Mango Margatini

SPOILER ALERT: Indian people (myself included) love spice. So much so that we will find something that already goes burning down your throat, like say liquor, and then add a couple of chili flakes, chili peppers, and chili powder to it.

Jokes aside, a little spice does go a long way with many drinks, whether it's a dash of cayenne in lemonade or a thai green chili in a Mai Tai. It's this thought that inspired my Mango Margatini, a mango martini with a kick of cayenne and a hint of ginger.

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Dinner for Dos

Growing up I used to volunteer at the soup kitchen. After my less than pleasant first encounter with a knife, I was demoted from sous-chef to "master of garlic bread". Even though I used about 10 bags of rolls, it never seemed like it would be enough to serve 100 grown men. Yet, every time, we inevitably were left with a whole tray of sad and soggy uneaten rolls. You would think 7 years of soup kitchening later, I would have learned to be a portion control pro in my own life. Sadly, no.

Whether it's at home or at a restaurant, I over-order and subsequently overeat. So, today I decided to challenge myself to cook enough for just two people.

This is a recipe for tandoori-style salmon skewers served on a bed of wilted fennel spinach and potatoes. Perfect for date night or just enough for ONE day of leftovers.

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Cha Cha Chana

You can't really understand Indian street food until you experience it. I would liken it somewhat to your first slice of $1 jumbo New York pizza in the middle of Times Square...

And if you're traveling India the right way, you really can't avoid street food because not only does it travel in street carts but also on top of people's heads.
I remember during the summer of my freshman year of college, I traveled to India for a research project. Without my overprotective parents around, I was free to roam around in autos, erra buses (also known as non-AC city buses in Hyderabad), and my own two feet. I met amazing people, occasionally was scared for my life, but most of all had the best street food ever: from street-side chai and mysore bondas on my way home to fresh coconut juice that I could buy straight from my bus window.

Today I've decided to take on a healthier version of a street-food favorite: Chana jor garam.

Chana jor garam is a popular Indian street food that's usually made with packaged, flattened, fried black lentils. I am deathly afraid of the savory snacks aisle of the Indian store, so I try to avoid it if I can. My version is made with roast whole garbanzos and very low fat. So, put those kale chips away because healthy snacking can also taste good once again!

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Mutton & Malbec

What do dark chocolate, wine, and mutton all have in common?

Answer: An acquired taste...and this recipe.

As a child I hated all of the above, but good thing both my palate and I grew up. My obsession for milk chocolate and grape juice gave way to their mature counterparts. As for the lamb, well, my mom cooked it a lot, and somewhere between refusing to eat Baa Baa Black Sheep and the subsequent hunger pants, I came to love it.

This recipe is a mixture of my personal culinary holy trinity. Lamb slow cooked with Indian spices, red wine, and a handful of good chocolate. The resulting stew is 100 dimensions of heavenly taste.
Don't trust me though, try it for yourself!

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Palak Paneer Artichoke Dip

"Can I get the chicken makhani without the chicken?". That's what I want to say when I have to order Indian food...

I rarely go to Indian restaurants to eat, but when I do I have this problem where I eat all the gravy and leave the meat behind. The problem may also lie in the fact that most Indian restaurants just toss some tasteless grilled/boiled chicken or rubbery paneer into the gravy right before serving it. So, I thought it would be a great idea to take my favorite and most flavorful part of curry, the gravy, and create a dip!

This "Palak Paneer Artichoke" dip trades out the Parmesan in a traditional spinach-artichoke dip for fresh paneer. Best served with toasted naan or crackers.

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Simply Smashed Potatoes

Normal families make enough of a fuss over making the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Well imagine making two Thanksgiving meals in the same day and you got yourself an Indian Thanksgiving. Along with the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie you add a rice dish, chicken, some vegetable curries, and a few Indian desserts and sweets. On top of that you invite every Indian family you know because whats the point in making a Thanksgiving spread that puts a Grand China buffet to shame without sharing?
...well at least that's how Thanksgiving went in my house growing up.

These "Simply Smashed Potatoes" are the perfect union of the two sides of my family's Thanksgiving: Aloo methi meets adult mashed potatoes, A.K.A Roasted red potatoes, smashed and topped with dried fenugreek leaves, lemon zest, and a dash of truffle oil.

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Irresistable Irani Samosas

I recently found out that Hyderabad placed #3 in Lonely Planet's list of Top 10 cities to visit in 2013. So, in honor of my birthplace and its 15 minutes of fame, I've decided to add a baked twist to a Hyderabadi fried favorite, the Irani samosa.

These little onion-filled cocktail samosas are all over Hyderabad, from train stations to movie theaters and tea shops. They are so good to eat, but so very bad for you. So, I got the idea for baked Irani samosas with a cilantro goat cheese dip.

My version uses wonton wrappers, which means they become just as crispy in the oven as they would if fried. And the coolness of the goat cheese dip really adds another dimension to the sweet and spicy onion filling.

While I do admit that biting into a real, deep-fried irani samosa with oil dripping down your face brings out a Paul Deen-esque excitement...these baked ones are a very close second.

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