This past weekend, I visited my sister, Anisha in New York City. We stopped by an amazing food emporium called Eataly, which was the idea of business partners Oscar Farinetti  and Mario Batali. Here’s a bit of what we caught:

Welcome!

Fresh pasta, anyone?

Formaggi:

Juicy, delicious blood oranges we sampled:

This was cool: a chandelier made from pasta! How gorgeous!

And we also stumbled into this cool guy, Joseph S. Cooks Nieves, The Veggie Butcher at Eataly. I asked him what advice he would give regarding cooking vegetables of any sort. “Keep it simple, ” he advised. Well said! 

Nieves also noted that we should consider vegetables as a main dish than as a side dish. I 100% agree, and I have to say that Indian cuisine is the haute couture of vegetarian cuisine.

Today, we make: Indian Spiced Brussel Sprouts

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1. Brussel Sprouts (About 25)
2. Oil (not olive) about a tablespoon and half.
3. 1/4 tspn cumin seeds
4. red chili flakes, to taste
5. 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6. 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
7. 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
8. cilantro, chopped
9. lemon juice, about a half tablespoon or a good squeeze, to taste.

Method:

1. Wash brussel sprouts, and cut in half. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, medium.
3. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle and pop.
4. Once they pop, lower the heat and add garlic. Stir quickly and make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. This is bad and it will make the dish taste horrible. You can even take the pan off the heat for a bit if needed. 
5. Add red chili flakes, let sizzle for a few seconds.
6. Add turmeric and coriander powder, stir quickly.
7. Add brussel sprouts and stir.
8. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper and stir.
9. Squeeze lemon juice, stir.
10. Let sprouts sizzle and caramelize for about five minutes, then add a splash of water, about 1/4 of a cup to pan and steam fry them, covering them with the lid for a bit. Don’t overcook them. Overcooked sprouts are bitter.
11. Serve with rice, roti, or eat plain, as I did! :)

Be sure to check out Eataly online at Eataly NY or in person at: 

• 200 5th AVENUE
• NEW YORK, NY 10010
• Entrances on 5th Avenue and 23rd Street

Signing out, 

Veruca Spice

I rarely eat raw garlic, maybe a bit chopped up in a salsa or a bruschetta topping here and there. But the use of raw garlic in this quick and easy appetizer adds a spice and heat that as cliche as it sounds, keeps you going back for more! Today we make:   

Note: there is absolutely nothing precise about this recipe. It was quite annoying actually to experiment and list measurements because really, it’s a quick garlicky salsa, if you will, that’s thickened with sourdough bread. I decided to make this actually as I noticed a baguette was drying out and of course, I didn’t want to throw it away.

Ingredients:

1. Sourdough baguette (I used one I purchased at Whole Foods)
2. Two vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
3. 2-3 cloves garlic (per taste, add a little at a time and taste when blending)
4. Pinch of salt, to taste
5. Pinch of black pepper
6. 2 tablespoons chopped parsley plus more for garnish
7. 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling

Method;

1. In blender, combine tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and olive oil. Blend.
2. The consistency will be watery, given that the tomatoes are full of water.
3. Now to get a thick consistency, tear off a small piece of sourdough baguette and add to tomato mixture and blend. The texture should be smooth and thick, not thin and watery. 
4. Slice rest of sourdough baguette about quarter inch thick. Lay out on cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350 until golden around edges. 
5. Let cool for a moment, and top with tomato mixture.
6. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and parsley.
7. Serve immediately, because if you let them sit, the bread will become soggy. 

 Looky here, I said one post a week, and here I blurt out two in one day! I’m hungry now.

Signing out,

Veruca Spice

Rules are meant to be broken, but what about resolutions? Here I break egg shells to mourn the neglect of my one-post-a-week resolution for 2012:

Alas, egg masala!

While we often associate eggs with breakfast, eggs in India are consumed by many for any meal of the day. There’s a notable link between egg dishes and the Parsi culture of India. The Parsi people, who arrived in India in during the 10th century, originally fled what is now known as Iran to avoid religious persecution. Their time thus far in India has left remarkable influence. While they did not bring modern cultivated eggs to India, the Parsi people are famous for their love of egg dishes. In an article interviewing Chef Farrokh Khambata about his Parsi culture and its connection to food, he muses, “my grandmother tells me that 50 years ago, Parsis would often have egg-eating competitions in the colony.” Egg Masala is a dish that can be found in many homes, varying in the types of spices used to the consistency of the gravy. 

What’s my personal connection to this dish? While I can’t identify with Parsi culture-my only connection being that my best friend’s mother is Parsi- this is a dish my mother would frequently make us growing up. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s delicious! What’s even better is that the gravy can be made ahead of time, frozen, and when it’s time for a quick meal, you can heat the gravy and add a few peeled and boiled eggs to it. I like to serve the eggs whole, as if you cut them in half, the yolk tends to stray from the egg white, and it becomes quite messy. 

Side note: I can’t make an omelette to save my life. It will end up scrambled, burnt, runny, and I’m not quite sure why. Boiling the perfect egg is something I researched as well. Here’s a quick snippet I took a look at that helped:

Perfectly hard-boiled eggs:

Egg Masala 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1. 6 eggs, hard boiled
2. 1/2 cup diced onion
3. 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
4. 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
5. Green serrano chili, chopped finely, to taste
6. 1 cup crushed tomatoes
7. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
8. 1/2 teaspoon coriander
9. 1/2 teaspoon cumin 
10. 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
11. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12. salt, to taste
13. cilantro, chopped, about 2 tablespoons plus more for garnish.

Hard boiled eggs:

1. Place three eggs in a pot and cover with cold water.
2. Place on heat and wait until water comes to boil
3. Once it boils, remove from heat, put lid on pot, and wait for about 20 minutes.
4. Remove eggs and cool.
5. Peel, and set aside.

Masala:

1. Heat oil in pan, and add onions. Fry until they are golden.
2. Add ginger-garlic and chopped chilis, and fry for a few seconds.
3. Add tomatoes, and cook on a low-medium heat until it becomes a paste.
4. Add turmeric, cumin and coriander powder, garam masala and stir.
5. Add 1/2 cup water and reduce to desired consistency. I like a thick gravy, but you can make it more soupy to eat with rice. 
6. Cut slits in eggs so that the gravy can seep through a bit and then add to masala and saute. Add more water for desired consistency.
7. Add cilantro, toss, and serve with naan and/or boiled basmati rice.

Signing out,

Veruca Spice

References:  

http://parsikhabar.net/food/chef-farrokh-khambata-eat-drink-and-be-merry/1787/ 

I often wish to visit Kerala, India (a state off the Malabar coast of southwest India) in all of its verdant splendor; and when I think of seafood, coconut, and curry leaves, I’m immediately transported! Kerala Style Shrimp and Scallops is by no means an official dish of Kerala, more so a musing that turned out to be quite delicious! The dried coconut flakes help to balance the pungent and piquant tastes that the curry leaves and lime juice provide so that the delicate seafood is never overwhelmed. 

And here we drool at the finished product:

But before we begin! Curry leaves are used in various parts of India to flavor cooking. Similar to how Italians may use basil, curry leaves add a depth of flavor that I would describe as similar to lime but with an umami flair. These curry leaves were picked from my Dad’s garden. They have a short shelf life and they also don’t keep very well in the fridge. Dried leaves are also available, but their fragrance is inferior to the fresh version, which obviously holds true for most herbs. Fresh curry leaves can be rubbed in a bit of oil, and then laid flat on paper towels, layered, and then stored in Ziploc bags. Did I mention they also have anti-diabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties? 

Serves 2

 Ingredients:

1. 12 extra large shrimp
2. 6 scallops (or add more shrimp if you don’t want scallops)
3. A handful of curry leaves 
4. 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
5. 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
6. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
7. 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (or to taste)
8. 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
9. 2 juicy limes
10. 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
11. 1 teaspoon grated ginger
12. salt, to taste
13. 1/4 teaspoon good coarse black pepper 
14. About a 1/4 cup water
15. half a medium sized red onion, sliced, not diced
16. Oil, three tablespoons
17. Grated unsweetened coconut, 1/2 cup.

Method:

1. Heat pan with oil. About a medium heat.
2. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds and let sizzle for a few seconds. The seeds and leaves will pop, so be careful.
3. Next, add the onions and fry until they are becoming golden.
4. Add some salt while they are frying.
5. Add ginger and garlic and stir quickly for a couple of seconds, you don’t want this to burn.
6. Add spices: turmeric, chili powder, black pepper, coriander powder and stir for a couple of seconds.
7. Add coconut and stir. 
8. Add seafood and stir fry to sear the flesh.
9. Then add water and cook until done. This depends on your seafood and how well done you like it. 
10. As seafood comes near being done, raise the heat and reduce liquid until it is thick and coats the seafood.
11. Squeeze one lime and stir (this will deglaze too and add flavor); make sure to reserve the other lime to wedge and add for garnish.
12. I add a few more curry leaves at this time.
13. Serve with lime wedges and/or chopped green chilis (as shown) 

I wanted to note how gorgeous the curry leaves look as they curl up and give off their aromatic scent and flavor as they hit the oil:

And I also want to remind you that as the leaves hit the oil, they will sputter and splatter, and some oil will jump out at you and may slightly burn you. If you do not wish to participate in this dance, make sure to stand back after adding the leaves. :)

Enjoy!

If there are any questions about this recipe, please feel free to e-mail me at Nirali@verucaspice.com! :)

Hope you’re warm.

Signing out,

Veruca Spice

This One.org public service announcement takes a look at a word that carries true offense. What’s the real “F” word? It’s famine. As they put it, “Drought is an act of nature. Famine is manmade.” Take a look at this inspiring PSA:

One.org has a fantastic blog, which you can find at their site. This New Year’s, let’s attempt to resolve world hunger, one act at a time. :) 

Signing out,

Veruca Spice

Here is a quick and easy invention by my Dad, Mahesh. We served it as an appetizer last night for our Thanksgiving dinner. Inspired by a dish he tasted while he lived in Arusha, Tanzania at the Mt. Mehru Hotel in the 1970’s, Shrimp Cocktail with Spicy Avocado Cream is refreshing and slightly reminiscent of the classic Shrimp Cocktail but with a creamy and spicy twist. Try it and enjoy! :)

Here’s to fitting back into our jeans, at least until Christmas!

Signing out,

Veruca Spice

Serves 6

Ingredients

24 colossal shrimp, 21-25 count, precooked 

1 ripe Florida avocado, peeled and mashed until smooth

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

1 lime, cut into sixths

6 mint leaves, for garnish

6 kalamata olives, for garnish

6 chilled glasses, such as martini glasses

A dash of paprika, for garnish 

Method

1. Place the precooked shrimp in a colander and under cold running water for 5 minutes until thawed. Put on plate, cover, and place in the fridge until ready for serving.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed avocado, mayonnaise, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper and mix well. The consistency should still be thick but smooth. Make sure to taste at this stage for salt and pepper.

3. Carefully distribute the avocado cream into the six chilled martini glasses. Arrange the four shrimp into the glasses by gently tucking them partially into the mixture. Top with one kalamata olive each, a wedge of lime, and a mint leaf. Sprinkle each glass with a dash of paprika, for added color. The red contrasts beautifully against the green!

Note: You can keep these in the fridge until they are ready to serve. They must be served cold. 

There’s great reason why food and gratitude are linked together. Not only does food provide us with sustenance; but also an understanding of essentially who we are. Take the Thanksgiving I celebrated with my family in 2009. My uncle, Sailesh, made a tandoori turkey breast! We enjoyed a quintessential Indian favorite fused with a bird that is synonymous with America, second to the bald eagle of course. The spicy deliciousness of the tandoori turkey breast not only reflected tastes we personally enjoy as Indo-Americans, but more blatantly so the beauty of fusion cooking. It works, not only because it can taste great, but because the blending, mixing, and mingling of cultures and ingredients can create new profound traditions, and more importantly, everlasting memories. :)

Here’s a shaky picture of the tandoori turkey breast:

Here’s my mom making a traditional Indian unleavened bread called rotli (or roti, chapati) to accompany our meal: 

These are my great parents with my younger cousin Jarna. Cheers!

Here’s a picture of my aunt, Bhavna and my older sister, Anisha. (That’s me on the right!)

And here is my uncle, Sailesh, proudly carving the tandoori turkey breast!

As I sign out, I want to note that there are many people and things I am thankful for: my family first and foremost, who are always the best people to enjoy food with. My friends who are truly the spice of my life, and as you will see later, I am thankful for the camera I was able to use for the recipes I will be posting soon. The camera that helped me gain focus and clarity to begin this project. Thanks to you all!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Signing out,

Veruca Spice