Food52 recently invited me and Alok to their kitchens to make coconut dal and turmeric rice for a cooking series with kids and their parents called More Ketchup Please! You can catch me talking about the recipe while he downs an entire bowl of yogurt (much of which ends up on his face 🤣) The full recipe and story is over at Food52.
Thank you to the Food52 team for such a special experience and capturing it all in this beautiful video!
For those like myself that share a love of all things spicy, Red Hot Kitchen by my friend Diana Kuan cannot be missed. This is the much anticipated follow up to her first book The Chinese Takeout Cookbook, also one of my favorites. Many years ago, I discovered Diana through her blog Appetite for China and actually ended up collaborating with her on a pop-up dinner series called Tangra where we combined Indian and Chinese ingredients to create a 5 course meal for our guests. It was great fun and hope to revisit our collaboration again.
The one thing I love about Diana’s recipes is that you always know it’s going to turn out well. She is has been writing about and teaching the techniques found in her books for over a decade. She is meticulous in how she tests her recipes and it shows in the final product.
Red Hot Kitchen is devoted to the hot sauces of Asia. Many of the sauces in the book are familiar and ones we have all grown to love from Sriracha to Sichuan chili oil. Diana succeeds at making them accessible to prepare at home while also going into detail about the history of each sauce. Plus, she provides a number of recipes to apply the condiments to – some traditional and some her own creative takes.
I have a thing for Spicy Chili Crisp but after making the recipe from Diana’s book I highly doubt I will have to buy the condiment again. The process is so simple and results in a most delicious condiment with just the right amount of heat, smoky undertones, crunchy chili and leaves your tongue tingling from the Sichuan pepper. I have already used it in several ways (on cheesy garlic bread to name one!) besides the Peanut Noodle recipe I made from the book.
These Sichuan-Style Peanut Noodles are so delicious. I made the dressing and just wanted to drink it. I gave Alok a little taste before I added the Sichuan chili oil. The boy rarely voices his opinion on food vocally but looked up and said “Mommy, that’s yummy.” Where he learned this word yummy I don’t know as I hate it but it still does melt my heart to hear him say he likes something I made. The noodles are finished with bok choy, shitake mushrooms, cucumber and scallions – exactly what I want to eat on a hot Summer day.
I love this book so much, I am hosting a giveaway for one copy of Red Hot Kitchen to one lucky reader (US residents only). All you have to do is name your favorite hot sauce in the comments on this post by Friday June 14th. I will be collecting entries from here and my Instagram account and will announce the winner on June 15th!
Sichuan-Style Peanut Noodles
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1/2 pound baby bok choy
10 ounces dried thick wheat noodles, or 16 ounces fresh noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger
8 fresh shitake mushrooms stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup Sichuan chili oil (recipe below)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar or good balsamic
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds
2 scallions, finely chopped
Method
Trim the rough ends off the bay bok choy. Separate the leaves, rinse under cold water to remove any dirt, and dry with clean kitchen towels. Cut into thin bite-size pieces.
Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles for the minimum amount of time according to the package instructions. Drain immediately, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Return the noodles to the pot or transfer to a mixing bowl. Toss with the sesame oil until well coated and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until just fragrant, 30 to 40 seconds. Remove the toasted garlic and ginger from the pan and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until they begin to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and cook for 30 seconds; they should be lightly cooked but still retain a crisp snap.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Whisk in the Sichuan chili oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, chili flakes, and Sichuan pepper. Stir in the toasted garlic and ginger.
Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss thoroughly, making sure all the noodles are well coated. Transfer to a large owl and deep serving dish and add the cucumber and mushroom/bok choy mixture on top. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and scallions. Toss before dividing into individual bowls.
Sichuan Chili Oil
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
2 heaping cups dried Chinese chilies or 1/2 cup crushed red chili flakes
2 cups vegetable, peanut or canola oil
1 stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 whole star anise
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons ground Sichuan pepper
Method
If you’re using whole Chinese chilies, pulse them in a food processor until you have about 1/2 cup coarse flakes.
Pour the oil into a small heavy-bottomed pot and heat until the temperature reads between 175 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit on a deep fry thermometer. Remove from the heat. Stir in the chili flake; they should sizzle whey they hit the oil. Add the cinnamon, bay leaf, star anise, cloves, and Sichuan pepper. Let sit for 2 hours, then scoop out the cinnamon, bay leaf, and star anise and discard. (Do no strain out the chili flakes, ground cloves or Sichuan pepper.) Store the chili oil in a clean glass jar. It will keep for up to 1 year if you store it in a cool, dry place.
I am so excited to share that my good friend Hetty McKinnon just came out with her 3rd beautiful cookbook Family which not only includes Hetty’s own recipes but family recipes from friends (including me!!). A recipe inspired by my Great Aunt’s Chana Masala appears in the book beautifully shot by award-winning food photographer Luisa Brimble.
I am a huge fan of Hetty’s work and was drawn to her instantly the first time we met. She exudes warmth and is literally a culinary wizard. She is also vegetarian like me and so I love that I can always find something to make in her cookbooks or on her blog. She invited a group of us over just last week to celebrate the launch with a most delicious lunch filled with recipes from the book. This book is a gem from Hetty’s gozleme, pillowy flatbread filled with delicious greens and halloumi to her cabbage and carrot vermicelli slaw with tofu and lemon-poppyseed dressing. I’m drooling just thinking about them!
Hetty and Luisa came by our place to share in a meal of chana masala, parathas and yogurt raita which is captured in Family. Alok was so young. I remember he fell asleep for most of the shoot in his stroller that everyone took turns to slowly rock. He got up just in time to make a cameo appearance.
I love my Great Aunt Kumud so much and am thankful for Hetty for including her recipe in the book. It is a Punjabi style of making chana masala with tea and warming spices. This is Kumud in her Delhi apt showing me how to make garam masala that is used in the recipe. I have adapted the recipe for a busy home cook with canned chickpeas. Sometimes, I cook the dry chickpeas in my Instant Pot and then flavor them using the below recipe.
I’m so happy to offer a giveaway of Hetty’s book Family and three of my achaars at Brooklyn Delhi, which any go wonderfully with this recipe. In order to enter to win, just leave a comment below or on the post on Instagram about your favorite family recipe.
My Great Aunt’s Chana Masala
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds cooked chickpeas (about 2 drained cans)
1 black teabag
1 stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
pinch of asafetida
1 red onion – diced (leave some aside for sprinkling on curry later)
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
1 Indian green chili or Serrano pepper, very finely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato passata or puree
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon amchoor (dried mango powder)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon Indian chili powder or cayenne (or to taste)
salt to taste
handful of chopped cilantro, to serve
cooked rice or flatbread, to serve
Method
Strain the chickpeas and rinse with water.
In a large pot add the chickpeas, tea bag, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom pods and 6 cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. (This is usually done with dried chickpeas, but after trying it with canned chickpeas, I liked how soft they got and how the liquid gently flavored the chickpeas.). I like to keep the cooking water so I can add some to the curry for more flavor.
In a large frying pan, heat ghee or oil under a medium high flame. Once hot, put in cumin seed and asafetida and shake up pan so they mingle. Once the cumin seed starts to brown, put in the onions and fry them until translucent. Stir in the ginger, garlic and chili and mix and fry for a few seconds. Next add in the tomato sauce and cook until it separates from the oil. Add in the coriander powder, amchoor, cumin powder, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder and salt and mix well. Cook for a few minutes. If it starts to get dry, add a few spoons of the water the chickpeas were boiled in.
Ladle the chickpeas into the pan using a slotted spoon, adding as much of the chickpea cooking water as you like to reach your desired consistency for the curry. Mix everything together and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Garnish with a sprinkling of garam masala, some raw chopped onion and cilantro, alongside rice or flatbread.
I have been making this recipe quite a lot this winter. What I love about it is it’s highly adaptable. I tend to just throw in whatever quick cooking lentil or even bean that I have. You can use lemon or lime juice or just finish it with a dollop of yogurt for tang. You can serve it as is or over rice or with flatbread. My mother gave me a bag of sun dried coconut from Bangalore and that is how I have finished this recipe in the photo. I’ve never really used grated coconut as a garnish on a savory dish but it really works and adds some nice texture. Enjoy!
Curried Coconut Lentils
Serves 3-4
1 cup of brown lentils
2 tablespoons canola oil or ghee
pinch of asafetida
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated ginger
4 cups water
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon coriander powder
¼ teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon Indian chili powder or cayenne
1 can coconut milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Brooklyn Delhi Achaar – Roasted Garlic, Tomato or Rhubarb Ginger
Method:
Rinse lentils and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat oil or ghee at medium. When the oil starts to shimmer, add in the asafetida and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start to brown, add in the onions. When they start to soften mix in the turmeric powder. When the onions are translucent and smelling aromatic, mix in the garlic and ginger. Fry until you smell their fragrance.
Add in the coriander powder, garam masala, chili powder. Stir well. Quickly add in the rinsed lentils with water. Bring the lentils to a boil, then turn the heat back to medium, partially cover them with a lid and cook them until softened, about 30 minutes. Add the can of coconut milk and heat through. If needed, add water for your desired thickness. Add salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Add lemon juice and optional cilantro.
Serve as a soup with a spoon of Brooklyn Delhi Achaar on top. You can also serve with rice and naan.
Happy New Year! This year has got me feeling nostalgic. One thing I’ve never done on the blog is show how a recipe from the site has iterated over the years. This Otsu recipe from back in 2009 has been on heavy rotation in my kitchen ever since, slowly morphing into its present form that I make today. This may seem bizarre but there are recipes I love so much I consider them friends. This is one of them.
And to refresh your memory if you don’t remember my blog post from a decade ago:)…The Otsu recipe is a spicy ginger sesame dressing that flavors soba (noodles made from buckwheat flour), fried tofu, cucumbers, scallions and cilantro. I first discovered it from my friend Jo who had seen it on the blog 101 Cookbooks. Over time, I have adapted it using my Rhubarb Ginger Achaar from Brooklyn Delhi to save time in a pinch or to bump up the flavor if I didn’t have all of the ingredients. The flavors in this achaar replace the ginger and cayenne in the original recipe and boost the tart with rhubarb, umami with asafetida and heat with fresh green chili peppers.
This dressing is so complex and devastatingly addictive – fresh lemon juice, tart rhubarb, spicy ginger and chili peppers, nutty sesame oil, sweet rice vinegar and a spoon of tahini for a creamy finish. Then you toss soba noodles, fried or baked tofu and cucumbers in the dressing and top with cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. The flavors are robust and refreshing all at once. To make the dressing, I usually just throw all of the ingredients into my blender. I guarantee this will become one of your favorite recipes, possibly a close friend.
Soba Salad with Spicy Rhubarb Ginger Tahini Dressing, adapted from Otsu Recipe on 101 Cookbooks
Ingredients:
Dressing (makes more than what you need for the recipe, but you will like having extra around)
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1-2 tablespoons (or more;) Brooklyn Delhi Rhubarb Ginger Achaar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons pure sesame oil
1 tablespoon tahini paste
Soba noodle salad
8 oz. soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
6 oz baked tofu or 8 oz extra firm tofu or the whole block if you have more, cubed (directions below)
1 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 scallion, green and white part, cleaned and thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut in half lengthwise then cut across into thin half-moons.
sesame seeds
more cilantro for garnishing
Method:
If using extra firm tofu: Add tofu to a large non-stick skillet without any oil and toss over high heat until all water has evaporated. Add canola oil, reduce heat to medium-high and fry, tossing frequently until tofu is firm and bouncy. Drain over paper towels.
In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients. Blend well. Add tahini and blend together.
In a large mixing bowl combine drained soba noodles, cilantro, scallions, cucumber. Slowly add dressing and toss Add more dressing to your taste. Arrange salad in center of large plate and top with baked or fried tofu. Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro sprigs. Serve with more dressing on the table just in case!
The first time I had avocado toast was at Cafe Gitane in Nolita. I remember it distinctly – incredibly delicious toasted bread, lush green avocado, a drizzle of very good olive oil and some pepper flakes and flaky salt sprinkled on top. Since then, avocado toast it seems has taken over the Internet so much so it’s actually hated by some.
I would love to hate it but it’s too delicious and simple to prepare. Over the years, I’ve made avocado toast in a lot of ways including this favorite recipe using achaar. More recently, I’ve been sprinkling it with my mother’s chutney powder, sometimes referred to as gunpowder. She excels at making this blend.
Gunpowder is a South Indian spice condiment made from roasted lentils, chili peppers, coconut, curry leaves, asafetida and tamarind that are ground to a coarse texture. I share the recipe in Vibrant India on page 190 but you can also buy ready-made versions of this spice powder. Traditionally, it’s eaten with dosas and idlis but I love to sprinkle the powder on top of plain yogurt, pizza and pretty much anything.
In addition to gunpowder I also like to sprinkle some dal mooth on top of the toast. Dal mooth is a hot snack mix you can find in the Indian store, which is made from chickpea flour strands and fried lentils. This variety in particular is one that is well known in North India. My father likes to sprinkle it on buttered toast so that’s where I got this idea from.
How do you like to eat your avocado toast?
Gunpowder Avocado Toast
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 piece of good bread, toasted
1/2 avocado, mashed
gunpowder or chutney pudi, homemade page 190 of Vibrant India or store-bought
dal mooth, store-bought
sea salt
Method
Place mashed avocado on top of toast. Sprinkle with gunpowder and dal mooth to your liking. Top with a pinch of sea salt.
Fall is the season for the year’s most anticipated cookbooks and this year one of them is Season: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food by my good friend Nik Sharma, the blogger behind A Brown Table and columnist of A Brown Kitchen at the San Francisco Chronicle. Nik came to food after several years as a scientist and views his kitchen just like a lab. The results are a wonderful alchemy of flavors and textures. When he talks about food, he discusses the chemistry of ingredients and the reactions that happen when the right ones come together – it’s fascinating. Nik is also a gifted photographer with a distinct style that is difficult not to be drawn in by. I think he was the first photographer to make brown hands visible in food photography, which may seem like an inconsequential detail but it was a giant leap in a world that is often dominated by white chefs, food photographers, bloggers and writers.
The recipes in the book weave Nik’s culinary influences from growing up in Bombay, living in the Midwest and in DC, visiting his in-laws in the South and eventually settling in the Bay Area. It’s not only the places he has been, but also his identity as a gay Indian immigrant that have shaped his style of cooking. Although Nik and I are close, in reading his book, I started to understand why leaving home was imperative for him to live the life he was meant to lead and become who he is today. In light of Section 377 being overturned just this September in India, which put an end to more than 150 years of anti-LGBT legislation, his account could not be more poignant. I believe Season will be remembered for years to come for his story and the uniquely beautiful food he creates.
In flipping through the book, it was difficult to decide what to make first. I finally chose his Bombay frittata because it’s a recipe inspired by one his mother would make for him growing up. It combines the flavors of ghee, garam masala, crème fraîche, scallions, cilantro and paneer – can’t go wrong there. The aroma when this frittata is baking in the oven is heavenly; it was truly delicious. We had leftovers and they were just as good the next day. I omitted the chilis so I could feed Alok some and then spiced it up with a little bit of my Curry Ketchup on the side.
Nik’s Bombay Frittata from Season (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Serves 6
Ingredients
12 large eggs
½ cup crème fraîche
½ cup finely chopped red onion
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
¼ cup crumbled paneer or feta
Method
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, crème fraîche, onion, scallions, garlic, cilantro, garam masala, salt, pepper, turmeric and red-pepper flakes and beat with a whisk or fork until just combined.
Heat the ghee or oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet, such as cast iron, over medium-high heat, tilting the skillet to coat it evenly.
When the ghee bubbles, pour the eggs into the center of the skillet, shaking to distribute evenly. Cook, undisturbed, until the frittata starts to firm up on the bottom and along the sides but is still slightly jiggly on top, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the paneer and transfer the skillet to the oven.
Cook until frittata is golden brown and has reached desired doneness, 15 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.
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