What makes South Asian food worth every dime?

When I say South Asian, I mean the food from the sub-continent that I have tried so far in Northern Virginia.: Indian, Pakistani, Nepali and the harder-to-find Sri Lankan. Over the past year or so, I have been a regular at two of these desi restaurants: Mumbai Central, in Falls Church VA (more of a fine dining experience) and Spice Circle Desi on Columbia Pike in Arlington VA. While I would definitely recommend these restaurants, what I really want to talk about here is the broader desi food scene. The strengths I have consistently found across these two restaurants are:   

Curries laboriously cooked with a mix of spices: Anyone who has spent time in an Indian kitchen would know what it takes to prepare a curry. These dishes are generally quite labor-intensive: from chopping lots of onions and tomatoes, grinding spices, and then deciding whether a dish calls for frying, pressure or slow cooking..- it is a very hands-on experience. Take garam masala for instance - it is made fresh from grinding toasted cumin, coriander seeds, pepper corns, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and other whole spices. Then there is the ginger and garlic chilli paste - you can choose to use the store-bought paste versus making your own paste with fresh garlic pods and ginger.... the same goes for tomatoes - store-bought puree versus fresh tomatoes....In my experience, the fresher the ingredients, better are the flavors. A dish truly cuts it for me when I can tell that the pastes and spices were freshly prepared.  

Spinach chicken, black dal, tandoori chicken
with Rosemary naan, Mumbai Central

Grilled meats: Much like the barbecue traditions around the world, Indian and Pakistani have their own version of tandoori meats: cooked in a clay oven. The smoky flavors, the crisp exterior and juicy insides is what makes tandoori meats special. They are also lower calories, protein heavier options than the curries but equally satisfying. Kebabs - either as large chunks of meat or minced meat mixed with spices and shaped on skewers - also made in a tandoor are a highlight mostly in Pakistani restaurants that typically serve them with a side of delicious chole (chickpeas curry) and naan (bread) that is also baked in the same tandoor. You'll even find a whole fish like pomfret prepared in a tandoor along with other specialties like Lahori fried fish. 

Karahi chicken, Spice Circle Desi 
with seekh kebabs

Regional diversity: There is a famous analogy that India is a continent pretending to be a country - I think the same can be said about its food. If you are in a larger city, like Salisbury, UK where I recently visited, you might get lucky to experience the regional flavors. On this trip, I discovered a restaurant serving food from the Malabar coast of Kerala in Southern India - Kerala style fish curry cooked with fragrant curry leaves and mustard seeds paired with Kerala parathas. Even dishes that share the same name can vary by region. Take Karahi chicken for instance - a desi chicken is spicier and cooked with green chillies while the Peshawari style is milder . And then there are the chilli momos I have had at Nepali restaurants - compared to the more common steamed or fried versions served with a variety of sauces. Regional cuisines across South Asia offer a wide range of dishes that vary in cooking styles, ingredients, or spice levels.

Lots of vegetarian options: One of the strengths of South Asian, particularly Indian restaurants is the variety of vegetarian or vegan options on the menu. If you are not a vegan, paneer or cottage cheese is a star ingredient. Rich, hearty curries like paneer lababdar feature cubes of paneer, sometimes lightly grilled before cooking in an onion and tomato rich gravy. Rarer to find, Gujrathi or Rajasthani cuisine that Rupa Vira or Jodhpur, both in Northern Virginia specialize in vegetarian dishes. Meanwhile, Mumbai Central features a vegetarian version of Parsi Dhansak - a rice and lentil stew - one of the first times I have even seen it on a mainstream Indian menu. 

Croissants, Cheese, and Chicken: My Culinary Adventure in Southern France

After spending a month here, I can confidently say that there were many things I loved about the food scene in Aix en Provence.   

What I loved about it! 

Fresh, seasonal produce everywhere: Whether I was in the heart of the city or exploring tourist sites, I never had to walk too far to find vendors selling fresh fruit, vegetables or fresh juices.  

Specialized foods: The French take their bread and cheese seriously- and so did I. From traditional white and whole grain loaves to sweet honey-flavored breads, their boulangeries as well as fromageries sold a variety in all shapes and sizes. The cheeses ranged from being pasteurized/non-pasteurized, flavored/non-flavored, garnished/non-garnished, aged/fresh. Fresh bread and cheese specially made an easy and quick lunch to fix. And then there were the olives (variety of green, black, and flavored) that could be eaten just as a snack or made into a tapenade. And though I am not much of a wine connoisseur, if you are, Aix offered several opportunities to explore their wine and cheese pairings at local stores and vineyards.  

Rotiserrie chicken: Smaller sized (than I am used to in the US at Peruvian restaurants) roast chickens, were sold at farmers' markets and were in high demand!  

Ethnic food scene in Marseille, just a train ride from Aix was a treat. I visited a few North African stores selling spices, olives and even dined at a Spanish Tapas restaurant in the city's vibrant neighborhood of Le Panier- I left Marseille wishing I had more time to explore! 

Small portion sizes: Restaurant portions were noticeably smaller than I am used to in the US - but they felt just right. Sauces were made with fresh ingredients (like pesto) which added so much more flavor to the dishes.  

And a few not-so-favorites!  

Croissants: Don't get me wrong. I enjoy a good croissant. But after five weeks of seeing (and eating) them everywhere, even the smaller chocolate filled ones, started to feel like empty calories. Sometimes, there really can be too much of a good thing!  

Viennoiseries: Patisseries here took great pride in their viennoiseries (think croissants, brioches, pain au chocolat), while I was grateful to have sampled them, they felt too rich for an everyday indulgence. By the end of it, I found myself wishing for more savory snack options at the patisseries.   

Lastly, while cooking with fresh seafood from the local markets was a joy, restaurant prepared seafood dishes were often under-seasoned. Besides salt and pepper, I hoped for more herbs and spices in my seafood.

Tacquerias in Falls Church, VA

Tacos at Taco Bamba

Ever since visiting Mexico City and experiencing its street food, we've developed a love for exploring local taquerias in our area. Fortunately, Falls Church has several great options. 

The local taquerias I discuss here all tend to have a casual diner-style setup, with a few tables and mostly tall bar stools overlooking the kitchen, where you can watch the tacos being prepared. They also primarily focus on tacos, sold individually, but also offered other Mexican staples like enchiladas, sopes, tortas, and tostadas, accompanied by a variety of dipping sauces. Some even had a few dessert options, like churros.

Tinga chicken sope and birria quesadillas,
La Tingeria

The first taqueria is Taco Bamba, a well-known spot in the Washington, DC area with multiple locations across the region. Since the Falls Church location is the closest to us, we’ve been there several times. My favorites are the tacos, sold individually for $5 each, with a variety of options like slow-roasted lamb birria (my personal favorite), spicy shrimp, shredded pork, and creative fusion flavors like butter chicken tacos. They also offer traditional breakfast items on their menu, which I have yet to try.

The second taqueria we visited was La Tingeria, also in Falls Church, VA. We tried their goat birria tacos ($3.5/piece), along with birria quesadillas ($11), which were more reasonably priced. They also offered beef birria tacos and sopes, a popular Mexican street food dish that reminded me of Venezuelan arepas—fried cornbread topped with beans, a protein of your choice (we chose tinga chicken), lettuce, and a generous amount of cheese. It was my first time trying sopes, and they were both incredibly delicious and filling. Another positive of La Tingeria is that they use halal meats. For dessert, they had churros and tres leches cake, though we haven’t had the chance to try them yet.

Mexican tacos at Wild Tacoz

Mexican pizza at Wild Tacoz

Finally, the last taqueria we visited was Wild Tacoz, which had a unique twist—it offered both Mexican and Greek tacos. Located right across from La Tingeria, this family-run spot also sells tacos by the piece, though what stood out the most were their house-made salsas, which were the best of the three places we tried. Like the other taquerias, they also served quesadillas, burritos, and even pizzas in both Mexican and Greek styles. We tried their Mexican pizza and given the crust was thinner than usual, it didn't feel as carb heavy as most pizzas.  Similar to La Tingeria, they also served halal meats. I’ve tried their tacos twice, and they were delicious. What I particularly appreciated was the generous amounts of fresh veggies in each taco. However, they were also the most expensive amongst the three, priced at $6 per taco. I also tried their version of Greek "tacos," which used pita bread instead of tortillas but had similar fillings. Their drink selection was impressive as well, featuring options like Peruvian Inca Kola and Mexican cola.

Overall, I love street food in general, and tacos, in particular. They are such a convenient and satisfying snack to enjoy any time of the day! Thankfully, Falls Church is not wanting for options!

Street tacos in Mexico City

A Taste of the world in Geneva

Cheesy crepe at Gourmandaise cafe

Our first visit to Geneva, Switzerland was a delightful surprise when it came to the diversity of cuisines, we were able to experience. Given its proximity to Austria and the Alps, I initially expected the food to lean more towards traditional European styles, similar to what we encountered during our prior trip to that region. However, Geneva's culinary scene reminded me more of Paris, which makes sense given its shared border with France. Even the airport reflects this connection, with one exit leading to the French side and another to the Swiss side, which we took.

During our week-long work trip to Geneva in the fall, we had the chance to explore the city's vibrant food scene. It was incredibly convenient to sample a variety of global cuisines—Egyptian, Turkish gyros, and African—all located close to the main street of Rue de Lausanne, not too far from Geneva Lake. Indian is often my go-to choice when traveling, and we enjoyed it on our last day of the trip at Indian bites. However, it was the African restaurants that truly surprised us and left us the most satisfied.

Eritrean platter at Hidmona

We had our first experience with Eritrean food during our visit to Geneva. The Eritrean cuisine that we tried at Hidmona reminded us of Ethiopian at Little Ethiopia restaurant. The items on the menu we included large plates with fresh injera and a variety of sides like lentils, vegetables (both cooked and fresh salads), and a variety of meats such as lamb, beef, and chicken. The service was also pretty solid.

We also had the chance to try African cuisine at Zanzibar African cuisine and lounge bar, which featured a whole fried fish served with a tomato gravy, a side of blanched spinach, and a coconut-based chicken curry with a bold cardamom flavor. The meal was accompanied by three different chutneys for tasting. The portions were generous compared to typical European servings, and while the dishes weren’t overly spicy, they were packed with the flavors of Indian spices—something I always find myself craving by the end of every meal.

Fish in tangy sauce at Zanzibar 

We also indulged in more stereotypically local flavors throughout this trip, especially for breakfast. These included the usual staples such as croissants and crepes—both savory with cheese and sweet—as well as fresh salads. And of course we made sure to return with some Swiss chocolates. 

The weather in Geneva was so beautiful that we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the city on foot. We also made a day trip to Annecy in France, just a couple of hours away. We spent most of the day in the touristy part of the city, where the food was very typical of French/Swiss cuisine, with cheese platters, baked goods, and cold meats dominating the menus. We opted for lunch at an Italian pizzeria, which was decent, but what really stood out to me were the significantly lower prices in Annecy compared to Geneva.

Geneva, in general, was pricier—both food and other expenses—especially for tourists. But, as with most places, the price came with a sense of class. I would definitely classify Geneva as a very classy city, and despite its bustling atmosphere, it had a peaceful vibe that made me feel at ease. I would love to visit again if I get the chance. 

Our recent visit to Amritsar, Punjab

 

Butter chicken with butter naan

It was my first time visiting the city of Amritsar, in the state of Punjab, India. Growing up, most of my knowledge of Punjab and its community came from watching Indian cinema and reading Khuswant Singh's novels. So, I was really excited to experience the culture first-hand during this visit. Often simply characterized as flamboyant in movies, I was mostly struck by the generosity of the Sikh community. Mostly, I found the langar (free meals served to masses daily) and the free drinks to beat the summer heat very commendable. The Golden temple, beautifully lit in the evenings along with the loud chanting was a surreal experience. I finally got to experience authentic Punjabi cuisine in the lands of its origin, which was a welcome departure from the version of this food one encounters on menus in most Indian restaurants.

   

For breakfast, we tried parathas (stuffed breads mostly with potato, cauliflower or cottage cheese), chole-kulcha (freshly made flour breads with dollops of butter and a side of chick-pea curry just melted in your mouth) with a buttermilk drink (lassi) in various dining settings. However, my personal favorite version was the one served in the mom-n-pop restaurants located in the tiny streets of the old town. Although navigating this side of the town was a bit chaotic, it was worth all the effort. 

Kebabs with garlic naan

Butter chicken or chicken makhani made from spiced tomato gravy and lots of butter that is present in global Indian cuisine finds its origin in this part of the world. It didn't disappoint. We tried several versions of the dish during our trip, but my personal favorite was the one we had at the Punjabi "village" Sadda Pind. The reasonably priced buffet at Rs 850 per head (approximately 10 dollars) included in the entrance fee, was indeed a treat. In addition, I had a very good butter chicken meal here along with a variety of other authentic Punjabi dishes like dal makhani, paneer lababdar, Punjabi kadi, and freshly prepared naans doused with generous amounts of butter. The service was spectacular! In addition to the buffet, we also got to sample freshly prepared makki ki roti and sarson da saag (corn bread with mustard and spinach greens) at a local stall. 

Breakfast kulcha with chole

Finally, I would not be doing justice to the city's food scene without mentioning the succulent chicken tikka and lamb chops, served with garlic naan cut into small squares we had at one of the highway dabba (restaurant) near the India-Pakistan border. Although not very cheap, the meat was juicy and charred lending it an unforgettable flavor. Finally, if you have a sweet tooth, you must not miss the freshly made jalebis on the streets in Old Town.  

I only wished it was a bit cooler (37 degrees Celsius in summer months, is probably not the best time to visit the city, but well...). If you are thinking of visiting the city, you must plan a trip in the winter months. Nevertheless, Amritsar offered a great experience especially if you are keen to try out authentic Punjabi cuisine. Last but not the least, this trip was made special by my older sisters, who I got to bond with after decades, which is rare given adult responsibilities. 

Grilled fish with a coconut-based curry and spinach

Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 fillets of salmon (you can use any fish of your choice such as trout)
1 can coconut milk 

2 green chillies (optional)
1/2 red onion
1/2 medium sized tomato 
1/2 teaspoon of each of these Indian spices (chilli, turmeric, coriander and cumin, garam masala)
a pinch of saffron (optional)
1 bay leaf 
1 stick of cinnamon

Sliced almonds for garnish (optional)

Avocado oil 

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Cook spinach with a little bit of oil in a pan for a minute or so. After it releases water, keep it aside. 

Step 2: Sauté finely chopped green chilies and onion in a pan with some oil of your choice. After it has turned slightly golden, add some finely chopped tomato, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and all spices except garam masala and let it cook. 

Step 3: After it has cooked to resemble the consistency of a thick paste, add the coconut milk and a few strands of saffron if you have them. If the milk is very thick you can add some water. Add some garam masala, and let it simmer for 5 minutes or so and keep it aside. 

Step 4: Cut the salmon into fillets of desired sizes. Sprinkle some salt, pepper, spray it with oil and let it broil in the oven (at 450F) for 10 minutes on parchment paper in a baking pan. If you like your salmon slightly under-cooked, you could keep it in for 5 minutes. 

Step 5: Garnish the fish with some sliced almonds and saffron. Serve hot with rice. 

Lamb shank with greens (an Instapot recipe)

Ingredients

1 bag baby spinach 
Two large lamb legs
2 small red onions (finely diced)

2 tablespoons of each of these spices (chilli, turmeric, garam masala powders)

2 bay leaves

4 pods of whole garlic
2 tablespoons of whole spices (pepper corns, coriander seeds, fried ginger)
1 small can of tomato paste

Cooking oil (I used coconut oil)

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Saute the onion in oil, add the whole spices, garlic pods and let it cook in an Instapot (on the sauté function) for 4 minutes or so until the onion is soft. 

Step 2: Dice the baby spinach leaves and add it to it. Let it cook for another 4 minutes on the sauté function. 

Step 3: Add the tomato can, and the lamb. Cook for approximately 6-7 on Slow cook function on the Instapot. If you would like to cook it faster, you can pressure cook it. 

Step 4: Serve hot with naan or rice. I served it with separately cooked khichadi (rice cooking with lentils, chick peas and kidney beans).

What to eat at Afghani restaurant in McLean Virginia, - Aracosia

I first had Afghani cuisine after immigrating to the United States. Since then, I have mostly 

Lamb shank with rice cooked with lentils

associated the cuisine with kebabs. Then I was introduced to Panjshir, a fine dining restaurant in Falls Church, VA where I was first introduced to Afghani curries. They are very similar to Indian curries, but watered-down with respect to spice levels. Then came Aracosia, a fine-dining restaurant (also reasonably priced) with two locations in Washington DC and Mclean, VA. It has become my culinary home when it comes to Afghani cuisine.

Aracosia has a pretty large menu, which includes appetizers prepared with vegetables like roasted eggplant and squash, potato and leek turnovers or sambosas, dumplings with veggies and/or meat, and lots of kebab platters. But the dishes I crave the most are the aforementioned curries or stews (Kormas) and the chutneys/sauces that they serve complementary with bread. Of the latter, I prefer the avocado and mango chutneys. 

Squash sambosas

  The meat-based entrees will leave you a feeling of being satiated yet wanting more. Some of my favorites are lamb shank, chicken Lawan, and Rumi's chicken. The meats are cooked well and served with greens or veggies like eggplant and served on a bed of basmati rice and served in reasonable portions. On their lunch menu, they even have a lamb shank served with rice cooked with lentils, kidney beans and chickpeas, akin to a khichadi. They not only have several vegetarian options for vegans but also several preparations made from veal and beef. 

Finally, I also enjoy the overall ambience due to the comfortable seating, light music, and outstanding service. 

If you are in the DVA and in mood for South Asian cuisine, this is a must-try!! 

Mexico, mi amor

One way to fall in love with a new city is through its food, which is how it worked in our case with Mexico City when we visited it last Spring. We especially enjoyed the street food, specifically the tacos and chilaquiles, which excelled both in terms of flavor and price. 

Chicken in Mole sauce at Villa Maria

The most memorable fine-dining experience was at Villa Maria, which is where I tried mole chicken (chocolate-based sauce) for the first time while watching a Mariachi band. While somewhat touristy for my taste, it was worth it, for mostly the live music. The food wasn't terrible.   

Enchiladas in verde salsa

Flan

Some of the fancier neighborhoods like Polanco or La Condesa boast high-end, yuppie restaurants that you might want to treat yourself to at some point during your trip. We tried multiple such places for brunch and dinner, including Madre Cafe and a Latin-Asian fusion restaurant whose name escapes me, where I had a delicious baos with crunchy crab, along with dumplings with mole sauce, and a whole crispy red snapper in a sweet and sour sauce. All dishes were well executed, and we loved the flavors. 

Another of my favorite meals in the city were the enchiladas. Enchiladas, a traditional dish, are stuffed corn tortillas, mostly with a protein and served in copious amount of a savory sauce of your choice (red/roja or green/verde) with grated cheese on top. To my palate, this dish resembled an Indian curry due to the salsa. We had it several times during our short visit.   

Finally, owing to not having a much of a sweet tooth, I am usually not very curious about desserts. But I did try Mexican flan, mostly because it resembled caramel pudding, one of my favorite Indian dishes along with guava pastries. The flan didn't disappoint me with respect to taste (well sugar never does!) although I preferred it in street shops more than dine-in restaurants. 

All in all, this trip was worth it for the food alone. 

Southeast Impressions - A Southeast Asian restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia

Red snapper curry with Chicken Mi goreng

Southeast Impressions
9530 Fairfax Blvd, Fairfax, VA 22031 ·
Rating: 2/5.

Southeast Impressions, a newly opened restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia, specializes in cuisines from Southeast Asia (mostly Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean). Unlike Chinese or Vietnamese restaurants, Malaysian restaurants are rare in the NOVA region. Although I was delighted to discover this place and visited it twice so that I could try more dishes, it did not meet my expectations and the experience wasn't a memorable one. 

 The roti canai (fried bread) generally served with a chicken curry from what I have seen in other Malaysian restaurants, was served with lentils cooked with vegetables, similar to the South Indian-style sambar curry. It wasn't particularly flavorful and personally I did not feel it was even worth it's price.  

Laksa curry

Of the two curries we tried, the laksa curry was with noodles at the bottom was served with a decent helping of protein in the form of scallop, shrimp, egg and chicken. But the flavors were mediocre, and the seafood did not taste very fresh. The duck curry was very disappointing in terms of the portion of protein especially when I compare it to other Asian restaurants. The red snapper cooked with gravy and basil was one of the most expensive dishes on the menu. Although the portions were generous, it neither tasted fresh nor was seasoned sufficiently. 

We also tried their Mie Goreng, Malaysia style fried rice with egg, veggies, chicken and shrimp. This rice dish was by far the best of the dishes we tried. 

All in all, this restaurant offered a great ambience for dining and the service was decent, but I thought it fell short in terms of flavor and the quality of the food, especially for the price. With these issues, I have to give this place a score of 2 out of 5, and I do not want to visit it again.   

Exploring the ethnic food scene during my visit to Europe

Crispy duck in a red curry at Aurora

We spent a week in rural Austria and a weekend in Paris and had had the opportunity to experience the local Asian food scenes. In both cases, we left very pleased. 

We visited two Asian places in and around Salzburg in Austria: one was Japanese and another Chinese-run establishment. China restaurant Aurora in Kirchberg surpassed any expectations I had of this sparsely populated Alpian region. It was a family-run restaurant offering a diverse menu of which my personal favorite was the crispy duck in a red Thai curry. We also tried their Mie Goreng, the Malaysian specialty with fried crispy noodles and veggies and a side of sauce. Dishes seemed like were made to order, as the ingredients were fresh. The portions were decent. 

Mi Goreng at Aurora

In comparison to the US dining experiences, dishes we tried during our trip to Europe, especially in Paris were significantly smaller and perhaps double in price. However, the experience generally was much more satisfying, we were never disappointed with how the dishes tasted. Consequently, we were more than willing to pay the price. 

Paris, like most would expect of a big metropolis, offered an eclectic mix of cuisines to choose from. I got to try Senegalese cuisine for the first time and loved it the most amongst all the dishes we tried. I was even more pleasantly surprised when we found two Bengali sweet shops which allowed me to partake in some desi sweets that I hadn't eaten in over two decades. 

Senagelese chicken stew

The Senegalese flavors Les Marmitas de Fa had to offer were leaning spicy and gave you a feeling of homemade dishes. We tried a peanut based chicken stew with fish croquettes and came out wanting more. The server even brought me a spicy sauce to try with the croquettes on request.  Likewise, the Sichan style Chuan Wei Yuan , a small, cozy restaurant nestled in the cobbled-street neighborhood of downtown Paris made chicken with cumin taste and look so special - fried chicken cooked with copious amounts of onion and peppers, in a sizzling pan and bowl of hot sticky rice made the whole experience so delightful and memorable. 

Finally, for the South Asian/Indian food, our favorite was the meal we ate at a restaurant called Best of India and were so satisfied with their choices. They had a wide variety of South Asian/Indian dishes like the Sri-Lankan specialty kothu paratha (a paratha shredded to pieces and cooked with spices, eggs, veggies and chicken), Chettinad and Andhra chicken, known for its extra spicy flavor profile. To my hearts delight it was served with a freshly made Kerala paratha that I had eaten last at the "Mallu dhaba" in Pune a couple of decades ago. The experience stood out when I compare them to the Indian/desi restaurants in the US - my guess is the use of fresh spices, fresh vegetable as opposed to canned foods, is what makes these dishes so special making you always want more.  

All in all, if you have a palette for spicy Asian food like mine, experiencing the ethnic food scene in Paris will be completely worth your while. 

British sausage rolls

1-pound minced lamb

British sausage rolls with onion relish

1/2 red onion 

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 eggs for the mix, and 1 egg for egg wash. 

2 Pastry sheets

1/2 teaspoon chilli, turmeric, cumin and coriander powders [optional]

Step 1: Dice onion and sauté it until golden brown. 

Step 2: Mix lamb with eggs, salt, Indian spices if you prefer. Add the cooked onion to the mix. 

Step 3: Unfold the pastry sheet and cut each into half, place the prepared sausage mix into a log, about 1-inch wide in the middle of the rectangle. 

Step 4: Apply the edges of the pastry with egg wash and roll it over and seal the ends on either side. Brush the tops with egg wash. 

Step 5: Cut into 6-8 pieces and place them on a baking sheet. 

Step 6: Bake for 25 minutes at 400F. 

Step 7: Serve hot with a relish of your choice. 

Butter chicken - an instapot recipe

 Ingredients

1 whole chicken (cut into small pieces) or boneless chicken

1 large red onion
4 medium tomatoes

12 cashews

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon garam masala 

1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste

1 cup yoghurt

1/2 cup butter

Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup cream [optional]

1 cup readymade chicken stock [optional]

Step 1: Marinate the chicken pieces with ginger-garlic paste, 1 cup yoghurt and chilli/turmeric powder and set it aside for 4-5 hours. 

Step 2: In a pan, sauté sliced onion, tomatoes, cashews, chilli and garam masala powder. Let it cool and grind it into a thin paste. 

Step 3: Lightly fry (or deep fry if you prefer) the marinated chicken in the insta pot for 4-5 minutes. 

Step 4: Pour the paste into the chicken, add chicken stock, along with some butter and let it slow cook in the pot for approximately 30-40 minutes. 

Step 5: Once cooked, sprinkle some kasuri methi and cream [optional] on it. Serve hot with bread, naan or steamed rice. 

Indian style dry potato sabji

Poori bhaji

Ingredients 

5 medium potatoes 

1 teaspoon jeera seeds 

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida or hing

1 teaspoon turmeric powder 

8 green chilies

handful of coriander leaves

1 teaspoon lime 

handful curry leaves 

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Dry potato sabji or bhaji

Step 1: Boil potatoes in an Insta-Pot (2 minutes on High) or a regular pressure cooker (4 whistles). After releasing the pressure, peel and cut into small pieces and apply turmeric powder, salt, lime and little sugar. Keep aside. 

Step 2: In a separate pan, heat oil and add jeera seeds and let them cook until they splutter. Add curry leaves, asafoetida powder, and finely chopped chilies into the oil. Add some water and let it cook on a low flame for 5-7 minutes. 

Step 3: Add the potato (from step 1) and let it cook on a low flame for 5-10 minutes. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chapatis or pooris. 

Sesame Prawn Toast

Sesame prawn toast 

Ingredients

White bread slices (as needed)
12-15 prawns/shrimps
2 tablespoons soya sauce

1 medium sized red onion

1 teaspoon tomato ketchup

5 green chilies

1 tablespoon chilli sauce or chilli powder

2 tablespoons corn flour

White sesame seeds (as needed)

2 eggs 

Salt to taste

2 teaspoon vinegar (optional)

Oil to fry

Step 1: Mince the shrimp and marinate with salt. 

Step 2: Dice and sauté the onion, finely chopped chilies, tomato ketchup, soya sauce, vinegar, sugar and salt for around 5 minutes on low flame until it is cooked. 

Step 3: In a separate bowl, stir corn flour in cold water and mix well. 

Step 4: Add the corn flour mixture to the onion paste (from Step 2) and let it cool. 

Step 5: After it has completed cooled, add the minced shrimp. 

Step 6: Apply the paste to slices of bread (I used white bread), sprinkle sesame seeds as needed. 

Step 7: Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. 

Step 8: Dip only the top of the bread slice (I usually cut the slices into triangular pieces) into the egg mix, and deep fry it.  

Step 9: Serve hot.  

Our food tour of Puerto Rico

We spent a week in Puerto Rico and ate to our heart's content. We spent the first few days in the coastal town of Fajardo, close to the El Yunque rainforest and the remaining time in the capital city of San Juan. 

Whole fried red snapper

For those who are not aware of the United States geography, Puerto Rico is an island in the Carribean sea and a territory of the US. Like many other islands in the Carribean, it has a culinary comparative advantage in seafood. Consequently, if you are a lover of fresh fish, like me, a trip to P.R. will be worthwhile. 

Octopus stuffed empanadas

In addition, Puerto Ricans, like most of us, enjoy their fried foods. We recommend the arepas (stuffed with seafood or otherwise) and fried whole fish.

Shrimp mofongo

One of my personal favorites that we had at Fajardo's Sal and Pimienta by the Sea was the fried whole red snapper with sides of your choice (salad or lightly flavored rice). Most places gave the option of having the fish stuffed with shellfish and we tried that version with conch in a creamy and flavorful sauce. The portion sizes were decent and priced at approximately $50-$60 a plate. One thing to be mindful of Fajardo is that some of their gourmet restaurants are open only on weekends, so you want to plan accordingly if you are there for its food. We wanted to visit the highly-recommended La Estacion for its barbecue fish but unfortunately it was closed on the days we were there. 

Most of the places we visited in San Juan were in the old town and a couple in the business district. One dish native to PR and ubiquitous in menus was the mofongo, a dish made from smashed green plantains lightly flavored with herbs and perhaps a sauce and usually served a choice of protein. While it was certainly edible and worth trying at least once, I would be lying if I said that I found the mildly spiced shrimp version we tried it at El Cayo appealing. While the rest of the food we tried there was just OK, the view of marina was a real gift and ideal for an evening to watch the sunset.  

 

Tuna tartare tacos with seaweed

 I would describe the food scene in the capital city of San Juan as more eclectic with a wider choice of cuisines, with easily accessible establishments ranging from short-order cafes to fine dining restaurants. We tried Spanish style tapas, Peruvian ceviche, Asian-Latin fusion, Mediterranean breakfast cafe (though Cafe Istanbul was rather disappointing and I would refrain from ordering their lamb omelet). 

 

One of my favorite dishes I tried in San Juan, and one that I thought was unique to the island were their fried arepas or empanadas, stuffed with a bean/veggie mix, chicken or seafood. It is hard to go wrong with food that is deep fried, but thankfully the quantities were not humongous like you tend to find in the mainland. 

Another unique experience can be found at Azalea, a Latin-Asian fusion restaurant where we tried tacos with fresh tuna tartare along with a coconut-based chicken curry served with sautéed veggies. While the curry wasn't exactly what I was craving after a week of non-Indian food, I still enjoyed the subtle flavors. 

Breakfast at choco-bar

We also visited the heavily hyped Lote 23, a food truck park that had a variety of choices and that I would recommend for a quick lunch if you happened to be in the city. We tried eggplant and chicken arepas and an impossible vegan burger. While certainly not cheap, they were OK. 

Finally, I wouldn't be doing justice to the city's food scene if I did not mention the Chocobar cafe, a brunch spot in the old town where every meal, savory or sweet, integrated chocolate in its flavor profile. We had an avocado toast with eggs, bacon and chocolate, along with my all-time favorite churros served with a decadent chocolate dipping sauce. 

All in all, the food was great, definitely pricier than the mainland but also scored higher in terms of taste and freshness. I especially recommend the seafood. Culturally, the experience felt like we were in another country, more so than one would feel in Canada. While the food we had was probably richer in calories than what we are used to, we were thankful for the abundant sunshine and walkable streets which allowed us to burn off some of the calories (or at least that's what we told ourselves while eating .... ha...ha.) . 

Himalayan Wild Yak - a newly opened Nepali restaurant in Northern Virginia

Rating: 4/5 

Wild boar appetizer

Price for two: $60-$100.  

On a crisp fall afternoon, we planned a visit to this newly opened Nepali restaurant in one of Northern Virginia's suburbs in Loudoun county, VA. 

Partially due to the preceding hike in the town of Middleburg, Virginia and it being the only big meal of the day, I think we did justice to the pretty diverse menu of the Himalayan Wild Yak. I have had Nepali food in the past, and it has always seemed to be a simpler version of Indian cuisine- lighter on spice and simpler preparations.

For appetizers, we had a spicy wild boar cooked perfectly well with spice and mustard oil and served with sauces on the side. They also had a variety of momos and we chose chicken momos that were steamed, stuffed with a moderately spicy chicken mix and served with a delicious dipping sauce. The generous portion was made up of 8 large dumplings at $11 a plate. 

Crispy yak with chilli sauce

Chicken momos

Goat curry thali

As the name of the restaurant suggests, its yak (a mountain cow native to the Himalayan mountains, similar to bison or buffalo meat) dishes make its menu quite unique when compared to most desi or South Asian restaurants in the region. It offers a few yak appetizers (including momos and yak korma), along with main course dishes. Of which, we tried their yak chili served with fried rice. It was our first time trying yak. Gamey like the bison meat, it was cooked in an Indo-Chinese style with copious amounts of chili sauce and went well with the fried rice. Also, as one of our main course meals, we tried a Nepali set meal, or what we call a "thali" in India - an assortment of several dishes. I chose a goat curry set meal that came with lentils or dal, cauliflower, blanched spinach with a lovely flavor of whole spices (tadka) and goat curry cooked with a strong cardamon flavor.

All in all, a good dining experience. The restaurant is spacious and open all day with a single menu. I would recommend going at least once if you are a lover of meat and South Asian spices used in moderation. 

A culinary tour of the Banff

Curry octopus, dumplings and spicy shrimp at Chinatown

I have visited several national parks in the US and while the natural beauty is stunning and a real treat to the eyes, they have all failed to satisfy my taste buds. My recent trip to Canada was an exception! I visited the Banff national park across the border from Montana near Calgary. We spent a whole week in this mountainous region and to our pleasant surprise, the food didn't disappoint- whether in terms of quality and variety. 

We spent two days in Calgary, at the beginning and end of our trip, where we sampled the local Chinese and Caribbean food, respectively. The Chinese dishes included curry octopus, shrimp dumplings and spicy shrimp in a cozy restaurant at the city's Chinatown, while the Caribbean included jerk chicken with beans and rice as a take out in the comfort of our hotel.  While the Chinese fare was a bit of a disappointment with respect to the spice levels, the jerk chicken was a winner. 

Lava cake with cranberry and white chocolate ice-cream

We spent three days in Banff, which had a a surprising variety of ethnic dining options. We tried Indian-Chinese fusion, Chinese-Thai, Greek, and the traditional Anglo breakfasts. While the English-Canadian breakfasts were pretty standard and comprised of eggs, avocado toasts, and potatoes, they were flavorful and filling. The dinner meals seemed to be made to order, and were quite authentic. On our first day at the Banff, we got Indo-Chinese food that included chicken triple schezwan, dry chicken Manchurian, and a fish curry with naan from a restaurant called Saffron in the heart of the town. Portions were fairly large and while we couldn't finish them, they were delicious and reminded me of the dishes back home that I haven't had in a while. On another day, we ordered Chinese and Thai curry and while many might claim that it is hard to get Thai food wrong, the mere fact that we had the option of ordering these meals was very heartening. 

Greek bowl at Balkan

We tried an outdoor seating at a Balkan restaurant, a Greek specialty in the heart of town.  We had a grilled chicken greek bowl, cauliflower soup and a pork gyro for lunch. The ingredients were fresh, and while the food was a bit pricy, the scenic view of the mountains was a treat. Finally, as a reward for our strenuous hike to the summit of the Sulphur mountain, we had lunch at the Sky Bistro restaurant that had a buffet with an absolutely stunning view. I would not characterize the buffet as out of the world, but there were a couple of proteins (beef and grilled chicken) along with veggies, and flatbreads as well as quite a few desserts and coffees.  

Seared Ahi Tuna

We left Banff and spent a couple of days in Lake Louiss, a resort town further up in the mountains. Here, we dined at the Mount Fairview Restaurant. The dishes we tried included seared ahi tuna, bison burger, duck confit, flatbreads for the main course as well as their house made ice cream with a delicious lava cake with orange cream sauce and sorbet for desserts. While it was traditional French/English cuisine, everything was well executed.