Indian – FoodWatcher

The Legendary Story of Thangam Philip: Food Scientist, Nutritionist, Chef & Mentor

Thangam Philip has crosshatched my life in the most curious ways. My uncle studied catering under her (very) stern supervision. My mother once took a class at the Dadar Catering College, where Philip reigned as principal—in fact, we still have a stack …

Thangam Philip has crosshatched my life in the most curious ways. My uncle studied catering under her (very) stern supervision. My mother once took a class at the Dadar Catering College, where Philip reigned as principal—in fact, we still have a stack of her recipes, typed on sheaves of yellowed, raspy pages, all carefully filed away in a blue plastic folder. As for me: I own newer, glossier, books on baking, but it is The Thangam Philip Book of Baking, with its infallible madeleine and sponge recipes, that I unfailingly turn to.

Whichever way you spin it, Philip was a food legend.

Sweet Potato Chickpea Coconut Curry

This delicious Sweet Potato Chickpea Coconut Curry recipe is super simple to make, it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan, and it’s simmered with the coziest creamy coconut curry flavors. Perfect with rice and/or naan bread! On chilly winter nights that call for cozy comfort food…this sweet potato chickpea coconut curry is sure to hit the spot. […]

Sweet Potato Chickpea Coconut Curry with Cilantro in Saute Pan

On chilly winter nights that call for cozy comfort food…this sweet potato chickpea coconut curry is sure to hit the spot. ♡

We’ve been making versions of this recipe all season with whatever leftover veggies we have in the house, but this simple combination of sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach has definitely been our favorite. These basic ingredients are all simmered together in a silky, creamy, coconut curry broth that is brightened up with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Then I highly recommend serving the curry piled high with lots of fresh toppings (hello, fresh cilantro and thinly-sliced red onions) over either rice, rice noodles, and/or homemade naan bread.

It’s a quick, easy, vegetarian (also vegan), gluten-free, flavor-packed meal that’s easy to customize with whatever veggies and greens you have on hand. And, bonus, it also makes for fantastic leftovers the next day. So go rummage through that crisper drawer and let’s make some cozy coconut curry together!

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South Indian Filter Coffee Is Like No Coffee You’ve Had Before

In April, my stainless steel coffee filter ran dry. Which is to say, I ran out of my favorite coffee—in the midst of a lockdown, no access to my Indian grocery store, and broken supply chains (both retail and by way of visiting aunties loaded with gift…

In April, my stainless steel coffee filter ran dry. Which is to say, I ran out of my favorite coffee—in the midst of a lockdown, no access to my Indian grocery store, and broken supply chains (both retail and by way of visiting aunties loaded with gifts). Anyone whose day begins with the certainty of that one precisely made cup would understand when I say: I was sad.

In the end I substituted, managed, survived. (Okay, I may have begged a friend across town to mail me the dregs of her stash.) There were certainly far bigger worries to wade through, but its absence was felt. In a shaky world, it was the reassurance of that morning routine that I craved.

10 Indian Instant Pot Recipes for Rich, Comforting Flavor Fast

“My son Mark learned to cook with a [stovetop] pressure cooker when he was nineteen years old,” Urvashi Pitre writes in the introduction to her forthcoming book, Instant Pot Fast & Easy (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, January 2019). “I still remember t…

"My son Mark learned to cook with a [stovetop] pressure cooker when he was nineteen years old," Urvashi Pitre writes in the introduction to her forthcoming book, Instant Pot Fast & Easy (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, January 2019). "I still remember the day he mastered four different dishes in one day. Now, Mark is scary-smart, this is true, but it's also true that pressure cookers are not that complicated."

Pitre—aka the "Butter-Chicken Lady," per New Yorker contributor Priya Krishna—is probably one of the smartest people I've ever talked to; she's a scientist by day and a cookbook author by night. From a single 30-minute phone conversation with her, I learned more about pressure cooking than I have reading about it for years in cookbooks, online, or even in my own kitchen tinkering with my little 3-quart Instant Pot, the electric pressure cooker Pitre also uses for her recipes. In these 30 minutes (about the time it takes for her Instant Pot butter chicken to come together), she expressed her frustration at all of the Instant Pot recipes out there that make you sauté first, when science shows a simple dump-and-cook would do.

‘What Does Diwali Mean to Us This Year?’ We Asked 8 Food Pros.

Figuratively and literally the most lit festival that exists, the word derives from the Sanskrit word “deepavali,” translating to “a row of lamps.” Mythology explains that it was first celebrated when after 14 years in exile, Lord Rama came home to Ayo…

Figuratively and literally the most lit festival that exists, the word derives from the Sanskrit word "deepavali," translating to "a row of lamps." Mythology explains that it was first celebrated when after 14 years in exile, Lord Rama came home to Ayodhya in northern India and the entire village was lit up in his honor. Even today, Indians all over the world celebrate the five days that fall in the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar.

In a year different than any other Diwali before it, I checked in with chefs and food professionals—both in India and part of the diaspora—about what Diwali means to them, both generally and in 2020. One thing shone brighter than the warq on my kaju katli: While we may all have our cultural take and sui generis rituals, what accompanies the covey of sweets is a nostalgia-filled culinary narrative that is common to every Indian no matter where they are.

Vada Pav Is the Perfect Vegetarian Sandwich

In Chaat, just released in October, Maneet Chauhan and Jody Eddy take you all over India. The cookbook is divided into four sections: The North, The West, The South, The East. Which means you can travel from Amritsar to Mumbai to Chennai to Kolkata—all…

In Chaat, just released in October, Maneet Chauhan and Jody Eddy take you all over India. The cookbook is divided into four sections: The North, The West, The South, The East. Which means you can travel from Amritsar to Mumbai to Chennai to Kolkata—all by reading and cooking and never leaving your house.

In the excerpt below, Chauhan speaks to the vast, vibrant range of chaat in Indian markets, train stations, and homes. Also included, three recipes from the book: Vada Pav, a dreamy potato sandwich; Panch Phoron, a five-spice blend; and Khaman Dhokla, a super-popular street snack. Which will you make first?

Creamy Golden Milk (Hot or Iced)

If you’re a fan of chai lattes and turmeric, you’re going to love this recipe. This ultra creamy golden milk is inspired by traditional Indian turmeric milk…

The post Creamy Golden Milk (Hot or Iced) appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

golden milk recipe

If you’re a fan of chai lattes and turmeric, you’re going to love this recipe. This ultra creamy golden milk is inspired by traditional Indian turmeric milk (haldi doodh), but it is by no means authentic.

In its most basic form, haldi doodh is made with turmeric (haldi) stirred into milk (doodh) or tea. Typically, households will add more warming spices to the mix, including ginger, cinnamon and cardamom.

golden milk ingredients

Indian mothers prepare turmeric milk for colds, coughs and sore throats, and aches and pains. It’s warming, soothing and supports the immune system, which is exactly what we all need right now.

This recipe uses cashews instead of milk, which makes it lusciously thick, yet dairy free and vegan. Serve it warm in a mug, or cold over ice!

Continue to the recipe...

The post Creamy Golden Milk (Hot or Iced) appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

The Splendor of Raj Kachori, India’s Most Kingly Snack

Just like eating a salsa-dripping taco off a truck in L.A., eating a raj kachori should not be done with a white shirt on. The chaat wallas don’t hand out a bib like crab curry places, and eating it is a fairly messy affair. But several rehearsals late…

Just like eating a salsa-dripping taco off a truck in L.A., eating a raj kachori should not be done with a white shirt on. The chaat wallas don't hand out a bib like crab curry places, and eating it is a fairly messy affair. But several rehearsals later, you usually get deft at picking the right ratio of crunchy poori, sprouts, chutney, and garnish—all in the tiny bowl of your spoon. But still, please just keep those ivories away.

The concept of a poori—deep-fried flour-based bread—finds a mention in few of India’s oldest scriptures like Manasollasa and Mahabharata. But it wasn’t until the Mughal invasions in the 17th century that the concept of chaat is believed to have been introduced to the subcontinent. A relatively newer style of dish, chaat, which literally translates to “lick” in Hindi, suggesting that the category of dishes is so good, you’ll want to polish every one of them clean.

Madras Curry Powder Is the Versatile Spice Blend You Can (& Should!) Make at Home

Here, Michelle Peters-Jones of The Tiffin Box shows you how to mix your own Madras curry powder and customized spice blends to lend the boost that your recipes have been looking for.
If you go to a grocer in India and ask for curry powder, yo…

Here, Michelle Peters-Jones of The Tiffin Box shows you how to mix your own Madras curry powder and customized spice blends to lend the boost that your recipes have been looking for.

If you go to a grocer in India and ask for curry powder, you’re likely to be asked, "Which one?" There is no such thing as a single "curry powder" in Indian cuisine; each dish has its own combination of spices that makes it unique.

1,000 Ways to Love Rasam—Southern India’s Signature Peppery Broth

The simplicity of a rasam is a decoy for its depth. At first sip, you may only discern the faint sweetness of a ripe tomato. Then comes the punch of tamarind. You reel momentarily from this affront, but you will soon be soothed by the nutty richness of…

The simplicity of a rasam is a decoy for its depth. At first sip, you may only discern the faint sweetness of a ripe tomato. Then comes the punch of tamarind. You reel momentarily from this affront, but you will soon be soothed by the nutty richness of mustard seeds fried in ghee—called the thalippu, or tempering that crowns this trellis of flavor.

For eons, South Indians of all stripes have claimed an intimate understanding of rasam, a broth (not unlike a stock) that teases complexity out of even the most minimal ingredients. At its simplest, this could mean a tomato or two, or a knob of dried tamarind and a scattering of spices—all allowed to commingle until their flavors merge into a cohesive whole.