pink rickshaw

turmeric latte

"Each spice has a special day to it. For turmeric it is Sunday, when light drips fat and butter-colored into the bins to be soaked up glowing, when you pray to the nine planets for love and luck." -Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

It seems like in the last year or so, turmeric and turmeric based drinks are having quite the moment. There is a lot of discussion about turmeric being a "miracle root" due to its very long list of health benefits and medicinal properties. And recently, on mainstream lifestyle and food sites, I am seeing a lot of variations of a very classic Indian home remedy: turmeric milk (also known as golden milk or haldi dood). While sadly, the sudden spotlight on turmeric milk is probably a classic case of Columbusing, the good news is, that the different takes on the drink do add some flair to a very plain recipe. Traditionally, Ayurvedic turmeric milk is warm milk with about a teaspoon of turmeric. Each family has their own variations ranging from adding ginger or cinnamon. So, chances are, if you are of South Asian descent, you have reluctantly had some version of this in your lifetime if you were not feeling well. So, I will be really candid. I don't know if it is because I have only drank this when I was sick or about to be, but I find the traditional, warm version pretty hard to swallow. But knowing it can be so beneficial, I was excited to find so many different recipes including some iced or chilled versions. So, if you are like me and not a fan of the warm version or just new to the turmeric game (welcome!), why even bother? Well, the health benefits are quite compelling.

Turmeric is a well-known remedy in Ayurvedic medicine for a plethora of ailments but it is a proven anti-inflammatory which can be helpful for numerous things like muscle fatigue, joint pain, and aiding with digestion and gut inflammation (which can actually help with weight loss). Turmeric Milk or Golden Milk,in particular, is primarily used to help with colds, sore throats, headaches and depression. The spice is full of anti-oxidants, calcium, and iron just to name a few of its important elements. Also, all the scientific buzz around turmeric has grown because the main compound in turmeric, curcumin (which actually gives it its bright hue), has also been studied for its ability to potentially ward off serious health issues like heart attacks and diabetes. Another compound in turmeric that is currently being studied is aromatic tumerone, which has been found to promote repair to stem cells in the brain. With a list like that, in lieu of taking a spoonful of turmeric (I do not suggest that...eeech!) it's definitely worth trying to add some turmeric to a smoothie or whipping up a dairy beverage. To incorporate turmeric into my own diet (on a more regular basis) I tried multiple recipes: most that I did not like. So being an iced coffee/shake lover, I ultimately landed on this variation.

valentine's day dinner

Cooking is love made visible.

Looking for a little inspiration for a last-minute Valentine's Day dinner at home? A classic Indian meal with a few Valentine's inspired touches may add just the right amount of spice* to your night. *If you can get past my lame pun, I promise these are a few must-try recipes of Indian favorites from some great sources. Happy Valentine's Day!

Hors D' oeuvre: Start with this Indian inspired cheeseboard
Main: Tandoori Chicken from  one of NYC's hottest Indian restaurants, Babu Ji
Side: (or vegetarian Main): Spicy Cauliflower Steaks from Vij's at Home: Relax Honey (from the famed Vancouver chef Vikram Vij of Vij's and Rangoli)
Side: Beetroot Raita from Shef's Kitchen (If you are in the Austin area, Shef has a class coming up next week. You can see her class schedule here)
Dessert: Strawberry Lassi

image sources: tastingtable.com; shefskitchen.com; houseandhome.com; saveur.com

-SD

bites: empanadas

"The belly rules the mind."-Spanish proverb

Ok, pop quiz. Name a cuisine that does not have it's own version of a dumpling or stuffed pastry. It's tough, right? There's the Chinese dumpling, jiaozi (of course), ravioli, samosas, gyozas, momos, empanadas, pierogies and at least thirty other kinds. Which makes you think.. are stuffed things in various forms, really the great unifier of humanity? No matter who or where you are, we globally seem to unanimously agree that if you take some filling, wrap it in dough, fry/steam/boil it, that it will likely be delicious.

One of my all time favorite bites is Latin cuisine's version of the stuffed pastry: the empanada. Usually when I have had an empanada in the past, the dough was usually wheat flour based. However on a recent trip to Costa Rica, I noticed their delicious versions were made with a sweet, corn dough. So, when I got back to Dallas, in order to get a similar empanada fix, I headed over to a local Latin cafe, Zaguan. Zaguan is a well-known, casual spot in Dallas for Latin pastries, meals and coffee. The cafe is best known for it's arepa, which if you are not familiar with the dish, is a corn flour dough "turnover" that is grilled and filled with cheese and/or meat. The empanadas are equally as scrumptious, especially the Venezuelan (and Columbian) varieties. You have the option to fill them with cheese, savory beef or chicken and the outside is a sweet, fried golden corn flour dough. For some variety, try their Argentinian version, where the dough is made of wheat flour. While empanadas are customarily eaten for breakfast, they work perfect as mid-afternoon snack or light lunch.

If you cannot make it to Zaguan's, here's a few empanada recipes to try at home.

In case you missed them, some past bites:
"The Jack" Cupcake at Trailer Cakes (Dallas, TX)
Chai Pie at Pondicheri (Houston, TX)
Thai pastries at Bhan Kanom Thai (Los Angeles, CA)
Bread Pudding Whoopie Pies at Society Bakery (Dallas, TX)

image source: SD
(Bamboo utensils from Sur La Table; patterned napkin from World Market)

-SD

kulfi popsicles

"When he sings, it makes me melt like a popsicle on the fourth of July." - Darla in The Little Rascals

This past holiday weekend was ideal for making and enjoying homemade popsicles. And while the options for popsicle recipes are endless, I always gravitate towards this family favorite: kulfi. I have seen my Mom make this easy, modern version of the frozen, dense Indian dessert my whole life. In fact, I had just assumed that was how kulfi must be made without actually knowing the ancient and fascinating process to make authentic kulfi. While making the simplified version (recipe below) this weekend, she described the traditional (and quite tedious) kulfi-making process which made me even more grateful for how delicious the modern version is. The popular Indian street food when prepared traditionally requires slow cooking sweet and evaporated milk for several hours until it is reduced almost in half and gains a very distinct caramelized flavor. Then the mixture is put into tight, enclosed molds that are submerged into an ice-salt mixture in an insulated, earthen pot (matka) and slow frozen. And since this method pre-dates modern freezers,  this is all done without a freezer, people.  While most street vendors in India these days sell mass-produced kulfis, you can still spot some vendors carrying the earthen pots selling the frozen treats made in that method that dates all the way back to the 16th century. 

Easy Kulfi popsicles (Makes about 16 popsicles depending on your mold size)
15 oz. (about 2 cups) ricotta cheese
120z. can evaporated milk
14 oz. condensed milk
Handful of crushed pistachios
(Optional) splash of kewra water or rose water

1. Blend ricotta cheese, evaporated milk, condensed milk until smooth. 
2. Add crushed pistachios and a splash of kewra or rose water (if desired). Stir. 
3. Pour into molds (I used these vintage style popsicle molds) and freeze for at least 8 hours in your freezer or matka;)

If you want to be more authentic, instead of stirring in the pistachios, you can just add them to the bottom (or top) of each mold, before/after pouring the mixture. There are also tons of variations including garnishing with ground cardamom or saffron. Another traditional way to serve kulfi is in a bowl topped with boiled vermicelli (falooda) and rose syrup.

Can't get enough kulfi? Here are some other popular varieties:
Simple kulfi (with cardamom)
Mango kulfi
Falooda kulfi

image source: SD and my Dad

-SD

peach ice cream

"There are a whole lot of things in this world of ours you haven't even started wondering about yet.” -James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Along with being Father's Day, Sunday also marked this year's summer solstice--the official start of the northern hemisphere's summer season (and fun fact I always forget: the longest day of the year!). It seemed fitting on such an official summer day, to check-in on the progress on my 2015 summer to-do list (you can track my progress on Instagram @pinkrickshaw). At the very top of the list was making this quintessential summer treat: peach ice cream. Peach ice cream is one of those very classic, old-fashioned summer ice creams that you should not be in a rush when making or eating. This recipe results in a subtly flavored, refreshing and very creamy variety of the frozen fruit delight. It is perfect served right after it's been churned with a sprig of mint and a side of reminiscing about past summer memories. (For extra nostalgia points, tell people you hand-cranked this peach ice cream for hours. Just be sure to act like your arm is really sore and of course, hide your ice cream maker.)

This recipe requires peeling your ripe peaches which was honestly the only intimidating part of this recipe. I used this method to peel the peaches by first scoring the skin with a "X" with a sharp knife, immersing them in boiling water for about 40 seconds and them shocking them in an ice bath. (If that just sounds like too much work on a lazy, summer day, this is an alternative recipe that mashes the peaches instead using a potato masher and does not require peeling.)

Peach Ice Cream (makes about 1 quart)
Recipe from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

1 1/3 lbs. ripe peaches (I used local, Texas peaches...yee haw!!)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

1. Peel the peaches (see method above), slice them in half and remove the pits. Cut the peaches into chunks and cook them with the water in a medium, nonreactive (i.e. stainless steel or tin lined) saucepan over medium heat, covered, stirring once or twice, until soft and cooked through. It takes about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar and then cool to room temperature.
3. Puree the cooked peaches and liquid in a blender with the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla, and lemon juice until almost smooth but slightly chunky. 
4. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker. 

image source: SD

-SD

indian inspired cheese plate

Sweet dreams are made of cheese
Who am I to diss a brie?
I cheddar the world and the feta cheese
Everybody’s looking for stilton
-A  perfectly cheesy parody of this classic song

A good cheese plate is a go-to staple when entertaining or even for a simple night-in. But where I have been stumped in the past is where is the easy cheese plate equivalent when serving an Indian meal? (Note: Indian hors d'oeuvres are typically as labor intensive (if not more) than the entrees themselves and therefore the last thing I want to make in addition to the meal.) To remedy this, I put together an Indian inspired platter that is still a basic cheese plate but incorporates in some Indian flavors and items. What definitely made this a bit more challenging is that cheese is not typically a part of Indian cuisine (with the exception of paneer..more on that later), so it does take a little bit of creativity and a few specialty items.

Like with any cheese plate, you want to stick to your basic cheese board principles by including a variety of textures and flavors which typically includes: one aged cheese, one soft cheese, one firm cheese and one blue cheese. Then you can add in your various accompaniments which include seasonal fruit, sweet preserves or honey and savory snacks like nuts or cured meats. Here's what I tried, but really there are endless possibilities.

vietnamese coffee ice cream

“My love is a flower shaped like a snowflake. It won’t melt, so perhaps ice cream should be made out of it.”-Jarod Kintz

It has been an especially harsh and long winter for most of the country (you know things are especially bad when even folks like us in Texas are over the snow and low temps). But you know what that say, when life gives you snow...make snow ice cream. Well, at least that's what this Missouri reporter suggests. When I came across this video, I thought, "wow, what a novel, albeit, crazy idea." But turns out snow ice cream is a traditional treat that has been enjoyed for generations. Just take fresh snow, mix with condensed milk (or milk) and vanilla extract and voila!  I cannot vouch for how this tastes (or the sanitary aspect of it) but if you are need of an alternative winter ice cream fix, I can suggest one of my favorite ice cream recipes. It also uses condensed milk, is rich in flavor, and is delicious. No snow required.

Ice cream in the winter is a wonderful time to try some of the deeper and richer flavors that might seem too heavy in the warm, summer months. I absolutely love rich and sweet Vietnamese coffee, so I was super excited to try the ice cream version. This easy recipe from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz (aka the ice cream bible. If you make ice cream at all, this book is fail proof and the best. You will notice almost every ice cream recipe on Pink Rickshaw is from Lebovitz's amazing book)

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream (Makes about 1 quart)
1 1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups brewed espresso (or very strongly brewed coffee, preferably brewed in a French Press)  (I used this instant espresso coffee  and it was excellent)
1/2 cup half-and-half (or whole milk if you prefer)
Pinch (I used about 1 teaspoon) finely ground dark roast coffee

Whisk together the condensed milk, espresso, half-and-half and ground coffee. Chill the mixture thoroughly (took about a couple of hours) and then throw it in the ice cream maker. 

image source: SD

-SD

homemade ricotta cheese

"The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese."-Gilbert K. Chesterton

The idea of making homemade cheese is fairly intimidating. There are animal enzymes involved (rennet is equal parts amazing and gross), patience and more patience. But in the quest to try new things, I purchased this kit and was looking forward to giving it a whirl. Okay, actually I was terrified. So in the spirit of easing into the adventures of cheesemaking, I needed to start with something whey simpler (I allowed myself one cheese making pun. There will be no more, I promise). Inspired by my favorite local Italian restaurant, Carbone's, who serves their delicious housemade ricotta with warm garlic bread as an antipasti, I thought it would be fun to try a homemade version. Traditionally ricotta is made from heating the leftover whey from other cheese making projects but fortunately there are simplified methods to make ricotta like this one. The recipe is easy with no special kit or ingredients required. Commence the cheesemaking.

quinoa muffin bites

"I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond."  -Mae West

January tends to be synonymous with healthy eating. The fresh promise of a new year filled with smaller portions, organic ingredients and the attempt at an elimination diet that would make Gwyneth Paltrow proud. Then February arrives in all of its chocolate and candy glory and well...you know the rest of the story. So, after an indulgent holiday season, I too, have been looking forward to starting the new year with some clean and healthy foods. But instead of fooling myself into committing to a new diet that probably would not stick, I have decided to try out some healthier recipes this month that could be added to my weekly rotation year round. First up, some healthy breakfast choices. In past years, my breakfast food posts have consisted more of the unhealthy variety (fried and sugary apple cider donuts, anyone?). So I thought I would start the new year off with a lighter take on baked goods with these savory quinoa bites using this recipe. They are perfect for a portion of protein in the morning and the recipe uses up any leftover quinoa from the night before.

The recipe which yields about 40 mini muffins is quite easy and the goat cheese adds some punch to some otherwise bland quinoa. Some tips: When baking the bites, although the recipe says 7-9 minutes, it took closer to 15 minutes for me.  If quinoa bites are your jam for 2015, there are tons of variations of the baked bites to try. 

image source: SD

-SD

apple cider donuts

"Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?"-Matt Groening

Around this time last year, I had the pleasure of visiting my brother when he lived in Hartford, Connecticut. One of my fondest memories of the trip (besides periodically pestering my brother by asking him if we could visit Stars Hollow*), was enjoying delightful apple cider doughnuts at a road side stand. The cider doughnut is a harvest tradition in the northeastern United States and can be found at cider mill stands along with mulled apple cider. Ask a Northerner and she will likely speak quite fondly of enjoying a nice apple cider doughnut after a day of picking apples.  As a cider doughnut newbie, I was surprised that the doughnuts do not have a strong apple taste. They have a light, subtle sweetness, a bit of tang and a hint of delicious spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Since I would not be visiting a stand this year, I thought what would Sookie St. James* do? Well, try a homemade version, of course. And I  have to say, they may actually be better than the ones at the stands. I used this recipe from pastry chef Lauren Dawson that was printed in the Washington Post several years ago. It seems to be the go-to recipe for these doughnuts as they have been adapted multiple times on various recipe sites.