Like most Indian moms, my mother is a very good cook. But asking an Indian mother who is talented in the kitchen for a recipe is not exactly a straightforward affair.  The result is usually a vague recipe with an ingredient list that seems more complicated than need be (probably because there are no measurements). That’s when I turn to my favorite Indian Internet chef – Sanjay Thumma of VahReVah.com. Though his delivery is a bit unconventional, he delivers flavorful recipes, specificity and the ability to rewind packaged with a sense of humor – all of which are especially useful for a novice trying to cook an Indian curry. Watching his video, I learned that one of my favorite Indian curries – palak paneer (spiced spinach with Indian cheese) – is actually not as complicated as I thought growing up and that it’s one recipe that doesn’t take all afternoon to cook.

Adapted from VahReVah.com

What You Need:
2 tsp. clarified butter or oil or your choice
1 small onion
2 tomatoes
1 lb. fresh spinach
4 cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
1-inch piece of cinnamon
1 tsp. cumin seeds
½ tbsp. of garlic, minced finely
½ tbsp. of ginger, minced finely
¼ tsp. of turmeric powder
1 tsp. coriander powder*
1 tsp. cumin powder*
¼ tsp. nutmeg freshly grated nutmeg (or nutmeg powder)
Red chili powder to taste
2-inch long slice of paneer, cubed (if vegan, use tofu)
1 tbsp. heavy cream (optional)
Salt to taste

*Alternatively you can use 2 teaspoons of dhana jeeru powder (blend of cumin and coriander).

What to Do:
Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, heat the oil and add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds. After about a minute or two, add in the onion along with a pinch of salt and sauté until really soft, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the onions are softening, blanch the spinach in simmering water for 2 minutes and then drain. Core and blend the 2 tomatoes and set aside in a bowl. Then blend the spinach, pulsing until all of it is just roughly blended through. Use a few tablespoons of water if necessary. Set aside.

After your onions have softened, add in the ginger, garlic, and turmeric. Stir in the spices and then add the tomato puree, cumin powder, coriander powder and red chili powder. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add in the spinach. Cook for another 5 minutes, until shiny on top. At this point, season with any more salt if you wish. Stir in the paneer cubes (tofu if you are vegan). If you want, you can stir in the heavy cream as well. Serve with rice.

This recipe for cashew-ginger tofu was originally intended as a marinade for tofu. But after making a few times, I realized that it served my purposes better as a curry sauce for roasted vegetables. While tofu can still be added to the mix, I prefer to stick to veggies since there’s already a lot of protein from the base of the sauce. Al I need is a few vegetables (I add potato if I am looking to make it a bit heartier) and some white or brown rice.

Adapted from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton

What You Need:
1/3 cup cashews, soaked in water for 20 minutes and drained
3 ½ tbsp. light soy sauce (or tamari)
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1-2 cloves of garlic, smashed
½ – 1 tbsp. ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp. agave nectar
¼ cup plus two tablespoons water
1 carrot, peeled and sliced at an angle
1 zucchini, julienned
1 medium bell pepper, julienned
½ lb. of string beans (about two healthy handfuls)
Salt and pepper to taste

What to Do:
Preheat the oven to 375 ˚F. Prepare the vegetables while the oven is heating. Lay them on a baking sheet and lightly spray with olive oil or vegetable oil. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper.  Roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but still have a crunch.

While the vegetables are roasting, add all of the ingredients to your blend, starting with less garlic and ginger and adding more as needed, and puree until smooth (3 or 4 minutes). A high-powered blender will give smoother results. If you wish, you can bring this sauce to a simmer on the stove just to heat through (do not simmer for more than a minute or two). Toss sauce with vegetables and serve with rice.

There is something uniquely satisfying about curry dishes. They tend to be both filling and full-flavored (thanks to their liberal spice content). So even those who don’t like vegetables tend to still enjoy vegetarian curries. But the thought of spending hours creating a curry in your own kitchen can be prohibitive. This week, Veggiewala, with the help of guest contributor, Mahira Sheikh of Eating the Big Apple, is bringing you a few mouth-watering curries that take less than 30 minutes to cook. Perfect for those days when you are craving comfort curry on a tight schedule.

When you think of a  cleaning lady, you probably picture a middle-aged woman from some south-of-the-border country. Not a young, well-spoken Norwegian like Kjersti (pronounced shush-tee). That’s because she isn’t so much a cleaning lady as a green cleaning consultant. Kjersti first came to clean my apartment as part of one of those well-known cleaning services. But after deciding to act on her passion for the environment she started her own green consulting company called Green Heart. With Green Heart, Kjersti offers her clients consultations on how to rid their environment of toxins, save money and act kinder towards themselves and the Earth. And yes, she still cleans, too. Her environmental concerns are not just limited to her cleaning habits. She also practices green eating – eating in a way that is ethical and healthy. Check out what Kjersti answered for this round of “Meet a Locaveg.”

5. Sustainable NYC – there’s has a café in the back Great store too!! (139 Avenue A, between 9th & 10th. 212-254-5400)

It’s hard to find outdoor spaces in the city center of Hong Kong, and when the weather starts to get cool around this time of year—after the scorching summer heat, Hong Kongers try to make the most of the outdoors as much as possible. Pizza Milano has cozy outdoor seating and I definitely recommend going there for the rooftop view in the middle of Central. Oh yeah, the pizza is decent too.

A girlfriend and I shared a pizza and salad for dinner, which was just perfect for the two of us. The Cesar salad was overdressed and unimpressive. Of course we ordered one of the vegetarian pizza options, which had a good balance of flavorful toppings: mushroom, olives, sundried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts.

Although I’m no pizza expert, I didn’t think the thin crust pizza was spectacular, though still quite good. Some may say the crust was not right or the sauce was too generic. I found the sauce to have a nice tangy flavor to balance the salted sundried tomatoes. A fork and knife were necessary for eating, as the toppings would have fallen off the thin, charred curst, coming fresh out of the oven. Competitively priced at about HKD100 per pie; it’s certainly not your New York style pizza—if that’s what you crave.

There are a number of pasta options as well, but how do you go to a ‘pizza’ place and order pasta? Perhaps on the next go

Pizza Milano
9/F Cheung Hing Commercial Building
37-43 Cochrane Street
Central, Hong Kong
中環閣麟街37號祥興商業大廈 9字樓
Mon – Sun 6pm – 11pm
+852-2581-2848

Here we go with my brunch outings again!
This time it’s at Agnès b. Cafe on Hollywood Road, in the neighborhood between Central and Sheung Wan. I know you’re thinking Agnès b.– it must be pricey. On the contrary, the menu is competitively priced against the surrounding restaurant options of similar style. For instance, Press Room and Classifieds  are just next door. The casual, bistro-style decor of Agnes b. Cafe is comfortable and welcoming. Don’t be fooled by the cafeteria-like counter and refrigerated drinks, there is waitstaff; and as the website says, you can come to ‘grab and go’ or relax for a while.

There were a number veggie (pescetarian) options: an avocado and shrimp open sandwich, crêpe, quiche, soups and salads.

I decided to try the Openface Niçoise salad/sandwich for HKD$78. The typical Niçoise salad is a mix of greens, including lettuce, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and olives topped with tuna, anchovies, and wedges of hard boiled egg. The one at Agnès b. didn’t stray far from its French origin.

I know the photo above looks like a mess of things put together on a slice of bread, wait…that’s actually, sort of what it is! Niçoise is one of my favorite salads because it has such a variety of ingredients — perhaps you could consider it a “French-style Cobb salad”. Overall it was refreshingly light, yet filling. The highlight was certainly the olive tapenade spread used on the bread. Do you have a favorite Niçoise recipe? Be sure to share in the comments!

Also on the menu are a number of pastry and coffee options. How could you be a at cafe without coffee? And on display are beautiful desserts that I didn’t have a chance to try. Be sure to leave room on your visit!

Agnès b. Cafe
G/F, 118 Hollywood Road
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852-2915-2382

A popular gift to give on Valentine’s day is of course, candy! I love candy as much as the next person, but if I can give something a little less processed and something marginally better than the commercial variety, then why not? In the past, I’ve given Brazilian chocolate truffles, but this year, I’m gifting mochi candies. I’m obsessed with mochi – I love it on my frozen yogurt, hugging my ice cream, in my waffle maker, etc. It might be because I have a fondness for gummy textures. But aside from eating mochi, I’m also obsessed with making mochi because the flavor can be tailored to suit my mood (just add a few dashes of your favorite essential oil or powdered flavoring – orange, coffee, almond, chocolate, green tea, etc.) and because the entire process takes less than 30 minutes from start to clean up.

What You Need:
1/3 cup of sweet rice flour (Mochiko flour)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of water
Potato starch or cornstarch for working the dough

What to Do:
In a glass bowl, whisk together the three ingredients until smooth. The mixture will be runny. Now is the time to add in any flavorings you wish. Note: the color of the sugar will affect the final product in case you are using turbinado or any other partially clarified sugar.

Cover the bowl in plastic wrap, leaving a gap for some of the steam to escape. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Use an oven mitt or towel to remove the bowl and carefully stir the mixture again with a fork. Microwave again for 1-3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth, shiny, sticky and can keep a ball shape.

Very carefully remove the bowl from the microwave, again using an oven mitt or towel. Cover your work surface generously with potato starch or cornstarch. Pour the dough onto your work surface and sprinkle with your starch to cover so the dough doesn’t stick to your hands. Wait for the dough to cool so you can handle it. Use your hands to stretch and spread the dough into a thin, even layer. Then use a knife or pizza cutter to cut into strips and then square bite size pieces, making sure to cover the exposed edges with the starch as you go.

Before wrapping or serving, place half of the pieces in a medium sized wire or mesh strainer and shake the strainer over the sink or a trash can to remove the excess starch. Repeat with the second half. The candies will get tougher over time and are best eaten with 2 to 3 days. I like to present them in little candy containers I found at The Container Store for $3.30.

Though sticky date pudding (aka new date pudding) is traditionally made in Australia to celebrate the New Year, this decadent dessert is perfect for your Valentine’s Day date night. Much like it’s British cousin, sticky toffee pudding, date cake is rich, moist and dangerously seductive. Serving date cake to your sweetie will let them know that they’re your special someone.

What You Need:
1 ¾ cup packed, pitted dates (10 ounces)
2 cups water
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
3 large eggs

For the Sauce
1 ¾ sticks unsalted butter (3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp.)
1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
½ tsp. vanilla

What to Do:
Preheat oven to 375 ˚F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan and set aside.

Coarsely chop dates and place in a small pot with the water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the baking soda. The mixture with bubble up and foam. Set aside for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another. In one bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger powder, and cinnamon. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in one egg at a time, incorporating each one well before adding the next. Next, add in the dry ingredients 1/3 at a time until everything is incorporated. At this point, the batter will be very thick and tough. Gently stir in the date mixture with a wooden spoon and stir until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the cake pan. Place the cake pan in a larger baking pan (you can use a roasting pan as well). Fill the larger pan with hot water until it reaches halfway up the smaller cake pan.  Place in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove the smaller pan from the water bath and let cool on a cooling rack until it is warm and easily handled.

While the pudding is cooling, make the toffee sauce by melting the butter on low in a small saucepot. Stir in the light brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the sugar and butter mixture comes to a boil, add in the cream and vanilla. Simmer the sauce stirring frequently for about five minutes. The sauce will thicken and continue to thicken as it cools down. Let cool to warm. Pour over the date cake and enjoy. You may serve the entire dessert with ice cream!

If you’re like me, you might feel a little gypped if you don’t get a little something chocolate for Valentine’s Day. So to supplement the delicate and romantic rose and pistachio cupcakes, I baked up some devilishly good chocolate and rose cupcakes. The floral and fruity notes naturally found in chocolate work really well with the rose water in this recipe. You really can’t go wrong with chocolate, especially since it’s vegan!

What You Need:
1/2 cup soy yogurt
2/3 cup soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil (I used safflower oil)
3 ounces 100% pure cacao chocolate, chopped fine if in bar form
4 tbsp. rose water
1 cup granulated sugar (I used turbinado sugar. You can add more if you like it sweeter)
1 cup flour
2 tbsp cornstarch (corn flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

What to Do:
Preheat oven to 350 ˚F. Lightly grease the mini muffin tins. Bring a pot of water to a simmer.

While you wait for the water to boil, mix together sugar, yogurt, rose water and salt into one bowl until the sugar dissolves. In another bowl add the chocolate, soy milk and oil and place over boiling water. Whisk together until the chocolate melts and everything combines into a smooth and silky mixture. It may look like everything is separating and there are individual droplets of milk, chocolate and oil at first. Keep whisking and it will all come together. As soon as the chocolate mixture is combined, use a spatula to help you pour all the chocolate into the bowl with the other wet ingredients. Whisk everything together until smooth.

Now gently mix in the cornstarch, baking soda and flour, adding the flour slowly just to combine and reach a thick but still loose batter (like pancake batter). Fill the mini muffin tins to the top with batter and bake for about 12-15 minutes. Let cool before serving. The recipe should yield 18-20. Frost with whipped coconut cream with rose water or a frosting of your choice.

I love the idea of using rose flavorings in my desserts, especially on Valentine’s Day. Instead of giving your sweetheart a cliche of a dozen roses, you can give them a dozen rose flavored cookies or rose flavored cupcakes. Last year, I featured cookies, but this year, I made mini cupcakes. The recipe is from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and yields a moist, flavorful cupcake. You can top them off with your favorite frosting, but I keep it simple with some rose flavored coconut cream.

What You Need:
1/2 cup soy yogurt
2/3 cup soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil (I used safflower oil)
2 tbsp. rose water
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar (I used turbinado)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp cornstarch (corn flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
A large pinch of cardamom powder (I used chai powder)
1/3 cup unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted and chopped
12 whole pistachios, lightly toasted, for garnish

What to Do:
Preheat the oven to 350 ˚F. Lightly grease the mini muffin tins.

Mix together yogurt, milk, oil, rose water and sugar together. Add in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and mix until smooth. Fold in the chopped nuts. Fill the mini muffin tins to the top with batter and bake for about 12-15 minutes. Let cool before serving. The recipe should yield 16-18.

For the whipped cream

What You Need:
1/2 cup coconut cream
1-2 tbsp. rose water
3-4 tbps. sugar

What to Do:
For the coconut cream, if you can’t find it separately, just open up a can of full fat coconut milk that has been sitting still for some time. Scoop out half a cup of the cream into a bowl.

Mix together the 3 ingredients in the bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Pop the bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until everything is cold. Then use an electric mixer to beat the mixture until it is fluffy – just about a minute or two. Use this top your cupcakes.