Melonpan – Cookie Covered Bread Rolls

Just like there is no egg in eggplant, there is no melon in melonpan. Who would’ve thunk! As per the various blogs on the www, This much loved Japanese bread gets its name from the characteristic crosshatch shape the Japanese cut a melon in before serving. Here is a cute kiddie song that says there is anko (adzuki beans) in Anpan, Curry in Karepan but the melonpans don’t have any melons.   So what is a Melonpan? A type of Japanese sweet bread. The bread is a soft bun encased in a Pâte sablee . The delicate cookie-like crust, is …

Oatmeal Kedgeree with Ethiopian Berbere Seasoning

Dear Oatmeal, I love you. I really do. But we need to talk. Don’t worry. It’s not that kind of talk.  I can’t break up with you. After-all you enable me to be a better me and keep me going for quite a while in the mornings. When you are with me, even the daunting workouts at the gym seem to fly by fast and you make those long runs seem so easy because I have the energy to “just do them”. So why do we need to talk? It’s not you, it’s me. I have been going into a …

Sauteed Amaranth Greens

  Sautéed Amaranth greens with green garlic and peppers. What is so special about this streaky leaf that doesn’t seem to be able to make up its mind if it is green or purple or red? Well for one it is easy to cook. If that isn’t reason enough, it is really delicious. And if you are greedy for more reasons – it is a Nutritional powerhouse with calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, riboflavin, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, and C. And here is one more – it’s fresh and cheap. You will find these at any Asian grocery store. …

Sweet Potato and Fenugreek – Shakariya Methi Nu Shaak

The sweet potato and fenugreek curry combines the nutritional benefits of two super foods, sweet potato and fenugreek. Add in some fenugreek seeds and you have yourself a delicious, super healthy food. In the ancient medicine systems in India and China, Fenugreek is used to improve metabolism in addition to using it to regulate blood sugar levels. The Shakariya (sweet potato) Methi (fenugreek) nu shaak is my mother in laws’s favorite dish. She saw a bunch of fresh fenugreek leaves in the refrigerator, the day she landed here from India and was really pleased. The first thing she asked me …

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad

For those busy days when time seems to fly, I rely heavily on salads. Especially a salad like  sweet potato and black bean salad. Filling, nutritious salads that look lively and feel like a smile on a plate are the ones I feel pulled towards. I love eating root vegetables and while I do make simple, everyday Indian curries out of those, I also love to use the root veggies in Salads. They are quick to cook , can be cooked ahead of time and the salads can be made ahead of time. In addition to the root vegetables being …

Apple Tart #Ina Fridays

With Julia Child recommending 73 layers for regular pâte feuilletée and 730 layers for pâte feuilletée fine (in Volume II of her Mastering the Art of French Cookingtextbook) , grab those car keys and buy some frozen sheets. Else it will be a long haul in the kitchen.