Chai Spiced Pumpkin Barley Pudding (vegan)

I trust the creative process is different for many people, but for me it's a pretty haphazard and frenzied ordeal.  While I might come off as very Type A because I work very very hard, and because - let's be honest - it's more socially acceptable, my mind is hardly organized or linear in any capacity (and the disorganization of my private environment mirrors this).  People often ask me what I have planned for future posts, and with some exceptions the answer is usually "absolutely nothing."  Once in a while this concerns me, and I wonder what might happen if another idea doesn't come along.  Then, I remember that the whole point is just to post what I actually cook, so as long as I'm eating we're all good.  While for brief moments I might lose faith in the fact that ideas will come, they always do.

In this case, to some extent, everyone is having the same idea - pumpkin.  I'm sure on some subliminal level I choose to feature pumpkin now because it's really been out there in the food blogosphere.  I've also been meaning to make one my absolute favorite desserts, kheer, or a Indian-spiced rice pudding.  So maybe all that was wafting around in my brain and it all clicked on Sunday when I was writing up the last post for coconut curry barley risotto.  Surely the sweet notes of the coconut curry activated some memory of kheer and expressed itself in fall flavors of pumpkin and chai.  Whatever, it happened, and it's good.

No doubt this recipe can be modified for more traditional palates (because this one is a pretty strong dose of Eastern spice).  You can certainly play with the spice combination to go with a more "pumpkin pie" result, or just tone down the chai to something more similar to a pumpkin chai latte by eliminating the garam masala (since it has curry).  If you aren't vegan, using cream instead of coconut milk would definitely get a more chai latte effect.  Or, leave out the pumpkin and just go for a straight up chai pudding.  If rice suits you more than barley, so be it.  Experiment and see what happens.

Coconut Curry Barley Risotto

Prior to this instance, I've never once re-made a recipe for the blog because I didn't think it came out well enough the first time.  In most cases, I'll note how to make the recipe better for the next time (although I hardly make anything twice anymore) and post whatever results from the first attempt.

Risotto is tricky; so even though my first attempt with this idea last Wednesday was delicious tasting, I knew I could achieve a better risotto consistency after learning a few lessons.  And, mostly, it didn't look like risotto in the photographs.  While in real life the barley was still thick and creamy, it read in the images as more of a barley pilaf.  I've seen enough food programming on reality TV to know that when you call something a risotto, it better look and feel like risotto.  

Like I said, in most cases I would either just post what I got the first time or discard the idea for the post all together, but the flavor of this dish was so good that I had to give it another go.  If you like Thai curry soup, or Southeast Asian flavors in general, then this is right up your alley.  If you love creamy risotto as well, then I think this is your jackpot.  If you've become a vegan and miss creamy, cheesy things, I hope you can add this to your recipe box.

Like a true risotto, the dish is very rich.  As a savory meal, the edamame and shitake mushrooms are obviously a Southeast Asian play on the traditional Italian peas and crimini mushrooms, but I most definitely plan on making a sweet version with honey, raisins, and almonds for a future dessert (especially if it was pumpkin & chai spiced!).

Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa and Spiced Chickpeas

I recently read a piece on Food Republic's site called "10 Things You Didn't Know About Quinoa."  Well, most of the list I already knew because I've recently done lots of research on the plant.  Particularly #10: "Rinse and Repeat," which briefly and nonchalantly reports about the natural saponins coating unrinsed Quinoa which protects it from predators.  Strange how they fail to mention that the saponins also cause quinoa allergies in human beings, unless, of course, you rinse them off first.  Just some water will do.

RINSE OFF THE SAPONINS, PEOPLE!  

I'm going to completely spare you the details, but I have sadly developed the quinoa allergy after eating an unwashed batch over a year ago.  I made this recipe (and it was delicious) because I thought perhaps I had gotten over my aversion since I ate the Cranberry Quinoa Chicken Salad and was just fine.  It must just be that small amounts are OK.

Sadly, this will probably be my last quinoa post ever.  All I can tell you is that I'm glad my last quinoa dish was a good one.  I mean, I ate so much of this recipe that - let's put it this way - I really understood the extent of my allergy.  No need to fear, just rinse your quinoa and you'll be just fine. 

baked indian tilapia

BAKED TILAPIA W/ INDIAN SPICES, NAKED SAMOSA, & CILANTRO CHUTNEY
 

Happy Holi!  What a great festival.  I have really fond memories of Holi from college - the "Hill" in Ann Arbor would be alive early in the morning with celebrants dressed in white and covered in bright chalk dust to welcome Spring.  So, yes, I learned about Holi the "hard" way.  

Since then I've learned a lot more about Hinduism, and if you read yesterday's Salted Caramel Matzo Bark post, you know I have good things to say about all faiths.  Hinduism is tricky for a Westerner since its so multilayered, diverse, and non-scriptural.  So, I've found that the best (or maybe the worst) way to learn about Hinduism is to actually talk to Hindus.  Since there's no "textbook" way to practice, every Hindu and her/his family has their own variations, so every conversation reveals simultaneously a bit more and a bit less about Hinduism.  Next time you find yourself amongst many Hindus ask them whether Hinduism is monotheistic or polytheistic - they won't agree!  That's awesome.  But a faith that is flexible enough to accept all paths to Brahma (even non-Hindu ones) is pretty unique in this world, and we need a little more of that. 

Balinese Hinduism, July 2011

Last night's dinner, and today's post, is perhaps the gori version of an Indian meal (adjusted for Passover, of course).  I have no idea whether tilapia is consumed in any corner of the vastly diverse Indian sub-continent, but it was delicious, light, and spicy.  Besides, there are about as many Indias as there are Indians - cooking and celebrating together, but in their own way today - so I think I can get by with whatever.

If you aren't a fish-eater, I highly recommend trying the "naked samosa" as your next side dish.  While that buttery crust of a deep fried samosa will bring a tear to your eye, just making the filling  was a really satisfying (and lighter) way to nail the samosa taste.  Like most kitchens, I didn't have every single spice a traditional recipe called for (like cumin seeds and black mustard seeds), but as long as you have turmeric, coriander, cumin, and garam masala it will work very well.  I did miss the little crunch and pop of those seeds, though. 

So, happy Holi, everyone!  Perhaps the weather will finally turn...

Tandoori Chicken Pizza

Thanks to a very unanticipated snow day, I had some found time on my hands.  I certainly could have done more curriculum design, got a head start on the next week ahead in grad school, or wrapped up some grading tasks hanging over my head, but instead I tried to embrace a little adventure and wander around the city with camera in hand.  

I first took the bus to Old Town for one reason only: The Spice House.  Garrett and I picked up a few pieces of packaged naan for a quick weeknight pizza, so I thought I'd go all out and do tandoori chicken seeing that I don't normally have six hours to let something marinate.  Only, I was out of turmeric and cayenne, and figured I could splurge on some garam masala, since I don't usually keep that around.  To the local spice merchant.  Now that I'm fully stocked up, look forward to lots of future recipes that call for garam masala.

From Old Town I went back west to Wicker Park, and by then the snow was falling pretty heavily.  My feet were cold/wet, and I considered that only yesterday I celebrated the coming of spring while presently sharp, tiny icicles fell like shrapnel on my face and collected in my hair like sands of the Sahara in a Saharan sandstorm.  Sand that is cold and melts on contact and drips down your numb mug. 

I went home, marinated the chicken in tandoori paste, and sat on the couch to watch Real Madrid pull of a dramatic win against Man U.  Like Christiano after scoring at Old Trafford, I tried not to smile too much about the snow day.  ¡Hala!