Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen

This is another side from  Meera Sodha 's Made In India . I feel like India gets forgotten when Americans learn about other cultures, which is a huge loss because it's a country with so many complex, amazing cultures and such a long history. Learning about Indian food is exciting for me, because it's so much more than most non-Indian Americans suspect. Meera writes, "'Ferar' means 'to fast' by abstaining from certain foods, which a lot of Gujarati Hindus do on designated days throughout the year. Peanuts and potatoes are some of the things which can be eaten on a fast day, hence the creation of Ferrari." I personally like that this dish can also be eaten by Catholics on Fridays, because this dish was so much more than I thought it would be. It's fast, easy, and its wonderfully flavorful and spiced. 2 oz peanuts, unsalted and unroasted 20 peppercorns (1/2 teaspoon) 3 tablespoons canola oil 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 14 oz new potatoes, c

This is from James Beard's American Cookery which is one of my favorite cookbooks. This is a recipe that everyone should have because it makes a simple, delicious soup which is still hearty enough to be a main meal with a salad and perhaps a roll on the side. The nutmeg and cayenne add a flavor signature which is not common but which I find addictive. (This also makes a good breakfast if your taste runs to the untraditional as mine does.) I have tinkered with it, of course, and my variations are listed below the main recipe. The other variations are James Beard's. Leek And Potato Soup 5 leeks 3 tablespoons butter 3 cups potatoes, diced 1 quart chicken broth 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour Wash the leeks, split them lengthwise, and cut into thin slices after removing all sand. Saute in 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet for about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and the broth and bring to a boil.

The other mustard recipe I made from America's Test Kitchen's Foolproof Preserving is for whole-grain mustard. My mother (Julie) was less thrilled than I, responding with a disgusted, "Why?" But I actually have several recipes in my regular rotation that ask for this (including the previously posted crab mac and cheese). I've actually had trouble finding whole-grain mustard, so I've been using stone ground, but I'll be using this from now on. As with the Dijon, this has to soak 8-24 hours, then sit out for 1-2 days for desired spice. YIELD: 2 1-cup jars 3/4 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup yellow mustard seeds 1/3 cup brown mustard seeds 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 1 1/4 teaspoons salt Combine vinegar, water, yellow mustard seeds, and brown mustard seeds in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Measure out 1/2 cup vinegar-mustard seed mixture and set aside.

I will preface this recipe by saying that I don't know where I thought mustard came from, but it blew my mind to see recipes for it while leafing through America's Test Kitchen's Foolproof Preserving . I was very interested in trying them out, partly for the novelty, partly because this house loves mustard, and partly because it turns out mustard is extremely easy to make. I was curious to see if this was one of those things better made by the professionals, but after trying our homemade mustards, I think it's worth the (small) effort. We made Nigel Slater's crab mac and cheese with the Dijon and whole-grain we made, and it was definitely our best attempt yet, largely because of the mustard! The first step in these recipes is to mix ingredients and then wait 8-24 hours. The Dijon also needs to be aged 5 days for best use. Plan accordingly. YIELD: 2 1-cup jars 1 1/3 cups water 3/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds 3 tablespoons dry mustar

This is one of my favorite last-minute recipes for an easy offering for book club or a dinner party. I found it when we moved into the house we're currently living in and I discovered the flowering bush in the front planter was an herb called pineapple sage or tangerine sage, which is a type of salvia (salvia elegans). It will put out tons of flowers as long as you water it, and attracts bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds. I think they die off in winter in colder areas, but this is Texas and mine appears to have been here for at least a few years now. I'm not sure cuttings of this herb are sold anywhere, so if you want some you may have to grow your own. Trust me, it's worth it. I found this Jamie Oliver recipe while searching for uses for the large bush of it we have. I've never put the pineapple in the recipe, partly because I've never felt it was worth purchasing just for this and partly because I dislike most cooked fruit. I also have baked this in ever

Another Meera Sodha recipe to go with your baked masala fries . Because many Indians do not eat beef, lamb is a common base for meat dishes. You can always substitute beef if you wish, but we did use lamb when we made these. As Meera notes: This recipe uses chickpea flour (besan) which is readily available in most big supermarkets, but if you can't get hold of it, you can use all-purpose flour to bind your mixture instead. 1 onion, very finely chopped 1 fresh green chili, finely chopped 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro 1 3/4-inch piece of ginger, peeled 2 cloves of garlic 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons garam masala a few grinds of the pepper mill 1 1/2 tablespoons chickpea flour (besan)o 14 oz ground lamb 1 tablespoon canola oil Put the onion, green chili, and cilantro into a bowl. Grate the ginger and crush the garlic and add them, too. Then ass the salt, garam masala, black pepper, chickpea flour, and ground lamb and use your hands to mix everything together.

I checked out a Meera Sodha book from the library in the hopes of expanding my culinary horizons to Indian food, and I'm not giving it back until I have to. Made In India is a wonderful introduction to many basic, mostly simple Indian recipes. These baked masala fries are easy and very good, as well as versatile. I say versatile because we actually made them with sweet potatoes instead of the suggested varieties, which changed them a little, but I would have loved them either way. Put some of these in the oven and they'll be ready by the time your spicy lamb burgers are done! 4 large potatoes (russets, Yukon Gold, or all-purpose) 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon canola oil 3/4 teaspoon chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin Preheat the oven to 425 F. Peel the potatoes and chop them into your perfect fries. I cut each potato into 3 pieces lengthways and 3 again to make 9 long fat fries from each one. Put all the potatoes into a lidded saucepan, cover generously wi