The korma-style curry is my ultimate favorite. It’s sweet, mildly spicy, creamy…and just tastes so exotic. One taste, and I was hooked!
I’ve tried many different recipes–all of which weren’t quite right–and have 34 versions saved in my bookmarks… in a folder titled “I will Conquer Korma.” True story.
This curry has driven me insane trying to replicate the texture and flavor I order at my local Indian restaurant. Continue reading
Indian street food is like nothing else I’ve experienced. It’s creative, it’s delicious and it’s cheap! I’m not quite sure what makes the taste so unforgettable–some say it’s the oil, and the spices…most say it’s the dirt and the dust. Whatever it is…it works!
Before I went to India I was warned by my doctor, my parents and pretty much anyone I talked to, that I should not eat any of the street food or drink any of the water. I tried my best to avoid the water—but the food was irresistible!
People lined up for lunch at a roadside stand in Kolkata.
With a hefty stash of Imodium and a few packages of Charmin toilet paper (too much information?!)…I tasted a little bit of everything. At first I was worried that I’d get sick and my whole trip would be ruined…but when you’re traveling with someone who has spent most of their life in India, you want to enjoy what they do!
Washing Dishes at a Roadside Stand in Kolkata
Luckily, aside from some mild stomach aches, I survived! …and I want to share my love of Indian street food with everyone! I know it’s impossible for all my readers to travel half across the world…so I thought I’d share a few of the chaats (snacks) I loved– and a few Piyush craves– right here on my blog.
I’ve already blogged about the singaras (here) and the aloo tikkis (here); but today I want to introduce you to the dabeli!
This pasta salad isn’t like most pasta salads I’ve eaten. It’s different…in a good way.
I was trying to think of something easy, fresh and light to bring along to my family Easter pot-luck; but nothing sounded good. I wanted something to counter-balance all the candy I knew I would be eating. I mean…seriously, look at this awesome cake my cousin, Emily made:
Chocolate cake with vanilla frosting...covered with kit-kats and M&M's
I thought a pasta salad would be nice, but I didn’t want to smother it with mayonnaise; nor did I want a traditional Italian vinaigrette. I had cucumber, onion and tomato in my refrigerator–and upon seeing those ingredients, the idea for this salad was born.
There’s a Bengali vegetable “salad” that I’ve blogged about here. It’s fresh, light and everything I wanted; but it needed a little something extra. I dug through the pantry and found some chickpeas and some spiral pasta. I also had a pomegranate on hand.
Beautiful, Red Pomegranate Seeds
I wanted to add some minced fresh garlic, but Piyush thought it might be too pungent. Instead, I cut about 5 cloves in half and threw them in a baking dish with some olive oil and one slit chile. I thought the chile would impart a nice hint of spice…without being in-your-face hot (lots of Scandinavian palates to tend to, you know?).
I dressed the salad with a mixture of chaat masala, lime juice and the garlic-infused oil.
I wasn’t really sure how this salad would go over with my family. My immediate family is scared to death to try anything I make—they say it’s too weird (my mom finds everything spicy. UFFDAH!); so I figured Piyush and I would have plenty of left-overs for work the next day.
In fact, we were looking forward to the left-overs. This salad suited both of our tastes, and it was healthy too! Unfortunately for us, we had no left-overs. The recipe seemed to go over pretty well, and I was glad people at least tried it. This isn’t your typical, American pasta salad…after all!
I noticed a lot of my family members were avoiding the pomegranate seeds. You could leave them out entirely, but I thought they added a nice sweetness and a beautiful color to the dish.
I think this salad would taste really refreshing and light during the hot summer days. It’d be a great dish to bring to a picnic or a pot-luck—or even served as a main-dish meal. I will definitely be making this again, soon!
Indian Pasta Salad
Garlic-Oil
To make the oil, preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Combine all the ingredients in a glass baking dish and toss in the oven. Leave the oil in the heated oven for at least 45 minutes. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool.
Once the oil is cooled, strain. You then have garlic infused oil! You can store it in a cool dark place for about a month. Make sure it’s stored in a sealed jar, though!
Salad
In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, onion, pomegranate and noodles. Mix well so that everything is coated.
In a separate jar combine the lime juice, garlic-oil, and chaat masala. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously. Now your dressing is done!
Pour the dressing on the salad and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional pomegranate seeds and chopped cilantro.
*This salad is best served cold. It is also better if you make it and then allow it to sit in the refrigerator overnight. —lets the flavors mingle a little, you know?
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One night while Piyush and I were touring around India, we decided not to go out for dinner. We were so tired, we turned on the tv and ordered room service. Because we were staying at a pretty expensive hotel…the food was also expensive.
Piyush couldn’t stand the idea that we were going to pay 3 times the amount for a meal that would cost us only a few rupees a couple blocks away. I understood what he was saying, but I didn’t want to leave the hotel again–and be forced to cross the road.
You see, crossing roads in India is scary! There aren’t any cross-walks, and traffic doesn’t stop. Piyush could easily handle it, but it made me crazy! So crazy, in fact, that I possibly had a mini tantrum, acted like I was 7 years old, and convinced Piyush to order room-service. Possibly.
Watch this video, you’ll see. It gives me a panic attack just seeing it!
To make up for my childish behavior, I told Piyush we could order the cheapest thing on the menu. Imagine my excitement when that turned out to be pizza!
I mean, I love pizza. I love curry. What could be better than eating them both at the same time (haha I’m such a glutton!)?
Piyush didn’t want pizza and didn’t think it would taste any good, but I couldn’t resist: Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza. It sounded amazing! …And it was! After eating a few slices, even Piyush said it was genius!
Unfortunately, I have not been able to find anything remotely close to that delicious pizza here in the United States. Sure, you can order a chicken curry pizza once in awhile—but I haven’t tasted one I liked.
Since I made chicken tikka masala a few days ago, I decided to use the left-overs and attempt to replicate the pizza I had in India. …and let me tell you, it was a success!
Just seeing pictures of it make my mouth water! This pizza was incredible!!! I wish there was some contest or something I could enter it into, cuz I’m tellin’ you…It would win!
This pizza could also be made vegetarian—simply do not include the chicken. A paneer tikka masala pizza would be equally amazing!
Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza on Coriander-Garlic Whole Wheat Crust
If you haven’t already entered, and would like to try some Darjeeling loose leaf tea I brought back from India…be sure to enter the giveaway HERE. It ends Friday, April 6 at 7pm Central time!
If you love Indian food, chances are that you adore Chicken Tikka Masala. Maybe you even crave it?! I can even get my younger cousins–who are scared to try anything new–to eat chicken tikka masala…it is that good!
It’s a flavorful Indian curry which is equally fattening as it is tasty. This is not a curry I would make often, and if I did…I definitely would lighten it up. Instead, this recipe is very, very similar to what you would receive at your favorite Indian restaurant. I’m so confident, I would even say it may be better! Continue reading
I remember the first time I had a sip of tea. I was about 7 years old and in second grade. My best friend at the time, Anita, was spending the night and we decided to have a tea party. We raided my mom’s cupboards and found some old (antique) cups and saucers. We also managed to find a few tea bags. I didn’t know how to make tea– my parents never drank it– but we figured it couldn’t be that hard.
Anita turned on the faucet and filled the cups with hot water while I cut open the tea bags. We dumped the tea-dust into the cups of water and put them in the microwave for 5 minutes. While the tea was heating, Anita and I made a couple sandwiches–peanut butter and jelly; I believe. I remember being so excited to sit down, clink our cups together (cheers!) and drink tea. I felt like a grown up.
When our tea was finished in the microwave, we carefully took the very hot cups and placed them onto the saucers. We sat down at the table, giggling, and waited patiently for the tea to cool off enough to drink it. Once it was ready, we clinked the cups together (bad idea!…tea spilled everywhere) and took a sip.
As soon as the tea met my taste-buds, I knew tea was not for me. It was gritty and gross; and the look on Anita’s face showed me that she felt the same. We promptly dumped the tea down the sink, rinsed out our cups, and cracked open an orange Crush soda.
20 years have passed since my first experience with tea, and I’m glad to say it wasn’t my last. Now I enjoy many types of tea; sweetened and unsweetened, loose-leaf and bagged, Darjeeling and green. Although I’ll drink nearly any kind now-days, I undoubtedly prefer the sweet– and sometimes spicy– Indian style tea.
This delicious beverage, commonly known as chai (in Hindi) or cha (in Bengali), is not the same “chai” you get if you order it at an American coffee shop (I’m lookin’ at you Starbucks!). In America, Indian masala chai (mixed-spice tea) has become synonymous with the word chai; but chai is just a word for tea. It’s not a type of tea…and it definitely does not come from artificial syrup (did you know that tea leaves are not even a listed ingredient on some of the syrups your favorite coffee shop uses to make your chai?).
In India, chai is most often made with black tea leaves, way too much sugar, thick, whole milk…and green cracked cardamom pods—if you’re lucky!
sweet, green cardamom pods
It can be found everywhere…and I do mean everywhere! You can buy it for a couple rupees at the train station, served in tiny paper cups; or along the roadsides, where scant amounts are poured into tiny earthenware vessels; and if you’re lucky enough to be invited into an Indian home, you’re sure to be offered a steaming glass of creamy chai…with biscuits to dunk!
My mother and father-in-law (Maa and Baba), taught me how to make proper Indian-style tea…and for that, I am thankful! When preparing tea, they never really used exact measurements. Instead, they relied on color and taste. It took me awhile, but I think I’ve finally got it figured out (Baba, if you’re reading this…you’d be proud)!
Not only do I intend to share with you, dear reader, how to make Indian-style chai (and masala chai!), but I would also like to give you a chance to try some Darjeeling loose-leaf tea that I bought in Darjeeling, myself! This is not the Darjeeling tea you find lining your supermarket or co-op shelves…nooo…this is the real deal!
Darjeeling Loose Leaf Tea...and a strainer! The tea was purchased at Nathmulls in Darjeeling. If you want to learn more about it click here.
If you’d like a chance at trying some Darjeeling tea for yourself, here’s your chance! I’m having a giveaway, and one lucky reader will receive the package of tea and tea strainer shown above!
To enter, simply leave a comment telling me how you like to drink your tea! It’s that easy!
The giveaway ends Friday, April 6 at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. The giveaway is only open to U.S. residents aged 18+ (sorry!). Be sure to include a valid email address with your comment…if you win, I want you to know! I’ll choose the winner randomly using Random.org’s random number generator. If I don’t hear back from the winner by Monday, April 9 at 5:00 pm Central Time, a new winner will be chosen!
For an additional chance to win: Follow my blog or sign up for email updates. Be sure to leave a comment letting me know if you did this!
If you already follow or subscribe, I appreciate it and you deserve an extra chance too! Leave a comment letting me know!
My blog is pretty young yet…so the chances are good!
**The giveaway is now over! Congrats, Mary Ella! I hope you enjoy the tea!**
Now, on to the recipes!
Indian-Style Tea (with milk and sugar)
This can also be made using stevia, if you’re concerned about your sugar-intake. I also make it with soymilk. If you choose to do this be sure to add the soymilk at the end. Don’t boil it, it will curdle!
This recipe yeilds 3- 80z. servings.
Directions:
Masala Chai
To make masala chai– follow the same recipe and method as above, but also add:
Add these spices, whole, to the water when you add the tea leaves. Experiment with the quantities of spices and find the mix that is just right for you! …Everyone’s tastes are different!
If you want to make the chai really special for someone, add a whole cardamom seed to the bottom before straining the tea into the glass! If you could say, “I love you” using spices…this is how you’d do it!
A spice-y surprise!
Enjoy!
Chicken Jalfrezi
It’s no secret that I love Indian style curries. They’re delicious, spicy, and usually pretty healthy (assuming you are making them yourself!). Yesterday, I shared my recipe for a good gravy base that will have you turning out curry after curry in no time. Today, I’m going to show you how to use that base to make a dish that will blow your mind! Continue reading
My Fancy Pantry 