What's For Lunch Honey? | Experience Your Senses - Seite 2 
Quinoa Chickpea Avocado Bhel Salad
Walking along Bombay's Marine Drive or on the beaches of Bombay Chowpatty or Juhu, colorful market carts sell not only vibrant fruit and vegetables but many have been converted to sell the street food varieties India is famous for. And Bhelpuri is one of Bombay's quintessential street food, not to mention one of the most loved snacks in India. Typically, Bhelpuri is based on a snack food called bhel-mix, which is a combination of puffed rice and chickpea noodles, it is then mixed with a variety of ingredients, including boiled potatoes, onions, peanuts, a tangy spice chaat-masala mix, some tamarind chutney and herbs. It's an iconic snack, spicy, but also sweet, tart, and salty and can be adapted to enhance any of those characteristics. The versatility in taste is the beauty of bhelpuri. In Eastern India, for example, one will find bhelpuri recipes that include raw mustard oil, which gives the salad an incredible kick. Every suburb in India has its own friendly "bhelwala" a bhelpuri vendor and each will have their own inimitable blends of chutneys and masalas. Fact is – if you ever find yourself in India hungry for a quick yet incredibly flavoful snack or salad – get yourself to the nearest bhelwala. Often the salad is served in bowls made of banana leaves or put into cones made from newspapers and with a wooden spoon you scoop the tangy-sweet mix into your mouth. Get ready for true fireworks as the melange of aromas and flavors hit your tongue and leave you wondering "What did I just eat?" Many people I meet here have a fear around Indian food and seem to think there is a lot of mystery around the cuisine. We use a liberal and wide range of spices in our food, which is probably one of the reasons people are intimidated. My advice to anyone venturing into Indian cooking as a beginner is basically what my mum taught me a long time ago and I have mentioned a few times on varies recipes on the blog. When Indians eat, they want the receptors on the tongue to pick up all of the tastes with each bite – the sweet, the salty, the bitter, the sour and the umami! When I create dishes at home based on Indian recipes I keep that in mind as a basis of all my recipes. I tweak and adapt the recipe until it fits our tastes. I also want people living outside of India to be able to relate to these dishes and find them easy to re-create in their own kitchens. My inspiration for this salad comes from my childhood memories of vacations in Bombay. My aunt lived directly on Juhu beach, at the age of 15 I vividly remember one of my first rituals, when we visited her was heading out to the beach and finding a bhelwala for a quick fix of bhelpuri. I have given my version of the bhel a slightly different twist with ingredients readily available to me here in Germany. I have made a bit healthier using puffed quinoa and chickpeas instead of the fried chickpea noodles. I also add some avocado and lots of sprouts. An integral part of this recipe is the "kala namak" - black salt, also known as Black Himalayan salt, which is made from Indian volcanic rock salt. It starts out as Himalayan Pink Salt and is then heated to extremely high temperatures and mixed with Indian spices and herbs including the seeds of the harad fruit which contains sulfur. It also contains trace impurities of sulfates, sulfides, iron and magnesium which all contribute to the salt’s color, smell and taste. It has a very distinctive pungent smell, almost like hard boiled eggs and a delightful salty and tangy flavour, which is why I substituted the salt for the usual chaat-masala mix in this salad. Although black salt has a very strong smell at first but it disappears when cooked and the finished dish does not smell like eggs at all. It is the kala namak here that gives my version of the bhelpuri that wonderful savory umami flavor! I have added a healthy dose of lime juice for the tanginess, ground cumin for the earthy flavors and chili flakes for the heat. Recipe: Quinoa Chichkpea Avocado Bhel Salad Print RecipeBy Meeta K. Wolff Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 red onion finely chopped 1 avocado, diced 1 cucumber, diced 70g mixed sprouts, I used chickpea, mung, alfalfa, bean sprouts and lentils 100g unsalted peanuts, roasted 120g puffed quinoa Large handful of finely chopped coriander leaves 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes 1/2 teaspoon black salt 1 tablespoon palm sugar Juice and zest of 2 limes plus more to serve Method In a large bowl place the chickpeas, green bell pepper, onion, avocado, cucumber and mixed sprouts. Season with the black salt, chili flakes, and palm sugar. Add the lime zest and juice and drizzle the oilive oil. Give everything a nice toss to make sure everything is coated in the dressing. Just before serving add the peanuts, puffed quinoa and chopped coriander leaves. Mix and serve immediately. Notes: Kala Namak might sound a bit exotic but can be found in Indian stores or organic shops. This salad is a great healthy snack and can be pimped up to your own liking. You can enjoy this as a snack on it’s own or as a side to grilled meats and poultry. The most important thing to remember is to enjoy it as soon as you add the puffed quinoa. As it starts to soak up the dressing it tends to get soggy. Verdict I love this salad as it is perfect for warmer days. It's light and healthy and so versatile. A go to salad when I am craving fresh, crunchy, sweet and tangy all at once – but also when I want a quick Indian fix! It is great for a vegen/vegetarian diet, is gluten-free and contains all the good complex carbs, keeping the energy levels balanced for a longer time. Enjoy! You might like these great summer salad ideas from What’s for lunch, Honey?: Thai inspired Zucchini Mango Salad Minty Peach and Watermelon Salad with Feta Cheese Asian Chicken Red Cabbage and Peach Salad All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2018 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Growing up for years the role of my parents was always very clear cut and traditional. My dad worked in the hotel business and travelled a fair bit and my mum stayed at home, where ever it happened to be, looking after the two children. My mother had diverse hobbies and honorary responsibilities, which kept her busy, while she was dedicated to her family, friends and diverse social engagements. My father worked hard and often kept long hours as is always the case in the hotel industry. However, when I look back I remember fairly clearly that when we sat down for dinner in the evenings we were almost always the complete family of four. When we moved to Qatar things began taking a change. My mother in her early 40s started a freelance job and the more successful she was the more she was asked to join the team in a fixed position. My father was very supportive of her new role. He stopped travelling as much and got a more fixed designation at the hotel in Doha. I just entered the teenage era and was more interested to pass time outside of the house rather than spend time inside. Still, when we came together for dinner, we were always a party of four. Both my brother and I graduated from High School, moving to different countries to study and work away from home. My parents moved to Dubai and my dad took on a large project in Cairo, increasing his travelling again. My mother continued to flourish in the same firm in the Dubai branch. When I reflect today, it often felt lonely – all four of us were having dinners separately away from each other. A memory that I carry very close to my heart was visiting my parents in Dubai. It was the late nineties and my father had just wrapped up the project in Cairo. Over lunch I asked him what his next project and plan was. I hardly expected the answer I got. "I'm taking a break and am going to write a book!" I think I choked on my curry! "No stop kidding – where are you off to now?" My parents explained that it was not a joke. They had bought a larger apartment and once it was ready they would move there. In the meantime my dad was going to stay at home, writing his book and look after the household. My mum was going to continue to work. This was a totally new situation, but I do remember breaking into a grin. My dad was in his early 60s and wanted to take a 3 to 4-year break. I was proud of their bold decision. Once again my parents were teaching me a new lesson – not only follow your dreams but seriously you can make the dreams happen at any age! That same day my brother arrived from California and we broke the news in much the same way. My brother posed a very important question that until now had not been addressed. "Who is going to cook the meals?" You see we are a family that when we all get together we discuss the next meal plan while enjoying a meal. Dinners were always a major and important part of our family ritual and even though we left home – coming back to the parents always meant being together and enjoying meals and conversation collectively as a family. Both my parents were smiling at us and my dad explained that he had been looking over my mum's shoulder in the kitchen and learning a few tricks of his own. That evening we gathered in the kitchen, my dad in the lead role while we assisted. We chopped and my dad explained many of the steps as he sautéed the onions and spiced the cauliflower. I don't ever remember being in the kitchen together, the four of us cooking dinner. But it was a special memory to hold on to. I did catch my father glance at my mum once or twice when there seemed to be doubt. My mum just smiled and blinked allowing my dad total freedom in his role. My dad was enjoying all the attention and fuss. That evening as we all sat down to dinner we tucked into a luxurious vegetable biryani based on my dad's recipe and my mum's signature Dal Fry! To this day it is one of the most memorable meal for both my brother and me. It epitomises how my parents evolved seemingly effortlessly and transcended into their different roles with ease. My dad went on to write his book, which took him on adventure journeys from Italy to Palo Alto. Sometimes I was lucky enough to accompany him other times I heard about his tales when we all came together in Dubai. He learnt new cooking methods and dishes during his travels and has always been keen to share the new ideas with us. To this day however, my dad's vegetable biryani and chicken pulao are the celebrated dishes in the family. That is why today I share two recipes to honour that great memory of the day my parents took a bold step in their lives. The vegetable biryani is based on my dad's recipe and my 9-legumes fry is strongly based on my mum's recipe for Dal fry. While the ingredient list and method for the biryani looks fairly long, there are no exotic foods or hard to find items. If you are a curry lover – most of the items will be in your pantry or you will find them in larger grocery stores or in Asian/Indian supermarkets. Recipe: Vegetarian Biryani Print RecipeVegetarian Biryani by Meeta K. Wolff By Meeta K. Wolff Prep Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 70 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients 220g basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes 1.5 liters warm water 3 + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 350g white onions, thinly sliced 2 + 2 tablespoons ghee 30 ml warm milk generous pinch of saffron 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint 2 tablesppons finely chopped coriander leaves 1/2 green cardamom powder 1 teaspoons cumin seeds 2 bay leaves 4 cloves 1” cinnamon stick 6 green cardamom 250g onions, thinly sliced 2” ginger, coarsely grated 200g tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon tomato puree 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon coriander powder 450g cauliflower, cut to bitesized florets 220g mushrooms quartered 150g carrots, sliced 100g sweetcorn 50ml water 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder Salt Method Heat 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil on medium heat in a frying pan. Add 350g sliced onions and sautè stirring every few minutes. The onions will go crisp and turn golden brown - this can take anywhere between 15 to 25 minutes. Take them off the heat and drain access oil on kitchen paper and set aside. Soak the saffron strands in the warm water and allow the milk to infuse. Keep aside. Heat a heavy bottom pot and bring the 1.5ml water to a boil. Drain the rice and add it to the boiling water. Season generously with salt. Cook the rice for 7-8 minutes. The rice should only be half cooked as it will cook further in the oven. Drain the rice, keep warm and set aside. Set up a large metal bowl filled with cold water. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, reduce heat and blanch the cauliflower in for about 7-8 minutes. Drain and plunge in cold water and set aside. In a grinder add all the whole spices: cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Grind to a coarse mix and set aside. In a heavy bottom pan heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons ghee over medium heat. Add the 250g sliced onions and fry for roughly 10 to 15 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Add the coarsely ground spices, stir well and continue to fry for a minute. Add the grated ginger and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and the tomato puree and continue to sauté until the tomatoes have soften - about 3 minutes. Lower the heat and sprinkle the chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder. Stir well for 30 seconds. Add the vegetables, lower the heat, stiring well to make sure to coat the vegetables in the spices. Pour the 50 ml water, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower, garam masala and season to taste. Cover and cook for a further 2 minutes. Turn the heat off and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180 C degrees. In a heavy cast iron casserole or a Römertopf start to layer the biryani. Add a tablespoon of ghee to the bottom of the casserole then layer with some of the spiced vegetables and top with a layer of rice. Sprinkle with some of the saffron milk, chopped mint and coriander and a pinch of cardamom powder. Finally add some of the fried onions. Repeat the process with more spiced vegetables followed by an even layer of rice. Top with remaining ghee, saffron milk, mint, coriander and a pinch cardamom powder. Top with a little more of the fried onion, saving some to serve. Tightly seal with a layer of foil and put a tight fitting lid on. Put the casserole in the oven on a middle rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave to rest until ready to serve. Serve the vegetable biryani with the legumes fry. 9-Legumes Fry My 9-legume fry is not only an ode to my mum's classic recipe but I honour my dad's teachings in cooking. Yes – he always has very valuable and useful tips from the kitchen. If there is anything that I learnt from my dad is to try everything at least once and keep your waste to a minimum. My dad collects everything. He freezes vegetable scraps and leftover sauces and gravies, using them for soups, stews and other dishes. He will save and freeze flatbread and parathas to make either a casserole á la bread pudding or frittatas. So when I had many different varieties of legumes leftover in my jar, none to make a complete dish individually, I decided to put all 9 varieties into the pot for a Indian style stew. Recipe: 9-Legumes Fry Print Recipe By Meeta K. Wolff Prep Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 60 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients 300g variety of legumes (I used chickpeas, kidney beans, cannellini beans, mung beans, black-eyed peas, yellow lentils, Puy lentils, green split peas, black beans) 1 + 2 tablespoons ghee 1 onion, finely chopped ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon coriander powder ½ teaspoon garam masala ¼ teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon mustard seeds ½ teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tomato, finely chopped Pinch of Asafoetida 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped A small piece of ginger, grated ½ green chili, finely chopped 1 tablespoon fenugreek, dry roasted and ground to a powder small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped Salt Method Wash all the legumes well, then soak in a bowl for about 20 minutes. Place the legumes in a pressure cooker and fill it with enough water to just cover the dal. On medium heat allow to boil then place the lid of the pressure cooker and cook till the legumes mixture is soft but still retains it’s consistency. This process can also be done in a pot, it will just take a little longer for the legumes to cook. While the legumes are cooking place a large saucepan and heat on medium. Melt the 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add the turmeric powder once the ghee is hot. Then add the onions making sure not to brown but sauté until they turn translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes completely breakdown. Now add the other dry spices - cumin, coriander, garam masala and chili powder - to the pan and cook for about 10 seconds. Once the legumes have cooked transfer to the pan with the onions and spices, adding salt to taste. Check the desired consistency, adding water if it is too thick. Simmer for 5 minutes. Heat a small skillet on medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add the mustard seeds and heat until they begin to pop. Add the cumin seeds, fenugreek, asafoetida, garlic, ginger and chilies cooking for a few minutes. Pour the mixture over the legumes, mix well, adjusting the seasoning. Top with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with the vegetable biryani. Verdict Now that the family has grown to include my husband, son and my brother's wife, every time we visit Dubai he still loves to cook for us when we are back home. After 4 years he went back to work and believe it or not still, in his early 70s, is working in the hotel business. These two dishes are the typical kind of meals I always turn to when I am missing home. They are more than 2 dishes, they have memories attached to them that make them simply tastier. Even without my memories I am sure you will love them. The biryani is beautifully aromatic having cooked in the oven slowly keeping all the flavours sealed tightly. Each layer comes together so perfectly and provides an incredible array of textures. Paired with the rustic hearty legume stew both dishes were not only meant to be but the entire meal in nutritious and healthy. ROME FOOD & LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY RETREAT 2018DATE: 10 & 11 May 2018Pack your cameras and come with me to the Roman countryside! This Spring I will be back in beautiful Torri for a fantastic 2-day food photography and styling retreat. It is the place for you to gain motivation and renew your creative ability. I hope to see some of you in Italy this Spring! Tickets have already gone out to as far as the Middle East and as close to as Switzerland. Come and join me!GET THE DETAILS & CHECK OUT SOME OF LAST YEAR'S STUNNING IMAGES BOOK YOUR TICKETS! You might like these curry night ideas from What’s for lunch, Honey?: Curried Cauliflower and Pumkin with Kumquat Chutney Goan Tangy Pork Vindaloo with Cashews Beef Kofta Curry All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2018 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
ROME Food & Lifestyle Photography Retreat 2018
Spring is a fascinating time in the Roman countryside! Here, just a few kilometers north of the capital, lies an appealingly undiscovered niche of Italy, where the sun warms the rolling hills, the sea of poppies splash their reds against the green fields, the olive trees begin to burst into life and the light is a vibrant yellow. I fell in love with this humble but stunning area back in 2016 when I visited the region for my first workshop. It is the perfect place to reach deep within oneself and find the inspiration that will summon your deepest creativity. That is why I am absolutely thrilled to share another beautiful and power-packed food photography, lifestyle and styling experience here in Torri, Sabina this Spring. And I hope you, like several before you, will share this exceptioanlly unique experience with me. Sabina's landscape is a tapestry of olive groves, vineyards and ancient hilltop villages, rich in medieval architecture and tradition. This is absolutely the ideal setting for a sensational Food Photography and Styling retreat again in 2018.A picture is worth a thousand words!I am sharing a few images from last year's workshop to show you the true beauty and essence of our 2-day retreat. Our villa, perched on a hilltop, boasts of panoramic views of grandeur of the village Torri, beautiful vineyards and olive groves. From dawn to dusk light moves around, painting the entire surrounding in different colors. Shadows and reflections, dark and light, the golden hour or the blue hour of this view just never gets boring. The entire recap for last year’s workshop is coming up in a few weeks time - I promise! Meeta's workshop in Rome can be summed up into one word - inspiring. The location, her instruction, and our exposure to the local food culture is exactly what I needed to renew my creative energy. I was able to combine the inspiring atmosphere along with new techniques and tips for styling and photography to improve my work.~ Lori R., Rome Workshop 2017 The ExperienceThis food photography and styling retreat is a 2-day experience, where together we will not only discover the surroundings, but our main aim will be to develop your skills in the techniques of photography and styling. We will help you out of your rut and bring out your creativity by working on many exercises and refining the style. This retreat will be a place for you to gain motivation and renew your creative ability. With ideas and discussions from other group members it will boost your knowledge and help you think out of the box. Together we will cook, eat and drink delicious rustic Italian meals and wines, using exquisite seasonal ingredients, sourced locally and from the villa gardens and fruit trees.We will take photos by the swimming pool, on the terrace and in the olive groves. We will visit a 2000 year old olive tree and have an an exclusive olive oil tasting experience. We will dine at a wonderful secluded little trattoria perched on top of a hill in Lazio, past poppy fields, where each dish is a symphony of flavors. The Workshop The focus for this food, styling and lifestyle retreat is to: access your untapped creativity using the olive groves and rolling hills as a backdrop. explore all the aspects to easily create beautiful pictures focus on photo and styling processes, from basics natural light manipulations to more advanced ones. create succulent stories with your photos, create the right atmosphere share current food styling and prop trends discuss many important topics revolving around photographing food: picking ingredients, cooking/photo time management, post-processing, steps towards discovering your unique voice and artistic style master the perfect composition consider props, how to find them, how to make them and how to budget with them This tranquil, unique and homey venue will provide us with a fabulous source of inspiration and offer us plenty of room, outdoors and indoors, for our hands-on exercises and photo assignments. The Hosting TeamRissa Miller is my biggest support during the organizing and planning of these retreats. With over 20 years professional experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, and a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Paris she spent the last 5 years cooking throughout Italy. I am very thrilled to be teaming up together with Rissa again to share our knowledge and passion with our participant Johnny Madge is our dynamic Olive Oil Sommelier and tour guide for our olive oil excursion. Internationally acclaimed olive oil sommelier, expert forager, marble sculptor, and extraordinary host, Johnny has been living in Sabina for 35 years and offers infinite knowledge and frequent laughter to all our participants. Who Should Join!This photography and lifestyle experience is perfect for you if: You are a photographer who wishes to discover all the exciting aspects of capturing beautiful food and lifestyle photos in a unique location You are looking to take your food, travel and lifestyle photography skills to the next-level You are a blogger, web designer, graphic designer, stylist, magazine editor, creative designer, foodie, writer (all were past participants of my workshops) or similar and you wish to capture beautiful images for your business or blog You wish to improve your styling and find your way through the jungle of food styling to create the perfect set-up You have a basic knowledge of using the DSLR and camera settings anyone who is keen to spend a few wonderful days with like-minded people exploring and enjoying this incredible spectacular city I will guide you throughout the entire course of this retreat, teaching you to discover and hone all the many aspects it takes to create the perfect image. Most of all we want this to be a fun-filled 2 days for our participants, with good food, drink and an exchange of experience so that when you go back home you are not only equipped with the know-how to create beautiful images for your blog posts, articles or your own personal masterpiece, but also look back at the 2 days as a memorable event. The Programme * Thursday 10th May 2018 Informal Meet & Greet Introductions over morning tea, coffee and pastries at the Villa Photography Fundamentals Mastering the camera & learning the basics (shutter speed, aperture, ISO etc.) Photography Techniques Using natural light to create the right atmosphere; building a narrative, using color and texture Practical Photography Exercises Practice makes perfect LUNCH by Rissa A lovely meal featuring some traditional rustic Italian dishes. Styling Fundamentals Composition and placement, finding the right angle, using the perfect props, finding an artistic style Styling demo Free-style Photography/Styling Exercises Short exercises bringing the photography and styling aspects together 3- Course Dinner by Rissa Divine rustic Italian meal with wine pairing Friday 11th May 2018Breakfast at the Villa by Rissa Question and Answers; one on one discussion with instructor Enlightening yourself with Lightroom Workflow, post-processing, watermarking, tagging Olive Oil Tour and tasting with Lunch in Farfa Field trip and on-location photo shoot Intensive group work on main photography assignment Evaluation, discussion & critique on assignment Constructive feedback, discussion and critique on exercises Finale Aperitifs & Farewell *The programme may change or have slight variations due to weather or availability The TicketRome Retreat 2018 Ticket: Euro 660 / personIncluded in the price Complete two day workshop session, which will cover food and lifestyle photography and styling, practical hands-on exercises and assignment work 1 night single room accommodation 5-hour olive oil tasting and excursion Field trip transportation to and from villa All meals & beverages during workshop Thursday: Snacks, Beverages, Lunch, Dinner Friday: Breakfast, Olive oil tour, lunch, aperitifs Material / equipment for on-site photography and styling sessions (does not include cameras and other photography equipment like tripods, laptops, cables etc.) Not included Flights to Rome Airport transfers / Travel to venue Travel insurance (or insurance of any kind) BOOK YOUR TICKETS! The Destination Rome 2018 Food photography experience is limited to only 10 participants and works on a first-come-first-serve basis. BOOKING & PAYMENTTo book your space for this unique experience please register and complete the registration process (click on"Book Your Tickets" button above). After we have received your payment we will send you your exclusive Destination Rome 2018 Food Photography Experience ticket and further and more concrete programme details, a complete guide, photography hand-out and instructions. To secure your spot for this event we request that full payment be made upon registration. Please Note: The organizers reserve the rights to modify the programme should the need arise. Presentations and main workshop language will be in English (instructor and organisers speak German and Italian).ParticipantsThe workshop is aimed towards participants with a basic understanding of how to use a DSLR camera and settings. We will cover fundamentals like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance and co.. However, we would like to focus more intensively on concepts and techniques during theory sessions and provide ample room for individual practical exercises. During individual exercise I am here to provide help with modes, settings and any difficulties and challenges in this respect can be discussed.CancellationsDue to logistics of the event, we are unable to provide any refunds on cancellations. However, we can accept a replacement for your place. We recommend you have travel insurance in the event of any unforeseen events. BOOK YOUR TICKETS! If you have any questions or need more information please drop me an email: meeta[AT]whatsforlunchhoney[DOT]net Look forward to seeing you in Italy this Spring! Warmly, Meeta All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2017 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Avocado Mango Yellow Lentils Lime & Chilli Verrines
Many relationships are forged and strengthen over meals or social events. Emotions evoked and lasting impressions are made when people come together at the table to share a meal. As a daughter of an hotelier our family moved often from country to country, always leaving behind friends and a community that had taken us in. It was never easy and yet I watched my parents form new friendships and build a social environment in each new city with ease. It wasn’t until I was in my teenage years that I realized that my mother often took it in her hands to create a loving and comforting condition for all of us by hosting dinner parties and social events. She realized that without friends and the support of dear ones, the family would suffer a lonely and isolated time in the unfamiliar place. It helped that my mother was a fantastic host and a brilliant cook and often her dinners and parties were celebrated affairs.The quintessence of these social events is that today they live in Dubai and remarkably many of the friends they socialize with, and are also now living in Dubai, date back to times before I was even born. This was a significant lesson I learnt and socializing also came easy to me. However, I realized that for me my happiness lies in having a select few friends that I know will be there for me. Although I travel a lot, I have been living in Weimar for 15 years now and having my base means that I am able to bond and strengthen my ties on a different level. Still, that lesson of what it means to establish a friendship in a sociable and intimate environment has always stuck with me. From the window of a quaint loft apartment nestled in a quiet corner in Erfurt’s pedestrian area, wafts the inviting smell of onions and mixed herbs. My friend, Kerstin sits at the large table tying the name tags to the small Weck jars filled with Za’atar. I have taken my usual place at the stove, caramelizing onions for the turmeric roasted cauliflower that will be part of the evenings dinner. We giggle as we try to simultaneously take photos for our InstaStories. In this moment I think about the way things, over time, have changed, or have they evolved? Social media meets social dining! Both Kerstin and I are hosting our first supperclub, something that we have wanted to do for ages. We both believe in the power of convivial gatherings and how food connects people from all cultures. Interestingly, we both met a few years earlier as she hired me to work on food related project for the company she worked for. Food connects and creates friendships at all levels! We had promoted our supperclub through social media and word of mouth and the guest list is a mix of friends, acquaintances and people who have connected with us over this blog, Facebook or Instagram. We are nervous as the doorbell rings and our first guest walks in. The bubbly aperitif of Prosecco and a power shot with flavors of ginger and pineapple is zesty and refreshing and as we pass around the nibbles of spiced nuts, our guests warm up to the situation. The group was most loquacious when, in the kitchen, among other preparations, pumpkin was pureed for a hummus and orange zest was toasted for the beetroot. The voluble conversation continued at the dinner table, now decorated with flowers, candles and fairy lights. Laughter echoed through the loft as platters of aromatic turmeric cauliflower, lemongrass noodles or za’atar cannellini beans were passed around. Talking to strangers while you eat is something that would rarely happen in a restaurant. That, for me, is the significance of hosting a supperclub. Bringing strangers together in a homey and cosy atmosphere; to meet new people, to network, to communicate and exchange ideas. Paradoxically, away from the virtual reality of the internet and social media. Restaurants tend to get stuffy and formal. The concept of a supperclub, however, offers guests real delicious food that they help to prepare, in a relaxed and fun ambience. That is the lesson I learnt from my mum and the idea I am happy to be developing and realizing with my friend Kerstin. Coincidentally, social dining has its roots in ancient Greece, where wine and olives were used to bring plebeians together. Food was the catalyst for galvanising disengaged communities. Today, it seems that while the internet has disengaged communities on the one hand, we can use it to bring people together in the real world easily. There truly seems to be a yearning for real life interactions and we hope that with our supperclubs we are able to make these real life interactions a shareable experience for our guests. Our Kochen & Freunde Supperclubs are scheduled to become a regular experience this year where we have a few dates set for upcoming events. Kerstin and I have only just started and we are hoping to bring many people together not only in a social but also in a business environment. We will experience set-backs and disappointments, I am sure. Our goal, as we move forward, is to add real-life value to the communities and people in our region. If you are living in and around our region please feel free to contact us for dates and details. How does this recipe fit into the idea of a supperclub? Perfectly! Cooking and preparing the menu for a supperclub can be fairly flexible. We take into account the dietary restrictions and try to accommodate them while creating the menu. The dishes are far from boring – as a matter of fact our first supperclub was entirely vegetarian and offered an abundance of variety in flavor, produce and textures. We also think of a few creative serving ideas – no you won’t get soup in a dog bowl or anything along those lines, but we did serve our Asian lemongrass and coconut noodles in Asian take-out food boxes, allowing guests to “take-away” any leftovers. These beautiful verrines characterize our idea for creative flavor fusions and serving ideas. The verrines make the perfect appetizer, cater to many dietary issues and look good. Texture plays a vital role and there is a bomb of texture and taste: as an Indian my palate likes to experience all the tastes in one go – salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami. This recipe includes them all!Recipe: Avocado Mango Yellow Lentils Lime and Chilli VerrinesPrint Recipe By Meeta K. Wolff Prep Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients3 avocados 200 g yellow lentils, cooked to packet instructions, cooled 1 zucchini, grated, water drained 2 red onions, finely chopped 1 cucumber, cubed 2 mangoes, cubed 1 cloves garlic, finely chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 red chili, finely chopped 3 limes, zest and juice small bunch of coriander Handful sprouts, I used red radish sprouts coarse sea salt and freshly cracked pepper Handful pecans, chopped MethodFirst make the lentil salad: place the cooked yellow lentils in a bowl. Add the zucchini, 1 finely chopped onion, the garlic, the zest and juice of 1 lime and half of the chopped coriander. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss well. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Make the cucumber salad: place the cubed cucumber in a bowl, add the chopped chili and red onion, the remaining coriander, zest and juice of 1 lime and 1 tablespoon oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Take 2 of the avocados and with a fork coarsely crush. Spinkle some sea salt and the last zest and juice of the lime. Cube the last avocado. Assemble the verrines, by filling 4 glasses: first with some of the avocado puree, then layer with the lentil salad, the cucumber salad, the cubed mangoes, and top with pecans and sprouts. Verdict Elegant, easy to put together and practical, these verrines are perfect for any social gathering. Be it a dinner party and home, a picnic or a supperclub – I love how versatile they are. I also find that, although the ingredients are not complicated, but when all the components come together in one glass the entirety of the dish offers complex flavors and textures. Enjoy! WORKSHOP CALENDAR 2018 Soon, I will be announcing the first of my food photography and styling experiences for 2018. Make sure you sign up for my newsletter for priority registration now and learn about the workshop schedule a few weeks in advance. You might like these easy social dining dishes from What’s For Lunch, Honey?: Slow Roasted Turmeric Vegetables with Moghrabieh Pilaf Clafoutis - Tomato Zucchini and Goat Cheese Mint Lamb Meatballs with Spelt Risotto and a Coriander Pesto All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2018 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Lingonberry Lebkuchen Festive Cake
It’s December! Again. I have dusted of some of the speckles of lint beginning to gather here. An unwanted break from the blog that extended into a bit of a Summer / Autumn interlude. And now here I am – it’s December and time for Christmas! Since July, which was the last time I posted, I have travelled – quite a bit. My travels took me to Budapest, Croatia, Florence to name just a few places I covered over the summer but I was also back in Dubai in October. If you follow me on Instagram, I hope you have been enjoying the virtual trip. In the almost 12 years of blogging this is the longest break I took. It was good, as I focused on several things that I have been saying “I would love to …” for so long but always blamed it on time – or lack of it. I guess many of us find ourselves in that place. Sometimes it was a roller coaster ride of emotions, of a thousand questions, of even more thoughts and sleepless nights. An opportunity came knocking on my door to open up a small bistro – long days of talks, of fidgeting with numbers back and forth, working on concepts and ideas – some days I was on a high other days I felt dragged down. In the end I listened to my gut – always my sound beacon – and decided to let it go. I have not regretted it. Not long after, over lunch with a friend, we exchanged visions or those “one day I would love to …” ideas and realized we both had a similar idea. So without much fuss we jumped into it – outlined and put together the concept, planned and organized, did a lot of schlepping up and down many, many staircases and early November we were able to present our first Supperclub in Erfurt! It was a bespoke, convivial dinner where 18 lovely people took their place at our Kochen & Freunde table, guests who came from not only our region but also from around Germany to indulge in good mindful food, enjoy conversation and culture. We created an exciting multi-cultural menu - a fusion of ingredients and spices and we took our guests to the culinary high points of the Middle East, Persia, India and Asia! We cooked with turmeric, za'atar, sumac, cardamom, cumin, coriander, lemongrass and more. Market fresh pumpkins were turned into silky hummus, red beets into a divine moutabel, cauliflower was spiced with turmeric and sprinkled with barberries and pinenuts, flavorful Asian noodles highlighted with kaffir leaves and lemongrass and sweet and sticky medjool dates were mixed with almond butter and raw cocoa powder and dipped decadently into dark chocolate. It was good – actually looking back it was great – we took many notes and are ready for the next one, in planning for February. There was also Dubai, where I spent two lovely weeks with my parents and brother and had the rocking annual Dubai Food Photography & Styling Workshop. This time with a whole different set-up and a changed concept – inspirational, fun and so full of great participants. Look out for the entire review coming up – soon! Somewhere in between I managed to tour my region for a magazine I often work with and test, write and photograph some of the finest patisseries, bakeries and coffee shops for a big book coming out in March 2018. Soon I will be touring the region again – this time in search of the top Wine bars of my region.So although there has been a bit of inactivity on the blog, life and work has been filled with a lot of action. And here we are – it’s December again! The Autumn leaves, that once were alight with color have turned and withered, we’ve had our first snow, fairy lights are up on trees, candles flicker on the window sills and the Christmas markets are once again filling the air with roasted chestnuts and spiced wine. How can I miss out on my annual Christmas post? Once the emails and DMs began coming in, asking me when my Christmas post would be up I knew I had to get back into the jig of my blog.This year I turned towards the Nordic kitchen for a bit of Christmas inspiration. I love the concept of “Hygge”, the Danish word for cosiness, is about being snuggled indoors with candles, great comfort food, and lots of cakes and sweets. For me Hygge is what I need most when the temperatures drop! Similarly to Germany, Christmas season in the Nordic countries begins on the First Sunday of Advent, when the first candle in the advent candelabra is lit. Families and friends come together and enjoy Christmas cookies, cakes and treats with coffee and tea. On each subsequent Advent Sunday, another candle is lit, so that on the fourth Advent Sunday, the last Sunday before Christmas, all four candles are burning.Food Guide – LingonberriesLingonberries are packed with antioxidant power in the form of plant chemicals called polyphenols. Researchers have found that Lingonberries contain more polyphenol flavonoids than any other type of berry! The benefits of lingonberries not only fortify your body with antioxidants, they also help your body replace depleted antioxidants such as glutathione. Glutathione is known as the “Master Antioxidant” because it fights off virtually every illness. Lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) grow on low, evergreen shrubs throughout Scandinavia's forests, the tart red berries are much smaller and juicier than their distant cousin, the cranberry, and closer in makeup to the raspberry. Lingonberries are the last berries to ripen in autumn. After the blueberries and bilberries of July and August, lingonberries don't come in until September. Often they are frozen to be used over the winter months in a variety of ways. Bursting with natural preservatives and pectin, lingonberries were invaluable to earlier generations of Scandinavians, for they could be kept for months at room temperature simply by placing them in jars of water or by stirring the raw berries with a small amount of sugar to make lingonberry jam, where no cooking was required. If looking for lingonberries or lingonberry jam in ethnic European food markets, you also may find them called red whortleberries, cowberries, foxberries, mountain cranberries, mountain bilberries, or partridgeberries. It's nearly impossible to find fresh lingonberries unless you can find an online purveyor, but frozen and canned lingonberries are widely available in the US and most European countries. Here in Germany they are called “Preiselbeeren” and can be found frozen or in jams in several supermarkets and the ubiquitous Swedish furniture store!This whole whole month is all about Hygge and enjoying food! This year, besides a stollen I make each year, I went for something lavishly festive and bursting full of wonderful flavors. This year’s Christmas highlight is a cake that boasts of tart, fruity sweetness of the Lingonberries, while the bold spices of allspice, cinnamon, coriander, ginger cloves and anise seeds from the Lebkuchen paired with the cardamom brings warm comfort. Recipe: Lingonberry Lebkuchen Festive CakePrint Recipe By Meeta K. Wolff Prep Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 60 minutes Serves: 10 Ingredients175 g butter, melted and cooled 3 eggs 100 g soft brown sugar 150g fine granulated suger 300 g cake flour (alternatively all-purpose flour) 2 teaspoons baking powder 3 teaspoons Lebkuchen spice mix (Make the mix) 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt 220 ml almond milk For the icing 175 g butter, softened 400 g icing sugar 70 g lingonberries (50 g for frosting + 20g for decorating), defrosted 180 g cream cheese handful pistachios, chopped MethodPreheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Prepare 3 18-cm round cake pans by greasing them and lining them with baking paper. Beat the eggs with both sugars until the mixture is light, fluffly and almost doubled in volume. Use a stand mixer with a ballon whisk or alternatively a hand-held electric whisk. Sift together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then fold gently into the egg mixture. Pour the melted (cooled) butter and the whole milk and with the speed on low incoporate slowly. Divide the mixture between the three prepared pans and bake in the oven for approx. 15 to 20 minutes or until the cake is beautifully golden, well-risen and springy to the touch. Test by inserting a skewer into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean it's ready! Turn the cakes out on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. In the meantime make the icing by beating on high speed the butter, cream cheese and icing sugar using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer or the hand-held whisk. If there is a lot of liquid from the defrosted lingonberries, make sure you drain most of it, reserving a little bit for the icing. Add the lingonberries and gently fold into the icing, then add some of the reserved lingonberry juice to give the desired pink color to the icing. Assembling the cake from here is easy. Divide the icing into three parts. Place a sponge layer on your cakestand and spread over with a layer of icing. Repeat the process with the remaining layers. Spread a generous icing layer on your final cake layer, then scatter with the remaining lingonberries reserved for the decoration. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios. Verdict I dived into something different this year - with this cake I seem to have hit all the right spots in the family. It is moist, aromatic and the zesty sweet tartness of the lingonberries add a fantastic accent to the entire cake. It will make a grand centerpeice at any table with the lingonberries throned like jewels on top of a cloud of creamy icing. A huge thank you to all and everyone who have been constantly writing and keeping in touch with me over the past few months via all the channels. It’s good to be missed and I look forward to getting back the blog mojo and catching up on all your blogs too. If you are looking for more Christmas baking ideas last year I started this awesome Christmas Cakes and Bakes Board and since then it has grown quite a bit. You might like these Christmas showstoppers from WFLH: Norwegian Christmas Cookies, Carrot Spiced Plum Preserve Crescents and Chocolate Orange Cranberry Orange Marzipan Stollen Buns Chocolate Gianduia Stollen With Cranberries and Papaya All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2017 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First