Sanjeev Kapoor Wada Pao

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-

A very special Culinary Event at St. Jacobs! Right on the banks of the beautiful Conestoga River

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-

Join  Foodlink's 8th Annual Taste Local! Taste Fresh! event  
on Sunday, September 18, 2-5 pm  
at St. Jacobs,  
right on the
banks of the Conestoga River.  

Featuring a sampling of the region's best from local farmers and chefs.

Each farmer/chef team prepares a tasty food item for you to enjoy as you stroll the picturesque grounds while listening to the Tim Louis Jazz Trio and chatting with our local food producers and culinary talent.

Enjoy othe unique silent auction and your very own,one-of-a kind pottery plate to take home.

To purchase tickets online, click here

For details, call 519-513-8998 or email  info@foodlink.ca 
Click here for more details

Spicy Fish Curry in Coconut Milk – Exotic

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-
Onam's Special Recipes

Get ready for some steamy, full-flavoured, tangy and delicious Salmon Fish Curry. This is perfect for a quiet summer evening after a long days work, best accompanied with Brown Rice and Ghee.

Kerala is an Indian state located on the South-West of India, with a vast shoreline of 590 Kms. As expected fishing and farming are the main source of income to people of this state for centuries and travelling from one corner to other once will will come across several variations of Fish curries. Dry Fish Curry, Fish Pickle, Fish Varutharacha Curry, Alleppey Fish Curry, Fish Molee, Karimeen Polichattu, Fish Mappas, Malabar Fish Roast are just a few to name…

Salmon Facts: 

1. 100 gram serving of Salmon provides a full day’s requirement of vitamin D
2.  Salmon has omega-3 fat which is associated with decreased risk of numerous cardiovascular problems, including: heart attack, stroke, heart arrhythmia, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides in the blood.
3.  Decreased risk of depression
4. Decreased risk of two eye-related problems: muscular degeneration and chronic dry eye.
5. Decreased risk for several types of cancer. These cancer types include colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer.
6. Decreased risk of joint inflammation

Things You’ll Need:

• Fish – 800 grams
• Onion – 1 medium
• Ripe Tomato – 2 large
• Ginger – Garlic Paste – 2 tbsp 
• Curry Leaves – few sprigs
• Chilli Powder – 1½ tsp
• Coriander Powder – 1 tsp 
• Fish Curry Powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder– ¼ tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds – ½ tsp
• Water – just enough to cover the Fish
• Coconut Powder – 1/3 cup (about 45 grams)
• Coconut Oil* – 1 tbsp
• Kudampuli**– 4 pieces
• Salt to taste

Golden Touch Mis-en Place [5 mins ]

• Cut Fish into desirable small pieces. Remove skin.
• Slice Onion and Tomatoes very finely and store separately.
• Add 100ml Water to Coconut powder, stir to make a smooth paste.
• Add 100ml Water to Chilli / Coriander / Fish Curry and Turmeric powder, stir to make a smooth paste.
• Wash and soak Kudampuli in 1/3 cup hot Water and leave it required.

Golden Touch Process [ 40 mins approx]

• Heat Oil in a non-stick pan, add Onions and sauté till translucent.
• Add Tomatoes, Ginger-Garlic paste and sauté for 4 mins.
• Now add the Masala powders paste and sauté till Oil separates and the paste gathers into a small ball, without sticking to the bottom.
• Remove from heat, allow to cool. Grind to a smooth paste adding the Coconut powder paste.
• Bring the paste back to fire and bring to boil, adding the Fenugreek seeds, Salt, Kudampuli with its Water, plus add enough Water to cover the Fish.
• Pour this over the arranged Fish pieces and Curry leaves in the earthen*** ware (Chatti), cover and bring to boil, reduce flame and simmer**** for 20 mins.

Golden Touch Service:
Serve hot with Brown Rice.

NOTES:

*Coconut Oil – Most preferred when preparing a Kerala style Fish Curry as this lends to the aroma and flavour.

**Kudampuli also known as Kokam or Gambooge, is a speciality South Indian spice having a sweet and sour flavour with an acidic taste. Gambooge is a small exotic yellowish fruit that resembles a miniature Pumpkin when young, once sun-dried it becomes shrivelled and black .It is partially astringent and has a refreshing taste. Lovely green and readily eat-able when young. Sun dried for several days and ends up in a black shrivelled body, soaked in water and cleaned, before it can be used in several recipes. Kodampuli does taste much different from Tamarind in curries, but still is the nearest alternative if you cannot find this expensive fruit locally. Kodukkaippuli is usually available in Indian and Sri-Lankan grocery stores.

***Earthen Ware (Chatti) – Clay is a porous material, which provides slow evaporation of steam from the pores, creating a moist and closed environment. This results in a very tender flesh, increased flavour and Earthy aroma.

****Simmering – This type of food preparation ensures gentler treatment to food, preventing it from breaking up or toughening. Especially all kinds of Fish should only be simmered, and avoid stirring as much possible.

Source: http://chackoskitchen.com

Sanjeev Kapoor Wada Pao

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-

Some of the best Ice wines and Asian foods for your best ever dining experience

Niagara Ice wine festival is a gala time in Ontario region in Canada. People from across the world, flock to Canada to participate in the unending joys of exotic wines and foods in the second week of January every year

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-Aug 10, 2011 - Niagara Ice wine festival is a gala time in Ontario region in Canada. People from across the world, flock to Canada to participate in the unending joys of exotic wines and foods in the second week of January every year.  Canadian people, especially those from the Ontario region pride themselves in offering the wines made with different procedures and blending techniques. They pick the frozen grapes from bunches in the cold nights of the coldest season in Canada to produce some of the best tasting ice wines in the world.  For more information visit: http://www.pellericewine.com

They also know how to taste it along with some of the best cuisine and most of the Ice wine makers would eagerly share it with you. During the festival in Niagara Ontario, all the wineries wholeheartedly welcome their guests from across the globe. You will find the Niagara Falls region decorated with wine shops, ice wine outlets and kiosks, especially made from ice to offer you world class wines. Sipping is encouraged to choose a wine and it does not cost you anything. You can buy only after you taste an ice wine. Sipping an ice wine can best be enjoyed while dining.

Not only would it add flavor, it would also serve as a great dining experience. These dining sessions include many special dishes and cuisine which vary according to the wines that you choose. Winemakers would recommend different wines for various stages of dining i.e. before, during the course of dining and post it. They do have different combinations and pairings of food and wine. For example, before you start dining you would need some appetite stimulator. They offer you a combination of sparkling wine, ice wine and vodka garnished with frozen grapes to add to the taste. This whole combination carries exotic fragrance and a nerve awakening flavor. The acidity of fresh frozen grapes acts as an appetite builder.

This region is also called on the lake Niagara, or Niagara on the lake. The fruit flavor of exotic ice wines is treated with a little salt and it offers a very good sweet and salt combination as the wine itself is very sweet and tasty. The salt present in the food such as toasted salty nuts, anchovy crackers and black olive tapenade offers an excellent contrast with the sweetness of the Ice wine. The ice wines available at ice wine festival Ontario, also softens the spicy content of the food, so sea foods, Thai foods and Asian curry dishes are considered to be the best match for it.