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Young & HungryIf you can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen! |
| 21 April |
I told you guys I heart Asian food in the springtime! Might as well stick with the theme now… This dish is just as quick, easy, and healthy as the others and is brought to life by Trader Joe’s Curry Simmer Sauce, not to be confused with the ever popular coconut based Thai curry. TJ’s sells an Indian version that’s spicier than your average curry, but not so much that you can’t taste the cumin and clove-r flavors at play behind the scenes. I decided to go vegetarian this time around, but you could compliment or, dare I say, substitute the eggplant for a multitude of things including paneer cheese, tofu, or the chicken that’s recommended on the bottle. For garnish, I used some cashews that I found in our pantry and that were probably too…umm…old for my own good. That said, I think that cashews go well with peas and carrots and I’m still here to write the tale. The second time around I went the extra mile (to the grocery store) and got an avocado to brighten up the plate. Avocado and cashews are the garnish of choice for my all-time favorite Massaman curry. You could also chop some cilantro per TJ’s recommendation.
| 27 May |
TGI eggplant season! I know some aren’t so enthused, but I am a huge fan of the big Barney-esque FRUIT, more specifically aubergine, which also comes in white and green varieties. I am generally questioned upon the purchase of eggplants, “What are you going to make with those?” they ask. Well, what can’t you make? Grill them, fry them, dice & sauté, puree, or… make caponata!
Caponata is a Sicilian dip with a complex sweet yet spicy twang. Eggplant seems to be very popular in Sicilian dishes – god bless Southern Italy. Pasta alla Norma, eggplant parmesan, eggplant rollatini and involtini all originate in Sicily. Perhaps this is because Italy is one of the top ten producers of eggplant, the majority coming from China & India. If you’re a fan like me just google one of the aforementioned dishes and watch for a soon to come post on baba ghanoush – a Greek take on eggplant dip.
NOTE: If you find yourself addicted it is no fault of your own. Eggplant has a higher nicotine content than any other edible plant, hence the bitter flavor when raw! While the bitterness can be removed by salting & rinsing or “degorging”, perhaps your nasty smoking habit can be eliminated by chips & caponata?
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