Tag: Rice

A New Take on Rice and Milk

A few years ago, Jessica gave me an Indian cooking class with Napa-based Indian chef and owner of The Bombay Cafe, Neela Paniz as a birthday gift. It seemed extravagant but I was intrigued as Indian cooking offered so much potential and was virtually unknown to me. In fact, Indian is a cuisine that grew slowly on me but that is so rich in tradition, flavors and techniques that I really benefitted from the class and, thus, loved every minute of it. Neela is an excellent teacher who shared her passion by showing us how to make dal, chapatis, raita, pakoras and also kheer, or Indian Rice Pudding. Everything we tasted was absolutely delicious but as I am totally defenseless against sweet milk-based dishes, it was the Indian Milk Pudding that made me go back to the recipes time and time again. Come and cook with us!

Making Indian Milk Pudding is easy enough but it takes time. We usually make a batch that is large enough to produce several servings for the kids at once. They eat them over the course of a few meals. Honestly, Indian Milk Pudding never lasts more than a day or two.

If you are open to the fragrances and flavors of the East and eat diary-based dishes, then give this Indian Milk Pudding a try. Served cold it is a refreshing way to finish a dinner. Come and cook with us!

Indian Rice Pudding

Dinner Winner 3: A Pot of Rice

Over the past few weeks, in our very own version of “he said, she said”, Jessica and I have debated what constitutes a “Dinner Winner” .  For me, a “Dinner Winner” is something that can be made and used across many meals such as a boiled chicken, a pot of rice, or a roast.  For Jessica, a “Dinner Winner” is a good tasting, fresh dish that can be made (and served) in 15 minutes from pot to plate. And while each has it merits, it’s hard to say which is the true “Dinner Winner”.  So, we’ll keep up this debate, send you a different “Dinner Winner” each week, and let you decide.  This week it’s my turn to convince you that cooking across many meals is the winning way to go.  To do this I am going to feature one of my favorite “Dinner Winners”: a versatile pot of rice.   Continue reading “Dinner Winner 3: A Pot of Rice”

Variety, the Spice of Life

I was lucky to learn to cook at my grandmother’s side; she was an experienced Italian home cook, and her food was delicious.  At some point in my history of cooking, however, I noticed that everything I made had a combination of garlic, onions, olive oil, basil, tomatoes and cheese in it.  We were of Italian descent after all; this was what she knew and what I learned. Continue reading “Variety, the Spice of Life”