One of the best aspects about kids starting school, is that their world opens up, They get to meet classmates from all sorts pf backgrounds. Even better is when the classmates expand not just your little one's world but yours as well. What better way to do this than throwing an inclusion dinner , featuring the best of of everyone's backgrounds.
Kids will always want their best friends over for lunch or dinner, especially the last.What better way to show your family recipes and traditions. It gives the younger ones as well as their older siblings an open dialog about differences and why our country is proudly called the melting pot.They can discuss their heritage and the different dishes their families make.An excellent idea is expanding the invite to the friend's parents and extended families.Keep in mind dietary restrictions and customs. If the family wants to bring one of their dishes ,let them.It's also a good time for a recipe swap, especially if what you'v served is a hit. Be open to the friend's mother asking questions about cooking and the ingredients. The family may not be familiar with some dishes and curious on how to flavor them. Bring out the spice bottles and let them try the spices you've used. A nice gesture is gifting them with the spices used in cooking or baking.The friend's family will probably reciprocate with a thank you dinner .
What can you serve? Whatever represents your family's heritage.Keep in mind that most foods considered US born and created actually came from other places.Also keep in mind if all their family have different beliefs. The kid may want to try a Sloppy Joe or chicken nuggets, however his or her folks may be vegetarian. If that's the case then try Gardein or Morningstar Farms meat free products. Both companies have a large variety of veggie burgers, soy hot dogs, meat crumbles and chicken nuggets.Another idea is incorporating some of the ingredients from their dishes into yours. For example bok choy can be used in salads Garam masala , a staple in Indian cooking can be used in fried chicken batter for a fun and spicy twist.Caribbean spices are not just for jerky or callaloo. Add a teaspoon of it in meat loaf or hamburgers. The idea of incorporating flavors also extends to dessert. Add rose water , usually used in Indian , Greek and Middle Eastern desserts to vanilla pudding or vanilla ice cream.
Tolerance of others begins at home.A meal with a classmate can teach you and your children about inclusion and acceptance. That's the best lesson ever..
Showing posts with label masala. Show all posts
Showing posts with label masala. Show all posts
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Monday, April 16, 2018
Etsy's Sweet Side
Many know Etsy as that cool place to buy cool artesanal jewelry and hand crafted home design ware and clothing. Others (such as myself) use it for handmade mineral cosmetics and lotions. Yet many - incluing me -didn't know that you cn buy all sorts of home made treats. Yup, Etsy is also the coolest treat store too.
I first stumbled upon Etsy's sweet side while probably looking for homemade fudge. The food and beverage section is hard to find.It's not obvious as it is on other web sits such as Amazon or Target You have to first go to Home and then the Food And Drink . There are all sorts of categories, from soups, to herbs, spices and seasonings to baked goods to candies. There's even a section on recipes. The last can be a money maker for any home chef.A Scottish home chef is charging almost three dollars a recipe for a kind of vanilla fudge called tablet (and as we all know we can get this free on any candy making or Scottish heritage website). Someone else is charging for vintage cherry and strawberry recipes as well.I'd rather get the actual item than the actual recipe. Home chefs can buy ingredients such as ground capiscum and vanilla beans along with all kinds of salts and garam masala. Here you can even find the ingredients for making gin.
Etsy also has a wide variety of ready made treats.You can try a huge flavor assortment of cupcakes at the Mississippi based The Dessert Cafe. They also have brownies , from plain to mint to a wide range of oatmeal cookies. I stumbled not on fudge- but on handmade flavored marshmallows from Sweet Jumbles in Jersey City.
These are the strawberry. I also bought the coffee as well as the peppermint (which looks like bloodied gauze) I thought about popping them all in hot cocoa bit they're huge, pillowy types.I have bought chocolate graham crackers which I may make fancy s'mores with soon.
Etsy is the place for finding all sorts of gourmet goodies. Yes, you can get one of a kind Spanish leather bracelets and lotions that smell like spun sugar. You can also real spun sugar too.
I first stumbled upon Etsy's sweet side while probably looking for homemade fudge. The food and beverage section is hard to find.It's not obvious as it is on other web sits such as Amazon or Target You have to first go to Home and then the Food And Drink . There are all sorts of categories, from soups, to herbs, spices and seasonings to baked goods to candies. There's even a section on recipes. The last can be a money maker for any home chef.A Scottish home chef is charging almost three dollars a recipe for a kind of vanilla fudge called tablet (and as we all know we can get this free on any candy making or Scottish heritage website). Someone else is charging for vintage cherry and strawberry recipes as well.I'd rather get the actual item than the actual recipe. Home chefs can buy ingredients such as ground capiscum and vanilla beans along with all kinds of salts and garam masala. Here you can even find the ingredients for making gin.
Etsy also has a wide variety of ready made treats.You can try a huge flavor assortment of cupcakes at the Mississippi based The Dessert Cafe. They also have brownies , from plain to mint to a wide range of oatmeal cookies. I stumbled not on fudge- but on handmade flavored marshmallows from Sweet Jumbles in Jersey City.
Etsy is the place for finding all sorts of gourmet goodies. Yes, you can get one of a kind Spanish leather bracelets and lotions that smell like spun sugar. You can also real spun sugar too.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Masala Explained
Masala is a staple in Indian cooking.It is a blend of various spices that vary from region to region and family to family. Getting the right flavor can be tricky.However , with practice even American home chefs can create the perfect masala. Once made it can be added to anything from barbecue to even mashed potatoes.
Kim Severson wrote about the classic flavoring in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She had help thanks to Raghavan Iyer who has written books and conducted demonstrations on how to cook food of the Subcontinent. She caught him as he was giving advice and lessons to the cafeteria cooks at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.Mr Iyer goes to various campuses , both academic and corporate to teach cooks and workers how to cook Indian food. it is popular now thanks to a large influx of Indian workers and students.It also makes a nice change from the usual cafeteria food too.lt does have to be made according to the original recipe due to cultural awareness. Teaching how to make any ethnic meal properly is valuable and important in respecting the various cultures that make up the country.Many cafeteria workers, like home chefs, have no idea what to do with the wide array of spices that are vital in Indian cuisine. Mr. Iyers demystifies that , explaining how one kind of spice can be prepared three different ways.
Masala is an easy prep, once home chefs get the hang of making it.The trickiest part, according to Mr. Iyer is getting the yellow split peas and spices called for the recipe.It requires fresh curry leaves which can easily be bought at Indian and international markets. They are not required but do add an anise like flavor to the mix. Home chefs can customize the recipe to their tastes. The recipe given is sambhar masala from Southern India and is Mr Iyer's mother-in-law's recipe. It is a melange of different seeds, from the common such as cumin, poppy, coriander and mustard to the exotic fenugreek. Curry leaves are added, and again, no sweat if they can;t be found.There are also Thai or cayenne chilis added for heat and cinnamon for sweetness. They have to be cooked with sesame oil until the split peas turn brown and the mustard seeds pop. Half the mixture is then put into a spice or coffee grinder.Grind until the texture is like that of finely ground pepper. It can be stored for up to two months,It is versatile. It can be made into a quick curry if it's added to shrimp and coconut milk or make grilled veggies more exotic. Mr. Iyers likes to add it and clarified butter or ghee to mashed potatoes.Home chefs can try it with anythig , from kebobs, to roasts for a true Indian flavor.
Home chefs will love cooking with masala once they deconstruct it. It's a spice mix that's rapidly gaining fans and favor thanks to its' versatility.Make it and liven up any dish with its' smokey, sweet fieriness.
Kim Severson wrote about the classic flavoring in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She had help thanks to Raghavan Iyer who has written books and conducted demonstrations on how to cook food of the Subcontinent. She caught him as he was giving advice and lessons to the cafeteria cooks at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.Mr Iyer goes to various campuses , both academic and corporate to teach cooks and workers how to cook Indian food. it is popular now thanks to a large influx of Indian workers and students.It also makes a nice change from the usual cafeteria food too.lt does have to be made according to the original recipe due to cultural awareness. Teaching how to make any ethnic meal properly is valuable and important in respecting the various cultures that make up the country.Many cafeteria workers, like home chefs, have no idea what to do with the wide array of spices that are vital in Indian cuisine. Mr. Iyers demystifies that , explaining how one kind of spice can be prepared three different ways.
Masala is an easy prep, once home chefs get the hang of making it.The trickiest part, according to Mr. Iyer is getting the yellow split peas and spices called for the recipe.It requires fresh curry leaves which can easily be bought at Indian and international markets. They are not required but do add an anise like flavor to the mix. Home chefs can customize the recipe to their tastes. The recipe given is sambhar masala from Southern India and is Mr Iyer's mother-in-law's recipe. It is a melange of different seeds, from the common such as cumin, poppy, coriander and mustard to the exotic fenugreek. Curry leaves are added, and again, no sweat if they can;t be found.There are also Thai or cayenne chilis added for heat and cinnamon for sweetness. They have to be cooked with sesame oil until the split peas turn brown and the mustard seeds pop. Half the mixture is then put into a spice or coffee grinder.Grind until the texture is like that of finely ground pepper. It can be stored for up to two months,It is versatile. It can be made into a quick curry if it's added to shrimp and coconut milk or make grilled veggies more exotic. Mr. Iyers likes to add it and clarified butter or ghee to mashed potatoes.Home chefs can try it with anythig , from kebobs, to roasts for a true Indian flavor.
Home chefs will love cooking with masala once they deconstruct it. It's a spice mix that's rapidly gaining fans and favor thanks to its' versatility.Make it and liven up any dish with its' smokey, sweet fieriness.
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