Pancakes, waffles, omelets, most breakfast dishes are also perfect for dinner. One of the most common Indian breakfast dishes that my mother used to make for dinner is Batata Poha (pronounced: puhwa). The ingredients in this vary slightly based on region and household but the two staring ingredients are always the same: batata, meaning potato, and poha, meaning flattened, dry rice. As a kid, I would always try to take a few extra potato cubes when my mother was not looking. Our Gujarati version has a twist. It is spicy and tangy but not overly sweet. My mother omits the sugar completely while I like to add just a hint of it to brighten the other flavors. This tasty dish is filling, easy to make, and always comforting. More
Do you ever have days when you just cannot figure out what to make for dinner? Last night, I knew I wanted something spicy and cheesy for dinner but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I had spinach wraps, baby bella mushrooms, jalapenos, and Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos in my fridge so quesadillas were the obvious choice. I sauteed the mushrooms with freshly ground toasted cumin to bring out their earthy flavors and to compliment the heat from the jalapenos. It’s a subtle, warm touch that brightens the whole dish. These crunchy creations would be great any time of the day, as a meal or a snack. More
Decadent, creamy, heavenly… No words can justly describe a delectable spoonful of Nielsen’s Frozen Custard. Maithil’s friend took us to this laid-back, old-fashioned frozen custard shoppe in Vienna, Virginia for a mid-afternoon treat during our recent visit to the D.C. area. The menu offers several concoctions in the form of custard sandwiches, concretes (similar to a McFlurry or a Dairy Queen Blizzard), or a straight-up large scoop in a cup or a cone. Maithil and I shared a cup of the flavor of the day, Oreo, topped with almonds and walnuts. Smooth and not-too-sweet (and not-too-cheap), it was better than any frozen yogurt or ice cream I had ever had. Plus, a board behind the counter stated that it has less fat than ice cream, which only adds to its amazing factor. The only downsides are that they are not open on Sundays and they do not have a location in NYC or NJ, just one other in Las Vegas. If only I could have brought home a quart full. Just thinking about it is making my mouth water.
Friday was my kind of snow day. Well any day that I get to fill the apartment with the warm aroma of freshly baked cookies is my kind of day. Chocolate chunk seemed like they would fill me with guilt and oatmeal raisin seemed too boring. Then, I came across a recipe for Cindy Mushet’s Cherry Oatmeal Cookies from her book, The Art and Soul of Baking. Serious Eats described them as “rich and buttery” with “plenty of nice chew.” My adapted version, with anti-oxidant filled dried cranberries (craisins) and bittersweet dark chocolate chunks were crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. I ate two when they first came out of the oven. They have oatmeal so they have to be somewhat healthy, right? Plus they smelled divine, I bet you would not have been able to resist either! Delicious with or without a tall glass of milk. More
Whenever I make a carb-loaded dinner, I try to make a side or appetizer that makes me feel a bit less guilty. Veggies always seem to do the trick. My most recent successful creation only requires 7 simple ingredients and takes no more than 20 minutes. The ingredients include: More
Being an only child, I never had to share a room. Until boarding school. While most children get their own rooms as they get older, I got a roommate, Liz Friedman, in my very early teens. In fact, we were one of the only roommate pairings that decided to live together for three out of our four years. More
Happy Diwali! Today is Diwali, a five day celebration also known as the festival of lights, in the Hindu calendar; the literal translation from Sanskrit is row of lights. Small clay lamps are lit and kept on throughout the night, and one’s house is cleaned in an effort to drive away any evil spirits and pay respect to the Gods. People especially invite the goddess Lakshmi into their homes for wealth and prosperity for the upcoming year.
The occasion is commemorated by exchanging sweets, presents and good wishes, wearing new clothes, and spending time with family. We celebrated Diwali with a family dinner this weekend, complete with a variety of sweets. May your year ahead be filled with lots of joy, light, love and success!
Potato and Pea + Spinach and Paneer Samosas with spicy and sweet sauces
Prep for homemade Chili Garlic Cilantro Naan
Naan being cooked in a cast iron pan and wrapped in foil to keep it warm; to be eaten with Paneer Tikka Masala, Phool Mutter Aloo, and Rajma
Prep for Paneer Tikka Masala
Paneer Tikka Masala
Phool Mutter Aloo (Cauliflower, Peas and Potatoes, cooked with spices and tomatoes)
Rajma (kidney beans stewed in spices and a tomato based gravy)
Some of the sweets: Indian Fruit Salad (fruit salad with nuts, fragrant spices, milk and custard) and Spiced Dates
Mohanthal (graham flour fudge), my mother-in-laws incredible recipe, being set before it is cut into squares
Each of my four sisters-in-law have certain specialties when it comes to the kitchen. Hireni, the middle child, is never afraid to try something new. She loves finding interesting recipes and adding her personal touches to them. What I admire most is that Hireni never shies away from complicated, time consuming dishes, especially if she knows that the end result will be divine. This weekend, in honor of her husband’s birthday, some of the menu items included a warm and decadent Spinach and Artichoke Dip, an Arugula, Goat Cheese and Beet Salad with walnuts, dried cranberries, and slightly tart green apples, and the crowd-pleasing, oozing-on-the-inside Chocolate Lava Cake, topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. I was blown away by the creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip. It was, without a doubt, better than any restaurant chain version I’ve ever had. Served with black bean tortilla chips, this is recipe is the ideal starter and/or game-day snack.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Beet Salad with walnuts, dried cranberries, and slightly tart green apples
Chocolate Lava Cakes, ready for the oven
Chocolate Lava Cake, topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream
*All of the pictures were taken and altered with Instagram
Last week was National Chocolate Week in the UK. To celebrate stateside, Maithil and I made it a point to indulge in something chocolaty each day. Our favorite sweet tooth pleaser was the swirly Chocolate Babka, bought from Zabar’s. A cross between bread and cake, a slice of this Eastern European loaf, created by Green’s in Williamsburg, hits the spot any time of the day, straight-up or with tea or coffee. I loved having a sizable, flaky, yeasty, melt-in-your-mouth piece for breakfast each morning.
Chocolate or vanilla? I’ve always been more of a chocolate girl, especially when it comes to cake. You can never go wrong with a double layer chocolate cake with a creamy chocolate frosting and a cold glass of milk. The first time I ever had, what is now, my favorite chocolate cake, I was shocked to find out that it was from the bakery at Wegmans. I thought for sure that my sister-in-law was tricking me. How could this masterpiece not be from a gourmet bakery, costing at least three times the Wegmans fare. Rich, moist, decadent, not overly sweet, with notes of dark chocolate – Wegmans, you have a fan for life.
