My parents live in Northern Virginia and probably their favorite celebratory restaurant is Rasika. This modern Indian eatery plays around with flavors and textures so the dishes are familiar and unexpected at the same time. On their last visit, my family ordered a fruit chaat or salad made with bananas, avocados and drizzled with tamarind…
I am far from a perfect mother. I lose my patience too quickly, sometimes I yell, and my house is never clean enough. But my kids will eat just about anything. This is my one triumph, the place where I feel that my good enough is actually really good enough. I get asked all the…
Growing up, generally my Mom was the ruler of the kitchen. But that didn’t mean my Dad couldn’t hold his own. I remember distinctly when I was 7, he brought home a few cans of fruit and declared he was going to make fruit cobbler. And he did and it was pretty tasty and exotic…
Here in the Bay Area we often experience this strange weather phenomenon called June gloom. Basically the weather turns grey and cold (think the mid 50s) when the rest of the country is experiencing the first warm days of summer. This year, the gloom came early and most of May was dreary. For a relative…
When my Mom was visiting back in April, tamarind chutney was on my own personal short list to cover with her. This sweet and sour brown sauce is one of my favorites. You may have been served this condiment at an Indian restaurant but let me assure you that the homemade version is far superior…
On our most recent trip to India at the start of this year, we had the good fortune to stay at the charmingly old world Tollygunje Club in Kolkata. And included as part of our stay was breakfast. And part of the breakfast was an egg station where you could basically get whatever your heart…
For me, an Indian meal is not complete unless there is a bowl of cooling yogurt along side it. Called raita, you have probably encountered this creamy side dish when you have eaten meals at Indian restaurants. This is not one of those only when in a restaurant dishes though. Growing up we had yogurt…
Indian food is very complex and interesting which is why I (and I’m guessing maybe you) like to eat it so much. However, that means when you step in the kitchen to prepare it you need a bevy of spices. I know it can be frustrating to embark on cooking a new cuisine only to…
I’ve been toying with adding Indian flavors to non-Indian recipes. Sometimes it works beautifully and elevates a dish and others it just totally falls flat. For those that have not tried it, fusion cuisine can be really really hard to get right. I am happy to say that this sweet potato recipe is an example…
Until I was in middle school, I didn’t realize that the majority of the United States considers tapioca mainly an ingredient for sweet pudding. I remember the day of my enlightenment well. I was eating outside with my dear friend Tara and she opened up a container and offered me a taste of this exotic sounding tapioca…