Spicy Pepperry Muses

Experimenting with NY Times recipes

2012-02-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

my latest obsession is recipes on NYTimes.com...i typically bring home a new ingredient or an old fav...usually some produce item like say Kale or Golden Beets or sometimes a spice like say Yuzu or Acer Biber & then try some recipe on NYTimes.com & perhaps tweak it some. 3 such experiments were very successful recently -

1. i used tuscan kale & roasted it instead, added walnuts instead of almonds & also added sauteed sugar snap peas...very healthy & delish to top it all:
Kale Salad With Apples, Cheddar and Toasted Almonds or Pine Nuts - Recipes For Health

2. great recipe!! i substituted mint with thyme & instead of ricotta, used a home-made 'cheese sauce', which was just a blend of odds & ends of cheese, white wine & thyme :) yummy...
Braised Endives With Orange, Toasted Almonds and Ricotta - Recipes for Health

3. this last one was my utmost favorite...i substituted Dill with Mint as i'm not a big Dill fan. also i added some Zaatar into it.
Mediterranean Beet and Yogurt Salad

Enjoy!!

One Pot Stew with a Moroccan/Turkish twist

2011-11-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

I've tried this one twice now & both times its come out very successful, which makes me feel compelled to share it. The basis is this recipe from the NYTimes, but i pretty much throw anything i have at home into it. Today i made it with the following -

1 cup cooked Quinoa

1 cup Borlotti Beans, soaked & cooked

1 large bag Southern Greens

1 Watermelon radish (radish with variegated red color inside)

1/2 Turnip

2 fresh Tomatoes, chopped

the way this worked is - i sauteed roughly chopped garlic, onions until lightly browned. then i tossed in the radish & turnip & sauteed for 2-3 min. Next came the spices - ground cumin, turkish salsiccia (pepper paste that is not too spicy but flavorful), allspice, cinnamon, crushed red pepper & salt. then came the tomatoes. Saute for 3-4 minutes & add the cooked beans & quinoa with 1/2 cup of water. Let everything simmer until tomatoes soften. Lastly add the greens & lightly fold until they shrivel. Don't forget to taste & adjust the salt & spices. Turn off the heat & serve immediately.

Note - i don't put the yoghurt as in the original recipe.

the best part about this recipe is its very delicious while being highly nutritious & a good source of greens/veggies & grains. So net of it, makes a complete meal & is a breeze to make (if you've pre-cooked the beans or prefer to use canned ones).

Outstanding Summer Tomato Soup with a Moroccan touch

2011-06-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

I just made this amazing soup so i had to share...the original recipe came from the NY Times but i made some practical tweaks based on available (or not available) ingredients...here's my version:
3 medium cloves of garlic, smashed, peeled and minced
1 tsp cayenne
3/4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb fresh tomatoes
1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt to taste
In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil, garlic, cayenne & cumin for 5 min, stirring constantly. put aside. Crush the tomatoes in a food processor & strain to remove seeds (or use food mill). add salt to taste, vinegar, the spiced oil & lemon juice. Chill for 30 min to an hour before serving.
Note - i would recommend adding chopped cilantro if you have it. Celery is optional.

Beet & Citrus Mediterranean Summer Salad

2011-05-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

Boil or roast 3 medium sized beets.

Make a salad dressing with 2-3T olive oil, 1.5T champagne muscat or any white wine vinegar, 1/2t salt, 1/2t coarsely crushed black pepper & 1/2t turkish salad spice (or 1T freshly chopped mint). Toss all ingredients with a fork to mix well.

Add peeled & sliced beets to the vinaigrette. Add 1 navel orange, peeled & chopped into chunks. Add a handful of olives, coarsely chopped. Add shaved pecorino to taste. Mix well & chill for 15-30 min before serving.

Roasted Balsamic & Date Radicchio Salad

2011-01-29T13:30:00.000-08:00

so this was an experiment that pieced together 2-3 recipes + some creativity from my end. took only 2 minutes to disappear once i made it :)

2 large heads of radicchio (about 1 pound total), halved through core end, each half cut into 3 wedges with some core still attached

3 chopped garlic cloves

3 chopped dates

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more to coat radicchio

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon mustard

Salt and black pepper

Pecorino or parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse radicchio wedges in cold water; gently shake off excess water (do not dry completely). Place radicchio in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat. Arrange radicchio wedges, 1 cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until wilted, about 12 minutes. Turn over, sprinkle chopped garlic & dates and roast until tender, about 8 minutes longer.

Make the dressing. Put the salt, garlic, mustard and balsamic vinegar into a food processor or blender and pulse to combine. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil slowly until the dressing comes together.

Chop the radicchio quarters into bite-sized pieces and toss with the dressing and some black pepper.

Serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with grated pecorino or parmesan cheese.

Serves 4 to 6.

Brussels Sprouts with Dates & Bacon!

2010-12-27T11:01:00.000-08:00

Wow, i had these at a place called Gjelina's in Venice, CA & couldn't get them out of my mind. Couldn't find a recipe online so recreated them from memory, using a couple similar recipes from food network as aids for technique.

I made these as a side dish for 8 people for X'mas dinner.
so start with 2 bags of brussels sprouts (1 lb each) & roast them using this recipe from Barefoot Contessa. When the sprouts are roasting, dice 4 strips of bacon (i used the Niman Ranch one from Trader Joe's) & a handful of dates. Heat 1-2 tsp olive oil in a saute pan & add the bacon. When the bacon is crisp, add a handful of pine nuts & brown. Add the chopped dates and 2T of white wine vinegar & cook for 2-3 min until dates are soft & everything is well blended. Remove the brussels sprouts from the oven, mix & serve immediately. Note - you can cook a bit earlier & reheat before serving - still tastes good but brussels sprouts will not be as crunchy.

Gujju style Collard Greens

2010-12-22T17:33:00.000-08:00

this is a quick & simple new recipe i came up with, using ingredients i had handy at home. The sweet potatoes cut through the bitterness of the collards & really complement the flavors.

Temper 2 tsp hot oil with 1 tsp jeera seeds, 1/2 tsp methi seeds and a pinch of hing. when the seeds are sizzling, add 1T chopped garlic. when garlic browns, add 1/2 sliced jalapeno & 1 Med onion & saute until softened. add 1 large chopped sweet potato or yam & cook for 2 min. add 1bunch chopped collard greens & stir until wilted. add 1/2 cup of water & cook for 15-20 min until yams are soft.

End result - delish, healthy & a simple way to use new ingredients

Rajasthani Meal a la Tarla Dalal

2010-10-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

I love to cook simple Indian food but get bored with the same ol' Gujju flavors so am always experimenting with other Indian cuisines. Tarladalal.com has been a god send from that standpoint. Here's today's Rajasthani dinner -

Panchmel Dal - i used the same 5 dals but in my own random proportions, will definitely make again
Gavarfali ni Sabzi - i used fresh gavarfali (not frozen) and followed the recipe to a T. next time would use a bit more besan as there was no thickening of the sauce with just 1/4 tsp
Bajri Rotla - frozen...here's where i draw the line, i said 'i cook simple Indian food' didn't i?

Bulgur Wheat Madness

2010-10-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

I bought a packet of Red Mill's Bulgur Wheat recently - its the best bulgur wheat i've had so it got me on a roll...sharing 2 old-time recipes with a twist:

Fada ni Khichadi with Sweet Potatoes:

Heat olive oil & saute chopped onions & sliced green chillies. when onions are lightly browned, add chopped Sweet Potatoes - i usually scrub & keep the skin on, chop them into medium squares. Saute for 1-2 min & add the bulgar & salt to taste. Add water & let boil. once the water starts boiling, slow the heat & cover till bulgar is cooked, approx. 15-20 min. add chopped cilantro & serve immediately with fresh yoghurt.
Note - this is not a traditional Fada ni Khichadi but a twist i created & turns out that the crunchy texture of fada with the softness of sweet potatoes, combined with the sweet, savory & spicy tastes of all the ingredients was just heavenly!

Kanki

Typical Gujarati Kanki is made from cream of rice. Though i love the taste, i've stayed away for years due to low nutritional value. I created this twist by replacing cream of rice with Bob's Red Mill Bulgur & it came out delicious & very healthy :)

Heat olive oil & do a tadka of rai (mustard seeds) and hing (asafoetida). When mustard seeds pop, add sliced green chillis & a few curry leaves (optional). Add bulgur wheat, salt to taste & enough water to cover the bulgur. Let water come to a boil & simmer for 5-10 min. Add Trader Joe's plain kefir or sour yoghurts beaten with water. Keep heat low & so yoghurt doesn't curdle. From now as you need more liquid until the bulgur is cooked, add more kefir/yoghurt instead of water. Consistency should be thick liquidy (similar to a thick dal)
Note - you can serve 'as is' or with a simple dal (toor or moong)

Next thing up: Bulgur Wheat Pancakes

Protein & Fiber Rich Upma

2010-08-21T09:45:00.001-07:00

The idea to make this upma was triggered from this recipe from Tarla Dalal. Not know what Varagu was, i actually made the usual upma but substituted Varagu or the usual cream of rice with the following:

3/4 cup buckwheat, washed & soaked for 10-15 min
1/4 cup cream of spelt - i had bought mine at a tiny bakery in a little town on Vancouver Island but you can find it on Amazon, if you're interested
1/4 cup amaranth seeds

came out yumm, thus this post! don't think you need to be restricted to the grains above, feel free to do your own experiments & feel free to share with a comment back on this post :)

Tarla Dalal revival

2010-08-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

though i started my cooking adventures at the ripe young age of 11 with the help of my mom's great cooking skills / education and Tarla Dalal's cookbooks plus one in-person class that she and her daughter taught at their home one summer holiday, i had long moved on from Tarla Dalal. a few years ago, after a food critic friend's friend, who was working on an Indian cook book at the time, had visited India and told me about her horror stories when visiting Tarla Dalal's 'factory' test kitchen' where folks test her recipes in an industrial location in Bombay in not, shall we say, the best of conditions, i had vowed to never use Tarla Dalal's cookbooks again.

in the past few months and i'm almost embarrased to say this, but there has been a resurrection of Tarla Dalal in my kitchen. it was midday here in Seattle when i get the craving, so an unearthly hour to ping my mom, so i search online for a recipe to make gujju handva from scratch (the version where you soak dals vs. use flours) & lo and behold, Tarla Dalal's site pops up with just what i was looking for! i made the recipe & so, have been addicted ever since...so here goes, below are some of the recipes i've tried & tested & liked:

Handvo (i substitute rice with more dals and also add more whole wheat while keeping the proportions the same)
Dhabey ki Dal
Pumpkin & Potatoes Rajasthani Style
Rajasthani Dal - simple & delicious udad & chana dal
Ragi Dosa (i substituted rice flour with ragi powder which accomplishes the same result - gives a crispness to the dosa but is a lot healthier)
Chola Methi Pudla
Mooli Moong Dal (the full recipe is blocked but if you search on Bing you will find the process from someplace else as its a very popular Rajasthani dal)
Jowar Khichu (which i have tried with several whole grain flours, we also add ajwain seeds)
Thalipeeth
Protein Rich Upma

Chola ni Dal na Puda

2010-08-09T19:16:00.000-07:00

i started with this recipe from Tarla Dalal (it used to be a free one when i originally found it but consequently they've secured it) but made several tweaks to it so here we go:

soak 2 cups of chola dal (black eyed peas) overnight. grind in the blender with 2 inch piece of ginger, 7-8 garlic cloves and 5-6 green chillies. add 2-3T wheat bran, 2 T flax seeds ground and 1 cup ragi (nachni) powder - its a fine powder & adds a crispness to puda/dosa. add 2 cups grated radish (can be substituted with fenugreek leaves or grated dudhi), 2T chopped cilantro & 2T chopped spring garlic or garlic chives. add salt to taste & add water if necessary to make a batter of medium consistency.

heat 1.4t oil in a non stick pan & spread the puda batter as thin as possible. flip sides when 1st side is crisp & browned evenly. serve when both sides are done.

Accompaniments - cilantro chutney, yoghurt, pickle

Sauteed Radicchio & Mango, Indian Style

2009-08-26T21:11:00.000-07:00

I concocted this on a whim, just 'coz i had the ingredients lying around :) came out really delicious & is so simple to make so sharing...the slightly bitter radicchio is complemented really well with the sweetness of the mango & the crunchiness of the seeds from the tempering adds great texture:

1 medium radicchio, sliced
1 large ripe mango, cut into large chunks
1 inch piece of ginger, sliced thin
1 green chilli, sliced
1 bunch spring onions (scallions), chopped fine

heat approx 1 Tbsp olive oil in a wok. add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds & a pinch of asafoetida. when the mustard seeds start popping, add the ginger & chilli. when lightly browned, add the radicchio. as soon as it wilts, add the spring onions. mix well & turn the heat off immediately. its important to make sure you don't overcook the radicchio. add the chopped mango & salt to taste. serve immediately.

Quick Grapefruit & Avocado Summer Salad

2009-07-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Make a salad dressing with olive oil & champagne or white balsamic vinegar. Add sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste. Mix. Slice or roughly chop avocado. Peel & chop grapefruit (i prefer pink) into chunks. Add to salad dressing. Add mixed greens or mache. Mix well & serve immediately.

Note: sometimes I slice 1 endive cross-wise & toss into salad.

This salad is very refreshing in the summer & very healthy too. Avocadoes are a good fat and have tons of dietary fiber. This salad is a delicious way to add grapefruit to your diet.

Sugar Snap Peas Gluttony

2009-07-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

Sugar snap peas are in season this time of the year & have been growing abundantly in my urban garden. We've been eating them raw and i've been experimenting a few different ways to cook them with every week's harvest:

Week 1: I found this recipe for Sugar Snap Peas sauteed with Mint from Emeril enticing so just prepared it as is...loved it & strongly recommend it

Week 2: Sugar Snap Peas & Bulgar Salad (servers 3-4)
Saute 1-2 shallots in olive oil until lightly browned. Add 1 lb sugar snap peas, cleaned & sliced cross-wise & saute for 1-2 min. Shut the heat & add salt & freshly ground pepper to taste & any herbs that are handy (i added basil, oregano & thyme). Separately cook 1 cup bulgur (or quinoa). Add the cooked bulgur into the sauteed sugar snap peas & mix well. Serve immediately.

Week 3: Sugar Snap Peas Salad (serves 2)
Clean and slice 3/4 lb Sugar Snap Peas cross-wise. In a salad bowl, add 1T extra virgin olive oil, 1.5T champagne vinegar (i like the Orange Muscat one from Trader Joe's), 1/2t salt & some freshly ground pepper. Blend until salt melts. Add roasted pistachos. Add the sugar snap peas & fresh chopped herbs (i added oregano & thyme). Mix well & enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:
Sugar Snap Peas, Bulgur

Sunchokes

2008-03-02T20:16:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered what to do with them sunchokes? or jerusalem artichokes as they're also called. i won't bore you with the details of what these are and their history or health benefits - you can read all about it & more here.

nevertheless, when i saw them at my local farmer's market today, they intrigued me so i brought a few home without any clue what i was going to do with them. upon a few Live searches, roasting them seemed the most appealing so i came up with this:

6-8 sunchokes, properly washed & thickly sliced (no need to peel)
2 leeks, thickly sliced
2 tsp herbs de provence
1T good olive oil
sea salt to taste
1/4 cup grated parmiggiano reggiano

preheat oven to 425 degrees. in a baking dish, lightly toss the sunchokes, leeks, herbs, salt with the olive oil until well blended. bake for 25 min, until sunchokes & leeks are lightly browned. spread the grated cheese & broil for 5 min. remove from heat & serve immediately.

Taste Notes: the texture is crunchy with a little sweetness from the caramelization of the leeks.

a recipe that i haven't tried but looked interesting is for a Quinoa Sunchoke Pilaf...i guess one to try the next time i succumb to buying sunchokes.

Lentil Soup

2007-09-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

i created this Italian style lentil soup & tried it with both black eyed peas & lentils the last couple weekends:

heat olive oil in a big soup pot. add 1/2 chopped onion & saute till edges are browned. crush 3-4 large cloves of garlic with the back of a broad knife & roughly chop. add to sauteed onion. let brown for 2-3 min. medium chop 1/2 bulb of fennel & add to the spice mixture & saute for another 2-3 min. add 1 cup washed lentils (or any other beans you prefer) & 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth. Allow it to come to boil & let simmer for 30-40 min until beans are almost cooked. add 1 zuchini & 1 bell pepper, chopped into big chunks & cook until softened. add salt to taste & freshly ground black pepper. stir in finely chopped fresh rosemary & thyme, 1 tsp each & immediately turn the heat off.

while serving, pour a tsp of really good quality olive oil or truffle oil along with some freshly ground pepper & serve with some crusty italian bread.

Palak Chana Tofu (Spinach, Garbanzo Beans, Tofu)

2007-03-31T10:12:00.001-07:00

1T olive oil
1 bag frozen spinach, defrosted
1/2 bag frozen green garbanzo beans from Trader Joe's, defrosted
1 15 oz package extra firm tofu, chopped into cubes
1 shallot
1/2 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno sliced
1t ginger crushed
1 in piece of ginger, finely sliced
1t each chopped cilantro & mint leaves
1t cumin seeds
juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste

heat 1t olive oil in a saute pan. add crushed ginger, chopped shallot & jalapeno. saute until shallot is lightly browned & add spinach, cilantro & mint leaves. stir for 2-3 min until well blended. let cool & blend in a food processor.

in the same pan, heat the remaining 2t olive oil. add cumin seeds & finely sliced ginger. saute for 2 min, stirring occassionally until ginger is lightly browned. add sliced onion & continue stirring for 2-3 min. add cubed tofu & stir for 1-2 min until sides are lightly browned. add garbanzo beands & mix well. lastly add the spinach mix & 1-2 tablespoons of water if necessary to reach the consistency of a paste. add salt to taste & mix everything well. serve hot with whole grain tortillas 0r bread, or brown rice.

makes 3 servings of approx. 335 calories & 12g of fat.

Fennel Citrus & Shrimp Salad

2007-03-31T09:28:00.000-07:00

i took this recipe from Food Network by Michael Chiarello & tweaked it to be 20/20 friendly & also to accomodate the ingredients i had at home:

2 small heads fennel, shaved
1/2 large grapefruit
2 oranges, naval or other
6 oz shrimp, peeled & deveined
2t extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1t
1T fennel spice rub (see recipe here)
sea salt (Maldon or Fleur de Sel preferably) & black pepper to taste

Heat 1t olive oil in a skillet. Rub the shrimp with the fennel rub & add to the skillet. cook for approx 4-5 minutes, turning occassionally until all sides are evenly pink.

Cut the skin and white pith off all the citrus fruits and segment the fruits over a bowl to catch the segments and juices. Add the shaved fennel (save the fronds for garnish). Season with the salt and pepper and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of the olive oil (I like to use a high-quality olive oil for this). Toss well, taste for balance and reserve.

This salad will serve as a meal by itself so take a dinner plate & plate the fennel/citrus mix at the bottom. put the pan seared shrimp on top & garnish with chopped fennel fronds.

Makes 1 serving of approx. 430 calories & 13.5g of fat

Delicious Green Peas & Arugula Soup

2007-03-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

really simple but yumm soup i created couple weeks ago:

1 bag frozen green peas, defrosted
1 small shallot, chopped
1/2 bag arugula
1Q vegetable stock
1 cup sugar snap peas slivered
2 cippolini onions, thinly sliced & roasted in oven
1t olive oil
1t truffle oil
sea salt (Maldon or Fleur de Sel) & ground white pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a saucepan & add the chopped shallot. when lightly browned, add the arugula & saute for 1-2 min. it should just lightly shrivel, without overcooking. add the vegetable stock & green peas. let the soup start boiling & turn off heat as soon as it does. blend with hand blender or food processor - i like to keep it slightly chunky for the texture.

Meanwhile, dunk the slivered sugar snap peas in hot, boiling water for 1 min & drain immediately - they should remain crisp.

Bring the blended soup back to saucepan & turn on the heat to low. let it simmer for 1-2 min while you add salt & pepper. add a little water if needed to reach desired consistency.

serve the soup in individual soup bowls. garnish with slivered sugar snap peas & roasted cippolini onions. drizzle a tad of the truffle oil into each bowl & sprinkle a little sea salt for finishing touches.

Makes approx. 6 servings of approx. 105 calories and 2g of fat each

Whole Wheat Pizza with Sausage & Arugula

2007-03-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

Here's my attempt to make my favorite pizza (sausage) healthy but tasty. all ingredients came from Trader Joes.

1lb Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough
4 links Isernio's chicken sausage
1t fennel seeds
1/4t crushed red pepper
1/4 red onion sliced thin
1-2 cups arugula
8 pcs roasted tomatoes, drained & diced into small pcs
2.5 oz Low Fat Irish Celtic Cheddar Cheese
olive oil spray & wheat bran to coat pizza stone

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Knead whole wheat dough (once its at room temperature). spray pizza stone with olive oil & wheat bran to avoid sticking. roll out dough on pizza stone to thickness desired - i'm a thin crust fan. grate the cheese & spread evenly. dice the sausage into small pieces. heat a small pan & spray with olive oil. add the fennel seeds & crushed red pepper. once they start sizzling, add the diced sausage. cook till its browned on all sides. sprinkle over pizza along with the roasted tomatoes. add the sliced onion on top.

put the stone in the oven & bake for 30-35 min, until crust and cheese are nicely browned. sprinkle arugula evenly across the pizza & serve immediately. you can sprinkle crushed red pepper & 1/2t good olive oil (it would increase cal/fat from what is indicated below).

makes 4 servings. Nutrition informaton per serving (1/4 pizza) is approx. 400 calories and 8.25g fat each.

Sprouts & Cabbage salad

2007-03-03T18:05:00.000-08:00

This one is my own creation, based on a common Gujarati cooking method, very similar to an Asian stir fry, to make a quick & healthy salad that is crunchy (so leaves the nutrients in) but really tasty.

2 cups cabbage, shredded (you could replace with almost any greens)
2 cup sprouts (i used choli bean which is a reddish, smaller variety of black eyed beans, but you can substitute with moong, garbanzo or lentil sprouts)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 jalapeno, chopped
4-5 curry leaves
a pinch asafoetida
salt to taste
juice squeezed from 1 lemon/lime
cilantro to garnish

heat oil on medium heat in a skillet. add mustard seeds. when they start popping, add the curry leaves & asafoetida. add the jalapeno next. add the sprouts & cook for 2 min. add the shredded cabbage & cook for another 2-3 min. it shouldn't overcook as you want both sprouts & cabbage to stay crunchy. add salt to taste, squeeze the lemon/lime juice & garnish with cilantro. mix & serve immediately.

the marvel of this dish is that even if you double or triple the sprouts/greens, you still need just as much oil for the tempering. i make 3-4 servings at a time & take it for lunch alongwith a protein, instead of a salad.

Makes approx. 4 cups of salad, with approx. 75 calories & 2g of fat per cup.

Hot & Sour Soup with Baby Bok Choy & Lentil Sprouts

2007-03-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

3 tablespoons olive oil,
3 turns of the pan 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inches ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated
1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 1 hr
6 cups of baby bok choy, trimmed and cut into sticks lengthwise
Salt and pepper
1 quart chicken broth, fat free, low sodium
3/4 pound extra firm tofu (you may use shrimp or crabmeat instead)
2 cups lentils sprouted
4 scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks
cilantro & lemon juice to garnish

heat oil in a saucepan. add ginger, garlic, scallions & red pepper flakes. saute for 2 min & add the bok choy. saute for 1 more min & add the chicken broth & mushrooms. when the broth starts boiling, add the lentils & tofu. let boil on med heat until lentils are cooked but still crunchy (not more than couple min). turn of the heat & add lemon juice (based on tartness you prefer) & cilantro. serve immediately.

Makes 3 servings of 260 calories & 6.5g fat approx.

Cuban Picadillo with a Healthy Twist

2007-03-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

i was listening to one of those NPR foodie shows where they talked to some Cubans from Miami who shared the recipe for Picadillo & the significance of Picadillo in Cuban family life & culture. that peeked my interest so i dug up a recipe in Mmmmiami by Carol Kotkin & Kathy Martin but then decided to give it a more healthy twist to accomodate my 20/20 diet program. so here it goes:

1.25 lb lean ground turkey
1Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled & chopped
1 large bell pepper, cored, seeded & chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp drained capers
1/2 cup green olives with pimentos
1/2 cup apple, diced
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
salt & freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over med heat. Saute the onion, bell pepper, garlic & jalapeno until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ground turkey & raise the heat to medium high. Brown the meat, breaking up well with a wooden spoon or spatula, until cooked through, about 10 min. Stir in the cumin & tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil (add 1/2 to 1 cup water if necessary), turn the heat to low & simmer covered for 15 min. Stir in the capers, olives, diced apple & vinegar & simmer, covered for 5 min until the apple is softened & cooked. Season to taste with salt & pepper, and serve.

it was pretty quick to put together, nice & healthy & most importantly, really delicious - i can't wait to make it again soon.

Makes 4 servings. Approx. 230 calories & 7g of fat, per serving

Curry Chana Tofu

2007-02-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
12 oz extra firm organic tofu
1.5 cups green chana/garbanzo beans (available in the frozen section of Trader Joe's or substitute with canned garbanzo beans)
1 tsp mild curry powder
salt to taste

Heat olive oil in a non-stick saute pan. add the shalott & saute until lightly browned. add ginger & garlic paste & saute another 1-2 minutes. add the tofu, green chana, curry powder & salt. stir a few times & cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until well blended & heated through.

Makes 3 servings. Approx. 210 calories & 8.5g fat per serving.

Berbere Seared Tuna & Roasted Cauliflower

2007-02-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

Last night, i decided to get creative & make something simple while still interesting. i found some really fresh Albacore Tuna at Whole Foods so i decided to pair that with roasted cauliflower...here it comes:

Berbere Seared Tuna
6 0z Albocore or similar very fresh Tuna steak
1t Berbere sauce (a spicy Ethiopian spice blend that you can either buy or make your own)
salt to taste
1/2 lime
Olive Oil Spray

Sprinkle the berbere spice & salt evenly on both sides of the tuna steak. Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat & spray olive oil (Trader Joes or Whole Foods sell a great extra-virgin olive oil spray). When heated, put the tuna steak on the pan & sear for 1-2 min until you see the bottom cooked upto 1/4 inch. Flip the steak & cook another 1-2 min until similarly done.

Remove from heat, squeeze fresh lime juice & serve immediately. Tuna will be lightly seared but rare (if you prefer medium rare or medium well, cook both sides longer until you see just some pink in the middle).

Roasted Cauliflower
1.5 cups cauliflower florets & peppers (i use a mix of sweet & spicy), chopped in chunks
1t curry powder or spice blend of choice
salt to taste
squeeze of fresh lime

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (broil setting). Spray a baking dish with olive oil & put the cauliflower/peppers in one single layer. sprinkle the curry powder & spray some more olive oil. Let broil for about 20 min until tops are lightly charred. remove from oven, sprinkle salt, squeeze fresh lime or lemon juice & serve immediately.

Makes 1 serving with of approx. 360 calories & 12g of fat.

Egg White Bhurji (Indian style spicy scramble)

2007-02-10T13:42:00.000-08:00

10 oz egg white (equivalent to 10 whole eggs)
1t olive oil
1T ginger, crushed
1T garlic, crushed
1-2 shallots, chopped coarsely
1/4 bunch scallions, chopped finely
1 med tomato, chopped
2 mini sweet bell peppers, chopped
a pinch garam masala
a pinch turmeric
red chilli powder to taste
salt to taste
cilantro to garnish

Heat olive oil over medium heat & add shallots. once lightly browned, add ginger/garlic. stir 1-2 min & add tomatoes. once tomatoes are cooked & most of the juices burned off, add scallions & bell peppers. stir 1 min & add garam masala, red chilli pepper & turmeric. Last, add the egg white liquid & mix well. keep stirring frequently until done. garnish with cilantro & serve hot.

Makes 2 servings with approx. Calories: 222.5 & Fat: 2.5

Tofu Mango Stir Fry

2007-02-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

Yes, i've been missing in action for a while now but really glad to be back but with a slight difference. I've embarked on this wellness program where i've going through an intensive 15-weeks of nutrition & personal training so food has a little different perspective now - i've redefined myself as a health foodie for the moment ;)

So hopefully the health foodie in you will relate & find some of these upcoming recipes still delicious & yummy!

so without further ado, here's this new recipe i concocted last night purely based on imagination & what was in my refrigerator:

15oz Firm Tofu
6oz Mango (i used the already cut Mango you can conveniently buy at Trader Joe's)
1 cup mixed sweet peppers, chopped into chunks (i used mini-bell peppers from Trader Joe's but feel free to use regula bell or any peppers currently in season)
1T crushed ginger
1T crushed garlic
1/2 bunch scallions finely chopped
2 sweet South African Peppadew peppers, roughly chopped (you can get these marinated in vinegar at Whole Foods at the olive bar & they're sweet & delicious if you haven't tried them before)
1T low sodium Soy sauce
1t olive oil
1t sesame oil
no salt required

Heat olive oil in wok (small wok works for this quantity) on medium low. add ginger & garlic. stir for 1-2 min & add the scallions. stir for 1 min. add the chopped bell peppers & mango. stir another 1-2 min until they have softened a little. add the tofu, soy sauce & peppadew peppers & stir another 1-2 min until well blended. stir in the sesame oil to finish off & turn the heat off.

Tip: if you like extra spicy like i do, add chilli paste or crushed chillies at the end.

Makes 2 servings with approx. 330 calories & 18g of fat per serving. Add a cup of raw veggie salad with salt, pepper & a squeeze of lime juice & you'll have a hearty, filling but really healthy meal.

Enjoy!

For the Chocoholic in you

2006-07-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

this is geared only for the chocolate puritans, ones that will pay any price for top quality:

Scharffenberger, from California - they specialize in blending cocoa beans
Omanhene, from Ghana - they specialize in single origin cocoa beans only from Ghana
Vere Chocolates, from New York City - an attempt to create healthy, eco-friendly, real dark chocolate
Pralus, from a true French chocolote afficionado
Worldwide Chocolate, buy chocolotes from around the world

Enjoy!

Spicy Tuvar Dal with Pumpkin

2006-07-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

A quick & simple dal i made last night - it takes no time & came out very tasty.

Heat olive oil & add fenugreek seeds & whole red chillies. When browned, add chopped onions.
Saute onions until sides are browned. Add a lot of garlic & ginger paste & saute for another 1-2 min. Add chopped pumpkin, salt & turmeric. Mix well & add washed tuvar dal. Pressure cook or cook on gas until done.

Adjust salt & add lime juice.

Sweet Indulgences - Rhubarb & Peach Walnut Crumble

2006-07-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

usually a penchant for spices comes along with a sweet tooth - after all you need the yin & the yang. Well, this July 4th, we decided to have a party & invite a few friends to share and enjoy the great view of the Lake Union fireworks with us. The theme of the party is Just Desserts (and drinks ofcourse).

so what's for dessert? A couple experiments combining ideas from a few recipes on www.foodtv.com using fresh local fruit - a rhubarb & peach crumble (this was one of my all-time favorite desserts that my mom used to make growing up, i've tweaked this using local fruit) & a fruit salad (yes, a sweet & tangy fruit salad for dessert). To complement this is Gelato from Procopio, a cheesecake & a chocolate ganache, both from Trader Joe's along with chocolate truffles & ginger biscuits. All this with some dessert wines - an Orange Muscat & an Ice Wine, both from Washington & ofcourse, a port & a sherry as well.

so here comes the Rhubarb & Peach Walnut Crumble first:
4 cups diced rhubarb
3 fresh peaches or nectarines (i used white nectarines), diced, i like to leave the skin on
1/3 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon or allspice
1/4 cup framboise (its a raspberry & grape dessert wine, feel free to substitute with an orange liquer)
8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (1/2 cup/1 stick)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
Pinch salt

in a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, peaches or nectarines, dates, orange zest, allspice and framboise, and toss to thoroughly combine. Grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole or baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and transfer the fruit mixture to the prepared casserole. Scatter the rolled oats right on top of this.

preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

in a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 9 tablespoons of butter, flour, sugar, chopped walnuts and salt and cut together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit and bake until the topping is golden brown and crispy and fruit is bubbly in places, about 45 minutes.

cool briefly and serve warm, with a dollop of whipped cream, ice cream, or creme fraiche, if desired. We'll be serving with Vanilla Gelato from Procopio.

Summer Fruit Salad with Ginger Mint Lime Dressing

2006-07-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Chop a mix of fruit to bite-sized pieces. You can use any fruit that is in season & locally available for this recipe. Here's what i'm using today:

Nectarines
Honeydew melon
Pineapple
Grapes
Papaya
Mangoes
Kiwi
Berries of all sorts - blackberries, blueberries, raspberries & strawberries

Grate some ginger really fine. Squeeze lemon juice into this ginger & leave aside for a couple hours. Squeeze the ginger lime juice through a strainer. Add finely chopped (chiffonade style)mint & basil to the chopped fruit. add the ginger lime dressing. add a slosh of framboise or orange liquer to spike things up a bit. Allow to chill for 1-2 hrs before serving. Garnish with mint leaves/sprigs.

Roasted Poblano Green Mango Chutney

2006-06-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

Roast Poblano (broil in oven at 375 degrees) until skin is blackened on all sides. Let cool & peel of seeds. Put the pulp (no seeds) in a blender. Chop green mango, cilantro, onion (i used green) & garlic (i used green again, since its spring) & salt to taste. Blend until you have a fine paste. You can add a halapeno or a serrano if you want to spike it up further.

this chutney tastes good with grilled potatoes or sweet potatoes (drizzle with olive oil & sprinkle sea salt & some crushed pepper flakes) as a sauce on the side.

Jicama Red Pepper Lemon salad

2006-05-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

This makes a really refreshing summer salad & is quick to put together:

julienned jicama
julienned red, yellow or orange bell pepper
diced small radish (mixed colors or just red or white)
lemon - peeled, deseeded & chopped small dice
cilantro
roasted ground cumin
sliced green chilli
salt & lemon juice

Toss all of the above, taste & serve. It stays fresh for upto a day or two but the chopped lemon could go bitter

Discover Quinoa

2006-03-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

i decided to venture with a new grain Quinoa that was previously not in my repertoire of ingredients. i searched the web to find an interesting recipe but nothing really caught my fancy so i decided to concoct one:

Quinoa with Sauteed Peppers & Mango Chutney
Cook 1 cup quinoa in 2 cups water until each grain is separate. saute onions in olive oil in a saute pan. when translucent, add finely chopped garlic. add thinly sliced peppers - 1 each of red, yellow & orange. saute for 1-2 min. add 2-3 tbspns of mango chutney, salt, 1/8 cup of water & 1 tsp minced fresh mint leaves. blend this well for 1-2 min. add the cooked quinoa, turn the heat off & mix well. garnish with minced mint & chopped cilantro.

Few other ways to cook quinoa:

Quinoa, the Indian way
Saute onions until translucent. add finely chopped ginger & garlic & cook another 1-2 min. add chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric & chilli powder. cook until tomatoes soften. add rinsed quinoa & water. let this boil until water is almost gone. lower the heat & cover until quinoa is cooked.

Quinoa with squash & granny smith apples
saute diced squash & granny smith apple in olive oil. add walnuts & salt to taste. add cooked quinoa & mix well. sprinkle some crushed red pepper for a spicy twist.

Quinoa with sauteed spinach & pine nuts
saute garlic in olive oil until it caramelizes. add pine nuts & cook for 1 min. turn heat to high & add spinach. cook until spinach wilts. add cooked quinoa, salt to taste & mix well.

Quinoa with kumquats & harissa
saute shallots in olive oil & add diced kumquats once shallots are lightly browned. cook till kumquat is softened. add meyer lemon juice (key lime or orange juice will work too) & harissa. add cooked quinoa, salt to taste & mix well. this dish will have a nice tangy & spicy taste - you can add some honey to balance & add sweetness but that'll take away from this being a 'healthy' meal :)

Quinoa with sauteed leeks & kale
since it was a rather successful experiment, sharing out with friends & family. kale is very nutrient-rich & high fiber...this recipe is quick, very simple to prepare & a great way to break yourself into eating kale for those of you that are afraid of kale & its bitterness :)
saute 1 sliced leek in olive oil for 1-2 min. add 1/2-1 chopped jalapeno if you prefer spicy. add 1 bunch roughly chopped kale (or replace with any other hardy green such as chard) & saute for another 2 min, just until kale softens. turn off heat & add salt & pepper to taste. mix well. cook 1 cup quinoa separately & add to the sauteed greens. stir well & add finely chopped scallions & chives as garnish.

Don't know where to buy Quinoa? You can find Quinoa at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods markets or try your local natural food store.

Blood Orange Relish

2006-03-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

i found this on foodtv.com & it was a big hit so wanted to share this:

Blood Orange Relish:
2 blood or navel oranges
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and cored
1/2 Granny Smith apple, diced small, about 1/2 cup
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves (i substituted with cilantro leaves)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly toasted, optional
1 to 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cut both ends from the oranges. Stand them on a flat end and cut away all of the peel and white pith. Quarter them top to bottom. Lay the wedges on their sides and slice them thinly crosswise. Slice the fennel crosswise into very thin slices.
Gently toss the oranges, fennel, apple, parsley, fennel seeds and vinegar together in a small bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. (This can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve.)

next time i want to try this combination but add some baby spinach leaves & use a curry vinaigrette to dress it up...

CIA inspired menu

2006-03-11T18:11:00.000-08:00

tonight is the first time i'm entertaining since i took my CIA bootcamp almost 2 months ago. i wanted to share the menu with you, not the recipes yet as my guests will be arriving soon.

Appetizers:
Goan Avocado Dip with papaddum & banana chips
Romesco sauce with french baguette slices

Entrees:
Prawn Patio (Parsi style) with brown rice
Coriander/Cumin Lamb Chops with fresh mango chutney
Blood orange/fennel relish
brussels sprouts sauteed with mustard seeds & ginger

Dessert (not prepared by me):
Gulab Jamun with vanilla gelato
Chocolate gelato for the chocoholics

French Beans & Squash, South Indian style

2006-03-11T18:04:00.000-08:00

Get frozen french beans (i prefer the french cut as they're most tender). Cut butternut squash into 1/2" dice. do a tadka of olive oil, mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves, urad dal & chana dal. when mustard seeds start popping, add squash. let cook 2 min & add the french beans. add salt to taste, ginger paste & chopped green chillies. cook another 2-3 min on medium high heat. add chopped fresh cilantro just before serving.

Brown Rice Risotto with Asparagus

2006-03-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

i decided to re-engineer Risotto with brown rice to create a healthy but still flavorful version. here's what i did:

Ingredients:

chopped onion
garlic minced
1.5 cups Brown Rice (you can used mixed varieties or just one)
3/4 cup White Wine
Vegetable Stock
Asparagus
Shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
garlic chives (feel free to substitute with any aromatic herb you prefer - fresh basil would taste great in my opinion)
white truffle oil
sea salt to taste

Note: all measurements are highly approximate and intended to provide guidance to a mature, seasoned cook. so typically, just use common sense while measuring and also adjust according to taste.

heat olive oil & add chopped onions. heat the stock & keep on low heat. saute until onions are translucent but don't let them brown. add garlic & saute for another 1-2 min. add the rice & mix well. add white wine & cook until rice is almost dry. add 1/2 cup stock at a time & keep on simmer. cook until rice is 3/4 done. this will take approx 45 min, a little longer than with white rice. you can prep until this stage & finish up the rest just prior to serving. add 1/2 cup veg stock, asparagus, salt to taste and freshly ground black pepper. when rice and asparagus are done (3-4 min approx) add garlic chives and cheese. when serving, drizzle with truffle oil, sprinke chives & some fresh coarse ground pepper. serve immediately.

Tip: you can either cook the asparagus in the risotto as per instructions above or alternatively microwave or steam until done (i like to leave a little crunchy). in that case, just fold the asparagus in right at the end along with the cheese.

the end result was just plain ambrosia and i personally liked it more than the usual arborio rice version. the brown rice added a nutty, chewy texture which i find missing in the arborio rice. the only mistake i made was using frozen Asparagus tips from Trader Joe's coz they were handy but next time i would certainly use fresh asparagus. no doubt, it was the truffle oil that put the taste over the top so i strongly recommend NOT missing this step. you can buy truffle oil online or at a Trader Joe's near you. If you're lucky, you may find a local gourmet food store that sells imported high-quality truffle oil (like i am, in fact Seattle has a little store in Pike Place Market that sells all things made with truffles only;)

Nilima's Grilled Tandoori Paneer Sandwich

2006-01-30T20:40:00.000-08:00

From my first cousin Nilima:

"Wanted to share this Grilled Tandoori Paneer Sandwich recipe that I tried out recently and we absolutely loved. I happened to have some leftover home made paneer and didn’t know what to do with it so I came up with this and to my joy it was a success. I tried it with both store bought and homemade paneer. (The effort is almost same for both since store bought one will need to be grated).

Saute some chopped onions and green bell pepper in very little oil. Then add some Shan Tandoor Chicken spice mix (qty. based on desired spiciness, it’s pretty spicy), amchoor and jeera powder. Then add the crumbled paneer and chopped cilantro and mix thoroughly. (I guess you could add some chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies etc as well). When cooled, shape to burger style patties and just shallow fry both sides in ¼ tsp. oil. Then to make the sandwiches, spread some sun-dried tomato spread on both sides of the bread. Place the paneer patty, grilled or sliced onions, roasted red bell pepper (optional), sliced tomatoes, and lots of baby spinach. Then apply light butter to the outer sides of the bread and place it under the oven broiler for 2 minutes each side or until nice and toasty. This goes really well with any soup to make a healthy and delicious meal.

Beware from my experience - both my children are now pestering me to add this to their school lunch menu…"

Jahangiri Kabab

2006-01-29T09:54:00.000-08:00

From my friend Jahangir Nakra who made the most yummy kababs i've had in a long time on a recent visit to their place in Trenton, NJ...here is the the recipe for the Jahangiri Kabab:

Minced Turkey (2 lbs) (can do with lamb or goat too - I prefer turkey)
Garlic (Lots!)
Salt
6-8 Green chillies
1-2 tablespoons flour
Mix it all up. Make oblong kababs and toss them on the grill. Cook for 8-10
minutes till the kababs are brown and are cooked on the inside (they will
turn gray from the pink color that the raw mince normally has). Enjoy!

You could also add some ginger (I am not too gungho about ginger so I
do not add it).

I have tried using egg as a binding agent instead of the flour. Came out OK.
Prefer the flour - plus it it makes for a lower cholesterol kabab!

serve with cilantro/mint chutney and with harissa (moroccan spice paste).

Indian bites at Trader Joe's

2006-01-23T07:16:00.000-08:00

if you have a local Trader Joe's near where you live, here's a few of my favorite things reminiscent of Indian flavors i buy there:

Cilantro Pecan Cojita Cheese dip - tastes just like Indian chutney
Pappadum - Indian bean crackers with tandoori & dill flavors
Indian Relish - Gujarati style tomato/tamarind chutney
Yoghurt Cheese slices - low fat, healthy cheese with jalapenos
Stilton cheese with mango & ginger - very British at the same time very Indian

Few other favorite things i like to buy while i'm there:
- Italian Chocolate Gelato - oh so delicious, oh so rich
- Great wine buys - i specially go for the small European boutique wines they help bring (at the same low cost as in Europe) to the US market
- Dark Chocolates - try their new Single Origin Chocs if you're a fan of dark
- Chocolate Truffles - so gooey & so rich

Week at the Culinary Institute of America

2006-01-15T17:41:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note coz i'm real excited tonight. i'm off to the CIA starting bright & early tomorrow am doing a 1-week bootcamp. i'm hoping to write 2-3 times during this week so i can share my experiences during this week with you all...

Reflections on the past year

2006-01-02T16:16:00.000-08:00

naturally, this is a time that gets you to take stock of the past year & also gets you thinking about the upcoming year. i've been doing exactly that this morning, just from a foodie standpoint - i have been musing about life overall all through the holidays.

few highlights of the past year i'd like to share:

i started this food blog
i attended couple inspiring chef talks - on Microsoft campus & at Town Hall
i continued to update this food blog
i started another blog to start sharing my mom's recipes
got accepted by Gypsy Foods...this really underhand movement of foodies that's its real tough to get into...i just got accepted before the holidays so not yet sure what this is going to entail but will keep you posted once i discover

few things that i'm hoping to accomplish in this year:

take a CIA bootcamp - this one is happening for certain as i'm booked for Jan 16-20...yeah, its coming up in a few days and yeah, i'm going to be spending a WHOLE week at the god of chef schools...just can't wait :)
finish up the blog with my mom's recipes
take a Culinary Communion class & learn a new cuisine (Moroccan, perhaps)
more food blogging
get involved with the local food community - still toying with ideas here but am about to become a member of Slow Food Seattle. i'd like for a way to be able to educate the community of eating healthy & fresh and using Indian food as a means of doing so

Fresh Papaya Mango salsa

2006-01-02T10:11:00.000-08:00

this one is my own creation, inspired by a few fresh salsa recipes. haven't made it in a while but just remembered that i've forgotten to share.

chop fresh ripe papaya & mango into small cubes. throw into a bowl that you'll be mixing the salsa in. add lots of finely chopped spring onions & cilantro. add a green chilli, finely chopped again, but to taste. add some garlic - here in Seattle i can buy fresh garlic in spring or early summer or garlic chives at Uwajimaya round the year so i prefer to add that. add a little chopped ginger. finish off with salt & a squeeze of fresh lime.

i like to let this sit for couple hours before serving so that all the flavors fuse well together. trust me, after that, it tastes like pure heaven.

Note: if i don't get fresh ripe mango, i make this only with papaya. some times, depending on the season, i'll even add fresh nectarines chopped into this & also squeeze some fresh orange juice. so feel free to tweak to match your palette, the season & what's locally available fresh.

i've seen recipes for melon salsa couple times in some gourmet zines but haven't gotten around to trying - will have to check that out & let all know about it. if you have a favorite fresh salsa recipe that's different from this, please feel free to share!

Mangalorean Sprouted Moong

2005-12-22T17:53:00.000-08:00

Recently i dug out an old cook book "Rotis & Naans of India" by Purobi Babbar. Not sure if you've seen this but its a gem of a book! i wanted to do something different with my sprouted moong this time so i decided to experiment & try something from the konkan coast of india

Ingredients:
200 gms sprouted moong beans
2 green chillies
2 1/2 cups water
pinch of hing
3 tbsp oil
10 curry leaves
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin seeds

Ground to a paste
1/2 fresh coconut (or use approx 1/4 packet frozen shredded coconut)
1 tsp roasted coriander seeds
4 dried red chillies, roasted
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
5 tbsp tamarind pulp

Wash sprouted moong. pour enough water to cover the sprouts and add chillies. cook gently over low heat until tender but crisp. add the ground paste & salt. mix well & simmer over low heat until done (ensure moong stays crisp & crunchy & doesn't get overcooked & mushy).

heat oil. add cumin seeds & add hing & curry leaves. pour over the boilded sprouts & mix well. serve hot.

Note: this dish tastes great even a day or two after its made.

Tip: to learn how to make your own sprouts, here are a few useful sites: http://www.yourpage.org/sproutfarm.html
http://www.sprouting.com/homesprouting.htm
http://www.homeopathyone.com/how_to_sprout.htm

to buy sprouting equipment, check these out:
http://www.chetday.com/sprouts.html
http://www.erleentilton.com/HealthStoreProd.shtml
http://www.sproutpeople.com/devices/jar/jar.html
http://www.handypantry.com/pk4/store.pl?section=7

Brussel Sprouts, the Indian way

2005-12-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

Here are a few ways to make this healthy but abominable vegetable actually taste delectable:

Recipe 1 (Maharashtrian style):

Clean the Brussel Sprouts (always pick young, tender ones) by removing the thick stem at the bottom & outer layer of dry, brown leaves. halve the brussel sprout to make 2 pieces & rinse with water. do a tadka of mustard seeds and hing. add the brussel sprouts, turmeric & salt to taste. i like to cook on high heat to brown the sides while still keeping the sprouts crunchy from the inside without letting them get overcooked. add some goda masala or kala masala just before done & sprinkle some shredded fresh coconut.

Note: Kala masala tends to be spicy so i don't add chilli powder in this recipe. To buy maharashtrian kala masala in the US, visit: World Spice Merchants.

Recipe 2 (Gujarati style):

i gave a twist to Mahanandi's Brussel Sprouts curry. i followed all the steps in hers except with couple changes: i added ground fresh ginger along with the onions & replaced the green chillies & coconut with dhanajira powder & chilli powder. also, i pre-boiled the kala chana in a pressure pan so it would be quicker. it was simpler to make & healthier, minus the coconut.

Recipe 3 (stuffed Gujarati style):
here i follow my mom's recipe for stuffing any vegetable - okra, baby eggplant, onions - just replaced with brussel sprouts and they taste delicious too. be warned, its a little more work than the above 2 recipes but a great variation to it.

Recipe 4 (South Indian style):
i haven't tried this one but just thought of it is i was making it the gujju way...do a tadka of olive oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, urad dal & chana dal. Add diced brussel sprouts, salt, turmeric, chilli powder & a little sambhar powder. cook for 3-4 min until spices blend but don't let brussel sprouts over cook, keep crunchy.

Cyrus Todiwala's Dhaniawala Gosht

2005-12-18T22:40:00.000-08:00

Cyrus Todiwala is a UK-based chef-owner of couple top restaurants & making raves in the active Indian cuisine scene in UK. i recently tried this lamb recipe of his at a friend's behest & really loved it (so much so that i can't wait to make it again)

Ingredients:
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
4-5 dried chillies, torn into pieces
2 x 3/4-in pieces cinnamon sticks
4-5 tbsp oil
1 lb lamb cubes (i bought pre-cut from the butcher's section)
3 onions chopped
1 heaping tbsp finely chopped ginger
2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped (i substituted with 6 tbsp tomato sauce since i didn't have fresh tomatoes handy)
3-4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste

Roast the dried chillies and cinnamon in a flat pan until they're aromatic & lightly colored. Cool & grind to the consistency of crushed peppercorns. put aside. roast the coriander & cumin seeds. cool & crush lightly. put separately from chillies/cinnamon.

Heat oil in a saucepan until almost at smoking point & add the lamb. cook over high heat until browned on all sides, then add the ground red chilles & cinnamon. saute for a min or two. reduce the heat to medium & add the onions & stir constantly. Cook until translucent (not browned). add ginger, garlic & the ground cumin/coriander powder & saute for another couple min. pour in enough water to cover the lamb & season with salt. reduce the heat to simmer, cover & cook for 15-20 min. at this stage if there's too much water, remove the lid & cook until its thickened. stir in the tomatoes (or sauce as i'd used) & cook on medium heat until lamb is tender & the gravy is nice & thick (it took about 45 min for this to happen & i actually reduced heat to slow & covered the pan after about 20 min). mix in cilantro & check the seasoning. serve with rice, or bread.

Note: this tastes as good, if not better the next day :) thanks Cyrus for this delicious lamb that's so quick & easy to make!!

Mom's recipes

2005-12-18T22:29:00.000-08:00

i started this blog with 2 objectives in mind - one was to give myself a forum to express my foodieness and the other being to create an online log of my mother's recipes online, to share with the rest of the world and with future generations.

as this blog gradually began to take shape, its evolved into more of a current food diary where i can banter about food as well as share some of the more modern Indian recipes i've been using or have created myself. so i felt it was more appropriate to create a separate space for my mother's recipes to give it the respect it deserves and also to keep things better organized. to view my mom's recipes, visit: http://spaces.msn.com/members/seattlefoodie/

Exotic Spices from around the World

2005-12-11T17:49:00.000-08:00

where else in the world outside of Maharashtra can you find the special 'kala masala' or 'goda masala' as the locals call it? seattle, the foodie capital of this end of the planet, ofcourse! i found this place, World Spice Merchants, while traversing some local foodie mag or blog. my curiousity was immediately piqued when i read about it as they did claim to have some really exotic spices from around the world. i took myself there this weekend (its very close to Seattle's famous Pike Place Market) on an exploratory trip. as you're walking past the street its on (Alaskan Way), you can smell the whiff of strong spices but as you enter within, it can clear the worst sinuses. lo and behold, i did find some of the most amazing both whole and blended spices from both India, other parts of Asia (for e.g., the Chinese Five Spice Blend) as well as spices from Africa and Middle East (Turkish, Moroccan & Ethiopian spices). i couldn't resist picking up a few samples myself, as well as the book the spice lover's guide to herbs & spices by Tony Hill, the owner of the store. check out their website if you're interested in experimenting with a few yourself.

Inspiring talk by Chef Michel Nischan

2005-12-11T11:49:00.000-08:00

On Nov 2nd, Chef Michel Nischan spoke to Microsofties on campus as part of the Visiting Chef series organized by a couple of foodie employees. This was one of the most inspiring chef talks i've heard. Michel Nischan is a James Beard award winning chef from New York and used to do what many chefs of his calibre do - creatively apply French techniques and method to locally available meats and produce. in the process, ofcourse, a lot of cream, butter, duck fat & goose fat can get used. if you live for good food, you relish it so much, you keep wanting to go back. then one of his children got diagnosed on juvenile diabetes. that's when he started a journey to reinvent food and use his genius to create healthy but flavorful food that is culturally relevant and social responsible (his words, not mine :) he's had several restaurants of his own in the past - that served both healthy food and not so healthy food but these days he mainly evangelizes eating healthy, eating local and fresh and works towards creating local movement to get organic produce and meats easily accessible to the common man.

his talk really got me thinking...Indian food really lends itself to healthy eating habits using local fresh produce. while still keeping it immensely flavorful. just put a nice Indian garam masala with ginger and garlic as a rub on your favorite meat, poultry & seafood & see how its transformed while being the healthiest meal possible. that's how most of us grew up in India (ofcourse there is an unhealthy side to Indian food too but you can ignore those since there are ample healthy options) and many of us continue to still make the right food choices no matter where we live. what if we could educate western society about this? hmmm...that could be a concept worth exploring...

to learn more about Chef Michel Nischan, visit his website.

Shrimp Rasawala

2005-12-11T11:44:00.000-08:00

this one was just an experiment since i wanted something really quick but really tasty...

get frozen rock shrimp (sometimes called shrimp meat for salads) & thaw according to instructions. in a flat pan, heat olive oil, add mustard seeds, garlic, curry leaves & whole red chilli. when mustard seeds start popping, add the shrimp. add salt, turmeric & red chilli powder to taste. stir fry until shrimp is heated through and all the spices have blended. don't overcook or shrimp will get chewy. serve immediately.

it took less than 10 min to cook & i couldn't believe how good it tasted.

Palak Fish (or Paneer or Chicken or Eggs or Squid)

2005-12-04T19:57:00.000-08:00

this one came from Madhur Jaffrey's cook book too but only after eating it did i realize how versatile it is & also how close it is to the Palak Paneer you get at a good Punjabi dhaba

heat olive oil & add 1 chopped onion, 1 tbsp crushed ginger & 1 tbsp crushed garlic. cook until onion is lightly browned. add turmeric, cumin & coriander powder, freshly grounded black pepper and stir for a few seconds. add 2-3 chopped green chillies (i substituted with red chilli powder in the absence of green chillies), 2-3 chopped tomatoes and 250g of chopped or baby spinach. cook until tomatoes are melded and spinach is wilted (20 min). add water to ensure it doesn't burn/stick. let cool slightly & blend roughly with hand blender. just before serving, heat the spinach mixture. Add fish (or paneer or chicken or boiled eggs or squid) and cook till done (3-5 min for all else, 15-20 for chicken). serve immediately.

Bengali cuisine

2005-12-03T18:17:00.000-08:00

i'm a huge fan of Bengali cuisine, one of the lesser known and undiscovered gems of all the various Indian cuisines. It reminds me a lot of French cuisines due to its perfection and method.

Here's an email my Bengali friend Amrita sent me sometime ago. Her mother has fed me several great meals at their home in Baroda (Gujarat, India), our hometown. i was fortunate enough, thanks to her great cooking, to be able experience what has become one of my favorite Indian cuisines! Read Amrita's perspective on Bengali cuisine & also some of the family recipes she shares:

...comparing bengali food to french cuisine is a tongue tickling way of looking at things. but you could have a point. other than the fact that bongs like the french are quite pompous, the food is subtle in taste and appearance. no loud red gravy screaming for attention. i would also go as far and say that you would have to develop a taste for bengali cuisine as it does not pander to the regular taste buds.

a typical bengali meal starts with something bitter and ends with dessert thus going through the complete range of the taste palette. As most meals are predominantly rice oriented i am giving you a typical menu which includes a starter (which is bitter), dal, fries, a veggie, fish, chutney and sweets. As far as the sweets go it can be sandesh, rosogolla, chamcham, rajbhog, kheer kadam, mishti doi or the rice kheer which is made on special occasions like birthdays, annivs, weddings, baby showers etc. the other stuff is all got from outside since it is so good fresh and tasty. not to forget cheap.

mustard oil holds a special position in bengali cooking. its pungent flavour adds a piquant taste that is usually not palatable to the less adventurous. its most commonly used in cooking fish and in tempering certain dishes. the other speciality is the paanch phoren - a mix of 5 condiments that include jeera, kaala jeera, methi, saunf, mustard. but a lot of times all of them are not used together depending on the recipe and part of bengal you are from.

the meal starts with neem begun
ingredients fresh and young neem leaves and brinjal cut in cubes. heat oil fry the leaves to get rid of excess bitterness then add the brinjal. add salt and haldi and cook till soft. the neem can be substituted with karela.

you can also have only karela fries. cut karela in roundlets and deep fry in oil. add salt. at the time of eating ghee is added to the rice and mixed with the above dish. for more elaborate start there is shukto which is very much like avial but without the coconut.

dal is a must 'coz you mix the major portion of your rice with dal and eat with some veggies or fries.

this is the recipe for masoor dal. boil dal with salt and haldi powder. heat mustard oil and temper with red chillies, methi, saunf and kaala jeera. add onions and fry till soft. add dal. bring to a boil.the onions can also be optional.

aloo posto (diced potatoes with poppy seed paste) is a perennial bengali favourite. here again onions are optional. fry diced potatoes on slow fire till soft. add salt, haldi powder, chilli powder. add paste of poppy seeds. cook till done. this can be made dry or with gravy. cooked in mustard oil makes it extra tasty.

Tadka Dal

2005-12-03T18:08:00.000-08:00

Just tried this today from Madhur Jaffrey's 'Simple Indian Cooking'. I tweaked it slightly to my taste. its very simple to make (took all of 5 min) & it came out tasting heavenly:

Boil moong and masoor dal (you can do just moong dal also). Add turmeric & salt. Add water to get consistency to your personal taste - this dal will taste good thicker or thinner. Do tadka of olive oil, whole red chillies, jeera seeds, methi seeds and whole garlic (crushed lightly into big chunks with mortar & pestle). once the outside of the garlic is caramelized, add to the dal. Add lemon juice & cilantro (coriander) leaves, mix lightly & serve immediately.

Seattle Foodie Links

2005-09-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

Looking to find exotic foods in Seattle? Here's some of the top locations. if you know of or find a new one, please send me a note:

Italian artisanal food and wine imports: Ritrovo Regional Italian Foods & Wines
Exotic spices from around the world near Pike Place Market: World Spice Merchants
Great bargains of bulk european foods in SODO: Big John's Pacific Food Importers
Everything truffle-infused and Italian wines from small boutique vineyards in Pike Place Market: La Buona Tavola
Cheese specialty store at the base of Space Needle: The Cheese Cellar
Food, wine, books and bocadillos from Spain near Pike Place Market: The Spanish Table
European foods & wine in Wallingford: Bella Cosa Foods
Swedish & other scandinavian imports at IKEA
A melange of foodie stuff in South Lake Union: Chefshop.com
Largest range of Indian groceries is in the Eastside at Mayuri
Biggest choice of quality Asian groceries is Uwajimaya

Culinary Education & Travel

2005-09-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

Interested in culinary travel or education? Few links i've found interesting:

Mexican Culinary Travel
World Travel with CIA
CIA Bootcamps for Enthusiasts
Learning French Cooking
The Shaw Guide to Cooking Schools

Culinary Education in Seattle
Harvest Vine Restaurant conducts cooking classes
Culinary Communion
Bon Vivant School of Cooking
Sur La Table

If you ever make it to any of these, i'd love to hear about it from you...

My Recipes 101

2005-08-27T18:32:00.000-07:00

I’ve decided to post my recipes online for posterity…at some point, I also want to transfer all the recipes I’ve inherited from my mother online so they’re not lost to eternity… These recipes are just my fav’s – usually stuff that’s very simple & easy to prepare but doesn’t compromise on the taste & flavors. They maybe Indian or not, as the time goes by…just stuff I know is appealing to the refined Indian palette… Feel free to try & also post comments so they can be shared with all (if you try another twist to it or something)…

Usually, you will not find exact proportions to my recipes - they're all made the Indian way...with approximate ingredients based on pallate instinct, sense of taste & also can be tweaked to gear to one's own personal taste or mood! That's why Indian food never tastes the same in different Indian households - it always allows room for every family's whims & fancies or leave room open for experimentation.

If you're a novice to Indian cooking & need help or have questions, please feel free to ping me.

Aanal's Fav Fish (Pan Seared)

2005-08-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

Get any fresh fish fillet, whatever you fancy & whatever your fishmonger says is really fresh - quality is key with fish. As my hubby always says, fresh fish does not smell!

I personally love some of the pacific salmon (sockeye, coho etc.), halibut, or more delicate white fish such as flounder, sole.

Prepare the marinade - olive oil, salt to taste, lots of crushed ginger & garlic, red chilli powder & turmeric.

Variations to the marinade:
I usually like to add some sort of rub - whatever i have & something different everytime -to give it a little twist. You can buy use any store-bought fish or meat rub that you like - i've tried different things such as jamaican or moroccan spices. I recommend not using garam masala as it will give it a very 'typical & boring' Indian taste.
Another thing that i've yet to try is adding a little preserved Meyer's lemon to the marinade - i can feel the taste in my mouth so i'm convinced this is going to be yummy...

Rinse the fish just before prep time. Make a few slits across the body. Apply the marinade on all sides & inside the slits abundantly. Heat a flat pan & smear with olive oil. Once moderately heated, lay the fish on the pan. if you have more than one fillet, make sure that they're individually spread out. Let the fish cook through to the center until a nice crust forms. Turn sides & cook until done - you will have a nice darkish crust towards the center on both sides. Fish cooks quickly - this shouldn't take more than 10 or so minutes to prepare...

Remove from the pan & squeeze the juice from a fresh lime on it. Serve immediately.

Bengali Daal/Shak

2005-08-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

Masoor Daal

Boil masoor dal in the pressure pan. You may add 1/2 a sliced onion if u'd like or not. When dal is boiled, do a tadka (tempering) of olive oil & panch phoran (equal mix of nigella (onion), fennel, mustard, methi & cumin seeds that can be made at home or store bought). When seeds start popping, add 1/2 sliced onion & saute until lightly browned. Add the tempering to the daal, salt to taste & mix well. Reheat daal slightly to blend well - you may need to add a little water to get the right consistency (to personal taste). Squeeze 1/2 a lemon on top & serve immediately with rice or roti.

Eggplant nu shak

Heat olive oil & add panch phoran. When seeds begin to pop, add chopped eggplant (1/2-3/4 in squares or whatever u fancy). Cook at moderate heat covered. When almost done (beware, American eggplant takes a long time to cook or u'll be stuck with undercooked & chewy eggplant), add salt, red chilli powder & amchur (dried mango powder, available in Indian stores). Also, uncover & cook on slightly high heat so its gets crispy & roasted. When done, add roasted & ground (in coffee grinder) sesame seeds. Stir lightly so eggplant doesn't get mushy & serve.

Note: Bengali's add sugar to this but i eliminated this just to be healthier. You can try both & see what you prefer personally.

Note: Panch phoran is a Bengali five-spice mixture consisting of equal quantities of whole spices mixed together without dry-roasting or grinding.The mixture is used in one of two ways--it may be fried in oil to impart flavor to the oil before adding the main ingredients, or fried in ghee and stirred into cooked dhal or vegetable dishes just before they are served.
If panch phoran is unavailable, replace the 2 t. of the spice in this recipe with 1/2 t. white cumin seeds, 1/2 t. fennel seeds, 1/2 t. fenugreek seeds, 1/2 t. black mustard seeds, and 1/2 t. black onion seeds (kalonji).

Found an interesting link to more bengali recipes for those that want to explore:
http://milonee.net/bengali_recipes/annapurna.html

Asparagus nu shak

2005-08-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

Do tadka of cumin seeds with garlic. When garlic is golden brown, add asparagus (cut 1”), turmeric, red chilli powder & salt to taste. Sauté until asparagus is lightly cooked but still crunchy. Serve immediately…

Aanal's Tip: I like to sprinkle sea salt (Maldon or similar) on top right after the asparagus is done instead of adding regular salt during cooking. This will prevent the asparagus from releasing water & also the sea salt makes the flavors burst!

- From an Indian lady in Sunset mag, tested & tried by me, tasted & validated by Dhruv

Spinach Raita

2005-08-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

Saute chopped garlic with olive oil & add spinach leaves after garlic is lightly browned. Saute spinach at high heat without adding salt - this way there will be no water released. After spinach is totally cooled down, add to lightly beaten yogurt. Add salt to taste - remember that spinach has some natural salt in it. Chop ginger into thin slices. Heat olive oil & add mustard seeds. Add ginger couple seconds later & add a whole sliced green chilli or two. When the mustard seeds pop & the ginger is lightly browned at the edges (you can go darker if you prefer), add the tempering to the spinach/yogurt mix. Stir lightly before serving.

This is a very simple & healthy way of dealing with leftover spinach leaves.

- I created this recipe & let my imagination fly based on flavors i could taste in my mouth. It turned out to be one of the best experiments & the raita tasted delicious! Yummm...i can still taste this in my mouth :-)

Monsoon Seattle goes to James Beard House

2005-02-20T22:43:00.000-08:00

Eric & Sophie Banh were invited to the James Beard House on Feb 19th!

My husband and i were introduced to Vietnamese food thanks to a visit to San Francisco several years ago when we went to The Slanted Door for dinner thanks to an enticing review on Zagat. that was just the beginning of our love for Viet food. we were loyal patrons for a while, visit the restaurant with every SFO trip for a while until they moved away from the Mission District...that move seems to have taken them away from the concept of a small boutique restaurant that does specialized food as an art but more towards a less personalized approach to appeal to the masses. after that we frequented Miss Saigon Bistro in Coral Gables, Miami, a small mom & pop restaurant that served authentic & good quality vietnamese food for a while. As soon as we moved to Seattle, our quest for a good Vietnamese restaurant began again & we landed at Monsoon one evening. the restaurant was full & we got 2 seats at the bar...we ended up spending most of the evening yacking with Eric who's a glib talker. ever since we've become big fans of the food there - Monsoon makes viet food an art form with Eric's eye for top quality ingredients & taste & Sophie's eye for detail.

last week when we ate there, Eric mentioned this invite to the James Beard House - which we think they truly deserve! he also mentioned that they'll be serving a lobster congee with truffle oil starting soon...which sounds totally divine.

Indian cuisine is ideal for vegetarians

2005-02-20T22:42:00.001-08:00

Though Indian food offers a lot of delicious meat, chicken & fish curries and other preparations, its predominantly a vegetarian cuisine. Most Indian households, no matter what region of the country they come from will always have several vegetable & beans (dal) dishes as accompaniments to meat or fish.

So Indian food & the way of preparing food can be a very healthy and flavorful option for vegetarians. It can help make healthy food a lot more palatable and help you eat right without getting boring or mundane. Naturally, i don't mean the greasy laden-with-cream North Indian food most restaurants in this country have to offer.

If you're a novice to Indian cuisine but your tongue craves for the varied tastes it brings, try some of the recipes from my blog or from Madhur Jaffrey's Simple Indian Cooking - its a great starter book for the unitiated to Indian cooking.

Who/What is Seattle Foodie?

2005-02-20T15:14:00.000-08:00

This is just a preface to this blog. The why, how, which, when of its existence. i'm a 30's something female that has always had a passion for food from the time i can remember.

i attribute my foodieness to a few people in my family: firstly, my mother. she's a fantastic cook, the best i've met & she introduced to me to quality food. my mother is a vegeterian but very unlike most Indian women. within her vegeterian realm of things, she experimented with what she eats & cooks all the time. she used to make the best pizza at a time when my no one in my little town Baroda had even heard of pizza. even today, my brother & i still crave for my mother's pizza. secondly, my father. he's lives for food & i have never met a person that desires and enjoys good food as much as he does! he is a perfect travel companion as he has an uncanny knack for finding all the inside places for local specialities where the locals eat. so in Jaipur, i had the best Dal Bati i've ever eaten, in Udaipur, the best local Rabadi, in Navasari, the best papadum in the world & recently he sent me the most amazing Mango Son Papdi that he picked up in Nagpur! Thirdly, my mother's father, who was well traveled & like me, experimented with lots of different types of food. he made me into a seafoodie. from the time i was little, every summer vacation when i visited my grandparents in Bombay, my treat was fish & chips at Bombay's Radio Club - in those days a very post Indendence British club serving many anglo indian items on the menu. thirdly, its my uncle, my father's brother - today if he & i get together & go to a nice restaurant, we will both go crazy experimenting something new & different. and lastly i have to credit my father's entire family. we're a family full of food lovers that live & die for food. we're some of the most amazing cooks with just no tolerance for bad cooking.

Brussels for foodies

2005-02-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

I was in Brussels last weekend, visiting my also foodie brother-in-law. This was my first time & I just wanted to explore the place. We spent the entire weekend walking around different parts of town & eating good food...other than the obvious ones which are drinking beer & eating waffles, here are a few things to not miss when you're visiting:

Comme Chez Soi - albeit my most expensive lunch ever (you just don't want to know how much this cost) but certainly one of the most perfect foodie experiences. Pierre Wynants & his son-in-law certainly deserve the 3 Michelin stars for this establishment (though this was the first time i ate at a Michelin star restaurant ;-) as the food and the experience was one of the best. the stuffed pigeon with fresh truffles is still mouthwatering when i think of it. the chocolate souffle that you had to order with dinner was better than any other i've had. like at many truly great dining places, the greatness comes with a humbleness, a realization that your food is great only if your diners find it to be 'great'. so the chef's son-in-law, Lionel Rigolet came out after lunch to greet all the diners and ask very humbly if 'all was okay'!

Vincent's - for those looking for a more 'reasonable' meal than Comme Chez Soi but not the touristy junk on Rue de Brouchers, I hear (alas! there was not enough time so this one will have to wait for my next trip to Bruxelles) Vincent's has great food & charm! I made a short trip to the restaurant to cancel our dinner reservation - its the first restaurant i've ever been to where you enter through the kitchen...certainly makes for a very interesting ambience!

Escargot - snails are street food in Brussels & very hard to find in restaurants. Bruxellois look for escargot carts at busy street junctions. also, they 'do' escargot very differently in Belgium, unlike what you typically eat at French restaurants in the US - they're boiled in a garlic/onion/herb broth and are chewier but very flavorful. Also, much cheaper than their American counterpart - we paid 5Euros for a serving for two (about a bowlful). They're served with this broth, you take a toothpick to pick out the escargot & plunge them in your mouth.

Vin Chaud - i'm guessing this is a winter thing only but for those of you that can decipher french, yes, this is 'hot' wine. its essentially mulled wine, & very similar to our winter favorite, hot apple cider in the US. look out for 'Vin Chaud' signs outside bars & restaurants on a blackboard...i found it to be very delicious, to rejuvenate you on a cold winter afternoon, but be careful of how much you guzzle or you will be tipsy the rest of the afternooon...

Maison Antoine - so you thought fries, excuse me 'frites', are french? they're actually Belgian...so don't leave without having the authentic Belge version. Maison Antoine's is THE local frites institution but you can find them anywhere. Though the Belge eat it with mayonnaise, not ketchup, most places serve a plethora of sauces including mayonnaise, tartare and their own concoctions of sauces with spanish, american, italian influences. you can get them in spicy versions too - in fact, one place we walked by even had harissa as an accompaniment.

Waffles - i'm not a 'waffles' fan per se but it really tough to resist the burnt caramel smell that wafts the streets of Brussels as you walk by a van or storefront that sells waffles. they're again, different from their American counterpart - crunchy on the outside but very soft & doughy inside. they're typically eaten as is, with the outside caramelized but you can also get the chocoloate/strawberry/banana topped versions

Pierre Marcolini - they make the best 'dark' chocolate. you can find their store on Place Sablon which is a delight by itself. most days there will be a serpentine line just trying to get a 'dekho' at the chocolotes...a great place to try different 'dark' chocolate made from cocoa beans from different parts of the world, much like you have with 'global' coffees now.

Bar hopping - Bruxelles is a great place to get wasted & hop bars with a bunch of friends...i found Brussels to be really humming with energy and people even on a cold, wintery weekend. the beer bars in town rock, not only coz they serve great big selection of beers but mostly coz they're alive with people and music. if you're a wine drinker, beware as most typical bars will only serve 'house wine' which is a little above average but certainly not 'great'. My fav's were L'Ultime Atome (though food is very average) for atmosphere and A la Mort Subite for an old world feel in one of the oldest bars with tons of character. Also, don't miss out on just strolling into any of the plethora of bars in St. Gery for their liveliness on any given night.

Bruxelles is a great place to find both antiques & tribal arts from Africa. though shopping was not really on my itinerary, i found most of Brussels, especially Lower Town (Marolles neighborhood) with its collection of funky stores to be a great place for window shopping! We started off the 1/2 day walk discovering this area with a hearty breakfast at Het Warm Water & after tucking in a typical Dutch/Belge 'house' omelet & good coffee (avoid the cheese & meat platter unless you like to venture into smelly, stinking cheeses/meats). Then we browsed the Marolles flea market & kept walking & discovering the eclectic shops in Lower Town which was originally the 'poor man's district. Couple noteworthy places/things of interest: great modern furniture stores if you're into that kind of thing, predominantly French olive oil (more rare & thus lots more expensive than Italian & Spanish olive oils) tasting at L'Oliviers & a tribal art gallery that also publishes a magazine called Tribal Arts which had some authentic Indian tribal art (this i can vouch for due to my Indian background & close familiarity with it) as well as Africal tribal art.

We kept seeing 'antiques' that looked like treasures unearthed from the old worlds of Mohenjodaro & Harappa everywhere. One vendor at the Marolles flea market had an intriguing terracotta animal head that was broken off around the chin - i asked for the price...5- EUROS! naturally the prices were even higher in the stores in Lower Town. We walked into a store that was owned by an Afghan who started chatting with us in his broken Hindi (they usually speak Urdu but understand Hindi due to all the Bollywood movies they watch) & i asked where his antiquey wares were from - he 'claimed' they were from the Indus Valley civilization! i'm not an antique expert or enthusiast by any means so no clue if any of this is authentic or not but it was surely worth reporting on my Brussels trip blog as i've never seen archeological discoveries being sold everywhere on the streetsides any other part of the world i've been fortunate enough to visit thus far...

Little undiscovered corner of Brussels: we discovered the most interesting little street off of Place Sablon by happenstance. If you're walking on Place Sablon, going up from Pierre Marcolini towards the wine store Nicolas & the bar le Grain de Sablon, take the little lane just before the le Grain de Sablon. it first meanders a bit with some interesting African art stores & then suddenly you land on a quiet little courtyard with some of the prettiest gable architecture! it was one of the prettiest sites in all of Brussels, so much so that i had to walk there again the next day...

Honestly, i thought my foodie bro-in-law is a little demeaning with his blog on Brussels so read it with a grain of salt: http://www.suspendedamitation.blogspot.com/, i have to admit thoug that if you have 'typical touristy' expectations of Brussels you maybe disappointed! but if you're looking for a happening place, with lots of local character & want a couple peaceful days just walking the streets, discovering the place, you will be pleasantly surprised!