don't tell carda-dad

"hello khala, my friend."

there are fortunate accidents. a little ginger when you were supposed to add pepper (grabbed the wrong bottle). a spray of basil when you meant to buy parsley (you were daydreaming in the grocery aisle). too much lemon (you just like it). a phone call you never made (it was the right thing to do).

"hello khala, my friend."

this recipe was an accident, fortunate, which occurred after having spent a lot of time in the "C" section of my favorite spice store. it's divine: aromatic, earthy, and with a subtle, quietly rising heat. when you swirl the cardamom in oil and add the rice, put on this song and dance a little. trust me!

"where do you think you're going to?
the road you've taken goes nowhere.
khala, my friend, come back to me."

cardamom and cinnamon scented brown rice, mixed with black beans, avocado, and sliced veggies.

to make:

Me to Mom Wed, June 9th 2010 at 1:45pm

learning to cook with spices is the most rewarding thing.

i bought whole green cardamom pods at my favorite wholesale spice market in the east village today. you split them open with your thumb and spill the seeds into a pan of hot oil and fry them to create a flavor base for cooking grain dishes with. the smell is incredible. i just made a pot of brown rice that started with that. i added in whole chunks of indian cinnamon bark, some salt. simmered it. when the rice was done and the water had boiled out i stirred in chili powder and turmeric, then covered it again and removed it from the heat. it will now steam for a little while, integrating the flavor more.

it smells SOOOOO good it’s amazing. did i already mention that?

love,
luna

so long, honey babe

i find the view from the window at my office -- although it reveals nothing of the outside world -- oddly and totally distracting. what could be out there ... ? a sailboat, three green fish, the view from a crow's nest, and nothing but ocean for miles and miles and miles...

"goodbye's too good a word, babe. so i'll just say fair thee well."

brown rice and radish salad

ingredients:

brown rice
garlic/pepper
cilantro
1 radish
red wine vinaigrette

to make:

prep brown rice, using lots of garlic/pepper and a little salt. (pssst…for great brown rice: when the rice is ready, drain the last of the water, remove the pot from heat, and cover it tightly. let the rice steam this way for about ten minutes — it really lets the flavor penetrate!)

thinly, thinly slice the radish and roughly chop the cilantro. stir them into the brown rice. dash a little red wine viniagrette and extra garlic/pepper over the top.

voila! consume.