It started off with a "What do you want to do today?"

What did Dr. Food THINK I would say when he asked me what I wanted to do on the last day of a long weekend? I wanted to cook of course. I had a hankering for Indian food. Problem was that I knew that it would end up WAY too much for the two of us. SO, I enlisted our pals next door and my babies (well they are their babies but I say they are really mine). I knew that I really just wanted one thing but it was a ploy to do an entire dinner to get to have it. What am I talking about? Let me just say that months ago I told Dr. Yarn that if I had to choose a last meal this would be it. A whole bowl of it.

I am sure I will gross more than a few of you out, but let me just preface this by saying that BEFORE people called this stuff "Pate" my grandmother was calling it "chopped liver" and our family was scarfing it down. Feh, cholesterol.

This is an indian version of grandma's.



Curried Chicken Liver Pate
from Vij's Indian Cuisine

1/2C canola oil (I use 1/4C)
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1/2lb red onions, finely chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 C pureed tomatoes
1 lb chicken livers, washed
1 1/2 oz Kale leaves, washed and finely chopped
3 Tbsp dry white wine

Heat oil in a medium pot on high for 1 minute. Add asafoetida and cook for 10 seconds. Add onions, reduce heat to medium and saute for 5 to 8 minutes, or until golden to medium brown. Add garam masala, fenugreek, cayenne, turmeric and salt. Stir well, then cook for 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes, until the oil glistens on top.

Stir in chicken livers and kale leaves and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring gently but regularly. Once chicken livers harden a bit and stop bleeding during the cooking process, they are cooked. Remove from the stove and cool for 45 minutes.

In a food processo, combine the chicken liver mixture and white wine. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a stainless or glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Serve with crackers.



Not the prettiest picture of food but hey, look who couldn't eat it fast enough (they were eating it on the injera that I made them at the same time I was cooking all this other stuff





Moving on...

We made paneer



Vij Family's Chicken Curry



Curried Brussels Sprouts with Paneer and Bacon



Curried Brussel Sprouts with Paneer and Bacon
Adapted from Vij Cookbook

1 1/2lbs Brussel sprouts
12 oz bacon
1/4 C canola oil
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin seeds
3C pureed tomatoes
1Tbsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
4 C water
6 oz paneer in 2" cubes

Wash Brussel Sprouts and cut each one in quarters, lengthwise. Set aside.
Place bacon strips in frying pan on medium high heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the edges curl slightly. Turn the strips and cook fo another 1 to 2 minutes. Both sides should be light brown and slightly crispy. Transfer bacon to plate, cool and allow fat to drain. After about 10 minutes, cut bacon into 1" pieces.

Heat oil in medium shallow pan on medium-high for 1 minute. Add cumin seeds, stir and allow to sizzle for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander and cayenne. Stir well and cook for 5 to 8 minutes o until the top glistens with oil.

Stir in Brussel sprouts and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, or until Brussel sprouts are slightly soft but not mushy. Take off of heat and add bacon and paneer.

There was also Mussel and Baby Carrots in Tomato, Light Cream Curry. This dish also called for sturgeon but I skipped that and just did the mussels



This was also a huge hit with Debritu



You can't even believe how she was chowing these down.

Last but not least was Saag Paneer. I didn't get this recipe from the Vij cookbook, I got it online and we didn't like it.



So all in all the dinner was a blast to make and well received.



Another fun day...



of ecclectic cooking