Rinku Bhattacharya's Blog, page 61

Dolmas or Stuffed Grape Leaves, tradition and travel

Food creates memories and culture, and brings homes happy meals even when the inspiration might be a little waning.

A culmination of this month’s recipe redux theme and my son reminding me that grape leaves are a summer to fall tradition in our house, brought home these beautiful grape leaves last weekend. I really did not have the initial energy to try to make these, last weekend but my son reminded me that it was our summer tradition, after the white grapes had been harvested.

The recipe redux theme talks of travel, and these grape leaves remind me of Israel and the Middle East, a region that I would love to travel to. My promise to myself, if life gets sorted out by October, I shall enlist the family on a vacation to the promised land next summer.

Dolmas or Grape leaves are simply, rice flavored with herbs, onions, nuts, raisins and sometimes meat, wrapped in these grape leaf packages and steamed until they are moist and flavorful and an fragrant and beautiful morsel. They do take a little time to assemble but, a large batch can be made at the same time making it great for company.

My original efforts in making these dolmas, were inspired by Suvir Saran’s Masala farm, since then however, I have morphed in a more freestyle recipe over the years, I add meat or chopped mushrooms depending on what I have around and my audience and honestly both versions work out well. The key here is stick to fresh grape leaves that are not too dry, I have found the medium sized ones the best.

I added in some chopped beet greens for color, I had them from the Hummus that I had made earlier in the day, yes, our Sunday Family Dinner was actually a mid-Eastern themed meal.

Some of my tips for these grape leaves,

Use fresh grape leaves, they are easy enough to forage in the Hudson Valley region.
Do not cook the rice used for stuffing completely as you need to allow for them to expand and completely fill the grape leaves.
Make sure you to not use a pot that is too big, because it is important to fit sungly into the container.
Allow yourself a good two hours to peacefully make a batch of about 40 grape leaves.



PrintDolmas or Stuffed Grape Leaves

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 45 grape leaves

Serving Size: 4 to 6 grape leaves

Stuffed grape leaves or dolmas, a summer fall tradition in our household.

Ingredients

For the filling

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium sized onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup ground lamb or finely chopped mushrooms
3/4 cup basmati rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick cinnamon
3/4 cup finely chopped herbs (mixture mint, parsley and cilantro)
1/4 cup finely chopped beet greens
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons raisins or craisins

For the leaves

40 to 50 medium sized grape leaves

To assemble and serve

1/4 cup olive oil
Lime and lemon slices

Instructions

Heat the oil and saute the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
Add in the ground lamb or mushrooms and saute for another 10 minutes.
Add in the rice, salt and cinnamon stick and mix well. Add in 3/5 cup water and cover and cook the rice for 10 minutes.
Stir in the herbs and beet green and mix in and let the rice rest covered.
To assemble and prepare the leaves, prepare a medium sized stocking and steaming pot, with a tight fitting lid. I use an 8 inch pot, that comfortably allows me to make the 40 leaves in 3 stacking layers. Grease the bottom of the pot with some olive oil.
Heat a pot of water and leave it simmer. I dunk in a fresh grape leaf for about 30 seconds to soften it. Dry the leaf and place on a working surface.
Add in about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the rice filling in the center of the leaf, fold the edges of the bottom, and roll the leaf and tuck in the top, it should be a tight fairly well wrapped package.
Continue all the leaves this way, carefully aligning the bottom to ensure a nice snug fit and then drizzle with a little olive oil and add the second layer and the third.
Add 1/4 cup of water and cover and cook the leaves on low for about 15 minutes.
Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and let the leaves rest for about 1 hour before serving.
To serve, squeeze some lemon or lime juice and serve with extra lemon.3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/dolmas-stuffed-grape-leaves-tradition-travel/

 

 

 

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Roasted Root Vegetable Hummus and Cheater Roasted Vegetables

As I gradually strive to find a routine, I realize there really is no such a thing as a new normal, things are either normal or they are not. Normal, I have learned is a good place to be be, new normal, not so much… Fumbling through this beautiful roasted vegetable hummus that I made today, I realize that even though my problems are no where near getting over, there just might be hope. I have begun to find my way back to the kitchen, cooking the simple things that I love and enjoy making. Easy practical things, frugal on time and ingredients. In order to beat the heat, I came up with this version of cheater roasted vegetables – pretty simple, done in a microwave. Makes me realize why the microwave is so popular in Indian kitchens. I should ideally have more time to post on the site, and believe me there have been some some winners despite the somber mood of this growing season, I have needed a little time to get my creative energy back. But, I think that I might actually be getting there. We start with familiar ground and readers of this site, are no strangers to my hummus experiments. We have had the roasted bell pepper, the cracked black pepper and chive and then Aadi’s favorite black bean hummus, all to get our creative juices going. I will tell you what I always say, at heart a good hummus is about the chickpeas, ditch the can and cook the chickpeas until they are very tender, use some of the broth. This hummus is very mild mannered and other than its gorgeous color will seduce you with its mild and delicately sweet taste. And even as I write this, I acknowledge that while this lovely creation may not solve all my problems, helping me balance and finding my normal is a start.



PrintRoasted Root Vegetable Hummus and Cheater Roasted Vegetables

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

A beautiful pink hummus flavored with the gentle sweetness of freshly picked root vegetables.

Ingredients

Cheater Roasted Vegetables
2 medium sized beets, peeled and diced
2 medium sized carrots
3 pods minced garlic
1 or 2 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

For the hummus

1 cup freshly cooked soft chickpeas (reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid)
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 or 2 pods garlic
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons chopped mint

Optional Garnish
Sumac
Slivered Almonds

Instructions

Toss the vegetables with the olive oil, garlic and salt. Spread in a large flat dish and microwave for 5 minutes.
Mix well.
Place the chickpeas, vegetables with the juices, tahini, olive oil, garlic and lime juice in a food processor and process until pureed.
Remove from the food processor. Stir in the mint.
To plate, drizzle with the garnishes and extra olive oil and serve.3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/roasted-root-vegetable-hummus/

The post Roasted Root Vegetable Hummus and Cheater Roasted Vegetables appeared first on Spice Chronicles.

Kiwi Marinated Pork Kebabs

Sponsored Post – received free samples of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Zespri Kiwifruit and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.” This contest is being coordinated by Recipe Redux.

Well, it is just as well, there are a few commitments that I have entered, otherwise I would not be able to motivate myself to write. The truth be told, I have been struggling with even attempting normalcy, but, pushing myself the best that I can. But this month, I have dragged myself to moving a little further towards normalcy.

Onto, the golden kiwi fruit, when it arrived the kids polished off most of them, sending me to get more and I wondered about how to use them, what caught my attention was the fact that,

Both green and SunGold kiwifruit contain an enzyme called actinidin that helps break down protein. Actinidin occurs only in kiwifruit and improves digestive comfort by increasing the breakdown of proteins and facilitating digestion and emptying of the stomach. The actinidin can serve as a meat tenderizer: just peel and mash a kiwifruit and spread over meat or make a kiwifruit marinade. And a kiwifruit marinade was born.

The amazing flavorful character of this simple kebab, was quite amazing! The meat was soft juicy and tender, I have more saved up to cook up during the week. A lot of my cooking emphasis has been frugal, it is actually the first time I have realized that truly sticking to what the yard offers, without muddying things with complicated ingredients is another dimension of seasonal cooking. I wish, I did not have to explore going through the current struggles but life is never going to be without it’s pains and struggles.

This was Sunday dinner, with the turmeric and coconut rice from The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles. My world seems to have been cast aside, I cannot help wondering if I will ever be able to go back to the world of food and my writing. On the brighter side of things, I truly cannot help feeling proud of the tower of support that my young squad has been. They are getting a little worn down, so I hope lady luck shows her face back at us soon.

PrintKiwi Marinated Pork Kebabs

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

A delicately seasoned melt in your mouth tender kebab, seasoned with a kiwi ginger marinade.

Ingredients

For the marinade

2 zephry sungold kiwis (gently peeled)
1 or 2 green Serano chilies
1 inch piece of ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon freshly ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt

For the kebabs

11/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cubed
1 large bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large red onion cut into eights and layers removed
Oil for brushing and basting

To garnish
1 or 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Freshly ground crushed black pepper

Instructions

Place the kiwis, Serano chilies, ginger, salt, brown sugar, lime juice and ground coriander and salt and process into a puree.
Place the pureed marinade into a mixing bowl and toss with the cubed pork loin and set aside for 1 or 2 hours.
Thread the pork cubes into skewers.
Thread the bell peppers and the red onion onto separate skewers (I have found that in my experience, this works out better as the veggies cook sooner than the meat)
Fire up the grill, place the meat on the grill and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, turn the skewers and place the veggie skewers on the grill.
Cook the meat and the veggies until well done.
Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and crushed black pepper and serve over rice.
3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/kiwi-marinated-pork-kebabs/

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Gallo Pinto – Rice and Beans from Costa Rica

What can I say? I have learned over the last few weeks, that the anxiety of waiting for something to happen when it does not, is more exhausting that doing lots of things in a planned manner, as it unrolls and unfolds.

Tonight’s simple and wholesome dinner is Gallo Pinto – a humble wholesome, dish of rice and beans allowing me to gently incorporate the peppers, onions and herbs from our garden. Rice and Beans are probably the most comforting of dishes, done in different ways on different days. I have actually used two kinds of beans for this dish, adzuki beans and pinto beans. It is mostly because I happen to have loads of beans readily around, traditionally these are usually done with red beans.

 

Our haul of onions! #purple #garden #spicesandseasons #organic #yardtotable #wholesome #vegan #veggie #glutenfree

A photo posted by Rinku Bhattacharya (@spice_chronicles) on Jul 27, 2016 at 4:48am PDT

The name means spotted rooster, and served with an egg on top. The dish, inherently is a vegan one, so the egg really depends on you. Other fun additions are fried plantains which I shall save for a later day, when times are nicer and happier.

There is a lurking fear, somewhere what if happiness is always fleeting and elusive, what if time wears away, what if fall does not come? My fears are vivid, some days more than others. This simple meal was nourishing, wholesome and the kind of quite food that keeps us comforted and well fed and keeps me hoping that champagne and roses might grace our table again!

PrintGallo Pinto - Rice and Beans topped with a Fried Egg

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

A comforting hearty feel that is good for a quick weeknight meal.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons oil
1 red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup rice
1/2 cup red beans, cooked
1/2 cup pinto beans, cooked
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 egg per person to serve

To serve
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges

Instructions

Heat the oil and add in the onion and the garlic and saute well. Add in the bell pepper and saute lightly.
Add in the cumin and pepper and the rice and stir lightly.
Mix in the red beans and the pinto beans and the salt with the broth. Bring to a simmer and cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Leave covered for about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, heat the remaining oil and gently break the eggs and cook until done.
To serve, place the rice on a platter, top with the egg and garnish with the cilantro and green onions. Add lime wedges and serve.3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/gallo-pinto-rice-beans-costa-rica/

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Carrot, Beet and Purslane Salad (Spiralized)

This is an anxious person’s post about a vivid and colorful recipe. I am waiting in anticipation for something and writing this post in between. A post about a stunning Beet, Carrot and Purslane Salad with a handful of crushed walnuts thrown in for good measure.

The weather is sweltering and the garden is in full bloom, it is salad season. I have been loading up on iced coffee to keep the mojo going, what about you? How do you beat the heat? I do have to have that morning cup of perfectly brewed hot tea, but I am otherwise off most hot things. This year, the new creatures in the garden are potatoes and onions, and spud-loving me is definitely happy.

A part of me is restless, a part of me is calm and a part of me is hopeful. It is in meshing all of what is needed we find balance. Purslane is a beautiful nutritious weed, that we had discovered by accident. We use it an many ways to add that wonderful nutritious boost to our diet, my preferred way is in a crunchy salad.

This simple gorgeous salad will give you an amazing boost of nutrients from the minerals and vitamins from the vegetables, the protein from the walnuts and the omega-3 from both the purslane and the walnuts.

To play with the vivid beauty of fresh beets and carrots, in this salad I have used a spiralizer. In creating small pools of food art around you, you will find your share of peace and happiness. Take in all the wonderful colors around you, create a simple, wholesome and beautiful meal like this one and then maybe find a spot outdoors to enjoy your meal.

 

PrintCarrot, Beet and Purslane Salad (Spiralized)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Serving Size: Serves 4 to 6

A colorful spiralized salad with beets, carrots and purslane.

Ingredients

2 medium sized beets
2 medium sized carrots
1 or 2 cups cleaned and chopped purslane
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh natural honey
½ tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup lightly toasted crushed walnuts

Instructions

1. Grate the beets or use a spiralizer to shape into ribbons.
2. Peel and do the same with the carrots and place the beets, carrots and purslane in a large mixing bowl.
3. Mix the lime juice, natural honey, ginger and salt and mix well and toss the vegetables with the dressing.
4. Garnish with the crushed walnuts and enjoy.
3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/carrot-beet-purslane-salad-spiralized/

 

An InLinkz Link-up

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Kale, Cauliflower and Mixed Vegetable Salad

When the husband brought in these freshly dug out onions and potatoes, I was thrilled. My first thought was potato salad, but I did not really want something all that heavy. We went back to the yard, pulled up some kale and I found the head of cauliflower and a few fresh carrots and this beautiful, vibrant summer salad with a lime and olive oil dressing was created. This Kale Cauliflower and Mixed Vegetable Salad will satisfy your potato salad cravings in a healthy colorful manner.

The past several days, my son has been very protective of me, being very careful about boosting my confidence. I have accepted the temporary role change with gratitude.

The salad, by itself is simple. Super fresh vegetables, boiled until just done, tossed with lime and olive oil, salt and a little Greek Yogurt. I tried something a little different with the cauliflower, I added turmeric to the cooking water and was thrilled to see the golden color.

The distinct beauty of the addition of the turmeric is that it stained or colored the cauliflower without any impact on the taste, at least not any real discernible impact on the taste. This is just the kind of simple meal that will tide us through this hot summer.

As always, we were floored by the simple goodness of this beautiful fresh meal!

PrintKale, Cauliflower and Mixed Vegetable Salad

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

A colorful fresh and flavorful salad that offers a wonderful alternative to a traditional potato salad.

Ingredients

1 red onion
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 medium sized red potatoes, freshly scrubbed
2 to 3 medium sized carrots
½ medium sized head of cauliflower
¼ teaspoon turmeric
11/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
4 to 6 leaves of fresh kale
11/2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 pod of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced cilantro

Instructions

Peel and dice the onions, place in a mixing bowl with the chives and toss lightly.
Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Peel and cut the carrots to match the potatoes.
Place the potatoes and the carrots in a pot with enough water to cover them. Add in ½ teaspoon of salt. Boil these vegetables until just tender (about 8 minutes) drain.
In the meantime, cut the cauliflower into smaller pieces, place in the cooking pot and add in ½ teaspoon of salt and cook until tender. This will take about 6 minutes). Drain.
Tear the kale into smaller pieces, massage the kale lightly by rubbing between your hands, until the kale softens just a little and turns bright green.
In a mixing bowl whisk in the olive oil, garlic, remaining salt, lime juice, red pepper flakes and cilantro.
Add the hot vegetables (potatoes, carrots and kale) to the onions and chives.
Drizzle with the olive oil mixture and mix in the kale.
Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.
3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/kale-cauliflower-mixed-vegetable-salad/

 

 

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Yogurt Rice or Thayir Shadam

I realize that I am writing about this dish, well… a few years into blogging, but South Indian Yogurt Rice or Thayir Shadum is about as basic as mushoorir dal and aloo posto, in the Southern part of India. Well, it had not really featured in any of my books!, but at least it should feature in my blog, post haste! Right!

So, there you have it, eventually we shall narrow it down to a recipe for Thayir Shadum or Yogurt rice, which ends up being a part of the Armchair Ayurveda sequence!

I will tell you, sometimes dishes that you take for granted, rise and become blog worthy because, you never thought about them before..

Yogurt rice or Thayir shadum is Southern India’s very essential answer to comfort and beating the heat. I often make it for Kamala Aunty, my daughter’s gracious and aging octogenarian dance teacher. Yes, you got the age right and in her day she has indeed seen many an accolade.

Now my yogurt rice, may not be his (aka the husbands! ) yogurt rice, and I have indeed been told and forewarned that, the husband in his salad days cooked yogurt rice for himself and other daring family members who did in fact step into his Westchester den. Well I cook most often just for aunty, and there are many a traditional ingredient but I dispense most for what we might have around, so green apple for green mango and chopped garden fresh bell peppers for the luscious  fresh pomegranate seeds.

Well,at the heart of Ayurveda it is but simple sustainability, sort of what you might find in the SpicesandSeasons cookbook! and there these Oh so simple and traditional dishes like Yogurt rice, and classics that I believe that will indeed happen until Deepta’s Aarangetram!!

Well, all of these and indeed the if the job situation works out, I have a dream, a wholesome dream to honor Dad’s legacy!

But for today, let us focus on a yogurt rice that is seasonal and indeed close to the earth!!!



PrintYogurt Rice or Thayir Shadam

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A traditional recipe simplified and reinvented!

Ingredients

11/2 cups of soft leftover rice, this is optimal, you ideally do not wish to cook this with fresh rice.
2 cups of natural yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium raw mango or granny smith apple
1 or 2 small bell colored bell peppers
1 or 2 tablespoons coconut oil
¾ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon minced ginger
½ teaspoon hing or asafetida
1 or 2 whole red chilies
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Place the leftover rice in a non-reactive bowl and mash well with a fork or your hands. You want a mashed texture,
2. Whip the yogurt with the salt and mix into the mashed rice.
3. Peel the mango and grate, if using the granny smith apple grate the apple skin on.
4. Remove the tops of the pepper and dice very finely.
5. Heat the oil for about a minute until smoking and add in the mustard seeds and wait until the seeds crackle.
6. Stir in the ginger for about a minute and add in the hing or asafetatide with the whole red chilies until darker.
7. Pour this super fragrant mixture over the mashed yogurt rice and stir lightly.
8. Stir in the cilantro.
9. Chill or serve at room temperature.
3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/yogurt-rice-or-thayir-shadam/

 

 

 

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Turkey Hoisin Burgers and Lessons Learned

Summer even when it is one with obvious challenges like this one is a creative season in my kitchen. It is filled with fresh produce, smoky creations and foods that help us soak up the beautiful bright longer days that summer affords us.

We have totally fallen in love with this seductive, rich tasting, turkey hoisin burger, served with lightly pickled cucumbers, cilantro, red onions and sriracha mayo. It takes all of 15 to 20 minutes to assemble and a little bit more to cook and you have these swoon worthy burger that the whole family will drool over. And if you want to do this with ground pork instead of turkey, well… you will add even more richness to this gorgeous and beautiful creation.

As I had alluded, my general mood has been more somber than usual, but what it has allowed for is to let me focus more on my cooking, I have been perfecting and reworking recipes, before sharing them with you or for than matter anywhere. In general, my overall feeling has been that reflections are good in the kitchen.

It is true, over the last month, I have not experienced the heady joy of when a dish turns out right, but there has definitely been that feeling of comforting happiness, in knowing that everyone around the table was happy and satisfied. Everyone was well fed and generally at peace.

We have tried these burgers with a couple things, an Asian inspired slaw, and then these pickled cucumbers. The young ones liked the cucumbers so, I am saving the cucumbers for posterity. I am sure we will find a time and place for the Asian Slaw, because there is always cabbage in the refrigerator.

PrintTurkey Hoisin Burgers and Pickled cucumbers and Sriracha Mayo

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

A beautiful rich tasting turkey burger that can be put together in about 45 minutes, in time for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

For the Pickled Cucumbers

1 large organic English cucumber, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
For the Sriracha Mayo
4 tablespoons regular mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

For the Turkey Burgers

1 pound of ground turkey
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
½ cup finely chopped garlic scapes
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
11/2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon flax meal

Other Items

Burger Buns
Sliced Tomatoes
Sliced Red Onions
Sprigs of Cilantro

Instructions

Toss the cucumbers with the lime juice, the red wine vinegar, sugar and salt and set aside for up to an hour.
Mix the sriracha sauce with the mayo and set aside.
Mix the ground turkey, ginger, garlic scapes, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, soy sauce and the flax meal.
Shape into 4 patties and set aside for 30 minutes in the freezer.
Turn on the grill, and carefully place the patties on the grill. Brush with olive oil and cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, turn and repeat 4.
While the hoisin burgers are cooking, place the buns on the top of the grill so that they get warm and toasty.
To assemble, smear with sriracha mayo, add tomatoes, onions and top with a burger. Drizzle more mayo and add pickled cucumbers and cilantro and enjoy!
3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/turkey-hoisin-burgers-lessons-learned/

PS: I have been gone for a while, recovering and coping from the blow dealt by life. Unexpectedly, I was let go at work, and I have been trying to shake the bruises off and deal with the unexpected craziness of an unplanned job search in summer.

 

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Tomato Salad with a Clementine Ginger Dressing

Discovering a holiday, when you least want to acknowledge it can be rough. This simple tomato salad and going down to the dam to see the fireworks was my concession to the kids.

There is a joy in simplicity, in the moment, watching the colorful sparkles light up the sky. Well, I have done a little more than just this salad. You should see the more complex recipes come your way in slow succession. I have to confess, in spite of myself I am finding my kitchen rhythm back.

This is salad is typical of most of the salads in our house and my life. Simple, flavorful, laced with gentle flavors. In this variation, I swapped the lime that I would used for the clementine. The blueberries are my concessions to the holiday. I was amazed at how much flavor a few key ingredients packed.

The clementine and ginger, are a powerful combination, guaranteed to lift up your spirits. Even as I have been focusing and instinctively finding my way through the kitchen, today in particular, I hit a high note with all the colors that I have cobbled together.

This was the closest thing, I could get to a Red White and Blue firework image. I have coped with today, by cooking comfort food, and sitting in my peaceful little corner. The kids have been mostly indoors as well, reading, playing chess and practicing their music and dance. We ended up indulging in mostly vegetarian fare today, possibly everything including the body needed a quite break.

I will end up accumulating lots of pictures, I seem to have rediscovered my camera with a vengeance, pictures, colors and moments are being all stacked up together like a giant jigsaw puzzle whose pieces need to come together to complete the story.

As I threw in the blueberries into the salad, I wondered if there was any other naturally blue color other than blueberries, which still sometimes seem purple to me…

PrintTomato Salad with a Clementine Ginger Dressing

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

An easy summer tomato salad, that pairs with almost anything.

Ingredients

2 cups of chopped grape or regular tomatoes
6 white pearl onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro
1 medium sized clementine
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon black or pink salt

Instructions

In a mixing bowl add in the tomatoes, onions and blueberries and toss to mix lightly
Stir in the rosemary and the cilantro and mix well.
Cut the clementine into half and discard the seeds if any and squeeze in the juice in a small bowl.
Add in the ginger and the salt and mix well.
Drizzle over the tomato mixture and serve immediately.3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/tomato-salad-clementine-ginger-dressing/

 

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Bengali Kebabs or Maple, Mustard Sriracha Kebabs

Truth be told, these chicken kebabs have many names in my home. My husband calls them Bengali kebabs because of the mustard and nigella seed finish, their formal or official name is Maple, Mustard and Sriracha kebabs, and of course their casual and every day name is refrigerator kebabs, because I make them from everyday refrigerator staples. Sometimes, I skewer in some peaches or pineapples, sometimes just onions and peppers, essentially you get the drift.

Today, my son insisted we visit the zoo, he has been very protective of me lately. I almost reneged, but he reminded me that this was sort of what he had wanted to do for his birthday. Aadi like me loves nature, except he tends to like animals, while I love flowers.

I guess, note to self here is that, turn back to your hobby, it will often lift your spirits. I have to confess after a day of healthy exercise and basking in the beauty of nature, I feel better. Distracted enough, to handle some of the weight of the world.

Aadi has much to my surprise processed the situation, and is finding his own little activities to do with me, the kind that he knows are guaranteed to cheer me up, such as picking up reading A Christmas Carol with me. He had found the book too difficult, so he wants to do it as a part of his summer reading with me.

Once upon a time, I had this bond with my sibbling, I wonder how these bonds wash themselves away.  My senses revitalized, I cooked dinner a simple meal, the strong seasonings of this kebab do not need much marination making it perfect for a weeknight of a meal in a hurry.

These kebabs are bright, quick and easy and if you are still pondering about what to do this weekend, this might just be that easy fix you are looking for. If not, this weekend maybe the next, after all there is still a few more good weeks of grilling left and by the way this chicken works just as well roasted in the oven.

And, if I am lucky maybe I might actually enjoy or at least breadth for a few of those weeks, I will trade July if I get August…

PrintBengali Kebabs or Maple, Mustard Sriracha Kebabs

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

An easy flavorful chicken kebab recipe, made with everyday pantry staples mixed creatively.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Sriracha
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds chicken cut into 2 inch pieces
1 nectarine, stoned and cut into eights
1 medium sized red onion, cut into eights and separated
2 tablespoons olive or mustard oil
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Instructions

Mix the Sriracha, mustard, maple syrup, ginger and salt and toss the chicken into the mixture. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
Skewer the chicken with the nectarine and red onion.
Brush well with the oil and grill for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently.
Remove from the grill. Sprinkle with the nigella seeds and cilantro.
Serve with rice or warm pita.3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/bengali-kebabs-maple-mustard-sriracha-kebabs/

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