Category: Food

Food is love. Plus art. Oh, and it keeps you alive. That, too! You might not find a single recipe here, but you may find the inspiration to go create one. Unless, of course, you’re left speechless because you’re drooling so severely at the sight of these glorious images. Regardless, you are NOT always what you eat.

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Brussel Sprouts Subzi in Tamarind-Date Chutney

I didn’t grow up eating Brussel Sprouts because we didn’t get them where I lived (in a small town in the northern plains of India).  So, when I first saw them in the States, I was quite fascinated to see these mini-cabbages, which is really what they are.  Well, I soon discovered that you can make these miniature cabbages, aka Brussel Sprouts any which way, and over time, I have continued to experiment with them in any number of ways. 

Today, I decided to toss them with a bunch of other vegetables: a Parisian blend of finely sliced green beans and carrots, and the key seasoning ingredient was a Tamarind-Date Chutney.

Suffice to say the experiment has been a tremendous success!  See for yourself.

Brusselsprouts

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Gobi-Alu with Charoli & Green Chillies

Well, for the uninitiated, that’s Cauliflower and Potatoes.  Stir-fried with a flick of your wrist with a simple three-ingredient tempered seasoning of cumin, green chillies and turmeric.  Toss a handful of charoli nuts, followed by the veggies.  Don’t forget the salt.  Stir-fry for a few minutes, then close lid and simmer for a few more.

Doesn’t get better than that.  Serve with Parathas.  You’ll end up saying Yeh Hui Na Baat!

Gobiwcharoli

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Twice Baked Potatoes with Poached Eggs and Other Goodies

I happen to share a roof with three very creative individuals, two of whom are exceptionally bold and creative in the kitchen.  (Hmmm, I wonder where they get that from?!)  So, this is a post that is late by a couple of weeks, but is one that is no less a jewel of a post for two reasons:  first, it happens to be made by two of the most adorable creatures I know (aforementioned super-creative beings), and second, because these two creatures practically created this out of their imagination– inspired by a chance viewing of a somewhat similar dish on a TV-show. 

So, what these are, are Twice Baked Potatoes with Poached Eggs and Other Goodies.  Take a look at the slideshow below for how these were put together:

Tbp

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A Soup & Croissanwich Working Lunch

So, what can you do when you forget to bring lunch?  Well, you could go out to the Food-Court in the Student Union around the corner, or you could just go down to the first-floor in your own office building, where in the Atrium area, you have the FAB Cart (FAB because that’s short for Faculty/Administration Building) Monday through Thursday where you can get soups and sandwiches and other small snacks and hot and cold beverages.  What a nice convenience!  It’s no cafeteria; it’s only a Cart on wheels, but its packed with fresh foods everyday, and its there until 2:00 pm.  Just be sure you bring cash, because unfortunately Denise won’t take your plastic! 

So, what I got today was a Cream of Broccoli Soup and a Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich.  For a cold and gray day like today, it hit the spot right away!  Now back to work. 

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Coconut Milk Matar Pulao (Fried Rice): A Recipe, For a Change!

So, I visited with an old friend over the weekend, and brought her some Coconut Milk Matar Pulao (Fried Rice) that I’d made the night before.  Leftovers, really, that I took her, but she’s been raving about it and has asked for a recipe, so I thought I’d put down some approximations that will, I hope, translate to a half-decent recipe. 

3 cups Basmati
1 can of Coconut Milk
1 frozen bag of Peas & Carrots
Cooking Oil – Canola is good

For the tempered seasoning:  Cumin (teaspoonful), Cardomom (4-5 small green ones), Cinnamon Sticks (a couple will do); two Bay Leaves; Salt to taste

Get a nice broad flat-bottomed pot.  Place on stove, get it somewhat hot, then pour about 3 tablespoons of oil.  In moments the oil will be hot enough (but not smoking-hot!).  Add the ingredients in the order listed to create your tempered seasoning.  Everything should be done real fast and the cumin must instantly start to sputter, and the fragrance of the other spices should fill the air around you instantly.  Next, add your three cups of dry rice to this seasoning and stir away; within moments they’ll look toasted.  Next, open your bag of frozen veggies and add it to the rice.  Stir some more; reduce your heat a bit, if necessary, because you do not want to let the rice stick to the bottom.

Now:  put your coconut milk into a measuring cup (I use a large 4-cup measure), and to this add boiling-hot water to make a full-six cups.  Add this coconut-milk liquid to the pot, and it will come to a rolling-boil almost instantly.  Stir for a few minutes until the rice begins to cook and the liquid begins to disappear.  In a few minutes, cover the pot (lid should be secure), reduce heat to a complete simmer, and forget about it for fifteen minutes.  Do not open the lid for any reason whatsover until the fifteen minutes are up! 

When you do open the lid, you ought to be able to see each individual grain of the Basmati rice separate.  Needless to say, it mustn’t be sticky in the least.  You’ve got your Coconut Milk Matar Pulao ready to serve with anything you wish, or just as is!  Yeh Hui Na Baat!

Cocopeaspulao

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Oberoi's Kitchen: The Art Of Indian Haute Cuisine : NPR

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An NPR story on haute indian cuisine making a splash in Washington, DC this month. Click on the link below the picture to read the NPR article.

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The Clarkston Union Woodshop: A Great Place to Eat!

So, where do you go to eat when you drive up an hour and a half to meet an old friend?  You go downtown, of course.  And head out to the most famous little restaurant on Main Street– the Clarkston Union.  But then you realize there’s a 45 minute wait for a table, and so you decide to head down the road to the next best place:  The Clarkston Union Woodshop. 

And you’re pleasantly surprised.  Because you find the place just as charming and hopping with the Sunday afternoon crowd of locals and others perhaps like me who’re visiting with friends and family in the area.  The place is truly charming, and when the waitress brings out the menus, we learn that the restaurant has recently been christened a 2011 Restaurant of the Year as per the Detroit Free Press.  Not bad at all! 

And what do we order?  A super-sized Burrito that comes with sweet potatoes, spinach, spanish rice, black beans, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.  And a Blackened Catfish Sandwich that comes with a Red Cabbage Slaw and Black Beans and Rice on the side.  Mmmm!

Here’s what it all looked like.  But the truly best part was catching up with my dear friend, Anu.  There’s nothing like facetime.  Facebook doesn’t even come close!

Clarkstonwoodshop

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Traffic Jam & Snug: A Cozy Spot for Lunch

Last week some friends and I headed out to a local favorite restaurant, Traffic Jam & Snug for lunch.  It was my first time there, and I wasn’t disappointed!  The old-world charm of the bar and restaurant, and most certainly the food, made for a lovely luncheon experience.  Not to mention the company of my friends that enhanced it even more so.  See for yourself what I mean.  That Shirley Temple wasn’t mine, but I was told it was very good.  The entrees were:  Grilled Chicken Greek-style Salad, A Lasagna, and mine was the Quiche.  Other sides were a House Salad, A Lentil Soup, and Sweet Potato Fries.  High marks for all!

Trafficjam