Banana Boat Fish

I've never been to Kerala, but it's known to be the home to the best seafood in India. So, I figured if I can't go to Kerala myself, the next best thing is to bring Kerala to me. I wanted to make a fish in the authentic Kerala fashion, using banana leaves and coconut.

The banana leaf really dresses up the whole meal and makes it a great centerpiece for dinner parties or date night, but the recipe is also versatile enough to use a fish filet and parchment paper for a quick mid-week dinner.

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"Last Night's Chicken Curry" Pizza with a Mango Salsa

We all have this common problem of "last night's chicken". Whether it's chicken curried, rotisseried, fried, or baked, there are almost always leftovers. And once you refrigerate it, yesterday's crispy skin becomes, well, yesterday's news. The "Last Night's Chicken Curry" pizza is a refreshing way to put away yesterday's chicken in a fast, fresh and tasty way.

The best thing about this pizza is that you can make it your own. I don't really like pizza sauce, so I add hari chutney instead. For today's pizza I piled on bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and fresh jalapenos. I also don't enjoy large chunks of chicken in my pizza, so I shredded the chicken from some leftover curry. Since I make my pizza pretty spicy, the fresh mango salsa adds a cool kick to this recipe.

Next time you're in a bind about what to make for dinner, pick up some dough from Trader Joe's, take out that leftover chicken, and make it a pizza night!

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Green Ketchup (Hari Chutney)

Hari means green in Hindi, and aptly describes this Indian staple. Hari chutney is like ketchup in most Indian households (So much so that when I went to non-Indian barbeques as a child, I would demand for red AND green ketchup. Alas, I never received my latter request).

It adds a little zing to just about everything. In fact, one of my roommates in college used to swear by her signature sandwich: bread, hari chutney, and plain potato chips. With only a few ingredients, it's incredibly easy to make and a great dish to have handy in the fridge year round. It goes great with most of the recipes on this blog, so I figured I might as well share my recipe.
Though it's traditionally made with only fresh cilantro, I like to add mint when it's in season.

(Photo of my very own backyard mint plant. I don't understand why mint is so expensive at the grocery store considering it is the fastest growing plant in my garden).

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Bangin' Baingan (Eggplant) Fries

I’m one of those people who doesn’t plan grocery shopping trips. I usually just buy whatever produce is on sale and try to figure out what to do with it later. This recipe is the product of such laziness.

I looked in my fridge today and found a lone eggplant staring at me. Poor guy had been ignored for long enough, so I decided to jazz him up a little. This recipe is so simple, fun and really really good. The rice flour gives them a crunchy, spicy coat to balance the buttery smooth eggplant on the inside. They are also super decadent, so next time you’re craving those shoe-string fries in a little red and yellow box, try this “healthier” option instead.

Don’t take my word for it though, try it for yourself!

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