Welcome to Project Paratha

This blog will chronicle our one year adventure to eat one Indian (or Indian inspired) meal or snack every day.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Indian Food Up in the Sky

Yes, over this project we've encountered all types of Indian food in a lot of strange places. Last week we took a cross country trip to Philly and Upstate NY. On the way out and back Sol ordered the vegetarian option - a Hindu meal. The offering came with traditional rice, spinach saag, a tomato based curry, and a plain paratha with packaged yogurt on the side.

I'm not a huge fan of saag but if you are interested in trying to make it the following is a promising recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seed
  • 1 green chile pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
  • 1 pound chopped fresh mustard greens
  • 1 pound chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. In a large skillet or wok, melt butter over medium-high heat, and cook and stir cumin seed, chile pepper, garlic, and turmeric until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  2. Stir in the chopped mustard greens and spinach a little at a time, adding the tougher parts first (the stems and thicker leaves). Continue to add greens, and cook and stir until all greens have been added and all are thoroughly wilted. Stir in the cumin, coriander, and salt. Cover; reduce heat and simmer until greens are tender, about 10 minutes, adding water as needed to keep the greens moist.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

India Wins World Cup!

Lots to celebrate today and some inspiration for cooking this week. India has prevailed in the cricket world cup at home in Mumbai. This is their first win since '83 - with a six wicket triumph over Sri Lanka.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Spring Supper Party


Over the past weekend we hosted a small gathering to celebrate the project and enjoy some classic items we've made since we started. Tradtional dress, lots of bracelets, sandlewood incense, and music were good environmental adds. On the music side we dug out an older Anoushka Shankar album we had not listened to in a while. Oddly later in the evening during our clean-up we gravitated to a Norma Jones set of tracks that helps bring a relaxing warm mood to a room. A cosmic turn of events that we would vicariously join these two half sisters in our home without any design and then only realize afterwards that we'd staged a family renuin. We'll put on a onther fest and post the menu details and pictures in a short bit. Cheers.