Mumbai restaurant review|Salmon cooking event at Bennies by Flags

Spent an amazing evening at “Bennies by Flags” ,Lokhandwala Andheri West trying my hands on a Desi Salmon recipe on 23rd January. Bennies by Flags is a multi-cuisine restaurant in Mumbai which specializes in authentic continental,Lebanese,Middle Eastern,Mexican and Thai cuisines.It had partnered with Norwegian Seafood council for  promoting the use of Salmon in Indian cuisines.Salmon as a fish is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which helps to lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels and has amazing health benefits .Joseph  Sequiera and Michaela Niegemann Sequeira were wonderful hosts and the event was organised extremely well.

There are certain facts about cooking Salmon which I learnt today from the renowned  award winning chef Saby(Sabyasachi Gorai) ,that it should be only optimally cooked.Generally in Indian recipes, fishes are cooked till opaque and till the meat is firm  .But Salmon is an exception in this case .It should be cooked for just 4 to 6 minutes on the Pan or in the curry to taste the best.The right cooking will lead to a flaky meat which should be just white and firm on the outside while pink ,translucent and melt into mouth inside and it is absolutely safe and healthy eating the fish ,this way.Truly speaking I tasted the best salmon today.
In Mumbai Salmon can be purchased in the form of steaks or fillets , fresh or smoked from the Nature’s Basket and Hypercity.

The culinary event started at 3.00 pm with around 15 to 20 enthusiastic multicultural participants from every corner of the city who are experienced
home cooks and cooked their own versions of grilled,pan fried ,smoked fish
or curry adding their personal touch and authenticity to the dish.All the
dishes were appreciated by the chef and Mr. Yogi Shergil, Director, Norwegian Seafood council  and the other guests who were invited to taste the same.

The participants were treated with freshly baked blueberry cakes and white
wine from the restaurant.

The talented chef presented his two dishes :-

Salmon Dal:It was full of aroma from the roasted lentils with mild flavor of salmon.It was made with fish leftovers and had a nutty texture due to the addition of coconut pieces.overall finger licking taste.

Salmon risotto:-It was a  cheese-less risotto with salmon cooked in the rice retaining the starch,  filling and healthy,drizzled with olive oil which simply tasted  out of this world.
The staffs of the restaurant in the kitchen specially chef Rohit was extremely cooperative helping the participants in procuring the ingredients,arranging the utensils ,taking care of the safety in an extremely busy working kitchen and even helping them in plating the final dish professionally .

I enjoyed cooking a recipe from the booklet which the chef had distributed for using in the kitchen.

Amritsari tawa salmon with pindi channa

In this dish the salmon fillets are marinated with a mixture of Indian spices and then pan fried and served over a bed of spicy chickpeas curry and rice

Ingredients

You need salmon fillets.For creating boneless fillets out of a whole fish you need sharp butcher knife with the help of which you can remove the skin and the ribs.You can also keep the skin intact and cook skin down on the pan till crispy.In Hypercity and Nature’s Basket ,you will get ready made fillets.

For salmon marination

1. Salmon pieces (4)
2. Ajwain or carom seeds(1 tsp)
3. Dry mango powder(1 tsp)
4. Coriander powder(1 tsp)
5. Red chilly powder(1/2 tbsp)
6. lemon juice(2 tsp)
7. sea salt (1 tsp or as per taste)
8. Dry fenugreek leaves(1 tsp)
9. Mustard oil (1 tbsp)
10. Turmeric powder(1/4th tsp)
11. All spice powder(1 tsp)
12. Ginger garlic paste(1 tbsp)

Preparation

1. Marinate the fish pieces for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Heat the pan on high flame.
3. Add a tbsp of oil
4. Shallow fry the fishes on a hot pan on low flame ,flipping the sides after two minutes.

Chickpeas curry

Ingredients

1. Chickpeas(2 cups boiled)
2. Onions finely chopped(1 cup)
3. Ginger julienne(1 tbsp)
4. Green chilies chopped(1 tbsp)
5. Tomato puree (1/2 cup)
6. Tomatoes chopped( 1/2 cup)
7. Kasuri methi (1 tbsp)
8. dried mango powder(1 tsp)
9. Red chilly powder(1/2 tbsp)

Preparation

1. fry the chopped onions till translucent
2. Add the chopped tomatoes
3. add the ginger and fry
4. Add salt to taste
5. Add the tomato puree and cook till the tomatoes and onions blend in the curry.
6. Add the red chilly powder and the other spices.
7. Add the chickpeas and saute for 5 minutes.
8. Add 1/2 cup of warm stock and cover cook for another 10 minutes.
9. Add green chilies  and plate

Print

Amritsari tawa salmon with pindi channa

In this dish the salmon fillets are marinated with a mixture of Indian spices and then pan fried and served over a bed of spicy chickpeas curry and rice

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 2

Author indrani

Ingredients

For salmon marination

• Salmon pieces (4)
• Ajwain or carom seeds (1 tsp)
• Dry mango powder (1 tsp)
• Coriander powder (1 tsp)
• Red chilly powder (1/2 tbsp)
• lemon juice (2 tsp)
• sea salt (1 tsp or as per taste)
• Dry fenugreek leaves (1 tsp)
• Mustard oil (1 tbsp)
• Turmeric powder (1/4th tsp)
• All spice powder (1 tsp)
• Ginger garlic paste (1 tbsp)

Chickpeas curry

• Chickpeas (2 cups boiled)
• Onions finely chopped (1 cup)
• Ginger julienne (1 tbsp)
• Green chilies chopped (1 tbsp)
• Tomato puree (1/2 cup)
• Tomatoes chopped ( 1/2 cup)
• Kasuri methi (1 tbsp)
• dried mango powder (1 tsp)
• Red chilly powder (1/2 tbsp)

Instructions

Preparation of fish

1. Marinate the fish pieces for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Heat the pan on high flame.
3. Add a tbsp of oil
4. Shallow fry the fishes on a hot pan on low flame ,flipping the sides after two minutes.

Preparation of chickpeas curry

1. fry the chopped onions till translucent
2. Add the chopped tomatoes
3. add the ginger and fry
4. Add salt to taste
5. Add the tomato puree and cook till the tomatoes and onions blend in the curry.
6. Add the red chilly powder and the other spices.
7. Add the chickpeas and saute for 5 minutes.
8. Add 1/2 cup of warm stock and cover cook for another 10 minutes.
9. Add green chilies  and plate

Summary

Reviewer

Blogger Indrani sen

Review Date

2017-01-24

Reviewed Item

Bennies by Flags restaurant

Author Rating

4

Event

Salmon cooking event at Bennies by Flags

Starting on

January 23, 2017

Location

Kavi Ram Basakhetre Rd, near Marks & Spencer, , Lokhandwala Complex, ,Andheri West, Mumbai,MAHARASHTRA-MH-400053