mooli.life

Cooking for the times: Two Peas and Beets

A can of chickpeas, another of black-eyed peas and a beet. These are the things that I jumped out at me when looking for lunch. Good enough. Ingredients: Chickpeas Black-eyed peas Beet, boiled/ roasted and cut into small bites Onion, diced Tomato, diced coriander leaves, chopped green chilli, sliced dried pomegranate seeds (for tanginess and…

Cooking for the times: Roasted Cauliflower

As more online grocery services now show a dwindling inventory of fresh produce and no delivery dates in the near future. While grocery stores are now likely unsafe, really one of the few places where people are still in such close proximity, some with no masks or gloves, use of kitchen ingredients is getting more…

Little Rainbows

I felt especially cooped up today. Went for a run in the morning. Paranoia has a way of creeping in till you are behaving in a way alien to yourself. The moment I stepped out and put on my headphones, I teared up. The world felt strange and ominous and so very loved and missed….

Turmeric Ginger Pickle

Times are strange. We are all home. Sheltering ourselves from what seems like the malignant outside. Covid-19 has put to bed the city that took pride in never sleeping. There is a pause everywhere, like we are holding our breath, waiting for the next thing to unfold. A morbid fascination to turn on the news….

Swiss Chard and Garam Masala Butternut Squash

The farmer’s market this Sunday was bursting with seasonal greens and all sorts of delicious vegetables. I was late to get Nael from a sleepover so quickly picked some that caught my eye, ‘Orange Fantasia’ swiss chard (delicate, bright yellow/ orange stalks more tender than the red variety), bright fragrant turmeric root, freshest baby greens…

Finding Courage

I stood at the door frozen, unable to enter my empty apartment. As if by doing so, I would be trailing in dirt, defiling a sanctuary. Just 10 minutes ago, as I got off the bus into the midday madness of traffic across the street from home, I had received a callback for follow up…

Crisp Bitter Gourd

Crunchy Karela We are not born with a love of bitter. The taste for coffee, dark chocolate, bitter greens develops over time, if at all. Taste buds get seasoned and crave complex flavors. For most of us bitter emerges after sweet, savory and sour. The bold, beautiful bitter gourd falls squarely in this category and…

Perfect Eggs- boiled, fried and scrambled

My instagram is full of posts about eggs. Maybe it has something to do with the new year, a new start. Of coming back to basics with the most versatile food of all. Dress them up deliciously or elevate them by keeping it simple. Use them to make other ingredients shine or provide a side…

Meat Croquettes

A delicious bonus of making broth at home is that you are left with a lot of roasted, melt-in-your-mouth meat. Nicely browned and moist, it is perfect for preparing mini meatballs for the kids or adults to enjoy alike. Ingredients: 3 cups or more of shredded meat 1 medium boiled potato 2-3 minced garlic cloves…

Slow-Cooked Baby Turnips

These absolutely delicious-looking Hakurei turnips at the local grocery inspired me to do a simple dish with Japanese flavors. A soy glaze (a high-quality store-bought brand works) instead of soy sauce gave it beautiful depth and added the salty, sweet and sour components while dark sesame oil brought a delectable smokiness. Ingredients:1 bunch baby turnips…

Borscht

The first time I had Borscht was in 2000. We lived in a one bedroom apartment on the Westside behind the Theatre District. The place I had it at was the Russian Vodka Room, better known by its moniker, ‘Attitude Adjustment Hour’. Velvet curtains parted to steps leading down to a curvy bar, banquettes, and a piano….

Fermented Turnip Pickle

Shaljam Ka Achar Pickling has existed as a way of food preservation since antiquity. Unpredictable weather and long travel made it necessary to find a way to make food last longer. Pickles are in the Bible and the works of Shakespeare. Cleopatra treasured them as a secret to her beauty and Colombus used them to prevent…