Satyanarayan Puja is a house-blessing ceremony that is performed in Indian households (usually Hindus) to maintain the energy balance in the house and invoke positive energies. Food for this ceremony plays an important role, dependent on your budget and cooking abilities, it depends on what you would like to make. I usually cook a lot of food for this ceremony. Rules: 1) Food must be all vegetarian. 2) Food must be prepared after taking shower/ bath that very same morning, barefeet. 3) Food must not be eaten/ tasted while cooking, you can have any other food but not the food that you are cooking for the ceremony. 4) Food should be served to God first, once the ceremony is...
One of the questions that I recently came across on my website as HOW TO MAKE WHITE POPPY SEED PASTE? White Poppy Seed paste is used in exotic rich Indian food. Bengali cooking also uses white poppy seed paste, but for the most part, it is the influence of Mughals that brought the use of white poppy seeds to India. Here is a simple suggestion... Take1/4 cup white poppy seeds and soak it in 1/2 cup water for 2 hours. In a blender or a food chopper (not a food processor), make a paste of poppy seeds with the water in which it was soaked. If needed, add 1/4 cup extra water. Poppy seed paste is now ready to...
Today, my friend and I went to India A1 on Lee Highway (address: 4815 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA) for lunch. Today being Janmastami, I decided to get some sweets (Lord Krishna's birthday). They suggested Gulab Jamun that is made in the store itself. Gulab Jamuns are deep fried milk cheese balls and dunked in a semi-thick sugar syrup. I have always complained on my blogs that Indian restaurants in USA do not do a good job with Gulab Jamun, as it is a skill that is not acquired as easy as these chefs think it can be. Today, I had my best Gulab Jamun in USA. It is above average when compared to Gulab Jamuns in India, but I...
The most methodical way to cook White Basmati Rice begins with buying the correct brand of rice. Buy an Indian brand, that is exported from India, within which try to buy CLASSIC/ SUPREME Basmati Rice. Add 2 cups rice in a medium mixing bowl, add 2 cups water, mix, rinse, and drain. Repeat this 2 more times, and make sure you are not wasting a single grain of rice in this process. Set aside for 20 minutes. In a 5 qt wide bottom saute pan, add 4 cups water and add the soaked rice. Over high heat, bring it to a boil, once the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover and cook rice for 12...
Today, I am about to teach perhaps the most involved cooking class of my year, STREET SIDE INDIAN food at Culinaerie. The class starts in 4 hours, it is a full class...and there is always so much to prep before this class. This class really puts my teaching, sharing and creativity skills to test, when I have to explain how complicated Indian Street Side food is to a new audience. Just finished praying to God asking him to take care of me today. Today's menu is:
Tandoori Chicken Kathi Roll Wraps with Green Chutney;
Spicy Grilled Corn, Mumbai Style;
Paani Puri, Bihar Style;
Chaat, Delhi Style;
Raita;
Bhapa Aam Doi (Baked Sweetened Mango Yogurt)
