Roasted beef chunks with baked potatoes and buttered steamed veggies

Post #Lent the #Beef #recipe creations were the first to come out! I felt like cooking up something English. British do enjoy their beef and potatoes and is so uniquely prepared as well. Perhaps they have left some flavours of their cuisine on our genetic taste buds before leaving India. We thoroughly enjoy beef and potatoes if cooked/baked or roasted well. It just leaves a sublime appealing flavour on the palatte.

To enjoy this recipe, do make sure you get a fresh and clean cut of tender beef from your local butcher otherwise you would find yourself chewing at the pieces all day long.

This can make for a good supper when you want to keep it light and/or free of carbs.

You need:

• 500 gms of beef, cleaned well and cut into 1" cubes
• 2 large potatoes, sliced thinly
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• Drizzle of Worcestershire sauce
• Black Pepper powder -  as required
• Salt to taste
• Rosemary - 2-3 sprigs
• Thyme leaves - 2 sprigs
• 1-2 small tomatoes, diced (optional)
• Oil
• 1 tbsp Duck fat (optional, I had some duck fat from the duck roast that I strained and refrigerated. I will share the duck roast recipe soon.)

The Make:

Preparation Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 1 hr | Serves 2 adults

1. In a pan, drizzle some oil, add the garlic and beef along with a little salt and pepper.

2. Brown the beef cubes on all sides. Add the Worcestershire sauce and toss well.

3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.

4. In a roasting pan, add the beef, tomatoes (optional) along with remaining salt and pepper and the rosemary leaves.

5. Layer the potato slices on top and add some thyme leaves on top. Add a drizzle of oil on top or the duck fat.

6. Cover the roasting pan with a tin foil and place in the oven. 

7. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour until cooked tender.

8.  Serve with a side of Steamed Buttered Veggies.

Serve hot. You could also serve with a choice of your favourite dinner rolls.

Bon Appetit!

Baked Rohu fish with toasted veggies in fish sauce

Rohu or Rohi is a fish that belongs to the carp family Cyprinidae commonly found in rivers and freshwater lakes in and around South East Asia and South Asia. It is also commonly used in Northern India, Pakistan and Iraq. This fish was introduced to me once I was on a special diet using ayurvedic medication which allow use of freshwater fish in the diet. However the recipe is an original as I wanted to explore how best to use this fish besides the traditional keralite preparation and also because we  do not use much coconut in our diet these days. I am certain that if you are a fish lover that you would definitely enjoy this preparation. I have to admit that while I was a bit skeptical that Anup would not enjoy this make, he and my little one definitely loved this preparation to bits.

Baked Rohu with Toasted Veggies in Fish Sauce

You need:

• 1.5 kg Rohu fish, cleaned and cut into fish steak sizes (you can leave some of the skin on and remove it later before serving)
• 3-4 carrots, diced finely lengthwise
• 1-2 bunches of green spinach, chopped finely
• 12 cloves of garlic, crushed and diced
• 2" ginger, sliced finely
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• 1 tsp of worcestershire sauce(optional)
• 1-2 tsp of chili flakes
• 1 tbsp of paprika powder or you can use Kashmiri Chili Powder
• 1-2 tsp of pepper powder (optional)
• 3-4 green chilis chopped finely (I used the less spicy version - little fatter than Kerala green chilies but less fatter than the ones you get for making bajiyyas). Each green chili can bediced into 3-4 thin slices
• 2 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste
• 1-2 tbsp of Olive oil or EVOO
• Rock Salt to taste
• Aluminium foil as required

The make:

Preparation time: 15 mins | Cooking Time: 40-45 minutes | Serves 6 adults

1. Marinate the fish steaks with salt, paprika powder, pepper (optional) and ginger garlic paste and set aside. The longer you leave it, the better as experienced.
2. Preheat the oven for 10 minutes on a high about 210ºC
3. Take a baking dish of a size enough to spread the fish steaks without overlapping and add 1/4 full of filtered water. 

Baking tray with 1/4 full water

4. Carefully line the baking tray with foil without tearing. It helps not to have long nails while doing this and tuck the sides in carefully to the baking tray. Ensure there is no water spillage on the foil, if not start again.

5. Drizzle some olive oil on the foil and do not bother to evenly spread as you may tear the foil and nevertheless, this fish usually returns some good fats/oil in the cooking process. I would always suggest getting a 1.5 kg of Rohu fish as it has good oil residue and also the meat is more tender than its lesser weighted partners.

6. Place the marinated fish steaks on the foil and drizzle the soya sauce, worcestershire sauce, chili flakes on all the pieces. Add the ginger and garlic over all the fish steaks.

Marinated Rohu steaks with ginger, garlic and chili flakes on top

7. Next top the fish steaks with spinach and  carrot sticks and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle a dash of salt (taking care not to add too much as the fish juice would return with some salt as well). Top with slit green chilies.

Topped with spinach leaves

Rohu fish steaks topped with carrot sticks

8. Cover with foil without tucking in the sides. This will ensure that the fish cook evenly without drying and will allow for some steam to release moderately.

Cover with foil

9. Lower the heat of the oven to 200ºC (medium heat) and carefully place the baking tray to avoid the water from seeping or spilling from below the foil or  through the sides.


10. Bake for about 25 minutes and you can lower the heat and take of the top foil to check on the fish and turn over if you like. I did not as my oven has heat both on the top and below of the oven. It is especially not required since you have covered the fish with the foil. Return the foil back to the top and turn the flame back to 200ºC and cook for another 20 minutes. Once cooked, allow it to rest in the oven for at least 5-10 minutes. Check if cooked or if you need any additional minutes. 40 minutes should suffice in my opinion.

Baked Rohu ready

10. Take the fish steaks out carefully with a flat spatula on to the serving dish with the veggies on top. You will find a nice clear fish stock at the bottom, you can take the sauce onto a gravy bowl and serve separately.


Serve hot with hot rolls or rice!

Baked Rohu with Veggies in Fish Sauce and  Rice

Broccoli in Honey Mustard Sauce

This recipe came about when I felt like cooking up a tangy dish to accompany my crusted bread. Broccoli is a rich source of calcium and is especially the best option of calcium for those who cannot consume diary products. It also has Vitamin A, C, fiber and folic acid. It is known to control high blood pressure and may also prevent colon cancer.

Broccoli in Honey Mustard Sauce

I did not have much of a chance to click many pictures just the one above as we were quite hungry that night. I do recommend having this meal with a side of grilled potatoes or crusted bread. Worcestershire sauce as the name suggests was first made at Worcester, England under the brand name Lea & Perrins (coined from the surnames of its founders). To make this super simple dish,

You need:

• 1 medium size Broccoli (cleaned and florets separated)
• 1/4 cup of my Homemade Mustard Sauce
• 1/2 cup of Honey
• 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper or White Pepper
• 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce (Veg option: Soya sauce)
• 3 cloves of crushed garlic (optional)
• 1/2 tbsp of cooking oil

The make:

Cooking Time: 20 minutes| Preparation Time: 15 minutes |Serves:2 adults

1. Steam or blanch the broccoli florets until semi-soft and drain.
2. Mix together the Homemade Mustard sauce, Honey, Pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Heat a skillet and add the cooking oil. Toss the garlic (optional).
4. Next add the drained broccoli florets and add the Sauce mix and warm (do not boil).
5. Serve hot with a side of grilled baby potatoes or crusted bread.

Bon Appetit!