The Thanksgiving Meal
Posted by: Malini on: November 28, 2009
I think the Thanksgiving Meal is by far one of my favorite meals of the year. It’s more like an extravaganza than a meal!! I just love everything about Thanksgiving. It’s one of those holidays that is really all about the food and getting together with loved ones. It’s a lot of effort but I love that my mother-in-law and I work together and churn out quite a spectacular array of dishes. Our meal is pretty healthy and multicultural too! We always have international dishes as part our meal. Here are the pictures of our Thanksgiving table from this past year. I promise to post recipes as and when I can. The kids were responsible for dessert this year – they baked Pumpkin Patch cookies and decorated the pumpkin pies – both were a real hit!
The 22 lb Turkey
The 14lb Turkey
Oyster Stuffing
Mushroom Stuffing
Gravy
Sweet Potato Pie ( a little burned!)
Cranberry Jelly
Avacado Egg Salad
Smoked salmon and Crab in Puff Pastry
Mushrooms stuffed with Crab
Arugala & Chicory Salad
Bitter Greens with Cannelini Beans
Asparagus
Green Beans
Mushrooms & Turnips in a Dashi Sauce
Two Kinds of Lotus Stem & Broccoli
Pickled Rutabaga
Pork Vindaloo
Pumpkin Pie decorated by the kids
Pumpkin Pie decorated by the kids
Pumpkin Patch Cookies - made by the kids
Pumpkin Patch Cookies - made by the kids
Chiva-Som’s Grilled Salmon with Pomelo Salad
Posted by: Malini on: November 17, 2009
Pomelo is a fabulous version of a large grapefruit that is very common in Thailand. It can be eaten in many ways but the most common ways are to eat it just as a fruit or make a salad with it.
I had Pomelo everyday that I was in Thailand and had so many different kinds of salads with it too. One of my favorites was the Grilled Salmon with Pomelo Salad at Chiva-Som. This was such a simple dish to make and yet it tasted so exotic. You can substitue the salmon for any fleshy fish or even grilled shrimp.
You maybe be able to find Pomelo in some Asian supermarkets in the U.S. If not, then substitute it with grapefruit.
Chiva-Som’s Grilled Salmon with Pomelo Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 small salmon fillets
2 cups pomelo peeled
1 plum tomato deseeded and diced
2 spring onion chopped
½ shallot or red onion sliced finely
2 tablespoons finely sliced lemongrass (white part only)
Green or red bird chili chopped (to taste)
Marinade for salmon:
2 teaspoons organic soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
Dressing:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
METHOD:
Salmon:
- Marinate the salmon with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and honey and set aside in the fridge for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F or 130° C.
- Heat a non stick frying pan and place the salmon on it and cook for about 30 seconds on each side – just to give it a little color on each side (do not cook through).
- Remove salmon from pan and place on a baking sheet.
- Roast in oven for about 10 minutes and remove and place on a plate.
Salad:
- In a mixing bowl pour all the ingredients for the dressing and the chili and mix well.
- Add the Pomelo, tomato, spring onion, shallots and lemongrass gradually.
- Toss well.
To serve:
- Place the salmon on a plate.
- Put salad on top of the salmon.
- Garnish with spring onions
Nutritional info per serving:
Calories: 193 kcal
Protein: 13 g
Carbohydrate: 22.1g
Fat: 6.2 g
Ariel Cake
Posted by: Malini on: November 16, 2009
My dearest friend’s 3 year old wanted an Ariel birthday party. Here is the cake that I made for her. The look on her face when she saw the cake….is something I’ll always remember and cherish….Happy Birthday my little Troll!!
Ariel Cake
Serves 16-18
Ingredients:
A 9×13 rectangular cake (made from your favorite recipe or a box mix)
3 cups of buttercream frosting tinted blue (made from your favorite recipe or a box mix)
1/4 cup of buttercream frosting tinted green
3 cups of any plain vanilla wafers such as Nilla (to make the sand)
Pink & green decorating sugars
An Ariel figure doll or candle (available at any party store)
A rock from the garden washed out well
A handful of multicolored goldfish crackers or gummy swedish fish
A plastic beaded necklace
A plastic starfish, some sea shells ( you can use any sea-life themed things to decorate)
Little Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian themed cutouts (available at any party store)
A toy palm tree
A happy birthday sign
METHOD:
- Cover the entire 9×13 rectangular cake with blue frosting to make the ocean.
- Use a frosting knife or a butter knife to texture the frosting so that it looks like water.
- Crush the Nilla wafers in a blender to make sand.
- With a spoon, sprinkle the sand on about 1/4 of the right hand side of the cake.
- Then sprinkle the sand all around the bottom of the cake.
- Place the Ariel candle, rock, palm tree, star fish, shells, beaded necklace and cutouts on the sandy part of the cake (you can use your creativity to make this part cute)
- Place a few of the colored goldfish on the ocean part of the cake.
- Place a Wilton tip # 97 on a frosting bag and fill it with the green frosting.
- Make seaweed all around the cake.
- Stick three of the Ariel cutouts in the front of the cake as shown.
- Place the happy birthday sign in the ocean part of the cake.
- Sprinkle the cake with pink and green colored decorating sugar.
Chiva-Som’s Yam Tawai- Thai Chicken/Tofu salad with spicy herb dressing
Posted by: Malini on: November 11, 2009
There is an idyllic little spot in Hua-Hin,Thailand called Chiva-Som that exudes wellness. Aside from all the phenomenal mind and body services that they offer, the cuisine that they have developed there is truly ground breaking. They pretty much cook using no refined salt, sugar or oil and the food is FABULOUS!!! So of course being the foodie that I am – I spent most of my time there learning how to cook the way they do. Here is the first of many recipes that I learned there…..
Chiva-Som’s Yam Tawai- Thai Chicken/ Tofu Salad with Spicy Herb Dressing
Serves 2
Ingredients:
5-6 bok choy leaves trimmed
2-3 stalks of baby corn cut diagonally into bite size pieces
½ cup of fresh bean sprouts
3 cups of soy milk or water
3 ½ oz chicken breast/ or extra firm tofu boiled for 8 minutes and sliced thin (about 1 cup and a half)
1 green chili, finely sliced
Dressing:
1 tablespoons massaman curry (you can buy this at any Asian store)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons tamarind juice
1 tablespoons honey
METHOD:
- Blanch the bok choy, baby corn and bean sprouts in boiling soy milk for 1-2 minutes (you can use water too).
- Set aside.
- In a small pan stir fry the massaman curry paste until fragrant.
- Take off heat.
- Add the soy sauce, tamarind juice and honey and whisk until well mixed.
- Place chicken slices in a mixing bowl and ad the dressing and vegetables to it and gently toss until well mixed.
- Sprinkle the sliced chili on top and serve.
Nutritional Info per serving:
Calories: 84.14 kcal
Protein: 8.83 g
Carbohydrate: 10.57 g
Fat: .76 g
Curried Squash Soup
Posted by: Malini on: October 31, 2009
Fall is such a great time to make soups and stews with all the fabulous squashes an pumpkins in season. I’m not too fond of the very sweet squash soups but really love this one – especially since I put my own little spicy twist to it. This recipe is based on the Curried Squash and Mushroom Soup by Molly Katzen in her Moosewood cookbook.
I have changed the recipe around a little and usually add whatever I can grab from the fridge which will blend well with the flavors of squash. You could pretty much take out anything from this recipe – except for the squash. You could use any kind of squash or pumpkin for this soup. I usually use butternut, acorn etc. You could even combine a few different squashes to make the flavor more interesting. I also added some fresh cilantro to the soup this time around – just because I had so much lying around. I thought it added a nice dimension to the soup.
Im sending this recipe out to one of my dearest friends and foodie soul mates – Rula – who just loves this soup and all the flavors that the Fall brings with it…….
Curried Squash Soup
2 medium acorn or butternut squash
5 cups of water or broth
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
2 medium onions chopped fine
1 medium red or green bell pepper chopped fine (optional)
1/2 cup shredded carrots (optional)
5-6 cloves garlic crushed
1& 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp grated ginger
Salt & cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
2-3 tbsp half & half or heavy cream for the top (optional)
METHOD:
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 ° F.
- Split the squash lengthwise, remove seeds and place face down on a lightly oiled tray.
- bake until soft ( about 30-40 mins)
- Cool and scoop out the insides.
- Measure out 3 cups worth and place this in a blender or food processor with the 3 cups of water/ broth and puree till smooth (you may need to do this in batches).
- Transfer to a stockpot and stir in the orange juice.
- Heat the butter or oil in a skillet and add the garlic and onion.
- Stir fry for about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped bell pepper, carrots & cilantro (optional)
- Cook for 5 more minutes until the mixture has softened.
- Add all the spices, cinnamon, salt & cayenne and mix well.
- Stir for about 2-3 minutes – you may add a little water to prevent sticking.
- Add the sautéed mixture to the squash, scraping the skillet well to salvage all the flavor.
- Heat the soup gently.
- Once it is hot, taste to add and correct flavors.
- Turn the fire off and using a hand blender, puree the soup to desired smoothness.
- Top it off with a little cream and serve hot with fresh bread or croutons.
For those who enjoy the extra dash of spice the way I do – try this……I simmered the soup for an additional 15 minutes with a few slices scotch bonnet – the results……….ooooh so good!!
Lauki/ Doodhi Ka Moothias (Steamed Zucchini/Bottle Gourd Cakes)
Posted by: Malini on: October 18, 2009
Our family friend Neha, who is from the Western state of Gujarat in India, makes the best Moothias ever. They are really healthy and great for a snack or a meal. Lauki or Doodhi are the Indian names for bottle gourd. If you can’t find bottle gourd then substitute it by using zucchini. This dish goes really well with a nice spicy mint or coriander chutney. You can buy these chutneys at any Indian grocery store.
Lauki/ Doodhi Ka Moothias (Steamed Bottle Gourd Cakes)
1 bottle gourd (lauki) or 3 zucchini’s peeled and grated (excess water squeezed out lightly)
1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
¾ cup semolina (suji)
½ cup chick pea flour (besan)
½ teaspoon baking soda
Ground green chili to taste or chili powder
1-teaspoon salt
1-tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
2-3 T oil
1 lime – to taste
Seasoning
3 tablespoons of oil
¼ teaspoon asafoetida
2 teaspoons of black mustard seeds
1 sprig of chopped curry leaves
- Combine the grated lauki or zucchini, wheat flour, semolina, chick pea flour, baking soda, chili, salt, sugar, turmeric, oil and lime together.
- Mix till you have made a kind of dough.
- Take a handful of the dough and mould it into a log about 2 inches wide and thick.
- Make several of these logs till all the batter is used up.
- Place the logs in a steamer and steam for 20 minutes.
- Check with a knife to see if it has been cooked through – it should be firm to the touch.
- Cut the log into half inch slices.
Seasoning
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a saute pan.
- Pan fry the sliced moothias for about a minute on each side till they get a few brown spots on them.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a stainless steel ladle.
- Add the asafoetida, black mustard seeds and chopped curry leaves
- Stir for a minute till the mustard seeds have popped.
- Pour the seasonings over the sliced mootiahs.
- Serve hot with your favorite spicy chutneys.
Black Lentils (Kali Dal)
Posted by: Malini on: October 18, 2009
There is nothing more comforting or delicious than a nice simmering cup of kali dal. Last night was our Indian festival of lights, Diwali and I cant remember a single Diwali that has gone by in our house when we haven’t made Kali dal. There are so many ways to make this dish but I really love the way we make it in my mother’s kitchen! We don’t put any of the butter and cream that makes this dal so heavy – we use mustard oil instead. Mustard oil is used a lot in Pahadi food which is eaten in Himachal Pradesh in India – that’s where both my parents are primarily from.
The kali dal was a real hit last night – Im dedicating this recipe to my dear friend Shefali who seemed to have loved it the most!!!
Kali Dal
1 cup whole or split black lentils (ma ki daal)
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 large onions sliced thin
3 medium onions finely chopped
1 inch ginger sliced
5 tablespoons of mustard oil (can use any oil)
7 cups water
4 tomatoes pureed with 5-6 cloves of garlic (or 1 1/2 small cans of tomato paste)
Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
2 teaspoons coriander powder (dhaniya)
1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur)
1 bunch chopped cilantro
Salt
- Place the lentils in a pressure cooker with 2 tablespoons of mustard oil, turmeric powder, 2 big sliced onions, salt to taste and 7 cups of water.
- Pressure cook till tender (about 20 – 30 mins from 1st whistle). Make sure you have plenty of water or else the dal can burn in the pressure cooker. You can also cook it in a large pot – it just takes much longer.
- When cooked set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of mustard oil in a separate pan.
- Add 3-4 bay leaves, a pinch of asafoetida and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and stir for a minute till the cumin seeds begin to pop.
- Add 1 tablespoon of sliced ginger and cook for a minute.
- Then add 3 onions chopped.
- Fry this for about 10 minutes till the onions begin to brown.
- Add 2 teaspoons of coriander powder, 3/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of dry mango powder and red chili powder to taste.
- Stir for a minute.
- Add 3 medium tomatoes (or tomato paste) which have been pureed with 5-6 cloves of garlic.
- Add salt and cook it for about 15 mins covered.
- Put the pot of cooked dal which was set aside back on a medium flame.
- Add the onion and tomato mixture to the black dal and mix it very well.
- Let this mixture cook on a very slow flame for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Stir it occasionally.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with white basmati rice.
Kali dal always tastes better the day after. I usually make mine at least a day ahead and the more you let it simmer on a very slow flame – the better it tastes. This dish also freezes very well so you can make a big pot of it and then freeze the leftovers!
Roast Chicken With Potatoes, Carrots & Asparagus
Posted by: Malini on: October 14, 2009
I have never really tried to roast a chicken, which is really surprising considering the number of roasted turkey dinners I’ve cooked for Thanksgiving. I found a wonderful recipe in Cooking Light Magazine and finally decided to a roast chicken.
The results were phenomenal! My kids were eating the veggies right out of the pan. I cant believe I’ve waited this long to try something this simple. This is definitely going to become a new favorite. It really is easy to do and looks so impressive! I changed the original Cooking Light recipe around a bit – I added stuffing to the recipe and roasted potatoes, onions, asparagus and carrots along with the chicken.
Roast Chicken With Potatoes, Carrots & Asparagus
One chicken serves 4-5 people
Ingredients
1 (4-pound) roasting chicken
2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6-7 potatoes, quartered ( any kind such as red, fingerling, white)
3-4 onions quartered
1 bunch of asparagus stalks trimmed
3-4 carrots chopped into 2 inch pieces
Stuffing Ingredients
5 slices of stale bread chopped into cubes
2 onions finely chopped
3 cup of mushrooms finely chopped ( use any of your favorite mushrooms)
5-6 stalks of celery finely chopped
I bunch chopped parsley
Gravy Ingredients
3-4 tablespoons flour
One (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
Pan drippings
Salt & pepper to taste
METHOD:
Stuffing Recipe
- In a large pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add chopped onion and celery and cook until softened but not brown (about 10 mins).
- Add the mushrooms, cook over med-high heat, stirring until the mushrooms are soft (4min).
- Add in the chopped stale bread.
- Mix well and add parsley, salt & pepper.
Roasting the Chicken
- Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken.
- Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry.
- Trim excess fat.
- Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
- Combine 1-teaspoon salt and 1-teaspoon pepper; rub under loosened skin and over the breast and drumsticks.
- Use your fingertips and rub some melted butter or olive oil all over the chicken , under the skin and inside the cavity.
- Lift wing tips up and over back tuck under chicken.
- Stuff the chicken with stuffing.
- Tie legs together with string.
- Place chicken, breast side up, on the rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.
- Combine remaining 1/2-teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4-teaspoon pepper, butter, onions, and potatoes in a large bowl; toss well to coat.
- Arrange onion mixture around chicken on rack.
- Place rack in pan. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325° (do not remove pan from oven).
- Bake an additional 1-hour.
- About 15 minutes before removing the chicken from the oven, add the asparagus and carrots to the potato and onions mixture at the base of the roasting pan.
- Roast the chicken until onions and potatoes are tender and a thermometer inserted into meaty part of chicken thigh registers 180°.
- Set chicken and veggies aside; cover and keep warm.
Gravy
3-4 tablespoons flour
One (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
Pan drippings
Salt & pepper to taste
- Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure.
- Pour pan drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top).
- Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag.
- Drain drippings into a small saucepan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.
- Combine flour and 1/2 cup broth in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
- Add flour mixture and remaining broth to saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until gravy thickens, stirring frequently with a whisk.
Mustard Fish/ Chicken
Posted by: Malini on: October 8, 2009
I have a very deep connection to the city of Calcutta, which is in the eastern part of India. My grandmother – Mataji, lived there for most of her life and she always served the simplest but most amazing food.
I just love the food in Calcutta – everything is delicious from the street food to home food. The fish especially is truly something to die for! Here is my family’s version of a very popular fish curry dish called Macher Jhol ( which means spicy fish). In our home, we call it Mustard Fish.
You can substitute chicken for fish , if you would like.
Mustard Fish
2 pounds of any whitefish cut into thick 2 inch cubes or chicken cut in cubes
1 tablespoon panch phorun ( available at Indian grocery stores)
Pinch of asofetida (hing)
2 bay leaves
2-3 whole red chilies
1 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhaniya)
1 teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder)
3 tablespoons mustard oil ( available at Indian grocery stores)
1 cup chopped cilantro
Grind together:
6 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
4 plum tomatoes
1 onion
Grind together:
¼ cup white mustard seeds (rai)
1 tablespoon jeera
3 tablespoons water
METHOD:
- Heat mustard oil to smoking point
- Add the panch phorun, bay leaves and pinch of asofetida.
- Add whole red chili
- Cook for a minute.
- Add salt to taste.
- Add 1 teaspoons turmeric.
- Add 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhaniya).
- Add 1 teaspoon amchur and chili powder to taste.
- Fry the mixture well.
- Add the ground tomato and onion paste.
- Cover and cook well for about 15 minutes.
- Add the ground mustard paste.
- Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the cubed fish.
- Add 2 cups of water.
- Cook well until the fish is cooked and the curry thickens a bit.
- Add chopped cilantro and serve hot with white basmati rice.
Pumpkin with Mustard Seeds (Auriya Kadoo)
Posted by: Malini on: September 30, 2009
As the season changes to Fall here in New York, there are all kinds of fabulous pumpkins and squashes available. This is one of my favorite ways to cook pumpkin. Its called Auriya Kadoo and this recipe is from the Northern sate of Himachal Pradesh in India. I love the pungent, spicy flavors that go together to make this delicious dish.
Pumpkin with Mustard Seeds (Auriya Kadoo)
8 cups chopped pumpkin/ squash
2 tablespoons mustard oil
1 tablespoon panch phorun ( combination of 5 whole spices – available at any Indian store)
Pinch of asofetida (hing)
2 bay leaves
2-3 whole chili
1 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhaniya)
1 teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder)
1 cup chopped cilantro
Grind together:
30 grams black mustard seeds (rai)
3 tablespoons water
METHOD:
- Heat mustard oil.
- Add the panch phorun and asofetida.
- Add 2-3 whole chili and fry.
- Add the chopped pumpkin and mix well.
- Cook for about 15 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.
- Add turmeric and salt to taste.
- Cook for a few minutes and then add the dry mango powder.
- Mash the pumpkin and take off the heat.
- Let the pumpkin dish cool.
- Add the ground mustard mixture and mix well.
- Serve warmed.
- Sonu: Malini-it is a great spread.Everything looks so perfect. The children have made a great attempt.Three cheers for both the girls.
- Malini: Susan...it would be such a pleasure if you did come!!!! I keep telling u come for lunch!!
- Susan: Wow I know where you live - I am coming next year. Seriously, I will need to check out some of the recipes later.
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