Category: Entrées

Classic Masala Dosa

(4 Servings)

Prep time: 14 hours (includes fermentation time)
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 15 hours

I have always been intimidated with making Indian crepes or Dosas because it needs planning and timing to get right. You need to plan ahead as the rice and lentils need to be soaked before grinding to a paste and then fermented, ideally overnight. The filling for the Dosa can be made in advance as needed and refrigerated. The same goes for the batter. So basically once these are ready and refrigerated you can whip up a Dosa fairly quickly whenever you want. Dosas can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, snack time or dinner! Yup that’s right, basically it’s Dosa time anytime. I decided I had to try making these crispy crepes even if it meant failure but was pleasantly surprised with how relatively easy it was. With a little bit of planning ahead of time you can look like a total pro in front of family and friends!

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Palak Paneer

(6 servings)

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

I always go back to this dish when I think of home. Palak paneer – simply translated as spinach cottage cheese is the kind of dish you cant get enough of. Simple, delicious and homely, this recipe can be whipped up in 20 minutes! Yup it’s that easy. I have my own take on this dish where I also add green peas to the spinach before I purée. Gives a smoother, thicker consistency and obviously more the greens the healthier it is! You can pair it with rice, roti or naan bread.

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Lobster Tails in Coconut Turmeric Broth

(4 servings)

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Lobster is one of those ingredients that can go south very quickly if not cooked perfectly. Over cooking even slightly can make the texture rubbery and dry. The key in this recipe is to cook the lobster tails to just about when they start curling and getting the pink color on the shell. Turn off the heat at exactly that moment and the heat from the curry will cook the tail a little more to the right amount! Curcumin which is a constituent of turmeric is known to have Medicinal values and has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine in India. The flavor profile goes really well with coconut and mustard, so I decided to make this light coconut milk broth with lobster!

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Chicken in Oyster Sauce

(6 Servings)

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min

Ever find yourself with less time to cook? Happens pretty often to us now that we have a little one to run after. She is now walking and in adventure mode and we have to be constantly behind her to make sure she doesn’t hurt herself or doesn’t open all the shelves and pull out stuff :$. Asian cooking is always a time saver and quick and easy yet delicious. This chicken in oyster sauce recipe is really easy to make and most often than not you will already have the sauces needed in your pantry. You can serve it with rice or noodles and can make these in advance and keep ready if needed. I served it with purple cabbage noodles!

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Chayote Thai Curry with Shrimp

(4 Servings)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Total time: 60 minutes

If you have never tried chayote in your meals now is the time. This squash like vegetable belonging to the gourd family tastes similar to long squash if you have tried it and is rich in amino acids and vitamin C. I tried two recipes with chayote – chayote Thai curry with shrimp and Agua de Chayote (refreshing chayote juice served with lemon and agave nectar). You can very easily use chayote in salads, salads and curries. Do give them a try!

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Bone Broth Ramen

(6 Servings)

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2 days (includes cooking time for the broth)
On a cold winter day you sometimes yearn for a hearty soup. For me this year it was a ramen craving! I have always had ramen at small ramen shops in NYC and after watching the documentary Ramen Heads on a flight from LA to NYC I was inspired to make my own ramen broth. Don’t be disheartened by the time I spent to make this broth. You can easily spend a quarter of the time but I just wanted to experiment and get the deepest flavor! But if you do try what I did you will see that it doesn’t really need a lot of monitoring. You can let the ingredients simmer and work their magic while you go about your normal day. I even switched off the flame and restarted a few times when I wanted to step out of the apartment for daily chores.

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