We may be well into spring here in southern California (I’ve been eating asparagus for a month now), but since it’s still snowing in parts of the country, I don’t mind writing about kale in April. Kale is one of my go-to winter vegetables. It’s delicious braised or sautéed, in soups or gratin, and I’m … More Turn around the winter blues
Los Angeles has much more wildlife than most people (even Angelenos) would believe. I see raptors at least a couple times a week on light poles overlooking the freeways; deer, rabbits, and rattlesnakes are commonplace in the hills; raccoons wander along the sidewalks at night; I once even saw a brief glimpse of a coyote … More Wild America
It’s depressing to spend as many hours in the kitchen as I have in the past week with nothing to show for it, but it’s been a week of failures. Last weekend, I carefully planned out a savory tart. There were mushrooms, there was cheese, there was a buttery crust and rich custardy base. After … More When all else fails
I wasn’t the pickiest child ever, but I had strong opinions about food. I knew to pick my battles—there was no way that I was going to leave peas behind uneaten—but my mother was kind enough (or too annoyed to be bothered) to force me to eat the things that I truly detested. Maybe she … More A snack and a supplement
Lately, I’ve felt like my life has exploded around me like a meteorite. Things haven’t been bad (in fact, most of the chaos has been the good variety), but I’ve felt like I haven’t had a chance to breathe. My days have been longer (at least the sun is playing along); I go to bed … More Climbing out of the crater
There are several things I can say about Indian cuisine, chief among them that it is, almost without exception, both delicious and unphotogenic. Through some mysterious alchemical process stews and braises, purées and fritter, unwanted cuts of meat and boring winter vegetables alike are saved from ubiquity with a deft addition of chilies, ginger, and … More Karma chameleon
Aloo Simla Mirch (Curried Potatoes with Bell Peppers) Like many Indian dishes, there are a lot of ingredients in a single dish; however, once you have the spices, it’s easy to make a wide variety of dishes. Also, you can make a bigger batch of curry powder and store in a jar with your other … More Aloo Simla Mirch
Baingan Bharta (Smoky Eggplant with Yoghurt) Adapted from Lord Krishna’s Cuisine 2 medium eggplants 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil 2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced ¼ teaspoon hing (a.k.a. asafoetida)* 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds 1½ teaspoons ground coriander seeds 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro ½ cups … More Baingan Bharta (Smoky Eggplant with Yoghurt)
Chilaquiles Serve these with scrambled eggs and frijoles for a savory, filling brunch or lunch. Accompany with guacamole, crema mexicana*, salsa, and thinly sliced cabbage. 12 corn tortillas, preferably stale, cut into 1 inch strips or large wedges mild oil for frying 6–8 dried guajillo chiles 2 large roma tomatoes 3 cloves garlic, peeled and … More Chilaquiles
Za’alouq (Moroccan Eggplant Purée) 1 pound eggplant 1 pound fresh tomatoes 4 teaspoons salt, divided 5 cloves garlic ¼ cup cilantro, chopped ¼ cup parsley, chopped olive oil 1 tablespoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon paprika pinch cayenne ¼ teaspoon ground pepper 2 teaspoons lemon juice Peel eggplant, if desired (I usually peel half), cut into about 1-inch … More Za’alouq (Moroccan Eggplant Purée)
the procrastikitchen 