When I was a relatively broke graduate student living in New York City, I would treat myself, occasionally, to meals at the dirt-cheap Indian restaurants that lined East 6th Street in the East Village. Dinner with drinks could be had for seven bucks or so and I developed an addiction to searing hot and spicy Indian fare. Of course, Indian cuisine isn’t necessarily spicy; much … [Read more...]
Butter Chicken Recipe
Butter chicken is a very popular Indian curry dish that is also called murgh makhani. The chicken is smothered in a creamy curry sauce made with vindaloo spice mix, which can be purchased at stores and online such as at Penzeys Spices. This recipe is largely based on one shared by Andrew Zimmern in Food & Wine. You’ll want to get a head start as the chicken needs to … [Read more...]
Chicken Korma Ansari Recipe
Aziz Ansari is one of my favorite actors/comedians. You might have seen him doing stand-up or in a show like Master of None or Parks and Recreation, among others. A couple of years ago I came across a family recipe (I don’t recall where) that Ansari shared - it’s his mother’s (Fatima Ansari) recipe for Chicken Korma and it’s terrific. This isn’t quite as “saucy” as typical … [Read more...]
Shrimp Saag Recipe
Whenever we go to an Indian restaurant, my wife’s favorite dish to order is shrimp saag. What is saag? Well, it’s a leaf-based type of curry eaten in India, made with leafy veggies like spinach, mustard greens, basella, collard greens, or a combination of those. A popular version is saag paneer, which is creamy and made with fresh Indian cheese called paneer. This recipe is for … [Read more...]
Saffron Valley: 2018 Biryani & Kebab Festival
An Annual Celebration Each fall, Saffron Valley celebrates Indian cuisine from the north and south of India with its annual Biryani & Kebab Festival. It’s a terrific opportunity to sample some dishes that might not appear on the regular Saffron Valley restaurant menus. The festival features, as you might have guessed, kebabs and biryani. Biryani Biryani is one of my … [Read more...]
Curry Pizza: Indian Food + Pizza = Love at First Bite
When I first visited Curry Pizza, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The setup is much like the thin crust pizza shops around town, however, a quick look at the sauces and you will know you are no longer in Kansas, Dorothy. Honey Curry, Mango Korma, Tikka Masala, Green Mango Curry, and of course, Makhani; aka butter chicken! We all know this is everyone’s favorite starter Indian … [Read more...]