Walking along Bombay's Marine Drive or on the beaches of Bombay Chowpatty or Juhu, colorful market carts sell not only vibrant fruit and vegetables but many have been converted to sell the street food varieties India is famous for. And Bhelpuri is one of Bombay's quintessential street food, not to mention one of the most loved snacks in India.
Many relationships are forged and strengthen over meals or social events. Emotions evoked and lasting impressions are made when people come together at the table to share a meal. As a daughter of an hotelier our family moved often from country to country, always leaving behind friends and a community that had taken us in. It was never easy and yet I watched my parents form new friendships and build a social environment in each new city with ease.
We’ve entered the holiday season! With Diwali just past we are heading towards Thanksgiving, Chanukah/Hanukkah and Christmas so I can imagine there is a lot of scampering going on all around the globe and the kitchens in many households are already filled with aromas of sweet baking, sugar and spice – all so very nice!
It’s officially here! Summer vacation is just around the corner and all three of us are looking forward to two and half weeks of lazy days, without routine, sun soaking, refreshing hikes, stylish city tours, good food and just quality time for each other.
Summer time usually means a lot of spontaneous entertaining and I love having friends over on the spur of the moment. Then often a time it will be something quick, easy and put together with simple ingredients not requiring too much fussing over. A tapas or mezzeh menu, barbecued meats and fish or quick roasted and moist poultry are some of the ideas I tend reach for from my repertoire.
Weimar – Brussels – Normandy Coast – Paris – Weimar
Weimar – Valdobbiadene – Rome - Amalfi Coast – Venice - Weimar
We are thinking of getting away. Satisfy the itch on our feet, packing up and heading to different shores. Not the travel we have been doing for work, workshops or photo shoots but the travel for us. The kind of travel where time is not an important commodity, instead it is the adventure and the experience that makes a trip memorable.
Pearling sensuously in the warm evening sun, the bulbous glass beckons with promises of crisp and chilled Riesling. The air, perfumed with a mix of earthy herbs, flowery lavender and spicy meat, creates a intoxicating melange for my senses. It is unusually quiet for a weekday and I am enjoying the luxury of stepping out of my accustomed routine.
The aromas of burning charcoal, a mélange of spices and the trail of sizzling meat hanging in the air are, for me, the telltale signs of seasons turning and summer is just around the corner. Each year, as Spring days begin to warm up, I impatiently await the piquant fragrance to fill the neighborhood. I am not alone, I soon realize, as the neighboring gardens become a hive of industrious activity. The barbecues are brought out of hibernation and rubbed clean for another season filled with succulent marinated meats, sausages and vegetables.
At this time of the year however, when the summer warmth dwindles into a crisp, cool Autumn morning and the days begin to get shorter I see those barbecues, which dutifully and laboriously entertained us throughout a summer of friends, family and relaxing evenings, being packed and banished at the back of the shed.
I love buying glossy food, travel and lifestyle magazines. Usually heading straight to the section where they are neatly stacked, magazine upon magazine in rows after rows, I like to take some time to browse through my favorites, setting aside two or three that will make it home with me.
I, probably not unlike many of you, am a seasonal produce shopper. Between the food market and my organic/local produce box I get my weekly supply of crisp, fresh vegetables and deliciously sweet fruit. Nonetheless, I still go to grocery stores to lavishly indulge in exotic fruits like mangoes or kiwis, fruit I grew up on but are not grown in Germany.
My dad always says that I “steal time”. Steal time from a packed day to do things that relax me. I call them “islands” that I integrate throughout the day when doing chores or working on projects.
I think I need a clone; actually, I would like to order 5, at least. And while I am on the wish-upon-an-unreasonable-star, I’d like to put in a request for a 72-hour day. Minutes slip through my hands like the sand of the hourglass flows into the glass bulb. Trying to hold on to it is pointless, I know that but I’d just like to be able to double the minute to last longer.
When the family get together it’s usually a time for lots of laughter, storytelling and plenty of hugging. My parents have never eschewed from showing their emotions openly. They are gregarious, warm and loving people and it takes only a few moments with them and friends quickly are enamored by them and captivated by their stories.
Having my cousin around at the moment is so exciting. The fact that the last time I saw her, she was still a toddler in her diapers and today she has blossomed into a beautiful and sophisticated 25 year old young lady, would probably surprise you. But it’s true! The last time I visited India was roughly 20 years ago. That in itself is astonishing considering it is my birthplace and some of my dearest family live there.
Majestic landscapes and climatic contrasts not only offer a breathtaking experience for visitors to the country, but they are also the quintessence of the ingredients from which the culinary traditions of Norway are derived from. With a long and diverse coastline, Norway provides ample waters for wild and farm-raised fish, while the slow ripening process of fruit and vegetables during the mild but sun filled Nordic summer provides berries, pears, apples and other fruit and vegetables with a delicious and extraordinary flavor and aroma. Sheep, cows and livestock grazing on the rich, succulent pastures acquire a distinctive robust flavor.
The recipe I present here is not a traditional Norwegian recipe. It is however inspired by my travels through the country, by Norway’s magnificent landscape, by the flavorful produce available and by the wonderful Norwegian people I had the pleasure of meeting and making friends with.
I am delighted to be presenting this recipe over at Juls’ blog Juls’ Kitchen. Juls has a wonderful energy and I met her for the first time at the Food Blogger Connect 2010 this June. It’s hard not to be taken in by her great enthusiasm and contagious laugh. Shortly before the FBC she had contacted me and asked if I would be interested in doing a guest post – the topic was summer vacations and food. We were in the middle of planning our summer vacation to Norway (read part one and part two) and I was going to see my all time favorite Norwegian 80s band a-ha in July (again!) and as it seems to be turning into the Year of Norway for me I was fairly clear on what I would be guest posting about.
Come join me over at Juls’ place as I share the quintessence of the Norwegian kitchen, smoke some salmon at home and make a salad inspired by my incredible journey to Norway.
Hope you all have a great weekend. Relax and spend time with the family. Next week we’ll be getting back into some recipes for your sweet tooth. Make sure you come over and take a peek.
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2010 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Treading water has never really been my thing. I honestly dislike putting in so much effort, but not really going anywhere. It's where we are now - treading water and not going anywhere. Waiting! Waiting to see if the ultimatum presented by Tom shakes his bosses awake. They asked for time to confer and find a solution. And we comply - putting everything on hold. But deep inside we know the decision we want to take. Even though we are torn between an opportunity of a lifetime and taking a risk, we really just want to finally settle down and "come home". We are using this experience to reassess our thoughts and priorities.
In my last post I shared my passion for being outdoors and enjoying our meals in some scenic spot. Picnics and sandwiches a great combination and from your comments I see I share the passion with several of you.
Another one of my all time favorites is barbecuing. To me barbecues are synonymous with Summer. As soon as the first warm sunrays strike our side of the hemisphere I start dreaming up huge barbecue parties and themes. I just love sitting out on our terrace with a few friends, laughing and chatting, the aromas of smoky grilled meats and vegetables in the air and the taste of a chilled Riesling on my tongue. The gentle summer breeze brings the scent of perfumed flowers and the sounds of other people giggling and laughing as they too enjoy their barbecue parties.
Unlike picnics, where I simply make a few sandwiches and cut up some vegetables and fruit, I spend more time on barbecues. Not saying that my picnics are not planned with care – the spotlight is mostly on the location rather than the food at the picnics.
Barbecues are different – the mere mention of a barbecue has us drooling and imagining all sorts of grilled delicacies, refreshing salads and piquant sauces. The food always has to be plentiful because, I do not know about you, but I always tend to overeat at barbecues. Everything always tastes better.
Then there are always discussions what technique is the best to grill: charcoal, wood, gas or lava stones. Our German friends swear on charcoal, the Americans love the comfort of gas, my in-laws love their lava stones, I – well I don’t care as long as my food tastes great. Tom is a charcoal griller – but just like our multi-cultural family, we have, what in Germany is known as an American charcoal grill. Here in Thuringia this is the typical type of grill that is used.
Our neighbors are forever shaking their heads when we roll out our “American” grill! But they will never turn down a juicy rib or a wonderfully smoked trout from our grill ;-)
That’s where we once again stand out amongst our German friends and neighbors. Over the years Tom has taken to the variety I knew while growing up in the USA and the Middle East and he enjoys being creative when grilling. While our German friends will typically grill the famous Bratwurst, and in Thuringia the world famous Thuringen Bratwurst, we will be doing lamb, ribs and steaks, fish/seafood and vegetables. After all the teasing we get from our neighbors, I still smile when I see an occasional fish or a rib on a few of our neighbors’ grills. In return we get nods of approval from them when they see the holy bratwurst on our grills!
Over the last few years, I do have to say, I have noticed a huge change in the German grill culture. The butcher’s and grocery stores offer a larger variety of products to grill, which makes for more creative ideas and parties.
Just as important as the major grill item on your barbecue are the sides. I love playing around with flavors for salads, sauces and salsas. Here I took an old salad favorite and gave it a slight twist. Coleslaw – instead of mayonnaise I used a mix of sour cream and yogurt, making it lighter and slightly tangier in flavor. For the eyes, I used a mix of red and white cabbage and a slight sweet sharpness comes from a few cracked red peppercorns.
The apricot salsa is exquisite. Using the season’s ripest and sweetest apricots, I add a small green chili for a flavor explosion. The salsa pairs extremely well with grilled poultry and fish dishes but will also add a pinch of pizzazz to veal, lamb and pork.
Creamy Red Peppercorn Coleslaw
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.150g thick sour cream
300g natural yogurt
½ head white cabbage, cut into thin strips
½ head red cabbage, cut into thin strips
2 carrots, cut into juliennes
3-4 green onions, sliced
2-3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Handful of fresh mixed herbs, use coriander, flat leaved parsley, chives
10-12 red peppercorns, crushed using a mortar and pestle
Salt and pepperMethod
In a small bowl whisk sour cream, yogurt vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until you have a thick and smooth mixture.
In a large salad bowl toss the vegetables and herbs together. Pour the salad dressing over the coleslaw and sprinkle with the red peppercorns. Toss well. Leave for about 30 minutes for the flavors to incorporate.
Apricot Salsa
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.500g fresh apricots, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 green chili, finely chopped
2-4 green onions, sliced
Handful of coriander leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oilMethod
Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Leave to stand for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
Verdict
Whatever you like grilling on your barbecue, a delicious salad and a few flavorful sauces or salsas complements the grilled goods, highlighting the flavors more intensively. Imagine a barbecue table without a colorful salad or sauces. Kind of boring for the eyes, huh? In the same way it would be boring for your tastebuds not to experience the crunchiness of a creamy coleslaw or a fruity salsa.
Hope you enjoy a few great barbecues before we say goodbye to summer. I’m taking over my coleslaw and salsa over to Sig’s who is grilling it and asked us to come along for a mingle. Are you joining us?
You might like these salad and sauces from WFLH:
 | Warm Vegetable Salad |
 | Peaches & Tomato Salad |
 | Cranberries Ginger Chutney |
 | Aglio Olio - Garlic Dip |
From around the blogs:
Daily Tiffin Reading Tip:
Vegetarian Kids by Meeta
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Growing up in hotels was like living in a constant amusement park. Swimming, jet skiing, boogie boarding, diving, wind surfing, tennis, golf or simply lazing, we could do anything we wanted, whenever we wanted. The fact that we lived in Qatar and were guaranteed 363 days of sunshine, added to the pleasure of the perfect amusement park atmosphere.
As my dad worked in luxury class resort hotels we were also used to doing things others thought of as pure indulgence. Like the fact, we simply went into the main kitchen and helped ourselves to whatever we wanted. The chefs and pastry chefs knew us from a very young age and spoilt us with exotic foods and desserts. We got what we desired whenever we craved it. Sounds like we were spoilt brats, doesn't it?
Thanks to fantastic parents, who always found it very important to teach us the values of respect, modesty and courtesy, both my brother and I never took anything for granted. We always knew where we stood, knew that what we had was something special but nothing we should take advantage of.
So, we always appreciated the waiter who went out of his way to get us a special fruit juice cocktail or adored the pastry chef for making our favorite dessert.
Today, it is upon me to teach these same values to my son. My dad still works for fancy hotels, but now he says he can take leave of playing the teacher role and fully concentrate on spoiling his grandson. As I am currently in Dubai visiting my parents I see so much of history repeating itself. Soeren spends his days on the beach or the pool, lunches are at the restaurant where a buffet of exquisite food is on display. If he does not like something on the buffet, he is guided into the kitchen where he is spoilt rotten by the kitchen staff. He comes back with a bowl of mousse au chocolat, or sticks of chocolate, pasta with tomato sauce - whatever he wants, whenever he wants it.
On one side I have to remind myself that we are on vacation and throughout the year he does not lead this lifestyle. So, I should not be as strict as I think I should be. On the other side he is 5 and at this age, I believe they are ready to be molded into what they become and think later on in life. I have to induce a few valuable lessons. It's a balance act. But I am lucky because I have an intelligent and sensible boy. He takes in what we tell him with an eagerness I have not seen in kids his age. He will repeat things, as if to remind himself, and follow the guidelines to his best ability.
One thing I remember about growing up in the hotel in Qatar was the poolside bar. The food was not specifically out of the ordinary - your typical grilled fish and meat, burgers, sandwiches and salads. However, among all the fancy food readily available to us there was one that I loved. It was a simple platter of fresh fruit served with a delicately flavored fruit sauce, granola and cottage cheese.
The fruit was always fresh, juicy and sweet, served with the three variations - tangy sauce, crunchy granola and creamy cottage cheese - it was always an exciting new combination of flavors. Perfect after spending part of the day in the hot sun.
Also perfect for this month's Monthly Mingle theme. Abby, who is this month's guest host, selected a spectacular theme for this month - Spring Fruit Sensations. What can be more sensational than a platter of fresh fruit served with mouthwatering condiments?
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.
For the Ginger Mango Sauce
2 small ripe mangoes, peeled and quartered
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2-3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Put all the ingredients for the sauce into a food processor and process until the sauce it thick and smooth.
For fruit platter
You can use any fruit you like here. I used:
1 papaya, peeled & sliced
3 yellow kiwis, peeled & sliced
2 blood oranges, peeled & sliced
2 passion fruit, cut in half
Handful of strawberries, quartered
Additional
Granola
Cottage cheese
Method
Lay all the fruit onto a large platter. Arrange granola and cottage cheese in small bowls.
Serve fruit spooned with the ginger mango sauce, sprinkled with granola or just eat the fruit with cottage cheese.
Verdict
Fresh, fruity and simply full of spring. There is no better way to describe this. The fruit complemented with the ginger mango sauce is scrumptiously tangy and succulently sweet. I love the added crunch of the granola - it adds a lovely body to the dish. All I say is - sensational!
You might enjoy these fruit sensations too:
 | Apricot and Pistachio Ice Cream |
 | Strawberry Mille Feuille |
 | Figs In Cherry Caramel |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
What I love about fresh fruit and vegetables is the lush palette of rich colors they come in. It's like a gorgeous kaleidoscope, each twist creating a gleaming new pattern and each pattern illuminates the gloomy in a whole new and exciting way.
I have always been a sucker for colors and in my younger years could spend hours twisting, turning and shifting a kaleidoscope, finding perfect satisfaction in the multitude of patterns. Today, although I could still sit for hours twisting Soeren's kaleidoscope, I get my fix for colors at the Farmer's Markets. Seeing the colorful fruit, vegetables, breads, cheeses and flowers provides soothing comfort to extremely dull winter days.
And on such gloomy days, when the skies seem to only have shades of dull and drab grays, I go to the market. There I am greeted by cheerful yellows, bright oranges and ravishing reds. Walking down the rows of the several stalls, each turn I take brings a completely new set of colorful patterns. Fruit and vegetables in all shapes, sizes and colors piled up high all waiting to be picked.
I never can resist and I cannot remember that I have ever come back empty handed from the market. Even if my fridge is bursting full, my temptations of all I could make with the produce in front of me always takes on the upper hand.
This fruit salad adds a lovely vitamin kick to the day. Besides the fact that it looks beautiful with all it's lovely bright yellow, orange and pink tones, almost all the ingredients are organic. There are organic mangos, papayas, pink grapefruit and oranges, only the baby pineapple was not. I use the fresh juices of the grapefruit and oranges to provide my dressing adding a touch of lavender honey and chopped mint to give an explosive taste.
For me fruit salads should not be a mushy pulp of too many fruits. As the saying goes "Too many cooks spoil the broth", my saying goes "too many fruits spoils a good salad." I always pick 3-5 types of fruits for my fruit salad. This is more than enough and will offer a wonderful harmony of flavors. Adding too many types of fruit overkills the flavors of a fruit salad only confusing the taste-buds as to exactly what it is one is currently chewing on. I also like to set a theme when preparing a fruit salad. For this salad, I chose "tropical" as my theme and stuck to fruits that pair well with each other. The flavors of mangos, papayas and pineapples blend perfectly with each other and the tangy aroma of the citrus fruits complements the entire salad wonderfully. A touch of mint adds a refreshing note and the pistachios the crunch.
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.
1 mango - chopped into cubes
2 papayas - chopped into cubes
1 baby pineapple - chopped into cubes
2 oranges - filleted - juice reserved
1 pink grapefruit - filleted - juice reserved
1 tablespoon honey - use a lightly flavored honey like lavender or eucalyptus
Few mint leaves - chopped
Handful of pistachios - chopped
Optional:
Low-fat crème fraiche
Method
Put all the fruits into a large metal bowl. In a separate bowl pour in the reserved orange and grapefruit juice. Add the honey and whisk until incorporated.
Pour over the fruit and toss well. Sprinkle with the mint leaves and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so that the flavors and aromas can infuse with each other.
To serve, simply spoon into bowls or glasses and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. If using the crème fraiche add a small dollop on top. Serve chilled.
Verdict
Always a pleasure and always enjoyed anytime of the day. I always make larger portions of this fruit salad as all of us really enjoy it. Soeren enjoys it best for breakfast sprinkled with granola and topped off with yogurt. Tom digs into it in between meal time as a healthy snack and as for me I cannot resist adding a scoop of pistachio ice cream for a special treat while watching Grey's Anatomy!
You might enjoy these fruity desserts too:
| Apricot Clafoutis | |
| Figs In Cherry Caramel | |
| Grilled Peach with Eucalyptus Honey Yogurt and Roasted Almonds | |
| Persimmon Honey Nut Yogurt Verrines |
I am sending this over to Andrew at Spitoon Extra who is this month's host for Waiter There's Something In My .... Salad. Enjoy the extra vitamins Andrew!
Reminder!
One pot + many ingredients = one-dish dinner! That's you challenge this month. I am looking for innovative and creative one-dish meals. These can be casseroles, cooked in a crockpot, in a pressure cooker or in a baking dish. Whatever you are using you need to stick to the one cooking dish. So, come on over to February's mingle with your favorite One-Dish Dinners.
You'll find all the necessary details to this month's Monthly Mingle here.
Deadline: March 10th, 2008
Don't forget to send me your links to your fresh, crispy, juicy winter produce. Eat Fresh is a seasonal event, which attempts to bring people to share their weekly fresh produce with each other. So, all you need to do is take a picture of your weekly fresh vegetables and fruit, post it on your blogs, send email to [email protected] and you will get an invitation to join our growing Eat Fresh list.
Deadline: March 31st, 2008
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
