I'm Not Hungry

Twice each year I go through a phase where I find food unappealing. I find myself not feeling hungry and even when I try to envision my favourite dishes I generally like to indulge in, nothing happens. There’s no excitement. No love for food of any kind. I am currently going through one of those phases. Click here to read the rest of the column and reason behind all the food you see displayed in this post despite my lack of hunger. It almost seems like an oxymoron.

Credit for the corn pudding inspiration goes to a regular reader, Rochelle. Thanks! Recipe at the bottom of the column.

There are many Khottu recipes out there but I rembered book marking Arundati's.

Green-tomato Choka. Email me for recipe.

Brown Beef (salt, pepper & Kecap Manis)

These days, taking part in blog events are a luxury. I'd bookmark the event and totally forget about it or I'd make something for the event and miss the deadline or make something only for it not to qualify for the theme. That's what happened with the last MLLA edition hosted by Coco. I made this chickpea dish but it was definitely not an appetizer, more like a full meal. It is something that I made on the whim, no special quantities etc. It's dried chickpeas, rehydrated overnight and then cooked in water with a smoked ham-hock, drained and then sauteed with onions, hot pepper, some minced cilantro along with the chopped ham from the hock and sliced green onions stirred in at the end.

I'm sending this to the current MLLA edition being hosted by Lori-lynn and created by Susan.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to my Mom & Sister and to all of you reading this that are mothers! Have a great day!

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Skills, Buns & A Pudding

Bombarded with kitchen tools and gadgets, I have learnt to be smart about making such purchases. I have weighed my impulse of buying gadgets and tools against my skills and ability to complete the same tasks which these gadgets and tools claim to fame. Time also plays a factor. For example, I usually consider how much time and effort would be involved in using a particular tool or gadget versus me doing it by hand with the essential tools such as a knife and a cutting board. Click here to read the column.

As some of you can attest, it is clear that as we get older our tastes for some things change. I've often talked about not really having a sweet tooth but these days I seem to crave some sweetness, particularly after a meal, so I've been looking for some quick and easy things to make. I've even taken to baking whole coconut breads (sweet breads), slicing and freezing them so that I can have a sweet fix whenever I want.

I found this delicious, creamy recipe at Culinate. I was drawn to it immediately because it made me think of rice pudding. You can flavour it with whatever spices you like, I opted for cardamom in this case and added an extra touch by gently sauteing some ripe bananas. Here is the recipe from Culinate.

Now, don't blame me for this part of the post, blame him. He made me do it! I could not resist his lure of making Potato Sour Cream & Chive Bread/Buns. You have got to try this recipe, the aroma from the oven will envelope you and the taste - slathered with some butter or sharp cheese, one bite and you'll understand why I had to make these. The recipe can be found here.

Look at that. Tell me that you don't want to sink your teeth into it.

Look at it again. I know you are tempted. Give in. Give in. (evil smile) Aw come on, I need company in my sinful ways (lol)

Hey everyone, don't forget Meeta's Monthly Mingle! It's all Caribbean this month! If you're unsure of what kinds of things to make or if you have questions or want to discuss what to make, drop me a line as some of you have been doing. I am happy to help.

Have a great weekend and a productive week everyone. Can you believe that we are in March already?!

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I've Cheated... I've been Unfaithful...

I come before you with my head bowed for I have flirted, cheated and obsessed about things other than my self-confessed true love... Here's the thing, though my head is bowed I am not sure of how ashamed I am. Does that make me a bad person? Does it mean that I need therapy? You'll have to click here to read the rest of the column.

In order not to give away anything, I'll just leave the pictures below. When you read the column, you'll figure it out. Go on, read the column. When you're done, come and share with me some of yours (don't worry, you'll understand when you've finished reading) :)

Photo credit: Eat, Drink & Be Merry

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Here is my dish that I have made for submission to the very worthwhile project being put on by my fellow BloggerAid friends. We are creating a cookbook and all the proceeds will go towards fighting hunger. You don't need to be a blogger to join us on this venture, just simply click here for all the details. If you have not heard of BloggerAid and want to know more, then come on over.

LAP CHEONG FRIED RICE

Click on the image to get all the details to this month's Monthly Mingle and your chance to win a free, signed copy of my book!

HAPPY LOVE DAY EVERYONE!

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Eureka's Green Thumb!

As the New Year steps in, many of us will have made various resolutions that have something to do with eating. Some folks will decide to restrict a particular food or beverage; some folks will have taken the drastic step of cutting out certain foods and drinks altogether. However, I hope some of you will be like me. I have resolved to experiment more and try new things and explore new ways of using familiar ingredients. I want to expand my palate and the palates of those with whom I share my meals and the use of herbs is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to expand and experiment in the kitchen. Click here to read the entire column and to meet Eureka!

This collage is just a sample of some of the herbs that can be found in Eureka's garden and at her stall.

Follow this link for a closer look at the herbs, a description and how you might use it. I have also included informative links from here, here and here about herbs, how to grow them, preserve them etc.

You may find my previous posts on Green Seasoning and Thyme useful as well.

CLICK the photography event is back and this month, the theme is RED! Participating also gives you a chance to win a copy of my book! So take out those cameras and get CLICK-ing! Read all the details of the event here.

Don't forget that you can also win a copy of the book by participating in the Royal Foodie Joust and the Eat Healthy Contest!

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Thank you for Another Year In The Kitchen!

I've had an exhilarating and exhausting year in the kitchen but always, the results have been rewarding and enlightening. I've found that I was more in the mode of experimenting and trying new things most of which I have learnt from you, my fellow foodie, my fellow food blogger, my friend. Today, my last post for 2008, I want to offer my sincere thanks for the inspiration. There are many, many more of your recipes securely and safely bookmarked for cooking and baking in 2009!

This week's column discusses my adventures in the kitchen this year. Click here to read through.

The collage below represents new things I've tried making and familiar things that I made for the first time that made it to publication in my column. You can click through to the links below to go to those respective posts and just in case you are visiting for the first time, feel free to contact me for any or all of the recipes.

1. Curd Chilies
2. Golden Apple Crumble
3. Chinese Cake
4. Sun-Dried Tomatoes
5. Coconut-cilantro Rice
6. Congee
7. Cheese Straw wafers
8. Fried Chicken Livers & Gizzards
9. Bacon-wrapped Chicken Livers
10. Kohlrabi
11. Chicken N’D Ruff
12. Chow Fun
13. Green-onion paratha
14. Flying Fish Choka
15. Roast Breadfruit
16. Dirty Rice
17. Buttermilk Biscuits
18. Jug Jug

This list of links are of various things I've made from some of you, I've linked back directly to your original post(s) so that anyone visiting can get the recipe directly from your site.

• Nic’s Sun-dried tomato, Parmesan and Basil Swirls
• Nora’s Savoury two-cheese biscotti
• Jaden’s Congee (Rice Porridge)
• Valentina’s Banana Mousse
• Sheela’s Kohlrabi dal
• Bee (Rasa Malaysia)’s Chicken Satay & Peanut Sauce
• Glenna’s Fried Chicken Liver
  Pat’s Orange-Lemon Cake
• Farida’s Pirojki
• Marie’s Pasta Salad
• Elly & Bobby’s Flay’s German Potato Salad
• Chuck’s Savoury Breakfast Bread
  Robyn & David’s Eating Asia sambal
• Ingrid Hoffman’s Green Plantain Fritters
• Sunday Nite Dinner’s Vietnamese Roast Chicken and Green Onion Dirty Rice
• Sia’ Banana Blossom Palya
  Caecilia’s Tumis Style Banana Blossom
• Sylvia’s Brandade de Morue
• Felix’s Callaloo
• Farina’s Fried Beef & Potato
• Janelle’s Shrimp Cakes
• Chuck’s Apple Tart Bread
• Nora & Dana’s Banana Breads
  

My friend, once again, thanks very much for your support and encouragement this year. Be sure to keep watching this space for more about my book launch and don't forget that you can order your copy right now by clicking this link or the one just beneath my photograph.

Don't forget to take part in the Royal Foodie Joust and the Eat Healthy contest for a chance to win a copy of the book! Meeta's Monthly Mingle, Jugalbandi's CLICK and Susan's My Legume Love Affair are all going to be events through which you can win copies of the book as well so be sure to be on the lookout!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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Jug Jug & Book Giveaways

My friend Gwen says, “People are not into making ole time food” and unfortunately, that is exactly where Jug Jug finds itself, in the ole-time-food category. Read this week's column to learn more about this Barbadian Christmas Dish and for the recipe. Any of the variety of pigeon peas shown below will work.

My friend Maryann over at Finding La Dolce Vita along with her friend Joe are hosting a Seven Fishes Feast event, a tradition the Italians follow every Christmas Eve. They are going to be giving away a basket full of goodies! Click here for the event details. My entry is a dish of Chinese Longevity Noodles and garlic shrimp. Enjoy!

BOOK GIVEAWAYS

As I had mentioned before, there are going to be a number of blog events to promote my book and to offer you a chance to win a free copy. Thanks to all of you who have so willingly and readily placed a picture and link of the book on your blog. If you are reading this and you would like to help promote my book, feel free to copy the link and picture-cover of the book which can be found on the upper right hand corner of this blog.

Enter Sangeeth's Eat Healthy Contest and get a chance to win a copy of my book. Click here for details.

There is a special edition of the Royal Foodie Joust on and the winner gets a copy of My Caribbean Cookbook Tastes Like Home! See The Leftover Queen forum for the list of ingredients. If you are new to the Royal Foodie Joust and would like to part-take, not a problem, just click here and join in the fun!

Keep watching this space for more events and book giveaways!

Happy Weekend everyone!

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Roast Breadfruit & A Mad Tea Party!

Roast breadfruit - have it once and you'll keep coming back for more. It's that good. No kidding. Last year, I introduced you to a backyard discovery, breadfruit. I mentioned then about my introduction to a good ole time Bajan (Barbadian) delicacy, roast breadfruit. Alas, it is a dying art to make this dish, but not if I have anything to do with it! I searched high and low for someone to show me how to roast the breadfruit and after more than a year of searching, I found someone. You can read all about it in this week's column. For step-by-step photographs of the process, click here.

There's A Mad Tea Party taking place and everyone's invited. Of course since we're all foodies, we have to bring food to the party but here's the thing, we all have to bring a particular dish, batata vada, in these parts we call it potato balls. Our party host, Anita, describes the batata vada as "batter fried spiced mashed potato balls..." and indeed that is what it is. There are however, many versions of this snack and that is what is making this party to exciting. I'm looking forward to the many variations that will be offered up.

Potato balls are sold as a snack particularly in Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago. T & T also make a snack called Aloo Pie, the spiced mashed potato is encased in a dough and fried. At school, we used to buy and eat loads of potato balls and you had to get to the snack lady as soon as the bell rang, if not, well, you know my story about that already. Back then also, vendors would be lined outside the cinemas, their glass cases packed with goodies to be purchased on the way to see a movie. Phulourie, channa, potato balls, cassava balls, egg balls, mitai, you name it and they had it in their cases.

I'm serving my potato balls with an array of condiments for you to choose from: achar, sour, mango chutney and pepper sauce.

My recipe does not give exact amounts, it is flexible, therefore, add amounts to suit your taste.

POTATO BALLS

Ingredients

Potatoes
Thinly sliced green onions (white & green parts)
Minced hot pepper
Chopped cilantro
Freshly ground cumin (geera)
A drizzle or 2 of oil
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Batter

Flour
Water
A pinch of turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

1 small bowl
1 large bowl
1 large spoon or spatula
1 ice cream scoop
1 deep frying pan
1 slotted spoon
Paper towels

Method

1. Mix batter ingredients together and set aside
2. Boil potatoes in salted water; drian and mash potatoes (leave it a bit coarse if you like that texture)
3. Add all the other ingredients and mix thoroughly (except the oil for deep frying of course). Taste for salt and seasoning
4. Take mixture a little at a time and form into balls (using the ice cream scoop gives you equal portions)
5. Heat oil in pan until very hot but not smoking
6. Dip balls, one at a time into batter, shake off excess and add to oil and fry (do not overcrowd the pan if not they will stick together)
7. Fry until brown on both sides
8. Drain on paper towels
9. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, as is or with your favourite hot and sour condiment

Over at Forgive Me My Nonsense... I've left Bee's post of Malevolence up because I think that it is important that those who have not gotten a chance to read it, should.

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A Coconuty Corn

No column this week but you know there's no way I'd leave you hanging. I know how much you look forward to seeing what I've cooked up for you :)) Well, if you love corn, then you are going to love this Guyanese-style corn-on-the-cob. I'm not going to do a lot of talking about it, I think the photographs speak for themselves. I give you the recipe, encourage you to try it and when you do, drop me a line and let me know if you liked it. I promise that you will be gnawing at the cob long after the plump, sweet juicy kernels are gone.

Ingredients

6 ears young corn
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1 + 1/2 cups water
Salt to taste
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Minced hot pepper to taste
3 sprigs thyme
(If using fresh coconut milk, then use 1 cup coconut milk and 1 cup water)

Equipment

1 pot with cover
1 wooden spoon

Method

1. Add all the ingredients, except the corn, to the pot and stir to mix and dissolve the salt
2. Break the corn in halves and add to the pot
3. Cover pot and bring to a boil on high heat; as soon as the pot boils, remove the cover and let the corn cook until the liquid has almost dried out or the coconut milk cracks
4. Serve warm or at room temperature

I am sending this photograph of a grapefruit over to Jugalbandi for this month's CLICK event. The theme is Citrus.

And, don't forget to drop by Forgive Me My Nonsense... Bee's post points to a New York Times article that everyone should read.

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MY Hotel Food

Hi Everyone, I'm back! I want to start this week by saying thanks to all those who participated in the Tried & Tasted, Tastes Like Home Edition. It was a pleasure answering your questions, sharing recipes and marvelling at your creations and adaptations with interesting twists. Thank you!

While travelling, I found myself in a hotel room outfitted with a kitchen and I just couldn't help myself, I had to cook (lol) hence the title of this post and my column this week, MY Hotel Food. Here are the three dishes I made, the recipes are simple and super easy, read the column and you'll find it all there. My hotel-room cooking is testament of what quality ingredients will yield minus the frills and all the things we fuss about having before we set about cooking.

Hey, it's really sad that Taste Spotting had to close isn't it? Many of us will surely miss it. But, guess what... Dhanggit of Dhanggit's Kitchen has created the Recipe Muncher, the slogan says it all: "hungry no more." You've got to check it out, and everyone's invited to add their blog. Unlike Taste Spotting where you had to submit your photographs etc. Recipe Muncher subscribes to your blog so you don't have to do anything but visit and salivate! :) It's really a foodie's delight. Seriously, check it out.

And finally, if you are planning to travel this summer whether for business or pleasure, read my post at Forgive Me My Nonsense... first.

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What to Cook?

Deciding what to cook is not only an exercise in frustration at times, but these days, it is a privilege for many. This week's column looks not only at highs and lows of meal planning, but it also asks how all of us can rethink meal planning given the current world food crisis: "I don’t want to sound overly nostalgic, I know that often the “good ole’ days” were also “hard ole’ days” But perhaps the time has come for us to think of meal planning in a different way because if we are not careful, the ability to feed ourselves will have nothing to do with wants and desires as our constraints will be money, health and availability." Click here to read the rest of the column. And for an interesting read, you might like to check out Tea's post: No Words.

This particular dish featured here today is Fried (sauteed Bora & Shrimp) Bora is also know an yard-long beans or snake beans. It is one of my go-to dishes when I'm wondering "what to cook". Click here for the recipe.

My dear friend Zuzana of Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen is hosting yet another unique event, Tried & Tasted. I was honoured and just a little nervous :) when she asked that Tastes Like Home be the first blog to be Tried & Tasted. I'm excited to see your creations and interpretations. Please do not hesitate to email me for any of the recipes you'd like to try. If you have questions about the ingredients or about substitutions, I'd be more than happy to answer.

This week I'd like to thank Madhavi, Swati & Vege Yum for bestowing the Yummy Blog Award on Tastes Like Home. Thanks to Roopa of Kitchen Treats for creating this award. Now, I'm supposed to pass this award on to 5 blogs but let me tell you, I had a really difficult time picking just 5 blogs so I picked 6. I thought that since I was awarded the award 3 times I could present the award at least once more than stipulated. Truth be told, I want to give it to everyone! However, I know that the blog love will be passed on just as in pay it forward. So here are my picks.

Lori-Lynn of Taste With the Eyes - the name of this blog says it all;
Sig of Live to Eat - whether she's at home cooking, dining out or travelling abroad, she never neglects those of us who are food-porn lovers :);
Peter of Kalofagas - this man can turn some tricks in the kitchen;
Suganya of Tasty Palettes - I've already threatened to invite myself over to her house;
Marie of Proud Italian Cook - this is homemade gourmet cooking at its best
Coffee of The Spice Cafe - this woman could feed me anything and I'd eat it, even if I didn't want to.

And finally, when I saw this Orange-Lemon Cake last week on Patricia's blog, I could not resist. All I could think of was a big cup of tea and a warm slice of this cake. You've got to try it. The recipe can be found here.

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An Event-ful Weekend

This is a big weekend in the Caribbean not just because of Easter; it is even bigger in countries like Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago because these are such diverse societies. Thursday was a national holiday as they celebrated Phagwah (Holi)- the Hindu festival that heralds the beginning of spring. The riot of colours, the food, the music, the laughter! Gosh I miss it! Today is Yuhman Nabi, a Muslim holiday celebrating the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet, Muhammad. And of course, spread throughout the weekend is the most important celebration of the Christian calender, Easter! Wow, what a weekend, I feel so blessed to have grown up in such a society. The appreciation I have cannot be put into words. Here in Barbados, the public holidays are only for Easter, the other two would be celebrated quietly as the Hindu and Mulsim communities here are very small.

Moving on to other event-ful things... I don't generally get the time to take part in blog events because of the myriad of things I have to do, but sometimes I am able to sneak in an entry here and there or someone would tell me that a dish I've made can be submitted to an event :) So, this week, because I got a little break from writing my column because there is no weekend newspaper in Guyana given the long holiday weekend, I thought I'd get a couple of entries in.

First up is CLICK, the theme this month is METAL. A few weeks ago I found these small beautiful karahi pans and fell in love with them immediately. This is my entry to CLICK.

I have been a good girl and dutifully cooked fish yesterday (Good Friday), I made curried fish (gilbaka) and threw in some okras and finger squash.

Speaking of squash, my friend, Charlotte over at Great Big Vegetable Challenge, will, beginning Monday, March 31st, be featuring a variety of recipes using squash so if you have any, be sure to send them along to her.

The squash I am most familiar with is the bottle-gourd squash. When we cook it, it is generally, steamed, sauteed, stewed or curried. Here, I sauteed mine with lots of herbs. I find it to be a bland ingredient and so you have to aggressively flavour and season it, but is a healthy and delicious vegetable.

I am therefore submitting this dish as my contribution to the Great Big Vegetable Challenge.

Given that we also eat a lot of veggies for breakfast with roti, I am submitting this dish also to dear Mansi of Fun & Food who is this month hosting Weekend Breakfast Blogging with the theme balanced breakfast.

Finally, my fellow crabby-chick, is letting off some steam over at Forgive Me My Nonsense... about some blog readers and their rude comments. Be sure to go over and weigh in.

Thanks for all the kind emails and comments, I am feeling much better :)

Enjoy the Easter, Holi & Birthday celebrations everyone!

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A Year in the Kitchen

I think that smart, intelligent, beautiful woman over there at One Hot Stove said it best when she wrote: “The end of the year compels a lot of people to take stock of the past 12 months… It compels people to start making lists, and all kinds of year in review lists will appear in the media…” She is of course absolutely right. My column this week is entitled “A year in the kitchen” and it looks at the things I made for the first time. Some of them have been favourites which I had always enjoyed but never made personally. Others I had heard of but never tasted. Click here and you can read my thoughts on the making of these dishes.

This has been an amazing year for me, particularly on the food writing front. Through my columns and this blog I have met so many fantastic people and we have shared so much. You are all very dear to me and this experience would not be what it is if I had never met any of you, albeit virtually. Some of you I know for sure that one day we will meet, we must, we have to!

I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued support. Week after week, you’ve been encouraging, and cheering me on. I will say this now, there have been times when I’ve felt completely overwhelmed balancing the job that pays my bills and this job which I love - writing the columns, taking pictures and managing this blog. However, I was always sustained in the knowledge that you are there to appreciate my efforts. I thank you most sincerely.

My column and blog would not be possible without 2 women who I am fiercely proud to call my friends. C, I want to thank you for being a visionary and the best editor any writer could ask for. I’m excited to continue our trip into 2008.

S, there are not enough words to thank you. I know that I will never be able to repay you for your kindness, your generosity, your patience, your guidance, your understanding or for you just being there. None of this would have been possible without your encouragement. You embody what a true friend really is. May fair winds always blow your way.

So, what’s in the kitchen for 2008? a widening of the Caribbean food experience. I hope to feature not just more of the foods of Guyana and Barbados but also other Caribbean countries. Don’t forget that you can read this week’s column here which I am dedicating and sending along with this post to Nupur’s Best of 2007 event.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

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