Grilled Chicken And Koshary In Cairo

When we asked people in Cairo which was the one Egyptian dish we absolutely had to try, the answer was unanimous - Koshary! Never even having heard that name before, we were intrigued and set about finding a good restaurant. Koshary turned out to be a delightful melange of rice, lentils, chickpeas and pasta, topped with tomato chili sauce and caramelized onions.

We quickly became fans of Koshary like all the rest of Egypt and had to have it several times during our stay! It is easy to understand why Koshary is considered cheap and cheerful comfort food in Egypt. The unlikely combination of ingredients is surprisingly good and quite addictive!

At first bite, the flavor of Koshary seemed vaguely familiar to Indians like us, and a little research soon explained why. It is an Egyptian version of Khichri - the mix of lentils and rice that has been a staple food in Indian villages for millennia. Khichri is considered comfort food in India as well, especially soothing when one is sick.

It is an extremely adaptable dish - English settlers in India were quick to embrace it,  calling it Kedegree. Indian troops based in Egypt in the late nineteenth century introduced the locals to Khichri, who fused it with Italian pasta and tomato sauce to produce the beloved modern version of Khoshary.

You will find Koshary being sold from street side food carts everywhere in Egypt, often with a long line up of hungry customers! The  Khoshary man is an iconic figure in Cairo, and the noise made by his metal ladle rattling against the bowls he fills with amazing speed is instantly recognizable to residents of the city.

Although not strictly traditional, I like to serve Koshary with some grilled chicken over top. It rounds off the dish nicely, making it a meal in one. The aromatic marinade makes the chicken smell wonderful as it cooks. If you're grilling it outside, watch out - you might have unexpected guests dropping in for a taste!

Grilled Chicken And Koshary

Grilled Chicken

The grilled chicken can be served by itself too. Leftovers make a great wrap when rolled up in a tortilla with some chopped salad and a drizzle of yogurt raita!

 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 8 large

8 cloves garlic

2 tbsp each: plain yogurt, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, oil

Salt to taste

1 tsp each: toasted ground cumin, ground black pepper, red chili flakes

1/2 tsp each: ground cinnamon, ground ginger, paprika

Place chicken in mixing bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in mini blender or food processor until smooth. Pour over chicken, tossing to coat it well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to grill, preheat barbecue to medium. Lift chicken out of marinade and place on grill. Grill, covered for about 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, turning once in between.

Koshary

Koshary is a delicious, healthy, simple and satisfying meal in itself and is also a great way to use up leftover rice or pasta!

4 tbsp olive oil, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups canned whole plum tomatoes, pureed in food processor

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp each: ground ginger, ground cumin, cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced

1 cup each, cooked: rice, brown lentils, chickpeas

1/2 cup each, cooked: ditalini pasta or elbow macaroni, angel hair pasta or broken up spaghetini

Warm 1 tbsp oil in deep non stick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until it browns lightly, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, vinegar,  spices and salt to taste. Mix well, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, warm remaining oil in separate skillet over medium high heat. Add sliced onion and saute until browned, about 10 minutes.

Combine rice, lentils and chickpeas in bowl. Combine pasta in separate bowl.

To serve, divide pasta between four bowls. Add a layer of rice and lentil mixture, then sprinkle onions over top. Spoon some tomato sauce over and top with 2 pieces of grilled chicken. Serve warm.

Serves four

Grilled Seafood On The Greek Islands

After a few days in the sun drenched, idyllic Greek islands, you learn the best way to prepare seafood  - catch it fresh, throw it on the grill, and bring it to the table while it is still sizzling. That is how they do it in the little shacks along the beach where you can sit and eat while gazing out at the pristine blue Aegean sea. What more can one ask for?

Life moves at a slow pace in the islands, whether you are lazing on the beach, wandering through little village streets lined with bougainvillea blossoms or stepping into a cool, dimly lit church. At the end of the day there is always a taverna where you can enjoy a glass of ouzo and an unforgettable seafood dinner.

Fresh seafood doesn't need much to make it taste good. A sprinkle of salt, a dusting of oregano, a scatter of chopped garlic, along with a splash of olive oil and lemon juice is all the treatment it got most of the time. Every once in a while though, we would come across a dish with Indian echoes. They had tantalizing glimpses of cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg along with tomatoes, onions, garlic and other seasonings. It seemed like a perfect blend of some very different flavors.

In my recipe, cumin and black pepper blend well with oregano and paprika to create a marinade that adds robust flavor without overpowering the delicate seafood. While it tastes best grilled, you can also pan fry it or bake it in the oven.

Grilled Seafood

You can throw in other types of seafood such as scallops, mussels, squid or even lobster. The marinade also works well with chicken, lamb or pork. Serve with a Greek salad, Tzatziki and warm pita bread to complete the experience!

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb thick cut fish fillet such as Cod, Halibut or Sea Bass

1 medium cooking onion, peeled and quartered

12 cloves garlic

1 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup each: olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar

1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard

Salt to taste

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp each: toasted crushed cumin seeds, smoked paprika, ground black pepper

Place shrimp and fish separately in 2 large mixing bowls. Combine all remaining ingredients in food processor until minced. Transfer to a small bowl. Pour half over shrimp, toss shrimp well to coat.

Pour remaining half of marinade over top of fish, spreading to cover evenly.

Cover bowls and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or longer.

When ready to grill, preheat barbecue to medium. Thread shrimp onto skewers and place on grill. Place fish fillets on grill.

Grill, covered for about 3-4 min per side for shrimp and about 8-10 min per side for fish, flipping gently once, until shrimp turn pink and fish flakes easily.

Serve with wedges of lemon.

Serves four

Cous Cous With Seven Vegetable Stew In Marrakesh

My first impression of Marrakesh, seen from the sky as our plane was landing, was of a city bathed in a soft red glow. Later we learned that Marrakesh is actually called 'The city of red' because all its buildings are made of gorgeous red sandstone.

The heart of Marrakesh is a great square known as the Jemaa al Fnaa, which bustles all day with snake-charmers, musicians and dancers. At night it is transformed into a giant food market with stalls offering nuts, dried fruits, juices and grilled meats. Clouds of aromatic smoke rise from open fires over which whole sheep are often roasted and served to customers sitting on benches that surround the grill. Vendors from each stall call out and try to entice you in, holding up menus that list all the delicacies available. You can taste the best that Moroccan cuisine has to offer, right here at Jemaa al Fnaa. In one evening, we ate snails, fava beans, grilled lamb, mint tea, marinated olives, chicken tagine and countless interesting looking sweets!

Surrounding the square is a warren of narrow alleys that make up the Medina, or market of Marrakesh. It is easy to get lost here, since no map can ever reliably guide you through this maze of lanes, courtyards, arched gateways and dead-end streets. Every turning brings a new surprise and  you can wander for hours, haggling over the price of carpets, leather and pottery while sampling sweets, nuts and Moroccan snacks. Getting pleasurably lost in the Medina was one of the highlights of our trip!

Cous cous with seven vegetable stew was one dish that i had to have almost every day while in Marrakesh! With little bits of preserved lemon in the stew and some flavorful chicken or lamb on top, it was easy to get addicted to. The presentation of this dish was often quite dramatic too - the cous cous in a mound in the center with  the vegetables stacked all around it and the sauce in a bowl, to drizzle over top. The stew could easily pass off as Indian, being flavored with spices such as ground cumin and coriander and with herbs such as fresh coriander and mint. It was like a fantastic and unusual vegetable curry!

Cous Cous With Seven Vegetable Stew

My presentation is simpler and my stew is all vegetarian. If you'd like to, you can serve it with a skewer of grilled Moroccan chicken on top. You will find the recipe here. 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 stick celery, diced

1 small each, diced: carrot, zucchini, turnip

1 cup diced orange squash, such as butternut

1 cup each: diced tomatoes, chicken broth or water

1/2 tsp each: ground cinnamon, toasted crushed cumin, smoked paprika, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, ground ginger

Pinch saffron

Salt to taste

1 cup canned chickpeas, well drained

1 quarter wedge preserved lemon, finely chopped, optional

1 tbsp each: Fresh cilantro, parsley & mint

1 cup quick cous cous

Warm oil in deep skillet set over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add celery, carrot, zucchini, turnip and squash. Sauté 5 min. Reduce heat to medium, add tomatoes and broth or water. Add all spices, saffron, salt, chickpeas and preserved lemon (if using). Mix, cover and cook on medium low heat until vegetables are tender and broth slightly thick, about 20 - 25 minutes.  Fold in the chopped herbs and remove from heat.

Make cous cous according to package directions. Fluff up with a fork and mound it on a serving platter. Make a well in its centre. Place vegetables from the stew in the well. Drizzle some of the broth over top of cous cous and vegetables. Pour remaining broth into a bowl and pass it around the table for drizzling over cous cous.

Serves Four

French Onion Soup With Lamb In Aix en Provence

The Romans who founded the town of Aix-en-Provence twenty-three centuries ago  may have been the first people that we know of to fall in love with the charms of Provence, but they were certainly not the last. Artists such as van Gogh and Cezanne have immortalized the olive groves, craggy red hills, breathtaking lavender and sunflower fields, and the brilliant sunshine that make Provence top the wish-list of any traveler.

The lively, bustling city of Aix contains everything that makes Provence irresistible.  It all enchants: the famous Cours Mirabeau, bordered by plane trees that form a leafy, green arch as you stroll along the sidewalks,  the baroque fountains spraying water in the summer heat, solemn churches, fashionable shops, and bustling cafes filled with university students.

And when it comes to tasting the flavors of Provence, nobody does it better than Aix. We were enthralled by the creative use of herbs, the inspired treatment of vegetables, the lovingly simmered stews and the delicately cooked seafood that we enjoyed at every meal. Traditional dishes such as Daube, French onion soup, Pistou, Ratatouille and Bouillabaise tasted like none other after the imaginative treatment they received at the hands of local chefs.

Classic French Onion soup done with a Provencal twist was one of my favorites in Aix. A little sprinkle of Herbes de Provence makes a world of difference to its flavor!

In my recipe, I use Herbes de Provence too, but first I season the lamb broth generously with whole spices to create depth of flavor and a subtle spicy aroma that goes well with Herbes de Provence. The shredded lamb and barley add another level of flavor to the soup, setting it apart from anything else you may have had before.

French Onion Soup With Lamb And Barley 

You can serve this rich, hearty soup the traditional way with a thick slice of rustic bread and some cheese melted over top, or you can serve it with bread on the side for dipping. Making and refrigerating the lamb broth a day ahead of time simplifies the process and also makes it easier to skim off the extra fat. You can, of course, make the soup vegetarian - substitute vegetable broth instead. It's delicious!

For the lamb broth:

3 lb lamb shanks (about 3 large)

6 cups water

4 cloves garlic

10 each: whole cloves, cardamom

1 tsp whole black pepper

1 inch stick cinnamon

Salt to taste

For the soup:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

2 large sweet onions (such as Spanish or Vidalia), halved and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

½ tsp each: sugar, herbes de Provence

1 carrot, diced

1 stick celery, diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup each: white wine, white wine vinegar, pearl barley

Combine all broth ingredients together in large saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 2 hours or until lamb is very tender.  Lift lamb out of broth, cool and shred.

Strain broth and skim off fat. Reserve broth.

Warm oil in deep skillet set over medium high heat. Add bay leaves and onions. Sauté for 10 min, stirring frequently until they begin to brown. Reduce heat to medium, add sugar and herbs. Saute for another 10 mins until onions are dark brown. Add vegetables, sauté 10 min.

Add wine and vinegar to deglaze skillet. Cook 5 min until slightly reduced. Add barley, shredded lamb and reserved broth. Stir gently, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour or until vegetables are very tender and barley is cooked.

Taste for seasonings, sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley over top if desired.

Serves four

Potatoes In Rothenburg ob der Tauber

The pretty little medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber sits atop a gentle hill in the heart of Bavaria, in Germany. Its name literally means 'Red fortress above the Tauber (river)'. A perfectly preserved town from the middle ages, Rothenburg is surrounded by an ancient covered wall that you enter through massive gates with looming guard towers.

 If you have ever imagined a city from the pages of Grimms' fairy tales, this is as close as you are going to get to it.  There is an enchanted feeling in the air and anything seems possible - even a knight in shining armor around the corner. It would seem quite natural if Hansel and Gretel went skipping past you through the streets of Rothenburg!

We were captivated by this quaint little place and spent many happy hours admiring its Germanic architecture, walking up and down sloping cobblestone streets, exploring museums, churches, castles and fortifications, only pausing every now and then to sample the local cuisine.

We came across many unique foods that we hadn't tried before. Schneeballen (literally snowballs) are a centuries old confection, made with shortcrust pastry cut into strips and shaped into balls. These are then rolled in icing sugar and sometimes dipped in chocolate or filled with marzipan.

The local Franconian cuisine is known for its bratwurst which is traditionally served with sauerkraut and potatoes. There is no end to the variety of ways that potatoes are prepared in Germany: fried, roasted or boiled; as pancakes, dumplings or croquettes; in soups; and in potato salads. Even when they are simply steamed and served with a sprinkling of parsley and pepper, they are delicious.

The deceptive simplicity of my potato recipe belies its incredible flavor. Black pepper is the only spice used, bringing back  the medieval days when Germans were one of the biggest consumers of  pepper, brought at great expense all the way from India.  Frying the ground pepper in butter with the garlic, releases its flavors which are absorbed by the potatoes, adding a gentle smoky heat to them. It is crucial to use baby new potatoes as their inherent sweetness and tender skin adds to the flavor of the dish.

Garlic Roasted Smashed Potatoes With Black Pepper

You can add a sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary or even coriander to the potatoes as they roast. For a change of pace, saute 1/2 a finely chopped onion along with the garlic.

1 lb small new potatoes

2 tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

Salt to taste

Boil potatoes until just tender but not mushy. Drain and reserve.

Warm butter in non stick skillet set over medium high heat. Add garlic and pepper. Saute for about 30 sec, just until garlic starts to brown lightly. Add potatoes and pan roast until lightly browned, about 10 min, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and using a flat spatula, flatten each potato gently till it is smashed. Toss gently, continue to roast 5 min for flavors to blend.

Serves four

Paella In Barcelona

Paella Fideuà at Can Majo, Barcelona

Rice traveled a long distance to get to Spain, first introduced in the middle ages by Arabs who brought it all the way from India. The Spanish word for rice, "arroz", is derived from the Arabic "roz". Spanish cooks mixed rice with garlic, onions, tomatoes, meat and seafood to create the most iconic dish of their cuisine - paella. In a strange twist of history, paella was brought back to India by the Portuguese, who introduced it to their colony in Goa.

One of the chief attractions of visiting Spain was our chance to eat authentic paella, which we found has as many variations as biryani does in India! A visit to Barcelona led to a marvelous new discovery: Paella Fideuà, made by substituting rice with thin short pasta such as broken up spaghettini. A good place to try Fideuà is Can Majo, a restaurant situated right on the beach with a gorgeous view of the water. Our Fideuà, cooked and brought to us in a traditional paella pan, had very similar flavours to a classic rice paella - the same smoky aromas, the perfectly cooked seafood, the glorious tint of saffron. However, the texture was different - firmer, with a lightly browned crust on top and deliciously unusual!

Goa was a Portuguese colony for over four and a half centuries, and the cuisine that evolved there is a unique fusion of flavors, blending Indian spices and ingredients in Iberian recipes. In my Goan paella, basmati rice, spices, herbs and coconut milk combine with chorizo, paprika and seafood to create a delicious dish that incorporates the best of both cuisines. 

Goan Paella

Goan Paella

This paella is easy to eat with a fork as the seafood has been shelled before adding to the rice. If desired, you can leave the mussels and shrimp in their shells for a more dramatic presentation. And if you want to substitute noodles for the rice, you can have your very own version of paella Fideuà, Goan style!

1 lb fresh mussels, scrubbed and picked over

1 cup basmati rice

4 tbsp oil, divided

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

4 each: whole cardamom, cloves

1/2 inch stick cinnamon

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 sweet red pepper, finely chopped

1/2 cup thinly sliced smoked Spanish Chorizo sausage

2 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces

4 whole canned plum tomatoes

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp each: garam masala, cayenne pepper, smoked Spanish paprika, saffron strands

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

3/4 cup canned coconut milk, well shaken

1 cup water

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

10 large scallops, cut in half widthwise

1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

Place mussels in large saucepan, discarding any that are open. Pour in 1/2 cup water or white wine, cover pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 5 min or until mussels are just cooked. Stir a couple times in between. Discard any mussels that are unopened. Remove mussels from shells and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup of mussels). Discard shells and cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, wash rice several times under running water, then cover with water and soak 10 min. Drain well in sieve. Reserve.

Warm 2 tbsp oil in large wide bottomed heavy saucepan or paella pan set over medium high heat. Add cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. After a few seconds, when the spices splutter and smell fried, add the onions, garlic, sweet pepper, chorizo and chicken. Saute for 7-8 min or until vegetables are softened. Reduce heat to medium, add tomatoes, crushing them with your hands. Add salt and all the spices. Cook 5 min or until tomatoes have thickened into the sauce. Add wine vinegar, coconut milk and water. Stir gently, then bring to a boil. Add drained rice, mix in gently. Cover pan tightly and bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat to very low and cook 20 min without uncovering the pan in between.

Meanwhile, warm remaining oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and scallops. Cook 2-3 min or until shrimp are no longer pink. Do not overcook. Remove from skillet, discarding juices.

Scatter shrimp, scallops, reserved mussels and fresh coriander over rice. Cover and let rice sit 10 min before you mix it gently and serve.

Serves four

Cakes In Salzburg

Salzburg has made two great contributions to the sum of human happiness: Mozart's music and desserts. You can spend an entire trip to Salzburg visiting places where Mozart lived and performed. And between those visits,  you must have a slice of cake. Or several. Preferably chocolate.  In fact, the ideal visit to Salzburg should start and end with a slice of cake! There are so many great desserts to try, that it is possible that you will exhaust the list of Mozart sites before you run out of different pastries.

During my recent visit to Salzburg, I had so many cakes that I felt like I was floating through the city on a cloud of whipped cream! And, oh the desserts I had! You can set their names to music and sing :  Sachertorte, Linzertorte, Dobostorte, Esterhazy..... Leave all thoughts of diet and healthy eating at home, for you must also try the  Salzburger Nockerl, Kaiser Schmarrn and Apfelstrudel - desserts that are specialties of the region -  slice upon slice of pure sugary heaven.

And for the grand finale you can combine Mozart and chocolate in the form of Mozart  Kugeln: little round chocolates with a pistachio marzipan center.

There is lots of chocolate and cream in my recipe for chocolate cardamom lava cakes too. It brings back memories of all the decadent chocolates and cakes that we had in Salzburg. The subtle haunting aroma of cardamom that infuses every bite reminds me of all the delicious desserts my mother makes in India. Don't skimp on the cream, it helps cut through the richness of the chocolate and balances out the flavours.

Chocolate Cardamom Lava Cakes

If you find it difficult to get the cakes out of their liners, serve them as is, without upturning them. Top with some whipped cream. It will melt slightly and blend into the chocolate lava as you eat the cake. It's all good.

4 squares Baker's premium dark chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 tsp ground cardamom, divided

6 tbsp all purpose flour

1 cup whipped cream

Preheat oven to 425F. Line a muffin tray with 8 paper liners. Spray insides lightly.

Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave, 1 min. Stir until smooth. Add sugar, mix well. Add eggs, mix in until combined. Add 1 tsp ground cardamom and flour, fold in until completely blended.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 13-14 min until sides of cakes are set but centers are still a bit wobbly. Let rest 2 min.

Meanwhile, combine whipped cream with remaining ground cardamom.

Upturn cakes onto dessert plates and carefully peel away paper liners. Serve with a dollop of cardamom whipped cream.

Makes 8 cakes

Dumplings In Shanghai

The famous Huxinting Teahouse

A visit to Shanghai is just not complete until you have tried  xiaolongbao  or soup dumplings.  One of the best places to eat them is the Huxinting Teahouse, right next to the famous Yuyuan gardens, one of Shanghai's most popular attractions. Constructed in the middle of a lake and standing on stilts, the teahouse is approached by a zigzagging pathway and is a gorgeous sight. Our anticipation built up as we walked to this charming old-world restaurant  through crowded, narrow streets, lined with food vendors selling interesting looking fare. The soup dumplings more than lived up to our expectations with a delicate wrapper enclosing rich, flavourful soup and moist, perfectly seasoned pork inside. We could easily have eaten a hundred of them!  

The dumpling banquet

Dumpling banquets were another delightful discovery we made when we strolled into a crowded restaurant where no one spoke English. Since we had no idea what to order our server took matters into her own hands and began to bring out course upon course of different dumplings. Our only clue as to what we were eating was the shape of the dumplings,  fashioned to  resemble their filling.  We worked our way through little chickens, rabbits, ducks and frogs, reveling in the unexpected flavours. It was an unforgettable experience!

Dumplings are popular in India too, since Chinese cuisine was first introduced nearly two centuries ago by Chinese traders who sailed regularly on  ships from Hong Kong and Shanghai to Calcutta. Many of the Hakka Chinese, as they are commonly known, eventually settled in Calcutta and opened restaurants. Hakka restaurants spiced up Chinese dishes by using a lot of fresh coriander, ginger, and chilies, to suit their Indian clientele and over the years created a unique hybrid cuisine.

Hakka style dumplings are very popular in most restaurants and are served either steamed or pan fried. In my recipe here, fresh herbs and spices add zest to the dumplings, making them the perfect Indian Chinese fusion!

Hakka Chicken Dumplings

Hakka Chicken Dumplings

These dumplings are also known as potstickers. If desired, they can be steamed instead. Feel free to use ground pork or lamb instead of the chicken. A simple dipping sauce of soy, vinegar and chili sauce works well on the side.

1/2 onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic

1/2 inch piece ginger

1 hot green chili, stemmed

1/2 cup each: fresh coriander, fresh mint leaves

1/2 lb ground chicken

1/2 tsp each: garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander

1 tbsp each: lemon juice, soy sauce

1 egg, beaten

1 pkg dumpling wrappers

Sesame oil as needed

Mince onion, garlic, ginger, green chili, fresh coriander and mint together in food processor. Add ground chicken, spices, lemon juice, soy and half the beaten egg (discard remainder). Process until well combined. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Place a dumpling wrapper on work surface; add 1 tsp chicken mixture to its center. Lightly moisten edges of wrapper with water. Fold over both sides to completely enclose filling, pressing or pleating edges to seal well. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.

Warm a large non stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp sesame oil, swirl to coat pan. Place dumplings in single layer, as many as pan can hold without crowding. Pour 1/4 cup water around edges of dumplings, cover pan and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium low and cook 10 mins or until water has been absorbed. Turn heat to medium high and lightly brown bottoms of dumplings, another 2-3 mins. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with remaining dumplings.

Makes up to 25 dumplings

Currywurst In Berlin

Currywurst Stand

I have found curry powder being used in many unexpected dishes, but nothing had prepared me for the discovery that some of the most devoted fans of curry are in Germany. Germans combine their treasured sausages with curry powder and tomato sauce to create what is arguably the most popular fast food snack in the country - Currywurst! On a recent trip to Berlin, I had the chance to see for myself what currywurst was all about.

Drawn to the irresistible smell of curry and grilled sausage wafting from a street side stand in Berlin, I joined the throng of people crowding it and was soon digging into my first experience of the famous dish - grilled Bratwurst sausage, cut up and doused with a ketchupy tasting tomato curry sauce. Wow! It was a taste of Berlin and a taste of India all rolled up in one bite!

I soon discovered that I wasn't alone in my quest for the perfect currywurst. The entire country, especially Berlin was also obsessed with it!  There is even a museum devoted to currywurst in Berlin, which of course I had to visit.

While there are many stories of how this dish came to be, my favorite is a romantic version made famous in a novel: "The Invention of Curried Sausage" by Uwe Timm. A woman named Lena Brucker, accidentally created it towards the end of the Second World War. She was hiding a young man in her house who had deserted from the army. Falling in love, she neglected to tell him that the war was over. Eventually he found out and left her. Heartbroken, she set about cleaning her kitchen and dropped a bottle of tomato ketchup and curry powder. While cleaning up the mess, she licked her fingers and realized that this mixture was quite delicious. And so, the first tomato curry sauce was invented in Germany! Currywurst soon became a fast food favorite around the country and remains so to this day.

My tomato sauce in this recipe borrows inspiration from India as well, but instead of the traditional bratwurst sausage, I’ve substituted an Indian style kabab. The results are delicious!

Kabab Currywurst

Kabab Currywurst

I’ve used ground chicken for the kababs but you can substitute any ground meat of your choice, such as lamb, beef or pork. Serve it with bread, basmati rice or naan!

For the Kabab Sausage:

2 cloves garlic

½  inch piece ginger

½  medium onion, roughly chopped

1 egg, beaten

1 slice white bread, cubed

Salt to taste

½  tsp curry powder

½  lb. lean ground chicken

In food processor mince garlic, ginger and onion. Add 1/2 of the beaten egg (discard the rest), bread, salt and curry powder; mince again. Add chicken and process until everything is well blended. Transfer to bowl, refrigerate, covered for 1 hour or longer.

Preheat oven to 420F. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment.

To make kebabs, take a small orange sized ball of the meat mixture with dampened hands. Shape it into 4 inch long sausage lengths. Place on baking tray.

Bake for about 10  minutes per side, turning once. When lightly browned and cooked through, remove to a platter.

These kababs can also be molded onto skewers and grilled on a barbecue.

For the sauce

½ cup (about 3 large) canned premium whole plum tomatoes, pureed

¼ cup tomato ketchup

Salt to taste

½  tsp sugar

½  tsp curry powder plus additional for sprinkling as garnish

1 tbsp butter

Combine all the ingredients, except the butter in a non-stick skillet set over medium heat and bring to a bubbling boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover skillet partially and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the butter. Cook for 2 minutes. 

To serve, cut up 2 kabab sausages on a plate and spoon about ¼ cup warm tomato sauce over. Garnish by sprinkling additional curry powder over top if desired.

Serves two

Bean Stew In Puerto Rico

The famous sandy beaches of Puerto Rico were beckoning to us. What we hadn’t anticipated was falling in love with its unique cuisine even before we hit the beaches! There were many food shacks lining the road to our resort and we stopped off for a quick bite on our way. The grilled meats, fried plantains, beans and rice had us hooked!

Known locally as Cocina Criolla, Puerto Rican food is a delightful mix of Native Taino, African, Spanish and American cuisines. In the days that followed, we explored this cuisine as much as we explored historic San Juan, the El Yunque National rainforest and those famous long sandy beaches. We feasted on tostones (fried sweet plantains), Mofongo (mashed plantain), flans de leche (caramel custard), paella, fresh seafood and grilled or smoked pork. But the one dish we always ordered at almost every meal was rice with red bean stew. It reminded us irresistibly of a similar Indian dish called Rajma or spicy kidney beans. Sometimes the beans came in a bowl with the rice on the side and sometimes they were cooked along with the rice, rather like a biryani.

Here, I have followed the traditional Puerto Rican recipe but also thrown in some typical Indian ingredients such as ginger, dried fenugreek leaves and whole spices to bring the best of both worlds together.

Puerto Rican Bean Stew

This stew can be made with red or black beans. You can substitute chorizo for the ham used here. Or, if you want to keep it completely vegetarian, omit the meat altogether. Serve with a bowl of steamed basmati rice on the side.

3 tbsp olive oil

4 each whole: cardamom, cloves

2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

1 inch stick cinnamon

½ tsp each: cumin seeds, fennel seeds

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ inch piece ginger, finely chopped

1/2 each: onion, sweet green pepper, finely chopped

¼ cup diced smoked ham

4 tbsp divided: finely chopped fresh coriander

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp each: ground cumin, oregano, ground black pepper, red chilli flakes, dried fenugreek leaves, sugar

6 whole canned plum tomatoes, pureed or crushed

1 can (540 ml) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup water

¼ cup red wine

¼ cup each: chopped red onion, fresh plum tomato

 Warm oil in a deep non-stick skillet set over medium high heat. Add whole spices, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cumin and fennel seeds. Sauté for 1 min until spices are

fragrant. Add garlic, ginger, onion, green pepper, ham and 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander. Sauté, stirring occasionally for 5-7 min or until vegetables are slightly softened.

Add salt, all the remaining spices and tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 min or until tomatoes are slightly thickened. Add beans, water and wine. Mix well, cover and cook on medium low heat for 30 mins for flavours to combine.

Remove from heat and fold in remaining fresh coriander, chopped red onion and plum tomato.

Serves four