November 2015 – Indian Culinary Center, NYC

Sweet and Sour Eggplant

November 20, 2015Leave a comment

I love eggplant. It is such a versatile vegetable and is like a sponge which takes on almost any flavor you add to it.

These are Japanese eggplant and I like them for their beautiful color and since they don’t have many seeds – they are sweeter.

You can use the globe eggplants interchangeably.

This is a really simple recipe but I absolutely love it.

Heat some oil in a pan and add sliced ginger and some green chilies to it.

Cook for a couple of minutes on a low heat to infuse the oil with the flavor.

Next add the eggplant and cook for about 10 minutes until caramelized and almost cooked.

Stir often and sprinkle some salt too.

Next I add hoisin sauce or duck sauce. A dash of vinegar and also chili powder or your favorite hot sauce.

You are going for a flavor profile that balances sweet, sour and spicy.

Taste for seasoning and serve over rice or as a side dish.

Sometimes I mash the leftovers and use it as a spread for sandwiches.

Until I cook again!

How to Make a delicious Pan Sauce in minutes

November 12, 2015July 4, 2016Leave a comment

I eat a lot of steak and prepare it very simply. A deep sear in a hot pan with salt and pepper and then create a simple pan sauce.

Bring your steak to room temperature on the counter for about an hour. Season generously with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Season in a tiny amount of oil – don’t fiddle with the steak for about 5 minutes as it cooks on one side. Walk away if you need to. Its the sear that gives flavor to the steak and the sauce.

Turn the steak over and do the same on the other side.

I don’t do this always but here I chopped up a couple of shallots and added them to the pan.

You can add a scant tsp. of flour and cook it well to create a thick sauce. I don’t always do that.

Here I did add the flour – after the flour is cooked, splash a generous amount of red wine.

Swirl it around so the wine picks up any of the fond (brown bits) off the pan.

If you have stock, add that too and now taste the sauce for seasoning. It should be well salted and now add a pat of cold butter to round off the sauce. The amount of butter is up to you but it is very important for the lovely luscious flavor.

Cook the steak to temperature and pull out. Allow it to rest at least ten minutes.

I like to finish the sauce with a couple tbs. of wine that I don’t let evaporate. It gives a winy flavor that I enjoy.

Now slice the steak and serve on a warmed plate with a choice of your sides like mashed potatoes, etc. and spoon over the sauce.

This day I just served it with a crusty baguette.

This technique can be applied to most meats, like chicken or pork.

I hope you try it.

Until I cook again!

Happy Diwali

November 11, 2015November 11, 2015Leave a comment

What is Diwali?

In short and what it means to me:

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs and some Buddhists^[14] to mark different historical events, stories or myths but they all symbolise the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, hope over despair.^[5]^[31]^[32]

The Yoga, Vedanta, and Samkhya schools of Hindu philosophy share the belief that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. The celebration of Diwali as the “victory of good over evil” refers to the light of higher knowledge dispelling all ignorance, the ignorance that masks one’s true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With this awakening comes compassion and the awareness of the oneness of all things, and knowledge overcomes ignorance. Diwali is the celebration of this inner light over spiritual darkness,^[33]^[34] knowledge over ignorance, right over wrong, good over evil.^[35]^[36]

If you want to know more :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali

My family celebrates with lighting a special candle (diya) after sundown and making an offering to Saraswati, the goddess of wealth and knowledge.

We then all dress up in our finest and enjoy a delicious vegetarian meal.

There might be pooris – fried bread with potatoes and chickpeas and other things like fritters.

https://indianculinarycenternyc.wordpress.com/2015/08/04/the-most-delicious-potatoes-ever-i-guarantee-it-aka-achaari-aloo/

Sweets are exchanged and people celebrate with fireworks.

Most households also buy things for the kitchen which inspires a flourishing family life and gold jewels for prosperity.

Whatever your beliefs, the idea of tradition, family, peace and good food should appeal to all.

Happy Diwali

Sweet and Sour and Spicy Shrimp (the much requested recipe)

November 10, 2015Leave a comment

This is an appetizer that I served at a recent dinner party.

It is packed in flavor, so easy to make and you can easy make this a main course – serve with rice or over noodles.

Simply marinate cleaned shrimp in tamarind paste, fresh ginger, your favorite hot sauce (optional), soy sauce and a touch of sesame oil.

Set aside for about 20 minutes and add chopped cilantro.

Saute in a pan with a tsp of oil. Cool until the shrimp as just opaque and then add the left over marinade with 1/2 cup of water. Taste for seasoning and serve hot.

Until I cook again!

The Simplest Chicken Curry Ever!

November 5, 2015December 8, 2015Leave a comment

An Indian curry can be made in a thousand ways. It can be very simple or highly complicated.

This is a dish I made with what I had on hand and so can you.

Most curries start with whole spices cooked in oil.

Here I have mustard oil ( you can use any oil) with cumin seeds, a bay leaf, dry red chilies and a large black cardamom (you can use the green pods). I then add a sliced onion and salt. Stir and cook for a few minutes.

The more you caramelize the onions, the deeper and richer your curry will be.

Saute the onions for just a few minutes – I am making a quick curry and so don’t brown the onions too long.

Next, I add a diced tomato and key lime pickle that I made (key limes and salt – let sit in jar for a few weeks).

Saute for a few moments. Taste the mix and add cayenne if you like and then a cup of water to create a sauce.

Let sauce simmer over low heat.

Slice a couple of chicken breasts or thighs and season with salt, cumin powder, coriander powder and cayenne pepper. Add to the simmering sauce and cook till the chicken is cooked through.

Serve over basmati rice or with bread and you have dinner in less than 30 minutes.

Until I cook again!

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