So it's definitely been getting colder up here in Minnesota. We had a beautiful first few weeks of October, and then last week the temperature suddenly dropped. It was an overcast week and weekend, but today (even though it's still chilly) the sun finally came out again!
In celebration of the cooler weather, I've been making more and more warm things to drink and eat. Sunday is the evening that I cook for my house, and two Sundays ago I made my mom's delicious pot roast for the first time! It was the perfect cold weather food, though ironically I think it was rather warm that day...
I also made some delicious chocolate pudding, and in a moment of inspiration added a scoop of peanut butter and some chocolate chips to the middle of each cup. Heated up in a microwave, the peanut butter and chips melted into the pudding, YUM.
This past Sunday I made a traditional Ethiopian sweet potato and lentil Wat (stew) along with some lachha parathas, which were so yummy. I forgot how easy it is to make parathas/chapatis once you get into the swing of them. Definitely going to go back to making chapatis when I want a dipping vehicle.
Over the summer I was making a lot of chai when I got back from India, but I stopped after making it a couple of times at the beginning of the school year. Today I was really in the mood for some nice hot, spicy and sweet chai so I made a cup. I forgot how much I love it: the smell of crushed cardamom, the way the liquid slowly turns from pale white to a creamy gold as the tea leaves boil, and the way the first sip warms your whole body. Drinking chai is almost like a spiritual experience for me. Drinking it immediately calms me. I feel cozy and refreshed afterwards.
If I have learned anything from my attempts at cooking Indian food, it's that there is no objectively "correct" recipe for anything--everyone has their own combination of spices that they use to make each dish. Here's a recipe for chai that works well for me, but freshness of spices, type of milk, variety of tea, and even what kind of pot you are using will change the flavor.
Chai Tea (makes one large mug of tea)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk (I have been using 1%)
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp black tea (darjeeling is good)
3 whole cardamom pods
2 small pieces cinnamon bark
1 whole clove
TINY piece fresh ginger (about the size of one whole clove, but add more if you like spicier tea)
Sugar to taste (I use 1-2 teaspoons, depending on my mood)
Put the water, milk and tea leaves in a small pot on stove over medium heat. Crush the spices (does not need to be fine--just make sure the cinnamon and cloves are broken up a little and the cardamom pods are open) with a mortar and pestle and then add them to the pot. Stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and turn heat off or very low. Add ginger and stir in sugar if using. Let sit for about three minutes and then bring to a boil again. Pour and serve immediately!
In celebration of the cooler weather, I've been making more and more warm things to drink and eat. Sunday is the evening that I cook for my house, and two Sundays ago I made my mom's delicious pot roast for the first time! It was the perfect cold weather food, though ironically I think it was rather warm that day...
I also made some delicious chocolate pudding, and in a moment of inspiration added a scoop of peanut butter and some chocolate chips to the middle of each cup. Heated up in a microwave, the peanut butter and chips melted into the pudding, YUM.
This past Sunday I made a traditional Ethiopian sweet potato and lentil Wat (stew) along with some lachha parathas, which were so yummy. I forgot how easy it is to make parathas/chapatis once you get into the swing of them. Definitely going to go back to making chapatis when I want a dipping vehicle.
Over the summer I was making a lot of chai when I got back from India, but I stopped after making it a couple of times at the beginning of the school year. Today I was really in the mood for some nice hot, spicy and sweet chai so I made a cup. I forgot how much I love it: the smell of crushed cardamom, the way the liquid slowly turns from pale white to a creamy gold as the tea leaves boil, and the way the first sip warms your whole body. Drinking chai is almost like a spiritual experience for me. Drinking it immediately calms me. I feel cozy and refreshed afterwards.
If I have learned anything from my attempts at cooking Indian food, it's that there is no objectively "correct" recipe for anything--everyone has their own combination of spices that they use to make each dish. Here's a recipe for chai that works well for me, but freshness of spices, type of milk, variety of tea, and even what kind of pot you are using will change the flavor.
Chai Tea (makes one large mug of tea)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk (I have been using 1%)
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp black tea (darjeeling is good)
3 whole cardamom pods
2 small pieces cinnamon bark
1 whole clove
TINY piece fresh ginger (about the size of one whole clove, but add more if you like spicier tea)
Sugar to taste (I use 1-2 teaspoons, depending on my mood)
Put the water, milk and tea leaves in a small pot on stove over medium heat. Crush the spices (does not need to be fine--just make sure the cinnamon and cloves are broken up a little and the cardamom pods are open) with a mortar and pestle and then add them to the pot. Stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and turn heat off or very low. Add ginger and stir in sugar if using. Let sit for about three minutes and then bring to a boil again. Pour and serve immediately!
