Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs With Spicy Corn

Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs With Spicy Corn

The spicy, salty jalapeño brine balances sweet corn kernels, which roast on a sheet pan alongside chicken thighs in this simple, summery weeknight meal. The chicken, marinated with basil, garlic and a little mayonnaise, stays juicy even after a brief stint under the broiler. You can serve this hot from the oven or at room temperature — it’s equally good each way — and cold leftovers are excellent piled onto lettuce or avocado for a salad the next day.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1¾ teaspoons fine sea or table salt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

¼ cup finely chopped basil, plus more for garnish

2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

⅓ cup chopped pickled jalapeños, plus brine from the jar

4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from about 4 ears)

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

5 scallions, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, sliced into rings

1 lime, halved

Season the chicken all over with ¾ teaspoon of salt. In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, basil, garlic and 2 tablespoons jalapeño brine. Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss together corn, pickled jalapeños, olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and half of the scallions (save remaining scallions for serving).

Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet, spacing it out. Roast for 12 minutes. Spoon the corn mixture onto the empty parts of the baking sheet. Drizzle chicken and corn with oil. Continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring the corn once while roasting.

Turn the broiler on high and broil the chicken and corn until golden brown in spots, 2 to 4 minutes (watch carefully so it doesn’t burn, though a little blistering is nice).

Garnish chicken and corn with basil, remaining scallions and fresh jalapeño slices. Sprinkle with more pickled jalapeño brine and squeeze with lime juice. Serve hot or at room temperature.

TIPS: A worthy twist in one of the best recipes ever - Melissa’s Ginger Lime Chicken. Mayo is an amazing marinade and the generous salt does wonders - even increase it - an especially good technique is you swap in boneless breasts. Basil and corn is a delightful combo and the kick from the peppers is just enough. Easy to do in an aluminum pan on the grill to keep your kitchen cool too. Delightful!

Banger! This was so good we decided to start the weekend early. Only mod was using more pickled jalapenos (1/2 cup?) and forgoing the fresh jalapeno at the end. (Actually we first tried it with some slices of fresh jalapeno, but found it overwhelmed a bit. Taster's choice here.). Had a simple, cool tomato salad to go with, and it complimented like a champ.

I pre-salted the chicken in the morning, and then followed the recipe (including the salting) to a T.

I love David's idea of tomatoes and will do a cherry tomato salad on the side next time, maybe some warm tortillas on the table too. Unbelievably good.

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake

This simple, one-bowl loaf cake is a sweet way to make the most of zucchini season. Chocolate cake batter is flecked with shreds of raw zucchini and studded with bittersweet chocolate chips for a summertime cake that’s fit for either breakfast or dessert. While some recipes call for squeezing the excess water out of the shredded zucchini, this loaf cake takes full advantage of the summer vegetable: The zucchini is taken directly from the grater to the bowl for additional moisture. The resulting cake strikes the perfect balance; it's rich and fudgy, but still maintains a tender crumb. The cake will keep on the counter for 4 to 5 days, loosely covered, and only gets better with age.

Yield: 1 loaf (about 8 servings)

Nonstick cooking spray or neutral oil

2 large eggs

1½ cups/330 grams packed light brown sugar

¾ cup/180 milliliters neutral oil (such as vegetable or safflower)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

2 cups/280 grams lightly packed coarsely grated zucchini (from about 1 large or 2 small zucchini)

1¾ cups/223 grams all-purpose flour

⅔ cup/63 grams unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup/173 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon coarse sugar (such as turbinado or Demerara)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the long sides to create a sling.

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, light brown sugar, oil, vanilla extract and salt until smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds. Add the grated zucchini and mix with a rubber spatula until incorporated.

Using a fine-mesh strainer, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda directly into the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined and no pockets of unincorporated flour remain. (Try not to overmix.) Add all but 1 tablespoon of the chocolate chips to the batter and stir until evenly distributed.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar and the reserved chocolate chips, pressing them in slightly so they stick. Bake until the cake puffs slightly and a skewer or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached or with smudges of melted chocolate chips (the chips will be dark brown versus the lighter color of uncooked cake batter), 75 to 80 minutes.

Let the loaf cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Using the parchment paper, lift the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on a rack before slicing, about 2 hours.

Tip: The cake can be baked in a 9-by-2-inch round cake or springform pan. Grease the pan and line the bottom with a parchment paper round. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, 50 to 55 minutes.

Substituting fat-free Greek yogurt for some of the oil. I figured it out and it was perfect - instead of 6oz of oil I used 2oz oil and 3oz of yogurt. Delicious, and eliminated 2/3 of the oil. Super moist and chocolatey.

I  have tried many zucchini breads and cakes, but was always bothered by their oiliness. I have now made this one twice substituting the 3/4 cup oil with 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup either oil or melted butter or combination of the two ( to equal 1/4 cup). Found that hint on the King Arthur baking site. It really works well.

Perfect in a 9 inch round cake pan, baked 60 minutes. Moist and so delicious. The only change I made was the addition of a sprinkling of chopped pecans on the top along with the coarse brown sugar and chocolate chips. This cake will have thousands of 5 star reviews very shortly!

I also like that the zucchini doesn’t have to be drained. I used bittersweet chunky chips and I made these as muffins. It made 15 regular muffins and I baked them at 350 for 30 minutes.

Spicy Corn and Coconut Soup

Spicy Corn and Coconut Soup 

A good corn soup is creamy and naturally sweet; an even better corn soup is spicy, refreshing and addictive. In this recipe, it’s the combination of shallots, garlic, ginger, chiles and coconut milk, rather than heavy cream or butter, that makes the soup at once cooling and rich. It’s a dinner in a bowl (and a vegan one at that), but it would surely welcome a side of steamed rice or salad of leafy greens. To serve, add garnishes that are any combination of spicy (extra fresh chile or store-bought chile oil), crunchy (toasted coconut, chopped peanuts or cashews, fried shallots) or fresh (torn cilantro, chopped scallions), and it’ll be even more dynamic.

Yield: 4 servings

5 ears yellow or bicolor corn (or 5 cups frozen corn kernels)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced

1 serrano chile (or other chile), minced

2 small red potatoes (6 to 8 ounces total), cut into ½-inch cubes

2½ cups vegetable broth (or 2½ cups of hot water whisked with 1½ teaspoons jarred bouillon)

1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon lime juice (from ½ lime)

Kosher salt, to season

Torn cilantro leaves, toasted coconut flakes, chopped roasted peanuts, crispy fried shallots, lime wedges and more sliced Serrano chiles, to serve (optional)

Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and transfer to a bowl. Using the back of a butter knife, scrape the cobs so that all of the milky juices collect in the bowl and the cobs look completely dry, like wrung-out sponges. Set aside. (If using frozen kernels, skip this step.)

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add shallots, garlic, ginger and chile, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add corn kernels and juices to the pot, and sauté until the corn is softer and brighter, about 3 minutes more.

Add potato pieces, and stir to coat, 1 to 2 minutes.

Now, pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender all the way through.

Use an immersion blender to roughly purée the soup, so that it’s creamy with some kernels of corn, chunks of potato, and chile flecks remaining. (Alternatively, ladle about half of the soup into a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.) Season with lime juice and salt, and mix to combine. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toppings of your choice.

Dumpling Tomato Salad With Chile Crisp Vinaigrette

Dumpling Tomato Salad With Chile Crisp Vinaigrette

Harness the crowd-pleasing power of dumplings in this hearty yet light main course salad. The base is simple and summery: Ripe tomatoes are lightly touched with salt, garlic and basil, providing a perfectly fragrant canvas for pan-fried potsticker dumplings. Salting intensifies the tanginess and fruitiness of tomatoes, while also coaxing out some of the juice, which becomes a light sauce for the dumplings. (Salting also works wonders for out-of-season tomatoes, meaning you could eat this salad all year round.) Use your favorite chile crisp as it is the dominant flavor in the dressing and will greatly impact the final dish; all brands of crisp will have different levels of saltiness and spice, so season accordingly.

Yield: 4 servings

For the Salad

2½ pounds ripe tomatoes (any variety), cut into roughly 1- to 2-inch pieces (at room temperature)

1 garlic clove, grated

½ cup basil leaves, torn

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal brand) and black pepper

1 pound frozen potsticker dumplings (not thawed)

Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable

1 to 2 tablespoons store-bought crispy fried shallots (optional)

For the Chile Crisp Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons chile crisp (or chile oil)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste

Place the tomatoes on a large serving plate or in a bowl. Add the garlic, half the basil leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt and a big pinch of black pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, combine the chile crisp, rice vinegar and soy sauce and whisk to combine. Taste and if it needs more saltiness, add ½ teaspoon more soy sauce.

Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium high for 1 to 2 minutes until very hot. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and, working in batches, add the dumplings, flat-side down, and cook until the bottoms of the dumplings are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately add about ¼ cup of water to the pan, just enough to cover the base of the dumplings, then cover and cook until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (If your dumplings contain meat, cook for an extra 1 to 2 minutes, or according to packet instructions). Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and continue cooking the remaining dumplings. (If you prefer to steam the dumplings, see Tip.)

To serve, place the warm dumplings over the tomato salad and drizzle with the chile crisp vinaigrette. Toss very gently. Top with the crispy fried shallots (if using) and the remaining basil leaves. Serve either while the dumplings are still warm or at room temperature.

Tip: To steam, arrange the dumplings in a steaming basket lined with baking paper or cabbage leaves, place over a pan of boiling water and steam for 10 to 15 minutes.

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake 

There's a kind of magic in a summer recipe that you can make wherever you are, provided that wherever you are has, say, flour, butter, an oven and whatever fruit is most glorious is at that very moment. This strawberry shortcake is so simple that you can make it within the hour, and so satisfying that it may become your go-to for summer, the recipe you keep in your back pocket. Strawberries are the classic choice, but this would also be heavenly in high summer with very ripe peaches or any other juicy, macerated fruit. 

Yield: 4 generous servings

2 pints ripe, well-rinsed strawberries

½ cup sugar, or more to taste

4 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

5 teaspoons baking powder

1¼ cups butter

3 cups whipping cream

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pick over and hull strawberries. Cut in half or slice, depending on size. Gently crush about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and the ½ cup of sugar, adding more sugar if necessary. Set aside, covered, for about half an hour to develop flavor.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add ¾ cup of softened butter, and rub into dry ingredients as for pastry. Add 1¼ cups cream, and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough for one minute on a lightly floured pastry board, then roll it out to about ½-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut an even number of rounds - 2 rounds per serving.

Use a little of the butter to grease a baking sheet. Place half the rounds on it. Melt remaining butter and brush a little on the rounds; place remaining rounds on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven, and pull shortcakes apart. Brush the insides with some of the remaining melted butter.

Beat remaining cream until it thickens. Add vanilla. Beat again just until thick.

Place a bottom half of a shortcake on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of cream and berries. Cover with a top half, add a few more berries, and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Tip

Extra shortcakes may be frozen, but they should be warmed before using. They are also good toasted for breakfast or tea.

At 450, the bottoms started burning well before the insides of the biscuits were cooked. We lowered to baking temperature to 375, and things turned out well. So I'd suggest adjusting the baking temperature in this recipe.

I always use brown sugar to macerate strawberries. Deepens the berry flavor and the resulting juice is more intense. Reduce measure by half.

FYI. In the NY Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne, copyright 1961, it calls for adding a bit of sour cream to the whipped cream. It is a fantastic addition. The sour cream puts a bit of weight to the cream making it richer. Also, I suggest putting some of the whipped cream inside the "sandwich" and more on the top.

This is a great shortcake recipe. I questioned it while I was making it, but it works! I used the food processor to cut in the butter because it was too cold, then switched to fingers to finish blending it in. When I added the cream, I thought it was never going to come together, but that minute's worth of kneading did the trick. I have other recipes for biscuits, but this is what I'll be using from now on. Crisp, short and delicious.

Chez Panisse’s Blueberry Cobbler

This cobbler, which comes from the kitchens of Chez Panisse, prizes the berries above all, using only ⅓ cup of sugar. The dough rounds for the top are placed so they don’t cover all the berries, and the juice from the berries bubbles up around the dough.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

The Berries

4½ cups fresh blueberries

⅓ cup sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

The Dough

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ tablespoons sugar

2¼ teaspoons baking powder

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

¾ cup heavy cream, plus additional for serving, if desired

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. To prepare the berries, place in a bowl and toss with the sugar and flour. Set aside.

To make the dough, mix the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and mix lightly, just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Put the blueberries in a 1½-quart gratin or baking dish. Make patties out of the dough, 2 to 2½ inches in diameter and ½-inch thick. Arrange them over the top of the berries. Bake until the topping is brown and the juices bubble thickly around it, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Let cool slightly. Serve warm, with cream to pour on top, if desired.

TIP:

4 1/2 cups = 27 oz = 765 grams fresh blueberries

Delicious and very easy! I added some lemon zest and lemon juice to the berry/sugar/flour mixture to bring out the taste of the blueberries and it was amazing!

About as easy as dessert gets, added a dash of cinnamon and replaced the cream with buttermilk because buttermilk makes everything better. Served it to my foodie pals with local vanilla ice cream, everyone loved it. I have about a dozen cobbler recipes, this one is now number one.

Chicken-Zucchini Meatballs With Feta

Chicken-Zucchini Meatballs With Feta

These meatballs harbor a secret: They’re half vegetable, half chicken. More than just a surprise, the grated zucchini provides moisture that ground chicken can lack. Roast more zucchini next to the meatballs on the sheet pan, then top everything with feta tossed with lemon juice. For an easy starch, add chickpeas to the feta, or toast bread or pita on the free rack in the oven.

Yield: 4 servings

3 large zucchini (about 1½ pounds)

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 large shallot, halved

½ cup panko

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1 pound ground chicken or turkey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, basil, parsley or dill, plus more for serving

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and drizzling

3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

4 ounces feta

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut 2 of the zucchini into ½-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a plate, season with salt, and set aside.

Working over a large bowl, using the large holes of a box grater, grate the remaining zucchini. Grate 1 shallot half into the bowl as well. Add the panko, cumin, ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon salt, and use your hands to toss until combined. Add the chicken and herbs and toss gently until combined.

Lightly grease a baking sheet. With wet hands, form the chicken mixture into 16 meatballs (around 2 to 3 tablespoons each) and place them on one side of the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat the sliced zucchini dry, then lightly coat with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with pepper.

Coarsely chop the remaining shallot half and transfer to a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, season with salt, and stir to combine.

Add the sliced zucchini to the other half of the baking sheet, moving the meatballs over, if necessary. Bake until the meatballs are cooked through and the zucchini is golden on the underside, another 15 to 20 minutes. For more browned meatballs, broil for a few minutes, if desired.

Meanwhile, crumble the feta into the shallot mixture. Add the ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil and the remaining ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes. Stir, breaking up the feta a bit, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Eat the meatballs and zucchini with a drizzle of the feta sauce and more fresh herbs.

TIP: 

This looks to be a close reworking of Ottolenghi's Turkey Zucchini meatballs. (You can find the recipe with a Google search - made it many times and it's terrific.) He also offers a more complex yogurt sauce to accompany the meatballs. Slagle's version leaves out the scallions, but adds panko. I found with the Ottolenghi version that unless you can get the all the water out of the shredded zucchini, you need the bread crumbs to allow the meatballs to hold their shape.

Easy, healthy and tasty!

Cooked this tonight and followed the recipe except that I used regular bread crumbs instead of panko and thinly sliced a full large shallot in the turkey mixture (used a smaller one for the feta drizzle).

I used basil; fresh mint would go better with cumin and with feta, or fresh oregano (basil is too subtle for cumin).

I cut the zucchinis in thin long slices on one sheet and roasted the meatballs in another one, I also roasted 2 tomatoes cut in half with the zucchinis.

Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles

Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles

Noodles dressed with sesame are popular in many parts of China, but this particular style, made with peanut butter and served cold, became a Chinese-American staple in the United States in the 1970s. The family of Shorty Tang — an ambitious restaurateur who emigrated from Sichuan to Taipei to New York — firmly believes that he invented the dish and still serve it at Hwa Yuan, the restaurant he opened in 1967 in Manhattan’s Chinatown. They have never divulged the exact recipe; this is our own lush but refreshing version. 

Yield: 4 servings

1 pound noodles, frozen or (preferably) fresh

2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash

3½ tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame paste (preferably Chinese)

1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons chile-garlic paste, chile crisp or chile oil, or to taste

Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ⅛-inch by ⅛-inch by 2-inch sticks

¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. They should retain a hint of chewiness.

Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chile-garlic paste.

Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss.

Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.

Tip

The Chinese sesame paste called for here is made of toasted sesame seeds; it is not the same as tahini, the Middle Eastern paste made of plain, untoasted sesame. But you could use tahini in a pinch. You need only add a little toasted sesame oil to compensate for flavor, and perhaps some peanut butter to keep the sauce emulsified.

I learned how to make a version of this from a Chinese native years ago before Chinese ingredients were widely available. You can get a similar "feel" by substituting thick (or standard) spaghetti for Chinese noodles, substituting toasted sesame oil for the paste (but don't omit the p'nut butter, smooth or crunchy), adding cayenne pepper if you don't have chili-garlic paste, and using any thin, crunchy vegetables to garnish, including beansprouts, fresh cilantro, etc.

I have made this recipe scores of times over the years, often for a crowd. I usually multiply the sauce recipe many times (I use a stick blender), and add a fairly minimal amount of the sauce to the noodles when they're still warm (I like DeCecco linguine -- I don't have a favorite Asian brand, and Italian pasta can always be reliably cooked to the proper tooth). Chill the undersauced noodles until you are ready to serve, and then mix in as much extra sauce as you need -- no dryness!

Curry Tomatoes and Chickpeas With Cucumber Yogurt

Curry Tomatoes and Chickpeas With Cucumber Yogurt

NY Times

Much like the combination of chana masala and raita, this dish’s appeal lies in the contrasts: soft and warm chickpeas and tomatoes rest atop a layer of cool and crunchy cucumber yogurt. The cooking happens quickly; sauté small tomatoes and chickpeas just until softened and fragrant with spices, then pile the mixture onto a swirl of yogurt that’s zesty with chopped cucumbers, garlic, lemon and herbs. The yogurt will loosen under the topping’s warmth and weight, so serve with rice, focaccia or flatbread such as roti or doubles to sop up the lushness.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

1½ cups full-fat Greek or Indian yogurt

3 Persian or mini seedless cucumbers, finely chopped

¼ cup basil or mint leaves, finely chopped, plus more for serving

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 lemon

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and shaken dry

1½ teaspoons curry powder (see Tip)

3 tablespoons raw (or roasted and salted pistachios), coarsely chopped (optional)

Rice, focaccia or flatbread such as roti or doubles, for serving

In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumbers, basil, garlic and zest of half the lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until Step 3. Cut the lemon into wedges for serving.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium until shimmering. Add the tomatoes and cook, shaking occasionally, until browned in spots and starting to burst, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and curry powder and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and most of the tomatoes have burst, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

On a platter or in a wide shallow bowl, spread the yogurt into an even layer. Top with the tomatoes and chickpeas, followed by more basil leaves and the pistachios, if using. Serve with the lemon wedges for squeezing over. Serve right away, with rice or a flatbread.

Tip

If you don’t have curry powder, use ½ teaspoon each of ground turmeric, cumin and coriander and a pinch of cayenne.

*Made it with what I had on hand; a chopped beefsteak tomato, added in an Anaheim pepper I charred and peeled because I like some heat, doubled the curry powder ‘cause I’m heavy handed, used a regular ol’ cucumber that I partially peeled and cored, served with white basmati rice cooked with a tbsp of coconut oil. Served with Harrisa because I like the flavor. New favorite! (I know, I know, so many changes…)

I would serve it over cumin rice ( or rice cooked with some vegetables like green peas) and serve the yogurt on the side.

Cashews are a good substitute for pistachios in a curry dish, as are peanuts.

Delicious light, summer meal! Used about 2 Tbsp of oil in a cast iron skillet and it was enough. Zest the entire lemon.

I would add the curry powder to the oil so that it blooms, which it won't if added with the tomatoes.

Tzatziki Chickpea Salad

Tzatziki Chickpea Salad - Hetty Lui McKinnon

NY Times

Vibrant with the sharp creaminess of tzatziki, the Greek yogurt dip, this dish embodies the cool, easy eating of the warmer months. Crisp cucumbers and hearty chickpeas are dressed with a lemony and garlicky Greek yogurt mixture. A hint of honey brings harmony to the dressing; the hum of sweetness softens the tartness of the yogurt and introduces a richness to the dish. This no-cook salad is hearty enough for a standalone meal, but should you wish to dress it up, here are a few serving suggestions: Eat with flatbread, falafel, veggie skewers, or roasted Greek lemon potatoes.

Yield: 4 servings

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 garlic clove, grated

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving

2 teaspoons honey

1 lemon, halved (or more, if desired, for seasoning)

Salt and pepper

1 pound Persian cucumbers, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained

Big handful dill, chopped

Big handful mint leaves, chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

To a large bowl, add the yogurt, garlic, olive oil, honey and the juice of ½ lemon; whisk to combine. If it seems too thick, loosen it up with a splash of water or more lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper.

To the yogurt, add the cucumbers, chickpeas, dill, mint and scallions, and squeeze the remaining ½ lemon over the mixture. Toss to coat. Taste and season well with salt and pepper.

To serve, drizzle with additional olive oil.

onderful recipe and a clever take on tzatziki! I do, however, have a few notes — like others have said…use the whole lemon!! It transforms the dish. ;)

**Also, traditional tzatziki is made by draining out excess cucumber liquid to avoid watering-down the dip. While I don't think this dish would be too pleasant as a thick dip coating the cucumbers, not draining any liquid at all makes it very soupy and liquidy. I would recommend draining some cucumber liquid!! But awesome regardless 

Here is a summary of (many) comments:

1) Use less honey (some people said no honey, but that's a different recipe IMO).

2) 2 garlic cloves instead of 1

3) Whole milk Greek yogurt

4) Salt and drain the cukes if not serving the salad immediately (or add them right before serving).

5) Could add lemon zest as well as juice. Maybe more lemon juice, too.

6) Don't add a splash of water--the main complaint was that the salad dressing gets watery.

7) Some people soak and cook their own chick peas.

Bitter Melon Soup

 

 

  

  

 

1/2 cup Dried black fungus (wood ear)

Bean thread

3 shallots, chopped

1 pound ground chicken

2.5 tablespoon seasoning mix (1:2 ratio of salt & sugar, eg. 1 tbsp salt + 2 tbsp sugar mixed together)

2 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder

Black pepper

Bittermelom

Green Onion

Cilantro 

Soak 1/2 cup dried black fungus mushroom and 1 bean thread in hot water for 1 hour. Drain and chop.

In a bowl, add chopped shallots (3), bean thread, and black fungus mushrooms to the ground chicken (1 lb).  Add 1.5 tablespoon seasoning mix, 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder and black pepper. Mix well.

Cut bittermelon into desired length, remove seeds and stuff inside. Stuff with gound chicken mix.

Heat pot, add oil and green onions. Saute for 1 minute. Add leftover ground chicken mix (formed into meatballs) to heated pot. Lightly brown and flip the chicken meat balls.

Channa Masala Recipe

Channa Masala Recipe -  J. Kenji López-Alt

Plump chickpeas bathed in a spicy and tangy tomato sauce.

Ingredients

4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 (1-inch) knob ginger, peeled, roughly chopped

1 to 6 green Thai chiles (to taste), roughly chopped

2 tablespoons (30 ml) juice from 1 lemon, divided

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil or ghee

2 teaspoons (8 g) black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon (4 g) whole cumin seeds

1 large onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups; 300 g)

1/4 teaspoon (1 g) baking soda

2 teaspoons (8 g) ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon (2 g) freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon (2 g) ground turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons (6 g) store-bought or homemade garam masala, divided

1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

2 (14-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (1 ounce; 25 g)

Directions

Combine garlic, ginger, chiles, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a mortar and pestle or in the small work bowl of a food processor and pound or process until a fine paste is produced. Set aside.

Heat oil or ghee in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. All at once, add mustard seeds and cumin. They will sputter and spit for a few seconds. As soon as they are aromatic (about 15 seconds), add onion all at once, along with baking soda. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions start to leave a brown coating on bottom of pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon water, scrape up browned bits from pan, and continue cooking. Repeat this process until onions are a deep brown, about 10 minutes total.

Immediately add garlic/ginger/chile paste all at once and stir to combine. Add coriander, black pepper, turmeric, and 1 teaspoon garam masala. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and crush them using a whisk or potato masher. Add drained, rinsed chickpeas and cilantro, reserving a little cilantro for garnish. Add 1/2 cup water.

Bring to a simmer, cover with lid slightly cracked, and reduce heat to maintain a gentle bubbling. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced into a thick stew and spices have melded, about 30 minutes.

Stir in remaining garam masala and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt. Serve with rice and/or naan, sprinkling additional cilantro on top.

Why It Works

Adding baking soda to the onions helps them break down and caramelize faster.

Doctoring up store-bought garam masala with additional spices produces a flavor that's both complex and suited to the dish.

Simmering canned chickpeas lends them plenty of flavor.

Grinding the garlic in lemon juice helps prevent it from turning too sharp and pungent, while still allowing its aroma to shine.

Garam Masala - J. Kenji López-Alt

Garam Masala

6 to 8 green cardamom pods, green husks removed and discarded

2 tablespoons (20 g) whole coriander seed

1 tablespoon (10 g) whole cumin seed

1 tablespoon (12 g) whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon (4 g) whole cloves

1 teaspoon (4 g) fennel seed

1 (3-inch) stick of cinnamon (6 g)

1 star anise pod (1g)

1/2 teaspoon (2 g) ground nutmeg or mace

Directions

Place cardamom, coriander, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, fennel, cinnamon, and anise in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Cook, tossing frequently, until aromatic and toasted-smelling, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Add ground nutmeg. Grind into a fine powder. Garam masala can be stored in an airtight, light-free container for up to 6 months.

Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka

Rich and poor, festival fare or frugal meal, dal is the great leveler of Indian food and is a dish that's common across the extreme diversity of the country.

Ingredients

For the Daal:

1 cup tuvar daal (yellow lentils/pigeon peas)

1 1/2 teaspoons ghee (clarified butter)

Pinch asafoetida

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 1/2 cups water

Salt

For the Tadka:

1 1/2 tablespoons ghee

3 Mundu chiles (these are small, round chiles from South India, alternatively any dry red chile will do)

1 teaspoon whole black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon whole cumin seed, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted and ground cumin seed

6 curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

1/4 teaspoon red chile powder

Directions

For the Daal: Wash and drain tuvar daal in a large fine mesh strainer. Heat ghee in pressure cooker over high heat until shimmering. Add asafoetida, turmeric, and washed daal. Cook, stirring frequently till the ghee coats the daal, about 20 seconds.

Add water and salt to taste. Close pressure cooker, increase heat to high, and heat until pressure cooker is pressurized to high pressure. Reduce heat to low and cook ten minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to dissipate.

Open pressure cooker and break up daal with a whisk. Set aside while you make the tadka.

For the Tadka: Heat ghee in a skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Reduce heat to medium.

Add mundu chiles, mustard seeds, and whole cumin seed (stand away from skillet as the seeds pop). Wait until seeds sizzle, about 10 seconds, then add curry leaves and stir. Cook until the curry leaves sizzle, about 10 seconds longer, then add asafoetida, red chile and roasted cumin powder. Stir vigorously and immediately transfer all contents to the daal and lightly stir. Do not mix thoroughly. Some of the ghee should float on top. Serve immediately with white rice, Indian bread (roti), or as an accompaniment to any Indian meal.

*Well, nothing quite compares to the taste of asafoetida. But you can omit it and use a teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste.

Chicken Shawarma

 Chicken Shawarma

4 pounds chicken thighs, boneless & skinless

32 ounces plain yogurt

4 cloves garlic, grated

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 teaspoons stone ground mustard

1.5 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce

Salt & Pepper

For the marinade, mix all ingredients, except for the chicken, in a large bowl along with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of pepper. Check for seasoning, the flavor should be bold and zesty.

Season the chicken thighs with a good pinch of salt, add to the yogurt marinade, and mix very well. Store the chicken in the fridge overnight.

The next day, rub off almost all of the marinade from each chicken thigh, and season with another pinch of salt on each side.

If using a rotisserie, add all the chicken thighs and put a few slices of onions in-between some of the pieces of chicken. Tightly secure the chicken and cook over medium heat on the rotisserie from 1 hour. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook another 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the meat has a nice golden, slightly dark color. If needed, crank the heat up higher the last 10 minutes.

After chicken is done, drizzle olive oil on top and let chicken rest. 

If you don’t have a rotisserie, grill the chicken over medium heat until cooked through and nice and crusty. Enjoy!

Creamy Lemon-Miso Dressing

Creamy Lemon-Miso Dressing

NY Times 

If I were a singer-songwriter, I would write a power ballad about my love for Kismet Rotisserie in Los Angeles. The shoebox-size, mostly takeout restaurant serves the kind of food I’d eat every day if I lived in the neighborhood: golden roast chicken, fluffy pita and perfectly seasoned side dishes piled high with vegetables. But what I love most are its sauces and dressings. Especially its miso-poppy seed dressing, which I set out to re-create a couple of years ago. At some point, though, my journey took a detour, landing me here with this recipe from my book, “Good Things” (Random House, 2025), at what just might be my new favorite all-purpose dressing. Tangy, sweet, creamy and rounded out with umami, it manages to hit every note you could want in a dressing without being cloying. Add some poppy seeds for classic flavor or leave them out to make the dressing more versatile for drizzling over roasted vegetables, in potato salad or anywhere else you can imagine.

Yield: About 2 cups

¼ cup aquafaba (See Tips)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided, plus more as needed

¾ cup sunflower oil

¼ cup sugar

2 packed teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed

3 tablespoons white miso

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons poppy seeds (optional), lightly toasted

In a liquid measuring cup or wide-mouth jar, combine the aquafaba, mustard and 1 tablespoon of the vinegar. With an immersion blender running on high speed, drizzle the oil in a thin stream to blend and make the aquafaba “mayonnaise.”

In another wide-mouth jar, blend together the remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar and the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, miso, garlic, onion powder, celery seeds and salt until smooth. Return the blender to the aquafaba mayonnaise, and with the blender running at high speed, drizzle in the lemon-miso mixture. Stir in the poppy seeds, if desired. Taste and adjust with salt, vinegar and lemon juice as needed.

Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing for up to 1 week.

Tips

Aquafaba is the liquid left over from cooking beans and is often used for its thickening properties. The liquid from a can of chickpeas works well here.

To make roasted broccoli, gently massage finely grated lemon zest onto dark-roasted broccoli when you take it out of the oven, then let it cool a bit. When it’s nearly room temperature, transfer to a serving platter, drizzle generously with the dressing, garnish with finely chopped parsley or chives, and serve.

* I would not bother with the liquid from a can of chickpeas -- but start with commercial mayonnaise complete with chemicals. There are lots of ways to gussie up mayo. This is rather a coleslaw dressing with the poppy and celery seeds. I would taste before adding the garlic.

Baked Salmon With Harissa and Cherry Tomatoes

Baked Salmon With Harissa and Cherry Tomatoes

NY Times

This easy salmon tray bake packs a real punch thanks to the flavorful marinade it cooks in. The soy sauce is a bit of a non-Middle Eastern wild card, but contributes a welcome umami flavor. Tunisian harissa adds a nice subtle spice to this dish, but you can also swap it out for biber salçasi, a Turkish red pepper paste that you can find in most Turkish or Middle Eastern grocery stores. Like harissa, biber salçasi comes in both mild and hot varieties, so pick whichever one suits you. Serve the salmon with some steamed rice and lightly dressed greens if you like.

Yield: 4 servings

For the Marinade

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for serving

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 to 3 teaspoons harissa, preferably Tunisian (depending on heat preference)

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¾ teaspoon sweet paprika

Fine sea salt and black pepper

For the Salmon

4 (6-ounce) center-cut skinless salmon fillets (about 1½ pounds total)

8 ounces ripe cherry tomatoes, at room temperature

3 large shallots, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon olive oil

Fine sea salt and black pepper

Make the marinade: Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, lightly crush the cumin and coriander seeds, then transfer to a wide shallow bowl or baking dish. Stir in the remaining marinade ingredients, along with ¾ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper.

Add the salmon fillets to the marinade, spooning it over to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or refrigerated for up to 4 hours if getting ahead.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss the tomatoes and shallots with the olive oil and a small pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Arrange the salmon fillets evenly on top and pour the marinade directly over the fillets.

Bake until the salmon flakes easily when pressed gently with a fork and the tomatoes have softened, about 22 minutes. Sprinkle the extra cilantro on top and serve directly from the baking dish.

TIP:

Let the salmon cook for 22 minutes at 400? I suggest letting the tomatoes cook first for a short while and then add everything else and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes.

Just a quick note that while harissa used to be a little difficult to find without a middle Eastern market, Trader Joe's now has a good version that works well with this recipe. It's different profile from Mexican salsa for sure.

Didn’t have harissa on hand so used Mexican hot sauce. Worked great. Also subbed red onions for shallot. Great recipe that’s a little like chili in that you can modify for what’s on hand.

To bake salmon fillets at 400°F (204°C), plan for 12-15 minutes for thin fillets (1/2 -1") and 15-20 minutes for thicker fillets (>1"). The exact time depends on the thickness and can be determined by checking for doneness with a fork. The salmon should flake easily and be opaque when cooked.