Cooking in Westchester

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3

Thin Noodles - Desi Style
2008-05-24 06:07:00
Nothing like ending a usual busy, crazy week with Indian style noodles. In a nutshell, Indian style noodles are pretty simple, toss noodles with your favorite combination of vegetables and eggs and some meat if so desired. Through in any variety of spices, chinese and Indian and there you have it a wonderfully simple and flavorful one dish meal. So ok, you wonder why on earth waste good space on a blog writing about it. Well, you see a lot of these tossed together ingredients have interesting nuances, tonight the combination incoporated a hint of lime and cumin, just amazing how lovely the flavors were. Garlic-Lime Noodles with Cumin Serves 4 Ingredients 1.5 cups thin fresh chinese noodles3 tbsp oil2 eggs1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions1 tsp hot sesame oil2 pods garlic, grated1/2 tsp cumin seeds1 green chilli, finely minced3 carrots grated1/2 bell pepper thinly sliced2-3 slices ham, julliened2 tsp soy sauce1 large lime2 tbsp cilantro, minced Method of Preparation 1. Bring the water t...
More About: Style , Desi

Sabudana Dosa with Sambhar
2008-05-23 06:48:00
It is probably an extremely rare, make that practically never day, when I think of trying to do any prepping prior to leaving for work. Well, my dear Aadi, has just been asked to get of the bottle all of 2-months back. My life has not been the same since then, I spend about 30 minutes every morning wrestling with him to drink from these silly colorful cups that I have bought him. Well, since I am pretty much stuck in the kitchen, a couple of day back, I was fussing around. I had some extra tapioca and my friend Vasu informed me this could be used for dosa.I did not exactly remember a recipe, but this is broadly what I did.For the dosasI soaked1/2 cup tapioca1/2 cup chire (rice flakes)1/2 cup rice flour1 tsp salt1 cup yogurt1 cup waterI mixed the above ingredients and left for work, I came back and found a pretty thick concoccotion. I ground this with some more water in the blender.Then I mixed in some chopped onion, sweet potatoes, cilantro and the half granny smith apple that I had...
More About: Dosa

Dressing up the Taro
2008-05-18 22:09:00
There are some bloggers who present with such beauty and specificity that you want jump right out of the blog and into their kitchens. One such blog is the saffron trail, where recently Nandita featured Arbi ke Tikkey, a lovely way to dress up the humble Taro.I followed her recipe pretty closely, with tiny tweaks, could not leave out my beloved chat masala now, could I? Arbi Ke Tikkey - Spicy Taro Cakes Makes 8 Ingredients 8 medium sized taro2 limes1 tsp cumin-coriander powder1/2 tsp crushed carom seeds1 tsp red chili powder1 tsp chat masala1 tsp black salt1 tsp saltOil for frying To garnish Onion ringsCilantroAdditional Chat masalaFreshly ground black pepper Method of Preparation 1. Cook the taro for 10 minutes, till parcooked. Cool and remove the skin.2. Squeeze the juice of 1.5 limes on the taro, and add the remaining spices to the taro. Let this sit for 1 hour stirring occasionally.3. In a shallow skillet, add the taro in a single layer and cook on medium-low heat for about 6 m...
More About: Dressing

Robustly spicy pasta
2008-05-16 05:08:00
Cannot quite understand why I am feeling so tired today, by the standard of weeks, life was not too crazy, also went to sleep early yesterday so frankly my dear, I have no clue why I feeling out of sorts. Thought blogging about this nice and colorful dish I concocted might actually chase away the tiredness, but no such luck, I left this post halfway and went to sleep. Decided to continue posting the next day.Anyhow, the core to this dish was some really good sausage that I had gotten from Apple Farm which is actually a really good deli and fresh cheese section, pretty decent fish and acceptable vegetables. Anyhow, back to the sausage... Sausage with peppers and vegetables Serves 4 Ingredients 1/2 lb fennel sausage3-5 tbsp olive oil1/2 tsp fennel seeds1 tsp red chili powder1 tsp crushed black pepper1 onion cut into thick slices1 green pepper cut into slices1 red pepper cut into slices1 can tomatoes (I use a fire-roasted organic can)1 tsp sugar1 tsp salt1 cup thickly chopped mushrooms...
More About: Pasta , Spicy

Bell Peppers - Shimla Baigan Bhartha
2008-05-14 05:46:00
Shimla Capsicum Bhartha, originally uploaded by brinku11.You know, I've got to tell you, I think we Indians should patent the word capsicum, I have so gotten used to saying, "bell pepper" but a part of me longs for that somewhat small slightly spicer and really flavorful capsicum.But, on the other hand, I love colorful red and yellow peppers which you do not find so readily in India. A red bell pepper is amazingly flavorful, especially roasted. Of course, nothing like a smoked eggplant! Mix them together, you get a scintilating mix of taste and flavor.Try this luscious bhartha, which is very simple, just takes a little time to roast the vegetables.Shimla Baigan BharthaServes 4Ingredients2 medium eggplants1 green bell pepper1 red bell pepper2 tbsp oil1 tsp cumin seeds1 onion finely chopped2 tsp very finely shredded ginger1 tsp minced garlic1 tsp minced green chillies1 tsp salt1 tsp cumin-coriander powder2 tbsp tomato paste1 cup frozen green peas (thawed)1/2 cup chopped cilantro leav...
More About: Shimla , Bell , Peppers

Mother Day generally speaking
2008-05-11 06:02:00
Well, we decided that to beat the crowds we would actually go out for dinner on Saturday evening rather than Sunday. Ok, so we actually did both. Everything in general seemed to be planned pretty well.Zuppa's in Yonker's is one of my favorite restaurants, I find the food innovative but really flavorful. In general a little pricey, but have always loved the restaurant and the warm earth tones and rustic set-up. The menu is not huge but has probably a very innovative selection of items that they aptly label as progressive Italian.Now, Zuppa's on mother's unfortunately is a slightly different story. Interestingly, enough last year when I was raving about Zuppa to a colleague, he appeared unimpressed stating he took his wife over for mother's day, he was less than impressed with the experience, mentioning how noisy and chaotic the place of was, so I thought - Hello! Mom's Day is like only the busiest restaurant day of the year!Well! Well! Well!, this year Anshul did something smar...
More About: Mother , Speaking

Khichuri - A different blend!
2008-05-08 06:37:00
Please tell me that there were others who had no idea until late last week that there was a rice crisis brewing! Look, I am kind of priding myself on the fact that I have been pretty good with reducing the refrined, beautiful, unblemished rice in my diet and have switched to other variations of carbs, hence the ignorance!Well, anyhow, a couple of weekends back, I go to my local indian store, which has become just so much better than anything I could dream of a couple of months back, and find this somewhat small unassuming pack of pretty pink rice call Rose Matta, liked the looks brought it home, I figures how wrong could you go with 2 lbs. of rice. Looked up this discovery some more and here is what I found,Jugalbandi gave me an insight into a lot of interesting rices including my new discovery, of course Mahanandi, and finally yet another blog that convinced me, Go Rosematta!So, not quite sure what to do, I decided to do an bengali-style khichuri. A khichuri is a lentil-rice combin...
More About: Blend

Chicken boti kabab masala
2008-05-05 02:04:00
Chicken boti kabab masala, originally uploaded by brinku11.Having cream handy is a really bad thing, it makes one want to use the cream more often than is needed. This friday I wanted to do something classic but quickly. I had some chicken legs that I had marinated a day back in tandoori masala. So a variation of the classic tikka masala emerged. Tikka by defination is made of chunks of boneless chicken and the sauce is much smoother. However, this recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser as well.Chicken Boti Kabab MasalaServes 4For the Boti1 cup lowfat yogurt1 tbs tandoori masala (I use the commercial Swad Brand6-8 skinned chicken drumsticks1 tsp salt (optional)For the masala gravy2 tbsp oil1 tsp cumin seeds1 tsp cumin-coriander powder1 cup baby bella mushroom, sliced1 large onion, thinly sliced2-3 cloves of garlic, minced2 tomatoes, finely chopped1 tsp salt1/3 cup heavy cream1 tsp garam masala1 tbsp finely chopped cilantroMethod of Preparation1. Marinate the chicken with the yogurt, t...
More About: Chicken

Coconut-Cashew Mixed vegetables or fruit of the refrigerator
2008-05-04 07:01:00
Coconut-Cashew Mixed vegetablesOriginally uploaded by brinku11 I cannot even believe this is something I am writing about, but there you have it, sometime the strangest of things thrown together work just fine. This was last friday, I was trying to make something to complement the fish, I had one zucchini, a quarter head of cauliflower, 1-2 carrots and a few pods of okra. This is how I through them together.Cashew Coconut Vegetables Serves 4 peopleIngredients2 tbsp oil1/2 tsp mustard seeds1/2 tsp cumin seeds8 -10 curry leaves1 tsp urad dal1 tsp channa dal1-2 dried red chillies1 tsp crushed peppercorns1 small onion thinly sliced1 tsp salt1.5 cups mixed vegetables (I used the ones mentioned above)2 tbsp coconut powder2 tbsp broken cashewsMethod of Preparation1. Heat the oil and add the cumin and mustard seeds.2. When they crackle, add the curry leaves and the lentils and cook for 1 minute.3. Add the chillies, peppercorns and the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.4. Add the vegetables, mix...
More About: Fruit , Coconut

A peace offering - Methi-Dahi Bhindi
2008-04-28 05:12:00
Ever make one of those commitments that make perfect sense, when you are doing this, but come few weeks later when you are ready to actually go to the event, you wonder - "What was I thinking?" Well last Saturday was one of those instances for me.I had offered to help with organizing a local cultural event, which at time made a lot of sense, it would be a fun thing to do with the kids. Well, my son had the sniffles, I did try on Friday to bail out, but when I call the organizers I recieved a sob story on how much more needed to be done, so I was stuck. I was out most of the day, when I returned home, I recieved these, "How could you looks from my husband." In general I managed to make some peace by cooking bindi. Yes, my family could probably eat bhindi for an entire week without the slightest complaint.Methi -Dahi BhindiServes 4Ingredients1 lbs. bhindi cut lengthwise8 tbsp olive oil1 tsp turmeric1 tsp salt1 tsp cumin seeds1/2 tsp mustard seeds1 small onion, very finely chopped1 tsp ...
More About: Peace

Click color Click au naturelle
2008-04-28 04:51:00
Nothing fussy, the staples of my kitchen in their unadorned state.A spontaneous picture, going to the monthly click event at Jugalbandi.
More About: Color , Click

Basil-Sumac Scallops
2008-04-25 05:49:00
Another easy breezy way to prepare seafood, this time I picked scallops. Scallops need very little fuss, they have a high sugar content and work very well when seared with light favors. Here is what a did with them, resulting in a lovely sweet-tangy recipe. Basil -Sumac Scallops Serves 2 Ingredients 10 scallops1 tbsp grated jaggery1 tsp chilli powder1 tsp salt1 tsp grated ginger1 tsp sumac1 tbsp gheeA handful of fresh basil leaves Method of Preparation 1. Mix the scallops with the jaggery, chili powder, salt, ginger and sumac and let this sit for 15 minutes.2. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the ghee and spread evenly across the pan.3. Place the scallops in a single layer on the pan and cook for about 5 minutes.4. Turn and cook for the same time on the other side. 5. The scallops should be lightly browned.6. Add the basil, serve with rice or salad. All right so this one goes out to WHB being hosted by Margot at Coffee and Vanilla.

Tomato Soup with Ginger and Oregano
2008-04-21 05:39:00
When we were on vacation last week, I had tried a couple of interesting cobbled together creations. Well, we had this condo with a really well equiped kitchen so I felt that it would be quite a waste not to use my time at least doing what I so love doing, - cooking. However, naturally since the supplies in terms of spices etc were minimal these turned out to be different from what I might have otherwise done. However, this soup worked wonders with grilled cheese that I made with pepperjack cheese to lend a little zing. Tomato Soup Recipe Makes 4-6 servings Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil2 onions finely chopped4 cloves of garlic finely chopped1 large piece of ginger, peeled and grated8 vine-ripened tomatoes quartered1/2 cup canned tomato puree2 tbsp crushed peppercorns1.5 tsp salt3 tbsp butter1 tsp garam masala powder1 tsp fresh oregano1 cup lowfat (2%) milk Method of Preparation 1. Heat the oil and saute the onions, garlic and ginger for 2-3 minutes.2. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, p...
More About: Ginger , Tomato Soup , Oregano

Umami Cafe in Courtland Manor
2008-04-21 05:12:00
Recently, I went to this cooking demonstration by some local chefs. Each of these demos actually had raffles, and check this out, I actually win the raffle for Peter Prat's Demo. I mean with these things, I don't even bother to fill in the things because I just never ever win. Looks like everyone has to win sometime. I actually tried two of these restaurants recently, but will start talking about Umami Cafe .For starters, this place is kid friendly with an interesting menu. About time someone realized that parents with little ones can have discerning tastes too.Food: They have an extensive menu with lots of Hawanian influenced cuisine, very interesting options such as Cajun Chicken with Bok Choy, the peking duck quesadillas which were amazing. I did order their very hyped truffled Mac and Cheese, the distinctive flavors of the truffles were nice, but the general richness of the mac and cheese was really due an overdose of butter. Well, but this aside their other choices were good. ...

Plates in Larchmont
2008-04-18 06:56:00
The Westchester food scene has improved and emerged into almost something that has an identity. There are a chockful of interesting eating places, unfortunately most of the better places are not really that easy on the wallet, but then again on a weeknight it does beat not having to brave city traffic or have to take the non-rush hour train that can sometimes be a bit of a drag, if you miss the train on the hour.Well, this interesting restaurant Plates just add to my delight about the emerging, now pre-teen food scene, locally. The restaurant is among the ranks of local restaurants that attempts to cater to seasonal, local produce. The menu is in my opinion, interesting eclectic american. There are some dressed up classics, particularly on their dessert menu. They have another fun feature where on Wednesday's you can bring your own wine. Actually with this option, one gets a pretty good meal without breaking the bank, feels like quite a treat!We went there rather impromptu so I am ...

Gobi Palya - Pureed cauliflower with curry leaves and shallots
2008-04-18 06:56:00
I recently had my husband's cousin visiting us, I had settled for making dosa's since I felt this would make all of us happy, then I recieved instructions from his wife on ensuring that the starch/sugar levels in the diet should be modified to make sure that they were low, due to health reasons.Well, since the dosa batter was already fermented and this was the traditional rice lentil variety, I was really left with salvaging the potato filling that I was planning to make. Would a cauliflower work? Well, guess what it makes fairly decent paliya. I had omited the turmeric and I liked the pale color of this dish, so I probably will end up repeating this sans turmeric.Cauliflower Paliya - Pureed cauliflower with curry leaves and shallotsServes 6Ingredients1 small head of cauliflower2-3 cloves garlic2 shallots1 tsp salt2 tbsp oil1/2 tsp cumin seeds1/2 tsp mustard seeds1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds1 tsp channa dal1 tsp urad dal2-3 whole red chillies, crushed1/8 tsp asafetidaA few curry leave...
More About: Curry , Palya , Leaves

Ragi-Rawa Dosas
2008-04-13 18:39:00
Dosas are probably a great salvation food, my kids love them, my husband can never get enough of them either. I found them a good way to also get vegetables into my kids food, so yes, more often than not I end up making Oothapams.This dosa was inspired by this lovely recipe, I actually ran out of ragi flour so this recipe emerged. This is really quite tasty. A touch of lime gently tempers the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, in this recipe. I had some leftover iddies, that I actually tempered with some spices and couple with sambhar a wholesome meal was born.Raji-Rawa Dosas - Finger Millet Flour/Semolina DosaServes 6-8 peopleIngredients1 cup ragi flour (finger millet flour)1 cup rawa1/2 cup rice flour1 sweet potato, cooked and mashed2 cups buttermilk1 large onion, thinly chopped1 cup cilantro leaves2-3 green chillies, minced2 tsp salt1 limeOil for fryingMethod of Preparation1. Mix the ragi, rawa and rice flour with the sweet potato and buttermilk.2. Add some water (upto 3/4 cup) if ...
More About: Ragi

Food in Westchester - Mughal Palace
2008-04-13 16:09:00
A lot of people keep asking me about eating places, especially good Indian restaurants. We do actually like eating out. The little ones are fairly adventurous eaters. It is a little harder to keep my son on the chair for a very extended period of time, but otherwise he thinks the experience is as much fun as everyone else.We do not eat Indian a lot, simply because, I do tend to cook so much Indian food at home. However, when you have a restaurant less than a mile away like mughal palace, it is hard not to visit and or eat there. In fact, we were waiting for this one to open. The first time that I tried it we were disappointed by the quality. Over the last couple months, I think they have upgraded their image and their quality has improved quite a bit. The Food : Overall, the spicing was right, not terribly watered down. They keep a few really bland items that essentially amounts to food cooked in cream, with some spices thrown in without much thought. Their South Indian cuisine is me...
More About: Palace , Westchester

Jibe Goja - Fried Pastry in sugar syrup
2008-03-26 03:38:00
Food events make the food blogging world a little more interesting. I love events, I do not have time to participate in most of them, but ever so often one of them catches my eye and I have stop by later to see what a variety of dishes are offered in the round-up even if I cannot participate. One event that I have been following since last year is RCI-Regional Cuisine of India. I think this event is such an amazing idea, just brilliant of Lakshmi to think of this.This month RCI-Bengali is being hosted by Sandeepa at Bongmom's cookbook.There are just so many interesting recipes, I finally settled for trying this sweet simple recipe. Jibe Goja is thinly rolled pastry dipped in a thick sugar syrup. Works wonderfully with tea and actually keeps fairly well for a few days in an air-tight container. The name is derived from the toungue shaped appearance, jib in bengali refers to tongue.Jibe-Goja- Fried pastry in sugar syrupMakes about 15 gojasIngredientsFor the syrup1 cup water2 cups su...
More About: Sugar , Pastry

Inspired Cooking!
2008-03-23 06:10:00
Well, maybe its spring, maybe like most of us within the food universe it is this constant yen for doing different things, today's meal was something, that I needed to be different, creative and special. Why - well because I just felt like it!Anyhow, most of the meal was inspired by other recipes on the web, goodness how did people ever cook prior to the www. Anyhow, what I had with me was some lovely orange roughy and some swiss chard, certainly enough basic components for a good meal. What I needed was something to mix and complete the meal.To start with the swiss chard, this is what I looked at, what I developed was pretty close, Sauteed Swiss ChardServe 4Ingredients1 tbsp olive oil2 cloves garlic, sliced2 shallots thinly slices1 tomato, diced3 cups chopped swiss chard1 tsp seasoning salt1/4 cup mirin (Japanese rice vinegar)Method of Preparation1. Heat the oil and add the garlic, cook on high and brown.2. Add the shallots and tomatoe and saute briefly.3. Add in the chard and coo...
More About: Cooking , Inspired

Mixed Bean Chilli
2008-03-23 04:29:00
I have to tell you, like most mother who juggle the 800 (ok that is an exageration!) but the multiple things that one has to fit in just gets crazier when one has to complete the list with -800) Cook interesting, flavorful, food that works for both Mommy and Daddy and for the little tykes.Well, the adapted version of Chilli that I make works pretty well for this and with some really inspired toppings and garnishes makes pretty interesting party food.To make the process interesting, I use the beans in my pantry, that are a combination of all kinds of Indian beans and lentils - here I have whole dried peas, green chickpeas, black-eyed beans, black beans and small red beans. This time round, I decided to do something that I do not usually do - get some fresh oregano to liven this up!Mixed Bean ChilliMakes 10 servingsIngredients1 cups of dried mixed beans as described above2 tbsp salt3 tbsp olive oil1 tbsp cumin seeds2 onions coarsely, chopped6-8 cloves garlic1 tbsp freshly grated gin...

Scallops in a lime-garlic pepper sauce
2008-03-18 04:41:00
Another suburban phenomena introduced to my life by the kids is the wholesale discount store - aka Costco. I do not like the lines but started off with diapers, then graduated to paper towels, etc. Now, I am sort of hooked on to a monthly trip where I end up picking up all kinds of things -such as these frozen scallops. I picked these up with some trepidation since I was not sure how these would work out. Well, other than the fact that I had thought that they might be larger they work just wonderfully. I made a simple creation that cheered my husband, in fact he told me to make sure that I save the recipe, so here it is. Scallops in a lime-garlic pepper sauce Serves 2 Ingredients 1/2 lb medium sized scallops1 tbsp chilli oil2 tbsp olive oil1/2 tsp ghee8 cloves of garlic1.5 tsp whole blackpepper corns1/4 cup scallions finely chopped2 limes2 tbsp freshly grated jaggery1 tsp salt1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk1 tsp chopped cilantro Method of Preparation 1. Rub the scallops with the chili oil...
More About: Garlic , Pepper , Sauce , Lime

Green Chickpea and Corn Kadhi
2008-03-09 23:22:00
I found these really pretty daity pods at the local store. I had never used these green chickpeas before but wanted to do something with them. After I brought these home, I discovered some very tart yogurt that had been sitting in my fridge for a while. I am a big fan of Kadhi - that nutrious yougurt based soupy concoction tempered with whole spices and curry leaves thickened with besan or chickpea flour. If you love kadhi as much as I do, you will be convinced that sour yogurt was made for Kadhi not the other way round. Well, I made kadhi mixed in with fresh corn and the results with rice was perfect for a cool day. Green Chickpea and Corn Kadhi Serves 3-4 Ingredients 1.5 cups very tart yogurt3 tbsp besan or chickpea flour2 tsp salt2 tbsp oil1 tsp finely chopped ginger1/8 tsp asafetida1/2 tsp cumin seeds1/2 tsp mustard seeds2 dried red chillies1-2 green chillies10 curry leaves1/2 fresh green chickpeas1/2 cup fresh corn2 tbsp fresh cilantro Method of Preparation 1. Mix the yogurt, b...

The story of the forgotten mango
2008-03-09 21:35:00
A friend of mine and I have recently been going through some unusually problematic times, partly due to the fact that we have been working on some stressfull projects together. One of these days he brought me a mango as an unusual peace offering. The mango was very hard, but I was touched by the thought. I figured such a hard mango really would not have much use, so I brought it home and set it aside mentally promising myself to make some corn and mango salsa. Well as life happens, I actually forgot about this mango and one week later I discovered it. Well, during this week, it had ripened into a wonderfully sweet and soft mango possibly telling me not to give up on things just to let things wait. I diced this sweet fruit and ate about two thirds of it, and this is what I made with the remaining one-third. A beautifully tangy sweet shrimp concoction seasoned wonderfully with with large fresh basic leaves. A lovely addition over rice and takes all of 20-25 minutes to make. I usually ...
More About: Story , Mango , The Story , Forgotten

Ginger Coconut Chicken Curry with Black Pepper
2008-02-24 22:18:00
Yesterday, I picked up some lovely fresh young ginger, I wanted to make something that did justice to this rhizome in its amazingly perfect form. This really was just right, in that it was not too young such that the flavors had not yet developed, but it was not dry and stringy either. So I started with a large piece, peeled and grated it...Then I looked around the refrigerator and pulled out a few ingredients here and there, added to it a few good spices, this is what emergered.Ginger Coconut Chicken Curry Serves 4Ingredients3 tbsp oil1 onion finely chopped3 tbsp finely grated gingerA few pieces of cloves, cinamon and cardamom1/2 tsp turmeric1/2 tsp red chili powder1 lb chicken cut into medium sized pieces1 cup chopped cilantro1/2 cup grated coconut2 tbsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns2 tsp salt1/2 can coconut milkMethod of Preparation1. Heat the oil and add the onion and ginger.2. Saute for about 5 -7 minutes.3. Mix in the cloves, cinamon and cardamom, turmeric, chili and the c...
More About: Black , Pepper

Thai Green Curry Chicken with Zucchini
2008-01-27 18:10:00
I love making Thai Green Curry paste, since it uses my two favorite herbs - Cilantro and Basil. Typically you should be using Holy basil also called Tulsi, but those leaves are much harder to come by, so I end up doing this with a very practical version usually readily available ingredient such as sweet basil and ginger instead of galangal. The results are quite acceptable. It makes for a quick and flavorful curry.Green Curry PasteIngredients1/3 cup fish sauce1 lump size palm sugar10 green chillies2 tbsp freshly ground coriander1 2-inch piece ginger or galangal2 cloves garlic1 cup chopped cilantro- leaves and stems1 cup chopped basil2-3 kafir lime leaves or 1 tsp grated lime zestMethod of Preparation1. Dissolve the palm sugar in the fish sauce. This takes a little bit of time, so I actually do this first and then prep and chop the remaining ingredients.2. Add all the remaining ingredients into a food processor.3. Add in the fish sauce with sugar and process till smooth.Green chicken...
More About: Chicken , Zucchini

WHB - Round-Up WE 1-21-08
2008-01-20 03:28:00
Well, everyone has sent quite and interesting collection of recipes, we start with Peter who as sent us this cheese and chilly appetizer recipe. One of my favorite combinations, sounds very interesting. The recipe uses a Greek red chillie pepper and Peter says,"What makes it unique is that Boukovo is oven dried or better yet, the red chili gets dried over smoky, burning embers. Think smoky red chili flakes."http://kalofagas.blogspot.com/200 8/01/chillies-cheese-snack-moukobo.htmlNe xt we have a lovely winter soup from Anne-Marie of Ambrosia and Nectar. This is celeriac, cabbage and chickpea soup. Anne Marie adds some kale and tops it with a generous dash of parmasan cheese. The interesting flavor here is fennel seeds.http://divineambrosia.blogspot.com/ 2008/01/celeriac-chickpea-and-cabbage-sou p.htmlGay from A scientist in the kitchen presents us with a wonderful steamed tilapia in banana leaves using the three stapple ingredients of the filipino kitchen - onion, ginger and tomato.http:...
More About: Round Up , Round

I think I can!
2008-01-19 17:49:00
Gosh, I have been meaning to get back and blog but it just has been one thing after another. The last week has been awful since I have been down with the flu. It is supposed to be my turn to host WHB, an event I have not even been able to participate in for the past several weeks. Well, I had actually cooked this really lovely smooth textured soup last week, with overtones of cumin and ginger laced with mint. Seeing all the wonderful entries that are filling my mailbox, I finally got inspired to write this up. Carrot Pumpkin Soup with Ginger and Mint Serves 4-6 Ingredients 2-3 tbsp olive oil1 tsp cumin seeds1 tsp black pepper1 tbsp processed ginger chunks (I use trader joes)2 leeks peeled and thinly sliced2 lbs carrots peeled and cut into pieces1 lb fresh pumpkin peeled and cut into pieces1 parsnip peeled and cut into pieces3 cups chicken brothSalt to taste1/2 cup fresh cream2-3 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves Method of Preparation 1. In a pressure cooker, heat the oil and pop the ...

Gobi Moomphali - Cauliflower with peanuts
2007-12-23 06:39:00
There are few things that work better for a quick weeknight dish than a classic simple dry vegetable dish infused with the basic goodness of a few staple spices. The peanuts in the recipe are an inspiration to get my daughter to eat. So here you have it, Gobi Moomphali Serves 4-6 Ingredients 2 tbsp oil1/2 tsp mustard seeds1/2 tsp cumin seeds1/8 tsp asafetida2-3 dried red chillies1/2 tsp turmeric1 cauliflower cut into floretts1 tsp salt1/2 cut peanuts roasted Method of preparation 1. Heat the oil, and add the mustard and cumin seeds, when they crackle add in the asafetida, chillies turmeric and cauliflower. 2. Cook on medium heat turning frequently till the cauliflower begins to brown lightly. 3. Add the salt and peanuts and cover for 10 minutes and cook on low. 4. Check seasonings and serve.
More About: Cauliflower , Peanuts

Potatoes and Garlic - How can you go wrong?
2007-12-08 06:03:00
Several years back, I tried potato pancakes and confessed to a jewish co-worker that I liked them and they had potential for improvement. Her candid statement to me was, potatoes and garlic, how can you go wrong? what not to like?Several variations of latkes, I agree, what's not to like?So here is a variation that I tried a couple of days back. The key to good latkes in my opinion is to use a good hand grater, the food processor squishes texture a bit much....Potato Pumkin LatkesServes 4-6Ingredients1 cup grated red pumkin1 cup grated idaho potatoes2 green chillies minced3 cloves of garlic minced2 shallots finely chopped3 tsp flour2 tbsp cilantro finely choppedSalt to tasteOil for fryingMethod of preparation1. Place the pumkin and potatoes in a colander to drain, the excess water out for half an hour.2. Squeeze the excess water out and mix with the chillies garlic, flour, cilantro and salt.3. Heat the oil.4. Drop by tablespoons and fry till crisp5. Serve with sour cream on the side...
More About: Garlic , Potatoes , Wrong