Indian Feast: Meal 2

Continuing with the Indian fiesta weekend...

The next meal to be cooked was pork vindaloo with cabbage. I love vindaloo with a passion so I was quite excited. The only other time I've eaten homemade vindaloo was many years ago when Maya's Dad cooked dinner for us in Boston. It was ungodly spicy and beyond delicious. Again please!

On Saturday, we went to one of the Indian grocery stores on Black Mountain Rd. We were surprised to see the parking lot packed with Indian people and street vendors. Some sort of Diwali festival probably. We took a quick moment to stroll through the crowd and pick up a snack, but then it was back to business. We picked up many spices, mango puree for dessert, and even some indian sweets. Then it was off to Whole Foods for pork.


Once home, we hit the kitchen with a vengeance. Onions and garlic were processed and dumped on a pan to cook down.


Pork was browned.


The pork gives off a considerable amount of liquid which should be religiously poured out to prevent soggy meat.



Dried red peppers were broken in half, seed removed, and dumped into the food processor. The food processor must be dry, lest your peppers stick to the sides and escape being chopped to bits.


In goes fenugreek seed.


We then turned on the food processor, and...

Nothing! Those pesky seeds resisted the blades like a cat resists a bath. Boo. Luckily I had a Vitamix. Nothing, and I mean nothing, escapes the Vitamix. That thing will slice diamonds (or not).

Note: do not put your face over the powder after processing. You will promptly inhale chili in dust form, making your eyes catch fire (or not).


Once the pork is nice and brown, you are ready to combine.


Add plenty of vinegar. Do not fear the vinegar. Add water until just covered. Throw in that volatile chili powder and fenugreek dust.


Make sure those onions are golden brown before you toss them in with the pork.


Let that sucker simmer until tender. The longer the better.


Tear yourself from the vindaloo and start the cabbage and raita. The basic ingredients are onion (surprise), curry leaves, green chilis, and dried red chilis.


Saute those onions happily.


Lean over and harass your co pilot.


Let those onions get really brown, almost burnt.


Toss in yogurt mixed with some water.


Fry up some mustard seeds and throw in. Garnish with fried curry leaves and dried chilis, if taking a photo op.


For the cabbage, cook garlic, curry leaves, and green chilis.


Add cabbage and I think mustard seeds? At this point I was paying less attention as I kept hovering above the vindaloo.


Viola!


We enjoyed our meal at the big dining table which Badge and I never use. Paired with a beer, this meal was heavenly. I love the strong vinegar taste of homemade vindaloo.


Pork vindaloo, I love you.



Pork Vindaloo
Courtesy of Maya
Serves a lot

4lb pork shoulder, cut into cubes
2 onions
20 cloves (yep you read right)
25 dried red chili peppers
4 tbs fenugreek seed
2 tsp salt
1 tsp tumeric
2 cup white wine vinegar

Chop onions and garlic in food processor. Cook on pan with oil until golden brown and caramelized. Brown pork shoulder in separate pan, pouring out excess liquid as you go.

While pork and onions are cooking, remove seeds from chili peppers. Put peppers and fenugreek seed in dry processor and pulverize. Add salt, tumeric, and vinegar. Once pork is browned, add mixture with enough water to cover. Add onions once they are golden brown.

Let simmer until tender and liquid is reduced. This will probably take ~1 hour. Enjoy with raita!

Raita
Courtesy of Maya

Yogurt
1/2 tsp Mustard seed
Salt

Mix yogurt with a little water until desired consistency. Cook mustard seed in pan with oil until fragrant. Add to yogurt and season with salt to taste. Garnish with fried curry leaves and dried red peppers.

Indian Feast: Meal 1

Maya and her boyfriend Brian came down to San Diego last Thursday for Neuroscience 2010. The convention hosted a whopping 40,000 nerdy scientists for a entire week. Wow.

But honestly, who cares?

What I did care about was the Indian storm Maya promised to cook up. And for the record:

She delivered. Boy did she deliver.

Let's start with Thurs night. No cooking ensued Thurs night (because really, what kind of host puts her guests to work cooking so soon after arrival?). Instead, I took them to Palomino's for some delicious Mexican food. Badge was absent because he was in Ohio for a business meeting (followed shortly by a quick trip to see Riley at Ohio State where he lived it up like a freshman again). I managed to eat my entire plate because I somehow ran 6 miles that day (go me!).

On Friday night, we made Vangi Bath which translates to Eggplant Rice. Apparently this is food you would only find in the village. In fact, Maya was fairly certain her mother would be appalled to know she was feeding this to us, but nonetheless it's one of her favorites things to eat, so thus worth sharing.

First, we revealed Maya's Aunt's super secret blend of Vani Bath powder. What's in it? Who cares!


Next, we observed Maya's strangeness.

Yes, she's a freak.


The main ingredients for this dish are eggplant, potatoes, onions, and rice.


As I've learned with any Indian cooking, you first heat your spices in oil. Into the pan went whole cumin, whole mustard seed, chili powder, tumeric, and 2 bay leaves (Maya would have preferred curry leaves). Next went 1 diced onion. Sautee until medium golden brown.


Add 3 medium potatoes, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes, skins on. Add 1 tsp salt.


Here's the happy couple slaving away over my meal muahahahaha.


Oh yes, back to the food. Cut eggplant into 2 inch strips. Add to pan and cook all the way through.


Unfortunately, my pan wasn't big enough so we sauteed the eggplant separately and then combined later with the onions and potatoes.


Once combined, add a little butter, about 1 1/2 tsp.


And then, it was time.

TIME FOR THE VANGI BATH POWDER!! AHHHHHHHH!!


Cool. Add a lot. Like 1/4 cup lot. Then add 1/2 cup water or enough to coat bottom and moisten. Finally, add 3 cups cooked rice and stir. Moisten with more water as necessary. Maya described the desired consistency as wetter than fried rice.

Beautiful!


Fred was kind enough to fetch us some glasses of white wine.


Eaten with yogurt, this made a great meal. Hearty and satisfying. I can definitely see myself making this on a random weekday night.



Vangi Bath (Eggplant Rice)
Courtesy of Maya

3 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 tsp whole cumin
1 tsp whole mustard seed
1/2 tsp chili powder (original recipe had 1 tsp but its pretty spicy, reduced to half)
1/2 tsp tumeric
6-10 curry leaves or 2 bay leaves
oil to sautee
1 onion
3 medium red potatoes
5 medium eggplants
1 tsp salt

Dice 1 onion. Saute spices from cumin to curry leaves in oil. Add onions and cook until golden brown. While onions cook, cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes, leave skins on. Cut eggplant into 2 inch strips. Once onions are ready, add potatoes and salt. Cook another few minutes. Add eggplant, cook all the way through.

Add 1 1/2 tbs butter, 1/4 cup vangi bath powder, and 1/2 cup water or enough to coat bottom and moisten. Add rice and stir until combined. Moisten with more water if necessary. The consistency should be wetter than fried rice. Serve with raita or yogurt.

Fish Tacos

I can't stop eating Palomino's fish tacos. They are so delicious.

I ate these last week and again yesterday, and I will eat them again when Monkey comes next week.

Yum.

New York City

Ok, we went to NYC the weekend of Halloween, which is soooo long ago now that I barely remember what we did.

Thus, we shall switch to fast talking list mode.

Thurs:

- Took day off from work, started day off right with bagels and coffee, went to airport, flight was surprisingly comfortable, read Dresden Files (fun book series about modern day wizards) the entire time.

- Arrived in NY at 9pm, caught taxi to east village, arrived at the Stallion's new apartment which happens to be right next to her old apartment (small world), went to dinner at neighborhood mexican restaurant called Mayahuel, ate many small plates and drank many cocktails.


Fri:

- Had proper NY bagels, rented car, drove to Jersey, picked up Badge's aunt Renee, went to see Grandma, went back to Renee's, had tea and homemade rugelach and sweets



- Drove back to city, rested at the Stallion's place, admired her awesome apartment


- Went to Caracas for arepas lunch (one of my old favorites), ate way more arepas than other normal diners, had micheladas


- Hung around in the afternoon, met up with Stallion and Tooters at Peasant for italian dinner, Tooters brought the Korean Popstar who i didn't know was back in the states (made my day), ate lots of food, drank lots of wine, caused much commotion, went to bar afterwards where we met up with Dave and Tammi, got home to bed around 4 (time flies in nyc!)

Sat:

- Went to Brooklyn and met Mason, little Hugo, Dave, and Tammi at Mile End delicatessan for some really amazing smoked brisket sandwiches, went back to Mason's to hang out with Anna and rest of family



- Got back to city in late afternoon, met up with Massive Face for korean food at Dok Suni where all the waitresses were dressed as slutty cat policewoman??, went for cupcakes with Dave and Tammi, went back to apartment for Halloween party, felt lame because everyone was dressed to the MAX but we didn't bother with a costume (next year we will be back with a vengence), left party later for korean fried chicken with Massive Face (delicious), still found room for Stromboli's pizza (there's always room for Stromboli's), passed out appropriately full

Sun:

- Went to brunch at Paprika with Stallion and Massive Face, met up with Tooters and the Korean Popstar after for cupcakes, off to airport to fly back to SD

There, that's the summary. Overall, an awesome trip. Loved loved loved seeming our friends. Makes me miss living near everyone in NYC. Oh well. Badge and I are convinced we need to organize a friend's trip early next year. Till next time!

Determined

I'm going to blog tonight if it kills me

That's what I said to myself last week...and of course another week has gone without a post.

No more.

No more I say!

Tonight I will blog like a fiend. Be prepared.