Has it ever happened to you, that you presented the idea of making the best dish from your hometown with so much enthusiasm that you could barely resist the urge to get going and make it but your baloon of excitement was burst with one simple “ Sure! But I don’t understand what the fuss is about this dish.” A lightening strikes and then there is a deafening silence. While you scurry for an appropriate response, your mind is racing with responses that you want to utter in a thundering voice so high pitched that every crystal in the house …
Couscous Salad with Sauteed Greens & Pumpkin Seeds
What an incredibly useful plant the pumpkin is. It gives us the flowers to make fritters with, the tender leaves can be briefly cooked and used in salads or back home, my grandma makes the tastiest “al kanij ta waangun” ( pumpkin leaves and baby eggplants). Then, when Halloween is around the corner, we bring the pumpkins home and make them into Jack o lanterns, or make pies and soups. And when carving those pumpkins we save up the seeds to either roast or dry up and store to use later. Pumpkin was not my favorite vegetable to eat, unless …
Strawberry Flax seed Smoothie
This is going to be a short and sweet post about Flax seeds. I use them regularly and the most common way for me to use them is either in my oatmeal, in a smoothie or a hot chutney. I don’t find them very appetizing in any other form. This strawberry flax seed smoothie can be made with frozen strawberries as well. This is one of the most ancient plants known to humans and there is some evidence that flax cultivation may have started somewhere during the Neolithic Era. In addition to flax seeds supporting digestive health, cardiovascular health, antioxidant …
Walnut Chutney
Walnut is a significant part of Kashmiri culture. It is said that that the four kernels of the walnut represent – Dharma ( guiding principles by which we live life ) Artha ( Meaning of life ) Kama ( desires) and Moksha ( Nirvana). It is also believed to be symbolic of the four Vedas – Rig, Yajur, Atharva and Sama. The whole walnut with the shell on is an essential element in all Kashmiri rituals and important religious festivals. The Festival of Herath ( Shivratri) – The celebration of the union of Shiva and Shakti – being the most …
Kale and Pistachio Pasta Salad
The nut in a nutshell! Pistachios are fun to eat. I usually buy them with the shell on. The process of taking them out of their shell slows down the eating process and you eat much lesser than you would if you just buy them shelled. They make a fun snack. With an abundance of Vitamins and minerals pistachios provide nutrients like copper, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and B6. Delicious, healthy and eye catching beautiful! Speaking of beautiful, my friend Priti shipped me some goodies a while back. In addition to herbs and spices from different corners of the world, she …
Black Bean & Cucumber Salsa
Colorful, zesty and full of flavors, black bean & cucumber salsa is my go to salsa. A few months ago I cooked a Mexican themed dinner for my friends. I made the black bean & cucumber salsa to go with chips. While one of my friends gave us all a facial, (Yes, we do that kind of stuff ! ) we sipped wine and ate salsa. My friend Tina loved this salsa instantly. She wasn’t a fan of the hotter one I made with mangoes, but this she loved! She has recreated this in her kitchen a few times since …