CAULIFLOWER CASHEW ANISE SOUP

    I am not really a cook book person. I have this thing about having too many books, so I usually either take my cook books out of the library and make photo copies of recipes or when I need a quick recipe I look in Grandma's tin, online or I just freestyle it. A little onion and garlic is the start of something special every time.

    I got Padma Lakshmi's Tangy Tart Hot and Sweet cook book from a Secret Santa one year (Thank You Dasha!) and I didn't open it for a while, but when I did, it was like an entire new world of Indian flavors opening up to me. Now I am no longer scared to sautee cumin seeds, make chutneys and grate ginger into everything. 

   A while back I made this excellent Sauteed Cauliflower with Anise and Cashews from the cook book. Cashews for the record are not my favorite nut, but with a little heat and spice they come alive. And now its soup season and Cauliflower Soup is an all time favorite, so I experimented with adapting this recipe for pureed soup. I am very satisfied with it. The smooth cauliflower texture combined with the crunchy ground cashews is remarkable on the taste buds. 

  Try it. Its such simple revamp for Cauliflower Soup.

Original Recipe from Padma Lakshmi's Tangy Tart Hot and Sweet:

Sauteed Cauliflower with Anise and Cashews

2 to 3 TBSP canola oil

1 tsp anise seed

3 or 4 long dry chilies

1 C diced shallots

1 1/2 TBSP minced ginger

2 1/4 lb Cauliflower broken into small florets

1/2 tsp salt

1 C cashews

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, add the anise seeds and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Roughly break up the chilies, add them to the anise seeds and stir. After 5 minutes, add the shallots, ginger, and cauliflower. Add 1/2 C. of water and salt and stir. Cook for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the cashews and cook for an additional 10 minutes or so uncovered, until all the moisture is gone, stirring occasionally. The cauliflower will reduce greatly in size and should have some charred brown bits at the edges. The cashews should also be toasted brown. SERVES 4-6

Cauliflower Cashew and Anise Soup 

    I wanted to get the flavor of the browned cauliflower and cashews so I basically followed the recipe exactly with a few modifications before I turned it into soup. I used olive oil obviously instead of canola oil and I used peperoncino instead of the hot chilies. I also added some ground nutmeg for fun. I followed the recipe then added enough water to cover the cauliflower plus a vegetable bouillon. I diced up a red potato, skin on, and added that for thickness and depth. I simmered it for about 15 minutes, then I pureed it with the hand blender. What a tool! I served it with fresh cilantro which really took it to another level flavor wise.

KATI ROLLS

Midtown. Lunchtime. Grim. I'd walked by a place called The Kati Roll Company on 39th a few times but never tried it. The name and their signage were intriguing but nothing clued me in on what a Kati Roll is. Yesterday Erik and I took a "leap of faith" as he would put it and we were happy we did. At under $6, a Kati Roll is a very tasty bargain for a quick Manhattan lunch. I had imagined a Kati Roll to be Japanese, but its actually an Indian spicy filled paratha or flat bread that had the doughy consistency of a pancake. From their illustrated menu we ordered 3 Kati Rolls, an Aloo Masala which is spicy potatoes filled, an Unda Aloo Masala, spiced potatoes with eggs and an Achari Paneer, which is Indian cheese with pickled vegetables. 

The flavors were fresh, with hints of cilantro and the right amount of hot spice, but they were lacking in some type of sweet or spicy chutney sauce as a side. Asking for chutney for a Kati Roll may be like asking for grated cheese on seafood pasta, a major male figura, or no no. After all the spice, we were also craving some type of sweet dessert. Erik suggested some coconut rice pudding. I do respect how simple they run the operation. Its fast and efficient and I will definitely eat there again, next time trying the meat filled Kati Rolls. Plus, the bright orange interior and the giant Kung Fu Movie posters made me forget I was in Midtown for a minute. Other locations are Greenwich Village and London.

CHAI TEA

(photo: ©Jennifer Galatioto)

Nothing takes me back to India like some hot Chai tea. Wait, I've never been to India, but Miguel has and he came back with video footage from his new Canon 5D, which is a digital camera that does HD video that rivals some professional video cameras. Enough with the geek tech talk. We watched his video on our big flat screen and it was like we were there. What was so great was that since Miguel was filming with the photo camera no one knew he was filming so everyone's body language was really natural like they are not on camera. It created such a vivid idea in my mind of what India must be like that last night I had a bizarre dream that I was there with my mom, my brother Mike and Nonna. What a group! The hotel put us in this really strange room that was basically a public restroom with a subway train above it. I was not happy and got a refund and we drove all over Indian all night long in a rental car looking for a new hotel. Very strange. One thing I loved about India, from living vicariously through Miguel's trip was that everyone invited him into their house for Chai Tea. Here's my version, which I adapted from Padma Lakshmi's recipe in her book Tangy Tart Hot and Sweet. She uses 1/4 cardamom powder which I find a bit overpowering and I began using the pods which have a fresher flavor. Also, she doesn't use cinnamon in her recipe but I have seen it in other Chai Tea recipes. I need no excuse to use cinnamon anywhere. I also substitute regular milk for soy milk.

Chai Tea

1/2 inch of fresh grated ginger or 1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp cardamom powder or 2-3 cardamom pods

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3-4 darjeeling tea bags or regular black tea

1 C. soy milk (or regular)

1 TBSP honey

1 TBSP brown sugar

Bring the spices to a boil in 4 C. of water, then add the rest of the ingredients. Bring down to a simmer and steep for 5 min. Strain. This makes about 4 C. I store the leftover in a mason jar in the fridge and enjoy it cold.  

Dosas in Amagansett

My work often takes me to the Hamptons, NY and when I am there I stay in Amagansett, a great town halfway between East Hampton and Montauk. I always find myself there on Wednesday mornings, when every shop in the town is closed, except the Hampton Chutney Company, where for breakfast we eat dosas with warm chai tea.

A dosa is basically a gigantic Indian sour dough crepe, made with rice, so its gluten free.

When the question of portion control rears its unwelcome head at my meal, I always look at my plate and think, okay all that has to fit in my stomach. What is the rule? Your stomach is the size of about a fistful of food. But stretchy? At easily a foot long, dosas are rule breakers, and when we opt not to share one to get it closer to that fistful, we justify it with, "but are really light." 

The warm crispy dosas are filled with anything from traditional spicy potato masala to calamata olives, tomatoes, onions, arugula and goat cheese. There are 14 dosa combos on the menu and each are served a choice of the following fresh chutneys: cilantro, curry, mango, tomato, peanut or pumpkin. Cilantro, my favorite, so fresh and mildly sweet is also sold in a to-go tub so I can take it home and put it on everything from rice to apples. 

Pictured above: Mike, Yui, Miguel and the "Charlies" enjoying some Breakfast Dosas, filled with scrambled eggs, spinach, roasted tomato, jack cheese and avocado.

If you're not out east, there are two in locations NY. Go to Hampton Chutney Company for more info.

Thanks, Miguel for letting me borrow your amazing Canon 5D to take these photos!