. For the Love of Food, Travel and Wine

India is one of the countries that I really like. I have to admit that before I went to India, I knew almost nothing. I grew up knowing about Latin America, North America, Europe, and at the most about the Pyramids in Egypt. Nevertheless, India was not part of the textbooks.

Our trip to India last about five weeks, and it was fantastic. Every time when somebody ask me what impressed me the most, I said that beside its fantastic cuisine, culture, history and heritage, the HAPPINESS that I saw in its people is what amazed me the most. Friends usually ask me about poverty, or problems  that I saw in India. I always respond that I only saw HAPPINESS. We walked through small villages, stayed in very remote areas, indeed, we did not go to the typical tourist places, and I still can affirm that what I saw touched my soul.

I still remember that we stop by a small village near Bodhgaya. The village had no more than 20 houses. The driver that was with us got lost in the area, and we needed to ask for directions. We took the opportunity to step out of the car and stretch our legs, when suddenly we were surrounded by kids that were playing and singing around us.....besides their poor living conditions (from a Western point of view).....they were HAPPY. It was a surreal and magic moment. I can't explain with words what happened in that moment, but certainly, what I experienced in that moment, it will be with me forever.

It is difficult to explain that HAPPINESS sensation when everybody knows the difficult situations that a developing country like India faces everyday. I ask my Indian friends whether they have a rationale or solid explanation for what I think about India. They always tell me that they grew up learning that they MUST be happy with what they have, and not be unhappy for what they don't have. Probably, that is one of the lessons that we should learn......

India opened my mind and my heart to appreciate and love a culture, tradition and legacy that is so different than mine. Also, in India I had some of my most spiritual moments that I ever experienced. I do not have words to describe them, and I don't think you want to know about it. Nevertheless, after I visited the places where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was cremated (Raj Ghat, New Delhi), and the Mother Teresa's tomb (Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata) I felt blessed.......


Thanks to my Indian friends that have guided me in better understanding that beautiful culture, and have taught me to cook. But, foremost, I must thanks my husband that introduced me to India and brought me in one of the most beautiful trips of all my life.....

Before I was exposed to other cuisines, for me rice and milk (arroz con leche) was a delicate dessert that was creamy, with a hint of cinnamon, and with a pleasant aroma of lemon zest.

However, I have discovered that the memories of my childhood have been distorted by tasting new desserts with two old ingredients: rice and milk.

I have tried many versions of the typical Indian dessert kheer . Nevertheless, the one that has saffron, cardamoms, almond and pistachio is for me a gastronomical delight. Probably, it is because a combination of aromas, texture, color and savory combination that makes this version one of my favorites.

Here is the recipe:

4 cups of whole milk
1/3 cup of rice (I prefer basmati for this version, but you can use short grain)
1/3 cup of sugar (adjust for your taste)
3 cardamoms (crushed)
4 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 tablespoons of sliced pistachios
2 teaspoons of butter
8 saffron strands

Wash the rice until the water is clear. In a pot, melt the butter in low heat. Combine the rice, and stir fry for 3 minutes. Incorporate the milk, and cook (medium to low heat) until the rice is tender. At this point, the milk has been reduced at half. Add the sugar, cardamom, almonds, pistachios and saffron. Let it cook for few more minutes until is creamy. Let it cool, and decorate with pistachios on top. Enjoy!!

I love rice in its many forms. Salty or sweet, rice is a food fit for the kings....
This is a very complete meal. You can use it as a side dish for meat, or a tasty salad. In summer, I eat it cold because it is refreshing and for tasting  the spices better. I hope you will like it!!

2 cups of basmati rice (soaked)
2 chopped garlic cloves
1 chopped onion
3 grated carrots
350 grams of spinach leaves (without stems)
70 grams unsalted cashew nuts
4 chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoon of ghee or cooking oil
2 tablespoon of toasted cumin seeds (grind)
3 1/2  cups of vegetable stock or hot water
Salt

In a pan, toast your cumin seeds. Let it cool, and grind them in a mortar.

In a pot, heat the oil or ghee, and fry the onion and garlic. Once they are cooked, add the tomatoes and cook it for 4 minutes at low heat. Put in the rice, cumin seeds, salt, and carrots. Stir them for 2 minutes. add the vegetable stock or hot water. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Once the rice is tender, incorporate the spinach and cashew, mix them and leave it for 3 more minutes at low heat. Enjoy!

This is a very easy, traditional, and delectable Indian sweet. Burfis are made in wide range of flavors and textures. I love the chewiness of this candy....

Here goes the recipe

1 can condensed milk (400 grams)
300 grams of shredded coconut (unsweetened)
120 grams powder milk
1/2 cup of milk
Few drops red color
2 cardamom seeds (crushed)
Rectangular glass container (oven-proof)

Mix the condensed milk, coconut, milk powder and milk in a pot. Cook it at a medium heat, stirring constantly. Once is hot (be careful it is very hot), turn it to low heat until the mixture separates from the sides of the pot (like a ball). This process takes about 6 minutes. Grease a rectangular glass container, and spread with a spatula one half of this hot mix. Add few drops of red color into the other half of this mix. Spread this pink mix on top. Let it cool, and cut it into squares. Enjoy!

For this Indian bread you will need:

220 grams of spinach leaves
500 grams of atta flour. If you do not have atta flour, then you can mix 250 grams of wholemeal flour with 250 grams of plain flour
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoon of ghee
1 cup of water
Ghee or oil for cooking

Wash and cook the spinach. Drain and chop them. Squeeze any water.
Sift the atta flour with the salt in a bowl. Add the spinach, ghee, and water. Mix it and make a soft dough (use more or less water). Knead the dough on floured surface for 4 minutes, and place the dough in an oiled bowl for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough in 24 pieces. Use a belan and chakla to make circles of 10 centimeters with 2 mm of thickness.  You can use a dough press too.

I love breads. Whether they are Chilean, Argentinian, Italian, Peruvian, French or from Mars, breads are the perfect complement in any occasion.

However, Indian breads are located in a special place in my tummy. I am never tired to eat them, and it is probably due to its wide variety that I always discover new textures, flavors, and aromas.

Indian breads are mostly flat ones. Usually, they are made with atta or maida flour, and they can be stuffed with vegetables or spices. Usually, all of them use ghee or butter. Cooking methods vary among them. Some are deep fried (puri), others griddle (chapati), and others bake in the clay oven (naan).

Basically, to make them you need a belan (rolling pin), chakla (round pastry board), skillet, and a dough press for chapatis.

We arrived to India from Bhutan by car, it was an exciting and breathtaking journey through the Himalayas. Once we arrived to India, we continue to our first place to visit: Sikkim. Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state located in the Himalayas. It is beautiful!!!  It is in the lower Himalayas, and it has beautiful landscapes, heritage and culture.

I remember very well Sikkim not only for its natural wonders, but also for its friendly people. In addition, in Sikkim I try for the very first time Indian food, and I felt in love with Palak Paneer. We stayed at Tashi Delek Hotel, and still I have in my notebook that Palak Paneer cost me Rps 60...It was delicious....

Palak paneer is creamy, spicy and so yummy.....one of my favorite indian dishes..

Here goes my recipe

150 grams paneer cut into cubes and deep fried
500 grams of Spinach
1 big chopped onion
1 piece of grated ginger
2 garlic cloves
2 chopped tomatoes
2 chopped green chilies
1 crushed cardamom
1/2 teaspoon of Garam Masala (more up to your taste)
Ghee
Sea Salt

Wash, chop and cook spinach. Cool it, and blend it to a smooth paste.
Cut the paneer, and deep fry the pieces until golden.
Heat ghee and add onion, garlic and ginger.

Cook it, and then add tomatoes and green chilies. Cook them for 4-5 minutes at low heat. Add the spinach paste, season it with salt, garam masala, and crushed cardamom. Cook it for 3-4 minutes. Add the golden paneer. Stir it, and cook it for another 2-3 minutes at low heat. Serve it with basmati rice or indian breads.....Enjoy!

I don't know how I started to love Indian food, but I do know when everything started. It was a long time ago, I was engaged with who is now my husband, and he went to India. When he returned, he told me that he tried one of the best cuisine, and that I should try it too. He knew my passion for cooking; therefore, he brought me Indian spices and some cookbooks. I read them, and I tried some of the recipes.......and I could not find the taste, I failed in every recipe that I made. But, I have perseverance. Having overcome many challenges, I promise myself that Indian food would not beat me.

Years later, we went to India.  As soon as I tried real Indian food, I understood my husband taste for this delicious epicurean delight, and I have to admit that I felt in love too with Indian food. During that travel, I reviewed many books, tasted series of paneer dishes, and bought a lot of spices. When we went back home, I started to cook Indian food. I try and try, and failed again. Why? I did not know what happened, but the dishes did not taste the same way as I ate them in India.

Years passed, and we came to North America. I was doing my graduate studies when I met a nice Indian women in a social gathering. We talked about common interest, and found that both of us liked to cook. She asked me whether I could share with her Chilean and Italian recipes, and I told her that I will be glad to do it, but she should have to teach me to cook Indian food. We had very busy agendas, but we set time every Tuesday to cook together. It was a time that I always remember. We walked through our cultures, history, traditions and heritage by cooking every Tuesday. I don't know how many months we were meeting each other, but I do know that she showed me how to extract the flavors and aromas of the spices, she taught me how a basic dish can be delectable. She was the perfect person that I needed to learn to cook Indian food.

Today, I can cook any recipe from India, and Indian food is a MUST on our table at least twice a week. And, I feel very proud when friends from India come to our place for having dinner, and they tell me that my Indian cooking is as good as in their Mom's home. What a compliment!!

My friend? She is back in India, and our friendship still continues....for the love of cooking....

I love spinach. Every new dish that has spinach and/or lentils it's a MUST try for me. Spinach are both palatable and appetizing; they are so easy to cook, and combined with the right spices, they reflect the truly taste and culture of the country.

This is a very tasty and easy dish that I taste in Turkey. I have to make it often...everybody loves it!

500 grams of frozen spinach
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
80 grams of crumbled feta cheese
4 eggs
A pinch of crushed red pepper (if you like it spicy)

In a pot cook the onions with olive oil until translucent, add the garlic. Remove the spinach stems and discard. Add the spinach to the mix of onions and garlic, cook them over low heat using olive oil. Season it with salt, pepper and red pepper if you wish. Add the feta cheese, and stir it. Divide it in four individuals oven-proof dishes (I use Chileans dishes made of clay), make a hole and place one egg. Put in in a preheated oven (400F) until eggs are cooked (about 7 minutes). Enjoy!