Growing up, I loved eating paalak paneer at parties. We did not eat it often at home because paneer--a type of non-melting fresh cheese--is not particularly healthy. Yet, that is exactly why I loved eating it as a child! In fact I would often pick out the paneer and eat it by itself, leaving the paalak (spinach) untouched. As I got older, my mother began making paalak paneer at home more often because we discovered that baked tofu is an easy replacement for paneer! It has a similar consistency, and can be cut into cubes just like paneer. My mother's recipe is simple, easy, and well balanced: you get protein from the tofu, iron and other vitamins from the spinach and tomatoes, and spices have been shown to have many health benefits.
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Lately, I have been traveling over the weekends--often leaving on a Thursday and not returning until Sunday evening. Traveling this often makes it tricky to cook dinner at home because I am low on both time and groceries. Whenever I am in a time crunch, I turn to my favorite kitchen appliance: the slow cooker. This week's recipe is great because the slow cooker does most of the work for you, allowing you to unpack your suitcase and throw in a load of laundry while it is cooking! I already mentioned that the ability to multi-task while food is cooking in a slow cooker is a huge benefit. Another thing that is great about slow cooking chicken: it turns out very tender!
You may be wondering why there is beer in this recipe! A bit of "science" about cooking--you need to use an ingredient which will tenderize the meat. Many ingredients act as tenderizers--including beer! Other tenderizers include citrus juices (like lemon juice), vinegar, yogurt, and coconut milk. In the same way that red wine is used in cooking, the alcohol of the beer will be cooked away once it is exposed to heat. When I was a child, my parents almost always made raita and served it with dinner. "Raita" is a condiment made with yogurt, spices, and herbs. My parents served it with dinner because it is a way to add more raw vegetables into a meal, and because it nicely balances a hot and spicy dish. There are many varieties of raita--the yogurt may be mixed with vegetables, fruits, or other items. If you are familiar with Greek food, raita is very similar to tzatziki sauce. This is my recipe for a very simple vegetable raita; but feel free to try your own combinations and variations!
I lived in a dormitory my first two years of college. During my junior and senior year, I lived in a house with a few girls. To this day, my roommates are still some of my best friends; in fact we have probably grown closer since graduating college. This recipe comes from one of my college roommates--KP--who modified a recipe from her mother-in-law. KP's family and her husband's family are from Andhra Pradesh, so this is a South Indian recipe. I chose to make this dish this week for two reasons. First, it has been brutally cold where we live and the thought of a warm curry dish was enticing! Second, my husband, V, and I are attending a wedding in two weeks and are trying to eat healthy until then. This dish is wonderful because it is full of protein and is very low in carbohydrates!
Bhindi bhaaji was a staple weeknight dish for my Mom. It was always one of my favorite dishes because it was not very spicy and my Mom cooked it until it was slightly crispy and crunchy. I love bhindi bhaaji so much that I made sure it was served at my wedding reception! As a note, "bhaaji" is a Marathi word for a dish consisting of a cooked vegetable. In Hindi it is known as a "sabzi"; in Gujarati it is known as a "shaak." There is a different word in every language, but it is the same thing!
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July 2015
AuthorExploring Indian cuisine and trying to learn the recipes of my family. I hope to help and inspire others along the way. |