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  • Vanessa
    "We’ve eaten the same meal two days in a row. It was just that good. I can only take credit for preparing it because the inspiration and recipes came from two fabulous food blogs, What We’re Eating and Chocolate & Zucchini. The snapper was the best fish I’ve ever made. I rubbed it down with a mix of garlic, canola oil, cumin, and smoked paprika and then cooked it in a really hot pan with just a bit of canola oil. But it was Amanda’s smooshy dressing/sauce (that is meant for the jicama salad) that really made the snapper pop. I didn’t have tamarind paste so I substituted a few dried berries, some fresh ginger, and a splash of white vinegar. I have no idea how the original tasted but this sauce/dressing was so tasty I could have eaten it with a spoon"
  • Mary Sue
    "I used Basement1 as my experimental test subject. We determined that if you eat my version straight, you will make nifty faces and dance around the kitchen yelling, “YOWOWOWOW! SPICY!” But once I got the bread baked and we did some dipping– it was still hot, but tolerable. My friends are from Hell-A, so they’ll either like it, or lie convincingly. Or dance around the kitchen yelling, ”YOWOWOWOW! SPICY!” *shrug*"
  • Stephanie
    "This soup is very delicious, too good for you to pass up because of some picky boyfriend! So, here's my suggestion. Make the soup but very, very thick and pull out a portion of it for him. Then, continue with the blending and adding broth/lime juice for you to have the soup. Grill up a nice, fat, juicy sausage for your boyfriend and have him slather his portion of thick soup on it. That'll convince him. Seriously, it would work great, especially if you get one of the sausage with a little fennel, cumin, coriander..."
  • Brilynn
    " Eventually I’d like to recreate my favourite chips, Kettle Brand Chips’ Spicy Thai. I love it. It’s gingery and sweet and salty all in one, and it’s fantastic. I wanted to start off with something a little easier though, so I sliced the potatoes on my mandoline and then sprinkled them with salt, sugar, paprika and cumin. That’s the same mix I use on popcorn and I really like it. I was shocked when I pulled the potato slices out of the microwave and they were actually crispy! I had made chips in 5 minutes, without any oil and very little effort. As far as I’m concerned, this is important information that every chip addict should know. I’m no longer at the mercy of the corner store for chips and you don’t have to be either..."
  • 'Blue Plate'
    "I was more liberal with the spices and used heaping teaspoons of the spices, except for all-spice, which I didn't have in my cupboard, and I interpreted a "moderate oven" as 350 degrees. I was actually disappointed in the recipe when I nibbled on a bit of the gingerbread that same night. It tasted flat like the spices were weak and unformed in the cake. But some kind of magic happened overnight and it had much better flavor the next morning when I had a piece for breakfast; the spices seemed to matured and mellowed in those 12 hours and the gingerbread tasted more like itself–rich, warm, and now wonderfully spicy."
  • Tejal
    "Somewhere between baigan bharta and babaghanoush......lies this thing I'm making. Aubergines are roasting, skins blackening, flesh softening. In a pan, half an onion, a green chilli, three fat garlic cloves, a teaspoon of garam masala, and a quarter teaspoon of pimenton de la vera are sweating away..."
  • Chef Paz
    "I made a spice mixture out of ginger, garlic, onions, cinnamon, salt, garlic, red chili, cumin, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, nutmeg, and paprika. What an impressive list of spices. There was a party going on in the bowl as I mixed them together!"
  • Daryl
    "I had dinner with an ex-colleague last week at a classy Indian restaurant in the heart Kuala Lumpur town. Needless to say we were very excited and we ordered all our usual favourites with garlic naan and rice on the side. After the delightful dinner we both agreed that the Lamb Vindaloo was just heavenly. Over coffee at Starbucks later at the nearby shopping mall we both set a challenge to see who can cook the best Lamb Vindaloo to be judged by our individual partners. So tonight I was to start the ball rolling with my version before we taste his next weekend. It was a successful evening it seems but I am curious about how he would do considering he is a good cook as well. I decided to make my version slightly with a thicker sauce which everyone said went better with the instant butter naan I heated up...."
  • Gattina
    "Sometimes we need some spices to perk up our day, like my yesterday. So I decided to add shallot and cumin in naan, and deep-fried spicy meat balls wrapped in banana leaves...."
  • Covina
    "When I have a craving for Indian cooking, two spices that are no stranger to my wok instantly come to mind - cumin and coriander seeds. They are the essential ingredients in most curry recipes, but they also pack a punch to any cooking, not to mention that nutty and peppery flavor which I enjoy so much. Instead of my ethnic preference for kaffir lime leaves or curry leaves which are prevalent in most Malaysian spicy foods, I'm going to use fenugreek leaves for a change this time. This Indian herb can be found in any Indian grocery market labeled as Kasuri Methi. I add the herb at the last stage of cooking to lend a light herb-y note alongside the rich cumin and coriander flavor...."
  • Deepz
    "I used to love shrimps back in India but the ones that I get here dont have the same flavor. But still once in a while I cook shrimp with a lot of Indian masala to compensate for the lack of flavor...."
  • Emilie
    "I love spicy and sweet together and this cupcake excels with that flavor combination by melding a softly sweet vanilla with the rich spice of a homemade garam masala mix (I make mine with chilies so it is hotter than I think is conventional--if you were making this with a commercial mix, you might want to warm it up with some chilies). To top it I mixed up a coconut buttercream and sprinkled it with lightly toasted coconut blended with a little more garam masala. I almost tried to work some pear into this experimental cupcake recipe because I love garam masala baked pears, but I didn't want to go back out to the store. Next time maybe I'll bake some pear to add on top of this cupcake, which I assure you I will be making again. It was the perfect ending to our impromptu dinner party of sweet potato curry, chana dal and spiced basmati rice with apricots and pistachios. I think dinners should always be developed around the dessert that you plan to serve...."
  • Anna
    "Winter Spiced Coffee Brûlée is one way to warm cold days and comes from Nic in the USA (bakingsheet). Nic grinds coffee beans with whole cloves, red and green peppercorns and small fragments of cinnamon bark. She recommends going easy on the spices and slowly adding more until you reach the right consistency, otherwise it could turn out to be one hefty cup of Joe..."
  • Vee
    “So, while I am not at all ready to let go planning weekly menus, I have started missing out the impromtu-ness of cooking. You know the feeling. It’s raining, lets deep fry something with hot chai or its cold, I want something robust that would fill me up and keep me warm. It was on the day of the later kind that I strayed from the menu and decided to cook up something indian , would fill us up good and warm us from the inside out. It’s a natural instinct for me to think north Indian food when I am in a mood like this. One of the reasons is the fact that it’s the only part of India that officially experiences cold weather in temperatures that we experience in Virginia (No, its really not that cold here as in say canada). So, a lot of there food is actually geared to warming you up. For example, the spices that they use like Cloves, cinnamon etc. or even their extensive use of onion go a long way in achieving that. Also, those creamy, thick gravies. Oh, yum….”
  • Daffy
    "After much deliberation, I finaly picked out an Orange Cardamom Ice Cream to try. I've always been interested in using spices in ice creams or trying out combinations of flavours, unheard of (at least to myself). The recipe seemed simple enough requiring the basic ingredients for ice cream, with the addition of orange zest and ground cardamom, which I substituted with whole cardamom pods. Also, because I only wanted to make a small batch, I halved the recipe and made a few adjustments according to my personal preference. The result was an ice cream with an almost imperceptible cardamom flavour, which was fortunate since not many people take to spiced ice creams well. It had a faint tinge of orange, was light and not very chewy, with a sweet orange flavour. I would serve it with candied orange peel but did not make any. So unless you're sure you're a weirdo like me, who likes to consume zest straight ( in small amounts of course), then I'd suggest you serve yours neat. Now all I need to do is make a Hot Chocolate to go with it and you get a Cold Italian Hot Chocolate with Orange-Cardamom Ice Cream."
  • Hema
    "After reading the post by Indira of Mahanandi on mirchi bajjis, I couldnt resist the temptation of trying out this famous snack from Hyderabad. I grabbed some long green chillies on the way back from work and waited for the weekend purely because heavy thunderstorms were predicted for Saturday. Is there a better food-weather combo? Watching the downpour (and of course the TV) tucked into a sofa with hot, spicy mirchi bajjis and garam chai….hmmm pure heaven! I just modified the recipe a little bit. Instead of tamarind water, I added a tsp of aamchur and then made the paste adding water. I also added about 1/4th tsp of cumin seeds and flennel seeds, both ground, with the stuffing. Though removing the seeds from the chillies involves a little bit of hard work, it was well worth the effort. Thanks Indira for the recipe!!"

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SPECIAL SAUCE:Conjuring A Scoundrel

     Niceness is very nice, but can get a bit boring. Every now and then I am in the mood to conjure a scoundrel in the kitchen. It must be charming and definitely not-nice... yet still seemingly pleasant enough to bypass all of one's defenses.... [Insert devilish laughter here.]

     And that, my spicing comrades, is charisma-- that inexplicable 'something' that sneaks just beyond the radar of awareness. The immeasurable, invisible magnet. Such an element can be a challenge to find, let alone master. Perhaps that's why people are drawn to it.

    I am drawn to it. What's more, I want to create it if I can't be it. 

    And so now it is exposed--my underlying (indecent?) intentions with spicing. I've laid them out bare for you to see.  My secret (scandalous?) peacock feathers.

     No matter --  it's not you I'm wanting to cast spells upon. It is you I'm wanting to cast spells with. We're in this together, if you care to join me. And if you want to remain a spectator lurking lurking lurking in the shadows? Well, that's OK, too. No shame in that. Observing is a noble way to learn, even if you don't participate right away.

    Today's scoundrel sensation takes the form of the kulambu--a tangy tomato-based sauce that can sometimes be found poured over nothing more than plain white rice as a South Indian meal course. That's right; it can hold it's own when it comes to satisfying flavor and texture. And once you've tasted a kulambu, it will thereafter draw you in. My mouth tingles just thinking about it.

     With the kulambu, I initially 'went traditional'  with several different cookbook recipes, which tend to stew the sauce with a main ingredient.  On a few occasions, I have cooked up 'Egg Kulambu,' simmering halved hard-boiled eggs in the tart, ruby-red gravy.  (Quite good, really, though I wasn't fond of the leftover eggs.) For the most part, I like to cook up a sauce such as this one, pour it in a jar, and have my own 'create-a-meal simmering sauce' handy and ready to go.  And really-- anything goes, whatever my heart's desire or whatever I have on hand. I follow the moment.

  Just yesterday I had Trina pull out this recipe that Trobee and I crafted last year.  Trina, in case you didn't know, is a 'nice' girl (read her bio). Could she pull this one off? Granted, Trobee was  involved in this recipe's creation, and all Trina had to do was follow directions...

    "Don't worry," I  assured her,  "We'll omit the chilies..." But would a kulambu sauce even 'work' without the customary hot nip? I said nothing. Let's see what she comes up with.

       The resulting sauce 'worked' --for even she was drawn in.  I had to make more the next day, as she had smuggled it home with her,  presumably to eat with  her leftover chicken.  (Trina eats everything with chicken.)

     Who would have thought that sweet, reliable Trina would become a pirate of  kulambu?

Ksauce_1

Ruby Kulambu Sauce

"I have a vision with this sauce,"  I declared to Trobee upon this recipe's  completion.
     "Pasta," she said, gazing into it. "I'm thinking 'pasta' with this bad boy."
     "Yeah, pasta, sure. But how 'bout a big vat of kulambu sauce in the center of the  table and food just sort of grouped together around it: like steamed vegetables, rice, meat, pasta, flatbread, whatever. And people could, like, take what they're hungry for, and just go wild with the kulambu...just pour it on their plates and sop it up..."
     Yes. Yes.  I had, at that moment, visions of vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike, 'sopping it up' together in blissful harmony. Only a sauce with charisma could swing that.
     "Sure," she replied absently. "Or you could just serve it with pasta..."
     Hmf.

  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 2 tsp minced garlic or garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate, dissolved in 1 Tb water
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 1/2 Tb flour
  • 1 tsp honey or sugar

Masala 1:

    • 3" cinnamon stick
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • ½ tsp fennel seeds
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 tsp urad dal

Masala 2:

    • ¼ tsp fenugreek powder
    • 1 tsp cumin powder
    • ¼ tsp coarse-ground pepper
    • 2 tsp coriander powder

      • Get out your medium skillet and heat the oil until it is sizzle-hot. Add Masala 1.

      When the urad dal is golden-brown, add the onions and garlic.

      When the onion is soft and translucent, add Masala 2 followed by the tamarind water.

      Now add the tomato sauce, salt, chili powder, flour, and 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the honey. Done.

UPDATE 3/31 Trobee's friend Tascha submitted this pic of her Spaghetti Veggie Kulambu

Glicknoodles2

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Wise Words

  • Spicehut of 'Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice'
    "Malvan is part of the Konkan coast which runs along the western border of Maharashtra. Within the last few years, Malvani cuisine has gained popularity and you will see quite a few Malvani resturants in Mumbai. They are famous mainly for their non vegetarian thalis. A typical Fish thali includes a fish curry, fried fish, a curried vegetable or pulses, rice bhakri, rice & solkadhi. Simple, tasty, homestyle meal. No other term best describes it than 'finger licking good'. The ingredient which single handedly gives Malvani cuisine its distinctive flavor is 'Kokum'. It is used in fish curries, fish dishes, dals & even vegetable dishes & curries. And of course the wonderful 'Solkadhi' is made from it..."
  • Edu-Dame of 'Pacific Outpost Cooking'
    "Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice, but please don’t let that inspire you to cut it from the recipe – its flavor is a must! Usually good stores will carry it either in bulk where you can control your portion, or in smaller, very affordable, tins...."
  • Monkey of 'Monkey in a Suit'
    " On the kasoor methi: methi is basically fenugreek leaves. I'm just used to dumping it in curries (I buy the box with the dried leaves) because it gives the dish a special flavour and fenugreek leaves are good for you. I'm sure they'd be better for me fresh but I couldn't find them and I didn't want to make a pilgrimage to Artesia. My mom made a habit of sticking methi in curries because the taste is muted, it gives the dish a nice flavour and you still get all the health benefits..."
  • http://mydhaba.blogspot.com/2005/12/moluvu-kolumbu-aka-black-pepper-sauce.html'>VKN of My Dhaba
    "...Let us begin the curry journey with moluvu kolumbu aka the black pepper sauce. Black pepper is commonly used in Indian cooking, and it is an established fact that it is a cure for a host of diseases. It is a cure for cough due to congestion of phlegm, dandruff, chronic diarrhea, blisters on the body, gastric catarrh, rheumatism, nausea, anorexia, piles, venerial diseases, etc. These peppers, which are like tiny berries, are black because they are dried with the skin on. Now on the second major ingredient of this dish, the coriander seeds - there are many dishes that are made from all parts of India that goes with either the fresh leaves or the seeds of coriander (dhaniya). The digestive action of the seed is particularly effective with carbohydrates. Coriander leaf is useful in distaste for food, dyspepsia, and billiousness. It helps to improve semen....."
  • Jonathan M. Forester of 'Slashfood'
    "This year you are going to see more pepper used than in any year in recent times, and not just on the dinner table. Sweet will be mixed with savory, and pepper will be visiting the dessert cart. Expect upscale stores, and even your local market to have several types of peppercorns on display. Tellicherry peppercorns are the biggest and best 10% of the peppercorns on any plant, they grow at the top of the vines and are the pick of the litter so to speak, full of the intense oils and flavor. The next biggest and best in quality are called Malabar peppercorns from slightly lower on the plant…. The keys to using great quality peppercorns are freshness, they should be less than one year old, and fresh grinding. Buy a few small and decent quality pepper grinders for the kitchen and table. I have several and each is stocked with a different type. First try some of each ground onto something mild like mashed potatoes, this way you can taste the different flavor characteristics. Is it Floral? Herbal? Spicy? Hot? Mild? Does it have a short or long finish on the tongue? Just like wines and spirits each will have their own unique taste and texture on your palate. Then after you know what each type of pepper is like, you can experiment with which works best in various dishes. Soon you will find that having just white pepper and black pepper doesn't do the job...."
  • Buddhadeva Bose
    "There is no such thing as "Indian food"; the term can only be defined as an amalgam of several food-styles, just as "Indian literature" is the sum-total of literatures written in a dozen or more languages. And I think it is no less difficult for Indians to eat each other's food than speak each other's tongues; an "Indian" dinner which a Tamil and a Sikh and a Bengali can eat with equal relish, is more of a dream than reality. This point was curiously brought home to me on one occasion during my travels in America… Generations of Bengali cooks (mostly women) have devised and developed a variety of dishes belonging to the same genre but each with a specific name and distinctive in taste and flavour, all which, to the eternal amusement and irritation of the true-born Bengali, are lumped in Anglo-Indian English in that ubiquitous and imprecise word "curry"[2]. A "dalna" is no more like a "'chachchari" than a horse is like a goat; to label both of them as "'curries" is just like using the term "quadruped" when the goat or horse is meant. "Payasanna" is generally rendered by Sanskritists as "rice-pudding", but "'anna" means any kind of food, and Bengalis cook their payesh also with semolina or vermicelli or casein balls. It would take a dozen English words to distinguish between "amsattva" and "amshi" (both products of mangoes), or between the thick ginger-flavoured "chatni" and the bland liquid "ambal", both sour-based desserts. It's a pity one must use "lentil-cakes" for both "daler bara" and "daler bari", for they differ not only in size and shape, but also in the technique of preparation and their use in cookery. Even that dailiest of daily items, "machher jhol", remains inexpressible in English; to translate it as "fish curry" is an insult to Bengali culture, and that is the only word available.. ..But, now that I come to think of it, I realize that my native tongue has a marvellous array of food words--single words, I mean, unadorned by any of those adjectival or descriptive phrases which constitute the glamour of a French menu. A dish of spiced potatoes may be called by no other name except "dam", but if you add sweet pumpkin, it at once becomes a "chhaka". "Dolma" is an exclusive term for stuffed patols [3], just as "dhoka" [4] is reserved for fried lentil-cakes served in a thick gravy. No one knows why this is so, but such are the ways of the language; evidently the Bengalis have a passion for affixing a new name to every creation of their kitchen--even where the dishes are variations on the same theme...."

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