Tikka Masala is everyones favorite we thought why not just make it with tofu? This Indian inspired dish is tasty, and filling. Turn up the spice or tone it down depending on you palate.
For the marinade combine: The vegan yogurt, with 1/2 tsp of ginger, the 1/2 tsp of garlic. 1/4 tsp of chili powder, and 1 tsp of garam masala. Set aside.
Cube the tofu into small bite-sized pieces
Next make the Tikka Masala sauce
Rough chop the onion
Peel the ginger root
Mince the ginger
Peel and mince the garlic
Heat a saute' pan to medium high heat
Add 1 tsp of olive oil reserving the other tsp, you may also need an additional splash of olive oil depending on the size of your pan and your onion
Add the onions and ginger until they turn translucent
Add the garlic
Move everything off to the edges of the pan and add the cumin seeds and cook until you smell them
Add the tsp of garam masala, the 1/2 tsp of chili powder, and the 1/2 tsp of turmeric
Add the tomatoes
Cook for 10 minutes and then set aside to cook slightly to a warm temp
Heat another saute' pan, add 2 tsp of olive oil
Add the tofu cubes and sprinkle with a dusting of chili powder (This helps them to brown) You may also roast them in the oven or toaster oven if you prefer
Once the tofu is browned, remove it as you do not want to over cook it.
Run the warm sauce mixture that through the food processor or use an immersion blender.
Once the sauce is to your preferred consistency, add it to the saute' pan
Taste, add salt and additional levels of spice that you prefer for heat or flavor here
Add the cup of fresh spinach and let it wilt in the sauce
Add the toasted tofu to the sauce and cook it together.
Video
Notes
With this dish you can make the gravy while the tofu is marinating in the refrigerator to save time
With flavors like this who would miss having meat on their plates? No one that is who. This Indian inspired dish was satisfying in flavor and filled our bellies with healthy protein from the lentils.
Add all the dry spices and mix with the onion and garlic
Once you can smell them ( 60 seconds or so) Add the tomatoes
Add the water
Add the lentils
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat
Put the lid on and cook for 13 - 15 minutes letting the liquid reduce
Uncover and Stir in the coconut milk
Cook for 5 -7 more minutes uncovered until thickened
Serve over rice or eat plain with slice of warm Naan bread
Video
Notes
We use full fat coconut milk We served this curry over rice - Rice is not included in the nutritional value. You could also serve a slice of Naan Bread with it. Naan is not included in nutritional value.
Curry comes in so many varieties and colors. For this Grilled Curry Boneless Chicken Thigh recipe we used a green Thai curry from a brand called Vitasia. The curry is mildly spicy which keep you craving another bite.
Start with boneless thighs, we buy bone in thighs when they are on sale and debone them and store in the freezer until a day or two before we are ready to use them.
Mix approximately on ounce of curry paste per thigh and rub them all over
Grill on a medium direct heat for approximately 20 minutes or until the thermometer reads 165 degrees F
Video
Notes
We used Vitasia brand Green Thai Curry You may substitute another brand but check the calories as all curry pastes are not created equal.Approximately 4 good sized thighs. We leave the skin on for these.
Chicken Tikka Masala is an Indian inspired dish that can be adapted for taste. It can be spicy or not. The star of the dish is by far the Garam Masala, the spices in this dish will surely tantalize your taste buds.
2 Medium Bowls One for tomatoes, one for cooked chicken
1 Small Bowl For mixed spices
Multiple Measuring Spoons
1 Spoon to peel the Ginger
Ingredients
Marinade
1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt
1TbspMixed Dry Spices Turmeric, Garam Masala, Paprika, Chili Powder
1TspKosher Salt
For the Masala
1LbBoneless Chicken Breast
1/2LbBoneless Chicken Thighs
1TbsOlive Oil
1Onion
1Tbs Ghee
2Garlic Cloves
1/2Tsp Ginger Root
14OzCrushed Tomatoes
1/3Cup Mushrooms
1 Tsp Brown Sugar
Dry Spices for Masala
1Tsp Coriander
1Tsp Chili Powder
1Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Paprika
1/2Tsp Black Pepper
1TbspGaram Masala
1/4Tsp Cardamom
1Tsp Turmeric
1/8Tsp Cinnamon
1/8 Tsp Cloves
1Tsp Chili Pepper
Finishing Sauce Ingredients
2TbsGreek Yogurt
1/4Cup Cream
1Tbsp Fresh Cilantro
Instructions
Cube the chicken breast and thighs into bit sized pieces
Marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes the chicken in some greek yogurt and a combined total of 1 tablespoon of all the dry spices.
Dice the onion
Mince the garlic
Peel and mince the ginger
Heat pan on med/high heat, add olive oil
Add the ghee
Once heated ,add the chicken
Once cooked remove the chicken and set aside
Turn the heat to a medium low In the same pan add the onions
Add the fresh ginger
Add all the dry spices
Add the garlic, cook only until you smell the garlic
Add the crushed tomatoes
Stir to incorporate any bits of spice that may have stuck to the pan
Add in the mushrooms
Add the cooked chicken back in
Add the brown sugar
Cover and let it simmer for approximately 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Check your heat to make sure its low enough that you do not burn the sauce or it will taste terrible and you will have to start over.
Taste at this point taste for additional spices, if you want it hot add more cayenne or if you want more Indian spice add more garam masala, salt etc
If your sauce is too thick you may add some water
Place the cover on the pot and cook for another 15 minutes
Mix in the yogurt and cream
Add in the fresh cilantro and serve over rice
Video
Notes
By meal prepping this dish ahead of time you can have a lovely dish on the table in no time at all. You can even make the rice up to 3 days ahead of time (rice is not included in the nutritional information). We suggest at the very minimum you prepare the chicken and marinate it together and then pre-measure your spices into a bag so that you have less to deal with on the day you cook it. Chop an onion, some garlic, fresh ginger, a few mushrooms, and cilantro and you can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes.
I was a lentil skeptic and my husband is always stand-offish when it comes to curry. For this recipe, I substituted some red Thai curry paste and then used traditional Indian Turmeric and Garam Masala. The flavors came together nicely. The secret to Indian cooking is to temper your dry spices in the pan letting all the aromatics perk up. This process is called Tadka or Chonk. I added onions and garlic to a frying pan with some olive oil and tempered the spices with them. Once my onions were glistening, I added the chili paste, tomato paste, and lastly added coconut milk. I tasted along the way and added a bit more red chili paste and Garam Masala until spice until I had it at the proper consistency for us. Your family may prefer more spice and if this is the case by all means you can add more in the process.
I was a lentil skeptic and my husband is always standoffish when it comes to curry. For this recipe, I substituted some red Thai curry paste and then used traditional Indian Tumeric and Garam Masala. The flavors came together nicely. The secret to Indian cooking is to temper your dry spices in the pan letting all the aromatics perk up. This process is called Tadka or Chonk.
I added onions and garlic to a frying pan with some olive oil and tempered the spices with them. Once my onions were glistening, I added the chili paste, tomato paste, and lastly added coconut milk. I tasted along the way and added a bit more red chili paste and Garam Masala until spice until I had it at the proper consistency for us. Your family may prefer more spice and if this is the case by all means you can add more in the process.
Served over white rice this dish is simple to make and was packed with flavor.
Ingredients
1 Cup of Lentils
3 Cups of Water
1/8 of a Teaspoon of Salt
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
3 Ounces of Red Curry Paste
2 Ounces of Tomato Paste
5-6 Ounces of Canned Coconut Milk
1 Clove of Garlic (Minced)
1/2 of a Medium Onion (Diced)
2 Teaspoons of Garam Masala
1 Teaspoon of Turmeric
1 Cup of Rice
Instructions
Rinse the lentils using a strainer
Boil the water, salt, and lentils cook until tender for approximately 14- 17 minutes then drain any excess water
Set the lentils aside
In a medium-large frying pan, over moderate low medium heat add the oil, the onions, the garlic, and the dry spices.
Let them all hang out until the onions glisten then add both the pastes
Stir and slowly add the coconut milk
Taste and find your desired spice and heat, if it is too spicy add more coconut milk or if it is not enough heat add more curry paste.
With a mixer, blend sweeteners, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and eggs until smooth.
In another bowl, mix almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, curry powder, and salt.
Mix, stirring dry into wet ingredients.
Pour batter into muffin cups. I use a cookie scoop, although the batter is runny.
Optional: add toppings.
Bake about 30 minutes. Check about 20 minutes, because oven temperatures vary.
Notes
Best when left to sit until cooled (if you can wait).Store in a container in the refrigerator.You can use 24 small/mini muffin cups, 24 regular sized cups, or 12 regular sized cupsI made this recipe with 24 regular sized cups. They were shallower, but oh so good.This recipe will not make fluffy muffins. If you change the flours, maybe it will. They are denser, but flavorful as well as filling.
It was a winter morning in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. We were newlyweds. He called me from work asking if it was okay to bring a friend home for lunch. I had never cooked an Indian meal before but said “Sure!” Quickly I ran to my suitcase and pulled out my special red recipe book, tied with a nice burlap bow. A book I had put together with all the cool South Indian recipes my mom made. A “Sail through your Marriage” collection.
So, arachu vitta sambar is what came to my mind. It is full of lentils, proteins to fill the stomach with.
Look, I made arachu vitta sambar from scratch!
And of course, I had an amazing lunch with my guests!
Dry roast the coriander, cumin, chilis, and coconut
Blend without water and set aside
The Mixture
Start by boiling 2 small cups of split pigeon peas lentils and set aside
Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a pan. Into the hot oil, add mustard seeds, let them sputter and then add one branch of curry leaves and 2 teaspoons of split chickpeas.
Once the chickpeas are brown add a few shakes of asafoetida and then add the cut onion, once the onion caramelizes, add the okra, sautéing it into the oil mixture.
Prep The Tamarind Concentrate Paste
Take half a teaspoon of this paste and dilute it in 1 cup water making a cup of tamarind solution. Warm it up for a minute in the microwave and pour it into the frying okra.
This is what adds tanginess to the sambar. Then add one teaspoon of Sambar Powder…it is a quintessential ingredient for south Indian preparations and available in any Indian grocery store. In fact, all the ingredients I’ve used in this recipe so far can be shopped for at an Indian store.
When the tamarind water and okra ensemble start to boil and the raw smell of the sambar powder starts to diminish, you can now add the cooked pigeon pea lentils and give a good whisk so that everything blends well. Also stirring in the blended mixture of spices adding enough water, to give the sambar a chunky yet watery consistency.
Make sure to add salt to the sambar. When the whole thing comes to a good boil, turn off the stove and put a lid on the container.
Notes
You can serve it with rice, and you could make my favorite roasted potato vegetable and dream of the greener pastures of Tanjore district in Tamil Nadu, India where this delicacy was born.
It was a winter morning in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. We were newlyweds. He called me from work asking if it was okay to bring a friend home for lunch. I had never cooked an Indian meal before but said “Sure!” Quickly I ran to my suitcase and pulled out my special red recipe book, tied with a nice burlap bow. A book I had put together with all the cool South Indian recipes my mom made. A “Sail through your Marriage” collection.
So, arachu vitta sambar is what came to my mind. It is full of lentils, proteins to fill the stomach with. You start by boiling 2 small cups of split pigeon peas lentils. Then dry roast 1-2 teaspoons of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, 2 dried red chilies, and few shreds of coconut. After dry roasting, blend them in a blender, without water and keep aside. This is the spice mixture. Cut the choice of your vegetable. I choose 3/4th cup of okra and half and onion sliced lengthwise for the purpose of this recipe. Cut one-inch divisions of okra.
Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a pan. Into the hot oil, add mustard seeds, let them sputter and then add one branch of curry leaves and 2 teaspoons of split chickpeas. Once the chickpeas are brown add a few shakes of asafoetida and then add the cut onion, once the onion caramelizes, add the okra, sautéing it into the oil mixture. Another thing to prep is the tamarind concentrate paste. Take half a teaspoon of this paste and dilute it in 1 cup water making a cup of tamarind solution. Warm it up for a minute in the microwave and pour it into the frying okra. This is what adds tanginess to the sambar. Then add one teaspoon of Sambar Powder…it is a quintessential ingredient for south Indian preparations and available in any Indian grocery store. In fact, all the ingredients I’ve used in this recipe so far can be shopped for at an Indian store. When the tamarind water and okra ensemble start to boil and the raw smell of the sambar powder starts to diminish, you can now add the cooked pigeon pea lentils and give a good whisk so that everything blends well. Also stirring in the blended mixture of spices adding enough water, to give the sambar a chunky yet watery consistency. Make sure to add salt to the sambar. When the whole thing comes to a good boil, turn off the stove and put a lid on the container. Look, I made arachu vitta sambar from scratch!
You can serve it with rice, and you could make my favorite roasted potato vegetable and dream of the greener pastures of Tanjore district in Tamil Nadu, India where this delicacy was born.
And of course, I had an amazing lunch with my guests!
Love of Food Magazine’s International series is designed to inspire you to travel, virtually that is, to some of the world’s most exotic countries. Join us as we discover the people, the culture, and most important the food. We are blessed to know so many wonderful chefs and food entrepreneurs right in our own backyard. Read on and watch as we uncover their inspiration and the secrets of their cooking techniques.
We are excited in this first of many issues to come to bring you along on our journey through India.
I live near Research Triangle Park, an area in North Carolina known for being situated between three major universities. Duke, University of North Carolina, and North Carolina State. In its recent report of Most Educated Cities in America, personal finance site WalletHub found that Durham-Chapel Hill was the 4th most educated area out of the 150 largest U.S. metros, The technology companies that have a presence in the Raleigh-Durham area concentrate on the value of recruiting a highly-skilled workforce. Therefore we have a heavy concentration of well-educated Asian immigrants who came to the region to satisfy a demand for, technology positions. Cultural diversity is a huge benefit to the area, even outside of the walls of those employers.
As I began writing, I asked myself, honestly what do I really know about India? Aside from it being a county in Southeast Asia and having a history of deeply rooted customs that I did not fully understand. I have never visited this country and aside from what I saw in popular movies such as “Slumdog Millionaire” or “Eat, Pray, Love” where Julia Roberts visits an Ashram on the outskirts of Delhi, I didn’t think I knew much, Then I remembered I was taught a few facts from grade school.
As a school-child I learned the geography of India. I knew that the Himalyain mountain range is partially situated in Northern India.
The Ganges river flows from the Himalayas through parts of India eventually making its way to Bangladesh. I have come to learn more about the sacred Ganges river that is now sadly, extremely polluted. I recently read about an effort to clean it up according to Reuters three billion dollars has been allocated for the clean up. They reported in 2019 that much of the funds have yet to be spent and the pollution continues to happen.
Somewhere in my early education I also learned that India is highly populated. I have come to know its population is second only to China’s.
India is a big place and is culturally diverse, there are twenty-eight states and eight union territories.
India has nine major religions including Hinduism, Muslims, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism even Christianity exists in some parts of the country. All the religions and cultures come with their own varying beliefs and customs. India itself is complex, to say the least.
Its food styles and cooking methods can vary from region to region based on things like climate or soil, religious belief, and ethnicity. The north, south, east, and west regions are all very distinct from one another.
Exploring the Southwestern Region of India
Kerala for example is on the southern tip of India bordering the Indian Ocean. While Kerala is known for its coastal beauty of wavy palm trees and wide sandy beaches it has lots of green gorgeous beauty too. It is home to many tea, coffee, and spice plantations. Its landscapes remind me more of Hawaii than India.
Kerala
Kerala India’s Paradise
Kerala Tea Plantations
The large coastline provides an abundance and variety of seafood. Combine that with easy access to those spice farms and you have a winning combination for dishes like Prawn Curry made with chilis, turmeric, coconut milk, and jaggery (Indian sugar). Even a simple Dal (lentil stew) can tantalize your taste buds and warm your soul. I am told Parippu Curry is the Dal to look for when visiting.
Prawn Curry
Dal
Just to the west of Kerala, it is another paradisiac destination, called Lakshadweep made up of 10 inhabited tiny Islands in the Laccadive Sea. Lakshadweep shares the same marine mountain range as the Maldives. I have read that a vacation to the islands of Lakshadweep will be a lot less expensive than other similar islands. I did also read that you need some sort of registration from the government to visit as they are strict on conservation and alcohol is also not permitted on the Islands.
Lakshadweep Resort
The Portuguese influenced much of Goa which was ruled by Portugal until 1961. Their influence inspired dishes such as Vindaloo which comes from the Portuguese Carne’ Vinha d’ Alhos, traditionally a pork dish made with wine. The Vindaloo we know from India had been modified to be a chicken curry dish with potatoes and calls for the chicken to be marinated in vinegar. The Portuguese influence made its way through much of the area along India’s coastline west of Goa, but also made its way North. Bengal sits Northeast on the Bay of Bengal This region’s most notable influence from the Portuguese is actually Bandel cheese, which is a cow’s milk cheese most known for its dry texture and smokey flavor.
Pork Vindaloo
Chicken Vindaloo
Bandel Cheese
The English influenced Masala Chai by bringing tea leaves to India. Masala Chai is made with a strong black tea steeped in water with milk and an array of bright spices like Cardomom, Star Anise, and Ginger. If visiting India you can observe the street vendors crush and blend the spices with a mortar and pistol before steeping the tea,
Masala Chai
Tea Street Vendor
Exploring the Southeastern Region of India
On the southeastern side of India is a larger grouping of islands called the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is located at the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. One of the Islands, The Barren Island is home to the only volcano in India. The Islands have a long history of being claimed by many countries, the Danish, the British, and the Japanese actually had control of them until 1945.
The Barron Island Volcano
Scuba Diving in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Chidiya Tapu, Port Blair, Andaman Nicobar islands, India
As settlers from other countries came to the various regions they brought with them their architecture and food styles. This is evident in the picture below of Pondicherry, India which was a French Settlement until 1954. Its colorful buildings and tree-lined streets resemble the French Quarter in New Orleans. It is located in the Southeast, right on the Indian ocean. Now it is part of a union territory, its name has changed to Puducherry. Locals just call it Pondi.
Pondicherry, India French Quarter
St. Anthony’s Church at Anjuna Goa, India
For many years Creole food fused with traditional Indian cuisine used to be quite popular. Local cooks used Ghee, coconut milk, and cashew paste to tone down the heat in many of the traditional Indian dishes. I understand there are many French restaurants to choose from when dining in Pondicherry. If visiting here you may want to try a tamarind fish curry and ratatouille, Kowh-Suey which is a coconut-based vegetarian curry, or Medu Vedas which is a fritter shaped donut inspired by a Tamil influence from Sri Lanka. Dip it in a Pineapple Sheera and you will be in for a sweet treat!
Tamarind Fish Curry
Kowh-Suey
Medu Vedas
The cuisine in much of India is mostly vegetarian, even when meat is served, unlike in America, it is placed as a side dish. It was Muslims who introduced meat into the Indian diet. The muslins prepare their meat by cooking over charcoal in the clay Tandoor ovens. The Tandoor ovens are similar to the very popular Japanese Kamado style grills we use today.
I have read that if it had not been for the Muslims who were great bakers, India would not have the delicious Naan bread which is made from white flour and leavened with yeast and usually a bit of milk is added. The Naan is cooked in the Tandoor ovens. Although we tried it in a pan and it worked, so if you don’t own a Tandoor or a Kamado grill don’t fret, you can still make an American version of Naan that tastes delicious.
Naan is not to be confused with Indian unleavened flatbreads, Chapati aka Roti both are made from wheat flour although cooked in a pan. Chapatis are a pancake-like staple for many. I am told the Roti can be formed a bit thicker. Paratha bread is another Indian bread made from wheat flour however it is often stuffed or with vegetables, potatoes, or eggs,
Naan
Roti
Chapatis
The Many Customs of India
In deeper retrospect, I realize that I have had many personal encounters that gave me a first-hand glimpse into the social standards and religious beliefs of India. For years, I worked in the technology sector, it was there I learned a bit more about the religions and their customs. One of my coworkers was raised Hindu. She was excited to show me her beautiful saree and jewelry that she planned to wear one day during a special celebration of Diwali.
Diwali is a festival that celebrates new beginnings and a triumph of good over evil. It is celebrated by Hindi as well as the Jains and Sikhs. Depending on where you live in the west, east, or southern India the traditions may differ slightly. They all have some things in common and that is the light! This festival lasts for 5 days from Mid-October to Mid-November. During the festival, some people light lanterns called Diyas. They may light firecrackers in the streets and watch illuminating fireworks displays, bath in oil, decorate their homes in banana leaves.
The festival of Diwali ends with prayers, more fireworks, and of course a feast where family and friends exchange gifts of sweets. Those may include Gulab Jamon which is a fried dough, dumped in syrup, and flavored with saffron and rose water or Coconut Barfi which is a fudge-like dessert made from coconut and condensed milk.
Gulab Jamon
Coconut Barfi
Diwali is not to be confused with another Indian festival called Holi, a two-day celebration of spring and new beginnings. Holi is a holiday that begins with a bonfire and is signified by color. You may have seen people dancing in the streets, throwing and wearing colorful dust. How much fun is that? The dust is made from flowers that have been dyed and ground into a powder called Gulal or from Abeer which is a shiny silver color made from mica, turmeric can also be used.
Aside from learning about all the amazing festivals and celebrations. I learned another valuable lesson on Indian culture from my coworkers. There was one work-day in particular that stands out in my mind. My Hindu cube-mate and I were both working quietly on our computers when out of the corner of my eye I saw a little bug walk across the carpet of our shared work cubicle. I gasped and then stood up in an attempt to stomp on it. My co-worker promptly stopped me by placing her arm in front of my step. She then knelt down and scooped up the little bug with her paper cup. She left to relocate the tiny creature outdoors in the green grass where the bug would be left to live out its journey. When I inquired about why she stopped me, she explained that the little bug could be a relative or a great leader and that killing it would be very wrong, it would bring bad Karma. Her family practiced something called Ahimsa which is to avoid any kind of harm to anything. Ahimsa is one of the main ideals of Hinduism related to Samsara also known as reincarnation. Hindus are not the only religious group who believe in Samsara. Buddhists and other popular Indian religions like the Jains and Sikhs also believe in reincarnation.
Ahimsa is one of the main ideals of Hinduism related to Samsara also known as reincarnation.
Over the years in my technology career, many of my co-workers were from Asia. When we would dine out they would select the best restaurants. They would politely let me peruse the menu for a moment and ask questions about the food, eventually, they would order the food for our table. During the meal, they would teach me a bit about what I was eating. I enjoyed the spiciness of many of the dishes. I treasured those days as it was an opportunity to tantalize my taste buds with cardamom, chilies, and garam masala.
We often hear the term Garam Masala, what is it exactly?
We often hear the term Garam Masala, what is it exactly? Apparently Garma Masala is left open for lots of interpretation. It can contain as little as 5 spices as many as 32 spices or even more. So when you think of Garam Masala think of it more like when Americans make a Dry BBQ Rub.
Often while sitting at a table in an Indian restaurant I could feel my nose tickle as I took in the smell of Tarka or Chonk coming from the chef’s pan in the kitchen. Tarka or Chonk as it is called is a process of tempering the spices in a pan usually in some ghee aka clarified butter. Depending on what you are making it can be done at the beginning of a dish such as when you are making a curry. Or it can be done at the end of the dish just before serving. This adds more layered flavor and finishes a dish in a more sophisticated way, much like many French chefs add finishing salt to a dish just before serving it.
Eating at Indian restaurants with my co-workers was a regular occurrence and one that I immensely looked forward to. You see, that time my husband was an Indian food skeptic. I would crave Chicken Tikka Masala with warm Naan and the opportunity to dip my food in tangy yogurt and anytime I suggested we dine out at an Indian restaurant he would suggest something else. I think partly it was because he is colorblind therefore the red and yellow curries and dark green colors of many of the dishes likely all melded into one color for him,…brown. Indian food dishes likely did not hold the appeal for him like a colorful, contrasting plate of steak and green salad. He also was not a fan of the taste or smell of Indian spices. It was not until I introduced him to chicken made with yellow curry from Thailand did he begin to understand the beautiful flavors a curry can impart. Below is a link to the video of the Curried Chicken Legs we make! This has become a staple in our house.
My husband will still shy away from a lot of heat, but a balanced curry made with fewer chilies is exactly what he enjoys. He now also requests other Indian dishes such as Congi with a soft boiled, gooey yolk oozing over the top of the rice or a hearty red bone-in Chicken Curry, and warm Naan bread brushed lightly with a chili garlic ghee.
Congee is a Soothing Bowl of Comfort Food
Since those early days, we both have come to learn so much more about this diverse country. We enjoy learning about India’s lovely people and their customs. It is no wonder we have completely fallen in love with the food, the complexity of the rich spices, and the unique cooking methods in which they use to honor the food they serve. We are blessed due to the nature of our work to have access to many talented Indian chefs. We have made amazing friends who run cafes, carts, and commercial kitchens. We try all kinds of Tiffen (Indian snacks) like Veg Puffs, Biscuits, and Kulfi (Indian Icecream) from Cheeni. There has been Crispy Aloo Tikki with Pomegranate, Paranthas, and Paan IceCream and more from blogger Karuna Kumar from Fingers are for Burning. We participate in pot lucks supper clubs, and meet their sweet family members. We have made wonderful lasting connections.
Gajar Ka Halwa A Royal Dessert in a Clay Pot
I have always said food brings us all together in so many ways it bridges the gap in cultural divides and connects us to each other with curiosity, experiences, and joy. I may never physically travel to India but feel as if I have been blessed to have experienced a lot of what it has to offer in its lovely people and its amazing food.
Mouthwatering recipe for a classic Indian dish. This one takes a little bit of time while layering flavors, but is so worth the outcome. You will want to make sure you soak up every bit of sauce with some naan.
Naan bread is so satisfying when you are slurping up a flavorful sauce from your plate or bowl. It traditionally is served with Indian foods, however it is also versatile and can be added to almost any meal. Make your own naan by following our recipe.
Add the packet of yeast to sit in warm water for 10 minutes, allowing the yeast to activate (you will see the mixture foam.
Add the sugar, milk, egg, and salt, then mix together with the yeast/water mixture.
(I used a Kitchen Aid mixer) but you can do this by hand as well.
Add half of the bread flour (2 cups) to the mixture above (mix on low so you don’t wear the flour).
Scrape down the bowl and then add another 2 cups of bread flour and mix until fully incorporated.
Take the dough out of the bowl and put on a floured surface using the last ½ cup to knead into the dough. (I like to do this by hand so I can feel the consistency of the dough vs. using a dough hook).
Knead approximately 10-15 times then form into a ball (tucking underneath).
Put the dough into a new clean bowl, grease the bowl with vegetable oil or cooking spray.
Put a warm hand towel over the bowl and let it sit for 1 hour and 20 minutes, you will see dough double in size.
Take the dough out of the bowl and cut it in half, to form into smaller balls 2-3 inches each and cover for another 30 min.
Heat up a cast iron skillet, or you can do this on your grill, use medium /high heat.
Add oil to a cast iron pan, uncover dough and hand stretch out to ¼ inch thick.
Cook the Naan Bread for 1 min, brush the other side with butter and garlic.
Flip the bread and cook for 45 seconds and repeat with the next piece.
Video
Notes
For a variation you can flavor your Naan before heating with garlic or other spices.