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As I was making preparations for the dinner in the morning on Thanksgiving Day, I was thinking of how much I love it here, especially around this time of the year. Living in the US for the past decade or so, I have added new holidays to the list of Indian festivals I celebrate with friends and family here, like Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Halloween is one holiday that I never really celebrated as such, but it sure is a lot of fun now as I get to dress up my little girl in cute costumes every year. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is something I have been enjoying every year since I moved to this country. As a student at the Rutgers Univ in NJ, I was a part of the International Friendship Program that introduced me to this traditional American holiday. My friend through the program, the principal of Rutgers Prep School, invited me to join his entire family for the holiday weekend at their beautiful house on lake Mohawk in Sparta NJ.
As you can see from the pictures, I had a blast during my first Thanksgiving holiday. As a new student from another country, it was a perfect way for me to learn about the American culture. From that wonderful experience, I came back happy memories and a new tradition. Every year since then, I get together with friends and family and celebrate this traditional holiday.
This year, my friends Meghana, Kanika and I got together with our families, and enjoyed an day long Thanksgiving dinner. It was a joint effort; we had a casual dinner, chit-chatting, playing games and making appetizers and cocktails together while waiting for the oven to finish roasting the chicken and the biryani.
Here’s a recap of our Thanksgiving dinner …
Read on … »
When it comes to soups, sky is the limit. Whether created using the season’s best ingredients or making the most of your pantry staples, soups can be an elegant first course or a hearty meal in itself. From delicate broths to thick stews, they can be luxurious, festive, nourishing and comforting.
The beauty of soups also lies in the fact that they are really easy to make and can be prepared in no time, especially after a full day at work. With vegetable or chicken stock as the base along with some vegetables and a fresh herbs from the refrigerator and few items from the pantry, these one pot concoctions are one of the most economical meals. You could always make more quantities and refrigerate the left over or freeze it for lunch or dinner for some other day.
I have a new found love for making soups these days and have been working on a few soup-making techniques over the past few weeks. I wasn’t much into making soups at home until recently, when I made this rich creamy soup for dinner on a cold winter night. That kicked off the “soup season” in my kitchen and these days, be it lunch or dinner, soups are totally on!
Join me in my kitchen as I celebrate the “simmering success” of a pot of soup!
In my post today, I am covering some popular soup recipes that are available in cans at the supermarket or are usually on the menu of cafés, restaurants or delis. I am putting my own spin on these classics – Chicken Noodle Pasta Soup, Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice and Beef Barley & Mushroom.
All these soups are quite similar in nature. Most of the recipes call for chicken stock along with a few vegetables, some chicken, whole grains or pasta and fresh herbs or condiments from your pantry. You can make vegetarian versions of all of these soups by replacing chicken stock with vegetarian stock and taking chicken out of the equation.
I start my soups by sautéing garlic in olive oil along with some onions and carrots to enhance the flavor of the stock and then add the rest of the ingredients to create a thick, rich stew like soup. I don’t particulary care for celery, so you will not find it in any of my recipes but feel free to add it if you like it. In the recipes below, I have replaced celery with sweet green peas that I always have handy in my freezer. Also, an essential ingredient in a soup is a well-flavored stock. Someday, I’ll try to make my own, but in the meantime my preference is Pacific Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth.
These soups are really very easy! Try it for yourself and you will never ever go back to the can or the packet. I wish I had tried my hand at it earlier.
Chicken Pasta Soup
I am not very fond of the old-fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup. I think it’s too bland and mushy and makes me feel all the more down, when I am already sick. I would rather have my comforting khichadi than a bowl of that soup! But my husband and daughter love it. So this one’s for them….
I have replaced the slimy egg noodles in the traditional recipe with some healthy whole grain pasta and squeezed in some lemon juice along with lemon slices to give it a refreshing taste. Lastly, I garnished it with some crispy mushrooms introducing a whole new dimension to the flavor of the soup. Now that’s gotto make anyone feel better!
Serves 2 meals or 4 first courses
1 chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6-8 button mushrooms, sliced (optional for garnishing)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 bay leaves
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
½ cup whole grain pasta (rotini or penne)
4 cups (32 oz. /945 ml /1 qt box) low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1-2 cups water (if necessary)
1 lemon, ½ juiced & ½ sliced
4-5 sprigs parsley, stems removed, leaves finely chopped
salt
fresh ground black pepper
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium – high heat and fry the mushrooms till they get brown and slightly crispy. Remove and set aside on a paper towl to soak up excess oil.
In the same pot, sauté garlic and onions along with the bay leaves in the remaining oil (add more if needed) till they become transluscent, for 2-3 mins. Stir in the carrots, peas along with the chicken and season with salt, pepper and fresh chopped parsley.
Continue sautéing for 3-4 mins till chicken is cooked half way through and then add the lemon juice and slices. Pour in the stock and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta and continue boiling uncovered for 10-11 mins till the pasta cooks (See the packet of pasta for cooking duration).
Add water if necessary. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for another 10-15 mins.
Ladle the soup in a bowl, garnish with crispy mushrooms and serve hot with side of bread.
Chicken & Wild Rice
This soup is widely popular as the Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice or Minnesota Wild Rice soup and is usually a thick and creamy soup (Here’s an example by Sher). In my version, I have taken the cream out of the picture and made it into a rich and flavorful stew-like hearty soup. Rosemary is a strong herb and adding it to this soup gives it a wonderful aroma and enhances the taste.
Go ahead, take a sip!
Serves 2 meals or 4 first courses
½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
4 cups (32 oz./945 ml/1qt box) low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
4 cups water
½ cup fast cooking wild rice
2 sprigs of rosemary
salt
fresh ground black pepper
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium – high and sauté garlic and onions till they become transluscent, for 2-3 mins. Stir in the carrots, peas along with the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
Continue sautéing for 3-4 mins till chicken is cooked half way through and pour in the stock and water. Throw in the rosemary sprigs and let them float in the liquid as it comes to a boil. Stir in the rice and cook uncovered until the rice is tender and the liquid is reduced to half, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Ladle the soup in a bowl and serve hot with side of bread.
Barley & Mushroom
Here’s a vegetarian version of another classic Beef Barley & Mushroom soup. I have modified the original soup by using vegetable broth instead of beef broth and striking beef off the ingredient list (since I don’t cook or eat it). Barley is a rich, nutty cereal grain with an appealing chewy, pasta-like consistency and pairs perfectly well with the earthy mushrooms. Barley does take a while to cook, but once added to the simmering broth, there is not much effort needed. Serve with some whole grain bread, a robust red wine, or a salad and make yourself a deliciously healthy meal!
 Serves 2 meals or 4 first courses
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
6-8 button mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
4 cups (32 oz./945 ml/1qt box) vegetable stock or low-sodium chicken or mushroom stock
4 cups water
½ cup pearl barley
salt
fresh ground black pepper
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium – high and sauté garlic and onions till they become transluscent, for 2-3 mins. Stir in the carrots, peas along with the mushrooms and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
Continue sautéing for 2-3 mins more and pour in the stock and water. Stir in the barley and cook uncovered until the barley is cooked and the liquid is reduced to half, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Ladle in a bowl and serve hot.
Eggs certainly have a special place on the breakfast table. With yellow yolks and silky whites, eggs can make your mornings brighter by ‘sunning’ up your breakfast plate. Whether scrambled, fried or boiled, eggs make a quick and a hearty breakfast that is packed with flavor and loaded with nutrition. This characteristic quality of eggs, combined with their bright and sunny sides, probably accounts for their popularity in the breakfast category.
Check out some of my eggceptional breakfast ideas…..
Eggciting California Breakfast Wrap
(Tortilla Wrap with Scrambled Eggs, Canadian Bacon and Avocado)
California seems to have a love affair with avocados; Californian versions of salads, sandwiches, soups or any other dishes have avocados as one of the ingredients. I love to add avocados to some my concoctions when I have them handy. With their neutral flavor and a rich, creamy texture, they are a great addition to any dish.
Here’s how I put a “California” spin on a breakfast wrap. I used the left over guacomole sitting in my refrigerator and a couple of tortillas that were remaining after a fiesta dinner the previous night. Crispy bacon, scrambled eggs and mashed avocados come together in this breakfast wrap that’s ready in minutes and is great for eating on the go.
Grab one for yourself and kick start your day with this eggciting wrap.
Serves 2
2 flour tortillas
6-8 slices of Canadian Bacon (more on The Cook’s Thesaurus)
¼ cup your favorite shredded cheese (I used Sargento Authentic Mexican)
about ½ cup guacomole (or 1 avocado pitted, mashed & seasoned with lime juice, salt, pepper and finely chopped jalepenõ)
Scrambled Eggs
3-4 large eggs (2-3 if using extra large or jumbo)
4 tbsp whole milk, cream or half ‘n’ half
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the bacon slices and fry on both the sides till brown and crispy, about 3-4 mins per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Fry the remaining slices and put the on the plate.
In a prep bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saute or omelet pan. Add the eggs mixture and cook them over medium low heat, folding them over almost constantly with a spatula, until the desired doneness. Take off the heat and check for seasonings.
Lay the two tortillas on a flat surface and top it with equal amounts of bacon, scrambled eggs, guacomole and shredded cheese. Season with more salt and black pepper if you want and fold it into a wrap.
Eggsuberant Breakfast Toasts
(Open-faced Toast Sandwiches with Scrambled Eggs and Smoked Salmon)
Every morning, bright and sunny eggs often get scrambled in my kitchen before they end up on the breakfast plates. Its the quickest and easiest way to make breakfast for lil’ Nia on any weekday during morning rush hour.
My idea of breakfast is very simple - scrambled eggs on toasts. And sometimes, a thin slice of smoked salmon on top adds an eggsuberent twist! The smooth, silky smoked salmon and the creamy scrambled eggs together complement the crusty bread toast in both texture and flavor. I go shy on seasoning the eggs, as the salty smoked salmon takes care of it. On the other hand, adding dill to the eggs introduces a subtle bitterness to the overall taste of this sandwich that is surprisingly refreshing and flavorful.
This is eggsactly how I like my breakfast, simple and elegant!
Serves 2
4 slices of whole grain bread
butter, for toasts (optional)
4-6 slices (about 1 packet) of smoked salmon
Scrambled Eggs
3-4 large eggs (2-3 if using extra large or jumbo)
4 tbsp whole milk, cream or half ‘n’ half
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
4-5 sprigs of dill, minced, stems discarded
In a prep bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saute or omelet pan. Add the eggs mixture and cook them over medium low heat, folding them over almost constantly with a spatula, until the desired doneness. Take off the heat and check for seasonings. Mix in the dill and spread over warm toasted bread.
Top it with slices of smoked salmon and serve immediately.
Eggtraordinary Breakfast Frittata
(Italian Omelette with Sausage, Onions, Potatoes and Cheese)
On the weekends, when I have more time in the mornings, I like to make our breakfast eggstra special with some Frittata – the Italian version of an omelette—where eggs are first cooked in a pan on the stovetop, then popped in the oven for a few minutes to puff up and brown on top. It certainly adds a nice change of pace to our weekend mornings.
This rich recipe is great for either a breakfast or brunch. With some basic stuff that you may have rattling around in your refrigerator or pantry, you can whip up this one-skillet-wonder in a matter of minutes. In my version, I have used some ordinary, rather typical “breakfast” items – eggs, sausages, potatoes, cheese – and have turned them into this eggstraordinary frittata!
Serves 2
3-4 large eggs (2-3 if using extra large or jumbo)
scant ¼ whole milk, cream or half ‘n’ half
½ cup grated cheese ( I used Sargento Swiss Cheese)
3-4 sprigs parsely, finely chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter or oil
2 breakfast pork sausages, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 small red potato, diced
grated Parmesan/Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for topping
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs until foamy and stir in milk/cream, grated cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Whisk more to mix everything well.
Heat oil or melt butter in a non-stick oven proof pan or a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the sausage, onions and potatoes and cook thoroughly, about 5-7 mins. Pour the egg mixture over the top. After a minute or so when the egg is cooked along the edge of the pan, pull the edges away from the sides of the pan with a spatula so that the frittata does not stick to the pan.
Transfer the pan to the pre-heated oven. Bake for 10-12 mins until puffed and golden. Drizzle grated Parmesan cheese and serve hot with your favorite bread or salad.
The Best Eggscuse
(“Mango Sunrise” - Mango Juice & Prosecco Breakfast Cocktail)
I think breakfast cocktails are the best excuse to get drunk first thing in the morning. Whatever eggcuses you choose, here’s a breakfast cocktail that will spike up your morning! The “Mango Sunrise” is just like the traditional Mimosa, except it’s made with Mango juice and Prosecco.
So my excuse is that “I’m just having some juice!”. What’s your eggscuse?! 
For 1 cocktail serving
1:1 Bolthouse Farms Amazing Mango : Prosecco
(You can use any type of mango juice like Maaza, Frooti and any other type of sparkling wine in place of Prosecco. Soda, Seltzer or Sparkling water would be a great substitute for a non-alcoholic version)
Fill half the cocktail flute with mango juice and slowly pour chilled Prosecco. Mix it with stirrer and serve chilled with frittata for breakfast or brunch.
Crispy & spicy Fish Fries, hot & tangy Shrimp Curry and cool & refreshing Sol Kadhi are all synonymous with Malvani cuisine. Malvan is a quaint little town located on the southernmost tip of the Konkan coast in Maharashtra, surrounded by the Sahyadri mountain range on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other. With its beautiful beaches, historic forts and delicious Malvani cuisine, this place is a very popular tourist attaction.
When I was a little girl, my parents took me to Malvan for a vacation. I have faint memories of the boat ride to the Sindhudurg fort, when I tasted the salty sea water for the very first time  , the time I spent on the beach collecting all kinds of sea shells from the sand and ran frantically at the sight of a crab  and had nothing but curds and rice for lunch and dinner all week long  .. Yes, this big seafood buff was once totally aversive to seafood! I hated the smell so much that I wouldn’t even go anywhere close to it. But somewhere along the way ( I don’t remember how) I grew on to it and now I love eating and cooking all kinds of fish and seafood. My all time favorite in this category is, without a doubt, the food of Malvan.
Here are some of my favorite Malvani recipes….
Fish Fries
(Malvani Style shallow- fried Fish Fries)
“Fish Fry” in any Indian lauguage means hot and spicy filet of fish with a crispy coating thats is formed by either deep or shallow frying. Malvani style fried fish is slightly different from the Bengali or South Indian style depending on the regional spices and other ingredients used for the coating the fish before frying it.
I always take the shallow-fry route to making fried fish. With my Maharashtrian roots, my recipe reflects the Malvani style. I created this basic recipe with a filet of farm rasied, fresh, never frozen Tilapia. It also works well with any firm, white-fleshed fish, as well as shrimp or scallops. I like to marinate the fish in fresh ginger-garlic-herb marinade and then dredge them in a spicy rice flour-semolina mixture before shallow frying. The resulting crust is always crispy, not too thick and refreshingly spicy.
Bite into one of these spicy & crispy fish fries and I guarantee you will come back for more!
Serves 4
4 filets of firm-fleshed fish like Tilapia, cut into 2-inch long pieces
(usually made with Pomfret or Bangda fish in India)
1 tbsp turmeric powder (use more than half for disinfecting and cleaning the fish filets)
oil, extra virgin olive oil or any other (for shallow frying)
The Marinade
2 -3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
½ inch peice ginger, coarsely chopped
1-2 small green chilies, coarsely chopped
1 cup packed (a generous handful) cilantro/coriander, coarsely chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
lemon zest from 1 lemon (cut the lemon into wedges for garnish)
¼ cup extra virgin oilve oil
The Crispy Coating
1:1 cup of rice flour: sooji/rava (semolina)
½ tbsp turmeric
½ tbsp red chilli powder (or paprika for less heat)
1 tbsp garam masala or your favorite fish curry masala
Rub turmeric on to both the sides of the tilapia filets, wash, cut into chunks and keep aside.
In a food processor/grinder/blender combine all the ingredients for the marinade and grind it to a coarse-fine consistency paste. Pour it over the fish chunks making sure they are well coated and leave it in the refrigerator for about half an hour. (Marination process is not necessary but recomended)
In the meantime, combine all the ingredients for the “crispy coating” in a medium sized plastic container with a tight lid (I use one of these). Snap the lid on and shake the container so that all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Preheat a frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle a little amount of oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Remove the fish chunks from the refrigerator and dredge each piece in the mixture for “crispy coating” and drop them into the frying pan. Fry the chunks on each side till they turn golden brown, for about 5 -7 mins on medium high.
Add more oil, if necessary or if the fish chuks seem to soak up all the oil in the pan as they fry.
Serve warm with lemon wedges or with lemon juice drizzled on them while they are still hot, so that they absorb the most flavor.
…
Shrimp Curry
(Malvani Shrimp Curry)
There’s no better shrimp curry than “Malvani Shrimp Curry”. A little heat with all the spices, a little sweet with the coconut milk and a little tangy with the kokum - the flavors wonderfully balance in this beautiful brown rustic curry that’s perfect base for some succulent shrimp to float in.
Living in the US, I haven’t found this type of shrimp curry on the menu of any Indian restaurant here, so I devised my own way of making it just the way I remembered it to be served in the Malvani restaurants in Pune. I truly relish this particular curry every time I make it and it goes very well with chapatis or roti or even when served over a bed of steamed rice or pulav.
Try my Shrimp Curry and check off Malvani food on your to-cook list.
Serves 4
¾ lb shrimp (about 30 shrimp, size: 31-40 count), peeled and deveined
2-3 tbsp oil
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1-2 pinches of asofotida/hing
1 tsp garam masala
salt
1 cup (about ¾ of 7oz. can) lite coconut milk
3-4 petals or 1 tbsp liquid extract of kokum
cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing
Ground Masala
2-3 dried red chilies (or use 1 depending on desired level of heat), soaked in hot water
2-3 tbsp oil
2 medium or 1 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 medium garlic cloves, smashed
1½ cup coconut, grated fresh or frozen thawed
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 cloves
2-3 peppercorns
1 tsp coriander seeds
Start with the “Ground Masala“. In a pan or kadhai heat oil over medium-high flame and add the cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and coriander seeds along with the onion, garlic and coconut. Fry till the mixture gets a light brown color. Cool down and transfer to a food processor/grinder/blender. Add the soaked red chillies and grind to a coarse-fine consistency paste.
In the same pan or kadhai, heat oil over medium high and add turmeric, cumin and asofotida. When the seeds start to splutter, add the “ground masala” and continue frying. Season with garam masala and salt. Stir in the coconut milk along with the kokum extract and simmer for 15-20 mins till oil seperates and the flavors blend in.
Finally add the shrimp and cook for 5-6 mins, till the shrimp turn pink and is perfectly cooked. (*If you don’t plan to serve this dish right away, don’t add the shrimp to the curry. When ready to serve, bring the curry upto a boil and add the shrimp while continuing to simmer for 5-6 mins)
Garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander. Serve hot with chapati or tawa roti or over a bed of rice.
…
Sol Kadhi
(Cold Coconut Milk Soup)
Sol Kadhi is a cool refreshing soup from the Malvan/Konkan region that is now gaining popularity throughout India. Made with coconut milk as the base and spiked with kokum, herbs and spices, it is also referred to as an energizing drink and a great coolant, especially in the hot summer months.
Whenever I went to any Malvani restaurants in my hometown Pune - Mahesh Lunch Home or Nisarg, I would order more than a glass of sol kadhi to keep me going, before, during or even after the meal. It’s a perfect “pick me up” drink that sets you in the mood for some Malvani food and also works great during or after the meal to douse the flames if the hot & spicy food gets out of hand!
I am very passionate about my favorite drink; here’s how I make the kadhi for my “soul”….
Serves 4
1 can (about 1½ cups) lite coconut milk
water, equal to the quantity of coconut milk (I usually empty the coconut milk can and fill it with water to get the exact measurement)
1 medium garlic clove, smashed
½ inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped
3-4 cilantro sprigs (I use the leaves and stems)
1 small green chilli (optional)
a pinch of hing (asofotida)
salt
1 tsp sugar
4 tbsp kokum extract (Refer to Concoctions 101 for making your own kokum extract)
Combine all the ingredients in the blender and mix thoroughly. Serve chilled in a glass as an appetizing drink or in a bowl as a cold refershing soup.
I miss those days when we went out on dates all the time 
Dinners at datesy restaurants, cocktail nights at upscale lounges, crazy clubbing and bar hopping, romantic weekend getaways; we did it all! We went out a lot before we had the baby. Life’s changed now and we spend a lot of time at home, with our little girl. Going out on dates is certainly a bit of a challenge now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a date nights anymore. When the baby’s off to bed, it’s a date night at home!
Here’s a simple but stunning menu that sets the mood right!
A Wine Just-for-Two
Moscato D’Oro from the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley CA, is a fresh, floral and beautifully balanced white wine with a crisp, clean finish and a bit of spritz. Lightly sweet and refreshing as a tropical breeze, lush with honeysuckle aromas and sweet-citrusy flavors, this wine is great for sipping after dinner as a dessert wine or for casual drinking in any season.
With its seductive fruity-floral character and perfect serving for two, this wine is a perfect way to start or end your date night!
Go over to A Meal without Wine for more wine tasting notes.
Grilled Shrimp with Pasta in Alfredo Sauce
There’s something special about shrimp! My date night dinner was indeed a special one and there had to be shrimp on the menu.
I didn’t want to order take-out or spend too much time in the kitchen making dinner. So, to keep it quick and simple yet elegant, I decided to grill some garlic-herb marinated shrimp and serve them along side of pasta tossed in a quick alfredo sauce and crispy garlic toasts. The shrimp absorb all the flavors of the garlic and herbs and are wonderfully succulent when grilled to perfection. The crunchy garlic toasts and the creamy alfredo pasta add a neutral flavor and a different combination of textures. They are a great accompaniment, but certainly don’t steal the show away from the shrimp!
This main dish has three different components, but trust me – it’ll all come together in no time. Be sure to read and understand the steps below thoroughly, if you decide to give it a shot. If you gather the ingredients and stick to my method, you should be done with all the three components within 30 mins (40 tops!). This is kitchen multi-tasking at its best!
Serves 2
Garlic -Herb Shrimp
10-12 large shrimp (size: 31-40 count), peeled and deveined
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsbp (about 1/2 spring) rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp (about 1 sprig) oregano leaves, finely chopped
½ lemon, zested and juiced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
wooden/bamboo skewers (optional for easy grilling)
Pasta
½ lb pasta (rotini, penne, bowtie, etc)
water
salt
Alfredo Sauce
1 cup light (or heavy) cream
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted light (or regular) butter, softened (I used Smart Balance)
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Parmesan cheese)
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Garlic Toasts
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-6 (1-inch thick) slices French baguette
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves
Combine the garlic and herbs along with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the olive oil. Mix well and let the shrimp marinate in this mixture for about a half hour till you prepare the toasts, pasta and alfredo sauce.
Preheat the oven to 400 deg F for making the garlic toasts.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat.
Till the water comes to a boil, cut the baguette into 1 inch slices and peel garlic. Arrange the bread on an aluminium foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the bread slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set them aside.
Add a generous quantity of salt to the boling water and throw in the pasta. Cook until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), stirring occasionally, about 10 mins.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Heat the cream over low-medium heat in a deep sauté pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the saute pan, gently toss it to coat in the alfredo. Continue simmering on very low heat.
While the alfredo sauce thickens, preheat the grill pan to medium-high. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and skewer 5 per stick and place the shrimp on the grill pan. Grill on each side until they turn pink, about 4-5 mins, basting with the remaining marinade as they cook.
As soon as you place the shrimp on the grill pan, pop the baking sheet with the bread slices into the oven. You will then be free to turn the shrimp and gently toss the pasta again while the bread bakes for about 5-6 mins and becomes crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and immediately rub the garlic cloves over the hot toasts.
Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl. Top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley. Season with more freshly ground black pepper.
Plate the shrimp skewers, pasta and a couple of toasts together and serve warm.
Vanilla Custard with Raspberry Coulis
A date night dinner should end on a romantic note, right? Here’s a perfect dessert that marries the two individuals that were destined to be together- a creamy vanilla custard and ravishing red raspberries.
It’s a simple vanilla custard made by baking milk and eggs together, just like a traditional flan! I love the flan, but I wanted to get creative with the topping (or should I say “bottom”) and make something else instead of the usual caramel. Mmmm, how about a light raspberry sauce?!
Raspberries give this dessert a sexy twist! The deep red raspberry sauce forms a pool of “love” in which the custard sits and soaks. The soft ‘n’silky custard melts in your mouth followed by the raspberries that explode as you bite them leaving a sweet-tart lingering taste behind.
Try my lovely dessert and feel the “love” on your date night!
Makes about 4 ramekins
Vanilla Custard
¼ cup sugar (or more to suit your taste)
1 cup whole/reduced fat or low fat milk
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
Light Raspberry Sauce
a handful of fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tbsp water
½ tsp sugar (or more to suit your taste)
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
In the meantime, add the vanilla extract to the milk in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside.
While the milk cools, whisk together the eggs and the sugar in a bowl till the sugar seems to have dissolved completely. Then add about half of the hot milk into the egg-sugar mixture and continue to whisk. Finally whisk the remaining hot milk into the egg mixture.
Pour the milk-eggs-sugar mixture into ramekins and arrange in a hot water bath. Bake in the center of the oven until dry and set in the center, 60 to 65 minutes.
Remove from the water bath and let cool. Tightly cover each ramekin with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours.
Just before serving make the raspberry sauce. In a small pan or saucepan, dissolve the sugar in water, then add raspberries. Simmer for about 3 min then stop the heat and let the raspberries cool down in the syrup.
Top it with the raspberries sauce and some fresh raspberries. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Every other Chrismas holiday, we go to India. This year we enjoyed Nia’s first Christmas here, in America.
This has been a snowy winter overall and there was a snow storm a couple of days before the holiday, making it a perfect white Christmas for us. And when Nia was done playing outside in the snow, she was more than happy to help daddy decorate the “Kissmas Tee“.
While they were busy having fun, I was planning the dinner menu. My idea of a holiday dinner was something special but at the same time something stress free; something that could be made ahead of time so that I get to relax and enjoy it but definitely something traditional and something memorable.
Here’s a recap of our holiday dinner…..
The Menu
Red Wine – Norton Reserva Malbec 2003
Norton Reserva Malbec 2003 is a smooth, medium-bodied red wine. Slightly fruity and earthy in nature, this rustic wine from Argentina is great for pairing with meat and stands up to the spicy Indian cuisine.
Herb Marinated Lamb Chops
I prepared the lamb chops using my own ‘signature‘ recipe presented earlier in one of my posts. They served to be an elegant first course and were a great accompaniment with the velvety, red Malbec.
Chicken Biryani
(Layered Basmati Rice dish with Chicken and Vegetables)
Biryani is a definite party pleaser! Biryani for Indians is like Lasagna for Italians and is usually on the menu for special occassions. This rich and elaborate preparation is made by layering partially cooked basmati rice and vegetables/lamb/chicken/fish in a sauce that is flavored with exotic spices and . The vessel is then covered and sealed on with dough and everything is cooked together on a low flame for a long time.
I love biryanis – veggie, chicken, mutton, shrimp, all of them! I have made several attempts in the past to make biryani the traditional way using dum cooking method (process of slowly cooking partially cooked food in a tightly sealed vessel for a long time) but have failed time and again Sometimes the rice and/or meat would be undercooked and then there were some other times when the bottom layer would stick to the bottom of the pot and get badly charred. That would permeate the whole dish with an unpleasing burnt -like taste and smell. Undeterred in my will, I have now figured it all out, by sheer trial and error. The skinny on this is, to fully cook all the different layers seperately (in a single pot!) and assemble them together (in the same pot).
So making my chicken biryani for the holiday dinner was a perfect idea. I took me a little over an hour in the morning of Christmas Eve and all I had to do was to pop it in the oven and finish off just before dinner. That way, by dinner time, the biryani had been sitting for a few hours and all the different flavors mixed and mingled well with each other.
Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. Follow this easy recipe and see for yourself how to deconstruct and reconstruct the biryani into a one-pot delicious concoction!
Serves 4
1 lb chicken legs and thighs (this will be about 2 leg-thigh joint pieces that u will find in a packet at wholefoods)
The Marinade
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp Everest Chicken Masala (or garam masala)
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
salt
The Rice
3 cups of basmati rice, wash 2-3 times and soak for about 1/2 hour and drain the water
4.5 cups of water (proportion for this is 1:1.5 rice:water and not 1:2 as usual)
salt
1 tsp oil
1-2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1-2 green cardamoms (elaichi), whole
1-2 cinnamon sticks
The Garnish
1/2 cup oil (canola, corn or vegetable)
1 medium onion, sliced
handful of cashews and raisins
1/4 cup milk
1 pinch saffron strands
ghee (clarified butter)
handful cilantro, finely chopped
1-2 bolied eggs, halved (optional)
The Gravy
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 cup canned tomato sauce (= 1 small 8 oz. can of sauce…NOT PASTE)
3-4 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tbsp garlic paste)
1 inch ginger, grated (or 1 tbsp ginger paste)
(*I prefer to use the readymade pastes for the marinade and fresh ginger/garlic for the gravy/curry)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin (jeera)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
salt
1 tbsp Everest Biryani Masala (or garam masala + 1-2 cloves, 1-2 cinnamon sticks,1-2 bayleaves, 4-5 peppercorns)
3-4 baby potatoes or 2 medium potatoes, quartered
handful fresh cilantro/coriander, coarsely chopped
Seperate the chicken legs and cut the thighs into smaller pieces. Make slits on them and mix them with all the ingredients for marinade and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or atleast for 6-8 hours.
Warm milk and soak saffron in it. With a spoon, try to crush the saffron in the milk to give the milk a beautiful yellow color.
Combine all the ingredients for rice and cook the rice seperately in pressure cooker/stove top/microwave or rice cooker.
In the meantime heat the oil in a big non-stick pot (preferably with steel handles. Ultimately you have to put this pot inside the oven) and fry sliced onions for garnishing till brown. Drain on paper towel and set aside. Similarly, fry cashews till light brown and set aside. Lightly fry raisins in the same oil, for a min or so and set aside. Then fry raw potatoes till they get a light brown coating and set aside.
In the same hot oil, add onions, cumin, ginger and garlic and fry till onion is light brown. Add tomato sauce, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, chopped cilantro and biryani masala. Mix well and saute till oil seperates out of the gravy. Add 1/4 cup water and continue cooking till oil seperates again.
Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
Add the fried potatoes and chicken, along with all the marinade, mix well, cover and cook till chicken is almost cooked, but not completely. Stir occassionally. If there’s a lot of liquid in the gravy, cook on medium high till the gravy is reduced.
Layer the rice over the cooking chicken. Sprinkle saffron milk and some ghee over the rice. Top it with brown onions, cilantro, cashews and raisins.
Cover with aluminium foil and finish cooking in the oven for 25-30 mins.
*If you are preparing biryani ahead of time, complete this last step of cooking it in the oven just before serving.
Mix gently and serve hot with the side of cool raita.
Cucumber, Tomato & Onion Raita
(Yogurt-based Cucumber, Tomato & Onion Salad)
Raita was born to be had with biryani ! This combination, made with cucumber, tomatoes, onions in yogurt, has a super cooling effect after a bite of the hot and spicy biryani. All the veggies are diced and combined with beaten yogurt and tossed with green chillies and cilantro. It is then seasoned with salt and a pinch of sugar. The sugar masks any sourness in the yogurt and the green chillies add a little zing.
Creamy and crunchy, chicken biryani is best enjoyed with this refreshing raita!
Serves 4
1 large or 2 small (Kirby or pickling) cucumbers, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
2 cups beaten yogurt
fresh cilantro/coriander (dhania), finely chopped for garnishing
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Toss together diced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and yogurt. Add green chillies and fresh cilantro, season with salt and sugar and serve chilled.
*Have some carrots in your refrigerator? Go ahead and add shredded carrots to the raita!
Cake Pudding
(Cake Pudding with Instant Coffee and Walnuts)
Desserts usually get sidelined when I am cooking an elaborate meal. This time, however, I decided to take on the home stretch – my very own cake pudding.
This is a no-stress, no-bake cake pudding that can be whipped up in a matter of few minutes! It is my mom’s ‘signature’ recipe. All she does is pours cold coffee (instant coffee in cold milk) over crumbled cake and garnishes it with walnuts and heavy cream. After sitting in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, the cake soaks up all the coffee and turns into a soft, fluffy, creamy, bitter-sweet pudding. I have added my own twist to my mom’s original recipe by introducing chocolate and alcohol into the mix.
Simple and easy, this rustic pudding is my all time favorite homemade dessert!
Serves 4
The Cake
2 store-bought or home-made plain pound cakes (or any other sponge or vanilla flavored cake).
If you are in the mood of baking , make your favorite vanilla/sponge/pound cake or even a box of your favorite plain cake mix. Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes before proceeding.
Pudding Filling
3 cups cold milk (your choice of whole/reduced/low fat/fat free)
6 tbsp instant coffee powder, like Nescafe
½ cup dark rum (Bacardi/ Old Monk)
1-1½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy/light whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish
3.5 oz (100 g) dark chocolate like Ghirardelli Espresso Escape
Break the cakes into small pieces/crumbs by hand into a large bowl.
Add a little water to the instant coffee and mix it to form a thick paste. Add the paste to the cold milk along with the splash of dark rum and mix well making sure there are no coffee lumps in the milk. Pour the mixture over the cake crumbs into the large bowl. Add chopped walnuts and mix gently so that the cake is evenly moistened with the coffee-milk mixture and the walnuts are evenly spread throughout the mixture.
Lay the moist coffee-cake mixture into a deep glass dish or triffle glass bowl.
In another bowl, beat the cream with a hand mixer or electric whisk. When it starts to thicken, add the vanilla extract and sugar and continue to beat until firm, about 5 mins on high speed setting. Spread the whipped cream on top of the cake.
With a vegetable peeler, peel the chocolate bar to create chocolate shavings. Decorate the pudding with a generous layer of chocolate shavings on top.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
We are big fans of the hot and spicy Thai food and its usually our first choice when it comes to the “take-out” dinner time. It happens about couple of times a month when a local Thai restaurant, Tuptim, comes to the rescue. In just a few minutes after that phone call, we have a piping hot Thai Red Curry or a spicy Thai Fried Rice on our dining table!
But is Thai food so quick and easy to make, in just a matter of minutes? Yes it is! With a few specific Thai ingredients in my pantry, minimal prep work and a few items from the refrigerator, I made at home few Thai dishes that looked and tasted just like our favorite restaurant food!
So next time you are in the mood for some Thai food, call me and order Thai take-out from my kitchen!
It was my first time making “real” Thai food at home. I have taken the semi-homemade route before, using some cans or jars, but the real fun lies in making it from scratch! As usual, I started with some research on Thai cuisine basics, special regional ingredients, preparation methods and so on. I found a great book “Complete Thai Cooking” by Hamlyn at our public library in Montclair NJ. This book truely is a bible of Thai cooking and it covers the cuisine basics and includes some authentic Thai recipes.
At the heart of Thai cooking lie the curry pastes red, green and yellow. I decided to try my hand at the red curry paste. Next stop was at a local Asian store, where I found all the special Thai ingredients viz. lemon grass, Thai basil, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, fish sauce and the shrimp paste. You could find some of these products at regular grocery stores or you could also substitute some usual ingredients that are quite similar to taste like lemon zest for lemon grass or ginger for galangal and lime zest for the kaffir lime leaves.
Thai Red Curry Paste
Here’s a basic recipe from the book. The book used measurements which were a little bit complex, but I have tried to simplify them. The recipe is red hot just like the name says! Keep a watch on your spice meter when preparing this paste; add less red chili if you prefer milder dishes. This curry paste can be used for making Thai curries, chicken, seafood or vegetarian curries but as you read, you will see how I used it to spice up my fried rice too!
Makes about 1/2 cup of paste
8-10 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water, drained and roughly chopped (I used the seeds but if you don’t prefer it to be too hot, remove the seeds while chopping)
3/4 lemongrass stalk (Please do not use more than this for the specified quantity of paste. Too much of lemon grass can easily spoil the texture of the curry as it doesn’t dissolve or soften on cooking). If you don’t have lemongrass, use the zest of 1 lemon
10-12 cilantro stems (without leaves. This is a great way to use the stems that usually end up in the trash)
1 shallot, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/2 galangal or 1 inch piece of ginger
2 tsp coriander-cumin powder (dhana-jeera powder) Alternatively, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1 tsp cumin powder. (All the recipes I found used cumin and coriander seeds, but from my personal experiences, these seeds cannot be easily ground to a fine powder and can spoil the taste of a dish. Hence, I used available powders)
6 black peppercorns, slightly crushed (If not crushed, they don’t grind well in the food processor)
2 tsp shrimp paste + some of its oil
water, as required to add moisture while making the paste
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and grind to a thick paste. Add water, as necessary.
Transfer the paste to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator till you are ready to use. It can be refrigerated for 3-4 weeks.
Gang Gai
(Chicken in Red Curry)
Gang Gai, our typical take-out order is sliced chicken breast cooked in red curry sauce, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, red peppers, string beans, some green peas and basil (Thai Holy basil). Its classic dish with no nonsense flavor of chicken emphasized by the robust and fragrant aroma of the Thai Red Curry Paste. The coconut milk, which is the base of this dish, helps soften the heat of the chillies and the rather neutral flavor of bamboo shoots acts as a foil to the spicy sauce. Adding the veggies, not only adds a contrast of color but also gives it a healthy twist.
In the book, I found some curry basics but no specific recipe for this favorite curry dish, so I came up with my own. Try my Gang Gai recipe, I promise its keeps up with the restaurant standards!
Serves 2
1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins (I found that these are better than using chicken breast for making Thai curries or fried rice or even Chinese stir-fries, as the meat is more tender and juicier). Alternatively, use chicken breast.
1-2 tbsp oil
5-6 Thai Holy Basil leaves (If you can’t find Thai Holy Basil, use regular European basil)
1/4 cup Thai Red Curry paste (homemade or store bought)
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
handful bunch (about 6-8) string/green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can (about 1½ cups) lite coconut milk
1/4 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
handful (about 1/2 cup) bamboo shoots (fresh or canned)
salt
1-2 large fresh red chillies, diagonally chopped
2-3 kaffir lime leaves, torn (1/4 tbsp lime zest)
1 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp nam pla (fish sauce)
cilantro or coriander, roughly chopped for garnishing
Cut the chicken tenderloins in to 1 inch bite site pieces and set aside. If using chicken breast, cut along the lateral side of breast pieces so that you get two thin breast pieces out of one and then chop them into 1 inch bite size pieces.
Heat oil over medium heat in a wok or a large skillet and stir fry the basil leaves along with the curry paste for about a min. Add onions, red pepper, string beans and fry for another min. Stir in the coconut milk with peas and bamboo shoots. Add the chicken pieces and cook for about 2 mins, stirring occassionaly.
Season with salt; add red chillies, kaffir lime leaves or lime zest and sugar. Mix well and add the fish sauce. Stir thoroughly to combine everything very well and cook till the coconut milk just starts to boil and the chicken is cooked well.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with steamed Jasmine rice.
Kow Pad Ped
(Spicy Fried Rice with Shrimp)
Thai Fried Rice dishes are usually quite mild but our local joint has a spicy version that’s pretty much on our order most of the time. I was very excited about trying this one at home. When I started my research on how to make Thai-style fried rice, I found that there is no hard and fast recipe – usually whatever is on your hand meat, poultry, seafood or bean curd (tofu) or simply veggies. That’s how I went about preparing it too. It had to look spicy red and had to be loaded with all the good stuff shrimp (I love those!) and veggies (I love those too!) and has to be nice ‘n’ spicy. I just went with the flow, my intuitions and transformed my vision in to a delicious reality.
Here it is, Kow Pad Ped, just the way they serve at the restaurant!
Serves 2
1 cup Jasmine rice, wash 2-3 times and soak for about 1/2 hour and drain the water
1¼ cup water
3-4 tbsp oil (use 1 tbs oil out of this while cooking rice)
5-6 Thai Holy Basil leaves (If you can’t find Thai Holy Basil, use regular European basil)
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 inch ginger piece, finely chopped
1-2 large fresh red chillies, diagonally chopped
1/4 cup Thai Red Curry paste (homemade or store bought)
2-3 kaffir lime leaves, torn (1/4 tbsp lime zest)
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/4 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 scallion (spring/green onion), cut up into small pieces
handful bunch (about 6-8) string/green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
4-5 broccoli florets
10 large shrimps, peeled and deveined
1-2 splashes of dark soy sauce
salt
pepper
1 tsp light brown sugar
cilantro/coriander, finely chopped for garnishing
Add water to the washed and drained rice with salt and 1 tbsp of oil and cook the rice seperately in pressure cooker/stove top/microwave or rice cooker.
Blanch broccoli and string beans in boiling water for 2 mins each and set aside.
Heat 2-3 tbsp oil over medium heat in a wok or a large skillet and stir fry the basil leaves, chillies, garlic and ginger along with the red curry paste for about a min. Add onions, red pepper, string beans, broccoli along with the shrimps and fry for 2-3 min. Splash the soy sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add rice and sprinkle the sugar on it. Mix well and stir-fry for about 2 more mins.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Whenever I say, “I’m from India”, most of the time, people here in the US say, “Oh, I love Indian curries!” or some say “I can’t do curries” or like that woman sitting next to me on a flight to SFO asked, “So tell me a recipe to make an authentic Indian curry!”
All over the world, the word “curry” is exclusively assosiated with Indian food. My idea of a curry is a concoction made with veggie or non-veggie stuff and is either mildly or heavily spiced with some kinda thick or thin, sauce or gravy as a base. Sometimes I use onions and tomatoes or sometimes I use coconut or coconut milk to make the gravy and then other times, I add some dairy item like yogurt, cream or even milk to make the curry.
So c’mon over and join me in my kitchen as I whip up some curried concoctions
Murgh Masala
(Chicken Curry)
Perfect when served with rice or roti, this traditional chicken curry is the first non-veggie dish I learnt to make, more than 15 years ago. Of course, over time, I have modified and improvised it a lot, but the basic recipe still calls for an onion-tomato curry spiced with the basic masala. Its a very easy recipe for someone who doesn’t have the time to or doesn’t prefer to grind a fresh masala. However, I do recommend marinating the chicken for atleast an hour before cooking; it helps to maintain the moisture in the chicken and does not make it dry or chewy. In addition, I also prefer to use the chicken thigh pieces with bone-in, because the thigh meat does not dry out as the breast meat and when you use thighs with the bones, the bones add to the flavor of the chicken as it cooks, as well as to the fun of eating the it “right off the bone”.
With a great spicy flavor and a beautiful brown color, this classic chicken curry is an all time favorite!
Serves 4
1 lb chicken thighs, skinless, bone-in (but if you prefer, you can use boneless instead)
2-3 tbsp canola/vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large or 2 medium onions, finely chopped
3/4 cup canned tomato sauce or homemade purée of 1 large tomato
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, minced
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp red chilli powder (optional, for desired level of heat)
1 tsp chicken masala (I always use Everest Chicken Masala) or garam masala (if you don’t have chicken masala)
salt
For the marinade:
1 cup yogurt (whole / low fat)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (for homemade paste, mince 1 garlic clove and 1 inch piece of ginger)
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp red chilli powder (optional, for desired level of heat)
1 tsp chicken masala or garam masala
salt
cilantro/coriander, finely chopped for garnishing
Clean the chicken and cut into 2-inch pieces. In a bowl, add all the ingredients for the marinade along with the chicken pieces, mix well and cover it with a plastic wrap. Refrigerate for atleast 1 hour.
In a large pot, heat oil over medium flame and throw in the cumin seeds. When the seeds splutter, add the onions along with the garlic and ginger. Sauté till the onion turns light brown in color. Add the tomato sauce, turmeric, red chilli powder, chicken or garam masala and continue frying till oil seperates out. Add a little water, about 1/4 cup and continue frying over medium heat till oil seperates out again.
Now add the chicken along with the marinade to the onion-tomato masala int he pot and mix well. Rinse the bowl in which the chicken was marinated with minimum quantity of water (not more than 1 cup) and reserve the water. (This adds to the overall flavor of the curry and you also do not waste any of the good marinade)
Add the reserved water to the chicken, mix well and cook covered for 15-20 mins till the chicken is cooked and the yogurt blends well with the onion-tomato masala.
Garnish with cilantro/coriander and serve hot with rice or rotis.
Fish Hirva Masala
(Fish in fresh Green Curry)
A refreshing combination of cilantro (coriander), green chillies and grated coconut, the hirva masala is a versatile base in Maharashtrian and its regional- Konkani or Malvani seafood curries. My mom makes a delicious masoor daal amti (lentil stew) using the hirva masala and a hint of kokum (a deep purple berry-like fruit with a sour and pleasing flavor from the western coast of India. Click here for an elaborate explanation), which was an inspiration for me to create this recipe of fish curry.
In this recipe, I sauté onions in hirva masala along with some basic spices and a couple of kokum petals or a few dashes of kokum extract. Sometimes, I like to stir in a little amount of lite coconut milk, to make it extra rich and creamy, but you can absolutely do without it and this dish tastes just as good! In the end, when all the ingredients are well cooked, Tilapia fish cubes are added and simmered till they cook. Ready in minutes, my fish curry will take you right on the beautiful Konkan coast of Maharashtra!
Serves 2
4 filets of firm-fleshed fish like Tilapia, Halibut, Swordfish, Sea Bass, Cod, etc. cut into 1-inch chunks
(usually made with Surmai fish in India)
2 small or 1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp turmeric powder (use more than half for disinfecting the fish filets)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1/2 tsp mustard seeds/mori/rai
salt
dried red chilies (optional), for desired level of heat
1½ tsp garam masala / or you favorite fish curry masala
3-4 petals or 1 tbsp liquid extract of kokum
½ cup lite coconut milk (optional)
cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing
For Hirva Masala:
1 cup grated coconut (thawed if using frozen)
2 big or 4 small garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 inch peice ginger, coarsely chopped
1-2 small green chilies, coarsely chopped
1 cup cilantro/coriander, coarsely chopped
Rub turmeric on to both the sides of the tilapia filets, wash and keep aside.
In a food processor/grinder/blender combine all the ingredients for “hirva masala” and grind it to a coarse-fine consistency paste.
In a pan or kadhai heat oil and add turmeric powder, cumin and mustard seeds. When the seeds start to splutter, add finely chopped onion and fry till translucent and light brown in color. Add the “hirva masala”, garam masala, salt and fry for 8-10 minutes, till oil seperates from the masala. In the meantime, cut the fish filets into 1 inch cubes.
*This is the deciding point where you could choose to add coconut milk or not. If you don’t add, your dish is going to look like this.
If you decide to use the coconut milk, stir it in at this point. Then, add the fish cubes and kokum and cook covered for only 4-5 minutes on medium high till the fish absorbs all the flavors and cooks in the curry. Do not overcook the fish otherwise it will lose its flavor. Also, gently stir or shake or swirl the pan to mix everything otherwise the delicate fish flesh might fall apart.
Garnish with fresh cilantro/coriander. Serve hot with chapati or tawa roti.
Methi Mutter Malai
(Fenugreek Leaves and Green Peas in Mild Creamy Curry)
I have fond memories of Methi Mutter Malai from a really nice restaurant in Pune, India. I had it for the first time at Portico restaurant, where I was celebrating one of my birthdays with the family and we all just loved the unique flavor of this wonderful dish. Since I started cooking experiements in my own kitchen, I tried my hand at making Methi Mutter Malai at home, as this amazing item is not available on any of the desi restaurant menus here! Fresh methi or fenugreek leaves are available at the Indian stores here in NJ, but if you can’t find them, most Indian stores will carry the frozen packets as well.
 Fresh Methi leaves at Bhavani Cash & Carry, Iselin NJ I am not sure of its true roots, but this rich dish definitely seems to be a part of the “Mughlai” cuisine family. Green peas and methi leaves are simmered in a luscious creamy sauce made with of cashewnuts, yogurt and cream. The mild spices, the creamy curry and the green peas add a delicate, sweet flavor which takes away the bitterness from methi.
This royal veggie curry is a great way to make that “emperor” in my house get his daily dose of veggies ;)
Serves 2
2 cups (approx 1/2 bunch) methi (fenugreek) leaves
1/2 cup green peas (thawed if using frozen)
2-3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin/jeera
Salt
1&1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup milk (whole/lowfat)
2 tbsp malai (Heavy Cream/Half ‘n’ Half)
For White Masala
2 small or 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup cashewnuts (broken pieces or coarsely chopped)
1/4 cup yogurt (whole/lowfat)
3/4 inch peice of ginger, coarsely chopped
1-2 small green chilies, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp malai (Heavy Cream/Half ‘n’ Half)
Rinse methi leaves, chop and set aside.
In a food processor/grinder/blender combine all the ingredients for “white masala” and grind it to a smooth/fine consistency paste.
In a pot/kadhai heat oil and add cumin and when the seeds start to splutter, add the white masala. Turn the heat down and stir to mix the white masala with the oil. If heat is not turned down, the whole kitchen will be splattered with the white masala!
When the masala is mixed with the oil thoroughly, cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Simmer for a minute, uncover lid, stir, add 1/2 cup of water* (Use the water that will be available by rinsing the blender after grinding the masala. This adds to the overall flavor of the curry and gives you the 100% use of the ground masala!) and cook again covered for 3-4 minutes or till the water is absorbed into the masala.
Repeat the above step once more.** (The mixture of raw onion and yogurt has to be thoroughly cooked, otherwise it will make the curry bitter!)
Add garam masala, salt, sugar, peas and methi leaves and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes and add milk and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occassionally.
Garnish with heavy cream/half ‘n’ half. Serve hot with roti/naan/rice.
“Fiesta dinner tonite!”, read the text message on my husband’s cell phone, as he was getting down at the train station and rushing towards his car to get home.
After a long day at work and a long commute to and from the city, I like to put a smile on his face by making his favorite foods for dinner. With a Citrus Minty Mojito, Guacamole and Smoky Chorizo Quesadillas on the menu, I turned a regular weeknight into a fiesta night!
Citrus Minty Mojito
We are in “Mojito Mood” all the time. We’ve tried making mojito several times with the simple formula using white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice, but it has been substituted by simple syrup everywhere), lime, seltzer (carbonated or sparkling water) and ofcourse mint, but it never seemed to create the magic concoction that you can get outside at a bar or a restaurant.
For my fiesta dinner, I decided to make the mojito, but there was no seltzer in the house. No problemo! I mixed in some Sprite instead and it did the magic!! Did I crack the Bartenders’ secret code?!
The lemon-lime flavor of the soda adds to sweetness of the mojito and makes it crisp and even more refreshing. The strong minty and citrusy flavors from the orange and the lime mask the pontent flavor of rum. This classic cocktail definitely sets in the ”fiesta” mood for any night!
For one glass of Mojito
10 mint leaves
1 orange slice (or a quarter)
2 lime slices (or quarters)
1 peg rum (I recommend using the 10Cane Rum. This sugar cane rum is light bodied and has a little flavor of its own apart from its general sweetness that makes it a great base for this cocktail. Any other white rum might give a different effect.)
4 tbsp simple syrup (Simple Syrup formula available here)
ice
Sprite, to top it off
Put the slices of orange and lime along with the simple syrup, rum and mint leaves in a small glass. Muddle the leaves and citrus slices by pressing them with a pestle or a wooden spoon until juicy and fragrant.
Fill a tall glass with about 1/3rd level of ice and pour the muddled mixture onto it. Top it with Sprite and serve.
Guacamole
Guacomole was a perfect dip that came along with a little (tortilla) chip and went with every sip of the minty mojito. Its one of our favorite appetizers, that’s ready in minutes and is packed with a nutrient punch. I used to buy it readymade at Wholefoods all the time, until one day when I closely observed our server at Charritos in Hoboken, make it for us right on our table!
The sweet crunchy red onions, refreshing red tomatoes and the hot jalapeño combined in with the creamy decadent fruit, make it a perfect fiesta concoction.
Serves 2
2 medium or 3 small ripe avocados (pop them in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before preparation if serving right away)
1/2 a lime juiced or 1/2 -1 tbsp is using from a bottle
1/2 small or 1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 small or 1/4 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
handful cilantro/coriander , finely chopped
3-4 dashes Tobasco/Hot sauce
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Halve and pit the avocados. With a spoon, scoop out the flesh (both yellow and green parts) into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados using either a fork or potato masher, leaving them still a bit chunky. Drizzle lime juice over the mashed avocados to avoid them from turning brown.
Mix in the rest of the ingredients well and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Guacomole can be made ahead of time. Sprinkle a little lime juice and lay the clear plastic wrap tightly close to the surface of the guacomole and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
It can be stored this way for upto 1 day. Once the plastic wrap is taken off, all the quantity has to be consumed, else it will turn brown and lose flavor.
Smoky Chorizo Quesadillas
The crunchy, golden brown quesadillas were the last ones to join the chip, dip and the sip.
Flour tortillas are wrapped with chunks of smoky chorizo sausage sautéed with onions and garlic and loaded with lotsa cheese. They are then baked off on a hot grilling pan that makes the cheese melt and gives them beautiful brown grill marks. Smoky Chorizo Quesadillas are a perfect match for the Guacamole and the Mojito.
Serves 2
2 links of Spanish Chorizo sausages (smoked pork sausage spiced with cumin and garlic), cut up into chunks
1 small or 1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
handful cilantro/coriander, finely chopped
1 tsp EVOO and some for brushing on the quesadillas
salt
black pepper
2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
shredded cheese, Sargento® Shredded Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onions, garlic, jalapeño and the sausage chunks and sauté for about 5 mins till the onions are soft and the sausage is cooked. Add the cilantro and season with salt and pepper and take it off the heat.
Lay out the flour tortillas on a flat surface. Top with the sausage filling and the cheese, spreading evenly over 1/2 the side of each tortilla. Then fold over the remaining 1/2 side of the tortilla and press to seal.
Heat a large grilling pan over high heat. Brush one side of the stuffed tortillas with oil and place that side onto the grilling pan. Then brush the other side with oil. Leave it untouched over medium heat for about 3-4 mins till the cheese melts and deep golden brown grill marks appear on the bottom side. Turn it over and similary cook the other side for 3-4 mins.
Let cool for a few minutes. Slice into 4 wedges and serve with the guacamole.
¡Buen apetito!
Sundays are kinda relaxed in my house. Its family time with a peaceful mornings watching cartoons with our little one, followed by a nice brunch, may be a trip to the supermarket or the mall, some errands here and there, a few chores in between and then its time for the Sunday dinner. With dishes like Herb Marinated Lamb Chops, Chicken Pulav with Creamy Carrot Raita and Berries with Choco-Rum Sauce on the menu, we make Sunday a “fun day” indeed!
Herb Marinated Lamb Chops
Lamb chops are my new found love! A few weeks ago, I tried lamb chops for the very first time at Casa Mono, a Spanish Tapas by Mario Batali in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of NYC. The lamb chops were grilled to perfection and when I took the first bite, it just melted in my mouth. This unforgettable experience was an inspiration to this recipe.
I marinate the lamb chops in a citrusy cilantro-mint marinade and sear them in a pan on high heat to lock in the juices and to form a dark brown crust. Then I finish them off by roasting them in the oven for a few minutes along with the remaining marinade. The roasting process cooks the meat and slightly warms up the marinade, which forms a complementary sauce for the chops. The sauce maintains its nice green color and its fresh flavor as it does not get a chance to fully cook and enhances the flavor of the juicy tender lollipops of meat.
Posing like ballet dancers in a beautiful formation, these chops are a little bites of heaven!
Serves 1-2
3 lamb chops (I picked up the pre-packaged New Zealand Lamb Chops at Wholefoods)
For the marinade:
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (pudina), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, coarsely chopped
1 large garlic clove, smashed
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
salt
fresh ground black pepper
3-4 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Generously season the lamb chops with salt and fresh ground pepper and keep aside.
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the marinade and mix well pulse it several times. Pour all of the marinade over lamb chops and massage them a little making sure each chop is well coated with the marinade. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Preheat oven to 400 deg F.
Heat a flat pan or an iron skillet on medium high heat. When the pan is sufficiently hot, shake and remove excess marinade and sear the chops on the pan for about 4 mins on each side, till a dark brown crust is formed. Place them on a baking sheet, pour the remaining marinade over the chops and finish cooking them in the oven for about 5 mins or until they are done to the desired level.
Serve hot.
Chicken Pulav (Pulao/Pilaf)
(Rice with Chicken)
Pulav or Pilaf is a North Indian delicacy and is one of the most popular rice dishes made for everyday meals or for special occassions like parties or even banquets. Indians routinely make this dish with different vegetables like potatoes, peas, green beans or with chicken, mutton (lamb or goat) or even prawns (shrimps). As tasty as Biryani, which is layered rice and meat or vegetable dish, the Pulav, which is simply a seasoned rice dish, is much easier and quicker to make.
In my recipe, I start off by carmelizing onions along with some whole spices and herbs and then sauté the chicken and rice together with the onions to give the characteristic light brown color to this Pulav. I also use chicken stock instead of water which adds incredible flavor to this dish. Simmering on the hot stove, this one pot concoction slowly releases its wonderful aroma in the kitchen that soon permeates throughout the whole house!
Serves 4
2 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for about 1/2 hour (*1 cup of raw rice makes about 3 cups of cooked rice)
1/2 lb chicken thighs, skinless, boneless or bone in, cut into small pieces
2 medium red (or yellow) onions, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch strips
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 inch ginger, minced
3-4 tbsp tbsp good oil (canola, sunflower, corn, vegetable) or ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp coriander seeds (dhana/dhania)
4-5 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin
2 cinnamon sticks, about 1 inch each
4-5 cloves
4-5 whole black pepper corn
2 bay leaves
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (pudina), finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro/coriander (dhania), finely chopped and some additional for garnishing
3-4 green chillies, finely chopped
salt
4 cups, purchased chicken stock (you can also use water)
In a thick bottomed large pot with a lid over medium high heat, heat oil and add cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add onion, ginger and garlic along with codiander seeds, green cardamom, cinnamin, cloves, pepper corns and bay leaves. Sauté for about 5 mins till the onions are translucent and light brown in color. Add the garam masala along with the chicken, fresh mint, cilantro and green chillies. Season with salt and cook covered for about 5 more mins stirring occassionally.
Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the above mixture. Mix well and stir fry uncovered for a few more minutes. Add the chicken stock or water and simmer covered until all the liquid is absorbed and the chicken and rice are completely cooked. Stir occassionally to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pot too much.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with cool Creamy Carrot Raita
Creamy Carrot Raita
(Carrot – Yogurt Salad)
Raita is a great accompaniment to any hot and spicy Indian dish. Made with or without yogurt (a lot of typical Maharashtrian raitas or koshimbirs are made without yogurt) they have a super cooling and refreshing effect on the palate.
In my version, shredded carrot and beaten yogurt are tossed with green chillies and cilantro and seasoned with salt and a little bit of sugar. The sugar brings out the sweetness of the carrots and masks any sourness in the yogurt. Simple and healthy, my creamy carrot raita pairs perfectly with the piping hot chicken pulav.
Serves 4
2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups beaten yogurt
fresh cilantro/coriander (dhania), finely chopped for garnishing
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Toss together shredded carrots and yogurt. Add green chillies and fresh cilantro, season with salt and sugar and serve chilled.
Berries with Choco-Rum Sauce
I love berries, all kinds, blue, black, red (raspberries) and pink (strawberries). In summer when the stores have great deals on all types of berries, I go on a shopping spree. You will definitely find some or all of the berries in my refrigerator anytime during the summer months. Usually, I simply have them plain as a snack or serving of fruit after dinner, but sometimes I like to jazz them up.
Ice cold berries are generously drizzled with hot white chocolate-rum sauce. The white color of the chocolate sauce adds a wonderful silky backdrop to the colorful berries and the rum spikes it up. It’s a great way to enjoy the explosion of berries throughout the summer!
Serves 2
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup strawberries
For the sauce:
1/2 cup white chocolate chunks or chips (If you have chocolate bar, just chop it coarsely)
2 tbsp heavy/light cream
1 tbsp white rum
3 dashes pure vanilla extract
Pop the berries in the freezer while you prepare the hot chocolate sauce, to get the ice cold effect for the dessert.
Place a heat proof bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water below.
Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in this bowl and heat just until the chocolate melts, stirring continously, for about 5 – 7 mins.
Remove the berries from the freezer and serve with the hot chocolate -rum sauce drizzled on top.
This summer, as the markets started filling up with all the wonderful veggies, fruits and herbs, I brought home for the very first time a pot (yes! they actually sell the herbs directly in the pots these days, it’s taking “freshness” to the next level, I must say) of leafy, aromatic, vibrant green Basil.
I have seen Giada De Laurentis on TV, going crazy for this one particular herb. She uses it practically in all of her recipes, savory and sweet too! I have had basil in several concoctions before, but never really handled it myself. Talking of basil, what’s the first thing that jumps right at you? For me, it’s the good ol’ pesto! Naturally, that was my first experiment with it.
I followed the renowned chef’s recipe step-by-step.
“
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup (about) extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste.
”
The result was an intensely aromatic and very flavorful chutney-like concoction! I decided to play around with it……
Italian Chutney Sandwich
Yes, that’s what I made first with the pesto, which looked and felt just like our very own desi coriander-coconut chutney. Smothered with generous amounts of pesto and stuffed with grilled chicken and crunchy grilled vegetables, this hearty sandwich is now a lunchtime favorite!
Serves 2
4 individual ciabatta/olive rolls or 1 large loaf of ciabatta
basil pesto
2 portobello mushrooms
1 zucchini, cut at diagonals into 1/2 cm slices
1 small Japanese eggplant or 1/2 regular medium eggplant, cut at diagonals into 1/2 cm slices
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2-3 tbsp EVOO (Rachel Ray’s abbreviation for Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
salt
fresh ground black pepper
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the oil and sprinkle salt & pepper over the chicken breasts, eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms. One after another, grill the chicken breasts, eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms until they are tender and grill marks appear. Cool completely.
Slice the ciabatta bread in half and spread both sides with pesto. On the bottom slice, stack the grilled veggies and chicken breast pieces. Sprinkle some more fresh ground black pepper and place the top half of the ciabatta.
Alternatively, you can use any of your other favorite vegies, fresh mozeralla cheese slices, prosciutto slices, etc. and have your sandwich your way. Don’t forget the key ingredient, Pesto!
Primavera Pizza
In summer, the vegetables are definitely more flavorful than the rest of the year. With all the fresh vegetables that are suddenly available, you see a lot of “primavera” around you in restaurants, cafes, etc. Pasta Primavera is the most common dish made by tossing all the vegetables with pasta. But another dish that is equally popular is the Primavera Pizza. Smothered with the pesto as a base sauce, loaded with summer veggies, topped with oooey gooey cheese and a little meat factor (the hubby has to have it in every meal!), every slice is a triangle of paradise!
Serves 2
15oz. store-bought whole wheat pizza dough
basil pesto
1 portobello mushrooms
1 zucchini, cut at diagonals into 1/2 cm slices
1 small Japanese eggplant or 1/2 regular medium eggplant, cut at diagonals into 1/2 cm slices
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
2 jarred roasted red peppers
2-3 tbsp EVOO (Rachel Ray’s abbreviation for Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup (1/2 packet) Sargento Reduced Fat Mozeralla shredded cheese
Grill the chicken and vegetables as in the above recipe and cut into thin, long slices.
Preheat oven to 425 deg F.
Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2-inch thick and transfer it to a pizza or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the pesto, top it with the chicken, onion and green pepper on one half of the pizza and roeasted vegetables on the other half and finally sprinkle the cheese.
 
Bake on the bottom rack for about 18 – 20 minutes till the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown.
Take it out of the oven and season with black pepper. Cut it into slices and serve hot with some ice cold beer.
*Recommended Heineken Premium Light beer
Pesto, Pasta & Peas
Pasta dinners are the quickest and the easiest and pesto makes a perfect no-cooking sauce. I toss hot cooked fetuccini in the pesto and throw in some green peas. The peas look like little beads entagled in the fetuccini ribbons, drenched in the pesto sauce. This elegant pasta dish is not only a treat for your eyes but also for your tastebuds!
Serves 2
1/2 pound (i.e. 1/2 packet) of fetuccini ( or other types like rotini, bow ties, fusilli etc that allow the pesto to get in and coat well)
1/4 cup frozen green peas, defrosted
3-4 tbsp basil pesto
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to add to the pasta later, if needed.
In a mixing bowl, add the hot pasta and the peas to the pesto and toss well to coat evenly. Add the required quantity of reserved liquid for desired moisture level. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Serve warm with garlic bread or on a side of vegetables, meat or fish.
Summer Vegetables Au Pistou
So, what else did I do with the pesto, still holding it’s wholesome goodness and sitting in the refrigerator for over 2 weeks? Eureka! I had some zucchini, and red pepper also hanging in the refrigerator along with the pesto. I just sautéed the vegetables in the pesto and look what I got?!
Serves 2
1 zucchini, cut into quarter slices
1/2 red pepper, cut into thin strips
2-3 tbsp basil pesto
salt
freshly ground black pepper
In a small frying pan or skillet on medium heat, warm the pesto and add the vegetables. Sauté for 3-4 minutes and season with some salt and pepper. Serve hot as a side dish with pasta, meats or fish or make an elegant bruschetta topping!
You may add other vegetables like asparagus, green beans, summer squash or yellow onions. Chicken tenderloins or shrimps would definitely kick it up a notch!
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