last day in sf

For the past year or so, I've been on a sourdough kick. I've committed myself to a mission of tasting as many sourdough breads as possible, in the ultimate search to find my top three. This also goes for baguettes too. As expected, I've had better luck with baguettes than with sourdoughs. There are just many more baguettes out there in circulation; more to taste and choose from. So far the sourdough that I like the most comes from Atwater's (in Baltimore), called San Francisco Sourdough. The crust is perfectly scored, crispy/crunchy each time, with a chewy and tangy interior, and just the right size of air pockets.

Since I've heard so many wonderful things about Acme Breads in the Bay area, for breakfast, I picked up a loaf of their sour batard, some butter, and local strawberries. The crust was impressive and quite memorable, golden and crunchy, and resounding when you rapped on it. The inside had small air pockets (I would have preferred a less dense and meaty white part), but the gluten was well-developed and had a good chew. It turned out to be only mildly sour which was disappointing, but I still had no trouble in eating half a loaf by myself. The butter helped too.

I grew up eating a lot of Russian sourdough bread, the kind made with rye and wheat flours, sometimes weighing up to 10 pounds, so my personal preferences point me to a tangier version.

Acme's batard was definitely better than many loaves I've tasted. I also don't mind Boudin's small sourdough boule-type loaves, as opposed to their larger ones which lack flavor. The bread bowl in which they serve their signature clam chowder and their egg dishes for breakfast is the kind I like, with a nice crust and chewy center. If anyone knows of some amazing sourdoughs in the city, please let me know, and you'll be my friend for life.

Since I had a flight to catch that evening, Mr.S and I had a quick dinner at Chaat Cafe across the street from his place. CC is known for their affordable and filling array of Indian street food, snacks and wraps. Instead of getting a samosa, we shared the papri chaat- thick, homemade fried-dough chips smothered with chickpeas, cubes of potato, tamarind chutney and yogurt. There was way too much gloopy yogurt involved, and not enough chutney, nor chickpeas. I also missed the usual sev that's sprinkled on top.

Overall it was alright, but I missed the version served at Mehek.

The tikka masala rolls were two huge bhaturas stuffed with stewed chicken tikka masala. The bhaturas were good, lightly fried, which made them warm and poofy. Though the chicken tasted good, it was very greasy, and hardly used any white meat. And since they were so big, I had to knife and fork it.

You also get a choice of cucumber salad or spicy potato salad with your wrap. My watery cucumbers had lost their crispiness and were surprisingly, really heavy on the black pepper. Mr.S's potatoes were more like a scoop of cold mashed potatoes than a salad. The predominant herb was actually dill. Is this an Indian herb?

His desi chicken wrap was spicy tandoori chicken and veggies wrapped in baked naan. It tasted very much like my own, just with slightly more tomatoes, onion, and peppers. Again, it looked greasy, but the flavors were spicy and pretty good.

There's not much to complain about. For $7 a piece, the portions were monstrous. I hardly finished even one of my wraps. The quality of the ingredients is so-so, but when you're starving, that aspect doesn't seem to matter much as does taste and portion. Like a reliable gas station, Chaat Cafe is a good place to get filled up. (And your daily requirement of spice.) Next time, I'll probably stay away from the wraps, and just order an array of their chaat and pakoras.

carrot halwa

Sweet, milky, pudding-esque things just put a big old grin on my face. And it doesn't hurt that the main actor here is the earthy and sweet carrot, a vegetable that's never in the spotlight. Often hidden from view, mixed into mire-poix, and carelessly thrown in "for flavor" in soups and sauces, the carrot is rarely acclaimed for its intrinsic sweetness. Give me a plate of pan-roasted carrots anyday and I'll be a happy girl. Though I have to say that carrot sticks freak me out...I mean, they're artificially shaped, so um...where does the rest of it go? Anyway, it's already got a lot going, a beautiful orange hue and one skinny little thing has enough vitamin A to fulfill more than twice your daily needs! I'm a big fan, and it's about time we feature it in more recipes, both in entrees and desserts.

I first had this pudding dish at an Indian BBQ last summer, the kind where there are hundreds of family members roaming around, trading recipes, and eating out of huge foil trays of curries and chutneys. It was made with dark raisins, and I could only finish half of mine, as it was so rich and sweet. But the memory of that creamy dish stayed with me, cool and satisfying under that scorching sun. I found a simple recipe for it in an Indian cookbook Mr.S had given me a few months ago (as a reward for finishing my LSATs!).

Today was a good day to make this dessert. I've been skimping on the workouts lately, and it was about time to shape up these guns of mine. Let me tell you, hand grating carrots is not child's play. I did four sets (one for each carrot), and was well rewarded with a warm, sticky bowl of delicious carrot pudding. My second helping was slightly more decadent, spooned over a bowl of butter pecan ice cream. Ohmigod. A couple ladles of this can easily rival any warm chocolate sauce! This recipe is a keeper in my book, and hopefully yours too.


Carrot Halwa
adapted from India with Passion: Modern Regional Home Food
serves 3-4

4 green cardamoms
2 tsp unsalted butter or ghee
4 medium carrots, peeled and finely grated
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
12 blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
scant 1/4 cup golden raisins
pinch saffron

1. Peel the outer casings of the cardamom and crush the seeds in a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter or ghee in a heavy pot. Add the carrots and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes, to soften them. Pour in the milk and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes or when the milk cooks down to the consistency of heavy cream. Stir occasionally.

3. Stir in the cardamom, sugar, half the almonds, saffron and raisins. Cook for another 5 minutes. The milk should be thick and mostly evaporated, the carrots soft.

4. Spoon into serving bowls. Garnish with the remaining almonds and serve either warm or cold.

murgh tikka masala

Read this before attempting this recipe: Be prepared to have your kitchen, clothes and hair smell like a spice market!

This chicken tikka masala sure doesn't taste like the bright orange stuff you'd slosh on your plate at the $8.95 Indian lunch buffet. It is actually quite delicate and nuanced in flavors, yet still robust and spicy. The creaminess of the sauce comes primarily from the plain nonfat yogurt, and not from the heavy cream, and thus contrary to popular belief, yields a not so unhealthy dish.

Chicken Tikka Masala was actually popularized in England by the Brits' affinity for creamy, heavier type foods and curries. It thus falls more into the category of fusion food, much like what General Tso's chicken is to authentic Chinese cuisine. General who? Anyway.

This recipe is an involved process, as the chicken must be marinated about a day in advance. Mr.S prepped all the steps in the following recipes. As a result his kitchen transformed into Mr.S's House of Curry, and me, his obedient sous-chef. When it comes to Indian food, he is quickly becoming the master of the subcontinent, wielding the powers of spices and chutneys. Which makes me a happy girl, since I love good Indian food, and get to be on the receiving end of all his labors.

He cooked up a large batch last night for dinner, and we had leftovers tonight. With a spoon and rounds of warm naan to scoop up the fragrant curry, we swore never to order chicken tikka masala from a restaurant again.

Murgh Tikka Masala (Grilled Chicken in Spicy Sauce)
adapted from 1000 Indian Recipes
makes 4-6 servings

1 recipe Grilled/Broiled Garlic Chicken Tikka
1/2 cup Fried Onion Paste
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
1 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup heavy cream

1. Roughly chop the grilled chicken into smaller 1" pieces. Set aside.

2. In a food processor, roughly puree tomatoes with cilantro.

3. In a deep pan, melt 1 Tbsp ghee over high heat. Add the fried onion paste and tomato puree. Cook over medium heat for 7 minutes to evaporate the juices. Add the remaining dried spices and salt, and cook for 1 minute. Add the water and grilled chicken pieces, and simmer for 5 minutes. Finally, add the cream, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.


Grilled/Broiled Garlic Chicken Tikka:
1 lb. boneless chicken pieces
2 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp olive oil
1.5 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1.5 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground green cardamom

1. Mix together garlic, olive oil, and the spices. Coat the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

2. Broil or grill chicken 5-6 minutes on each side, until deep golden. Let cool.


Fried Onion Paste:
1 cup ghee or vegetable oil
6-8 quarter size slices peeled fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic
1 large onion, thinly sliced into rings
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Fry the ginger and garlic until golden brown. Add the onion, and fry until well-browned, about 5 minutes more. Remove to paper towels and drain well. Reserve the oil for another purpose.

2. In a food processor, blend the fried onions with the yogurt to the consistency of a smooth paste.

study-time brain food

coffee & espresso
sugar free Red Bull
bananas
granola
coffeehouse muffins
buckwheat pancakes, maple syrup, butter
Greek style yogurt, strawberries

Does this sound like brain-food to you? It's a list of what I've been eating (top 6 things) in the past two weeks as I've been studying for my LSATs, which are this Saturday. I've barely had any time, or been in the mood, to cook elaborate, well-balanced meals. When I'm in full-on study mode, I hone in on pretty much a full carb diet. As most of us know, carbs increases the blood sugar levels, leading to increased serotonin levels in our brain, which makes us happy (!!), especially me in my time of stress and utter boredom.

Today I decided to break out of my monotonous food relationship and looked around my 'fridge for other possible lunch candidates. There was frozen paneer, and a bag of frozen peas in the freezer, and canned tomatoes and spices in my pantry. Half an hour later, I had myself a delicious healthy meal of mattar paneer and rice.


This is a dish that's quite common at all Indian restaurants. It's vegetarian and so so good with naan; but the version that I get at restaurants always comes with a heavy creamy sauce that is laden with calories. The traditional version, on the other hand, is just a basic spiced tomato base, in which fried cubes of paneer and peas stew.


Mattar Paneer
adapted from Saveur Magazine (along with my own recommendations)

2 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cardamom pods
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 heaping tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp fresh ginger paste
1 cup diced tomato, with juices
1 cup frozen peas
6-8 oz. paneer cheese, cubed and fried on all sides

1. Heat ghee in a skillet over low heat until melted. Add cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. Stir until the fragrances are released, about 1 minute. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric and salt, and cook until the onion starts to become translucent.

2. Add the tomatoes, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to let the tomatoes break down.

3. Add 1 cup of water and stew 5-10 more minutes to let it reduce. Add the garam masala, peas and paneer. Season with more salt or spices, if necessary. Cook until peas are well heated through.

4. Serve over rice.

mehek

Nostalgic for last weekend's incredible Indian food, we decided to order carryout from Mehek** in Fells Point. We didn't care to dine in since the service has been patchy in the past. The restaurant itself is bright and clean, somewhat contemporary, unlike the mustier more traditional settings of others in the city like Mughal Garden, Akhbar, and the Ambassador.

The menu is standard fare. We ordered lamb vindaloo, channa masala, and naan. This is undoubtedly the best channa masala I have ever tasted. At other restaurants, it is a mishmash of canned or undercooked chickpeas in a greasy bright red tomato sauce. At Mehek, the chickpeas are wonderfully tender, the sauce deeply aromatic and developed. I asked for medium spicy, which still packed a dangerous punch of heat. By the fourth bite, I was begging to dunk my head in a vat of raita.

The naan was superb, even after steaming in a foil pack for 20 minutes. Soft, chewy, with puffed crispy skin, the naan became my vehicle to scoop up all that fragrant sauce.

**Mehek means "fragrance."


Mehek
811 South Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231

how to: paneer

Most Americans have tasted this Indian staple cheese due to its prevalence now in Indian restaurants, commonly appearing in familiar dishes like palak paneer (spinach with paneer) and matar paneer (peas with cheese). Chewy and incredibly mild, it easily takes on the flavors of the surrounding spices in which it stews. Since much of the population of India are vegetarian, paneer has become a great source of protein because it's not made using rennet, an animal enzyme used to make most cheeses of the world. Paneer, instead, is acid-coagulated using lemon or lime juice, or vinegar. The curds are pressed to release any moisture and cut for immediate use in cooking.

It's believed that paneer was originally introduced to India by invaders from the west, Persia and Afghanistan. Paneer means cheese in Persian. To this day, paneer production is most common in the northwest outlying regions of India. It wasn't until about 40 years ago that paneer started to spread and gain popularity throughout the rest of the country.

You can find paneer sold in blocks at Indian and international markets. I've also seen it at Whole Foods ($6-$7). In Baltimore specifically, it's available at several Halal markets in the city and in Catonsville. But then again, you can simply make your own at home...

Paneer
yields 10-12 ounces

1 quart whole milk
juice of 2 lemons or limes

1. In a large stockpot, heat the milk to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 10 minutes, constantly stirring.

2. With heat on low, stir in the lemon juice. Keep stirring for 30 seconds. The curds will seperate from the whey.

3. Line a colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Pour the curds and whey into the colander. Rinse the curds with cold water to wash off excess lemon juice and foam.


4. Gather the edges of cloth and wring out any liquid from the cheese. Tie a knot to secure the cheese in a tight ball. Slip a chopstick through the knot and balance in a deep bowl to facilitate draining. Let hang for 1 1/2 hours.


5. Untie knot and squeeze out any more liquid. Twist the cloth again to reform a tight ball. Set on a plate and weigh down the cheese with anything heavy (casserole dish, bricks, etc) for 2 hours.

6. Remove weights and place pressed cheese in refrigerator for about 1/2 hour to firm up. Cut the cheese into strips, then cubes.


7. Fry on all sides in a pan with butter, ghee (clarified butter), or vegetable oil.

we came together

Mehndi on the bride's hands

What does it mean to open ourselves up to someone else, someone who is different from us? Perhaps it's understanding and accepting a new culture, a new lifestyle, a different set of habits. Perhaps it's seeing every which way we're the same, and yet appreciating all the ways in which we are different. A culture clash can be a wonderful thing.

Eating the food from a different culture is to begin to truly understand the heart and soul of that people, their history and lives. If you think about it, cooking is one of the purest and most genuine ways in which someone can express themselves and to translate the intimacies of their culture and traditions. When we pick up a pair of chopsticks, reach across the table for a piece of sushi, we're breaking a culture barrier. For me, this isn't enough. I enjoy recreating these dishes in my own kitchen, and really going through the same processes and techniques that a Japanese granny or an Indian auntie would in theirs. It shows that we're capable of crossing boundaries, be it racial, ethnic, or even social and economic. Food transcends borders and class; it brings people together- to the table, to the middle, to the other side.

This past weekend, my best friends and I reunited for our friends' engagement party- a three day long celebration with family, friends and out of this world Indian food! Up until this weekend, I didn't realize just how little I knew about Indian food culture, the regions and the ingredients. Beyond curries, cumin, turmeric powder, garam masala, biryanis....there is a whole world of fresh and intense flavors that tease the palate. Much of the food was prepared by the family. They urged us to try everything and explained what each dish was, all the while with pride and love in their eyes as they introduced a piece of their world to us. Food was the medium by which they welcomed us into their homes. It also gave us a glimpse of the intensely warm energy of this family, their relationships with each other, and the unspeakable pride and joy that brought us all together to honor the young couple.

These are just a few of the dishes we gorged on...

Fritters stuffed with potato, chickpeas, green chutney, raita, and sev (a fried snack that looks like vermicelli)

oh hell yea! Samosas!

Tandoori chicken with coriander chutney

I think this is called bhel puri- a snack of fried pastry, boiled potato, chickpeas, chutneys, raw diced onion, and sev

Idli- a steamed rice cake made of rice and lentil flours