Pickling has gained tremendous popularity lately but it 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…
Eggplant, Tomato, and Yogurt dip
With the kids home for the summer, I have not been updating the blog as much as I want to but still continue to pick up fresh, bright-looking produce and stock my fridge waiting for time to appear and inspiration to strike. Yesterday, I looked in and noticed plump, petite Italian eggplant I had picked up…
Fragrant Three Spice Rice
Ingredients: Basmati rice, 1 cup Ghee, 1 tbsp. Cumin seeds, 1 tsp. Onion seeds, 1 tsp. Mustard seeds, 1 tsp. Salt Preparation: Rinse rice, cover in 2/3 water, add salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When rice is almost done (squeeze a grain of rice between fingers. The grain should be soft…
Stewed Figs with Mascarpone
Cardamom, Bitters, Honey
Karhi: Lentil Fritters with Yogurt-Turmeric Sauce
An evergreen, soul dish that is one of my favorites. The vivid color, the crunchiness of the pakora (fritter) and the velvety, cooling yogurt sauce make it the most appealing of foods. Subtle flavors pop out in a refreshing, vegetarian, gluten-free concoction. To me, for some reason, this dish is uniquely female. Traditionally, karhi is the main dish, eaten with fluffy basmati rice….
Asian Pot Roast
A slow-cooked pot roast exists in many cultures. It is simple, comforting and earthy. The South-Asian version, called Pasandey, was a staple in our home. The meat is seared and then slow-cooked in yogurt, raw and caramelized onions, garlic and lots of poppy seeds. Ingredients: 2-3 lb. grass-fed chuck roast 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 med. onion,…
Soothing Khichri
Kichri is the ultimate food. It combines the powerhouse of lentils, a source of potassium, calcium, zinc, niacin and vitamin K and rich in dietary fiber, lean protein, folate and iron, with the comforting carbohydrates of basmati rice. A whole meal with chutneys or a vehicle for carrying more spiced dishes, it is versatile and can be prepared with various ingredients that…
Vegetable Ginger Medley
This is an easy, colorful stir fry that is so full of nutrition. Ingredients: 2 carrots, peeled and diced half head broccoli, florets separated half head cauliflower, florets separated 2 inch pc. ginger, peeled and julienned half cup oil (I use refined coconut oil, all the benefits without the overpowering taste) half tsp. cumin seeds half tsp….
Chilli Hot Chocolate
The streets of NYC are hushed, blanketed, pristine and personal. Outside, the snow is chaotic, pelting the face as you step down onto a sidewalk that has no end. No traffic, only the sound of the wind, snow plows and shovels. People walking in the middle of the road, an easy camaraderie. Inside, a pot of steaming, spiced chocolate…
Beet Curry
We lived in Muscat in early childhood. The summers were bone-dry and scorching. To escape, we would travel to the equally scorching but more smoldering heat of Karachi where my aunt and grandmother lived. Their house was an updated version of a traditional South Asian home. The rooms wrapped around a courtyard that was open…
Kebab Roll
Juicy, crunchy, layered goodness.
Thoughts for You
We emerged onto FDR from the traffic snarl of First Avenue. I looked out at the sunshine dancing, glinting on the river across to the Brooklyn shoreline and let out a sigh of relief to finally be out of the doctor’s office. I relaxed into the moment. Nael had dozed off into an exhausted…
