Za’atar baked Cod with Zucchini rice

June 14, 2019 Zeba@Food For The Soul 3 Comments

Glorious Summer!!

The weekend summer farmers markets are in full bloom. The joy of sourcing local ingredients is sweet and satisfying. Not everything is local though so it’s a journey to get to totally local sourced for the mind and body.

Za’atar Cod, Zucchini Rice and Fresh tomato salad

This was a beautiful Cod fillet and my Za’atar is home made with thyme and oregano that I have grown and dried. Saw a stand at the farmers market selling Za’atar and Olive oil which I am sure would be amazing to use. So if you are not making it at home buy from the local farmers and small businesses.

The tomatoes were just ripe and vibrant and ready to cut so I kept it simple with fresh mint and lemon juice.

The fresh zucchini also called for simplicity so it has been sautéed with a touch of cumin and fresh large green onions.

This plate reminds me of what good clean and abundant food this earth has given us to respect, enjoy and feed our souls.

Fish and Marinade

Cod filet – 1
Za’atar – 2 tbsp
Lemon zest – 1 tsp
Good olive oil – 1 tbsp
Salt if needed

Zucchini rice

2 cups cooked rice
1 large zucchini
1 small yellow or spring onion
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp olive oil

Tomato Salad

A couple of yellow and red tomatoes
Handful of fresh mint
Juice of one lemon
Lemon zest ( use the same lemon to zest)
Celtic sea salt – a sprinkle

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees
Coat the fish with the marinade ingredients and set aside for 15 mins.
Chop up the Zucchini in small pieces and slice the onions
Heat the olive oil and add cumin and mustard seeds. Once they pop, add the onions.
Sauté the onions until they soften, add the red chili powder and the zucchini.
Sauté for a few minutes until the zucchini is just tend.er Salt to taste and add the rice.
It will take a couple of minutes to combine and heat everything through.
Prepare the tomato salad by chopping the fresh ingredients and combining through with the salt and lemon juice.
Bake the fish for 10 mins in a 400 degree oven.
Serve beautifully!

I have not been to Angie’s Fiesta for a while and looking forward to joining Angie and Ai

Food, Lunch, salad, Vegan

Farro, Chickpeas and veggie bowl

April 21, 2019 Zeba@Food For The Soul 6 Comments

Beautiful and vibrant spring is here and its time to embrace all the positive energy it brings with it. Spring is the time for rejuvenating your mind, body and soul. Morning walks under blossoms and lush green trees, farmers markets, planting flowers and seeds, and of course cooking nourishing balanced food. The Yin and the Yang work together to balance your spirit.

This is a macrobiotic vegan bowl that will leave you full and happy. If you prep everything it will supply lunches for the week.

So what does it have?

Farro
Chickpeas cooked in spices
Roasted vegetables
Edamame
Fermented Carrots and Cabbage
Cilantro and green onions

Farro

Farro is a beautiful ancient grain full of protein, fiber and iron. Buy organic and cook per instructions. I soak it for an hour and cook it in the rice cooker at brown rice setting

Chickpeas

Soak 2 cups chickpeas overnight and then cook in the pressure cooker until just soft.

Add coconut oil in a pan. Add 1/2 tsp cumin and mustard seed and with whole red chilies. Add curry leaves if you have them and let them splutter. Add 1/2 tsp cayenne and 1/2 tsp turmeric and saute. Add the chickpeas and let them cook until the liquid is gone adding salt to taste. Add 1/2 garam masala and lemon juice to finish.

Roasted veggies

I used eggplant, peppers, sweet potatoes and onions smothered with salt, pepper and avocado oil. Roast at 375 degree oven for 30 mins.

Edamame

Cook shelled edamame per instruction

I had fermented cabbage and carrot but you can use store bought fermented veggies.

Chop cilantro and green onion and use lemon juice to top the bowl off.

Assemble as it pleases you and enjoy this gorgeous bowl!

Sharing at Angies Fiesta Friday where Antonia @ Zoale.com is the cohost

Food, Lunch, salad, side dishes

Harissa crusted Cauliflower salad

March 23, 2019 Zeba@Food For The Soul 7 Comments

It’s a vegetable overload weekend in our household. We had pea protein packed smoothie this morning and then ran a 5k in freezing temperatures. But the sun was out which gave energy to the mind and body. Riding the veggie theme for lunch I wanted to make something that continues to feed the body with energy.

So what I have here is a simple harissa roasted and charred cauliflower that is a sensory gift to the taste buds. The fact that it is plant based and has plenty of protein is something wonderful. The cauliflower is crusted with a mix of harissa paste, Labneh and Tahini dressing that amplifies the taste. The Avocados add the much needed fat and the citrus from the grapefruit balances it all.

Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower cut into thick steaks.
Olive oil
Salt
1 tablespoon harissa paste
1 tablespoon labneh ( or greek yoghurt)
1 tsp of the tahini dressing

Tahini Dressing

2 tablespoon tahini
4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoon pomegranate vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 handful of cilantro
Pink or Sea Salt – to taste

Salad greens and Topping

Arugula and Baby spinach
Toasted walnuts
Grapefruit slices
Sliced Avocados

Putting it together:

Blend all the ingredients for the tahini dressing adjust for consistency and salt.
Mix the harissa with labneh and a teaspoon of the tahini dressing.
Smother the cauliflower steaks with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Roast in a 450 degree oven for about 20 mins until slightly charred.
Dress the flowerets with the harissa dressing and put back in the oven for 5 mins. Remove and cool
Remove the grapefruit meat in slices being careful to remove the skin.
Slice the avocados
In a large bowl add the arugula and spinach and dress lightly with the tahini dressing
Plate the green, adding the grapefruit, avocado. Top with cauliflower and walnuts.
Drizzle some more dressing
- Enjoy!

Sharing on Fiesta Friday where the cohost this week is Julianna @ Foodie on Board

Food, Kashmir, side dishes

Haakh Tchaman- Kashmiri Cheese and Greens

January 27, 2019 Zeba@Food For The Soul 14 Comments

The magic of Kashmiri cooking always inspires a smile and a happy tummy. So simple and fragrant served with steaming steamed rice and some pickles. The cheese can be homemade or you can buy a block of Indian Cheese which is pretty readily available in supermarkets now. I do find the homemade version with organic milk much better and softer.

For the greens, I prefer the leaves called Chinese broccoli but collard green work really well too. Remove the leaves from the stems. If the stems are thick, peel the skin and use the inside, they are packed with flavor

The key flavor enhancer, I find is the use of Mustard oil. You can always substitute with regular vegetable oil. I used a pressure cooking but you don’t have to, it cooks just fine in a regular pot.

Here is the recipe

Ingredients:

Collard greens or Chinese broccoli – 2 bunches
Indian cottage cheese sliced into 2 inch pieces
Cloves 2 pices
asafetida – 1/4 Tsp
1 tsp crushed garlic
Ground ginger powder – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 Tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Fennel powder – 1 tsp
salt to taste
1/2 cup mustard oil
2 cups of water

Directions:

Fry the cottage cheese pieces in oil until lightly golden ( not too dark), remove and immerse in warm water. Set aside

In a pressure cooker add the same mustard oil and the cloves. Add Asafetida and garlic. Add water and the rest of the spices and bring to a boil. Add Salt to taste
Add the greens and pressure cook for 5 mins.
Remove the lid and add the cheese.
Cooks for 5 – 10 mins until the flavors combine and the cheese is soft.
Serve as a main dish or side dish with steaming rice.

Linking at Fiesta Friday where co-hosts this week areMollie @ Frugal Hausfrau and Diann @ Of Goats and Greens

Food, Kashmir, Meat Dishes, Meat Dishes

Kokur Roganjosh

December 15, 2018 Zeba@Food For The Soul 9 Comments

Kashmiri culture and ways of preparing the food lends to its exquisite and unique taste. An art form which is then accented by how the food is served….in copper dishes, with flavorful white rice, rich yogurt and tart chutneys.

Rogan Josh is a signature dish of the Kashmiri cuisine usually cooked with lamb. This particular recipe is with Chicken or “Kokur” and therefore the title. The subtle but important difference in the preparation is frying the chicken pieces beforehand which gives it the crispy exterior.

The rest of the spices are familiar with just a slight change is the way they are used in the thecooking process that differentiates it from other curries. The aromatic whole spices are fried in ghee to bring out the oils and aroma. The touch of water further steams through the spices.

I have used Mawal here, which is responsible for the deep red color. Mawal is dried cockscomb flower and is boiled with an equal quantity of water and then strained through a fine mesh. A couple of tablespoons of the liquid are then added towards the end of cooking. A pinch of saffron dissolved in warm milk or water is the last flavor and aroma enrichment.

This dish is cooked with love and the process of cooking it is something to be enjoyed as much and eating it. Many of the traditional ways of using the ingredients have been adjusted in my American kitchen but the uniqueness of flavor still commands the respect of the cook and the guest.

Roganjosh served with Paneer Haakh and rice

Kokur Roganjosh

Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium
Print

Kashmiri Chicken Roganjosh

Credit: https://foodforthesoul00.com/

Ingredients

1 whole organic chicken cut into about 10 – 12 pieces
Olive or walnut oil for frying
4 cloves
8 green cardamom
2 black cardamom
1 bay leaf
4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder soaked in warm water
2 onions
2 tablespoons mawal liquid ( optional)
1/2 cup ghee
Salt
Pinch of Saffron( 4-5 strands) soaked in warm milk
Black pepper
4-5 cups water

Directions

Pat dry the chicken pieces and shallow fry them in batches until golden brown. Set aside
Slice and fry the onions until golden, grind to a paste and set aside
If using Mawal(cockscomb), boil in equal quantity of water for a couple of minutes. Strain through a fine sieved and bottle it up to use as needed.
Add ghee to a heave bottomed pan and add the cloves, bay leaf and cardamom. Fry until they sizzle.
Remove from heat and add a tbsp of water and cover to let the spices steam
Return to heat and add the garlic, saute for a minute
Add chicken turmeric, chili, onion paste and salt.
Add enough water to cover the chicken and bring to a boil
Cook the chicken until tender ( about 20 mins)
Add the mawal liquid, saffron and black pepper.
Once it has returned to a boil, turn off the heat.

Serve beautifully!

Linked to Fiesta Friday with Antonia and Kat

Food, Meat Dishes

Koftas in tomato sauce

Gallery November 30, 2018 Zeba@Food For The Soul 17 Comments

Something about a tender juicy meatball is so comforting and satisfying.

There is a meatball or Kofta dish in just about every culture using a variety of different meats and spices. This recipe has been inspired by the Lebanese style of cooking similar to Dawood Basha and uses a combination of ground chicken and beef flavored with spices and no breadcrumbs. I added some feta cheese to elevate that flavor. The spices in the sauce itself are minimal allowing the onions and tomatoes to shine.

The beautiful aroma of fennel and ginger invades your kitchen as you cook this dish.

Heading to Angie’s Fiesta Friday Party where I am so excited to cohost with Alex @ Turks Who Eat. So come on over and bring your delicious dishes with you. See you all there!

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