Foodbuzz 24x24 : Save the Coast - A Louisiana Seafood Celebration

As a seafood and nature lover,the Gulf coast Oil spill's dire consequences immensely concerns me.When Foodbuzz announced the 24x24 Gulf Ambassador event dedicated towards raising money for those affected by the Gulf oil spill.I could not possibly miss the opportunity to support the rebuilding efforts and promptly proposed a Gulf inspired meal titled "Save the Coast - A Louisiana Seafood Celebration".Apparently Mr.Healthnut and I were in planning of a get together.It has been a year since we moved to Columbus and was about time we socialized with our new acquaintances.With my proposal accepted and my amiable pals available to join in the seafood feast,here is how I proceeded to prepare and execute the memorable dinner.


Normally I would start the preparation for a party(like this one) at least 3 days ahead.But it was different with seafood which tastes best the same day as cooked.The only prep work the day before was to have all the ingredients in hand.

Since my friends share the same love for spicy seafood ,the main ingredients were exclusively seafood.I choose affordable simple kind - crab,shrimp and fish,since we wanted this to be a budget friendly meal.Inspired by traditional Louisiana cuisine,each of the courses had to be flavorful but not overwhelmingly spicy as the weather was already turning up the heat.

All the seafood was bought from the local markets of Columbus that sell the best quality seafood.Some of the fresh herbs(thyme and cilantro)and vegetables(tomatoes and okra)were from my home garden(yes,harvested from my first ever home garden).


Appetizer
Herbed Mini Crab Cakes

To get the festivity rolling,these bite-size crab cakes were an appetizing start.The sauteed vegetables are mixed with crab meat,fresh and dried herbs ,spices and cooked to a slight crunch.These were gone in no time,so the first course of the meal had to be served promptly.
Recipe
Makes 25 mini crab cakes
Ingredients
1/2 pound crab meat
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoon cilantro or parsley,finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup bread crumbs + 2 tablespoon
1 Organic egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger,finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoon canola oil

Method
Heat about 2 teaspoon of oil in large pan,cook the onions, bell pepper, and celery ,until softened, about 8 minutes.Cool.

Whisk together the egg ,worcestershire sauce ,ginger,cayenne and salt in a large bowl, mix in the crab meat,cooked onion mixed and 1/2 cup bread crumbs.Shape into bite size patties.Dredge the patties in remaining bread crumbs.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick or cast iron pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, and fry until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.Serve warm with tartar sauce.

Starter - Entrée : Okra Shrimp Roux Gumbo with Jalapeno Butter milk Corn bread

Gumbo is a luscious flavorsome soups savored in the Louisiana cooking.The stew is thickened with the roux sauce(made with equal portion of fat and flour),the mellow okra,spices and finally a variety of seafood are cooked slowly until the seasons marry.Usually enjoyed over bowl of white rice,I served with a more exciting jalapeno corn bread instead.I seeded the jalapenos again to avoid the excess heat.The buttermilk not just balances the heat but also makes the bread really moist.
Usually a soup and bread like such would make my meal complete,but as this was feast on grand scale,I was glad the guest were waiting for more.

Recipe
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 pound large shrimp(25-30 count), peeled and deveined
1 pound okra, sliced
2 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion,finely chopped
1/2 cup celery ,finely chopped
1/2 cup bell peppers,finely chopped
2 ripe Tomatoes steamed,peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10 1/2 ounces ) tomatoes
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
3 cups water
Salt and pepper

Method
In a large cast iron Dutch oven or pot add the oil and flour.Cook over medium-low heat ,stirring constantly until the roux is lightly brown and aromatic,about 30 minutes.Add onions, peppers, celery and garlic. Saute for 4-5 minutes,add the tomatoes ,cayenne and bay leaves,cook for 2-3 minutes before stirring in the water.Cover and bring to a slow boil.Add the okra and simmer for 10-15 minutes until softened.Now add the shrimp and simmer another 15 minutes.Serve warm with the corn bread.


Jalapeno Butter milk Corn bread

Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 big Jalapeno pepper,seeded and chopped
2 large Organic eggs
1 1/2 cup reduced fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs ,and add the buttermilk and baking soda, and whisk to combine. Add the flour, cornmeal, peppers, and salt. Using a spatula stir until just blended. Do not over mix.
Pour batter into a greased 8 inch cast iron pan or a square baking pan or a baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool few minutes before slicing.Serve warm with the Okra shrimp gumbo.


Main Course
Cajun Seafood Jambalaya

Jambalaya is another one of the most celebrated food in the Southern cuisine,prepared with variety of meat,spices and rice.I kept mine strictly seafood,the Cajun style has no tomatoes,the spice rubbed seafood is browned for the extra smoky aroma then cooked with rice and vegetables.
Last and fulfilling end of the savory course,the only craving now was for the dessert.
Recipe
serves 6-8
Ingredients
2 pound Tilapia or other firm white fish fillets
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups long grain rice,washed and drained
1 large onion,chopped
2 cup bell peppers(red,yellow and green),chopped
1 cup celery,chopped
2 cloves garlic,finely chopped
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoon canola oil
fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish.

For Cajun Seasoning
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Method
In a small bowl,mix together all of the ingredients under the seasoning list.Rub about a tablespoon of the seasoning over the fish fillet and shrimp.Let marinate in fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile heat oil in a dutch oven or skillet on medium-high heat,add the onion,pepper and celery,saute to 3-4 minutes until soft,add the garlic and a tablespoon of the cajun seasoning and cook 2-3 minutes,get the vegetables out of the pan.
Add the fish fillets ,one at a time in to the pan and cook 5-6 minutes on each side until spice on the crust is nicely browned,take the fish out and cook the shrimp for 4-5 minutes until spices is brown and aromatic.Set the shrimp aside along with the fish.Now add the rice in to the pan ,stir frequently,cook 3-4 minutes until rice is pearly white,then pour in the stock and drop the bay leaf;bring to a boil.Cover,reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes.Then mix in the vegetable mixture,fish fillet(torn in smaller chunks) and shrimp,cook another 10 minutes until rice is fully cooked.Discard the bay leaves.Serve warm.Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro.

Drink
Berry Lemon Spritzer

A refreshing blend of berries and lemons,the chilled drink was a perfect thirst quencher.
serves 6
Ingredients
1 cup assorted frozen berries
2 lemons,quartered
2 tablespoon sugar
10 ounce bottle of lime flavored soda water
Ice cubes

Method
Puree the frozen berries in a blender with the sugar until smooth.Filter the puree to remove the pulp.Pour about 2 tablespoon of the berry juice in each glass.Add the ice cubes,soda water,a lemon wedge in each and serve immediately.

Dessert
Peach Chocolate Banana Foster with thyme infused caramel sauce

For a sweet finish to the enticing feast,nothing could have been more cooling than an ice cream dessert.Quick to put together with simple ingredients, caramelized fruit and ice cream,this is the kind of dessert one can prepare right in front of the guests of the party.My version is non-alcoholic,for added flavor I infused the caramel sauce with fresh thyme.

Serves 6
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted Organic butter or virgin pressed coconut oil
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3 medium ripe bananas, sliced
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 ripe peaches ,chopped
6 scoops of reduced fat Ice cream(I made my own Chocolate Almond ice cream)
Method
Melt the butter or coconut oil in a pan on low heat. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir until sugar dissolves. Add the orange juice,thyme and bring sauce to simmer. Add peaches ,bananas and cook for about a minute ,sprinkle the zest and turn the heat off. Discard the thyme sprigs,place the fruit in the serving plates,pour some sauce over each,and serve with the ice cream.

As much as we loved the succulent seafood meal ,we were also very anxious about the extent of damage the spill has caused to the marine and wild life in the Gulf not to mention the fishermen whose livelihood depend on the business,and how it would affect some of our seafood choices in years to come until natural purity of coastal waters is restored.
Foodbuzz has pledged to donate $250 on behalf of every featured 24x24 publisher of the month, to Greater New Orleans foundation,which has been playing a key role in relief efforts in the wake of the tragic oil spill.I am truly pleased to have been selected as the Foodbuzz 24x24 Gulf Ambassador.

Be sure to check back with other 24X24 posts of this month here.

A Saudi meal - Matazeez(Pasta), Date Dessert and Arabic Coffee

February was Saudi Arabian Cuisine for the Walima Cooking club.The sumptuous Saudi recipes were introduced to us ,by host of the month,Noor of Middle Eastern Cook.

Snippet - Saudi Arabia History and Cuisine
The birthplace of Prophet Muhammad,Arabia had stability and unity after the advent of Islam.The boom in economy opened the trade routes ,the spices imported enriched the aroma of the traditional cuisine.The growth of immigrants in modern times mainly from Asia and Africa adapted many more exotic dishes from the foreign lands.


Matazeez,the Saudi style pasta is commonly cooked with lamb in the spiced pasta sauce ,although one can use any kind of meat.The following recipe with fish is much faster to cook,ideal for quick weekday meals and also picking a fish rich in omega 3s like wild salmon is great for a change.If you choose to use lamb or goat ,cook the meat in the tomato sauce and add all the vegetables when the meat is almost cooked.

Recipe : Matazeez(Pasta) with Vegetables and Wild Salmon
Serves 4
For Pasta Dough
2 cups fine ground wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water

For Vegetable sauce
1 medium or 3 baby Eggplant ,sliced lengthwise
1 small zucchinis,sliced lengthwise
1-1/2 cups pumpkin or squash, cubed
1 big carrot,julienne
1/2 cup green beans,cut in 2 inches pieces
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-2 hot peppers or green chillies,chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper,freshly ground
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
2 dried lemons, cracked
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil


For Fish on Side
4 Wild salmon fillets(about 3 inch long)
2 teaspoon spice rub(I used mixture of ground cumin,coriander,pepper,cinnamon,hot chili powder and cloves)
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Method
Prepare the pasta dough
In a large bowl add flour, salt and oil. Add water small amounts at time enough to make a workable dough.Cover and place in bowl and allow to sit in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Cook the sauce with vegetables
Heat a large pan,add oil and onions, cook until tender about 3-4 minutes.Add the Vegetables ,tomato sauce,chillies and other dry spices. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are almost tender.
Roll the pasta and cook with the sauce

Sprinkle some all purpose flour on the work surface.Roll the dough thin and cut into small circles using a cutter about 2 inches wide. Drop the pasta in the cooking vegetable tomato sauce when the vegetables are almost cook.Cover and cook another 10 minutes until pasta is cooked through.

Cook the fish
Rub the spices on the fish and marinate for few minutes.Heat oil in pan on medium and sear the fish ,3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through.Serve on side with the prepared Matazeez(pasta) and vegetables mixture .

The Matazeez and Lamb Kabouli(posted last Walima Challenge) are my entries for Regional recipes : Middle East,hosted this month by Joanne of Eat well with others.

Saudi Date Dessert and Arabic Coffee
Saudis love to serve black Coffee at the end of the meal.Flavored with cardamoms or ginger ,the coffee is best served with the dessert,sweetened with the most abundant fruit of Arabia ,dates.

Recipe
Makes dozen date balls
For Date Dessert (Al-Harrisah or Al-haysah)
1 cups durum wheat flour
1 1/2 cups dates, finely chopped(I used soft dates)
2 tablespoon Puree Ghee(next best substitute is Virgin pressed coconut oil for coconut lovers)
1/2 tablespoon ground cardamom

Method
1.In a small heavy bottom pan or skillet ,melt the ghee on medium heat.Add flour, stirring until lightly brown and aromatic.Remove from heat, add dates and cardamom, blend together in a processor to prevent lumps.
Shape as desired,the round is traditional.Serve with Arabic coffee.


For Arabic Coffee(Qahwa Arabeya)
Makes 4 Arabic coffee cups or glass(2 ounces each)
3 tablespoon roasted ground coffee or Arabic Coffee
2 cups of water
3-4 cardamom pods

Method
Brew the coffee for 5 minutes along with the cardamoms.Strain and serve warm with the date dessert.

Spicy Baked Pomfret With Vegetable Stir fried Brown Rice

In my previous posts Fish soup and Fish Biryani I mentioned about importance of Fish. Eating fish with high omega 3s twice a week is recommended for over all good health.Pregnant and nursing moms who eat fish high in omega 3s ,pass the nutrients to their babies which helps in supporting brain and eye development.Care has be taken about picking the fish with low the mercury .
For best tasting fish dish,buy fresh fish that smells like sea.The fresher the fish the less fishier it smells.Cooking with stale fish can leave your home with unwelcoming lingering odors ,particularly during this time of the year with doors and windows shut most of the time.Marinating the fish in turmeric can lessen the odors of the fish while cooking it.
Spicy Fish with vegetables and brown rice is a well balanced complete meal with protein ,omega 3s from fish;carbs ,vitamins and mineral from Vegetables and brown rice.This is my entry for Maryann's Seven Fishes Feast and Sangeeth's Eat healthy during Pregnancy.
Spicy Baked Pomfret
2 pomfrets or any Oily eco-friendly Fish
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon each of coriander and cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or freshly minced ginger and garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice,freshly squeezed
Method
Clean and marinate fish in the spices and lemon juice at least an hour.Heat oil in an oven proof pan and sear the fish 4 minutes on each side.And transfer in a preheated oven at 350F and cook for another 15 minutes until cooked through.Serve with the brown rice.


Vegetable Stir fried Brown Rice
Ingredients
2 cups Cooked Brown rice
1/2 medium onion,chopped
1/2 cup carrots,Julianne
1/2 cup peas
1 cup french beans ,cut
1 cup Broccoli or cauliflower florets,chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 green chillies
pinch of saffron
2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Few mint leaves and cilantro chopped.
1 tablespoon lemon juice,freshly squeezed

Method
Heat oil in a saucepan on medium high flame. Add chopped onions ,whole green chillies and cumin seeds. saute for a minute and add ginger garlic paste. saute for a minute with turmeric and other spices. Add the cut vegetables and Cook for 5-10 minutes until tender.Now mix in the cooked brown rice and lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes until flavors infuse,lastly mix in the chopped mint and cilantro. Serve with the baked fish.


Read about:
Omega 3s and Fish nutrition
Wild Vs Farm raised Fish

Andhra Chepala Pusulu(Fish in Tamarind Tomato sauce) and Guntur Mirchi(Chilly)

(image source Wikipedia)
Guntur Mirchi(Hot pepper)
Andhra Pradesh(in South India) is home to one of the hottest chillies called Guntur Mirchi.Its hard to miss the red luscious bed of chillies drying in summer sun in while traveling to Guntur. Guntur is one the largest exporters of red chilly next only to Mexico! Andhra cuisine blossoms red with the flavor of these Chillies.Married to a Guntur Abbae(boy),I've acquainted myself with many andhra recipes.Chepala pesulu in Telugu translates to the Fish in Tamarind Tomato sauce is one such authentic Andhra favorites.This recipe brings out the best flavors of fish while preserving its nutritive value and tastes best when cooked in red hot peppers!


A secret of good memory ,eye sight and cardiovascular health is to include fish as part of your diet at least twice a week.Choosing the right kind of fish and cooking method is the key to get the most of its nutritive value.
Healthiest Fish are the oily fish(rich in Omega 3s) like wild Salmon,rainbow trout,pacific halibut and pacific cod.check out this page for an eco-friendly guide of selecting the right kind of fish.Important read ,Wild Vs Farm-raised fish.

Best Cooking Methods for Fish
Steaming,Cooking fish over simmering water until tender,good for salads or cutlets.
Poaching,gently cooking in simmering water or broth ,with vegetables for more flavor.
Stove Top Searing ,Cooking in a non-stick pan with some healthy oil (Olive oil)until crust is lightly crisp but not burnt.
Broil or Bake between temperature 350-375F ,requires less oil and cooks faster.
Recipe Chepala Pulusu(Fish in Tamarind Tomato sauce)
Ingredient
1 pound Fish Rainbow trout or Tilapia or any eco-friendly fish,fillets or slices with bones.
2 big Red Plum tomatoes,finely chopped
1 small onion,finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste or use freshly grated
1/2 cup tamarind\imli juice, soak tamarind in water and strain the pulp or use a teaspoon of tamarind paste
1 teaspoon Rasam or sambhar powder(available in Asian grocers) or use 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin(zeera) and coriander(dhania) powder.
1 teaspoon chilly powder
1 teaspoon turmeric\haldi
1 teaspoon salt
1 sprig curry leaves
3 tablespoon Olive oil
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro\Coriander\Kothmir

Method
Marinate Fish:
Marinate the cleaned fish with 1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric,chilly powder and ginger garlic paste.
Prepare the sauce
In a sauce pan, add the chopped onions and curry leaves,saute until lightly brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste, sauce until aromatic and lightly brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and the spices. Cover and cook until tomatoes are tender. Add the tamarind juice and another 1/2 a cup of water and simmer.

Bake or Sear the fish.
To bake: Preheat oven to 350F and drizzle 2 tablespoon of olive oil evenly over the marinated fish and bake about 15-20 minutes until cooled through
To Sear: Heat Olive oil in a non stick pan and add the marinated fish. Let cook about 10 minutes each side. Remove and set aside. Add any pan juices in to the prepared sauce.

Simmer in the sauce.
Add the baked or seared fish in to the simmering sauce. Do not stir the tender fish,Cook for another 10 minutes until flavors infuse, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve on a bed of warm Rice.

Health Benefits of Chilly listed in this post.

Chepala Pulusu is off to SWC Andhra Pradesh event,hosted by Hari Priya Reddy.

Other Andhra favorites posted
Tomato Rasam
Sambhar
Lemon Rice with Egg Plant Chutney
Mirchi Ka Salan
Hyderabadi Biryani
Hyderabadi Haleem

Fish Vegetable Cutlets

Fish vegetable cutlets are spicy with goodness of fish and vegetables combined, perfect with salads or in sandwiches or as a side with Rice\Sambhar.

Ingredients
3 Fish fillets(about 1 pound) Trout or Tilapia or Salmon ,any Oily kind
3/4 cup broccoli florets
3-4 baby carrots,chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon or more Chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon each of cumin and coriander powder.
2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro\coriander leaves
2 tablespoon Olive oil or Vegetable oil
1 slice Whole wheat bread, pulse in a processor to make fresh bread crumbs or use any store bought bread crumbs.

Method
Poach the fish
In a sauce pan heat 2 cups of water on medium flame and drop the fillets. Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes until tender.Drain water and pat dry. Shred and set aside.
Boil the vegetables
In a separate sauce pan boil water and add the veggies and let cook until tender. About 15 minutes. Drain all water, mash the veggies and squeeze out any excess water using a paper towel. The cutlets may break if the veggies are watery.
Prepare the mixture
In a pan heat a teaspoon of oil and add the ginger and garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until lightly brown. Add the spices and saute for about 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the squeezed out veggies and shred fish. turn heat off and mix until well combined. When cool enough to handle , shape in to round patties. Lay the bread crumbs on a plate and coat the patties with crumbs on both side, shed any excess crumbs.
Shallow fry the Cutlets
Heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat and shallow fry until lightly brown on both sides. Serve in a sandwich or with Rice\Sambhar or Salads.

Potato-lovers Tip: add 1/2 a medium sized boiled and mashed potato ,if the patties seem to be falling apart.

See Fish Biryani post to know about Omega 3s in fish.
These calcium rich cutlets are my entry for Eat Healthy :Calcium Rich hosted by Sangeeth

Fish Biryani

Can't get enough of these flavorful biryanis. Fish biryani is my fourth entry for the biryani. I'm using oily fish which are rich in Omega 3s .Fillets are better for me because there are no tiny bones and its all clean ,ready to cook. Tomatoes used in the biryani add the tangy flavor to the biryani unlike other biryanis in which i used yogurt and lime to add the tang to the rice.
Ingredients you'll need are
For fish
4 fillets of fish Cod or Halibut or Rainbow trout or Atlantic Salmon
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon garam masala(ground cloves,cinnamon and cardamom)
1 teaspoon each coriander and cumin powder
1 teaspoon chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt.

For Rice
4cups Basmati rice
3 medium ripe Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Peas
1/2 cup Sliced Carrots
1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon Ground spices cloves, cinnamon ,coriander seeds and cumin seeds(aka Garam Masala)
Few Whole Spices Cloves,Cumin seeds,Cinnamon sticks and cardamom
1 cup Chopped cilantro and mint
1 medium Onion Thinly Sliced
1/2 lime juice
2 green chillies
1 teaspoon red chilly powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil


To make the Fish Biryani
Marinate and Shallow fry the Fish
Marinate fish with all the spices in the list for about an hour. Shallow fry in a non stick pan using olive oil. fry about 7 minutes on each side on medium heat. Set aside for layering later.
Cook the Vegetables
Heat Olive oil in a Saucepan with lid .Fry the thinly sliced onions until lightly golden brown. Remove the fried onions and set aside.Add the cumin seeds ,whole Spices and saute for a minute then add the ginger garlic paste. Let roast for a minute. Now stir in the chopped tomatoes,peas,carrots ,chilly powder ,garam masala and turmeric. Cook Veggies while covered for about 20 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Cook Rice
Meanwhile wash and soak rice for 15minutes. Boil about 8 cups of water in another large Skillet with lid and add salt and whole cloves. Drain the water from rice and add to the boiling water. Cook until its 80% done.
Make Layers and Cook Some more
Gather all the ingredients(Fried Fish,Chopped Mint\Cilantro,Lime Juice ,Cooked Veggie mixture and crispy fried onions) to make the layers promptly.Drain the rice in a strainer. Real quick before the rice cools. Keep the same skillet used to boil rice back on heat. Coat the bottom of the skillet with table spoon of olive oil. Spread half the rice in the skillet.Spread the vegetable mixture,Sprinkle the lime juice,crispy fried onions and chopped greens around the first rice layer.

Now layer the rest half of rice .Then delicately layer the fish over rice and sprinkle any remaining chopped greens or fried onions.

. Cover tightly and cook for another 10 minutes until you see steam escaping from the lid. Wait another 10 minutes before removing the lid.

Mix Layers
Before serving ,set the fish on a big plate then properly mix all the layers and serve. Garnish with roasted nuts and cherry tomatoes.


Other Yummy Biryani recipes Posted here
Soy Biryani

Vegetable Biryani

Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani


Health Nut Fish Facts
Oily fish like Salmon ,trout ,cod and haibut are high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3s are healthy fats that help prevent a wide range of medical problems, including cardiovascular disease, depression, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Fish like Salmon,Perch ,Cod ,Halibut and Rainbow trout are rich in calcium.

Other good sources of Omega 3s

(image source : Whfood)

Learn more about Omega 3s benefits.

This recipe is my entry for Sangeeth's Eat Healthy :Calcium Rich Event