I’ve been terribly distracted lately and I apologize. Spring’s coming and I think I caught the fever. Warm weather has wriggled its way into my brain, affecting my perception. I feel like I’m noticing my neighborhood for the first time, finding delight in the various wooden doorways that adorn the brownstones on my street, and in the way the sun hits the stout skyline of the buildings in Park Slope. I’m overwhelmed by the newness of it all.
So yes, I’ve been distracted, caught up in contemplating the possibilities of a gentle spring transforming into a hot New York summer. But I need to find a way to assimilate, to regain my footing in the everyday. Early yesterday morning, when the sun was just rising, I made madeleines that turned out beautifully soft inside their scalloped golden shells. For dinner I cooked rajma, using the spices in the masala dubba my mom gave me this weekend, and it turned out surprisingly well too, the flavors forming and binding in the rich tomato base, infusing the kidney beans with a taste I had doubted I could create on my own. I’m enjoying the wonder of these warmer days.
yeah those beans were delicioso
and so was the rice (much love waqas)
What’s in your dubba? Mine has jeera (cumin), laung (cloves), red chili powder, huldi (tumeric), garam masala, dhania(coriander powder), rai (mustard seeds). But as I use lots of other spices for Indian cooking (methi, sesame seeds, cinammon etc.) I think I will invest in a second one!
Hi Situ! My dubba has cumin, red chili powder, dhana jeera powder (ground cumin and coriander), mustard seeds, bay leaves and methi (fenugreek). I think that’s it. But my roommate and I also have a bunch of other spices in small plastic bags or bottles, including cinnamon, cloves, garam masala, dried red chiles, etc.
[...] 4, 2008 by traderjanki Ever since my mom gave me my masala dubba, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Suvir Saran’s Indian Home Cooking. It’s [...]