Author Archives for Swati Raje

Weekday Chicken Curry

I have several different ways to cook Chicken Curry.  There’s no one recipe that I use and typically it depends on what I have on hand in the house and how much time I have.  This particular recipe is quick enough to make for a weeknight meal, but can be made over the weekend and eaten during the week.  It will only get more flavorful over time.  

As I’ve likely explained before, a curry is anything with a gravy.  The gravy is the curry. It is NOT a spice as many believe in the West.  Real Indian cooks never use curry powder.  We do use different masalas (spice blends) which are added to various other ingredients to form a curry.  

I took this pot of chicken curry to the office with me and it was a big hit so I promised to post the recipe on the blog.



Ingredients


6 – 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup lowfat Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp Patak brand Madras Curry Paste*
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 – 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped or mashed
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
3 Tbsp Canola oil
1 large cinnamon stick
1 medium onion finely sliced
1/2 cup unsweetened grated dry coconut*
1 large onion finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chile powder* (not the kind you use to make Texas chili)
2 Tbsp garam masala* (I used the Rajah brand. If there’s time I will make my own)
1 Tbsp salt
2 cans unsalted tomato sauce
Water as needed
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

*Available at most Indian markets

Recipe


Wash and dry the chicken thighs and place in a large glass bowl. Combine the yogurt, Madras curry paste, black pepper, garlic and ginger in a bowl adding a little water to thin out, if needed, to make the marinade.  Add the marinade to the bowl of chicken and mix thoroughly.  Set aside for at least one hour or refrigerate overnight if possible.  If refrigerating, remove and bring to room temperature one hour before cooking.

In a large dutch oven, heat the canola oil on medium high flame with cinnamon stick.  When cinnamon starts to sizzle, add the sliced onion and cook until it is golden brown being careful not to burn it.  Reduce heat if needed.  Add the coconut and stir quickly.  It will brown within 10 seconds. Immediately add the chopped onion and stir and cook for 2 minutes until the onion is translucent.  Add the turmeric, chile powder, garam masala, bay leaves & salt.  Stir well and cook until the oil starts to separate – about 3 to 4 minutes.  Turn heat to high flame.  Add the chicken thighs in one layer. Allow to brown on one side for 2 mins, then turn and brown on the other side for an additional 2 mins. Add the tomato sauce, Sriracha and enough water to just cover the chicken and stir well.  Bring to a boil, turn heat to simmer and cover.  Cook for 40 – 50 minutes until chicken is tender.  Taste to adjust seasonings adding more salt, chile powder or sriracha to suit your taste buds and heat level.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve over Basmati rice.  

To Ski or Après Ski – Adventures in Whistler BC

Blackcomb Glacier
I fell in love with skiing many years ago after a week of lessons in Canada at a resort called Gray Rocks and have enjoyed the sport more and more each year.  I am not a “lay on the beach person” and don’t find it at all relaxing and thus opt for more active vacations.  Much of my vacation time is used up each year at ski resorts.  There is something very satisfying at the end of the ski day where one has conquered a challenge or two never before undertaken such as a particularly difficult run or interesting new terrain.  Even more fun, after a tough day on the slopes, is the concept of après ski which basically involves food and drinks and fun (three of my favorite things), preferably with a group of friends in a slope side bar, restaurant, or your own condo.
Whistler Village
This past week, I went skiing at Whistler-Blackcomb in British Columbia with some friends.  My last trip to Whistler was more of a family trip with my son, and two other families who joined us.  It was equally fun but very different than this trip which was adults only.  This time I had the chance to après in a very different way, stopping for a beer or a drink and some light snacks before heading back to the condo; sometimes alone and sometimes with others.  I didn’t have to rush or worry about meeting someone or finding my son.  We each had our independent days and met up if we could without pressure.  My daily life revolves so much around a tight schedule that not being on a schedule is a wonderful treat.  That is when I feel like I’m on vacation – something I really haven’t had time to do for over a year between work and a construction project.
Whistler has a lovely village at the base with many restaurants and bars from casual food to upscale establishments.  The nice thing is, one can walk into most of them with ski boots on.  In fact, one evening, we didn’t leave the mountain until after dinner still in our ski clothes.  The base of Blackcomb is a bit quieter if you prefer to be away from the hub bub, with a few restaurant options and base area bars of its own.

 
We started our vacation by meeting in Vancouver arriving at the Pinnacle Marriott at different times and met up at breakfast the next morning.  After some smoked salmon on English muffin and tea – so very Pacific Northwest – I went for a walk along Vancouver harbor to take in the beautiful morning sunshine.  We picked up our rental car, stopped at Whole Foods for some provisions for the week and then headed to Whistler which is about a 2.5 hour drive from Vancouver.

 

Vancouver Harbor

 

Nita Lake
We arrived in the early afternoon and since our condo was not yet ready, wound up at Nita Lake Lodge on the recommendation of the front desk for some lunch.  Though their restaurant was not open, we got a nice table overlooking the lake in their lounge and ordered some sandwiches and beer.  I opted for a grilled chicken with a side salad and a local lager which was simple and yet everything seems to taste better on vacation in beautiful surroundings.  We took our time with our meals and then went for a walk along the lake enjoying views of the mountains and the beautiful houses built along the water’s edge.  After checking in and unpacking, we set off to collect our ski passes and rental equipment before settling down for the evening.  Still full from our late lunch, we opted to snack on some cheese and bread with some local wine and skipped dinner.

 

Our first day on the slopes was challenging but fun with poor visibility on the mountain which did not stop us from having a full day of playing in the snow.  We ventured all over Blackcomb mountain that day, stopping for breakfast at Glacier Creek lodge and lunch at the Roundhouse lodge, and wrapped up our day around 3:30pm when our legs were feeling tired.  Choices for breakfast and lunch on the mountain are far better at Whistler than what I’m used to at other ski resorts and go beyond the usual burgers, fries and chicken fingers.  Most of the lodges offer Noodle bowls, Pasta, Soups, and more.  The first full day on the slopes is always tiring and even more so if it’s in challenging conditions, and so we decided to cook in that evening.  We had picked up some beautiful halibut in Vancouver and decided to make Thai green curry along with some Jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk and a salad.  I wouldn’t say it was my best effort but it wasn’t bad considering I had to make do with minimal ingredients, an electric stove, and basic cooking vessels.  Sadly, in my rushed packing efforts, I forgot to include my normal stash of spices and other ingredients that I like to carry along on most trips.  But we were so hungry after our day on the slopes that we managed to finish it all any way along with a bottle of wine.
Skiing the Bowls
Made it through these trees
The next day, we signed up for “The Camp” at Whistler which is a ski coaching program that breaks you up into groups according to your ski level and provides a coach for four days.  I can ski quite well on groomed trails but don’t have much experience off-piste (ungroomed terrain).  So I was placed in a more advanced group at first, but after a very humbling day of skiing on very steep slopes and through trees, I was moved to a group more my speed the next day, though I must say I was proud to have conquered the trees for the first time.  The next four days were grueling, challenging, exhausting and the most fun I’ve had in a very long time.  I skied on a glacier, rode a T-bar without falling, skied in fresh powder as deep as my waist and became a better skier thanks to my coach, Kim.  We worked hard but also played hard.  We made new friends and après’d with them to discuss the day on the mountain, later meeting up with our own group for dinner.  Each day was a new adventure on and off the mountain.  Here are some of our après highlights including some amazing meals.
At the top of Blackcomb Glacier

 

Après Ski

View from Black’s Pub
Manhattan at Milestones
I don’t drink beer very often, but something about a nice cold one just hits the spot after skiing.  Black’s Pub, GLC and the Brewhouse are all great places to get some good local brew.  The younger crowd tends to favor the Longhorn Saloon at the base of Whistler with its heat lamps, hip vibe and music playing all day long.  Milestones at the base of Blackcomb is a bit more refined and good for cocktails and some interesting snacks too like the warm goat cheese with roasted garlic served with grilled flat bread. I accompanied it with a Manhattan while sitting under a heat lamp and watching the skiers come down the slope in front of me.   One evening we continued the fun in the condo and my friend made a baked brie with garlic and white wine which we scooped up with pieces of baguette.

Whistler Dining

We dined in twice – once on the Halibut curry mentioned earlier and another night I cooked chicken with maitake mushrooms and white wine served over a rice pilaf with steamed asparagus.  I find cooking very relaxing after a long day and enjoyed preparing both meals.  We had two very memorable dinners at Elements and Trattoria di Umberto and one not so memorable one at Legs Diamond.
Pork Belly on Bacon & Rosemary Bread Pudding
Elements is an urban tapas restaurant serving nothing like your typical Spanish or Mediterranean style tapas.  The food is very good and while there isn’t much of a wine selection, there are some interesting cocktails on the list.  We shared Duck Confit Sliders, Seared Scallops, Bruschetta, and an amazing slow cooked Pork Belly served over Bacon & Rosemary Bread Pudding with a Maple Glaze and Apple Butter. For dessert we ordered Sticky Toffee Pudding and the Peach Cobbler.  At the end of this very satisfying meal, we unanimously decided that we would have all been perfectly content with one order of the Pork Belly and one of the Sticky Toffee Pudding each.  That is how much we enjoyed these two very memorable dishes.  So much so that we went back on my last evening for the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert in an effort to try to coax the recipe out of the chef. We did not succeed and so I will now be on a mission to experiment with it on my own.

 

Sticky Toffee Pudding

 

Kitchen at Trattoria di Umberto
Trattoria di Umberto is the less formal cousin of Il Caminetto di Umberto.  If this is on a lower scale, I’d love to see what the more formal restaurant is like because this was a very nice experience in terms of ambiance, wine list, food and service.  The Sommelier recommended a nice Cabernet Sauvignon from the Okanagan region of British Columbia which was more fruit forward than most cabs I’m used to, but very good nonetheless.  I ordered a Caesar Salad and the Roasted Half Chicken which were both excellent.  My friends ordered a Tiramisu for dessert of which I tried a spoonful and can honestly say it was one of the best I have ever eaten.

 

 

Roasted Chicken with Veggies and Demi Glace
Tiramisu

 

Albacore Tuna Carpaccio
On my last day, the weather was wet, the snow difficult to traverse and my legs were tired.  After a couple of runs my non-waterproof ski jacket had allowed water to permeate to the inner layers and I was no longer a happy skier.  So, I decided to head back to the condo, changed and went for a walk in the Village.  I’m not much of a shopper but sometimes it’s fun to browse around for interesting items that you wouldn’t find in your day to day life.  After a stop to pick up some Aero bars for my son (he recently discovered how awesome they are) and a few browsing stops, I was hungry for lunch.  I walked around to check out all the options and wound up finding a recently opened wine bar.  Basalt Wine & Charcuterie is a small but inviting space with a long bar in the front and about a dozen tables.  I took a seat at the bar and the bartender, Gil, immediately greeted me with a friendly smile.  After some conversation around the food options and trying a few different wines, I ordered the Albacore Tuna Carpaccio to start, paired with a Marsanne from New Zealand.  The tuna was presented beautifully over arugula & avocado puree, and topped with roasted peppers, pickled red onion and fried capers. It was so good that I finished it in about five minutes.  Still hungry, I ordered the chicken liver mousse to follow which was served with toasted bread and mustard and topped with a berry jam.  This too was absolutely delicious and I was glad that one of my friends had joined me part way into the meal because I was full and hated to see it go to waste.  I paired the mousse with a Nero d’Avola which was a light refreshing red that worked perfectly with the dish.
Chicken Liver Mousse

 

The food at Legs Diamond, which is at the base of Blackcomb, was not bad but it wasn’t great either.  My salad was overdressed and nothing special, my one friend’s fish was way undercooked and the Beef Wellington was not quite what we expected – slices of beef with a biscuit on the side.  It was a bit underwhelming compared to the other restaurants we ate at and not one that I would likely revisit.
Overall this is was an amazing and memorable trip from all aspects – phenomenal ski conditions & experience, meeting new friends, wonderful food and a truly relaxing vacation.

 

So the next time you’re faced with the dilemma of “To Ski or Après Ski”, just do both!!

Lemon Dijon Chicken with Chinese Five Spice

For the next two weeks I am helping out some friends by staying with their two kids while they celebrate their 15 year anniversary in Bali.  In return they are providing a more convenient place for me to stay while my house is in its final stages of construction.  Luckily both the kids eat a lot of different foods and aren’t too picky so I’ve been doing a bit of cooking on their professional range and taking advantage of an extra couple of guinea pigs at my disposal. No complaints thus far I must add.

Tonight I made this recipe which they loved so much that my son asked me to write it down so I don’t forget and can make it again.  You see I’m notorious for making up recipes and then never remembering them and he has now figured this out.  The house really did smell amazing and my friends’ six year daughter even commented on the smell when she entered the house while the food was cooking.  Every plate was wiped clean at dinner and the boys even took second servings.

I hope you try this. It is quick, easy and delicious.

 

Ingredients

2 Lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 Tsps Kosher salt
1 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp Five Spice powder
¼ Cup Canola or Vegetable oil
4 – 5 cloves garlic – minced
1 medium onion – finely diced
3 carrots – peeled and cut into small dice
3 stalks celery – cut into small dice
2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
Grated zest of one lemon
2 cups chicken broth
Juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 can (15 oz) chick peas or garbanzos
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh Italian parsley to garnish (optional)

Recipe

Rinse and thoroughly dry the chicken pieces.  In a bowl combine the salt, pepper and five spice powder.  Season all the chicken pieces on all sides with the spice mix.  Heat a large braising pan on high heat and add the oil.  When the oil is very hot, sear the chicken on both sides until browned (about 2 minutes per side).  Brown the chicken in batches so as not to crowd the chicken keeping pieces in one layer.  Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.  Once all the chicken has been seared, reduce heat to medium high and add the garlic and lemon zest.  Quickly stir and immediately add the mirepoix (onion, celery & carrots) and stir so as not to burn the garlic and zest.  Add the rosemary sprigs and allow the vegetables to become soft while stirring occasionally.  You may add a touch of salt to draw out some of the moisture.  After about 5 – 6 minutes, add the chick peas and heat through about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and Dijon mustard and stir well.  Now add back the chicken pieces making sure they are mostly submerged in the liquid and bring back to a boil.  Cover and cook on simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and tender.  Season as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over steamed rice. 

Summer in the City : Part 3 : Portland Maine

 
With my home under construction this summer, I have not been able to travel as much as I’d like.  Last week I had to pick up my son from camp in Portland Maine and decided to take advantage of the opportunity to rent an apartment for the week prior, and work from a different city instead of my mother’s kitchen table which has been my temporary office for the past few months.  There are advantages and disadvantages to working from home.  Being able to move my office to varied locations is certainly a wonderful perk. 
 
I started early from home and was prepared for my six hour drive.  Unfortunately I didn’t realize the extent of the traffic from Connecticut to Maine which is only exacerbated on the first day of August as it is the day that the monthly rentals turnover.  By 3pm I had barely crawled into New Hampshire with only one quick bathroom break and a growling stomach.  As I came upon the exit for Portsmouth, NH I saw the completely stopped traffic heading to the Maine border and decided I’d had enough.  I took the exit and went on a mission to find some food.  I wanted to sit outside since it was a beautiful day and wound up at Martingale Wharf on Bow Street.  Though they didn’t have any seating available outside, their bar was open to the outside and looked like a good place to hang my hat while the traffic subsided.  I ordered a salad with grilled chicken and a light beer and hung out for an hour or two chatting with some other tourists and the bartenders.  After walking around a bit, I grabbed a coffee to go and hit the road.  Traffic gone by now, I arrived in Portland within two hours.
 
My apartment was quite nice but was a third floor walkup so by the time I had unloaded my car, I had gotten enough exercise to make up for the car sitting I had done all day.  After getting myself organized and unpacked, I headed to Trader Joe’s and Hannaford’s to pick up some necessities including a frozen pack of Chicken Tikka Masala (how great is Trader Joe’s?) for dinner that evening.  I was too tired to go hunt down a restaurant. 
 
It was a wonderful week with near perfect weather.  I spent Sunday biking around Portland with a group to visit five lighthouses, and took Monday off to visit Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park where I hiked the carriage roads.  I walked the Back Cove Trail every morning before starting my work day which is a 3.5 mile walking trail around a beautiful cove.  I walked into the port area every evening either for dinner or just to have a glass of wine if I planned to cook dinner in.  I even managed to catch up to a work colleague from Boston for a business lunch in Kittery, MA with a stop in Kennebunkport on the way back.  Of course the week consisted of some wonderful food and here are some of the culinary & other highlights.
 

Within Portland

Summer Feet Cycling – 5 Lighthouse Bicycle tour

I found this company on Trip Advisor and booked in advance.  This was such a well-organized and fun way to get to know the city.  The lighthouses were very interesting and something that I’m fascinated by as I’m not sure how much longer many will be in existence.  Our guides, Norman and Mike, were friendly & knowledgeable and made the day a lot of fun.  Summer Feet also does tours in Canada and Europe and I would definitely book another bicycle tour with them in the future.
 
 

Bite into Maine – Fort Williams Park

One of the stops along the bike tour was Fort Williams Park where we ate our tour provided lunch which was touted to be “the best lobster roll”.  I can’t say that I’ve had very many to compare.  In fact I’ve only had one other lobster roll in Boston and I didn’t like it.  I’m not really a fan of lobster anyway, but the roll in Boston had way too much mayonnaise and not much flavor.  But I didn’t want to leave Maine without giving this local staple another chance.  I chose the Picnic Roll which was a butter-toasted frankfurter roll, spread with a bit of cole slaw at the bottom and then piled high with fresh steamed lobster.  A drizzle of melted butter topped the whole mound.  All I can say is that this was the best lobster roll I’ve ever had – the lobster was sweet and perfectly cooked, the cole slaw added a nice crunch, the roll itself was buttery and crispy and how could you possibly go wrong with melted butter?  I didn’t dare try another that week and so it will hold the status as “the best” for me.  They also have options with mayo or wasabi mayo or just butter.  The line of people waiting to get one is likely a good indication of its ranking in the lobster roll wars.
 

 

 

Standard Baking Company – Commercial Street

All I have to say is awesome Molasses cookies!!  The bike tour served them for our dessert after the lobster roll and I loved them so much that I went and bought more to take home.  I rarely eat cookies but these are soft and chewy and spicy and perfect with an afternoon cup of tea.  The Bakery also has amazing breads, tarts and croissants which my son had later in the week after I picked him up.
 

Vena’s Fizz House – Soda shop with Mocktails & Cocktails – Fore Street

I spent a few hours one afternoon working from here as they had wifi available for me.  What was great was that I could drink non-alcoholic beverages and eat some small bites while I was working and then switch to the most special gin & tonic I’ve ever had after 6pm.  While I sat I chatted with other visitors and tourists which is always a lot of fun and a great learning experience.  I also had some great conversations with Steven, who co-owns and operates Vena’s with his wife.  A former school teacher who was a victim of budget cuts, he now specializes in mixing cocktails and mocktails using the 150+ types of bitters, shrubs and syrups he stocks and sells from the front store.  The mocktail I had was called a Kundalini-tini made with Raspberry shrub (normally made with a raspberry syrup but since I wanted something not too sweet, it was switched to a shrub), blood orange, ginger & ghost chili bitter.  It was refreshing and tart with just a hint of heat at the end from the ghost chili.  A shrub, by the way is equal parts vinegar, fruit juice and sugar whereas a syrup would not have vinegar.  To make a gin & tonic, Steven uses Back River Gin from Maine which can only be purchased in that state, elderflower tonic syrup, lavender/hibiscus bitters, lime juice and a bit of seltzer.  This really brings out the true taste of the gin and the tonic rather than the overly sweet taste one gets from commercial tonic waters.  The other flavors only enhance the experience of this wonderful summer cocktail.

 
Note: If you go across the street to Sweetgrass Distillery, you can do a tasting of Back River Gin along with some other spirits including a fine sipping vermouth which makes a killer martini when combined with the gin.  The vermouth has just a hint of cardamom flavor which I found very unique. 
 

Emelitsa – Congress St – Upscale Greek Cuisine

I almost did not eat here due to the snubbed service I witnessed (see note at end) when I walked in to make my reservation.  I’m glad I opted to overlook the typical New England aloofness from wait staff and enjoyed a really delicious meal here.  I ordered their lamb sliders, some whipped goat cheese with grilled pita and an asparagus salad.  To accompany I had a crisp glass of Moschofilero. I’ve had a few friends traveling to Greece this summer and seeing their photos on Facebook had me reminiscing of my own travels there, but mostly just craving the amazing food of the Greek Isles.  This restaurant came as close as it could to transport me for a few hours.  The actual service was a bit better and the owner, who stopped by all the tables, is very friendly.  He even thought I was Greek.
 

 

 

MJ’s Wine Bar – Free Street

This is a great place to go hang out after work for happy hour or even later in the evening to just relax.  They have a nice selection of wines by the glass along with cheese plates and other small bites.  Many evenings they have live music and host wine tastings.  It’s clearly a friendly neighborhood wine bar as I noticed many of the patrons appeared to know each other and the owner.  This was the only place in Portland I went to more than once….but then again it IS a wine bar.
 

Sebago Brewery & Pub – Fore Street 

We stopped here for an afternoon snack and drinks because we had just walked out of Central Provisions where the service was non-existent and we were left waiting for over 15 minutes with no attention, menus or even a smile.  I wanted to sit outside and have someone friendly take care of me for a change and Sebago was just the right place.  Our server was great and very personable.  I ordered a flight of four beers to try while my son had an Arnold Palmer which has now become his drink of choice.  We also ordered beer battered halibut bites and a lobster & brie flatbread.  I wasn’t so sure about the flatbread but it was quite good.  We had the energy we needed to go explore more of the city for the rest of the day.

 

 

Timber Steakhouse – Exchange Street


My son’s camp had him biking from Boston to Bar Harbor in a period of three weeks.  He carried all his own gear, shopped & cooked for his own food and camped at campsites each night.  With no refrigeration options, the food was limited and for someone with a palate like my son’s I’m amazed he survived.  When I asked what he wanted to eat for dinner the day I picked him up, his first response was “Indian food” but knowing that wasn’t going to be very possible till we went home, he immediately said “steak”.  Our waiter at the Sebago Brewery Pub recommended Timber to us.  While not inexpensive, the food and service here are very good.  I had a steak tip salad while my son had the full plate of steak tips with the works and dove right in when the plate arrived.  He actually wanted a filet but it was quite a large portion at 10oz. and so the tips were a good compromise.
 

Outside Portland

Jack Russell’s Steakhouse – Bar Harbor

This is a nice little local, off the main drag, restaurant that I walked to from my hotel.  Most notable items I had were the hand cut fries (and I rarely eat fries much less finish them) and the excellent Manhattan that Michelle behind the bar made for me.
 

Robert’s Maine Grill & Bob’s Clam Hut – Kittery ME

Robert’s Maine Grill isn’t anything special and the mussels I ordered came half inedible as they had not opened but they do have a nice deck upstairs and when the weather is nice and you have good company, it’s ok to overlook the food once in a while.  My colleague’s lobster roll was apparently quite good.  If you like fried clams, go to Bob’s clam hut.  They are perfectly cooked, crispy and not greasy with lots of flavor.  I stopped there before I left Kittery (still hungry after only eating half my mussels) and got a small order upon the recommendation of a contributor on a food group I belong to on Facebook.  Thanks Rajeev!!
 

Rococo Artisan Ice Cream – Kennebunkport ME

Much like lobster and cookies, I don’t eat a lot of ice cream.  Let’s face it, the older you get, these foods go directly to the gut and so I’m careful and only indulge when it’s truly worth it.  This ice cream was truly worth it and I made it a point to do a second lap of the Back Cove Trail that evening to burn it off. I tasted all of their interesting and unique flavors and settled on half guava and half avocado/cayenne on a sugar cone.  I can’t eat ice cream in a cup.  There’s something about the messiness of it dripping down my hand in the hot sun that just signifies summer for me.  I ate this so fast that there were no drips and no time for photos.  I didn’t care for the touristy town of Kennebunkport but a detour to Rococo is definitely worth it if you are in this area.
 
Some restaurants I wanted to try in Portland but didn’t get to:  Boda Thai, Fore Street, Back Bay Grill, Duckfat, Ono and Little Tap House.
 
One note on restaurant service in Maine that I posted on Facebook is that it is generally aloof and cold.  There are some places like Vena’s, Timber and Sebago that are exceptions but for the most part I found that I needed to practically beg to be noticed.  No one smiles when you walk in, if you sit at the bar  you have to send up smoke signals to get the attention of the bartender and some places like Central Provisions are just plain rude.  They act as if they’re doing you a favor by providing what little attention they muster up.  The hostess at Emelitsa’s rudely turned away an older couple at 5pm telling them that they were booked for the evening despite many open tables.  She also told them that they didn’t serve food at the bar though when I returned for my dinner later that evening, the bar was packed with diners.  All I can say is this may be the way in New England but in comparing to the Portland on the west coast, which I frequent, I’d rather have a smile and good service any day of the week.  It was the single thing that put a slight damper on the whole week, but I still made sure I had a good time.  It was too beautiful not to.
 
I cooked two meals while I was in Portland – a fusion fried rice with chicken and vegetables and a lobster and preserved lemon fettucine for lunch the day I picked up my son.  I had carried the preserved lemon with me from a jar I recently made.  I will post these recipes for you in the coming days as both were delicious if I do say so myself.
 

 

I would really enjoy going back and spending more time in Bar Harbor and do more hiking at Acadia National Park.  

Summer in the City – Part 2 : Lancaster PA

I originally planned this series to reflect only New York City but have since changed my mind after realizing that I would be traveling to quite a few surrounding cities this summer also.  
This weekend we traveled to visit friends in Lancaster, PA.  The trip had been planned for a while and had a twofold purpose – take my son to visit Gettysburg National Park and hold an Indian food cooking lesson for my friend, H, who is a huge foodie.  Since this is a food blog, I will focus on the latter rather than provide any history lessons.
The planning started with a trip to an Indian Grocery store in Edison, NJ (I went to Patel Bros) to buy packets of all the common spices and ingredients that we would need not only for the dinner, but also for my friend’s pantry since they’re not readily available to them.  I also prepped and marinated cubes of beef round to make a vindaloo.  I opted for beef since they preferred not to have lamb which would be the normal choice of meat.  I sent my friend a list of things to get that wouldn’t travel well and we were set with a menu:
Appetizer : Maharastrian style spicy Shrimp with Puff Parathas & Papadum
Dinner : Beef Vindaloo, Sauteed Ivy Gourd (aka Tindora or Tondlee), Cucumber Raita & Basmati Rice
Dessert : Gulab Jamun (cheated on these and bought canned)
Ivy Gourd, Beef Vindaloo & Basmati Rice
We got a later than anticipated start on Friday afternoon and spent some time in traffic before arriving in Lancaster three plus hours later.  It was late but since all were in agreement we proceeded with the cooking lesson.  It was so much fun as I unpacked all the spices and explained their use over a glass of Lillium Pinot Noir.  I got started on the papadum to quiet the hungry stomachs and then continued on with the remainder of the meal.  When finished we had a delicious dinner and a lot of laughs.

The Star of the Show


Lancaster Central Market
We awoke early on Saturday and made a trip to the Lancaster Central Market which is the oldest and longest running market in the U.S.  I loved walking through the aisles drooling over all the local produce and other foods.  We made a few purchases and walked around the downtown area for a bit before returning to watch the Wimbledon match.  The remainder of the day was spent at Gettysburg National Park with my son which was a very interesting and moving experience.  If you haven’t been there recently, I highly recommend it.

Slabs of bacon at Central Market
















When we returned, my friends had prepared for us a wonderful dinner of grilled bone-in pork chops (bought at the market earlier) simply seasoned with salt, pepper & Italian seasoning, asparagus sautéed with garlic, lemon zest & parmesan cheese. My student had also decided to attempt to make the shrimp appetizer learned from the evening prior which turned out equally delicious. She even elevated it a bit by using cookie cutters to make smaller parathas and placed one shrimp with a bit of sauce on each.  Tired after a long day, we all turned in early with satisfied stomachs.
















It had been a memorable weekend of wonderful food shared with friends.  After another Wimbledon match on Sunday, we said our goodbyes and headed to Frenchtown, NJ for a bike ride along the Delaware-Raritan Canal Towpath to burn off some of the calories.
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Here are some of the recipes we made:

Maharashtrian Style Spicy Shrimp


Ingredients:

1 lb extra large shrimp – peeled and deveined
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp red chili powder
2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup tamarind pulp (see below)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
5 or 6 kefir lime (curry) leaves – cut into strips
1 medium onion – finely chopped
½ cup diced tomatoes (recommend grape tomatoes if you can’t find ripe Romas)
Small bunch cilantro – chopped

Recipe:

Place shrimp in a non-reactive bowl (stainless or glass).  Add turmeric, chili powder, garlic, salt & black pepper and mix to coat evenly with all the spices.  Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat a skillet or fry pan over medium high heat.  While pan is heating, add 1 Tbsp of the tamarind pulp to the shrimp and stir to coat.  Once pan is hot, add the olive oil and allow to heat for a few seconds.  Once hot, use tongs to add shrimp to the pan one at a time.  Sear on each side for no more than 20 seconds, remove onto a plate and set aside.  Do this in batches if cooking more than 1 lb of shrimp so that each one touches the pan bottom.

Keeping the pan on the heat, add the canola oil and the mustard seeds.  Once the mustard seeds start to sizzle and pop, add the kefir lime leaves and quickly step back as they will splatter.  When they stop splattering, add the onion and stir fry for 1 – 2 minutes until it is soft and translucent.  Add the tomatoes and stir for another 30 seconds.  Add the remaining tamarind pulp and stir.  If the result appears too dry, you can add a bit of water one Tbsp at a time to get to a thick gravy consistency.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add the shrimp.  Cook for another 1 – 2 minutes until shrimp are cooked through.  Do not overcook as shrimp will get tough.  Garnish with cilantro.

Serve with parathas, French bread or nothing at all. We served ours with Puff Parathas that were frozen and cooked over skillet.  The brand I buy is Mirch Masala.  You can also serve this as a main course over rice.

Note: For added heat to this dish, you may add 1 or 2 finely chopped Thai green chilies with the kefir lime leaves.
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Tamarind Pulp – Dried tamarind can be bought in blocks about the size of a deck of cards.  For this recipe, I took a quarter of the block and put in a bowl of boiling hot water and let it sit for 30 – 45 minutes until very soft.  Then I passed it through a sieve/strainer to remove all the pod solids with the paste as an end result.  Leftovers can be used to marinate other meats or fish before grilling.  Tamarind is high in acid and a great tenderizer.  It flavors seafood like nothing else adding a sweet & sour punch.
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Basic Cucumber Raita


Ingredients:

1 large English cucumber – grated (I don’t peel mine)
1 garlic clove – mashed into a paste
1 Tsp salt
Pinch of sugar
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp coriander powder
1 Cup yogurt – if using Greek yogurt, you may need to thin it out with water
7 – 8 sprigs cilantro finely chopped
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and chill until ready to serve. Adjust seasoning to taste.
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Beef Vindaloo


This recipe is similar to my CKP Style Lamb recipe which has been previously posted.  The only thing different is the marinade for the beef.  For 2.5 pounds of beef round cubes, I used the following proportions for the marinade:

3 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp red wine (use any leftover drinking quality wine)
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp Sriracha sauce

Combine everything in a large Ziploc bag, seal and mix to coat beef thoroughly.  The rest of the recipe is the same as the lamb recipe including the garam masala which I made fresh. 

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