Caprese and Chhole

Mixing up Italian and Indian is not something to be done lightly. I will stop with political humor there (Indian politics), but get to briefly describing what I made for a Labor day barbecue event hosted by a British friend of mine in the US.

A simple caprese salad appetizer,easy hand held food.

A simple to make,but complex flavored chickpea rice dish. (Chana masala + sauteed veggies + basmati rice)

Sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh leaf basil, Virgin olive oil drizzle.

Saute the veggies in a small amount of hot oil. Red chili powder, salt, cumin powder go well here.

Note: the general procedure for most "curries" involves roasting cumin seeds in hot oil, let crackle, then add chopped red onions, sauteing those for 2 mins on mediumheat, add garlice, ginger finely chopped pieces, saute for a min, then add veggies,saute for 2 mins,add tomatoes, sprinkle turmeric and red chili flakes - cook for a min or two, then add chickpeas.

Throw in drained chickpeas (I used a can).If you cook chickpeas fresh, then drain and add.

Mix in the already cooked rice. I used basmati rice, added a spoon of ghee for flavor.

Mix it up to coat the rice well and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves or provide them at table for garnishing on serving plate.

Spice boxes for Good Cause(s)

I had the honor of leading a culinary adventure showcasing ‪#‎southindian‬ ‪#‎tamil‬ and ‪#‎northindian‬ ‪#‎cuisine‬ at the co.space today. We were fortunate to enjoy a good meal with friends but my heart was saddened by nature's fury at ‪#‎chennairains‬ and innocent lives lost at ‪#‎sanbernardino‬. I have donated some money right now from my Indian account to chennai but I am planning to raise additional funds for BOTH causes (social services in CA and Chennai) through spice box sales. I have lived in Calif and in Chennai and this affects me deeply at a personal level.

Please take a look at the pics to get a general idea. I'm prepping boxes this week and will set up a campaign to order them if you want to buy some for friends and family and help out a good cause.
www.spicetruck.net
 
Contact me directly by email at naridon@gmail.com or 814 753 4459

Here is a nifty gift for those of you interested in cooking with spices or just love Indian/Asian spices.

Other variations of this product (featured in pics) available starting at $15 (+ S&H costs). Contact me directly by email at spicetruck@live.com or 814 753 4459 if you want one of these items which use "eco-conscious spice organizers" aka reusing cookie tins. All the spices are packed in safe, new, food grade smaller tins.

Also, if you want the outer container in new stainless steel those sets are available for $24.95 + shipping (depending on location). I will also throw in additional spices in zip lock bags with these orders!

Most locations in the lower 48 states of US shipping is ~$ 4.50. Local delivery available at State College PA. Volume discounts (if over 3 pieces) available.

with labels

Centrally placed

Baked Plantain Chips

Since plantains seem to be super cheap at the local Weis, I have been using them more to get my starches (compared to potatoes). They are 3 for $1 (and that is a typical weight of about 1.5 lbs). Potatoes are $1.29/lb or you have to buy large quantities like 3 lb or 5 lb bags to save. Even assuming the weight lost from skin and the stem ends, the plantains are cheaper.. and I like their taste.

So, on to making crisps/chips.

Plantains (from Hawaii) - Bernie's!

 Preheat the oven to 350 F or 375 F.

Use a peeler and a slicer, or just use a small sharp paring knife. 

Remove some moisture using paper towels or a clean cloth, also sprinkle some salt to remove more moisture

Lay them on a greased cookie sheet. I used coconut oil to grease the sheet. Season with some garam masala powder or dry red chilli powder for some kick.

I placed the sheet in the middle rack of the oven.

Voila, chips are ready in 20 minutes. You could even take them out sooner at 17 mins if you dont want them to char.

Similar procedure, but with spinach. Much lesser time

Crisp spinach is ready for munching. Very low on calories. People do the same with Kale, but I am not a huge fan!