Pioneer Avenue in Artesia, CA might as well be named Paneer avenue. This was the most fantastic Indian experience of our adventures yet. The green chili pepper samosa Lisa describes is pictured to the right. Talk about a burn that stays with you. 5 hours and the memory of this dish is still emblazoned in my mind. The coating was pleasant, nicely spiced and not oily at all. The peppers held their heat and were crispy - they actually snap when you bite into them; how these guys do it is a mystery. One can find any of the freshest ingredients, grains, spices, etc. to prepare an authentic regional fare. Our Son is pictured with his fresh coconut find. Sadly we did not meet the specs for the local PBS casting call notices posted near the spice and candy shops we visited upon (they are also pictured). We are thoroughly energized for a sound week of cooking and writing.L'Chaim (to life)
Michael
Love-in-a-Mist. What a romantic name for a flower. The purple on is what is called Love-in-a-Mist. Nigella damascena is the botanical name. The white one is Nigella sativa (sativa, meaning "cultivated"). Nigella sativa is the plant that gives us the delightful little seeds called Kalonji. If you want to be prosaic about it, call them: Nigella Seeds. I have been working with Kalonji this week, because I wanted to discover a bit more about the taste and properties of this seed. I used it in a simple roti, just cooked the kalonji in a bit of oil and added it to a plain wheat roti dough. That simple addition gave a wonderful rich oily taste with a bit of pungency. It also adds a visual dimension to the bread (or whatever you put it in): tiny black spheres dotting the dish like a negative of the night sky. OK, that was a bit weird, but, hey, it's my blog.