Cauliflower, broccoli and potato curry is a dish I had at my friend Radhika’s home when we all went over for dinner recently. Radhika had made a traditional South Indian Tamil meal for the evening that was outstanding. One of the veggie dishes was a broccoli cauliflower and potato curry that was so good that Rani was having seconds and thirds. It seems this curry is a favorite of Radhika’s two sons and is a dish that Radhika’s Father used to make when she was young. Continue reading Cauliflower Broccoli & Potato Curry
Tag Archives: Indian food
Dinner at John and Lorraine’s in Vancouver, Canada.
On day four of our Vancouver summer holiday we had dinner at Hitesh’s long time friend John’s home. John is Hitesh’s elementary school friend from Kenya who now lives in Vancouver, Canada. The two grew up together in Mombasa, Kenya and were best friends until they graduated high school. After high school Hitesh came to study at University of Texas at Austin and then started working in Santa Cruz, California, while John went to college in London and then moved to Canada for work. Both got married and had a family and through it all they have kept in touch. They have been friends for over 40 years! Pretty awesome! When John heard we were coming to Vancouver for a holiday he invited us for diner at his home, how could we resist? Continue reading Dinner at John and Lorraine’s in Vancouver, Canada.
Mattar Paneer. Spiced Peas and Paneer
This recipe is for the very popular Indian dish called mattar paneer (peas and paneer). Mattar paneer is a North Indian green peas curry delicately spiced and cooked with paneer cheese. Mattar paneer is one of the easiest and quickest curries to make and tastes positivity delicious. Matter paneer tastes wonderful with chapati, as a stuffing inside a burrito, or even to have as a side dish with chicken or fish. Continue reading Mattar Paneer. Spiced Peas and Paneer
Fresh Corn and Carrot Salad with Toasted Red Chili Oil
Sweet and mild and lightly seasoned with toasted red chillies and mustard seeds, this is one delicious salad that goes perfectly with any meal. The sweetness of carrots and corn, smoky red chilli oil and cumin, and the tang of lemon juice all give this salad that sweet, spicy, sour type of balance that is refreshing and delicious. My friend Radhika had made this outstanding fresh corn and carrot salad as part of a scrumptious South Indian vegetarian Tamil dinner. Continue reading Fresh Corn and Carrot Salad with Toasted Red Chili Oil
Yogurt Rice
Yogurt rice has to be the most ubiquitous rice dish in South Indian Tamil homes. Every Tamilian ends their meal be it lunch or dinner with yogurt rice. Basically it’s white rice mixed with plain yogurt – that’s it. Yogurt rice is such an integral part of a Tamilian daily menu that even as toddlers yogurt rice is one of the first solid foods that are given to children. Yogurt rice makes a perfect summertime meal. It’s typically served at room temperature or the preferred way is cold. I grew up with yogurt rice and I have passed on the love of yogurt rice onto Hitesh and my kids. When I make yogurt rice for dinner I always get a unanimous “Yes, yogurt rice!” reaction. Continue reading Yogurt Rice
Tomato Pachdi. Tomato Salad with Toasted Mustard Seeds
Pachdi is a South Indian Tamil salad in which raw vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and carrots are seasoned with mustard seeds, asafetida, and curry leaves that are toasted in oil. Pachdi is typically served as a side dish along with the main meal. Here is a recipe for a very simple tomato kosumalli. Continue reading Tomato Pachdi. Tomato Salad with Toasted Mustard Seeds
Kossumali. Tamil Mixed Veggie Salad with Cannelloni Beans
Here is a salad with a south Indian Tamil twist just by adding mustard seeds and asafetida oil. These two spices along with a few lentils can transform any salad into a traditional Tamil salad called kosumalli. I had a variation of kosumalli when we went for dinner at our friends Padmini and Naresh’s home one evening that was made with cannelloni beans, peppers, tomatoes, and fresh corn. This salad was fresh, filling, and packed with flavor. Continue reading Kossumali. Tamil Mixed Veggie Salad with Cannelloni Beans
Raw Mango Chutney & Sweet Apple on Baguette
If you are looking for an artsy avant garde appetizer that tastes outstanding then this recipe is for you. Sour from the raw mango, sweet from the apples, and delicious from the addition of green chillies and onions. This is the type of unique appetizer that comes from Indians who lived in Morocco and now live here in the Bay Area- a true global background my friend Radhika and her Mom have. Continue reading Raw Mango Chutney & Sweet Apple on Baguette
Cauliflower Potato Curry in Tomato Gravy
The aroma of cauliflower and potatoes cooking with onions and spices in a saucy tomato gravy always makes me smile 😊. I fondly remember my Mom making this cauliflower potato curry when I was growing up. When Mom served the curry in little stainless steel bowls along with her warm homemade chapatis, we would take pieces of chapati and dunk them in the tomato gravy and then eat spoonfuls of tender cauliflower potato curry. The tomato sauce is what gives the curry a nice tangy sourness that is yummy. Mom used to call this cauliflower curry “raswala cauliflower sabzi” translation “cauliflower curry in gravy.” Oh how fondly I remember my younger days and my Mom’s cooking. Funnily I get the same warm and feel good reaction when I make this curry for my family as well. This recipe is simple yet packs a ton of flavor. Give it a try! Continue reading Cauliflower Potato Curry in Tomato Gravy
Blistered Shishito Peppers with Mustard Seeds and Turmeric
Shishito peppers are a Japanese variety of peppers that are bright green mild chili peppers that have a green chili pepper flavor without the heat. It is said that one in every 10 shishito peppers is spicy, and it’s hard to know if that one spicy pepper will end up in your batch, making the entire experience of eating shishito peppers a lot of fun. The excitement, the anticipation, the unknown, and the wondering of “Am I going to bite into that one spicy shishito pepper?” makes it a fun experience eating shishito peppers 😳😡😀. Shishito peppers are so pupular these days that restaurants around town serve blistered peppers as appetizers. Continue reading Blistered Shishito Peppers with Mustard Seeds and Turmeric
