Spiced Roasted Cashews (Masala Kaju)

Kind Of Nutty
I’m not exactly sure when the recent nut craze began. People have been eating nuts for centuries. But it seems that recently nuts have been having a moment. My best theory is because of the popularity of the Paleo diet. But, there are so many other possibilities—not the least of which is that they are tasty—especially when they are spicy. Chili-Lime anyone?

Many world cultures and cuisines enjoy spiced nuts as a snack and India is one of them, with cashews being the most popular. Sometimes they are fried and eaten simply with a dusting of salt. Other times they are covered in fiery chili or other flavorful spices.

No matter how you prefer to eat your favorite nuts, be they spicy or sweet, you can forget about having to purchase them at your favorite retail establishment. Making your own spiced nuts at home is easy and has the added benefit of customization. Personally, I like my cashews a little spicy with a touch of curry powder or garam masala.

Go ahead and experiment. Roasted nuts are great by themselves as an afternoon snack or sprinkled on your favorite salad for some added crunch.

Spiced Roasted Cashews (Masala Kaju)
Adapted from Cook with Kushi
Yields 1 cup

Spiced Roasted Cashews is a crispy and delicious snack you can whip up in 20 minutes. We have included three spice blends: Salted Chili, Pepper Garlic, and Pakora. But, the potential varieties are endless.

They make a great snack and are a welcomed addition to a party snack tray or with afternoon tea. Read more…

Amy’s Tzatziki

Spin Cycle
My sister’s washing machine blew up a few weeks ago, which is never good. Besides the inconvenience of not being able to wash your clothes, she now has to deal with getting the repair person out, having them figure out what’s going on, and all the rest of the hassle. The good news is that she lives five minutes from me which is so much better than the laundromat. And, it is why we found ourselves having a throwback Sunday family dinner while she did a few loads of laundry.

Growing up, Sunday nights meant dinner at my grandmother’s house—which I loved and hated at the same time. I loved having dinner with my grandparents because the food was fantastic. But, I almost always was dragged kicking and screaming. I didn’t want to stop playing out in front of our house with my friends, not to mention having to shower and put on decent clothes.

Anyway, when I got the call from my sister asking to use my washing machine, I immediately started planning for a Sunday dinner a la Gammy which meant some sort of roasted beast. I opted for a leg of lamb. Now, a leg of lamb isn’t cheap. And, normally it wouldn’t be my first choice. But, I had ulterior motives.

I knew that a leg of lamb would be too much for the number of people eating. But, I also knew that the leftovers would be great the next night wrapped in warm pita bread with tomatoes, sliced onions, and one of my favorite things in the whole world, tzatziki.

I love tzatziki and have been known to have just that with some fresh pita slices for dinner. You can buy pre-made tzatziki from the store and it will be tasty. But, it is so worth the minor effort it takes to make it fresh. Plus you have the opportunity to customize it to your liking. I go pretty heavy on the garlic. Thankfully, my husband likes it that way too. Otherwise, we would be sleeping in different bedrooms because of lingering garlic breath…

Amy’s Tzatziki recipe is good on so many things like lamb meatballs, kababs, and sandwiches. Use it as a veggie dip or chip dip. Any way you can think of to get some in your mouth will work. Bonus…because it’s made with yogurt, tzatziki is pretty good for you, too.

Amy’s Tzatziki Recipe
Yields 4 to 6 servings

Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip or sauce made from simple ingredients that are both tangy and garlicky. It is made from yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, lemon, and sometimes fresh herbs. A full-fat Greek yogurt works well in this quick-to-prepare recipe. Read more…

Pikliz (Haitian Pickled Relish)

Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
We knew when we decided to go to New Orleans that, at the very least, we would eat well on the trip. And, we were not disappointed. However, our favorite meal was a bit of a surprise.

Anytime I travel, I do the research on where to stay, what to see, and certainly where to eat. Eater.com is one of my favorite destinations for food info. It is where I stumbled upon a recommendation for a Haitian place in the Treme neighborhood that sounded great. And, it was certainly something new.

I, to my knowledge, had never had the opportunity to try Haitian food, so I had no expectations whatsoever. I think ultimately that is what made the meal such a revelation to both of us. It was a surprise. With the other restaurants, we kind of knew what to expect. But, at Fritai, we were in uncharted waters.

I had the pork Griyo, my husband went with the chicken creole. Both were excellent. But, what sent us thru the roof was the Pikliz that was served with all of it.

Pronounced PEE-kleez, it is essentially a Haitian coleslaw or relish…but it packs a punch. This stuff is spicy. But, it hurts so good. The heat comes from little orange scotch bonnet chilies that my husband thought were bell peppers. To be fair, there were bell peppers in the pikliz, but they weren’t the only peppers. As a lover of all things coleslaw, he took a big bite…and needed a lot of water. The problem was that it tasted so good that you could not stop eating it. We had it on grilled shrimp with avocado, the creole chicken, and, of course, the pork. Just so good.

It should come as no surprise that I now have a new obsession with Haitian cooking and have started my quest to learn how to make traditional Haitian food. Yes, cookbooks have been ordered but there are not as many out there as you might think.

Finding a Pikliz recipe was fairly easy. Now that BBQ season is in full swing, I encourage you to give this relish a try at your next backyard feast. Just make sure to warn your people that those aren’t just bell peppers!

Pikliz Recipe
Adapted from Epicurious
Yields 4 cups Read more…

Classic Vinaigrette

A Lesson In Dressing
I have been learning to cook for a very long time. And, I am still learning to cook—even though I have taken countless classes and read thousands of recipes. You never really stop learning new things in the kitchen. And, of course, it all started with my grandmother, Gam, showing me the basics in her kitchen.

I do not think it would be an exaggeration to say that I have made tens of thousands of recipes over the years. Seriously. And I am not a professional chef. Imagine how many recipes that person would produce!

Out of all those recipes I can point to exactly one that is the most important. That would be a classic French vinaigrette. And, here’s why…

The first time I made a classic vinaigrette, I was taking a six-week cooking course in San Francisco. It was a class that covered the basics of cooking, many of which I had already learned. But, it did it in a way that mirrored what you would learn if you attended culinary school. In other words, this was less Gam’s kitchen and more Cordon Bleu.

The vinaigrette we made that night totally changed my outlook on cooking. It taught me that ratios are important. It taught me that sometimes less is more. But more than anything it taught me that just because something is easier, that doesn’t make it better.

Taking five minutes to make a salad dressing from scratch versus twisting the top off of a bottle is not only healthier, but it will increase your appreciation for what food should actually taste like. And, at least for me, improve your mental well-being in much the same way that finding the perfectly ripe avocado or melon can do. But, I’m weird that way.

Classic Vinaigrette Recipe with Variations
Yields 3/4 cup

Homemade vinaigrette keeps for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, so it’s worth the 5 minutes it takes to mix it up. Then you can keep it on hand for all of your salad needs. Read more…