On what makes a Fine Indian Woman

When I think of Aloo Gobi, for some reason I don’t think of home.  I think of the movie “Bend It Like Beckham” which taught me that once a gal knows how to make a good Aloo Gobi, you’re officially a Fine Indian Woman and will have no problem taking over the world, thankyouverymuch.

Aloo is potato.  Gobi is cauliflower, and when brought together with a bevy of fun spices it is absolutely delicious.  I punked out and bought some store-made naan bread that I warmed up in the oven, which is also where I happened to roast these veggies first instead of sauteeing them because cauliflower is pretty much only fantastic when you roast it (true story). Roasted Veggie Aloo Gobi! I can’t take all the credit for this (inspired as I was by a recipe I found from Gourmet), but still, it was up my Aloo Gobi alley and that’s where I followed it with excellent results.

The roomie tends to rag on me for not making more food from my Motherland, but here I am, with solid Chole Palak, Pulau, Raita, Lassi, Apple Chutney, and Aloo Gobi recipes under my belt and I can’t help but think that’s pretty damn good for a gal from the desert in Arizona. 

To my vegan and veggie-friendly friends, this is one of those dishes that, when served with some warmed up flatbread-of-choice, makes for a delicious, healthy, and pretty satisfying dinner.  And I challenge those of you scared of making your own Indian food to buy a few spices and try it out…it’s not scary, and the flavors are only overpowering if you over-season. I promise.

So eat up! Meatless Monday is coming up, and I hear it's all the rage these days.  

Putting Things Off (A Perfect Example of How To or Not To Start The New Year)

I love New Years.  Isn't it great to look back and take full stock of your life, the good and the bad, and what you want in it, what you want out of it, and above all, how to go about doing it.  Fresh, new ideas.  Sparkling lights.  Mountains of champagne and spontaneous midnight dance parties at the stroke of twelve. Maybe even fireworks, if you're lucky.  Yes, new years is quite the time.

It's also the time to go about getting "healthier" whatever that means.  I've now been trying to start a "cleanse" for what was originally a two week time period.  I've now cut it down to a week, and since I apparently don't even have the time for that it's looking like if I can do a cleanse for two whole days thats about as good as it's gonna get.   I don't know what it's supposed to fight against, but apparently it's something to do with processed sugars, flours, dairy, meats, gluten, and all the good things I usually love to munch.  You'd think that one as determined as I could handle that.  And maybe I can, (this weekend perhaps?) but until then... let's have some doughnuts.  Apple Cider Doughnuts, to be exact.  And if we want to get fancy on the doughnut holes, lets just drape them in syrup and name them Maple Syrup Glazed Doughnut Holes.  Happy New Years to US!

We had our annual "O-Hole-Y Breakfast" this past December where I busted out a brand new doughnut on my unsuspecting guests.  And love them some doughnuts they did.  I really liked how these were cake doughnuts, and I didn't have to wait for yeast to help raise the dough...instead...I just got down to bizniz, and me and the doughnuts succeeded on all counts.

I recently read in a Bon Appetit about the obsession with Maple Syrup in the grand region of Quebec in Canada, and they mentioned dousing hot doughnuts in pure maple syrup and damn if those northern neighbors of ours weren't spot on in syrup-soaked-fried-bread.  Genius!  Inspirational!  Montreal, Quebec City...maple makers...I'll be visiting you soon, I promise.

It was a grand time had by all, and foods with holes continue to wow friends and family alike.  I also made them for Christmas morning brunch and they went over just as well in AZ as they do in DC, so do me a solid and try these doughnuts on an upcoming lazy (and freezing) Saturday morning.  You can high-five me later in the new year (but make sure to do it before the world ends this upcoming December, k?)

Happy 2012 and Happy Food Adventuring!