"I got 99 problems but a meal ain't 1"
Self-Taught Vegan Chef :: Food Network Champion :: TV Host
Do you have a favorite condiment? Something that stands out above the rest? I may be biased, but I think South Asians (specifically Indians, duh), have some of the BEST condiments. I’m not talking about a boring old ketchup (sorry, but ketchup doe not cut it and is always too vinegary for me), but a …
If you go to Mumbai there are tons of street vendors selling all kinds of vegetarian deliciousness. I’m a huge fan of street feed – even though people advise me not to eat it and all that, but ya only live once, am I right? One street food classic is Vada Pav – spicy potato …
Mushrooms definitely get a bad rep with Indian people. I think mushroom tends to be a meat substitute in most western cuisine, mainly because the texture is similar to that of meat. If you follow my blog, then you know that anything that gets a bad rep, especially within Indian food, is an immediate challenge …
I like making dishes that combine ingredients and flavors from different cultures- usually Indian flavors with others. I think most people tend to shy away from bold ingredients, like clove, chili, and spices. So I like to make dishes that help people ease into using some of these rather strong ingredients. I think when used …
Have you ever eaten Stuffed Capsicum at an Indian restaurant? Its generally North Indian dish of roasted green bell peppers stuffed with a potato-paneer mixture and cooked in an aromatic gravy. I made a similar dish, except with a South Indian touch – no gravy, no paneer, and instead, with Cauliflower and South Indian spices. …
Okra… lady fingers…I actually never really knew why they are called that. Regardless, okra is one of my favorite vegetables – there are so many different versions in Indian cooking – stuffed, fried, sautéed. I decided to make a variation of my moms stuffed okra. I noticed that people tend to shy away from cooking …
Cauliflower “steaks” have been popping up everywhere and I’m lovin’ it. Cauliflower is hearty and when sliced in half, reminds me of bio class back in high-school. But enough of that. Let’s talk steak. A nice juicy, spicy, satisfying cauliflower steak. Ha, gotcha. This is a great way to eat cauliflower. It’s visually appealing, hearty, …
Do you ever just crave a good veggie burger? Although I love prepared veggie burgers in the fridge and freezer aisle, they tend to be very high in sodium. I wanted something hearty, healthy, and bread-free. That is how my sweet potato-quinoa burger was born. High in flavor, protein, and deliciousness, low in sodium, fat, …
I saw a Chef Geoffrey Zakarian post a short video about a contest for Kitchen Aid. I was immediately interested. Prizes include Kitchen Aid appliances and most importantly cooking lessons from Geoffrey Zakarian himself! The challenge was to create an original recipe using apples. I was intrigued by this because I haven’t cooked with apples …
I don’t think these need much of an introduction, but just picture moist red velvet cake flavored with the delicate flavors of rose and en-robed in rich cardamom chocolate ganache. Yeah. Trust me, even those who don’t like “exotic flavors” (hate those people), will love these. Perfect for Holiday parties! I actually made these for …