Making Indian Food At Home

Back in April, Andrew and I attempted to make Indian food for the first time… and it turned out awesome! Much better than we expected, haha.

Andrew made Chicken Tikka Masala and I made Palak Paneer. Interesting fact I learned along the way: the difference between palak vs. saag paneer are the greens that are used. “Saag” can be cooked with multiple types of greens, while “palak” is only puréed spinach.

We were nervous how the curries would come out because most of the recipes online seemed… inauthentic? But the most difficult thing about Indian food is that there really are no “true” recipes. When I ask any of my Indian friends how they cook Indian food, it’s always “Oh, a little bit of this spice, add a little bit of that. My mom never wrote it down… Just grab a whole bunch of stuff, throw it together, and usually it’s awesome.”

Thanks Indian friends, that’s really helpful for those of us who did not grow up cooking or eating Indian food.

As I was following the online recipe for palak paneer, I realized what my friends meant. Sometimes, you just had to go off-recipe by adding more cream because the texture did not turn out creamy enough or the spinach needed more spices because the purée was bland. I suppose there’s just so many regional differences or taste preferences that it makes it hard to write down an exact recipe to follow. Just like everyday cooking, I had to make it my own.

The thought of making Indian at home is intimidating for many of us when you can buy a jar of pre-made curry from your local Whole Foods or frozen palak paneer from Trader Joe’s (which is SO yummy), but if you’re feeling adventurous, it’s definitely one of the more challenging (and fun!) cuisines to make at home. Definitely have a lot of respect for Indian chefs who know these recipes inside and out.

Oh, your clothes might smell like Indian food for a while, haha.

Baingan bhurtha (roasted eggplant) @ food court in the Natick Mall, Natick, MA

February 2010

Lamb curry; Chickpeas; and Spinach and potato curry over basmati rice @ Little India in Camden Market

Quarrygirl’s blog post does a great job depicting the place. The vegetable dishes are vegan and the meat dishes are halal, so the food is suitable for everyone. I fell in love with their mango chutney.

London, you are beginning to win me over: Brick Lane Brasserie

I was starting to feel dispirited about the whole food scene in London, but I heard amazing things about Indian food here, so my girlfriends and I made our way to Brick Lane. It was pretty late on a Thursday night, but many of the restaurants were filled with people. My favorite part about Brick Lane is the number of restaurant promoters outside the doors doting on you for your business.

I will make a deal with you. Eight pounds for a set menu and a round of free drinks on the house, that includes starter, main course, rice, and naan… Wait, don’t go! How about two rounds of free drinks?

Yes, I like the chase, even if it’s by hardcore Indian restaurant promoters. That’s what a service industry is all about - getting someone’s business and providing the best service possible so that he or she will return again. That’s the fundamentals of service marketing. I’m glad those Indian restaurants at least got that right.

Although some of the offers were quite enticing, we headed to Brick Lane Brasserie as a safe bet. The set menu offer wasn’t quite as good as the other restaurants, but the food was great! I haven’t had Mango Lassi in a long time, so it was such a treat drinking it again.

For my starter, I ordered the Chicken Tikka, which was tandoori chicken and grilled onions served with a sweet tangy yogurt sauce. I really enjoyed the hot and sizzling flavors!

I decided to try something different to explore more of Indian cuisine, so instead of the usual saag dishes I enjoy, I ordered Lamb Kashmir - banana and lychee in a creamy coconut sauce. And I’m so glad I did! It was very different. The cream sauce tasted a lot like butternut squash, and the lychee added a nice sweetness to the dish. I always love sweet and savory combinations.

I really appreciated the food, but not so much the decor, especially the blue lighting as you can see from my photos. Sorry, I don’t like eating Indian food in a quiet nightclub. Also, my girlfriend got a glass of white wine and claimed that it tasted like nail polish remover.

Overall, though, this experience has turned my frown upside down. Maybe things are finally looking up. Can’t wait to explore more places in Brick Lane!