Menu Diary: Persian-inspired Autumn Supper

I seem to have dropped off the blogging tear in 2011! But I would love to start a diary of menus, to keep track of what I make and serve at different gatherings.

Tonight:

pomegranate-rosewater martinis

cashews with spicy pineapple dust

a big salad of green grapes, walnuts, parsley, pomegranate seeds, persimmon and pistachio-lemon oil 

a big steaming "zereshk polo" made with spaghetti squash instead of basmati rice, topped with pistachios, barberries, carrot strings, saffron, and onions caramelized in butter

roasted cauliflower served with four sauces (tahini-mustard, mint-cilantro, mango-chilli, tamarind)

lamb, salmon and shrimp seared with za'atar, Aleppo pepper, dried lemon
(and, in the case of the lamb, a little pomegranate syrup, too)

saffron panna cotta

Moroccan mint tea

Randy Mayor; Jan Gautro

Uppama

Uppama

Uppama is a South Indian breakfast dish that can be made with coarse semolina, pearl tapioca, rice flakes, or vermicelli. You can toss in all kinds of vegetables. At home my family makes it with diced carrots, peas, green beans, but I also like it with black-eyed peas, asparagus, soaked and chopped kokum ka phul, chopped kale... Really, choose your own adventure!

It goes well with chutney. My favorite chutney pairing for uppama is red bell pepper chutney or ginger chutney.

1 1/2 cups coarse semolina ("sooji"), rice flakes ("poha"), pearl tapioca ("sabudana") or vermicelli ("sev")
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
1 stalk curry leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
3/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely crushed, or tuvar dal
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 Serrano chili, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped and peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sliced spinach (or other veggie)
3 tablespoons thinly shredded cilantro
1 lime, juiced
Salt

[If using tapioca, put the grain in a bowl and wash in several changes of cold water from the tap until the water loses its murkiness and remains clear and soak in fresh cold water to cover 8 hours. Drain in a sieve and spread on a tray laid with a paper towel. Refrigerate the drained tapioca at least 1 hour.]

Heat the oil in an 8-quart pot over moderately high heat until shimmering and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds being to pop, which will be almost immediately, add the curry leaves and cumin seeds and stir.

Add the peanuts/dal, shallots, serrano, ginger and increase the heat to high. Cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in the butter and when melted, add the grain and salt to taste. Cook until grain is heated through (3-4 minutes). Add the veggies and continue to cook until the grain turns transparent. Unless you're using the pre-soaked tapioca, pour 3/4 to 1 cup boiling water in, bring to boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let the grain absorb the liquid and steam.

Just before serving, stir the lime and cilantro into the pilaf and season with salt.

Requested: Salt Substitutes

One of my best friends has recently had to go on prednisone, a synthetic corticosteroid immunosuppressant drug, side effects of which require people taking it to follow a low-salt (and/or sometimes high potassium or high calcium diet).

One salt substitute I like is dulse, a seaweed that is very common in Iceland and used as a snack and flavor enhancer. Dulse contains all the trace elements that humans need, including iron and B vitamins, fiber, a high protein content, and 15mg of sodium per teaspoon. Table salt has 2300mg sodium in a teaspoon. You do need a higher quantity of dulse to enhance the flavor of a dish, but not 150 times as much. It does taste like a seaweed, so can be an acquired taste. Some people think it makes a great bacon substitute!

Some folks substitute a spice/herb mix in savory foods, such as the following:

1 Tbsp ground cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried savory
1 tsp ground mace
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp ground dried grated lemon peel

You just mix all of these together well (keep the mixture in a glass airtight container/spice jar in a cool, dark place, and it should keep for four months) and use as seasoning.

Brussels Sprouts, by way of Beirut

1.25 lb Brussels Sprouts, rinsed, quartered, and *thoroughly* dried

olive oil

1/2 C yogurt (thick Greek-style or plain, as you prefer)

4 Tbsp pomegranate syrup (pomegranate juice, reduced to a thick syrup)

4 Tbsp crumbled toasted walnuts

8 Tbsp Sliced Seedless Green Grapes

Ground coriander seed, black pepper, salt (about 1/2 tsp) and sherry vinegar, to taste

Handful pomegranate seeds

Mix the yogurt with the ground coriander seed and black pepper.

Deep fry the Brussels sprouts or sear the cut sides in a pan until well browned - almost burnt - or toss with olive oil and roast in the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit until crispy. The Brussels sprouts should still be green with browned outer leaves when cooked. Toss with salt and sherry vinegar.

Stir together until completely coated the Brussels sprouts, spiced yogurt, walnuts and grapes, then swirl in the pomegranate syrup so it looks kind of like a ribbon winding through the dish, garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve warm.

An Oscar Potluck

Two of my closest friends work in media/entertainment, and I've been left with a rather large television, so they and some others came over for some noshing, dishing, and Oscars-viewing.

We had so much food! laid out - not like an etherized patient, more like the antipasti table at a trattoria. Everything we ate last night was light, refreshing, tasty, simple but high quality, easy to prepare. The floral honey, bright green parsley flavor and crunch in the chickpea salad, and raspberries felt like harbingers of a much-awaited spring, while the depth in the blood oranges and dark, woodsy, berry tang of sumac felt like a poignant last look at winter.

*Popcorn tossed with Sumac

*Queso de Murci Curado, a six months' aged raw goat's milk cheese from Murcia in Southeastern Spain (with unspeakably delicious raw Manoir des Abeilles honey mixed with freshly ground black pepper poured over it)

*Red Kardoula Peppers stuffed with Feta and marinated in olive oil, garlic, and basil

*Green-and-black Olive Tapenade (with pita chips): Simply, pitted green and black olives food processed with fresh parsley and thyme, red chilli powder, a small amount of capers, and a slice of preserved lemon.

*Stuffed Grape Leaves

7-layer Bean Dip

Steak Sandwiches a la Ina Garten courtesy of Miz SunDrop

*The Ratatouille from "Ratatouille"

*Blood Orange and Treviso Salad: I sliced two heads of treviso on the bias and laid supremed blood orange slices over that on a platter, scattered some sliced scallions on top, and dressed the salad with a vinaigrette of blood orange juice, pomegranate molasses, cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

*Roasted Chickpea Salad: I tossed cooked chickpeas with olive oil, salt, sumac, red chilli powder, and cumin, and roasted them spread out on a baking pan for 45 minutes in a 350-degree oven, then tossed them with shredded red cabbage, lots of fresh chopped flat leaf parsley, and a simple vinaigrette of lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Farmers Market Quiche

*Raspberries with Honeyed Greek Yogurt

*Moroccan Mint Tea

* = organic

Mulled Apple Cider Granita

yield: Makes about 1 1/4 quarts

6 cups unpasteurized apple cider
a 3-inch cinnamon stick and/or mulling spices
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons strained fresh lemon juice

In a large saucepan combine the cider, the cinnamon stick (I used a mixture of cinnamon sticks, allspice, orange zest, and cloves), the sugar, and a pinch of salt and boil the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced to about 4 cups. Stir in the lemon juice, strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, and chill it, covered, until it is cold. Freeze the mixture in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions if you want to make sorbet, or freeze and scrape with a fork for granita.

Recipe: Thai Red Curry Paste

This is just one recipe for Thai red curry paste. There are many
variations.

3 shallots, sliced
1 stalk lemongrass
1-3 bird's eye chillies
3 cloves garlic
1 3" piece galangal, peeled and sliced
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. ground coriander seeds
3 Tbsp. nam pla
1 kaffir lime leaf
1 tsp. shrimp paste
1 tsp. palm sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. red chilli powder

Process all ingredients in a food processor.

Red curry paste may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator
for about 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe: Thai Green Curry Paste

This is just one recipe for Thai green curry paste. There are many
variations.

1 stalk lemongrass
1/2 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. shrimp paste
1 tsp. palm sugar
1-2 green chillies
3 cloves garlic
1 3" piece galangal (or ginger), peeled and sliced
3-4 kaffir lime leaves, stems removed
1 cup fresh cilantro (including leaves and stems)
1 tsp. nama shoyu
2 Tbsp. nam pla

Process all ingredients in a food processor.

Green curry paste may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator
for about 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.

How I store my excess spices

Spices keep best dry and away from light, so I put my stores in coffee bags in the freezer.  For daily use I have a spice carousel near the stove.

Recipe: Fish or Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp or fish tacos are perfect for an assemble-your-own dinner. Lay out warmed soft tortillas, prepared shrimp or fish, a few different sauces or salsas, shredded cabbage (green cabbage is classic but I like to use very finely shredded red cabbage), and lime wedges and let people fill their own tacos. Here's an assortment of options.

Avocado Sauce makes 1/2 cup. Mix/mash together 1/4 ripe avocado, peeled; a pinch of salt; a few drops of lime juice; 1-2 tablespoons water; and 2 cilantro sprigs, chopped (optional).

Chilies de Arbol Sauce makes 1/2 cup. Pour 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add 1 garlic clove, smashed with the side of a large knife, and cook 4-5 minutes until golden and aromatic. Place in a small food processor. Wearing gloves, seed 1 cup dried chilies de arbol (about 30 chilies), stemmed (unless you want hotter sauce, in which case, leave the seeds), and place in the processor. Process until well pulverized. Add 1/3 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon white vinegar. Let stand at least 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or vinegar as necessary.

Tomatillo salsa Whisk 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger, 2 teaspoons cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice and 1/8 teaspoon grated zest in a small bowl and set aside. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add 1/2 cup diced red onion and cook 2-3 minutes until slightly browned. Add 1 cup diced red bell pepper, 1 cup diced tomatillo, and 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno pepper (with seeds), and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the ginger-vinegar mixture to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes more, until slightly bubbly. Place in a bowl and gently stir in 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro. Season with salt.

Chipotle Cream Heat 1 tsp. oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped roughly, and cook 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic and slightly golden. Add 2 chopped scallions and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Place in a small food processor. Add 4-5 chilies in adobo sauce, 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. Mexican crema and 2 tsp. water, and pulse. Add more water as necessary and pulse until sauce is thick and creamy (a few little bumps are fine).

Beer battered and deep fried fish (Baja-style) makes 24 servings, enough for 6 to 8 people
For the batter, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon dried whole Mexican oregano, rubbed to a powder, Kosher salt to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in 1 bottle (12 oz.) cold beer until there are no lumps. Cut 2 pounds firm, meaty fish such as halibut or snapper into finger-shaped pieces and sprinkle them with some lime juice and salt. Pat dry. Dip the pieces into the batter, let the excess drip, and deep fry the battered fish pieces until golden; drain on paper towel-lined rack.

Baked fish makes 2 servings
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place two egg whites in a shallow bowl and lightly beat with a fork. In another shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal or grits seasoned with salt and pepper. Pat dry four 4-oz. servings of white fish, such as tilapia or halibut, and dip each piece of fish first in the egg whites and then dredge in the cornmeal. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, turning once mid-way through.

Skillet shrimp
Place 24 large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, in a large bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to coat. Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook 5-6 minutes, turning to ensure that they brown evenly on both sides.

Poblano-corn salsa
Char a fresh poblano pepper over an open gas flame, turning occasionally, until thoroughly blistered on all sides. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and gently scrape off the skin. Halve, stem and seed the pepper. Cut into strips, then dice and place in a bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kernels cut from one large ear of corn and cook 3-4 minutes until slightly charred yet crisp. Add to the bowl with the poblano pepper. Peel and dice 1 small avocado, sprinkle with a little lime juice to prevent it from turning brown, and add to bowl. Add fresh cilantro, season with salt, and toss gently.

Recipe: Bombay Bhel

Bhel puri is a type of chaat or savory snack that you get all over India but that's particularly associated with Bombay, especially the vendors who serve it along Chowpatty beach. You can mix just about anything tart, salty, spicy, or crunchy into it. Diced green mango and sprouted mung are typical additions. The most common ingredients are diced boiled potatoes, diced red onion, minced cilantro, and spiced puffed rice, deep fried, crunchy lentils, and sev (chickpea flour deep fried to make crunchy broken "noodles") tossed with a mix of sweet, sour, and spicy chutneys and spices and topped off with lime juice. Imli-date and coriander chutneys are the most commonly used. Sometimes chilli sauce and yogurt are added.

For my friend's shower, I mixed together about 1 1/2 cups puffed rice that had been tossed with red chilli powder (lal mirchi), salt, and coriander powder (dhania); 2 cups fresh corn kernels; 1/2 cup spiced roasted cashews; 1/2 cup sev; 1/2 cup fried chana dal; 1 large diced red onion; 3 medium potatoes, cooked but still firm, and cubed; 3/4 C chopped fresh cilantro; 1/2 C imli-date chutney; and the juice of one fresh lime.

On Valentine's Day, Be Good to Your Heart

I'm still fixated on all things Moroccan, so here's an idea for a heart-healthy Valentine's Day menu that Rick and Ilsa might have enjoyed.

Grilled Fish with Smoky Harissa for 2

1 red chilli
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 5- to 6-ounce firm white fish (such as halibut or mahi-mahi) fillets
1 large red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, seeded
Olive oil for brushing plus 2 Tablespoons
1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1 teaspoon ground coriander, divided
1/2 a lemon

Prepare grill on medium-high heat. Thread chilli and garlic clove onto a skewer. Brush chilli, garlic, fish, and red bell peppers with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle fish with 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon coriander. Grill fish, bell peppers, jalapeño, and garlic until vegetables are tender and fish is just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side for fish and 6-8 minutes per side for vegetables. Grill lemon, cut side down, until charred, about 3 minutes. Transfer fish to plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Peel charred parts of skin from bell pepper and cut stem from jalapeño, and transfer to blender, discarding peel and stem. Add garlic clove, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon coriander to blender. Process until coarse puree forms. Season sauce generously to taste with salt and pepper. (I like to add some soaked walnuts, too, for creaminess.)

Place 1 fish fillet on each of 2 plates. Squeeze grilled lemon over. Spoon sauce over fish.

Serve with a simple salad that should be made one day beforehand (so the wheat softens) of 2 ounces cracked wheat tossed with the juice of 2 lemons, 1 tablespoon olive oil, a tomato (peeled cored, seeded, and diced), a red bell pepper (roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced), two chopped scallions, a small cucumber (peeled, seeded, and diced), a diced celery rib, and add to taste chopped fresh parsley and mint, salt and pepper.

Sefrou abricot/galettes sucrees/mandelbrot (apricot cookies)
4 large eggs
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup olive or argan oil
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a cookie sheet with grapeseed oil.

Beat 3 eggs with the light brown sugar. Add the oil, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, then fold in the chopped nuts and fruit.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and form each piece into a roll about 14" long and 1 1/2" - 2" wide. Place the rolls on the cookie sheet, leaving an inch between them.

Beat the remaining egg and brush it over the dough. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 20 minutes on the middle rack. Let the rolls cool for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice each roll into 3/4" pieces. Lay the slices cut side up on the cookie sheet and return them to the oven for 15 more minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. Let cool and serve with Moroccan mint tea.

Recipe: Pomegranate-Date Tagine

I had resolved to make more tagines when we returned from Morocco - they're layered with sweet spices, a lingering tang (not a bright one), and the mouth seems to want to savor bites for longer, encouraging a healthy slowness in eating, lingering and conversation.  I haven't made very many in the last several months, but here's a particularly simple one, that could also be made in a covered baking dish if you don't have a tagine.

Pomegranate-Date Tagine for 2

olive oil
1 lb to 1.5 lbs wild coho salmon
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 preserved lemon
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 Cup pomegranate juice
1/4 C chopped dates
1 tsp salt

Generously salt and pepper the fish. Heat a tagine over medium heat until
very hot. Lower oven rack to lower middle position and preheat to 275°F.

Add the onions, minced ginger and preserved lemon to the pan and saute for
about 20 minutes. Add the cinnamon sticks and coriander seeds and caramelize
the onions (another 10 minutes). Add the fish to the pot, the pomegranate
juice, and the dates. Bring to a boil and salt to taste.

Cover and place in the oven. Braise for 30 minutes or until the fish
flakes.

We had this with pistachio couscous (simply, couscous for 2 with
about 1/3 Cup shelled and coarsely chopped pistachios stirred into it while
hot; also added a dash of lemon juice).

Recipe: Spicy Yam Latkes

Happy Hanukkah! I love yams and Jewish holidays, so voila, yam latkes. These taste pretty good eaten with cranberry chutney.

Spicy Yam Latkes

1 lb. yams, peeled and coarsely grated
1/4 cup amaranth flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour, or soaked and rinsed quinoa
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 medium eggs, beaten
about 1/2 cup yogurt
Oil for frying

In a medium-sized bowl mix the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs and as much yogurt as needed to make a stiff batter. Mix in the yams; the batter should be moist. If it seems stiff, add a bit more yogurt.

Fill a frying pan about 1/4" up the sides with oil and heat over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, drop tablespoonfuls of batter in it and flatten them with the back of the spoon or a spatula. Fry the latkes over medium-high heat several minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Recipe: Gingerbread (Cake)

Gingerbread (Cake)

Oil spray (I have grapeseed)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (I used apple-apricot sauce)
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 cup whole wheat flour or other whole grain flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup ground almonds / almond flour
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray baking pans (I used 4 mini-loaf pans, one regular size loaf pan, and a mini cake pan; I think it's a total of 12 Cups capacity) with oil spray. Whisk maple syrup, molasses, applesauce, oil and egg in large bowl to blend. Add the flours, ground ginger, and sugar and stir until well blended. Add the baking soda and salt and stir again. Whisk in 1/2 cup boiling water.

Pour the batter halfway up the sides of the baking pans.

Bake until the gingerbread begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 35 minutes.

Transfer to rack and cool in pans, 30 minutes.

Invert onto platter(s) and cool at least 15 minutes.

Recipe: Diced Yams with Ginger and Dried Cherries

It is officially fall, and yams abound.  I like everything to be spicy if it's going to be sweet, and sour to boot if I can help it.  So here is a quick and easy recipe for yams with sweet heat.

Diced Yams with Ginger and Dried Cherries for 4 as a side dish

2 shallots, peeled and minced

1/2" piece ginger, peeled and minced

1/4 Cup dried cherries

4 medium to large sized yams, peeled and diced

2 tbsp. olive oil

salt to taste

splash of Applejack or apple cider

Heat olive oil in saute pan on medium high heat.  When hot, add shallots and ginger, and saute until fragrant.  Add dried cherries and saute until cherries have softened.  Add diced yams and salt to taste and toss to combine with shallot-ginger-cherry mixture.  Add a splash of Applejack or apple cider, cover, turn heat down to low, and let yams steam cook until tender, about 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of your dice).

Recipe: Chhole (Chickpea Curry)

I hosted my book club last night and thematically served an all vegetarian, Indian-with-a-hint-of-Anglo meal (we read "The Indian Clerk," historical fiction but very much based on reality - the story of the Cambridge don and mathematician G. H. Hardy's encounter with the genius-but-unschooled mathematician and upper caste vegetarian Srinivasa Ramanujan, brought to Trinity College from South India and treated as an exotic specimen of "Hindoo calculator" by Hardy and his colleagues).

The menu: hariyali tikki sandwiches; chhole (chickpea curry) served with imli chutney and brown basmati with browned onions and peas; avial (yogurt curry); gobi masala (cauliflower) with chapatis; chopped raw mushrooms, mild radishes, and baby japanese turnips tossed with chaat masala and lemon and lime juice; red onion salad; and butternut squash raita. One of the book club members brought lemon almond whole grain tea bread and we had that with Concord grapes for dessert.

The cinnamon stick swells up with the curry and imparts a woody spiciness to the whole dish.

Chhole for 8 (served alongside other dishes)

1 1/2 Cups chickpeas, soaked overnight (or ~2 Cups cooked chickpeas)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 yellow onions, chopped finely

3 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick (about the length of your forefinger)

1" piece ginger, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 tsp. red chilli powder (optional)

1-2 tbsp. garam masala (to taste)

4 huge or 6 normal-sized tomatoes, skins removed, chopped

If using uncooked chickpeas: about 2 Cups boiling hot water

Leaves from half a bunch of cilantro, washed, drained, and chopped

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot or pressure cooker pot until hot. Add the chopped onions, cloves, and cinnamon stick and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant (don't let the ginger-garlic brown; don't worry if the onion browns a little). Add the chickpeas, salt, black pepper, red chilli powder (optional), and garam masala and stir to combine thoroughly, until each chickpea is coated with the mixture of oil, onions, ginger-garlic, and spices and the chickpeas are heated through. Then add the tomatoes, stir, add additional salt if necessary, and turn the heat up and bring to boil (at this point, add the boiling water if using uncooked chickpeas), stirring.

If you're using uncooked chickpeas and a pressure cooker, follow the instructions to pressure cook the chickpea curry at this point. If you're using uncooked chickpeas and a regular pot, cover and reduce to medium low heat and simmer until the chickpeas are cooked, ~2 hours. If you're using cooked chickpeas and either a pressure cooker or a regular pot, do not pressure cook, just simmer covered until the tomatoes have broken down into a thick curry (~15 minutes).

Then, at the end, if there is extra liquid, remove the cover and boil until the liquid is reduced, depending on how watery versus thick you want it to be.

Stir in the chopped cilantro after removing from heat but while still hot, just before serving.

Recipe: Lemon Rice

Lemon rice is my favorite accompaniment for any Indian-style fish dish or South Indian-style dish. It's also a great way to jazz up leftover rice.

My South Indian nanny (who is now quite old, but until very, very recently could still shimmy up a coconut tree) used to make this a lot when she lived with us when I was 6 or 7, and she wrote out a whole notebook of South Indian recipes for us before she went back to Bangalore (where she still works with the blind). When I went to college, I copied out into my own recipe notebook a number of my favorites from hers, including this one.

Lemon Rice for 4

2 cups cooked brown Basmati rice (start with 1 cup uncooked rice)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
3-4 curry leaves
2 chillies, either green chillies slit lengthwise or whole dried red chillies
1/4 cup roasted shredded coconut
1/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup roasted or deep fried chana dal
1/2 tsp turmeric
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt to taste
Optional: a handful of minced fresh cilantro (not traditional, but I like how cilantro brightens everything)

Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and chillies. Fry until the mustard seeds have all popped. Add the turmeric, remove from the heat, and toss into the cooked rice along with the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Recipe: Biryani

Biryani is one of the most elaborately spiced dishes we make at home. It's like an ensemble opera and 100-piece orchestra in every bite: each flavor makes itself felt, but all of them work together. (And it's much better at home, so rather than order it at a restaurant, try this recipe or find a Persian/Pakistani/Indian/Bangladeshi/Malay friend who'll have you over when he's making some.)

You will find different variations of biryani along the route that Mughal travelers and merchants traveled long ago, from Iran to Malaysia. It's basically meat, eggs, and/or vegetables with intricately seasoned basmati rice. Since we don't eat meat, we most often make it with mixed mushrooms, mixed vegetables, salmon, or shrimp. (But, even as a non-meat-eater, I will say, lamb and goat biryanis seem to be what people really swoon over.)

It's best served garnished with some sliced boiled egg and sliced tomatoes, with some cooling raita and red onion salad on the side.

Mushroom Biryani (serves 6)

1" piece ginger, peeled, minced
5 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
a small pinch saffron
1/4 Cup warm milk
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
2 green cardamoms, crushed
2 black cardamoms (optional)
1" cinnamon stick
salt to taste
1 1/2 Cups brown basmati rice, rinsed and soaked
2 teaspoons oil
2 medium sized onions, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 tablespoon crushed peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cumin (seeds or powder)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 medium sized tomatoes, peeled and pureed
1/2 Cup yogurt, whisked
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 Cup fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 Cup fresh chopped mint
*15-20 medium sized quartered mushrooms

optional: a few drops of kewra (an aqueous extract of pandanus flowers)

*In place of the mushrooms, you could use any of the following: chicken, lamb, salmon, or other fish (cut into bite-sized pieces); shrimp (I recommend leaving the tails on for more shrimp-y flavor); or a mixture of vegetables (like diced carrots, chopped green beans, corn kernels, and cauliflower cut into very small, fine florets).

Soak the saffron in the warm milk and keep aside.

Bring 3-4 Cups water to boil with the bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt and rice, then when it's boiling, reduce heat to the lowest and cover. Cook until the rice is about 3/4 done and then remove from heat, keep covered, and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, stir fry over high for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the ginger-garlic and cook briefly. Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, black pepper, cumin and turmeric. Stir-fry briefly. Add the pureed tomatoes. Cook another 2-3 minutes until fairly thick. Add the whipped yogurt, garam masala, and half the cilantro and mint. Cook 2 more minutes, stirring. Add the mushrooms and salt to taste. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes (if you're using something other than mushrooms or vegetables, at this point, cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat/fish/shrimp is cooked).

If you like your biryani drier, at this point, mix the almost-cooked rice and almost-cooked mushroom mixture together in a shallow, ovenproof dish, mixing in the remaining cilantro and mint and saffron milk. (More classically, people layer the rice, mushroom mixture, additional fresh cilantro and mint, and saffron milk; I like consistent mixing.) Cover, making sure to seal the dish, and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the cover for the last minute or so.

If you like your biryani more moist, mix the almost-cooked rice and almost-cooked mushroom mixture together in whichever dish will accommodate them both (for me, it's usually the pot I had the mushrooms in), mixing in the remaining cilantro and mint and saffron milk. Cover and cook on very low heat about 10 more minutes. Uncover and raise the heat to medium and cook a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, to evaporate some of the water.

For real dhaba flavor, sprinkle a few drops of kewra over the biryani.