Culinary Ramblings

Culinary Events Round Up

2012-02-06T20:17:00.002-06:00

It has been a busy food month.

Cooking for the week over the weekend is going well. It really takes the pressure off weeknight cooking. I make a stew/soup, casserole and an Asian dish every week. Fettucini in spinach and cream cheese sauce was fantastic. I roasted several root vegetables I got from my CSA - rutabagas and turnips with paprika, potatoes and sweet potatoes with rosemary. Ate this root veg hash with eggs in the morning. It was DELICIOUS!

Volunteered for two classes at Salud. Meatless Meals and Salute to Julia II. It feels good to be back in the swing of things. I am teaching a hands on class on vegetarian sides on May 23rd.

Stopped by Winter Wanderland event at Elmington Park this weekend. Enjoyed the red curry with tofu from Deg Thai. Then bean and cheese empanada and abuelita's hot chocolate from The Coffee Company. I plan on going back next weekend.

I picked up my CSA this week and got a bunch of baby carrots. Spring is here! :-)

CSA from Avalon Acres

2012-01-08T14:15:00.005-06:00

I have joined a winter CSA (community supported agriculture) with Avalon Acres. Today I got

3 white radishes
4 turnips
5 small rutabagas
a jar of clover honey from Avalon Acres
a jar of tomato sauce
a container of goat cheese from Noble Springs Dairy
1 lb whole wheat pasta from Troyer's Home Bakery

The root vegetables aren't among those I typically buy so I had to look through some recipes to decide how I am going to use them. My thoughts so far

Radishes, known as mula in Marathi and mooli in Hindi. Growing up we ate mooli raita and mooli paratha. I will try to recreate these recipes. Radish and Sesame Soy Noodle Salad sounds good, but I will probably embellish it with carrots and edamame.

Turnips and rutabagas will probably be roasted and mashed to be enjoyed with a side of plant based protein rich food - tofu or mushrooms. I might get some mock crab cakes from Whole Foods to supplement this meal.

I am sure the honey, tomato sauce, pasta and cheese will be used well and used quickly. :-) I was hoping for some greens, maybe next time.

If anybody has radish, rutabaga and turnip recipes to share, I am all ears.

Fennel, wine and mascarpone cheese...hmmm

2011-11-29T17:52:00.002-06:00

I am a spontaneous, off the cuff cook. I don't look at recipes, I don't cook the same way twice and generally the final product is the result of questions like - what produce looks good or what do I need to use from my refrigerator.

Rigatoni in Cream Sauce is a recipe that came together because I needed to use fennel, mushroom, carrots and mascarpone. But I tell ya, it is a keeper. There is a good chance I will make this again the same way. Here is the recipe - of course feel free to modify it to suit your taste.

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 small carrots, julienne or ribbons
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup white wine (I used Chardonnay, because that is what I had)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
Olive oil
Salt

1. In a saucepan, heat oil, saute fennel and garlic on medium heat until fragrant.
2. Add red pepper flakes, saute for another minute.
3. Add mushrooms and salt. Saute until mushrooms start releasing moisture.
4. Add wine and bring to simmer. Let the alcohol cook off a bit. Taste.
5. Reduce heat and add mascarpone.
6. Cook pasta (I used rigatoni) per directions and toss in the cream sauce when warm.

EAT!

Let me know if you try this recipe.

12 Hours of Cooking and Eating

2011-11-05T19:43:00.003-05:00

As some of you may know, I started working on my PhD last year. Being a full time graduate student has left me with limited time to cook and entertain, but it looks like I might finally have some "study-cook" balance in my life. And was my first day back, although I think I over indulgued just a little bit.

It started with a 5 hour (8:30-1:30) stint at Salud cooking school at Whole Foods, volunteering for a hands-on class - Salute to Julia! The menu was great - very French - pastry with real Roquefort cheese, spinach souffle, scalloped potatoes and upside-down apple tart. This tart was probably the best dessert I have had in a very long time and it didn't even have chocolate.

After the class I shopped at Whole Foods and sampled the holiday menu. The squash casserole was noteworthy. Finished up my grocery shopping at Kroger and got back at 3:30. Now at this point, any sane graduate student would start working on that 20 page paper that is due in a couple days. Don't worry, I know what I am going to write, it is just a matter of putting finger to keyboard...(yeah right!)

I decided to continue cooking and cook for the week. On the menu for the next week:

1. Roasted Beet Borscht (check on vitamins, minerals and colorful food)
2. Red Swiss Chard with Garlic and Onions (great by itself, but I intend to eat it with creamy, cheesy polenta on Tuesday night)
3. Mac and Cheese in a Spinach Alfredo (I had to make peace with the amount of cheese I wanted to add, so the spinach is there to increase its nutritional value, while maintaining the comfort value.)
4. Banana Walnut Bread (to take to study group on Monday)

I still have some leftover Bulgur and Lentil stew, kheer and a couple methi parathas. This should keep me well fed and prevent any unnecessary food expenses, allowing me to focus on my assignment. 20 page paper here I come!

Let me know if anybody wants any recipes. I will probably photograph the swiss chard and polenta and post the recipe.

It is not almost 8:30 and I am going to enjoy my mac and cheese with a glass of wine.

Bon Apetit!

Another Hands On Class at Whole Foods

2011-11-02T17:59:00.002-05:00

I taught another hands on class at Whole Foods yesterday. Great menu of celebration foods, cooked by a wonderful group of students with the assistance of FANTASTIC volunteers.

Here is one of the more popular recipes from the class.

Vegetarian Koftas in a Mughlai Sauce

Ingredients:

For the meatballs

2 large Yukon gold potatoes

½ cup carrots and peas, canned or parboiled

¼ cup raisins

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp ginger, minced

salt to taste

For the cashew sauce

2-3 cloves

4 cardamom pods, shelled

2 1-inch sticks of cinnamon

4-6 peppercorns

2 large onions, chopped

½ cup cashews, plain

1 targe piece of ginger, peeled and julienned

½ tsp turmeric

Salt to taste

Method:

For the vegetable meatballs

1.Cook potatoes in a pressure cooker. Peel when hot and grate immediately.

2.Add the ginger, garlic, carrot, peas and salt.

3.Combine until the mixture forms a ball of dough.

4.Divide into small balls and pan fry.

5.Drain on paper towels and set aside.

For the cashew sauce

1.Soak cashews in warm water.

2.Roast the spices in a pan or microwave and grind to a powder in a spice/coffee grinder.

3.Saute chopped onion, turmeric and ginger on oil.

4.When the onion is translucent, add cashews and sauté.

5.Transfer to blender, add some water and puree/

6.Transfer the puree to the pot, add the freshly ground spice mixture.

7.Adjust salt.

8.Add the “meatballs” and let simmer.

I am open to doing some small scale catering for dinner parties or cooking parties so contact me through the blog or at cookingwithuma@gmail.com.

Hands On Class at Whole Foods

2011-01-07T20:23:00.002-06:00

I taught a hands-on class at Whole Foods yesterday. We made 8 different vegetarian sides all with an Indian twist. The menu was

Spinach in Cashew Sauce
Red Swiss Chard with Garlic
Cumin Scented Potatoes and Cauliflower
Beetroot Slaw
Spicy Mushrooms
Green Beans with Coconut and Chilies
Beans in Tomato Sauce
Cucumber in Yogurt Sauce

I had a wonderful group of students and volunteer helpers. The class went very smoothly and the food was delicious.

The most rewarding part was to know that the people taking the class were trying vegetables they typically don't eat or cook this way. And there is a good chance that they will try to make at least one of those recipes at home.

Cooking can be fun, if you are willing to just give it a try. If what you aim for doesn't turn out right, there is always pizza.

Here's to flavorful and colorful vegetables!

When Inspiration Strikes

2010-12-28T18:59:00.003-06:00

So you all saw that we bought 10 lbs of red potatoes in November. We ate all of those. Then we bought 8 lbs of fingerling potatoes and have enough left for one meal. Recently we bought 15 lbs of yukon gold potatoes. I used some to make potato patties for chaat and then some here and there.

The other night I felt inspired and made potato soup! This wasn't your same old bland potato soup - it was very colorful and healthy. It was a root vegetable soup with relish.

Potato Soup with Corn Relish

For the Soup:

2 large yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thinly
1/2 small onion, sliced thinly

In a stockpot, heat olive oil and saute the onion and fennel. Then add the carrots, saute. Last, add the potatoes and saute for a couple minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add water just enough to cover the vegetables. Cover and let cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Once cooked, puree the vegetables using an immersion blender. Season to taste, add some dried thyme and let simmer.

For the Relish
1 can sweet corn niblets, drained
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine all three ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and let it sit for about 30 minutes.

Serving suggestion.
In a bowl, spoon in a mound of the corn relish. Pour the hot soup around the relish and top with a dollop of sour cream.

We really enjoyed this combination and we will definitely try some other ones soon. Will keep you posted.

Eating in Atlanta

2010-12-26T13:08:00.005-06:00

Dec 22, 2010
Lunch - Flying Biscuit Cafe

On our way from the High Museum to Atlanta Botanical Gardens, we stopped and had a late lunch at The Flying Biscuit Cafe. I tried the Veggie Scramble (eggs with mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and onions). It was good, but not as delicious as the Clifton (omlette with goat cheese and mushrooms with tomato coulis) I had last time. The biscuits were FANTASTIC! So warm and flaky, perfect with the apple butter.
My husband had the Egg-Ceptional Eggs - 2 over easy eggs on black bean cakes, topped with tomatillo salsa, sour cream and feta. It was a unique combination of taste and texture. Overall a great meal!

Dec 22, 2010
Dinner - Antico Pizza

After a long day of sightseeing we headed to Antico Pizza which was recommended by a foodie friend. It was such a wonderful experience! The place is crazy. There are only 10 pizzas on the menu - all come in only one size, and are somewhat charred. You have to buy the whole pie, no substitutions and no half toppings. It is like going to see the soup nazi from Seinfeld. There is a large dining room with tables and benches, you stand until you find a place to sit. Your order is cooked in an open kitchen in wood burning ovens at around 1000 degrees.

We had the margheritta pizza with the hot peppers on side. The pizza was EXCELLENT! The olive oil provided for dipping was out of this world. I have to go back soon, can't eat any other kind of pizza now. :-)

Dec 24, 2010
Lunch - Food Court at the Global Mall

While we had all-you-can-eat authentic south Indian food at our friend's place, we couldn't leave Atlanta without sampling some Indian fast food. So we headed to the Global Mall where we had Indian-Chinese and Chaat. The manchurian sauce hit the spot. But the real show stealer was the north-Indian style chaat, specifically the aloo tikki chaat. We were too hungry to take pictures. Will need to go back.

Until then Happy Eating and Happy Holidays!

10 lbs of Potatoes

2010-10-16T21:12:00.002-05:00

We recently got a membership to Costco. For those new to Costco, it is a store that sells everything in bulk. You can't buy one box of pasta, instead you have to buy the 7 variety pack; or 12 cans of diced tomatoes instead of two. The reason we got a membership was because we think we will save money on groceries and other household items. So today we bought a 10 lbs bag of red potatoes.

I have piled the potatoes in my potato basket and have started thinking about how I can use all of the potatoes before they go bad. If I followed my usual tour around the world through food strategy, I could use the potatoes to make:

Kacchi Dabeli - a popular snack in Pune, served street side. It is a potato patty in a bun with onions, roasted peanuts, pomegranate seeds and sev all smothered in butter.
Ragda Pattice - also a street food - potato patties with spicy, soupy chickpeas, raw onions, cilantro and sweet and sour chutney.
Potato Gratin - Ina Garten's recipe that has onions, fennel, cream and Gruyere. And I just sampled the creamiest Gruyere at Whole Foods today.
Tortilla Espanola/Tortilla de Patatas - Omlette stuffed with potatoes and onions, topped with paprika oil.
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie - Rachel Ray's recipe has a mess of mushrooms and root vegetables, topped with potatoes and cheddar.
Cauliflower-Potato Rassa - a Maharashtrian "curry" style dish - cauliflower and potatoes cooked with tomatoes, peas in a coconut/chili/cinnamon paste+ other secret spices.
Batatyachi Bhaji - a simple, go-to recipe for any Indian housewife - can be made with raw or boiled potatoes.
Aloo Paratha - Indian flatbread stuffed with a spicy potato mixture.
Pav Bhaji - Indian sloppy joes with cauliflower, peppers, tomato, onions and potatoes. Served with buttered dinner rolls.
Roasted potatoes with rosemary, thyme and marjoram.
Vichyssoise - Potato Leek Soup . I will have to find a new recipe, the one I used last time was not great. If anybody has any recipe please share

The following is a list of recipes that I would like to try for the first time:

Goan Potatoes
Undhio - a Gujrati mixed vegetable casserole.
Potato Latkes
Skordalia (Greek potato and garlic dip)
Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Ah! I am sure there are other recipes I am missing, any suggestions are most welcome. I will try to take a picture of each of my potato dishes and post the recipes.

Till then, happy potato eating!

Fast and Healthy Pasta Primavera

2010-09-04T18:54:00.002-05:00

Sometimes the best recipes come to me when I am not looking to innovate. I set out to make pasta with marinara, but ended up with a stuffed tortellini in a fresh, summer primavera sauce. It is a recipe worth repeating so wanted to share it with all of you.

Ingredients:
12 oz bag of spinach and cheese tortellini (or any other stuffed or grooved pasta that you like)
1 can of roasted tomatoes
1 medium onion, sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4th roasted red pepper (I buy the jar with organic peppers)
1 zucchini, halved and sliced
oregano
basil
red pepper flakes
olive oil

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions
2. In a saucepan, heat oil, add garlic and red peppers.
3. Add onions and saute.
4. Add the zucchini, peppers and saute.
5. Add the tomatoes.
6. Season with salt, pepper and oregano.
7. Cook on medium heat, until the liquid evaporates.
8. Turn the heat off and add fresh basil or basil paste

Serving suggestion: In a bowl, spoon the vegetable ragout in the bottom. Pile on the pasta, drizzle with regular and flavored olive oil and grated parmesan cheese.

I guess you could use fennel and/or carrots in the sauce. For those who eat meat, you could serve grilled chicken or salmon on a bed of the vegetable ragout.

Enjoy!

A New Venture

2010-08-19T06:25:00.002-05:00

It is T minus 4 days until I start graduate school. I was fortunate enough to qualify for a scholarship that allows me to get my PhD. Not taking this opportunity would have been foolish. So after leading a nice, settled life for the last 7 years, I am embarking on this new adventure.

Everybody I have spoken with has said that during this process you have to make time for yourself and do the things that you enjoy. Some of you know that cooking and throwing parties is what keeps me sane and happy. So as I thought about it a light bulb went off - Cooking Parties! I have already taught several cooking classes at Whole Foods and Simply Gourmet. I would like to teach more than just one class every 3 months, so I have decided to combine my passion for cooking and teaching.

So, what is a cooking party?

A cooking party is when a host/hostess asks me to come to their house and provide the entertainment by teaching their guests how to cook a meal. Once the demonstration is over we eat the food. The host/hostess can ask for a specific menu, which determines the price for the guests. Of course the host/hostess takes the class for free and keeps the leftovers.

My first cooking party is going to be at a friend's house this weekend. The theme is "Indian on a Budget" and I am making chana masala, jeera rice, spicy potatoes and mango milkshake. The guests are paying $20 for this menu. They get to see the demonstration and get recipes.

Typically I demonstrate Indian recipes and vegetarian recipes from around the world. But I can easily accommodate special requests and tailor the menu for a particular group. I don't mind giving private cooking lessons or doing small group catering. Oh I have so many ideas - just waiting for opportunities to put them in practice.

I am still working on the name for this venture and if I should have a separate email ID, but that will come together once I start. I will post pictures of the food from my first cooking party soon.

Till then, bon apetit!

Eating in Atlanta

2010-03-15T17:26:00.004-05:00

Over the weekend we went to Atlanta, GA to visit with friends we had not seen in over 10 years. We had a blast! We talked and talked and talked and ate.
On Saturday night we had dinner at Sushi Avenue in the Decatur area. I am not a big fan of Sushi because the temperature and texture of the rice always puts me off. But OMG, this sushi was fantastic - fresh, flavorful and so beautiful! It tasted just as good as it looks in this picture.

On Sunday we went to the Flying Biscuit for brunch. The omelette combinations are really interesting. I had the "Clifton Omelette" Three large farm fresh eggs stuffed with goat cheese and mushrooms, topped with warm tomato coulis and basil, served with creamy dreamy grits
As seen in the picture, the omelette was served with creamy grits and a huge biscuits with raspberry preserves.

Other members in our party had the High Flyer, the Flying Biscuit and the Orange Scented French Toast with raspberry sauce with honey creme anglaise. Everybody was happy with their choices. I can't wait to go to Atlanta and try some more restaurants.

If you have a recommendation, please leave a comment.

On my radar

2010-03-06T20:31:00.000-06:00

It seems that in the last 5-6 months quite a few new restaurants have opened in Nashville. I have been wanting to try these new restaurants, but just haven't gotten around to it. If you have eaten here I would love to hear your feedback.

1. ChaChah
2. Far East Nashville Vietnamese
3. The Wild Cow
4. Bombay Bistro
5. Lazziz

Bon Apetit!

Suzy Wong's House of Yum

2009-10-22T08:11:00.004-05:00

"Suzy Wong's House of Yum" Isn't this a great name for a restaurant! The food is really yummy at this relatively new Nashville Original. According to Nashville Scene, Suzy Wong's—which takes its name from the 1960 William Holden film The World of Suzie Wong—is a playful pan-Asian paean, riffing on traditional dishes from Korea, Japan, China, India and beyond.

I ate dinner with 4 foodies and a baby. Suzy Wong's has a unique cocktail menu, consisting of drinks that feature smoked ginger vodka and blackberry mojitos. Some in my dinner party tried the cocktails and were satisfied with them. The short menu has Asian tapas, soups, salads and family style entrees. We had a great time enjoying our "Shared Plates" and "Yum Bowls".

Sea Salt Tossed Edmame - a classic
Vegetable Gyoza Pot Stickers - these were awesome - so delicate and very flavorful.
Curried Tofu and Potato Pockets - I wasn't too impressed with these, the flavors just didn't work well for me.

Kung Pao Green Beans - delicious by themselves or with brown rice
Coconut Chili Fried Rice with Egg - this was a unique dish - the coconut was subtle but still made its presence known in each bite - probably my favorite dish of the night.
Green Curry Coconut Steamed Mussels - the name explains it all. I don't usually eat mussels, so I cannot really judge the quality but the broth was flavorful and went well with the brown rice.

At this point, we were content with the meal and feeling happy when the waitress (who was very attentive) came over to tell us about the desserts - Wantons with Pumpkin Filling and Ginger Chocolate Fondue with Fresh Fruit, Fortune Cookies and Candied Ginger. We ordered one of each and savored them one morsel at a time!

This was a truly excellent dinner. The food was great and all the vegetarian options place this restaurant high on my "will go back" list. I can't wait to go back and try the Vegetable Summer Rolls and Garlic and Holy Basil Egg Noodle "Lo Mein"

Have you been to Suzy Wong's House of Yum? What was your experience?

Celebrating Julie and Julia

2009-08-16T20:13:00.002-05:00

I watched Julie and Julia today. Meryl Streep is awesome! The relation between Paul and Julia Child is portrayed so nicely, I really hope that the real Julia Child had such a relationship...
The food in the movie was great too. I completely understand how FOOD - cooking it, eating it, and writing about it helped both Julie and Julia maintain their sanity and get more out of their life. I have experienced this power of food many times in the last few years. When the going gets tough and I start to drown, the food rescues me... Today I resolve to write more regularly.
See you all soon!

A Culinary Excursion in the Boston Area

2009-07-01T17:35:00.004-05:00

Hello Friends! I have been in the Boston area for the last few days and have enjoyed eating out. I don't think these restaurants are on any "Top Places to Eat" list, but we enjoyed the food. Here is a quick list:

Saturday: Arrived in Boston
Lunch at Little India - an Indian restaurant in Waltham, MA. We had the buffet - palak paneer, naan, aloo gobi, kadhi pakora, samosa, boondi raita and rice. Very satisfying food.
Dinner at Wagamama in Quincy Market. An Asian place with very flavorful and bold dishes. We had a rice dish, a stir fried soba noodle dish and udon noodles.

Sunday: Off to Northampton, MA
Lunch at Northampton Brewery. Always a good place to sit out in the sun and grab a bite. I loved their fried fish sandwich. The batter has beer from the Brewery.
Also had ice cream at Herrell's. Couldn't leave Northampton until we went to Herrell's.

Monday: Trip to Harvard Square in the evening.
Dinner at Border Cafe - very flavorful mexican and cajun food. We decided to go into this restaurant because of the number of people waiting to get in. The food was definitely worth the wait. We had black bean and corn empanada, chicken quesedillas, cajun blacked chicken and a black bean slad in a taco shell. Brought back the leftovers and had them for lunch the next day.
Desserts at Finale - we bought individual cakes and took them home to eat later at night. We had the Ultimate Chocolate Cake, Dark Chocolate Decadence and Lemon Tart. Yummy!

Tuesday: Duck Tour in Downtown Boston
We grazed on snacks in the Prudential Mall - Munchkins and Coolatta from Dunkin Donuts and a stuffed pretzel from Barnes and Noble cafe.

Wednesday: in Newton
Lunch at Pizzapalooza - met friends for lunch. There were 5 kinds of vegetarian pizzas - a terrific treat for a vegetarian like me. We had the cheese pizza, white florentine pizza (ricotta, spinach and carmelized onions) and veggie pizza (mushrooms, spinach and mozzarella) - it was delicious.

Tonight is our last night. My mom is making pav-bhaji. Time to go and savor the pav bhaji now.

I missed the NFNS last weekend, but I hope to watch the repeat show in the next couple days and then post. Stay tuned.

Next Food Network Star - Ina's Dinner Party

2009-06-21T20:43:00.004-05:00

The challenge this week was to shop for a dinner party for 12 on a budget of only $60!
My tip for shopping on a budget - buy beans and use them for stews, salads, and dips.

I came up with two possible menus:
Appetizer: mixed greens salad with dried cranberries and parmesan cheese
Main course: Mac n' cheese with overeasy egg, roasted asparagus
Dessert - nutella palmier with a side of fruit

Or I could go the Indian route and make
appetizer - potato and onion fritters bhaji
entree - a black bean usal with garam masala served on basmati rice, cabbage-carrot slaw pachadi
dessert - shrikhanda with pineapple and walnuts

Are there 11 people interested in being guinea pigs for this challenge?

Catching Up

2009-06-14T12:11:00.002-05:00

It's been a looooooong time since my last post. Just about two months... But I am back. The demands of my day job have gone back to a level where I can have a schedule that allows me to cook regularly, explore new foods and post once every week. Hopefully I will be able to complete many of my unfinished posts and projects.

Here is what I want to do:
1. Finish writing about my experience of following Michael Pollan's advice - Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.
2. Blog about the Next Food Network Star Season 5
3. Get recipes for authentic Indian food from my mom, who is visiting me right now, and post them on the blog.

Let's see how much I can accomplish before my day job starts demanding more of me.

Trying to "Eat Food"

2009-04-12T12:30:00.003-05:00

Breakfast:
Bagel from a local bakery with Organic Neufchatel cheese spread
1 organic egg
Coffee with real sugar and organic milk

Lunch:
Salad of cherry tomatoes, red leaf lettuce, whole wheat tortellini, chunks of Parmesan with a dressing of basil olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar
Blackberries with a sprinkling of sugar

So far, so good. Still need some work on "Not too much."

"Eat Food" - It requires some serious thought...

2009-04-11T20:50:00.001-05:00

I finished reading In Defense of Food - An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan a couple nights ago. It was a great read - very interesting and insightful. He sums up his philosophy, his guiding principle in 7 words - Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Reading the book has really made me examine what I was eating. This morning when I went grocery shopping at Publix, all I could buy was fruits, vegetables and couscous.I could not buy bread or my usual backup lunches - Smart Ones and Lean Cuisine, because some of the ingredients were, quite simple, not food. I then went to Whole Foods and bought bread, eggs and asparagus...

I think my choices of prepared foods and ingredients have changed pretty significantly in the past 5 years. When I lived by myself I didn't think much about what I ate. I was at my heaviest weight then. I joined Weight Watchers, started watching what I ate, but just in terms of how many points it was worth. So most of the foods in my house were low fat and fat-free. They did not taste that good, were not really satisfying and in hindsight not even real food. I quickly gained back the 10+ lbs. I don't think it was all because of the food, but I believe it played a role.

Over the years, my husband and I have raised our awareness about food, where it comes from and what is in it. My husband drinks soymilk, I drink organic milk from family owned farms; we eat organic eggs from free-range chickens and organic cheese most of the time. Starting today, I will be eating bread that has ingredients that I can buy in a grocery store. And as I ponder over MichaelPollan's message of "Eat Food", I am sure I will be making more changes.

I leave you with some thoughts from In Defence of Food - An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan (pg. 204-222 in the large print edition)

The first time I heard the advice to "just eat food" it was in a speech by Joan Gussow, and it completely baffled me. Of course you should eat food - what else is there to eat?...Taking food's place on the shelves has been an unending stream offoodlike substitutes, some seventeen thousand new ones every year... Ordinary food is still out there, however, still being grown and even occasionally sold in the supermarket, and this ordinary food is what we should eat.
But given our current state of confusion and given the thousands of products calling themselves food, this is more easily said than done. So consider these related rules of thumb...
Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food...Don't eat anything incapable of rotting...Avoid food products containing ingredients that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than five in number, or that include d) high fructose corn syrup...Avoid food products that make health claims...Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle...Get out of the supermarket whenever possible...Shake the hand that feeds you...

I will be writing about my experiences following these rules of thumb and the other two principles - Not too much and Mostly plants.

Be mindful! Keep thinking!

A Weekend of Indulgence

2009-04-05T17:56:00.003-05:00

It's about 6:00pm on Sunday, and I am already starting to feel the Monday morning Blues. It could be because there is too much work waiting for me at school or that I had an excellent weekend that I just don't want to end...

It began on Friday evening with my birthday celebration at Fiesta Azteca on Elliston Place. We enjoyed Sangria with fresh chips and salsa, followed by flavorful Mexican food. I had the spinach quesedilla and it was delicious! My wonderful husband had ordered an ice cream cake for the occasion. It had fudge brownies, chocolate icecream and a fruity raspberry flavored ice cream with groovy frosting. Yummmmyyyy! I ended the night feeling full, happy and left with remaining ice cream cake. :-)

Saturday was equally fun and a continuation of my birthday celebration. I went out to try the lunch buffet at Bombay Palace on West End with some friends. I have to say, that the restaurant has redeemed itself. It was a wonderful spread of Dal Tadka, Saag Paneer, Vegetable Makhanwala, Chef's Special - Chinese flavored vegetables, Shahi Chicken with Eggs, and two other chicken dishes. Samosa Chaat, Spinach Pakora, salads, pickles and other condiments; and the BEST Rice Kheer, that was the perfect balance of flavors and textures. It was a great lunch! It was so good that I decided against going to school to work and instead worked from home while watching West Wing - Season 3 and eating a bowlful of ice cream cake. Then for dinner I had the last of Paneer Tikka Biryani and more ice cream cake.

Sunday was low key. I was planning on going to school to get a head start on things for next week but I stayed home all day because it was supposed to storm. So for breakfast I had eggs, toast and coffee. For lunch I had some of the leftover bean and fennel stew, sourdough garlic toast and red leaf lettuce salad with cranberries and Irish cheese; followed by ice cream cake. I worked on some school stuff while watching the second season of Sex and the City and then West Wing. I had an early dinner of ice cream cake with fresh strawberries and then a bruschetta burger on sourdough garlic toast.

I think I am going to call it an early night and read some more "In Defence of Food" by Michael Pollan. It is an extremely interesting read. I am contemplating switching to organic produce in addition to the organic eggs and dairy.

I will write a book review soon. Hope you all had a great weekend!

A New Experiment

2009-03-29T18:07:00.002-05:00

Rice and Dal
Vegetable Stew with Fennel and White Beans
Broccoli Casserole
Thai Stir Fried Noodles
Roasted Vegetable Pita Pockets

That is what I am going to eat this week and the best part is most of it is already cooked or prepped. I am trying a new experiment - preparing meals for the whole week. Last week was so busy that I did not cook a single day. So this week, I cooked on Sunday for the entire week. It took just about 3 hours.
I will keep you posted on how the experiment works out for me.

Recipe for Small Pasta Salad

2009-03-21T17:55:00.004-05:00

This is a very adaptable recipe, add what you like and take away what you don't like. I like to make my salads colorful and have a variety of textures.

1 cup uncooked pasta (small shapes - farfalle, stars, orzo, etc.)
1/4 cup spring onions, sliced
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup sweet corn
1/8 cup kalamata olives, pitted
2-3 tbsp. Spanish olive oil or any other flavored oil
salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta according to directions in lots of well salted water until al dente. In a large bowl combine all other ingredients. Add the warm, drained pasta and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

Bell peppers, fresh parsley, feta cheese would all be good additions to this salad.

A Nano Celebration

2009-03-18T19:22:00.005-05:00

A couple weeks ago we celebrated my husband's birthday and the awesome accomplishment of getting his doctorate in Materials Science. His research is in the field of nanotechnology (really really really tiny things) so I figured a party with nano foods would be a perfect way to celebrate. I had a lot of fun preparing the food.

Mini Meatball Sliders
Stuffed Mushrooms
Deviled Eggs
Small Pasta Salad
Red Grapes & Apricots
Kiwis & Strawberries
Chimay Cheese
Kerrygold Irvena Cheese
Gouda Cheese
Graduation Cap Brownies
Nutella filled Graduation Diplomas

And it was gone by the time people left to go home. ;-) Hmmm... I wonder if that is why they left...I will post the recipes from this shindig in my next post!

All Things Indian

2009-02-08T17:11:00.002-06:00

It seems to me that in the past month Indian cuisine and culture have been in the spotlight more than usual. I had similar experiences in my own little world.

We had a Bollywood night with some friends where we watched a new Hindi movie - Rock On! and ate snacks that one would buy during movie intermissions. We made Kacchi Dabeli with all the fixings - pomegranate seeds, roasted peanuts and lots of butter. We also had samosas and mango milk shake. Unfortunately we did not find any batata vadas to make vada pav. They used to be available at the Indian store but I guess they were out. So we could make only two of the popular street foods, and I think our friends liked them.
Speaking of street foods - It was a pleasant surprise to see this article about Street Food in India in the New York Times today. They focused more on the street food in Mumbai. I guess they had a word limit and could not write about the delicious parathas in Delhi, succulent rosogullas in Calcutta and steaming idli in Bangalore. As I was reading it I realized that in the past 6 years away from home, this is the kind of food I miss the most - spicy, greasy and probably unhygienic street food. I was definitely salivating as I read about the big three - vada pav, pav bhaji and chaat. I have consumed these foods in large quantities all through school and college. Pav Bhaji is still one of my favorite dishes, so I make do by making it at home.
A couple weeks ago, I worked a class called -"Exploring Indian Cuisine" and it was sold out. The participants asked many interesting questions and it was quite obvious that they were very interested in learning about Indian cuisine.
Shortly after that I was asked to teach a class on Express Indian Cooking in April. I will definitely post, once all the details are finalized.
Over the weekend, we made our bi-monthly pilgrimage to Woodlands, a vegetarian south Indian restaurant.We had samosa chaat, onion and cilli uttappa, chana bhatura and woodlands special rava masala dosa. The food was great as always. We were wondering and talking amongst ourselves as to whether the economy had affected this business. But soon we noticed that they had increased their seating and by 6:15 on a Friday night all the tables were taken, with an equal number of Indians and non-Indians. Three cheers for south Indian vegetarian food!

On a non-culinary note, Slumdog Millionaire has put Mumbai, its slums and modern Indian lifestyle in the limelight, Aishwarya Rai's cameo might generate some interest too. I haven't watched either yet, but will soon.
Cheers to all things Indian!

Culinary Ramblings

2009-01-18T09:03:00.003-06:00

Just a quick update on the fun foodie things I have done recently:

Had a friend over for a demonstration of a weeknight Indian meal. We made vegetable jalfraize and jeera rice.
Volunteered for an Indian Cooking class at Whole Foods. It was a great menu and the instructor was superb.
Commented on The Bitten about biryani. Comment still awaiting moderation.
Got back on the wagon and reset my weight on Weight Watchers Online. I lost 20 lbs over the last two years. So now I have reset it with the goal of loosing 15 more pounds.
Planning a Bollywood Movie Night Party, complete with snacks that one would get at a movie theatre in Pune - vada pav, samosa, and kacchi dabeli.
Going to a party tonight with fellow foodies. I am bringing Nutella Palmiers.

Work is very hectic right now, but these food related activities are keeping me sane! I don't think I will be making any major posts this month, but keep an eye out for these quick updates.

Weeknight Meals

2009-01-08T18:30:00.003-06:00

Something happened today that prompted me to make a mid-week posting. I was scarfing down up lunch (in my 18 minute lunch break) as I read NY Times, when I came upon this article by Mark Bittman about. Do read it when you get a chance. Here is an excerpt:

PERHAPS, like me, you have this romantic notion of shopping daily — maybe even a mental vision of yourself making the rounds, wicker basket in hand, of your little Shropshire or Provençal or Tuscan village. The reality, of course, is that few of us provision our kitchens or cook exclusively with ultra-fresh ingredients, especially in winter, when there simply are no ultra-fresh ingredients.

But if your goal is to cook and cook quickly, to get a satisfying and enjoyable variety of real food on the table as often as possible, a well-stocked pantry and fridge can sustain you.

My point exactly! For the past few days I have had wonderful, almost gourmet dinners thanks to a well stocked freezer, refrigerator, pantry and a spot of fresh produce. And all these meals were prepared in 30-40 minutes after a long day with the kids at school.

Monday Night - All American Classic

Veggie Burgers (from the freezer) on toasted Sesame Buns with sauteed mushrooms (leftover from last week) and onions, and provolone cheese (that was on sale at the deli section)
Coleslaw of cabbage, carrots and pineapples (from a can) with a yogurt, sour cream and mustard dressing. (it was like all of these items were waiting to be transformed into a coleslaw)
BBQ flavored Kettle Chips

Tuesday Night - Off to the Far East

Thai Red Curry made with coconut milk (from the pantry), curry paste (out of a jar), canned mushrooms (leftover from last week's pizza dinner), bamboo shoots (canned), pineapple (leftover after the coleslaw), with a dollop of basil paste and lemon grass paste (out of a tube) and half a fresh red pepper and 3 spring onions.
Brown rice made with the real slow cooking grains (from the pantry)

Wednesday Night - Italian Fare

Bowtie pasta (from the pantry) with sauteed garlic, red peppers (leftover after the Thai curry prep) and asparagus, topped with flavored olive oil, lemon zest and Irish cheese.
Meatless meatballs (from the freezer) - roasted and served with ketchup and tamarind chutney (from the fridge)
Homemade hot chocolate

Thursday Night - A trip down South

Spinach, Feta and pine nut tamales from Hot Damn Tamales with Roasted tomato salsa (out of a jar - we make our own salsa when we find fresh ingredients)
Mixed Greens with carrots, dressed with lemon juice, salt and pepper

Friday Night - Back to our Roots

Steamed Basmati Rice with Dal or Amti (all ingredients expect garlic, ginger and chillies come from the pantry) served with a side of Indian pickles, papad and raw carrots.

At the end of this week, I can't help but feel that all the money I spend on groceries is well worth it. If I tried to eat out like this all week, I would have nothing to left in my savings account. :-)
So friends, all you need for a culinary trips around the world is a well stocked freezer, refrigerator, pantry and some fresh produce.
Cheers!

Cooking Fest 2008 - What really happened!

2009-01-04T09:02:00.003-06:00

Today is the last day of my time off. The kids come back next week! Frankly I don't want this vacation to end. I want to stay home and keep cooking. But oh well! We all have to work some and play some.
I had a blast cooking a variety of dishes over the last few weeks. I did make some dishes from what I had planned, but I also made some that I didn't plan. So here is what happened:

An Italian Holiday Feast
Goat Cheese and Pear Ravioli with Creamy Walnut Sauce
Spinach Salad in Parmesan Frico Cups
Panettone with coffee

What actually happened:
We did go to Lazzaroli, but we bought Tri-Color linguine and the Panettone. The Panettone is all gone. :-) and the linguine is still in the freezer. I will make it sometime this week with a nice lemony, garlicky sauce. The spinach salad is on hold for now. The grocery store doesn't have good greens right now.

European Culinary Tradition
Stuffed Mushrooms
Pasta salad with Herbs de Provence Vinaigrette
Asparagus with Lemon Butter
Apple Pear Crisp

What Actually Happened:
I followed this menu to the T. It was awesome. Everything really worked well together. The mushrooms were stuffed with a cream cheese mixture that had onions, peppers, garlic and fennel, topped with crushed crackers. The salad and the asparagus complemented the mushrooms nicely and the apple pear crisp was the perfect finish. There were no leftovers!

American Classics
Veggie Burgers with Sesame Buns
Coleslaw
Warm Potato Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette
Brownies and Ice Cream

What Actually Happened
I only made part of this menu. I didn't make the brownies, because, well, I can do without the extra calories; didn't make the potato salad because I used the potatoes for something else; and didn't make the coleslaw because I forgot to buy the cabbage. We did eat burgers on sesame buns a few times with Barbeque kettle chips. However, at this very moment, I have all the ingredients to recreate this menu. So maybe for dinner tonight, we will enjoy this all-American menu.

Hanukkah Feast
Matzah Ball Soup
Latkes with Apple Sauce and Sour Cream
Spinach Kugel
Rugelach

What Actually Happened
Yeah...this didn't work out so much. I really need to eat the real thing, before I try to make it. I did buy Latke mix and make latkes. That was pretty easy, and I have another packet left, so maybe on a busy night we will have latkes and a side salad. If anybody who is fluent in Jewish cuisine wants to invite us for dinner, we are up for it.

Mediterranean Menu
Turkish lentil soup
Hummus
Pita bread
Falafel (from a local restaurant - Anatolia)
Cheese stuffed rolls with rose petal jam (from Anatolia)
Baklava (from Anatolia)

What Actually Happened
This menu is on hold until we try out Cafe Rakka Mediterranean Grill. They have a hummus bar, and have featured Biryani as a special. I will keep you posted.

Indian Cuisine
Egg Biryani
Raita

What Actually Happened
I just didn't get around to making this. I was busy making other dishes that I hadn't planned on. ;-)

Over the last two weeks, I have logged many hours watching West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and My Hero. I managed to stop watching TV long enough to enjoy some noteworthy meals that I hadn't planned on:

Huevos Rancheros and Veggie Quesedilla at Fiesta Azteca.
Kashmiri Dum Aloo with Naan. This is what I used the potatoes for instead of the potato salad. I used a recipe I found online and skipped frying the potatoes.
Spinach and Cheese Calzone using whole wheat pizza dough from Whole Foods. We have made margheritta pizza and a veggie pizza since then.
Sev-Batata-Dahi-Puri. The best way to describe this dish is Indian Nachos - it has crispy fried puris (like tortilla chips), potatoes, onions, tomatoes, sweet and spicy chutneys, yogurt and sev (fried noodles). Unfortunately we did not have fresh tasting puris, so we actually ended up using tortilla chips, and I have to say it tasted good. Over the next few weeks, I am going to make an Americanised version using ingredients you could buy at Wal-Mart.
Gobi Manchurian, Mushroom Rice, Banana Fritters and Chaat at Woodlands
Masale Bhat (spicy rice) and Tomato Saar (soup) - this is a traditional Maharashtrian rice preparation with spiced tomato soup. We added some of the leftover coriander and coconut chutney to the rice and veggies as it cooked. And the Saar was made using V8 simmered with peppercorns, cumin, cloves, curry leaves and green chillies. We have lots of leftover rice, so if anyone wants to come over and get some, you are welcome to do that.
Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry and Blackberry compote and Scrambled Eggs, with Espresso. This was a fun brunch. I really enjoyed cooking it and eating. And I managed a first - using all four cook tops at one time to make a meal.

Whew!...yeah, I have gained a couple pounds in this process. But nothing some consistent Yoga Booty Ballet can't handle. ;-)

I hope you all had a good holiday and would love to hear about the noteworthy meals you had.

Till next time...Adios!

Frozen Food on a Freezing Night

2008-12-22T19:49:00.004-06:00

I think today is the coldest I have ever felt in Nashville. The temperature has been in the low 20s F (about -7 C) all day. It has felt even colder. So cold that we have just sat in our heated bed with blankets and surfed the net or watched DVDs all evening. As a result, getting out of bed to make anything hot and comforting for dinner was out of question. So we decided to use up one of our "back up" meals - a ready-to-eat frozen Indian vegetable dish and frozen Indian bread . All you have to do is heat it up in the microwave or on the stove. It is instant bliss!
Today we ate Paneer Hariyali (Mirch Masala Brand) and Naan. This was a real treat! It had just the right amount of spice and was perfectly flavored. I have tried some of their other products. I really like their Kofta Curry.
So to make this cold winter, that started only yesterday, bearable, I strongly recommend going to your local Indian grocery store, buying a frozen dinner and trying it with some Indian bread. It's fast, cheap and delicious!
Happy Winter!

Cooking Fest 2008

2008-12-20T18:02:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was the last day of this semester. The kids will be out for 17 days! Hooray! Time to get work done at school and focus on my hobbies at home. I think I am going to enjoy this time off by traveling around the food through food. I am going to have a 5-6 day Cooking Fest. The idea is to focus on a festive dinner from one culinary tradition everyday. Here is a tentative menu:

An Italian Holiday Feast
• Goat Cheese and Pear Ravioli with Creamy Walnut Sauce
• Spinach Salad in Parmsean Frico Cups
• Panettone with coffee
There is a great place in Historic Germantown called Lazzaroli. They make fresh pasta and have the best Italian desserts, like canoli and panettone. I plan to buy the ravioli and make the sauce at home. If you've never had Panettone, you have missed something very important in your life. Go ahead and try it. I saw that Whole Foods is selling Panettone, but if you can buy it from an Italian Bakery it will be of a better quality. I think I will make this on Dec 26, which is our 6 yr wedding anniversary.

European Culinary Tradition
• Stuffed Mushrooms
• Pasta salad with Herbs de Provence Vinaigrette
• Asparagus with Lemon Butter
• Apple Pear Crisp
This is a slightly eclectic menu but I think it will work well together. This is my double date menu. We recently found out that a friend of ours got engaged. So we are inviting him and his fiance. I am not sure if she likes mushrooms, so the menu might change.

Mediterranean Menu
• Turkish lentil soup
• Hummus
• Pita bread
• Falafel (from a local restaurant - Anatolia)
• Cheese stuffed rolls with rose petal jam (from Anatolia)
• Baklava (from Anatolia)
This is a tried and tested menu. I have made this many times and has been a hit. This is one of my comfort foods meal through out the cold months.

American Classics
• Veggie Burgers with sesame Buns
• Coleslaw
• Warm Potato Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette
• Brownies and Ice Cream
This is the classic all-American menu. We might make it for lunch one day. I have never made the potato salad, but had it at a friend's house. I am quite sure that I will be able to recreate the dish. And brownies are good to have around the holiday season. :-)

Indian Cuisine
• Egg Biryani
• Raita
This is one of my signature recipes. The Biryani is a rice dish with layers or spiced meat or vegetables. In this case I will layer the rice with spiced boiled eggs. The longer the Biryani steams the better it tastes. I will post the recipe next time.

Hanukkah Feast
• Matzah Ball Soup
• Latkes with Apple sauce and Sour Cream
• Spinach Kugel
• Rugelah
This meal is the one that might be most challenging. I haven't really had some of these foods before, so I don't have much to compare it. But we will see. I will keep you posted.

Till next time, Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T21:52:00.003-06:00

I had a great day cooking for our big Thanksgiving Dinner! Everything went according to plan. I added a last minute dish - Asparagus with Lemon Butter, because I needed something green to complete the table scape. (By the way, there aren't many pictures of the food, because we didn't stop to take pictures until after the first helping. There are some pictures of the decorative accents. I will post them soon.)
Our guests made desserts. They were AWESOME! (Actually we are friends with these people because they bring good food. ;-)) For the dessert course we had

crepes with apple and caramel sauce with homemade whipped cream
bittersweet chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream and raspberries
butter nut squash pie

With all the food we had, we really had to pace ourselves. It was well worth it. We have the perfect amount of leftovers - enough for one meal. For breakfast tomorrow, I will have a crepe with the caramel apple sauce and a side of scrambled eggs with a steaming cup of joe. At lunch I will have some of the leftovers and a piece of pie and cook something very very low cal for dinner.

Ahhh...food. I love it, and I am thankful for it. But I am most thankful for my family and friends with whom I could share this bountiful harvest.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Coming soon...from feasting to fasting - how to get back to a balanced low calorie diet

33 hours and counting!

2008-11-26T10:37:00.002-06:00

My guests will arrive for our fabulous French Cuisine inspired Thanksgiving dinner in about 33 hours. The menu has been tried and tasted, so here is the plan:

Wednesday, November 26

Clean the apartment
Rearrange everything in the kitchen to allow for maximum counter space
Plan and gather all serving dishes and spoons
Set the table
Place decorative accents and candles in the living room
Make name cards for all the dishes and decorate with Thanksgiving ribbons (courtesy of the Target Dollar Spot - See, Spot, Spend!)

Thursday, November 27

7:30 - Wake up, eat breakfast and relax! (Yes, I like to take it easy on the big day. After all I am doing this for my enjoyment. :-))
10:00 - Make the apple-pear compote, set aside
10:40 - Mise all the recipes. (all it means is gather all the dry ingredients for each dish and set them on trays)
11:30 - Eat lunch and watch West Wing. (we recently bought the entire season)
1:30 - Preheat oven. Prep and assemble Tian.
2:15 - Vegetable Tian in the oven - cook time 40 minutes. Prep for and assemble the gratin.
3:00 - Potato Gratin in the oven - cook time 50 minutes. Start prepping for the Roasted Root Vegetables dish.
4:00 - Root Vegetables in the oven - cook time 1 hour. Make the cranberry port vinaigrette, toast the baguette rounds with goat cheese spread, toast the walnuts.
4:45 - be ready to receive guests, light the candles. Make the Cranberry Spritzer
5:15 - Take the root vegetables out, set on the stove to stay warm. Warm the crostini in the oven with all the toppings, dress the salad.
5:30 - Plate the salad. Put the Gratin and the Tian in the oven to warm up for dinner. Serve the first course.
6:15 - Serve the main course with Cranberry Walnut Bread, Rosemary Olive Oil Bread and homemade French Farmhouse Rolls.
7:50 - Heat the compote. Assemble the Brie plate.
8:00 - Serve the dessert course.

And it is quite likely that some things won't go as planned, but if you know where you want to go, you can always take a detour.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Food for Thought: Check out this article in nyt - The C.E.O. of Thanksgiving Dinner

Our French Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T09:44:00.006-06:00

port vinaigrette aux canneberges avec crostini au fromage de chèvre
Cranberry Port Vinagrette with Goat Cheese Toasts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
tian de légumes
Vegetable Casserole baked in a shallow dish

légumes racines rôtis aux herbes de provence
Roasted Root Vegetables with Herbs of Provence

Gratin de pommes de terre
Creamy Potato Casserole

canneberges et noix de pain de blé
Cranberry and Walnut Wheat Bread

romarin et l'huile d'olive pain
Rosemary and Olive Oil Bread

pain paysan
French Farmhouse Rolls

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

mousse au chocolat
Chocolate Mousse

courge musquée tarte
Butternut Squash Pie

brie avec les pommes et les poires
Brie with Fruits

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dinner will be served on Thursday, November 27th at 5:30 pm.

Bon Appetit!

Translations by Google Translate

Celebrations

2008-10-11T08:03:00.002-05:00

A friend and I were trying to finalize the date for her baby shower and she mentioned that she is beginning to think that I feel uneasy if I don't know that I have a party to plan for... She is absolutely right! At all times I am thinking about the next party and the next celebration that I get to cook for. Here is what I am looking forward to:

October 16: Dinner with some friends from MA
Theme: North Indian Cuisine
These friends are actually my graduate program coordinator and his wife. Two of my friends from school will be here as well.
Menu: Paneer Jalfraize, Boondi Raita, Tandoor Roti, Dal Palak, Jeera Rice and Kheer

October 26-31: Diwali Celebrations at my cousin's place in TX
I am so excited! I haven't celebrated Diwali in a traditional manner since I came to the States 6 years ago, and this will be our first real Diwali celebration as a married couple. I urge you all to follow the link and read up about Diwali. It is really very fun! I will definitely make a report on all the wonderful meals we cooked and ate. Oh by the way, I will be celebrating Diwali with 12 other people! Can't wait!

November 8: A Baby Shower for a dear friend
Theme: Chocolate and Cheese
The part of India where I am from baby showers are "a feast of what you crave" party. Traditionally you don't buy anything for the baby until close to the delivery date. I think this tradition has something to do with the infant mortality rate that was once very very high. So my friend, who is not from India is going to have a party that combines the "present for your baby" party with "a feast of what you crave" party.
Menu: Sparkling non-alcoholic Mimosas, Assorted Bagels and Cream Cheeses, Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Frittata, Spinach and Gruyere (cheese) Frittata, Chocolate Harvest Cake, Chocolate and Hazelnut Palmiers, Hot Chocolate Bar

Mid-November: My Husband's Graduation Party
Theme: Nano Plates
Since he is getting his PhD in Early Detection of Cancer using Nanotechnology, all the food will be nano. I considered going the high-tech way and making recipes that involved use of liquid nitrogen and other chemicals that give food a unique shape and texture, but I am pretty sure I have decided against that.
So I think the food will include - mousse and toppings on crackers or bread rounds, appetizers in phyllo cups etc. I will finalize the menu once he finalizes the date for his thesis defence.

November 27: My French Thanksgiving
Oh and you know all about this. Here is a quick update. So far I have tried making a Vegetable Tian 3 different ways. I am going to make it one more way and then pick the one we like best. Once I do that I will post my new entry. By the way, I think I have most of my Thanksgiving menu. Look for it in the next couple weeks.

I hope if you are reading this, then you have also been invited to one of these celebrations.

See you all soon!

On your mark, Get set, Go!

2008-09-28T19:32:00.008-05:00

Hello Friends!
So as the title suggests this post is related to sports. The sport of cooking! To me the biggest sporting event of the year is Thanksgiving. I just love to see a table full of delicious food that came out of my small and simple kitchen. And even more importantly I love to see my dearest friends enjoy this bountiful feast. So, in a nutshell, Thanksgiving is a very big deal to me.

Cooking for Thanksgiving is like running a marathon. You train and you train and on the day of the marathon you record your best time. I think you would get a clearer idea if you glanced at my training schedule. And I prefer to work backwards, because then you never loose sight of your goal. So here we go:

Nov 27 - 5:30 pm Appetizers on the table, Dinner being warmed in the oven, candles lit
Nov 27 - all morning - cook dinner, set table, chill drinks
Nov 26 - prep foods and finish up the make ahead dishes, design and print menus
Nov 22-23 - Shop for groceries and produce
Nov 15-16 - Trial run of the menu, final tweaking
Nov 1-15 - Test the recipes - especially the main dishes at least twice and tweak the recipe, finalize menu
Oct 1-Nov 1 - Research the cuisine and short list main dishes and sides. (Our guests are bringing the desserts, so I don't have to think about those) Sometimes I go as far as making some of the recipes to see if they are worthy of being shortlisted. Today one of the contenders "Vegetable Tian" is in the oven.

Right now I am in the "Research Cuisine" phase. Last year the theme for my Thanksgiving dinner was "Colors of the Fall". This year I am quite sure it is going to be a "French Thanksgiving" So off I went to the library and checked out the following books.

Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Peppin
Glorious French Food by James Peterson
Look & Cook - French Country Cooking by Anne Williams
French Vegetarian Cooking by Paola Gavin
Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten
Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook by the Editors of Vegetarian Times

Next step, read through all the books and short list 3 main dishes, 5-7 sides, 3-5 appetizers. Only a lucky few recipes will make the final cut.

Stay tuned to find out which recipes move on to the next round.

Bon Appetit!

Culinary Higlights

2008-09-21T15:37:00.006-05:00

I have been meaning to write for quite some time now. I even have a couple posts in the work, but just haven't gotten around to it. So here are some highlights of my culinary explorations in the past two weeks:

Ate at a Cuban restaurant - "Back to Cuba". It is on Trousdale Dr, next to Mama Mia. Good food - spicy and delicious. Prince range medium.
Had a study group at my place that featured great appetizers - Hummus, black bean dip, queso and chips, crudites
Went to a tapas party that had great food and absolutely stunning squash pie. We took 2 Spanish cheeses - Drunken Goat and Manchego.
Started putting my recipes on tastebook.com
Volunteered for a special event at Salud, that had a great French Menu and the best goodie bag (baguettes, caramels, french cheese, the list goes on and on)
Signed up to volunteer for more classes at Salud. Some of the classes I will be working are - Fall Favorites, Fall Comforts, Bread Basket and Thanksgiving Food and Wine Pairing.
Organized the next Cuisine club event - a cooking class at Whole Foods. (I will definitely post about that)
Tossed around ideas for an Iftar Party.

Iftar refers to the evening meal for breaking the daily fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Iftar during Ramadan is often done as a community, with Muslims gathering to break their fast together. Iftar is done right after Maghrib (sunset) time. Traditionally, a date is the first thing to be consumed during Iftar when the fast is broken - Wikipedia

Started planning for Thanksgiving 2008!

I think this list is the reason I haven't been able to update my blog. Stay tuned. I promise to post a real entry very soon.

Happy Eating!

We shall not cease from exploration...

2008-09-06T21:10:00.004-05:00

After promising that I was going to write frequently, I disappeared. Although I have three posts under construction, I just did not seem to find my "voice". I kept wondering, why do I want to write about food? why now? and finally about 15 minutes ago I was able to verbalize it.

About 10 years ago, when a typical weekday comprised of waking up early in the morning and going to college to listen to Prof. Lobo, our very distinguished professor of philosphy; I heard the words of T.S. Eliot

...We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time...

Four Quartets: Little Gidding

These words have stuck with me since then. Every time I embark on a new adventure, personal or professional, at some point in the journey these words come to me and provide me with a renewed clarity of thought. That is just what happened today...

It is funny how our subconscious, affects our conscious, voluntary acts. In the past couple months, I have gravitated towards books that focus on the journey of cooking - not just quick-fix recipe books, but books that have discourse about the process of cooking and how one arrives at a final product that is satisfying, grounding and yet liberating at the same time. My favorite so far has been "A Return to Cooking" by Eric Ripert and Michael Rhulman. It is the journey of 5 friends who travelled once every season to discover "cooking". I will definitely do a book review when I finish the book...Getting back to the original question that is the cause of this rambling why do I want to write about food? why now?

I have always had strong feelings about food. It seems to be what keeps me energized (literally, intellectually and emotionally). After being a somewhat successful home-cook for about 5 years, I am ready to go beyond the act of following a recipe and begin to indulge in the art of creating and enjoying the recipe. And as I ramble on in this journey, I need to make sure I still have a voice, a voice that this blog has given me.

So even if I disappear for a few weeks, be assured that I will be back to the place I started and discover it anew.

Till next time, Happy Trails to You!

Indian Comfort Foods

2008-08-25T18:16:00.000-05:00

So this has just been a blah day. It's raining thanks to Hurricane Faye and the allergies have been horrible. All you want is a hot meal that will lift your spirits and soothe the throat. My wonderful husband managed to do just that. He made a Maharashtrian staple - आमटी भात " Aamti-Bhaat"

A typical Maharashtrian meal includes

पोळी poli (unleavened flat bread)
भाजी bhaji (spiced vegetables, generally dry)
आमटी aamti (spicy lentil soup)
भात bhaat (boiled rice)

There are usually a few condiments too - tomato and/or cucumber salad (sometimes in yogurt), pickled mangoes/lemons/chillies, dry coconut or peanut chutney, to mention just a few!

Ever since we moved to the US, we haven't really made the flatbreads that often. So rice has become a staple. My husband makes many different kinds of aamtis. So I asked him to share with all of you all about the aamti.

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There are literally hundreds of types of aamtis, though some basics are common to all. The base is one of many types of lentils. A bit of sour element is often added (tomatoes or tamarind - aamti actually derives from a word for sour). Finally, a mix of spices is essential. Ranging from a few fresh herbs/spices to complex mixes (secret family recipes, natch!), the spices give aamtis their enormous variety.

To start with, here is the recipe for one of the really simple, yet really satisfying aamtis. You're going to need -

1 cup of red lentils (masoor), if possible de-husked.
4 green chillies. More, if you like it hot
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon each cumin seeds and mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
salt to taste
2 cups water

Wash the lentils, and soak them in warm water. Break the chillies into about 1/2 inch pieces (smaller pieces will give you more heat), lightly crush the garlic cloves. Add the oil in the one quart saucepan on medium high heat. Add the chillies and garlic to the oil. When they start sizzling, add the cumin, mustard seeds and turmeric powder to the oil. Quickly drain the lentils and add to the saucepan. Saute the lentils untill the moisture is gone. Add a couple of cups of water, some salt, cover the pot, and boil the heck out of it! (OK, bring it to a boil, and simmer the heck out of it. :)

Conventionally, lentils in aamtis are quite soft, to the point of being mushy. If you want them little chewy, start checking the pot at about 15 minutes. We're aiming for a soup, so if the water runs low, add some more. With chewy lentils, the aamti is going to be quite watery as they won't break apart and release starches. Personally, I prefer a slightly thicker, tomato soup consistency. One way to get that is to run a hand mixer through once the lentils are cooked to your liking. Right before turning the stove off, tear off a few cilantro or parsley leaves, and stir them in. The recipe is quite forgiving, so feel free to vary things as you see fit. Of course, the goal is always to make it just like mom would. :D

You can enjoy the aamti by itself as a soup, dip some bread in it, or stir some plain boiled rice into it; and a bit of butter or ghee on top never hurt anyone! With the garlic flavor suffused throughout the toasted lentils, not to mention the heat from the chillies, this aamti really hits the spot on cold, rainy evenings. For some crunchy, I would recommend a microwave toasted papad or two.
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So here is the best exposition about aamtis that I have ever read. Hope you try the recipe.

It only feels appropriate to end this entry with a "Bon appetit" from our mother tongue Marathi. सावकाश होऊ दे! saavkash hou de meaning "Take your time as you enjoy this food"
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Next time: another one of my rainy day favorites - Butternut squash soup.

A Scrumptuous Start

2008-08-24T13:45:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends, I'm back!
After having been gone for almost 8 months I am back with a renewed passion for food and many new ideas to share with all of you. And what better way to re-start rambling than with breakfast!
As a young child I was not a big fan of breakfast. After moving away from home, breakfast became a necessity and since then it has become the most important meal of the day for me.
Breakfast takes on a new meaning on the weekends. A leisurely breakfast or brunch followed by a relaxing day is the ultimate comfort in my book. So this weekend, being the first weekend that I did not need to go to school, I tried a couple new recipes - Egg in a Hole and Hash Browns. We also had excellent Sulawesi coffee with foam on top.
Here are the recipes, try them. These recipes are a result of reading many recipes for each dish and then coming up with my own.

Egg in a Hole
1 slice of flavorful bread (a darker colored bread will give a nice contrast)
1 egg
oil or cooking spray
Use a cooking cutter or a lid to make a hole in the bread. Place bread on a oiled/sprayed cooking pan on medium heat. Crack open an egg into the hole. Season and cook to desired firmness. Flip if desired.

Hash Browns
2 potatoes
1/2 yellow onion
finely chopped banana peppers or crushed red pepper
Oil
Cook potatoes in boiling water until done. Drain, cool and slice into thin rounds.
Slice onions and saute in the hot oil with the peppers until done.
Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and let brown. Stir as needed.

To round off this meal, I sliced some oranges, slit them and made some curls, set them up like waves. Have fun with your food.

Bon Appetit!

Make it an experience

2007-12-09T19:34:00.000-06:00

So many cuisines, so many flavors. As a child living in the middle east I was exposed to many different types of foods. Ever since I have moved to the US, the big melting pot, I have tried even more cuisines. We even have a little group that goes out to try a new cuisine every other month. These experiences have taught me how to combine a few different dishes, cooked at home or bought, to make a complete culinary experience. Our latest experiment was a Mediterranean meal.

The Menu

Turkish Lentil Soup (recipe follows)
Hummus
Tofu dogs (bought at the store)
Assorted Olives (bought at Whole Foods)
Pita (leftover from a take out)
Greek Rice (leftover from lunch at Pyramids Cafe)

These disconnected foods brought together made a wonderful dinner!

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Turkish Lentil Soup

1 cup dry lentils
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion or shallots
1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Cook the lentils in a pot with 4-5 cups of water or in a pressure cooker with 2.5 cups of water.
In a heavy pot, heat olive oil, add the onions, carrots, fennel and oregano and saute for 2 minutes or until the onions are transparent.
Add the cooked lentils and water to make a soupy consistency.
Add salt to taste and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve with rice or pita or crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving 2007

2007-12-09T17:34:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving - a time to be thankful, thankful for the food, family and friends. I just love this time of the year and the bountiful harvest that the farmer's market has to offer. So this year the theme was "Colors of the Fall"- I think it was my personal best. I had a great time planning and cooking this meal, and the most wonderful time enjoying this meal with my friends.

Baked brie with pears, cranberries and brandy (store bought, but I can replicate it now)
Bread and Cracker assortment
Grapes and Figs
Pumpernickel and Raisin Bread (baked by a friend)
Black Pepper Cashews

Red cranberry sauce cooked in apple cider
Orange sweet potatoes
Yellow stuffing (brought by my dear friends)
Brown mushrooms stuffed with peppers
Green asparagus with tarragon
Purple onions
and White mac and cheese to center all these colors

Hot Chocolate Bar
Nutella Palmiers
Apple Pear Compote in Pastry Cups

It was just the perfect meal! The hot chocolate bar was a big hit. Everybody was able to to customize their hot chocolate with their choice of liquor and toppings. We did learn that when using a double boiler, make sure your glass bowl is heat safe. Oh well, now we have a spot for a new bowl on our shelf. :-)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am already looking forward to the next one!

How it all began

2007-11-25T18:28:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving 2007 was the best celebration I have ever had. Perfect Fall weather, great friends and awesome food! It was this celebration that has inspired me to share my thoughts and feelings about food with the world. I love eating food, making food, watching others make and eat food, read about food and talk about food. It is my passion.

It all started many years ago, when I was a child watching my parents cook and entertain. They gave the best parties. Everything was cooked at home: meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. At the end of the night people left with their stomachs full and a satisfied smile on their faces. The leftovers were just enough for one meal - once again perfect planning!
I am grateful to my parents for introducing me to this wonderful world of food.

Coming soon: Thanksgiving 2007