Cumin is one of those spices, that grows on me; the more I use it, the more I appreciate its versatility – it adds a depth of flavor to the dish that I love, but without the astringency that coriander can add. Even my so called “spice adverse” dinner companions appreciate its contribution to...
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I love to travel and frequently collect cookbooks from my destinations. However, sometimes I get into trouble when a recipe calls for ingredients and I have no idea of the American equivalent. Sugar is one ingredient that I’ve had this problem with frequently, so I decided to investigate the differences. I suspect part of...
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Gulp! I have a huge confession to make: I used to think the only universal ingredient required to make a good curry be it Indian, Thai, Chinese was a good dose of curry power along with the desired vegetables and protein of choice. I was so, so wrong, and despite the fact that the...
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I had read about Asafetida in Madhur Japher’s tome on Indian cooking and seen it referenced in many other Indian recipes and so confidently picked up a container so that my future Indian cooking endeavors might taste that much more authentic. However, I was unprepared for what was to come….
What is It?
According to my...
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When I was in Singapore, I had a few encounters that reminded me why I love to travel, finding instances that were not typical for me in the US. One was finding a ban on chewing gum, coupled with the fact that the sidewalks were blessedly free of those ugly black, sticky spots that...
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In British cuisine, the word curry started out as a generic term to describe what the British Army encountered a mixture of spices or spiced sauces, sauteed vegetables and meats, basically applied to about any savory Indian dishes. Along the way “curry” became a specific term for dishes created for the British in India....
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When you think of curry, which country or region comes to mind?
India
Thailand
Caribbean
Japan
China
Britian
Any of the above, and indeed many other countries would be correct, and you would still be thinking in the right direction if your mind wandered to Germany or South Africa and a host of other locations, but where did it all begin?
If...
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As I previously mentioned, I think street or fast food can go a long way to providing a multi-sensory cultural experience that accurately captures the current culture of the country, region, or city in question. Every time I bite into a conchita pilbil taco, I am transported back to Merida, Mexico, or a gelato reminds me of...
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Last month, Jenn at Breadplusbutter kindly recognized me with a friendship award. I wracked my brain to come up with someway to creatively insert this recognition and show that I really deserved it, I lost count of the times I stopped started, deleted my way through a multitude of ideas. Then it hit me, duh –...
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Nigella is another ingredient that does not get the respect it deserves. I am convinced this lack of use in the United States, at least, is due to the fact that it has numerous aliases, making it challenging to find, much less get, the spice you intend – unless you know what to seek.
Some English...
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