We make sure to get a good rotation of fruits and vegetables into our diet and not eat the same thing every week. So in this pursuit, I bought a whole load of figs when I chanced upon them. And then broke my head over what to make before they rotted on me. Typical. Nothing… Read more »
I’ve never been a fan of mayonnaise. In fact it’s only more recently that I’ve been able to tolerate it in small doses and in certain dishes. It’s entirely possible that my bias stems from this background, but as expected, the popular mayo-blue cheese combination is not for me. I sub it with yogurt instead,… Read more »
Let’s address what sounds like that unnecessary first step: macerating strawberries. Maceration is a process by which fruits are tossed in sugar, lemon and flavourings—in the case of strawberries it’s usually rum, balsamic vinegar or vanilla. Maceration does two things: 1) Added sugar draws out the natural sugars from the strawberries, as a consequence intensifying… Read more »
This recipe is part muhammara (roasted peppers + garlic + walnuts) and part pesto (basil + garlic + Parmesan). A few things that influenced my decision to go down this eclectic route – I wanted something that would keep for a while: seven large peppers would make a bigger batch than we would be able… Read more »
I always have a jar of pesto sitting in my refrigerator. It’s the perfect condiment to have around and can bring together meals in a snap – I use it in everything from soups, as a pasta sauce, roasting meats and vegetables with, and even stir a dollop into my ratatouille base (have you… Read more »
The real beauty of hummus as far as I’m concerned (apart from its taste of course), is that it’s just so quick to throw together. Even if you’re going the no-tahini-from-a-jar route. A can of chickpeas, some sesame seeds, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Blend. Eat. Lick. Do as you do. This basic recipe… Read more »
Labneh is the easiest cheese you’ll ever make. Although called cheese, this Middle Eastern staple occupies the space somewhere between yogurt and cheese in the dairy spectrum. It is made very simply by straining yogurt in muslin overnight until all the whey water seeps out resulting in the most luscious ‘cheese’—labneh. Although making labneh… Read more »
If you think adding roasted or sun-dried tomatoes to a dish (if you’re anything like me, any dish) elevates it, try roasted green tomatoes. They’re next level. Green tomatoes that I’m referring to here are basically unripe tomatoes; not the variety that stays green upon ripening. So you can use any variety of tomato that… Read more »
You need two ingredients to make this sauerkraut. If you think that sounds ridiculous, let me tell you that one of those ingredients is salt. Salt and cabbage. Super ridiculous. Fermented foods excite me. The other day I was in the kitchen when I heard this strange buzzing sound. After eliminating the possibility of a… Read more »
My dad loves kimchi. The Chinese restaurant we used to frequent in Coimbatore used to serve sliced cabbage (not Napa, the regular variety) tossed with chili powder with some garlic and ginger I think, and serve it as a condiment at the table. Every single time we went there, we’d end up asking for a… Read more »
I’ve become a bit of a hummus fiend at the moment, and have been experimenting with a few different variations: harissa mixed in, with/without tahini, dried/canned chickpeas; next – roasted beets. This middle eastern condiment is so versatile, the possibilities of adding and omitting ingredients are endless. Two things when I started out with this:… Read more »
Banana peppers have been all the rage at the Kumar household these past couple of months. We eat them in stir-fries, stuffed with cottage cheese, rolled in tortillas, and if that list wasn’t enough, it’s now moved onto pickling! The thing about regular peppers for me is that I just find them so drab and… Read more »
Making pesto at home might quite possibly be the simplest DIY kitchen activity like, ever. This is a late realization however, since I’d found a good, organic variant in the shops and I was happy with it. I had an abundance of basil in my garden last week, and I realized that every time this… Read more »
I may have inadvertently picked the perfect time to tell you about this recipe. It’s the beginning of the week and having this sauce on hand means that you can cruise through those weekday suppers like it ain’t no thing. We go through two jars of this stuff every week between the two of us,… Read more »
A lot of Chinese restaurants in India serve Kimchi as a condiment. That tastes like Indian pickle. Tossed with chilli powder and salt (and sometimes spices. eek). Having said that though, I do always end up mindlessly munching my way down half a bowl of the stuff whilst contemplating what to eat. I mean, it’s… Read more »
