After seeing “banana flavor” I saw these biscuits as a challenge. Banana could easily fall into the awesome or disgusting category. On opening the pack, a strong wiff of the fruit hits you. The biscuits feature a cool, if hypnotic ring design. It’s as if Eti intends to lull the consumer and then punch them in the face with banana flavor.
The crunch on a scale of one to 10 is around a 6. Initially the cream amount looked stingy but given the strong banana cream flavor it feels balanced. I actually really liked these cookies though 2 is more than enough in one sitting. Verdict: Awesome, despite skepticism.
As a rule of thumb it’s not smart to buy the big bottle (1.5 L) of a wine if you haven’t tried it before. This bottle of Citra Montepulciano D’Abruzzo was on sale for only $8.99 however. It caught my eye because it was situated next to long time favorite Rex Goliath and a dollar cheaper (though different grapes).
I don’t drink to excess generally so the bottle was consumed over about a week. On day one it tasted medium bodied but more tart than desired. It smelled of alcohol but not wine. While not awful, immediate buyers remorse was felt all around. On day two, there were glimmers of hope. This product of Italy no longer smelled of alcohol. In a day the flavor mellowed to sippability (unclear if this a real word).
On day three, it peaked. Notes of cherry were very present. It went well with corn and cowpea succotash as well subsequent leftover Easter candy. On day 4, when the bottle came to an end, there were mixed emotions. Rarely do I have a bottle last 4 days. Should a wine peak on the 3rd day? Citra was a great value by volume but I’m not interested in a wine that requires a waiting period to fully enjoy. It wasn’t enough to steer me away from trying their merlot or other wines however.
Has anyone else kept an open bottle around for that long? What type and how did it taste over time? Any tips for consuming this type of wine – is it better with food?
Here is another review of the wine from Cheapskate Wine Guide who seemed to be in agreement.
Falling under the “field pea” umbrella, cowpeas are small but mighty. Like their more famous cousins, they have a “black eye” but are darker and rounder in overall appearance. Note that these legumes like other field peas are meatier and fuller tasting. Goya among other brands sells them in dry bags and cans. I used this recipe from myrecipes.
Cowpeas soaked overnight
Note on “succotash”: The dish has a Native American origin and is particularly popular in the Southern US. It’s usually a vegetable side dish featuring one or more of the following: beans, lima beans, corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, sometimes lard. Proportionally, the veggies should be just as prominent as the legume. The first time I heard the word was via Slyvester the Cat in Looney Tunes and his catch phrase “suffering succotash!” It was believed to be a way to avoid saying the more blasphemous “suffering savior.”
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup dried cowpeas (soaked overnight)
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 ½ cup frozen corn
1 carrot, chopped small
1 cup stock from crowder peas
1 T vinegar
1 t dried thyme
1 t cayenne pepper
salt to taste
pepper to taste
green onions (as garnish, optional)
Method
Simmer cowpeas/crowder peas around 30 minutes on low with enough water to cover. Turn off once 90% cooked. Drain and keep aside the pea stock. In a medium pan set to medium low, add in chopped onion and bell pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Next, add in the corn, carrot and peas. Cook another couple of minutes. Now add thyme, vinegar, cayenne, salt and pepper and 1 cup of the stock. Mix well and cover. Garnish with green onions. Remaining stock can be frozen and actually goes great in stir fry or soups.
I wanted to share a bit of good news: A poem tribute to one of my favorite restaurants, Milan’s got published in Alimentum Journal here (at the bottom of the page, under my name, Raj) as part of National Poetry Month (April)!
I also have some bad news: Milan’s Restaurant is now up for sale. So if you’re in the New York / Brooklyn area please stop by for a meal. It’s not vegan or gluten free friendly restaurant but it does have amazing Central European / Slovakian/Czech/Polish/Hungarian comfort food. Here are a two posts I did on the restaurant.
Talk about serendipity. I’ve been craving a good scone lately and happened across this gluten free (though not vegan) mix at Homegoods TJ Maxx in the packaged foods section. The sale price was $3 but it retails for around $6.
The instructions are super easy. The mix goes in a bowl and is stirred together with some oil and water until a sticky dough forms. They aren’t lying – it does get very sticky. The box says it yields 10 scones. This is accurate though very modest size ones. As is personal tradition, the whoopie pie pan was used. The mix filled 18 slots heaping, comfortably. Normally the recommended cook time is 13-15 minutes. Since whoopies are smaller, we grabbed them out at 11 minutes in. Next time I’ll pull them out at around the 10 minute mark so as to not overcook.
The finished product is delicious if a bit different than traditional scones. The texture is chewier and the dough moister than expected. The lemon flavor and sweetness is just right and the dough features small bits of the fruit. They give that pleasing dryness that is a hallmark of baked items like scones, soda and short bread. Sticky Fingers Gluten Free mix is excellent and would convincingly win over sconeheads everywhere.
These Salveo crisps were picked up at the local MetFood in Brooklyn for $2.99 on sale. Being baked not fried makes them taste lighter than standard potato chips and not greasy at all. The crunch level is quite high considering this.
If you’ve tried baked lays, you’ll have a sense for the texture and taste of these. The tomato flavor is creamy and a bit sweeter than expected though in a positive way. The basil is more noticeable in aroma rather than flavor. I found them satisfying and also addictive. These are RoodonFood approved – will definitely be purchased again. Other flavors include Southwest Ranch, BBQ, Original Sea Salt. Unfortunately their parent company, KLN Family Brands doesn’t appear have a website so a store locator link isn’t available. Salveo itself is on facebook however.
Everyone who steps foot in a kitchen dreads chopping onions. But are the involuntary tears the price the cook must pay to get that lovely flavor? Here is a brief explanation via wikipedia on the science behind the tears and below that are the best ways to avoid the tears altogether:
…Chopping an onion causes damage to cells which allows enzymes called alliinases to break down amino acid sulfoxides and generate sulfenic acids. A specific sulfenic acid, 1-propenesulfenic acid, is rapidly acted on by a second enzyme, the lachrymatory factor synthase (LFS), giving syn-propanethial-S-oxide, a volatile gas known as the onion lachrymatory factor or LF. This gas diffuses through the air and soon reaches the eye, where it activates sensory neurons, creating a stinging sensation. Tear glands produce tears in order to dilute and flush out the irritant.
In this article from LifeHacker, writer Melanie Pinola tests out a handful of the purported solutions to this daily problem and provides verdicts. Of those tested, the most successful options were as follows:
Cut the onion under a vent or near a window (circulating the air is key).
Wear goggles. This to seems a little extreme, especially if you’re not experiencing stinging eyes.
Freeze the onions for 15 minutes before chopping. This seems like the easiest solution to remember.
So wipe those tears from your eyes and get back in the kitchen, provided you have your goggles, a vent and or recently frozen onions.
I had a friend in college of Irish descent. After discussing the “Quit India” Independence movement, he said “yeah the British messed with us too.” In addition to an imperial connection, we also bonded over our mutual love of potatoes. This simple lamb stew got lost halfway between the cuisine of both countries. Adjust tomato and chili powder or chillies to your preference. If necessary, add a little flour to thicken. Garnish with cilantro.
Ingredients
1 pounds lamb shoulder, chopped
4 small potatoes, chopped large
3 carrots, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
½ onion, chopped
¼ cup yogurt,
1 cup chicken stock
1 T ginger paste
1 T garlic paste
2 bay leaves
peppercorns
salt to taste
pinch chili powder or chilies if desired.
Method:
In a medium pan add oil and lamb pieces and turn to medium low. Brown for a few minutes then set aside. In the same pan add in bay leaf, peppercorns and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Next add in ginger and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Now throw in potatoes and carrots and allow to cook 10 minutes or so. Next add stock, 1 cup water and lamb. Cover and cook for around 30 minutes or until lamb is tender. In the last 5 minutes, add in yogurt and mix in. Serve with rice or bread.
If you like your veggies, labra will be up your alley. It’s a classic Bengali dish usually comprised of a 4-6 types of vegetables with fairly minimal spices. Common veggies include cabbage, squash (pumpkin), eggplant, potato and radishes. It’s a dish frequently served alongside kichuri during a Hindu festival known as Saraswati Puja. The pumpkin squash naturally provides a mild sweetness to the dish. If you don’t have that on hand carrots or sweet potato work well or just add a touch of sugar. Panch paran the recommend spice mix is available at Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi stores. The 5 (panch) ingredients in the blend are mentioned below.
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 cabbage, coarsley chopped (medium)
1 long thai / chinese style eggplant, chopped medium
6-8 radish, halves
3 medium potato, chopped
½ pumpkin/butternut squash chopped into medium size pieces
½ tomato, chopped
1 t Turmeric
1 t Paprika
1 t Cumin
1 T Ginger
½ chili
½ t panch paran (equal parts cumin seed, black cumin seeds, fenugreek, fennel, and mustard seeds)
salt
green chili
cilantro
Method:
Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a pan. Once heated to medium low, place veggies in pan for a few minutes (to help them keep firm) and then remove from pan. Add a little more oil to pan then ½ tsp panch paran and green chili if desired – cook for a few minutes. Place all veggies back in along with tumeric, paprika, cumin, ginger, chili powder and mix in. Add sliced tomatoes. Lastly throw about a ½ cup water. Cover for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with cilantro.
Inspired the other day by NPR’s the Cupboard, I posted about a dormant food from the pantry: Horse Gram. Bearing an odd name and not seeing it on a menu anywhere it hung out graciously for a year or so. After a little searching I found a couple of recipes and a long list of apparent medicinal benefits including removing kidney stones, aiding weight loss, and reducing fevers and colds. Additionally like many legumes it’s high in fiber, protein and iron. It’s very hearty tasting and is reminiscent of moth dal.
Horse gram is popular particularly in southern India where it’s used for dals (kollu paruppu), sambhar, and even laddhus (a sweet). This recipe is adapted from It’s Potluck and Log’s Kitchen.
Ingredients:
1.5 Cups Horse Gram (soaked overnight or simmered 4-5 hours)
1 large tomato, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4-6 curry leaves
1-2 green onions
1 T garlic powder
1 T coriander seeds
1 t cumin seeds
1 t turmeric
1 t chili powder or to taste
1 T tamarind chutney
salt to taste
chilies to taste
Method:
In large pot add horse gram and 4.5 cups of water and bring to a boil (3:1 ratio). In a separate pan, add oil and heat to medium, throw in curry leaves, onions and chilies if applicable. Once the onions begin to go translucent add the tomato in. In the pot, when the dal softens it can be turned off (45-60 minutes). Remove excess liquid. The dal can be mashed by hand but I found it easier to transfer to a blender in batches. Once blended return to pot and add contents of pan along with remaining spices and mix in. Check seasoning and if necessary adjust. Garnish with the green onions. It went well with rice but next time I may try it with roti.
I stashed a little bit of ‘dal water’ in the freezer because drinking it is said to help with colds or fevers. Here is a picture of it. Beautiful color, no?
