The mystery ingredients for this challenge really guided me in the direction of Indian spices and I was definitely relieved to find cauliflower, which is one of my favorite ingredients, in the mystery bag. I eat tilapia at least once a week, so having that as an ingredient was also comforting. I made Spiced Tilapia served over Cauliflower Coconut Rice and a Carrot Salad.

I really wanted to use turmeric in multiple ways, since it’s a great spice that adds a beautiful color and unique flavor to many foods plus it has great anti-inflammatory benefits. To highlight turmeric, I used it in all three components of my dish: a marinade for the fish, a sauce for the cauliflower rice and a dressing for the carrot salad. I’ve never tried tilapia in a turmeric based marinade, but after the great reviews from my family — I’ll be sure to use this recipe time and time again! On my first trial of the marinade, both my family and I thought “it needs more acidity” so I adjusted measurements for the lemon juice, turmeric and cumin until I got the flavors down. I opted for a pan-sear of the fish which turned out perfectly visually and taste-wise. My mom loved the cauliflower rice immediately — and every chef knows that if mom likes it, it must be good.

Usually, we eat family style at my house, where everyone serves themselves, so I never focus on my presentation. That said, it was fun to get creative with plating and the final presentation was decided after my brother ran a Facebook poll on which dish was prettier.

It was fun to have ingredients assigned, and it reminded me a lot of “Chopped” which is one of my favorite shows. I really loved not only making my very own recipes but also experimenting with measurements until everything tasted just right. I was also a little nervous knowing that my family and judges would be critiquing my food. I guess I’ll have nerves right up until I find out if I make it on to the next round!

— Jacky Runice