Cooking with Erica

Every once in a while, I think maybe I can find some good food in a box. For those days I don’t feel like cooking. For sick days. For the times with nothing to take for lunch. I love Indian food so I took a chance when I found this in the natural foods section at Fred Meyer.

Tasty Bite: Kashmir Spinach

This was a take on Palak Paneer with the very Americanized name. It was easy to cook. Looks wise, it’s not too much off from the photo on the box, and it smelled pretty good. However, those can be deceiving with food from boxes.

This was not great. It was soggy, even when I made jasmine rice to go with it. And taste-wise it had little to no flavor. Additionally, it was not filling. I ended up wanting to eat again only an hour later.

Verdict: Don’t Bother

I love this dish because it’s both sweet and spicy at the same time. Plus, really easy to make. Did I mention, delicious? The texture is really similar to mash potatoes, but so much better.

Savory Indian Sweet Potatoes

Savory Indian Sweet Potatoes
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I highly recommend a rice cooker; I love mine. Plus, it makes this really easy to make. You basically throw it all in the cooker. This recipe is originally from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites.

Golden Basmati Rice.

Golden Basmati Rice
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I love naan, but I never thought I’d be able to make it at home. Naan is traditionally made in a clay oven called a tandor, which would never fit in my condo’s kitchen. Plus, it would be a rather expensive investment.

Then I saw this recipe by Chef Henry. Instead of a tandor oven, it uses a pizza stone, and a pizza stone fits much better with both my kitchen and my wallet. Plus, this recipe is really tasty too.

Naan fresh off the pizza stone

Homemade Naan
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Jason and I love Indian food and we’re always looking for new recipes to try. This reicipe, originally from Chef Henry’s Chop Onions, Boil Water, is tasty and hearty. His recipe recommends serving with naan or roti bread. I’d love to find some other dishes to prepare with it in order to serve at a dinner party.

Aloo Chole
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I love Chai Tea, so I decided to try to make my own based on this Chai Tea recipe. I used an English Breakfast tea for my black tea. I think it needed a milder black tea with less flavor, but in general it turned out well. If you want more or less sugar, it’s easier to make with less and then add.

Chai Tea
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Jason and I both love Indian food, so I’ve made it a goal to better learn how to cook it. I tried a recipe for Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Curry, minus the peas because I’m allergic to them.

Overall, we enjoyed it, but thought it could be a little spicier. The recipe is relatively simple and quick to make. Serve with rice.

Cauliflower and Potato Curry
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