This is the 2nd post in a new series here on my friends' fabulous cooking! Last week, I put out a recipe for a butternut squash and spinach curry with coconut milk by my friend Jayanthi. So many people have already told me or messaged me that they have made the dish with great results! I got some questions about whether or not I tested the recipes myself too, and YES! All the recipes on this site, including on this series, are tested by me, more than once. Many times, recipes need to be tested over and over when it's an original creation. In this case, I am testing a recipe that is already ... read more
How to Use Smoked Paprika and a Recipe for Smoky Beluga Lentils
There are certain spices in a pantry worth having because the spice alone can take the dish to another level. Not a lot of spices can do that truly by themselves. Sometimes a fresh herb can, like fresh basil or tarragon, but when it comes to dried spices, not many can do what smoked paprika does by itself. Here you'll learn why you should just buy/use this one spice today to take this week's meals up a notch. Spanish smoked paprika, or Pimenton de la Vera, lends a depth to dishes by way of an earthy, woodsy flavor, and of course some not-so-subtle smokiness.The small red chilis are actually ... read more
Iced Masala Chai
Moments of proffered praise ebb and flow in a career. When they validate a dream, a new or second career, or a vision that you've been naively following, these moments bring a reality with it. The thought that I am really doing the right thing. I am following my heart, my passion. Two events happened in the last few days. First, I taught a small private class again this week. The feelings and love it evoked from my students brought my passion to life, as do many of my classes. I received praise on social media for my efforts. I received lauds from the students the night of the class. The ... read more
Cumin, Roasted Please.
There is no such thing as a small bottle of cumin powder or even a tin of it in the masala dabba (aka masala box) in my mom's kitchen drawer. Surprised? She is Indian after all. She's a Gujarati Indian and many of the Gujarati Indians that I knew growing up use dhaana-jiru, a blend of varying ratios of ground coriander and ground cumin. A larger jar of this staple spice, whose fragrance escapes quickly upon opening, sits in the pantry next to all the other jars of spices. Smaller tins are kept near the stove in the masala dabba for easy access. Whole cumin seeds also ... read more
Spices Within Your Reach: Masala Box or Masala Dabba
Usually holding about 7 spices or spice blends (masala), the masala dabba is buried in every Indian cook's drawer space near the stovetop. It is a plate-sized stainless steel lidded container with a circle of small tins adjacently seated, surrounding one tin in the middle, much like members of a circular audience watching a central stage. Not kept airtight as you would suspect spices should be, the dabba is a place to store a few week's worth spices nearby, therefore avoiding having to do any kind of mise en place prepping for the cooking process. Why mise when masala's right ... read more
