Comfort Food on a Cold Wintry Night!

I did not know it gets this cold in Irvine.  I thought So Cal was suppose to be nice and sunny all year long.  This was the first holiday break that I spent in Irvine after 2 years and may be that's why I feel like this is not normal (a side tangent: I got back to work on Tuesday).  In 2010, I was in India for my Mum's retirement party, and in 2011, I was in Hawaii, where the weather was just awesome!  And this year, I was in Irvine where temperature dropped to as low as 2 degrees Celsius (35F). Cold cold cold!  I know my friends on East Coast are like, oh Comeon!, but what to do?  We SoCal people are always complaining, less sun, more sun, no sun, rain, we always cry and complain :D (by the way it was nice today and is expected to rain over the weekend again).

Watermelon, Mint, and Feta Salad

If you are a foodie, watch food network, or even occasionally visit food blogs then you surely have seen everyone making, liking, or repining watermelon, mint and Feta salad.  I first saw it on a food network show and decided to pass saying who eats watermelon with balsamic vinegar and FETA???!!!A few weeks later  Betsy from Betsylife posted Watermelon Feta bites.  For her take on this, please click here.  By now I was thinking a little about it.  Then I visited Portland where my American Mom raved about it and recommended that I MUST MUST try it saying its the BEST thing ever..

And by now, I had reached a point where I had to absolutely try it  Come July 19, we had a gapluck. That's the name we have given to potlucks at gap intelligence.  I missed the watermelon feast last year as I was not in town when gap intelligence had an everything watermelon potluck.  This year since I was here, I decided to make watermelon, mint, and feta salad.  Always fun to make something exciting for fellow gappers.

At home, we are both watermelon freaks and as a result I usually have watermelon in my refrigerator.  And mint and feta were secured by a quick run to TJs and Vons.  I work within a mile radius of TJs and Vons.  May be I should update you about my work neighborhood in some other update.  Before I share the recipe, I will be honest that I was not inclined to buy Balsamic vinegar, for 1) I was not too sure of the taste and 2) I definitely did not want to spend any money on something that I was not sure if I would use again.  A little more google search led me to my dream recipe in which the dressing was made of olive oil and lime.  SCORE!

 While I loved the watermelon, mint with the dressing, I am still not sure if I would eat my salad with feta.. I have never been a feta fan, and think that with our without Feta this is a great summer salad. 


Recipe



seedless watermelon, chilled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 limes, juiced
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup fresh chopped mint leaves
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese (I used light)

Whisk together olive oil, fresh lime juice, salt, and black pepper to create a dressing.  Place watermelon cubes in a bowl and coat with dressing and mint.  You can pour the crumbled feta into the bowl, or keep it on side, like I did.  This also helped ensure that anyone who was lactose intolerant still got to enjoy the salad.    


This salad should be made fresh, not something that can be refrigerated overnight.  

I love Salmon!

Its been about 5 years since I became a pescaterian...which in simple english means a person who eats fish but no other kinds of meat..... And of the fish that i have tried here in the US, which include Catfish, Halibut, Tilapia, and Salmon, i could be missing other varieties ....I love Salmon the most.  I was introduces to Salmon by Greg, my co-worker from HP US took me to Washington fort, where they serve the freshly caught and the best Salmon.    We mostly eat Fish on mondays as those days I end up working for over 12 hours (sometimes 18) and this is something that the boy can have ready for me by the time I come back.

I like to make my fish in a couple different way.  One is the Indian Curry style that I can use in biryani or with rice, second is fish pakora style, and most commonly as grilled fish.  The two most favorite fish marinates that i love (i developed them on my own) are:

1.   Mustard Fish - I add mustard powder, Turmeric powder, red chilli powder, a little but of cumin seed and coriander seed  powder, and a good amount of ginger and garlic paste. Sometimes I will even add (thought very less) onion paste.    Depending on what I am feeling that day, I add either 2 tbs of plain yogurt or lemon juice  and leave it overnight.  And next day it goes on the griddle, grill or oven. 

2. The scond is the breaded way.  I use the same marination as above except for no onion, garlic, ginger paste or onions , yogurt or lemon.  Just a plain simple marination with Turmeric, red chili powder, and a little but of cumin seed and coriander seed  powder.  Take some bread crumbs  in an bowl ( I had Italian herbs and spices bread crumbs), add a good amount of olive oil and just a hint of ginger garlic paste.  I am big on ginger garlic!  Make a nice paste.  

Take a baking sheet, spray some olive oil.  Take fish and coat it with bread crumbs and place them on the oiled baking sheet.  Sprinkle some more olive oil on top.  Preheat oven to 400C  and then bake the fish in the oven for about 15 mins or until crisp.   

A simple salad or grilled asparagus go perfectly well with this protein.

You would have noticed I did not mention about adding salt. Well here is why.. my dad is  is a great cook and he shared this awesome trick with me.  Most people hate the smell of the fish and if you use this trick you wont even realize that you are eating fish.  WHen you get fish, dont wash it or anything, just add a lot of salt, may be a small fistful and leave the fish overnight.  Next day wash  fish before you add marination.  When you leave fish overnight in just salt, the fish does not smell and it absorbs the perfect amount of salt that you need.  

Happy Father's Day Daddy and thank you for everything!