A cooking lesson

My aunt, Renu, visiting from India for the first time this summer taught me how to make chicken curry, above, while she was here.

I had two sets of aunts and uncles visiting the United States  from India – for the first time – over the summer. They landed in New York on Aug. 8, 2010 where they visited some cousins and my aunt who lives in a posh neighborhood in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. While they were there they toured Manhattan and trekked up to Niagara Falls while they were on the East Coast.

Then they arrived on the Best Coast, whoops I mean the West Coast, on on Aug. 14 and stayed until Sept. 17. While they were out here we took them out for their first view of the Pacific Ocean as seen from the golden shores of Huntington Beach, Little Saigon in nearby Westminster,  a jaunt to wild Las Vegas, then out to peaceful Ramkrishna Monastery in Trabuco Canyon, Huntington Beach Central Library which was a hit for my book-addicted uncle and aunt, Arun Saksena and Karuna Saxena, and of course shopping for clothes, perfume and tasty treats. Not to mention visiting several restaurants to taste ethnic and Western fare.

Ramkrishna Monastery which is open to the public from 9 to 11 a.m and 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays through Sundays. The monastery sits atop 40 acres of largely undeveloped rolling hills in Trabuco Canyon. The monks maintain the buildings and grounds of the monastery which include a shrine, a shrine trail honoring the world’s major religions, and a bookstore.

But I digress. while they were here my aunt, Renu Saksena, complained that I hadn’t eaten anything made by her. Seeing an opportunity, I asked her to make her famous chicken curry and to teach me how to make it while she was at it. She agreed.

My uncle and aunt, Arun and Renu Saksena, spent part of the summer visiting the West Coast. My aunt is the one who taught me how to make her delicious and simple chicken curry. It was a delight being able to show them around. They arrived back home in Lucknow, India on Sept. 19.

It tasted great. It was so tender and delicious that it tasted like it simmered over low heat for quite awhile. But it’s easy to make and we served it up 30 minutes after we heated up the pan. Definitely a crowd pleaser!

You want to make it yourself? Click here for the recipe.

A delightful cupcake

This delicious cupcake uses real strawberries in the cake and a strawberry juice simple syrup in the icing. It's delicious and a joy to look at.

‘This is a heaven cupcake.’

Marcy Springer, Los Angeles Times Sunday night A1 editor

I love to bake and get especially excited when I have a new recipe that I am inspired by. A friend said that one of the best desserts that his mom makes is this strawberry cake that I modified into a cupcake. He warned me that the icing could be a little tricky.

Just the thing to say to make me want to master it! However, I did heed his warning and cooled down the strawberry simple syrup until it was barely warm. Then I folded it into the egg whites that I had whipped until they tripled in size. The result was a light, airy dream of an icing.

I am so glad I gave it a whirl. It was worth every bit of effort that went into it.

I brought in my version of his grandmother’s recipe to work. It happened to be the birthday of friend and Times’ graphic artist Matt Moody on Sunday so this was my way of wishing him a happy day.

People loved them and they went pretty fast. The reaction I enjoyed the most was from web copy editor Jennifer Martin who asked what I was doing at the Times if I could bake like that. That made me feel great! This was before she had even tasted the cupcake. She tried one and was even more effusive with her praise.

Want to make them yourself? Click here for recipe.

Getting a bourbon buzz

I made this Bourbon Pound Cake with Bourbon Icing to test out a recipe in "Southern Cakes" cookbook a friend and colleague had lent me. I wanted to see if the book was worth purchasing. If the comments I got for the cake are any indication, I should run, not walk to get the book!

‘Damn! The bourbon cloud coming off this cake is amazing.’

-Christie D’Zurilla, Los Angeles Times’ Gossip of Ministry blogger

I found the recipe for this Bourbon Pound Cake with Bourbon Icing in a book on “Southern Cakes” by Nancie McDermott, that friend and supervisor Steve R. Hawkins lent me. I knew I wanted to try one of the recipes out (to see if the book was worth purchasing) and this one laced with Kentucky bourbon called to me!

It was easy to make and the thick velvet-smooth batter looked promising. The aroma wafting through the house was appealing. The look of the cake as it came out of the bundt pan was exciting. It seemed like it would be a success!

The cake and icing both had the same amount of bourbon in them but some of it baked out of the cake while the icing did the heavy lifting in keeping the liquor in it.

It was a delight. And you did get a bit of a buzz – both sugar and bourbon – from having a piece of the confection. Most people loved it although one person thought this poundcake had a much denser texture than she is used to but everyone adored the frosting.

And, yes, the consensus was to go out and buy the book!

Want to know how to make it? Here’s the recipe.

Celebrating Holi

Just part of the Holi spread: Aloo Tikkis (potato pancakes), Gujiya (delicious Indian pastries), Somosas and Kurma (both savory and sweet fried Indian snacks).

The Swaroop family came together on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010 to celebrate Holi, the Indian Festival of Colors that is traditionally celebrated by splashing colored water and attacking each other with colored powder in a festive, fun celebration that includes a massive Indian spread. In our family, everyone gathered in Huntington Beach to celebrate.

However, we did not play colors. It was decided that nobody was up for the task of cleaning up the mess the colors leave. So sad, since it isn’t really Holi for me without the rambunctious glee of color but more of a food fest.

Nothing wrong with a food fest, though! Pictured above is our spread of the plethora of main courses: Hand-made sandwiches by Sujata; Fried Chicken, Chicken Soft Tacos and Potato Salad provided by Suki.

Fried Chicken

Here is a closer look at one of the staples of our Holi menu. It’s not exactly a traditional Indian item, but it is certainly a traditional Swaroop Holi item. The chicken and the potato salad behind it was picked up from a local deli. It looks good, doesn’t it? Well, you should’ve been there because the delicious aroma stayed in the house all day long tempting those of us there to devour some. We did.

And let’s not forget the massive chicken soft tacos. Above, Roshan enjoys a taco as he finishes up lunch. Actually, they were so good he had two!

The family: In this picture is Sunita, Ram, Karen, Shawn, Surabhi and Rita enjoy lunch in the California sunshine. There was a steady downpour the day before so we felt blessed for the balmy weather.

Video Spotlight

Raksha Bandan

I made these ice cream sandwiches from molasses spice cookies and mint chocolate chip, butter pecan and chocolate ice creams. Click the Recipe Index tab for the recipe.

The family gathered to celebrate Raksha Bandan in Huntington Beach. For those of you that don’t know: Raksha Bandan in an Indian holiday that celebrates the bond between sisters and brothers. The sisters all make some sort of dish for their brothers and tie a rakhi around their brothers’ (and their wives) wrists. For that they are rewarded with a gift, but more often cash. It is a great time.

This year Suki hosted the festivities in the sunny garden with a menu that included quiche, berry salad, pasta salad, tater tots, buttermilk biscuits, mango, strawberries, tea, water, lemonade and juices. Surabhi brought Desi turkey sliders (the hit of the meal!) and potato salad. Sujata contributed samosas with accompanying chutneys.

For dessert there were ice cream sandwiches, brownies, cupcakes, tollhouse cookies, ras malai, assorted pastries.

Everyone enjoyed the festivities and visiting with those who attending including: Dad, Mom, Vijay Chachi, Surabhi, Subodh, Sujata, Sunil, Bansi Dada, Karen, Sunjay, Dinesh, Serena, Murli Dada, Sangeeta, Maya, Suki, myself and special surprise guest my cousin, Vishnupriya Saksena from India who happened to be in California on business.

Lounging after lunch: (from left) Sujata, Sunjay, Karen, Serena and Sunil.

The lineup from left Bansi Dada, Karen, Murli Dada, Subodh, Sunil and Rita

Sitara made the brownies.

Surabhi brought the potato salad

Cookies made by Karen and Serena.

These are the turkey sliders that Surabhi made. Click on the Recipe Index tab for directions on how to make these.

Fruit salad with blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.

Buttermilk biscuits came with real butter and marmalade.

I made these ice cream sandwiches from molasses spice cookies and mint chocolate chip, butter pecan and chocolate ice creams. Click the Recipe Indiex tab for the recipe.

Fourth festivities

The highly anticipated Tres Leches cake brought to us by Shelley, Gabbi’s daughter. A Tres leches cake, or Pastel de Tres leches (Spanish, “Three milk cake”), is a sponge cake,—in some recipes, a butter cake—soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream.

The whole family gathered at the home of Vijay Chachi, Subodh and Surabhi to celebrate Independence Day with a BBQ.

We got there around 3 p.m. and were treated to chicken, kebobs, turkey burgers, hot dogs, grilled veggies and veggie burgers all made by Subodh. Surabhi was the other half of Team BBQ and made us salsa, guacamole, green salad, chips, potato salad, chutney and the burger trimmings. Karen brought her famous brownies, Bansi Dada brought cantaloupe, strawberries and watermelon. Suki brought some decadent lime-coconut cupcakes. And, of course, there was ice cream sundaes and the highly-anticipated Tres Leches cake by Shelley.

It was a decadent day where we got to bask in the beautiful California sunshine, eat lots of great food and watch a James Bond movie marathon.

Murli Dada grins after a satisfying meal. Dinesh and Sunjay chat in the background.

Lime-coconut vegan cupcakes by Suki.

Is Sunil trying to take away Sunjay’s cake? Serena, Karen, Bansi Dada are transfixed by the Bond movie on the screen.

A lime coconut cupcake with strawberries and a sliver of brownie.

Grilled veggies: zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash, red onions (not pictured)

The spread included grilled veggies, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, chicken, chutney, strawberries, pickles, chips, salsa, guacamole, cantaloupe and watermelon. And, of course, dessert (not pictured) included brownies, fruit, tres leches cake and ice cream sundaes.

Serena, Sunjay and Dinesh get in line for the first slice of Tres Leches cake.

These turkey burgers had some great Indian spiciness to them. They were grilled by Subodh

The highly anticipated Tres Leches cake brought to us by Shelley, Gabbi’s daughter. A Tres leches cake, or Pastel de Tres leches (Spanish, “Three milk cake”), is a sponge cake,—in some recipes, a butter cake—soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream.

Tasting tour in NYC’s Greenwich Village

This was part of the selection at Rocco’s Bakery in the West Village. We sampled their cannolis which were yummy

Suki and I extended our trip while we were in Jersey to include a few days in Manhattan, NY. While we were there we thought it’d be cool to go on a tasting/cultural tour by Zerve Tours through the West Village. It included pizza, cookies, chocolate, pasta, wine and Italian pastry. We even took it a bit further and stopped in on the Chelsea Market to conduct our very own cupcake smackdown. A delicious, filling time was had by all.

Wedding treats

The family flew to New Jersey to attend the wedding of Amitabh Hajela to his betrothed Laura Neill. An Indian wedding can take all weekend — and this one did. We had a great time eating, drinking, dancing and socializing with our new cousins. Want to see Stephanie’s  wedding pictures? Or my wedding slideshow?

Mother’s Day brunch

The buffet included quiches, bread platter, muffins, scones, fruit, grilled veggies and two decadent desserts (not pictured)

I hosted a Mother’s Day brunch for the family. Attendees included: Dad, Mom, Suki, Vimlesh Chachi, Sujata, Vijay Chachi, Surabhi, Subodh, Rita, Sitara and Roshan. The Menu included: Turkey and Veggie quiches by Shraddha, Hash Browns by Roshan, Fruit Platter by Sitara, Bread Sampler by Suki, Grilled Vegetables by Subodh, Berry Trifle and Espresso Cheesecake by Surabhi (sadly there are no pix of those!) Coffee, Tea, Apple Juice and fresh-squeezed OJ Thanks to all who contributed!! See the slideshow