10-minute Salvation Cabbage

This recipe gets done in less time than it takes me to write about it, expecially considering it took me two attempts to actually upload the picture. It is really  my salvation on some weeknights when I need a vegetable to balance out the meal. In fact, these days I actually keep chopped cabbage handy in the fridge. It would actually take away the essense of the recipe to write a long post around it.

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Kalbi House - Korean in White Plains

Trying a new ethnic restaurant can be interesting for a variety of reasons – it of course offers us a new place to try and of course if the food is good, it adds one more place to the family dining collection. If you have little ones like us, a new style of food can also afford an opportunity to talk about the Geography and other cultural snippets of the cuisine that we are trying.  It was mostly a combination of proximity and adventure that drew us to Kalbi House, actually a while back and we have been back a couple of times since. Actually, we even tried little Korea in NYC and I shall tell you at some other about that experience.

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Panch Misali Chorchori - Bengali Mixed Vegetable Medley

Our Sunday lunches are usually both simple and complex at the same time. I try to do something closer to homey food. Something either I have grown up with or probably something closer to the MIL's cooking. Winter has been really hard this year and this weekend we wanted something simple and satisfying. I cooked a light Dal, some fish and then this chorchori. A chorchori is the Bengali word for a mishmash or medley of vegetables, both frugal and healthy at the same time.

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Waldy's Pizza - New York City

I first visited this small and quaint neighbourbood kind of joint this summer. I realize that there are probably so many such places, but then again a place that has brought me back ever so often at lunchtime, a place along with its very good pizza, has a self full of fresh herbs that you can snip off yourself to actually season your fired Pizza with does deserve a mention. Without the little touches it would be just another neighborhood place that offers good pizza, but then food and life is always about the small touches, it is the accents that make a difference. The menu consists of thin crust crisp well spiced pizza options and a smaller selections of pasta (penne to be specific!) and fresh salads. Oh! I forgot to mention that the wall of fresh herbs also has olive and fresh parmasan and their staff are very pleasant and efficient.

The pizza topping range from the basic tomato basil to interesting and novel concepts like arugula, garlic and sunny side eggs and then everything in between. Yesterday, I ate their chicken, bacon and chipotle pizza. The pizza's come in three sizes and their small is a nice generous size for about $8 you get the pizza and a drink. They carry a small but interesting selection of Pepsi products. The do have wine and beer options should you want to have them. So if you are in that neck of the woods and want to give the place a try, you should.

The low down on Waldy's is,

Waldys Wood Fired Pizza & Penne

800 6TH AVE
New York City, New York 10001

(212) 213-5042

http://www.waldyspizza.com/



A slow simmer kind of day...

On a day like today, it probably was not a bad day to be indoors, if the icy weather was the only issue that was impacting the state of my universe. The kids had no school, so I was at home trying to get some work done. It is actually a treat for both them and me to squeeze in that extra time. However, this was more going on and not all good, the car refused to start yesterday when I got back from the train, possibly a result of my doing so that needed to be dealt with and it looks like I have managed to loose a flash drive that had all kinds of stuff and despite my best intentions this stuff was not backed up and then there was more.

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Creamy Lemon Thai Inspired Noodles

Some weeknights, you feel totally wiped just because it is the end of the week. All things considered it was not a bad week as things go. The weekend is not quite measuring up, the dad and the son are rather sick which does not make for fun.
The end of my weekend was a rather fascinating and unusual train encounter.
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Jade Garden - A potentially viable Dim Sum option

Before we discovered Aberdeen and Central Ave Seafood, there was a restaurant we used to go to called David's Jade Garden. The place closed down they had something else in there and looks like they are back to being a Chinese and Dim Sum joint.
I am not sure about the management just commenting on the nature of the restaurant. There is something comforting about small plates, irrespective of the cuisine, something that sort spells relaxed and experimental without being overwhelming.
The place is very spacious and as our local Dim Sum restaurants go, pretty decent in terms of decor. The colors are lighter and brighter. The general think that we really liked was that despite being reasonably crowed, we did not feel crowded in.
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Saucy Shrimp Vindaloo

Last week in class, I had a spice lover, I mean a serious about my chilies kind of guy. So at his request I wanted to scope out a spicy recipe. When you tend to think spice in Indian food, what comes to my mind actually is the thought of vindaloo. A vindaloo, is a dish that is most popular in the western coastline of India and has Portuguese roots. I was looking for a recipe that was bold but not overwelmningly spicy since for a class setting, it is important to balance the flavors and the spice. So I went on a quest for a spice balanced recipe.

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End of the Week Cracked Wheat Pilaf

This simple and reasonably healtht effort is the result of my visits to Shiraz Grocery is that I end up picking up stuff, all sorts of stuff - pistachios, saffrons, dried fruit, tea and even odds and ends.
Yes, Mr Shiraz man and I are now good buddies, he always offers me persian recipe tips and in turn I tell him how to Indianize things so we have a happy relationship. He was even concerned about my coping with the cold weather given than we do not have such cold weather in India. Now, that is concern about a customer! Anyhow I digress...
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Bhojan - A delightful stop

This little spot in the Indian hub in NYC around Lexington and the corner of 27th was a pleasant surprise and absolutely joy to visit.

The word Bhojan actually translates to a meal in Hindi. This little spot is a vegetarian tea room and cafe that actually also serves regular healthy complete meals in Indian platters called Thalis.

The restaurant has warm open brick walls, reminding you of rural style Indian decor. The space was small and packed this afternoon that I visited. The wait staff however moved very efficiently through it all to accept and service your order.

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Clove Tea and Coconut Date Cake

I love tea, and have managed to transfer my affection for this unassuming brew over to my  husband. I am fussy about the temperature and variety and in winter I love to add spices in my tea. Clove is one such variation. The tea I used for this particular recipe was whole leaf Assam tea.
For texture purposes this a full bodies black tea, usually the kind found in the English breakfast blends. This also holds it own with a bold flavor like cloves. To make clove tea my way is pretty simple.
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Seriously Good Potato Fries

This recipe is as essential and as basic as it gets. Somewhere a few weeks back, the husband was running fever and needed to get to the immediate care facility. Actually, this was about a week before, the cat and his Christmas day visit. Well, the problem with our house like most houses is that one of the grown ups are sick. It is not quite so easy for the other partner in crime to leave the house and take the sick grown up to the doctor. Taking the thus far well little ones to such a place is just asking for trouble.

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Happy New Year - A stop in Ardsley

 In the midst of everything we have started a year, in fact, "the holidays" are over! I had initially not really thought of a resolution. For some reason, I gave up that idea last year. However, as they say ideas exist to be changed. This year as I end the weekend and get ready to brave the new year in earnest, my resolution is to enjoy and be grateful for the simple pleasures of life. The ones that we sometimes take for granted. 

The year thus far already promises to be filled with a lot of them.

Late last year, just before Christmas, Anshul and I made a stop to a relatively new Indian place in town called Calcutta Wrap and Roll. A restaurant named after the town I was born in is naturally worth a visit just based on its name, however once I was there I think the place deserves to be visited for a whole lot more reasons.

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