Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

I don't eat to live. I live to eat.

Main Dishes

Seafood Boil with Tandoori Sauce

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If you’ve ever been to The Angry Crab®, The Boiling Crab®, The Broiler®, or any other seafood broil restaurant then you know exactly what this recipe is all about.

I can’t tell you how much I enjoy digging into a big bag of seafood filled with juicy shrimp, meaty crab legs, and soft and sweet mussels coated in a buttery, garlicy, fiery sauce and dipped in lime juice.

I figured I had to try and make it at home. And let me tell ya’, it’s actually pretty easy!

I start off by creating a super flavorful stock using Zatarain’s® Shrimp and Crab and Crawfish Boil seasoning (it is a large packet of assorted spices in cheesecloth that you simply drop into the water), ginger slices, and boillion stock cubes. The point is to infuse flavor into the water– so feel free to add in whatever you have in your pantry – bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic, onions…etc.

For the seafood, I used a mixture of langoustines, shrimp, and mussels. But you can of course use whatever you like. (If you are using crab legs, make sure to steam them instead of boiling!)

 

 

I like to keep my shrimp head-on and shell-on. I find that doing so retains the most flavor. I also find it somewhat oddly satisfying to peel every shrimp as I go. If you’re not a fan, you can of course opt to buying shrimp without the heads.  

 

Alongside my seafood, I boiled some corn and potatoes – both traditional in a Louisiana style boil. You can of course make some Cajun fries on the side as well, that would be absolutely delicious!

 

Being brown, I had to put some sort of Indian twist to this recipe. And so for the sauce, I created a sauce that had cajun elements but more of a tandoori masala flavor. I melted some butter in a pot along with some garlic and added in an array of spices – chili powder, turmeric, paprika, garama masala, onion powder, cumin, coriander, fennel powder, dried methi, amchur powder. (You can find all these spices at your local indo-pak grocery store or the South Asian section of most stores. You can also substitute with pre-made tandoori masala and adjust to taste.)

I then stirred in some yogurt (as is traditional in tandoori masala) and lime juice, giving it brightness and  acidity.

And there you have it! Serve this in either plastic clear bags or on a serving platter with lime wedges on the side. This is a real fun and messy yet absolutely delicious dinner to make for friends!

 

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Seafood Boil with Tandoori Sauce

Ingredients

Seafood Boil

  • 4 lbs shrimp and/or mussels (I used 3 lbs shrimp/langoustine and 1 lb mussels)
  • 3-4 ears of corn
  • 5-6 small red potatoes (you can also make fries on the side instead!)
  • 1 Zatarain's New Orleans Style Shrimp and Crawfish Boil (may substitute with 1 cup of spices tied in cheesecloth)
  • 2-3 boiullian stock cubes (veggie or chicken)
  • 1 piece ginger

Tandoori-Cajun Sauce

  • 2 bulbs garlic (~24 cloves)
  • 2 1/2 sticks butter
  • 1 tbsp yogurt
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 3 tsp chili powder (to taste)
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 3/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 3/4 tsp cumin
  • 3/4 tsp coriander
  • 3/4 tsp fennel powder
  • 3/4 tsp ginger powder
  • 1/4 tsp amchur powder (also known as dried mango powder) *optional
  • 3/4 tsp dried methi leaves
  • 3/4-1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • juice of lime (to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp sugar

Instructions

  1. Clean your seafood. Wash grit and dirt away thoroughly. For mussels throw away any that are open or cracked.

  2. In a large pot of water add Zatarain's Shrimp and Crawfish and Crab Boil seasoning package, piece of ginger (cut into thick slices), and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil. (If you cannot find Zatarain's seasoning packet, don't stress. Take a handful of spices - black peppercorns, bay leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, old bay seasoning -  whatever you have in your pantry, and tie into a cheesecloth. The point is that you want to infuse the water with lots of flavor.)

  3. Add in your potatoes and corn. Remove when potatoes are fork-tender.

  4. Once the water starts boiling and the flavors have been infused, add in your seafood. If using different seafoods, add each type separately. Shrimp will only take two-three minutes to cook. You will know when they are done when they curl up and turn pink. Mussels also only take a few minutes - the shells will open up when they are done.

  5. Serve on a platter or in plastic bags combined with sauce.

Tandoori Sauce

  1. In a small pot, add in butter and garlic. Allow the butter to melt and the garlic to cook.

  2. Turn the heat on low and add in spices. Mix well and turn off the heat. (Be careful - if you leave the spices on the heat for too long, they will burn!)

  3. Stir in the yogurt and serve right away with seafood.

Shredded Lamb Sandwiches

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My pulled lamb sandwiches are an assembly of meaty and cheesy goodness consisting of shredded lamb spiced and cooked in classic Indian flavors yet packaged in such a classically American way.

For the pulled lamb I fall back on my killer talava ghost recipe. Talava ghost translates in hindi as fried meat and this lamb is nothing short of succulent and juicy. I start off by marinating boneless lamb pieces in chili powder, turmeric, salt, and quite a bit of garlic. I find the easiest and quickest way to cook the lamb is in a pressure cooker – but if you don’t have one you can of course use a crock-pot, or regular pot (it will just take longer).

I then caramelize some onions and add in the shredded meat along with some fennel powder, garam masala, and nutmeg. The fennel powder gives such a wonderful out-of-this world flavor and the onions add an underlying sweetness.

Sandwiches are incredibly versatile – so feel free to put whatever you want in them.

I opted for making something similar to a chimichurri sauce which usually consists of cilantro, parsley, garlic, and olive oil. I decided to also add some roasted serrano chilies into the chimichurri which worked wonderfully in the sandwich and gave some serious salsa vibes.

I also found these cute ancient orange peppers at the supermarket. I grilled them over the stovetop, then after they cooled – peeled off the charred bits and cut them into slices. They are colorful and sweet and balance out the meatiness of the sandwich. (If you can’t find them, you can of course use orange, yellow, or red bell peppers.)

I also decided to slow-roast the tomatoes – roasting them accentuates the flavor and is an especially great technique to utilize when you find grocery store tomatoes bland.

Okay if your mouth isn’t watering already, did I forget to mention that this sandwich is technically a grilled cheese

Oh yes. I added a few slices of mozzarella in each sandwich.

Seriously, what could be more satisfying than cutting and pulling apart layered stacks of bread oozing with cheese?

Other condiments that would work wonderfully in this sandwich are tomato chutney, mayonnaise/aioli, spicy giardiniera…mix and match whatever you fancy!

And there you have it! A fabulous meaty sandwich that will make you die and come back to life!

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Pulled Lamb Sandwiches

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 10-12 slices sandwich bread

Lamb

  • 1.5 lbs boneless lamb pieces
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 6 garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 1/2 large onion (or 1 medium onion)
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp fennel powder
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 3-4 tbsp oil

Sandwich Toppings (feel free to substitute with whatever you like)

  • 10-12 slices mozzarella/pepperjack cheese
  • 2 bell peppers (to be sliced and roasted)
  • 3 tomatoes (to be sliced and roasted)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro

Other Condiments

  • mayonnaise
  • achaar
  • giardiniera

Instructions

Shredded Lamb

  1. In a bowl, marinate your lamb. Add the turmeric, chili powder, salt, and chopped garlic and combine. Let sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

  2. In the meantime, dice your onion.

  3. In your instant pot or pressure cooker, add in your oil on medium-high heat. Then add your onions and allow them to brown.

  4. Now add in your lamb with about 3/4 cup of water. Cover the lid tightly and cook for about 20-30 minutes or so. (***Cooking time may vary depending on your pressure cooker and how big your pieces of meat are.)

  5. Open the instant pot or pressure cooker. If there is water remaining, put the pressure cooker back on the stove and evaporate (if using instant pot, press sautee button). If the meat is still thick and not shredded, put the lid back on and let it cook for some more time.

  6. Add in the fennel powder, garam masala, and nutmeg. Then add in your shredded meat. Combine and cook for a few minutes. Add in a squeeze or two of lime juice.

Sandwich Toppings

  1. Oven-roasted tomatoes: Slice up your tomatoes. On a baking tray, add a little bit olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast them in the oven at 300 F for about an hour or until lightly browned.

  2. Roasted bell peppers: You can roast them either in the oven under the broiler (500 F) or on your grill pan until charred. Remove the black skin.

Assembly

  1. Take a slice of bread and spread a thin layer of achaar and/or mayo on both slices. Now add your cheese slices to both slices of bread. Now add your pulled lamb, followed by your roasted peppers, roasted tomatoes, and cilantro. Top with the other slice of bread.

  2. In your grill pan, cook sandwich until cheese has melted and both sides have nicely browned. If you don't have a panini maker, you can press down with a plate or spatula.

Chicken Koobideh Kabob

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I’ve been to a few local Iranian restaurants in my life, watched the one episode of No Reservations where Anthony Bourdain visits Tehran – (much to his surprise finds it a beautiful country with a lot of life and hospitality), and perused a few Persian cook-books when visiting the library. So, therefore, I’m an expert.

I’m kidding, guys.

While my experience with Iranian cuisine is pretty limited, I know for a fact that this country indeed has a rich culinary history that ought to be celebrated and appreciated in the mainstream.

Koobideh kabobs are made from ground meat, shaped on long metal skewers, and cooked over a wood-fire grill.

These kabobs are juicy. And they give you the perfect excuse to fire up the grill! If it’s winter do not panic, you can still make these on your indoor grill and they’ll still be tasty!

 

For the kabobs I use a series of basic yet wholesome aromatics – onion, garlic, parsley. I season the kabobs with turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg, and of course – saffron! The saffron is the integral ingredient here – a must-have for any Iranian meat or rice dish.

 

 

Go ahead and make a platterful of these for your next dinner party along with some lovely pollo (rice), and your guests are sure to be super-impressed!

 

 

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Chicken Koobideh Kabob

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground chicken
  • 1.5 small onion
  • 1 handful parsley
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 5-6 strands saffron (soaked in 1tbsp water)
  • 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, grind the onions, parsley, and garlic until finely minced.

  2. Add aromatics and spices to your ground chicken mixture. (For the saffron, make sure you soak the strands in a tablespoon of hot water. Add this to the chicken.) Combine well. Do not add salt just yet, it will get watery if you do! (If you do not have ground chicken, you can always make your own by taking boneless meat and grinding it in the food processor.)

  3. Let mixture sit in the fridge for at least an hour or ideally overnight.

  4. Once ready to grill, take out from fridge and let mixture sit until it reaches room temperature. Add salt and combine.


  5. Take a small bowl of water and put it to the side. Shape the kabobs to your liking. If using an outdoor grill, shape kabobs onto long metallic skewers. If using indoor grill, simply shape into long sticks. 


  6. Grill on both sides until they develop color. This should take a few minutes.

  7. Serve hot with grilled chilies and lemons!