something old, something borrowed, and something new
This is not your average black bean soup, folks. This is the real deal, a full bodied soup made with dried black beans which is soaked overnight. But this one is not simmered for long hours.
Continue reading “Black Bean Soup made with Whole Dried Black Beans”
Can I just say fried rice is more of a mood than a food for me? When cooking is the last thing on my mind and I still need to feed my brood, I resort to quick cooking meals like fried rice. It is fast, easy and you can choose to add on whatever you want or feel like eating, be it meat, eggs, or vegetables. It has come to my rescue many times when I am in need of sort of an instant meal. They are the original one pot meal or shall I say one wok meal. They can be a meal in itself or serve as an accompaniment to any meat dishes. There is something satisfying in a bowl of fried rice with all your favorite add-ons .
Continue reading “Egg, Tomato and Spinach Fried Rice”
Let us release chicken wings from the shackles of being a mere “game day food”, shall we? I want to bring them on to my everyday dinner table. I want to savor them quietly, intently without any distractions. And with zero guilt. Yes I can, I totally can with my Asian inspired baked chicken wings. I usually pair it with fried rice and make it into a weeknight meal.
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This is a classic example of how some staples of Asian cooking like soy sauce and ginger team up to create a sensational salmon dish. It is everyday cooking in my kitchen. I am sure many of us can relate, that preparing everyday meals does not always involve religiously following a recipe. But it does involve what we feel like eating and what we have on hand, in our pantry and in our refrigerators. And we heavily rely on our instincts when we throw ingredients together to prepare a meal. Honestly, there is no recipe for this salmon and I am having a hard time writing one. I have instinctively cooked salmon this way for so long that it feels funny to write it down. I have to say this salmon is very versatile too; it can be eaten over steamed rice, with noodles or with a salad. Eat with what you may, but at least try cooking it my way and you won’t regret it.
Continue reading “Sake Soy Mirin Salmon”
A bowl of this luscious tomato soup with some grilled garlic bread will give you all the warm fuzzy feelings inside. Undoubtedly an ultimate comfort food, tomato soup has come a long way from being a mere nursery food. From being a complete meal in itself to being an excellent first course in dinner parties, it has proven its versatility since a long time now. My version here is an updated one in that I add orzo pasta to the soup, making it a fairly substantial meal. I believe the starch from the pasta adds to the creaminess of the soup as well. This is an updated but easy version; it is hardly any trouble to make. All it needs is canned tomatoes , some aromatic vegetables and heavy cream. The crusty grilled bread is the perfect companion to the creamy soup. I like to smear the bread with some raw garlic as soon as it comes off the grill pan. A rainy day, a good book, a bowl of this soup, and I am in my happy place!
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Our lives are interlaced with work, school, sports, music and what not. Yes, our family has also jumped into the modern life bandwagon where time always falls short; we are ‘time poor’.
After a long day at work, cooking dinner should not feel like work or another chore. And for that we need simplified meals like this spaghetti with lemon and basil. It is a breeze to make and is delicious. During summer my garden produces a lot of basil, zucchini and lemons. And for me this seems to be a fine way to use up all that produce. I have found that pasta is often the best when made simply with the right combination of a few ingredients. And this simple pasta dish corroborates my perspective. Zucchini can be easily substituted with any summer vegetable of your choice and you can use any pasta you have on hand. The possibilities are endless once you know how to make this simple lemon-basil sauce.
Continue reading “Spaghetti al limone”
Healthy eating does not necessarily imply a mere spiritless consumption of micronutrient rich food. There has to be joy attached to it, and flavor makes eating a joyful experience. Tomatoes, herbs and balsamic vinegar add so much flavor to this healthy and simple roasted halibut that you would want to make and eat it again and again. The halibut cooks directly atop the tomatoes making it an easy one pan dish. I chose Pacific halibut because that’s what I had in my freezer, but you can substitute it with any firm white fish such as cod, mahi-mahi or striped bass. If you don’t have balsamic vinegar, use any vinegar you have on hand. My only request to you is use fresh herbs only, because I feel the herbs add punch to this otherwise unassuming dish. Cooking the fish on high heat and less amount of time lends it a moist and buttery texture.
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My children’s penchant for lamb meat, combined with the fact that it is a rich source of high quality protein, many vitamins and minerals including iron, zinc and vitamin B12, are reasons enough that any cut of lamb is happily featured on our dinner table. This herbed rack of lamb is one of the most requested birthday dinners at our house. The herb crust outside with a moist and tender meat inside always makes it a scrumptious feast for the soul, in our case a feast for two hungry growing boys. Make it a meal with a side of garlic herb roasted baby potatoes and roast asparagus. And you will end up with a five star meal eaten in the comforts of your home. No wonder, the boys’ favorite place to eat is “at home”.
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There’s bouillabaisse, there’s cioppino and then there is maasor bilaahi tenga. I love bouillabaisse; and cioppino is one of my favorite things to make when I entertain my friends. But maasor bilaahi tenga has my soul and my soul reveals my ethnicity. I believe it is an ethnic trait of every Assamese alive and roaming on this planet ‒ to hold or uphold maasor bilaahi tenga close to one’s heart. Three divergent cultures: French, Italian American, and Assamese; one familiar ground ‒ cooking fish or seafood in a tomato enriched broth. Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provencal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille, France. Cioppino is also a fish stew originating in San Francisco, California. Masor bilaahi tenga is a gastronomic delight of Assam, a state in the north-eastern part of India. When I say maasor bilaahi tenga, the name literally enumerates all the ingredients in this simple stew. Maas means fish in Assamese, bilaahi means tomatoes, tenga connotes to the tangy flavor that comes from the acidity of the tomatoes.
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Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic example of how food transcends all cultures, irrespective of one’s root or region. This all time favorite Italian-American comfort food has found its way to our family’s table and hearts as well, and our roots are not Italian at all. Speaking of which, I found out that spaghetti with meatballs is not Italian at all. Of course, meatballs are Italian; in Italy they are primarily eaten as a meal itself or in soups. Nevertheless, as in all ethnic cuisines, meatballs travelled to the United States and gradually evolved to spaghetti and meatballs, a symbol of Italian-American cuisine.
Continue reading “Meatballs and Sauce from My Table to Yours”