The Write Ingredients

Okay Padma, We Tried a Recipe

I know, I know, I kind of tore into Padma and her new cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet, but some of the recipes looked good. We tried to Tamarind-Glazed Cod the other day, and unfortunately, were again, disappointed. Not sure if it was the cod, or maybe the tamarind, but the result was bland.

So, I ask all of you out there, was it the Tamarind? I bought this little jar of Tamarind at an Indian grocery in Boulder, Colorado. The recipe called for a golf-ball sized ball of the Tamarind Paste. When I opened my cute little jar, I realized mine is in the liquid form. Given its a thick liquid, but there was no way I would be making ball out of it unless it was frozen.

Here are a couple links to more information on Tamarind; on wikipedia and gourmetsleuth.com.

So could that have been the problem? The flavor was there, it was just weak. The recipe comments say that you'll be liking the thick, sticky sauce from the plate. I didn't see much of a sauce, and it certainly wasn't thick.

The good news were the green beans. It's one of the decent looking vegetables I can find in the depths of winter. I've been sauteing them with just a touch of olive oil and a drop of sesame oil. When they get charred and tender they're ready to go. Toasted pine nuts add a final, special touch.

Give it a shot, let me know what you think:

Tamarind, ginger and honey-glazed cod

1 oz (golf-ball size) knob of tamarind pulp
4 6-oz code fillets, skin on
2 T toasted sesame oil
Black pepper and sea salt
1/2 cup diced onions
2 T minced ginger
1 1/2 t honey

1. cover the pulp with 1 1/2 cups boiling water, breaking up the mass with a form to make a gravy
2. preheat the broiler
3. place the cod fillets , skin sides down, in a broiling pan. Brush the fillets with 1 T of sesame oil to coat well. Season with pepper and salt to taste and aside.
4. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining tablespoon of toasted sesame pil. Add the diced onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes, and then stir in the ginger. When the onions begin to soften, through a fine-mesh strainer, pourin the tamarind gravy. Reduce the sauce by half to about 3/4 cup, and add the honey after 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
5. Place the cod in the upper rack to broil for 2 minutes until the fillets just start to color. Remove the cod and turn the oven to 425°F.
6. Pour the tamarind glaze over the fish fillets, grind some black pepper over them, and return them to the oven, on a high rack. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Serve immediately with noodles, rice, or sautéed vegetables. Serves 4.