Author Archives for Swati Raje

What is Curry?

Maharashtrian Lamb Curry

“I don’t like Indian food because I don’t like curry.” This is a statement I’ve heard all too often and perturbs me each and every time.  Sometimes I will go on to challenge the statement and other times, I don’t bother. It’s like saying I don’t like Italian food because I don’t like pizza, or I don’t like Mexican food because I don’t like salsa. What I’ve also come to surmise is that most people don’t really even understand what curry is, including some famous chefs on TV shows.

Last night, my friend and I were trying to decide what to do for the evening after determining that there were no movies playing of interest to either of us.  Since there was a potential of rain, we decided that we would spend our evening making Beef Rendang, a Malaysian curry that takes several hours to cook after quite a bit of prep time.  Rendang has a blend of Indian and Thai flavors and is deliciously rich.  It was well worth the time and we had fun talking and drinking wine while we cooked together.

On my long, delayed flight to the West coast this morning I began to think about curry and that statement I’ve heard so many times, and decided to demystify the concept for you.  So let’s start off with the most important concepts you need to understand about curry: 

Curry is NOT a spice – Indians and Southeast Asians do NOT use anything called curry powder in their cooking.  This is very much a concept adapted by the British and popularized in the West Indies. 

  • Curry is NOT one universal dish – Curries come in many forms, colors and flavors so to dismiss them all as one thing would be a huge injustice.  The Malaysian rendang we made last night is very different from a Thai green curry or a Maharashtrian curry or a Goan fish curry or an Indonesian curry or Rogan Josh or Vindaloo or Laksa or Kofta curry.  Each of these is made with very different ingredients and each has a flavor all its own. North Indian curries are heavier with their use of cream and butter while South Indian curries tend to be lighter and sometimes use coconut milk. The spices and other ingredients used vary also. 
  • Curry IS a synonym for sauce or gravy.  So a dish with no gravy should NEVER be called a curry. Curried vegetables or curried chicken salad are American in their roots.  No such dishes exist in India so if that’s the flavor you don’t like, I suggest you try real curries from the various countries before deciding you don’t like curry as a whole. 
  • The word “curry” is derived from the Kari leaves that are used in many Indian sauces.  In Hindi they are called Kadhi Putta.  The Western interpretation of the word used an “R” instead.  And soon anything with a gravy was referred to as a curry.  It is very much an English word not used by any of the Indian languages 
  • Indian food is NOT just curry!!! Neither is Thai or Malaysian food. 

Even if this post doesn’t convince you love curries instantaneously, I hope that it will at least open your mind a bit and make you think about exploring the world of curries before dismissing them all because you were served curried chicken salad once and didn’t like the flavor of “curry”.  For the record, I don’t like the flavor of the curry powder spice either.

Please feel free to comment or ask questions below. I’d love to hear about your experiences or thoughts on the subject

 

 

Orange-Cardamom Panna Cotta

Last weekend, I invited a couple of friends over for a last minute dinner.  With my travels, I don’t get much time to entertain any more so spur of the moment plans are easier.

I wasn’t sure I would make a dessert but then thought of Panna Cotta since it’s a fairly easy and quick dessert to make.  As I started pulling out the ingredients, I decided to put a twist on the classic recipe. The end result was a huge success and got rave reviews from my guests and my son, who ate it a day later.  I hope you will try and make this one and let me know how it turns out in comments below.

 

 

Orange-Cardamom Panna Cotta

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

A light and refreshing dessert that requires no baking.

Ingredients

2 Cups Heavy Cream 1 Cup Coconut Milk 1/3 Cup Sugar Grated Zest of 1 Orange Juice of 1 Orange 1 Tbsp unflavored Gelatin 6-8 pods Cardamom – slightly smashed to open 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder 1 tsp Vanilla

Directions

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, heat the heavy cream, coconut milk and sugar until just hot (do not bring to a boil) stirring often.  Add orange zest and cardamom pods and allow to steep for about 20-30 minutes.  In a small heat proof pan, add the juice from the orange and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over it.  Allow to stand for 1 to 2 minutes.  Heat the pan over a low flame constantly moving the liquid until the gelatin has melted.  Do not allow to boil or overheat.  Set aside.  Reheat the cream mixture on medium high to just under a boil stirring frequently.  Remove from heat.  Add the gelatin mixture to the cream and stir well to combine.  Strain into a large measuring cup through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pods and zest.  Add cardamom powder and vanilla and stir well.  Divide evenly into 8 ramekins and chill for at least 4 hours.  When ready to serve, you can certainly eat right out of the ramekin but for a great presentation and to show the flecks of orange & cardamon as in the above photo, place each ramekin into a larger bowl of hot water for 30-45 seconds.  Invert onto a serving plate to un-mold the Panna Cotta.

Enjoy!!

Mushroom “Pappardelle” w/ Sundried Tomato Pesto

Last weekend, a friend suggested we walk over to our local winter farmer’s market since it was a beautiful day.  It’s not quite as large as we have in the summer months, but it’s a good way to support some local businesses. The winter market is housed in one of the many churches in our little suburban town where if you walk around, you’re bound to run into someone you know.  

First we stopped at the farm stands outside to pick up some interesting produce like Hannah Yams which I’d never tried before and some watermelon radishes which I generally only see served in restaurants.  We moved inside and perused through the many offerings of prepared foods like kielbasa, pastas, and baked goods eventually winding up at The Foraged Feast stand which highlights all different kinds of mushrooms.  I discovered mushrooms late in life, and today absolutely love them.  I was eyeing the King Oyster Mushrooms and began talking to the gentleman at the stand.  He suggested that I could cut the stem to resemble pappardelle pasta and make a healthier version of any dish where it is used. So of course I was on a mission because I’m always looking for healthy recipes.  I love pasta but only eat it as a rare treat any more. The next night, my son wanted steak and since I try to avoid too much red meat, I decided to treat myself to the mushrooms instead.  I would roast the Hannah yams as a side for us both along with some sauteed broccoli. 

So here’s the recipe of what I made.  It came out delicious and I didn’t feel overstuffed after eating.  I kept the mushrooms a bit firm so the texture wasn’t quite like a pasta, but they can be boiled a minute or two longer if that is your desired result.

Mushroom 'Pappardelle' w/ Sundried Tomato Pesto

  • Servings: 1
  • Print

A healthy & delicious alternative for pasta night.

Ingredients

  • 4 ozs Sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
  • 1 clove garlic roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup raw Walnuts
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 5 basil leaves
  • Olive Oil
  • 1/2 lb King Oyster Mushrooms cut lengthwise into thin slices. I removed some of the outer cap to make this work and saved them to use in an omelette for breakfast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directions

For the Pesto

In a food processor combine all ingredients except olive oil & mushrooms and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. With the food processor on low, stream in olive oil through the feeding tube and continue until  you have the desired consistency.  While I like my traditional pesto to be fairly fine, I prefer this one a bit more chunky. It’s entirely up to you.  Leftover pesto will last in a jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  This one works well as a spread on whole grain bread with some cottage cheese too.

For the “Pasta”

Bring a pot of water to a boil adding salt to taste.  Once the water is boiling, add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.  Drain and place into a serving bowl. Add 2 tbsp of pesto, stir to coat and serve.

 

 

The Complete meal – “Pappardelle”, Hannah Yams & Broccoli

  

Wild Mushroom & Polenta Casserole

For Thanksgiving this year, I started off planning to make a spoon bread recipe that I saw Michael Symon make on The Chew.  As I contemplated how I would execute it and also manage to make it in advance, I realized it just wouldn’t work from many angles.  So upon much debate with myself, I decided to change the concept to more of a casserole that could be heated and added some greens to it to make it healthy. 

Unfortunately, it was not such a big hit with the Indian crowd at the Thanksgiving table because most people of Indian origin tend to not like mushrooms.  Also, there was far too much food.  I came home with most of the pan untouched. Luckily, I was entertaining at my house the next day and even had some vegetarians in the bunch. After getting permission from my guests, I reheated my casserole and it was such a big hit that the pan was empty and I was asked for the recipe.  So this post is keeping my promise to post.

Essentially I made this in three layers – Sauteed wild mushrooms, sauteed baby greens & polenta. Next time I make it, I would change it to 4 layers by adding a thin layer of polenta at the bottom so as to hold the pieces together better during serving.  Thus, I will write the recipe this way. 

Wild Mushroom & Polenta Casserole

It is tough for me to remember the proportions so please excuse the lack of any measurements on this one.  Also, I made it to feed a crowd of 25, but hopefully anyone who normally cooks will be able to figure out what works best for the size of the casserole pan they are using.  I made a 15 X 12 X 4 casserole dish and used 4 lbs of mushrooms, 3 bags of greens, and two cups of dry polenta.

Directions

Sauteed Mushrooms

Sliced assorted Mushrooms – I used Shiitake, Oyster & Baby Bellas – sliced Olive Oil Chopped shallots Chopped garlic Crushed red pepper Dry white wine Salt & pepper to taste In a saute pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat.  Add shallots, garlic and red pepper and stir to make sure garlic doesn’t burn.  Add mushrooms.  You may have to add them in batches and allow them to reduce before adding more.  Raise the heat to medium high and stir occasionally until all liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated.  Add white wine and deglaze the pan stirring until most of the wine has evaporated such that the mushrooms are moist but not liquidy or overly dry.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside. Sauteed Greens

Assorted baby greens – I used Spinach, Kale & Swiss Chard – roughly chopped Olive oil Chopped garlic Nutmeg – preferably freshly grated Salt & Pepper to taste In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat.  Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.  Add as much of the greens as you can fit and stir with tongs. Continue to add greens in batches until they have reduced to fit in the pan.  Add nutmeg, salt & pepper.  Saute just until all leaves have wilted but remain vibrant green in color.  Set aside Polenta

Prepare polenta per package instructions by determining how much you need for the casserole pan you will use to assemble.  As you finish the polenta, stir in some grated parmesan cheese.   Assembly & Cooking

Butter your casserole dish.  While polenta is still hot, pour and spread a thin layer (about 1/4 inch thick) in the casserole dish as a base.  Then layer on the mushrooms, followed by the greens and then the remaining polenta.  You can make it up to this step in advance and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.  If refrigerating, bring to room temperature for 1 hour before.  Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Add grated parmesan and gruyere cheeses on top and bake for: 30 mins if all is freshly made, 45 mins covered followed by 15 minutes uncovered if the casserole has been previously refrigerated.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.  

Buon Appetito!!

California Road Trip : Yosemite Valley & San Ramon



From Riverside, we headed to Yosemite National Park and if you’ve read my previous post on Los Angeles & Vicinity, you know that it was quite an adventure to get there.  Thank goodness for In-N-Out burger which was our dinner on the road for the evening.  We arrived at our destination, Inn the Woods Suites, at 2am and tiredly unpacked the car before crashing for the night.  We loved this well-appointed and pristinely maintained inn.  There are only three suites available and each suite has a kitchen, two rooms, private patio and a BBQ grill.  There is a game room and beautifully maintained grounds outside.  Though, it is located 30 minutes from the south park entrance in the town of Ahwahnee, CA and quite a drive to Yosemite village, I was very happy with my decision to stay here.


Knowing restaurant options in the Yosemite Valley are limited and require some long drives, I had come prepared to cook meals during this stay.  A little research on Google ahead of time told me that there is a Vons in the town of Oakhurst about 10 minutes away so I knew I could pick up perishables after arriving.  The quick trip I had made to Cardenas Mexican market before leaving Riverside allowed me to be more creative in my meals.  This market, which is a chain all over Southern California was an incredible experience for me.  I was like a kid in a candy store as I walked through the aisles, staring at all the specialty foods and produce we don’t get to see on the East coast.  The highlight however was their fresh tortilla counter which produces and packages fresh corn, flour and other varieties of tortillas all day long.  I couldn’t resist picking up a package of large, thick, handmade corn tortillas along with some avocados for guacamole and some fresh salsa.  I had a plan for them. 


The Inn provided some fruit, muffins and oatmeal for breakfasts along with coffee, tea and creamers.  We packed our lunches to go in a backpack cooler since we planned to hike most of the day and ate on the trails.  Lunch on the first day was simple sandwiches, water and bananas.  On the second day, however, I made use of my corn tortillas by making spicy chicken burritos in the morning which I wrapped in aluminum foil.  They were so good and much better than boring sandwiches.  I simply grilled the chicken the night before alongside our dinner.  I also grilled some onion and a serrano chili.  The next morning, I simply cut everything up and put it on a roasting pan in the convection oven to reheat and then wrapped it all in warm tortillas with some fresh cilantro, sliced avocado and tomatillo salsa (also from Cardenas).  I did go a bit overboard on the serrano chile apparently, as my son (who can usually handle some heat) was unable to finish his burrito after biting into several of them.  But he did admit it tasted good which is really all that matters. 


We grilled some prime ribeye steaks and asparagus for dinner the second night and picked up some fresh sourdough bread at Vons to go with it.  I used an herb and pepper rub on the steaks and seasoned with sea salt.  The asparagus I simply grilled with some olive oil and sprinkled with salt & pepper when cooked.  A simple yet satisfying dinner paired with a lovely petite syrah from Tobin James ended the day on a very relaxed note.  On our last night, we had done far more hiking and returned fairly late.  So we decided not to cook as originally planned and instead picked up some cheeses, salami, more bread, grapes and steamed some broccoli in the microwave.  We ate this all “picnic style” while chilling out in front of the TV.

We loved our days at Yosemite National Park.  We hiked the Bridal Veil Falls trail but took it to another level by climbing on the rocks where the falls would normally flow.  My son even found a clear lake at the top since he went much higher than me.  In the summer, the falls dry up significantly leaving this “trail” made of large boulders open for the more adventurous at heart.  We also hiked to the top of Vernal Falls which is a 1000 foot vertical climb within a distance of 2.4 miles, the Mirror Lake trail with lots of wildlife present & more rocks to climb, and the Sentinel Dome trail.  To this day I can’t believe I actually did the last one.  It’s not a long trail at 1.8 miles but the steep final climb up the dome is quite daunting and even more so on the way down.  But I made it and the 360 degree view from the top made the journey worth it.  We also walked around the base village area but the true beauty of Yosemite is off the beaten tourist path.  This was my second visit and again an incredible experience especially since I got to share it with my son. 

Once again, we felt as if we hadn’t spent enough time but it was time to continue and as I drove the windy, hairpin turns through the mountains to San Ramon, the sunset made me wish I could freeze time for just a little while. 

We stayed with friends in San Ramon who I’ve known for a long time and recently relocated from the East coast to California.  Yes, I know people everywhere!!  We were only there for two nights and one full day which was actually a work day for me full of meetings, but my son had a great time touring around with my friend’s brother and his family who were also visiting from New Jersey.  Honestly, it was fun to just sit around and do nothing but enjoy the conversation with some great wines from their collection after our three days of hiking.  I cooked again one night and made chicken burritos with the remaining corn tortillas.  Since we were traveling with two coolers and freezer packs, it was easy to transport the food to each destination.  This time I added some bell peppers and a couple of other ingredients.  I also made some fresh guacamole while dinner was cooking.  The wonderful thing about eating in, is that conversations are always more comfortable and open.  And since there were other kids around, my son enjoyed a little time to escape the adult world.






















The next day we got a relaxed start after breakfast and a long walk to burn of some calories.  We made plans to see our friends again in San Francisco when we returned toward the end of our trip and hit the road again towards Napa Valley and Redwoods National Park  
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