earth, i. e. face of this blog for the last few months. :D I have been doing some traveling and it took longer than I expected to settle down and shower you with my newest concoctions. However, here I am, back and buzzing with an aromatic and smokey recipe just for you.

Servings : 4

Ingredients:

• Basa filet - 1 kg (2 lb)
• Olive oil for grilling
• Onions or any other veggies of choice for grilling
• 
  
• Spice rub:
  
• Cajun spice - 1 tbsp
• Caraway seeds - 1 tsp
• Cayenne pepper - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp ( or to taste)
• Dijon mustard - 1 tbsp
• Mixed dried herbs - 1 tsp
• Black pepper corns- 1/2 tsp
• Garlic cloves - 4-5
• Green chili - 4-5 ( or depending on heat preference)
  

Methods:

• 1. In a mortar and pestle (or a grinder), grind in all the ingredients for the spice rub.
  
• 2. Wash and pat dry the Basa fillets with a paper towel. Lay the fillets side by side flat on a tray. Rub a generous amount of the spice mixture on the fillets and let it marinate for 1/2 hour to 2 hours. Keep it covered with a plastic wrap and in the refrigerator if it s a hot day.
• 3. Heat up your grill till smoking hot. With a BBQ brush spread a bit of oil on the grill so that the fish wont stick.
• 4. Grill the fish fillets for about 2-3 min on each side, till they are cooked through and gets a charred look. Make sure you do not over cook the fish as it will get very dry.
• 5. Serve on a bed of rice or with a side of garden salad and some grilled onions*.

Hints:
* For the grilled onions, just cut some sweet onions in ring. Toss the them with a bit of olive oil, pinch of salt and black pepper and grill them. The salt is only added to bring out the natural sugar in the onions, which allows it to caramelize nicely, so don't add to much salt.

Pan Fried Salmon with Lemon-Pepper

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Salmon fillet - 4 servings ( 1 lrg fillet cut into 2 inch wide pieces)
  
• Tomato - 2, cut into wedges
• Onion - 1 sml, thinly slices
• Cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Green chilies - 2-3, sliced lengthwise
• Lemon-pepper salt - 1/2 tsp
  
• 
  
• Spice rub:
• Lemon pepper salt - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Methods:

• 1. Wash and pat dry the Salmon fillets with paper towel.
  
• 2. In a bowl, mix in the ingredients for the spice rub. Rub the Salmon fillets with the spice rub gently but thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for 1/2 hour.
• 3. Chop the rest of the veggies and set aside.
• 4. In a non-stick frying pan heat 2 tbsp of oil to high heat. Fry the Salmon fillets 2-3 min on each side, just to get a crispy sear on both sides. This will make the outer surface of the fillets charred but still store in the moisture. Remove and rest it on a plate.
• 5. If required add 1 more tbsp of oil to the pan. Add the onions. Saute for 2-3 min till they are translucent.
  
• 6. Add the sliced tomatoes and chillies and the lemon pepper salt to the pan. Saute on high heat till the tomatoes soften a bit and the skin shrivels up.
• 7. Return the Salmon fillets to the pan, cook for a min and flip them over gently so that both sides will be covered with the tomato-onion saute. Turn the heat off. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro leaves on top. Serve with rice.
  

Tuna Salad with Chili Oil

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Red cabbage - 1 cup, thinly shredded
• Red Capsicum - 1 lrg, thinly sliced
• Red Onion - 1 sml, thinly sliced
• Seedless cucumber - 1.5 cup, thinly sliced
• Canned Tuna chunks - 1 cup, drained of the canning juice/oil
• 
  
• Chili oil dressing:
  
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• Chili oil - 1/2 cup
• Honey - 2 tbsp
• Lemon/lime juice - 1 tbsp
  
• 
  
• Chili oil:
  
• Olive oil - 500ml
• Birds eye chilis - 2-3, ( or to taste) sliced lengthwise.
• Garlic clove - 1

Methods:

• 1. To make the chili oil, get a large non-stick pot. Wipe it clean of any residue. Pour the oil and heat it up on low flame, approx 2-3 min. Add the chilies and the garlic. Keep the oil on low heat for 5- 10 min. Make sure the oil does not get hot enough to cook the chilies or the garlic. It should just be warm enough to infuse the flavours into the oil. After the 10 min, turn the heat off, let the oil cool down and store it in a sterilized glass bottle for future use.
• 2. Chop and prep the veggies, set aside. Drain the tuna chunk of its canning juice, break it into bite size pieces and set aside.
• 3. In a large bowl, whisk in the honey and lemon juice with salt and pepper. Slowly pour the chili oil while you whisk the dressing. This will create a nice thick dressing.
  
• 4. Toss the veggies into the dressing to coat evenly. Gently toss in the tuna.
• 5. You can serve it as it is or as side to any main of your choice. I personally like to eat it just on its own.
  

Hawaiian Style Fish

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Fish fillet* - 750gm (1.5lb), cut into 1 inch wide pieces
  
• Fresh pineapple - 2 cups, minced (reserve the pineapple juice)
• Onion - 1 sml, minced
• Jalapeno - 1 minced
• Cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped
  
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• 
  
• Spice rub:
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
  
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. In a bowl, mix the spices for the spice rub. Rub the fish fillets with the rub thoroughly to coat all over. Let it marinade for 30 min.
• 2. In a non stick pan, heat 4 tbsp of oil. Fry the fish fillets on med-high heat to crisp up the edges. Remove and let it drain on a paper towel.
• 3. Add the onions to the oil. Season with salt & pepper. Saute till they are translucent. Add the pineapple and the jalapeno with the reserved juices. Stir to combine, lower the heat and simmer till the juices have evaporated and the pineapple has thickened a bit.
  
• 4. Return the fish fillets to the pineapple sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 min. If the pineapple seems to have dried out, then add a bit more juice so that the fish is moistened.
  
• 5. After the 15 min, check whether the sauce has thickened and reached a salsa like consistency. If so, your Hawaiian style fish is done.
  
• 6. Turn the heat off, and sprinkle some chopped cilantro on top. Serve with rice or polao.
  

Hints:
*You can use any white fish, which is low in visible fat for example Barramundi, Cod, Tilapia etc. Salmon also stands up to the taste very well. I had used Ruhi.

Curried Salmon with Asparagus

Servings: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• Salmon fillet - 500gm (1 lb), cut into 1 inch wide pieces
• Asparagus - 500gm (1 lb), cut into 1 inch long pieces
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Garlic clove - 1, minced
• Whole mustard seeds - 2 tbsp, coarsely crushed
• Green chili - 2-3(upon preference), sliced lengthwise
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• 
  
• Spice rub:
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. Coat the Salmon fillets with the spice rub thoroughly. Let it rest for 30 min. Meanwhile chop the asparagus and set aside.
• 2. Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a non stick wok/pan. Add the onions. Saute till they are translucent.
• 3. Add the minced garlic and the crushed mustard seeds to the pan and saute for couple of min, until fragrant.
• 4. Turn the heat low and add the rest of the dry spices with 1/2 cup of water to cook the spices. Once the water has evaporated a bit and the spice mixture becomes thick like a paste, add the Salmon fillets gently side by side. Cook on low heat for about 2-3 min, then flip the fillets and cook on other side.
• 5. Add the asparagus pieces, green chilies and 1/2 cup of hot water. Gently stir to combine, making sure you do not break the fillets. Cover and simmer for 15 min or until the asparagus are tender.
  
• 6. Serve with white rice.
  

Pesto Crusted Salmon

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Salmon - 1.5 - 2 lb (750 gm) cut into 4, 2.5 inch wide fillets
• Pesto* - 5-6 tbsp or as much is needed to coat the fillets
  
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste (pesto will be salty)
• 
  
• Pesto:
• Basil - 2 cup
• Parmesan Cheese - 1/2 cup
• Pine nuts - 1/2 cup, lightly toasted
  
• Olive oil - 1/2 cup
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper - 1 tsp, freshly ground
  

Methods:

• 1. For the pesto, blend all the ingredients together in a food processor until coarsely ground. You can keep it refrigerated up to 3 weeks in a jar or sealed container.
  
• 2. In a bowl, mix in the pesto with the chili powder, salt and pepper. Place the salmon fillets on a cutting board or a flat surface. Spread the pesto evenly on the fillets, flip and spread some more on the other side. Let it marinate for minimum of 1 hour, maximum of 4 hours (in which case, in the fridge).
  

• 

• 3. Heat your stove top grill on high, spray some olive oil on it. Grill the pesto covered salmon fillets for 2-3 min on each side. Remove and put it on a plate. Cover with a piece of foil and let it rest for 5-10 min before serving. This will keep the fish super moist and fully cooked through.
  
• 4. Serve on a bed of wild or fruity rice and a side of vegetables. Bon Appétit!

Hints:
* If you do not wish to go through the trouble of making home-made pesto, you can also use your favourite store bought kind.

Pan Seared Salmon with Sauteed Beans

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Salmon fillets - 1 lb (450 gm)
• Green beans - 1/2 lb (250 gm), cut into 1 inch pieces
• Onions - 1 lrg, sliced lengthwise
• Salt - to taste
  
• Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
  
• Sweet-chili sauce - 1 tsp
• Garlic clove - 1, minced
  
• Coarse Mustard sauce - 1 tsp

Methods:

• 1. Cut the salmon into 1.5 inch wide pieces. In a bowl mix in 1/2 tsp of salt, pepper and the chili powder. Coat the fillets evenly with the spice rub and let it rest for 1/2 hour.
• 2. In a non-stick pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil, till smoking hot. Add the salmon and sear for 2-3 min on each wide. Remove and let it rest on a plate. You are not looking for a completely cooked salmon. It will finish cooking from the heat absorbed while resting.
• 3. Meanwhile, heat 2 more tbsp of oil in the pan. Add the onions and beans and garlic. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Keep in mind the mustard sauce will be salty. Saute on high heat for 4-5, till the beans get bright green in colour.
  
• 4. In a bowl, mix in the mustard, and chili sauce with 1 tbsp of water. Pour this over the beans and onions. Stir to combine. Saute for 2-3 more min. Return the Salmon fillets to the beans. Toss every thing together.
• 5. Serve as it is or with a side of salad or plain rice.
  

Pollock in Egg Wrap

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Pollock fillets - 1 lb (450 gm), (4 pcs)
• Eggs - 4
• Lemon Pepper - 2 tsp
• Paprika Powder - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
  
• Salt - to taste
• Black Pepper - to taste
  
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Methods:

• 1. In a tray mix in the lemon pepper, salt, chili powder, paprika powder and cumin powder. Rub the Pollock fillets with the spice rub generously. Let it marinade for at least half hour.
• 2. In non-stick pan heat 1 tbsp of olive oil till smoking hot. Sear the Pollock fillets, one at a time, on both sides, approx 2 - 3 min on each side. Remove and let it rest on a plate.
• 3. Clean the pan with a paper towel to remove any fish oil residue.
  
• 4. In a bowl break one egg, beat in a pinch of lemon pepper, salt and black pepper. Do this for each egg, separately.
  
• 5. Heat olive oil in the pan, pour the egg mixture (1 egg for each fillet), on medium-high heat, so that as soon as the egg heats the pan, it will cook on the bottom side.
  
• 6. Lay one Pollock fillet on the egg, and fold the egg around the fillet to create a wrap/parcel. Cook for 1-2 min, turning once, so that the egg will be cooked through. This will result in a super moist fish in the middle with a crispy egg wrap. Do this for the rest of the 3 fillets/eggs.
  
• 7. Serve on a bed of cheesy mashed potatoes or a side of the Island Rice.
  

Fish Kebabs

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Canned Mackerel fish - 1 can (1 lb/450 gms)
• Potato - 1 lrg, boiled and mashed
• Carrot - 1 med, boiled and mashed
• Green beans - 1 cup, steamed and mashed
  
• Onion - 1 med, chopped
• Garlic cloves - 2 , crushed
• Cilantro - 1 cup, chopped
  
• Egg - 1
• Breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup
• Salt - to taste
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Methods:

• 1. In a non-stick pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add the garlic and the onions. Saute for 2-3 min till the onions are translucent.
  
• 2. Add the canned fish, salt, all the dry spices and 1/2 cup of water. Simmer on med heat, till all the water has evaporated and fish is dried out of moisture. Make sure to stir constantly to avoid any burns at the bottom of the pot. Once the fish is processed, turn the heat off and let it cool down.
• 3. In a bowl, mash in the potatoes, beans and the carrots with a fork for a coarse texture. Make sure there is not too big a lump.
• 4. Mix in the fish, cilantro, egg and bread crumbs with the mashed up veggies. Form into disks, roughly about 1/2 cm thick and 2 inches in diameter. The recipe yields about 12-14 kebabs.
  
• 5. In a non-stick pan, heat enough oil for deep frying. On med-high heat, fry the fish kebabs, till crispy and dark brown, about 2-3 min on each-side. Serve hot as it is with some dipping sauce. It can also be served with pita bread or even rice.
  

Bengali Style Hilsha

Servings: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• Hilsha fish - 6 steaks, (6 pieces cut off the whole fish)*
• Eggplant - 2 cups, cut into finger length wedges
• Idaho Potato - 2 med, cut into finger length wedges
• Green chili - 2 - 3, sliced lengthwise (seeds removed if you don't like the heat)
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
• Cumin powder - 2/3 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

• For the spice rub:
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. First wash and drain the fish steaks. In a bowl mix in the spices for the rub. Coat the fish steaks with the spice rub evenly, rubbing all over the flesh. Let it rest for 1/2 hour.
• 2. In a non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp oil, pan fry the steaks for 2-3 min on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• 3. Add the onions and salt to the oil, saute till they turn translucent. Add 1/2 cup of hot water and all the dry spices (chili, cumin, turmeric, coriander) and stir combine. Simmer till the added water evaporates and creates a thick spice mixture. Return the fish steaks to the spice mixture and gently flip over to combine overall.
• 4. After few min, remove the fish from the spice, add all the vegetables to the pan and stir to combine. Make sure to coat all the vegetables. Saute for 4-5 min on high heat. Carefully lay the fish steaks over the vegetables. Add 3 cups of hot water to the pan, to make sure to soak the fish and the vegetables properly. Simmer on med heat for about 30 min, covered.
  
• 5. After 30 min, uncover the lid, carefully stir to rearrange the veg and the fish, simmer for 5 more min uncovered to reduce the gravy to a thick consistency. Turn the heat off and let it rest for 10-15 min before serving. Serve it with plain white rice.

Hot & Spicy Catfish Sauté

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Catfish - 2 pounds, cut into cubes
• Roma tomato - 3, sliced lengthwise
• Onions - 1 lrg, thinly sliced
• Serrano pepper/green chili - 2, thinly sliced
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• 
  
• For spice rub:
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2
  
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. Coat the fish cube generously with the spice rub. Use your hand to rub it in thoroughly but gently, as the flesh of the fish will be very delicate when raw. Let it marinate for 1/2 hour.
• 2. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.
  
• 3. In a non-stick pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil till smoking hot. Add the fish cubes, and saute on high heat for about 3-4 min, till the fishes develop a crispy coating. Remove and set aside.
• 4. Add the onions and salt to the oil. You should not need any extra oil, however if you do, then add 1 more tbsp before adding the onions. Saute till they are browned on the edges.
• 5. Add all the dry spices, and 1/2 cup of water so the spices will not burn. Saute till the water evaporates.
  
• 6. Add the tomatoes and saute for 3-4 min, return the fish cubes to the pan and lower the heat to med.
  
• 7. Keep sauteing till the juices released from the tomatoes have evaporated, and the onions and tomatoes stick to the fish. Turn the heat off. Add the green chilies, stir to combine.
• 8. Serve on a bed of flavoured or plain white rice .
  

Bengali Fish Curry

Servings: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• Ruhi/Carp fish - 6 steaks, (6 pieces cut off the whole fish)*
• Eggplant - 1 cup, cut into finger length wedges
• Idaho Potato - 2 med, cut into finger length wedges
• Roma Tomato - 2 lrg, cut into finger length wedges
• Green chili - 2 - 3, sliced lengthwise (seeds removed if you don't like the heat)
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Fresh Cilantro - 1/2 cup, coarsely chopped
  

• For the spice rub:
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. First wash and drain the fish steaks. In a bowl mix in the spices for the rub. Coat the fish steaks with the spice rub evenly, rubbing all over the flesh. Let it rest for 1/2 hour.
• 2. In a non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp oil, pan fry the steaks for 2-3 min on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• 3. Add the onions and salt to the oil, saute till they turn translucent. Add the garlic, saute for a minute. Add 1/2 cup of hot water and all the dry spices (chili, cumin, turmeric, coriander) and stir combine. Simmer till the added water evaporates and creates a thick spice mixture. Return the fish steaks to the spice mixture and gently flip over to combine overall.
• 4. After few min, remove the fish from the spice, add all the vegetables to the pan and stir to combine. Make sure to coat all the vegetables. Saute for 4-5 min. Carefully lay the fish steaks over the vegetables. Add 3 cups of hot water to the pan, to make sure to soak the fish and veg properly. Simmer on med heat for about 30 min, covered.
  
• 5. After 30 min, uncover the lid, carefully stir to rearrange the veg and the fish, simmer for 5 more min uncovered to reduce the gravy to a thick consistency. Turn the heat off and sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top before serving. Serve with rice.

Hints:
*You can use any type of fish for this curry. You can also use fillets rather than steak cut fish, however for the big fishes like Ruhi/ Buffalo Carp/Silver carp, etc, steak cut is more tasty for this type of curry.

Mustard Chili Salmon

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Salmon Fillet - 4 (2.5 inch wide slices)
  
• Onion - 1 lrg, thinly sliced lengthwise
  
• Jalapeno- 1 lrg, thinly sliced
• Dijon Mustard Sauce - 2 tbsp
• Ketchup - 1 tbsp
• Whole Mustard seeds- 1.5 tsp, coarsely crushed
  
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste (remember the mustard sauce tends to be a little salty)

Methods:

• 1. Wash and pat dry the salmon fillets with a paper towel. In a bowl mix the mustard sauce, ketchup, cumin, coriander powder, salt and 1 tsp of the crushed mustard seeds.
  
• 2. Marinate the salmon pieces in the spice mixture for about 30 min to 1 hour.
• 3. In a non stick pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil. When the the oil is smoking hot, pan fry the fillets for about 2-3 min on each side, till they get a nice and crispy coating.
• 4. Remove and let it rest on a plate.
• 5. Add the chopped onions to the pan, and saute till they turn translucent. Add 1/2 cup of hot water, chilies, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of the crushed mustard seeds. Stir to combine.
• 6. Return the salmon fillet back into the pan with their juices. Gently flip so that the fillets are evenly coated with the onions and chilies.
• 7. Simmer on low heat till the added water evaporated to leave a glossy sticky consistency.
• 8. Serve on a bed of white rice or some roasted vegetables.

Barramundi with 3 Pepper Sauce

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Barramundi Fish fillet- 1 lb (450 gm)
• Red Onion- 1 sml, thinly sliced
• Red bell pepper/capsicum- 1/2 sml, thinly sliced
• Green bell pepper/capsicum- 1/2 sml, thinly sliced
• Yellow bell pepper/capsicum- 1/2 sml, thinly sliced
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder- 1 tsp
• Chili Powder - 1 tsp
• Garlic Powder - 1 tsp, alternatively use garlic paste
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Ketchup - 3 tbsp
• Black pepper - 1/4 tsp

Methods:

• 1. Wash and cut the fish fillets into 2.5 inch wide pieces. In a bowl mix in the salt, turmeric, coriander, chili and the garlic powder. Coat the fillets evenly with the spice mixture. Let it marinade for 15 - 30 min.
• 2. In a non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp of oil and fry the fillets, in batches, for 3-4 min on each side or until it develops a crispy coating. Remove from the pan and let it rest on the serving plate.
• 3. Add 2 tbsp of oil to the pan and heat. Add the onions and saute till they turn translucent.
• 4. Add the bell peppers, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper and saute for 2-3 min.
• 5. Mix in the ketchup in a cup of hot water and pour on top of the peppers. Stir to combine. Simmer for 4-5 min on med heat, till it reaches a shiny thick consistency.
• 6. Remove from heat and pour over the fish fillets and serve with rice.
  

Silver Carp with Italian Beans

Servings - 4

Ingredients:

• Silver carp - 1 lb(450 gm), cut into 1.5 inch cubes
• Italian Flat Green Beans - 1 lb (450 gm), cut into 1.5 inch long pieces
• Onion - 1 med, finely chopped
• Garlic Cloves - 2, crushed
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• 
  
• For Marinade:
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
  
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• 
  

Methods:

• 1. Clean and cut up the fish into 1.5 inch cubes/pieces. Make sure you drain all the water from the fish after washing it. In a bowl mix in the salt, turmeric and chili powder for the marinade and coat the fish pieces evenly and set to marinate for 1/2 hour.
• 2. Meanwhile prepare the beans by removing the tips and the tails. Chop them in 1.5 inch long pieces. Make sure you have washed and drained the beans before chopping them. *
  
• 3. In a non-stick wok, heat 3 tbsp of oil. When the oil is smoking hot, add the fish and saute for 4-5 min, till they are golden and crispy on the edges. Remove and let it rest on a plate.
• 4. Add the onions to the pan. You should not need any more oil, however if you do, add couple of tbsp more before adding the onions. Saute the onions till they are translucent.
• 5. Add the garlic, salt and half cup of water. Add all the dry spices to the pan and simmer on med heat till the water evaporated and the oil separates from the spice.
  
• 6. Return the fish cubes to the pan and stir to coat all the pieces evenly with the spices. Simmer on med heat for 4-5 min. The fish should reach a reddish colour.
• 7. Add the beans and stir in gently to coat everything together. Cover and cook on low heat for about 15-25 min, till all the the beans are cooked through. Stir in occasionally to make sure even distribution of the flavour. Serve on a bed of rice.
  

Hints:
* You can alternatively use frozen beans. However, fresh beans taste better and cook faster too. You can also replace the beans with snow-peas

Cajun Spiced Barramundi

Cajun spices or the Cajun cuisine, originated from the French cooking, is a style of cooking popular in Louisiana, South America, that uses a blend of spices depended on paprika powder, cayenne pepper and black pepper. It also uses an aromatic blend of vegetables, onion, bell peppers and celery, usually referred to as the 'Holy Trinity' .
In my version of the Cajun style, I have left out the use of celery, and I add the the onions and the bell peppers at last half of the cooking rather than at the start. Enjoy!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Barramundi fish fillets - 1.5 lb ( cut into 3 inch wide pieces)
• Jalapeno* - 2 lrg, cut into long thin strips
• Onion - 1 med, cut into long thin strips
• Roma Tomatoes - 2, cut into long thin strips
• Onion powder - 1 tsp
• Garlic Powder - 1 tsp
• Paprika Powder- 1/2 tsp
• Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cayenne pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Methods:

• 1. Wash and pat dry the Barramundi fillets with a paper towel. Place them on a flat surface or a cutting board.
• 2. In a bowl, mix all the dry spices together for the fish and rub the fillets with the spice mixture all over. Marinate for half hour.
• 3. In a large non-stick pan, heat 1/2 cup of canola oil. Saute the fish fillets, 3-4 min on each side. Cook the fishes in batches so as to avoid stewing in the juices released by the fish . Once cooked remove and place them on a plate to rest.
• 4. Once all the fillets are done, add the thinly sliced onions and 1/2 tsp salt to the oil. Do not add any extra oil. Saute the onions for few min till they are translucent.
• 5. Add the jalapeno and the sliced tomatoes and saute for 3-5 min. Add half cup of water. Stir to combine everything and simmer until the water evaporates a little. Return the fish fillets to the pan and flip gently to coat all over with the pan gravy. Simmer on low heat for 5 min or till the sauce thickens and sticks to the fillets.
• 6. Serve the Cajun spiced Barramundi fillets on a bed of rice.

Hints:
* Remove the inner flesh and the seeds if you do not like the heat. You can also use green chilies in stead.

Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Marinade for Salmon:
• Salmon- 700gms ( 4 slices)
• Cumin powder- ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/3 tsp
• Chili powder – 1 tsp
• Ketchup – 1 ½ tbsp
  
• Dijon mustard – 1 ½ tbsp
  
• Lemon juice –1 tsp
• Chili sauce – 1 tbsp
  
• Whole mustard seeds - 1 tsp, coarsely crushed
• Salt- to taste
• 
  
• For Pineapple Salsa:
  
• Pineapple- 2 rings, sliced thinly
• Onion- ½ large, sliced thinly
• Jalapeno/ Capsicum(1/2) - 1 sliced thinly

Methods:

• Cut the Salmon fillet into 1.5 inch thick/wide slices.
  
• Mix all the spices and sauce to make the marinade. Marinate the Salmons for minimum of half hour to up to 24 hours.
• Lift salmon up from the marinade (save the marinade) and put it on a platter, spray some olive oil to coat the Salmons and bake/grill until cooked – 10/15 min. (tip: if baking, then broil the Salmon for the last 2/3 min to give them a charred taste)
  
• Meanwhile mix 1/2 cup of water to the marinade and thin it .
• Spray oil on a non-stick pan and sauté the onions (for the salsa) with some black pepper and salt, till the onions are translucent.
• Add the pineapples and jalapenos and sauté till soft.
• Add the marinate to the pan and simmer until thickens and develops a shiny colour.
• Before serving, pour the gravy over the salmons and serve with rice.