Indian Bliss

Post-cleanse Indian feast!

Have you ever gone on a cleanse or a fast? It's a controversial topic...to cleanse or not to cleanse? I had experimented with several versions alone or with a spouse over the years, but never with a group of people who were new to me...until recently. Our city is blessed with an amazing woman known as The Kitchen Goddess. One of the lovely services she provides is facilitation of group cleanses. I had been wanting to experience this type of cleanse for a while and finally joined a group of very interesting cleansers. One was a powerhouse mamma who took the cleanse like a high energy athlete complete with daily, bust-ass workouts. One was a deeply nurturing, naturalist mamma who kept up her gourmet baking for her family's outstanding farm-to-table restaurant and balanced loads of extended family visiting during the cleanse. And one was a mamma originally from India who was just completing her dissertation, caring for an elderly in-law, maintaining a beautiful balance of Indian and American culture for her two young children, and rocking a full-time career. Did I mention the husbands? They also had husbands to both receive support from and to appease during the cleanse process, which lasted about a week. 

The cleanse itself was the best I've ever experienced, because it was deeply fulfilling with plenty of easy-to-prepare vegan smoothies and soups. These blended wonders tasted good and provided tons of energy. Also, the support and fun companionship among the group was very motivating. But my favorite part by far was a shared Indian cooking fest and feast after the cleanse was over! We had the idea that our member from India, who is quite practiced at preparing traditional Indian cuisine, might host us in her kitchen to learn from her and celebrate our rewarding cleanse experience. She graciously agreed! As a result, I spent almost 5 hours sipping wine in an exotic kitchen with interesting women, a few children under our feet, and the most sensual foods I have ever experienced! This was MY kind of evening. I will share what I discovered...

The following discoveries endeared me (for life!) to Indian food culture:

• Indian food culture is RICH with tradition, pride, nutrition, sensuality, regionally/family-defined flavors and techniques.
• Combinations unique to Indian dishes are designed to improve digestion and health.
• Real Indian food preparation and consumption is extremely hands-on. Cooking and eating both involve lots of touching (of the food, not each other).
• Indian cooking, at least as I observed that evening, is all about intuition and getting the feel of it through communal practice instead of following recipes. My kind of kitchen culture, friends.

These next take-action discoveries were easy to incorporate into my own kitchen:

Sofrito, Indian Style!

• The Indian version of Sofrito seems to be ginger, garlic, onion, and chile. Read my previous piece entitled Sofrito, My Friend! to discover how to use this information for keeping an amazing jar of easy "starter" flavor for all your meals. It comes out looking like a yellow relish. Now I keep this blend in a mason jar in the fridge, ready to fry up by the spoonful in ghee (clarified butter), and added to soups, beans, gravies, and meats.

Ghee in my grease pot.

• Ghee is super easy to make and tastes like the heaven of butter..times ten! Bring unsalted butter to a boil in saucepan, turn to medium heat and simmer for about ten minutes, pour through strainer into jar thereby separating and discarding the bits of lactose, store ghee in jar next to stove for spooning into everything (skillet for sautéing veggies or frying eggs; mixture for lean ground meats that need more fat; baking breads or sweets wherever butter is used; frying crepes and pancakes; spreading onto breads). I found an old-timey "grease" pot at a junk shop and use it for my ghee. It makes me feel like Ma Kettle!

Mesmerizing, right?

• Whole, plain yogurt can be added to the skillet and cooked in sizzly heat with the sofrito mixture mentioned above and other spices like garam masala, dried read chile (I watched my Indian hostess rip open a chile, tap out the seeds into the skillet, and drop the two halves into the skillet after their seeds, and I was mesmerized!), and cumin seeds to result in a richer, creamier gravy.

• Lentils are not dumb and boring, as was my prior assumption, no no no...they are SEXY! Just start them up boiling with a dash of turmeric and salt, let them roll (simmer) on medium while you are sautéing your roots and spices (the sofrito, garam masala, cumin, dried chile, yogurt) with the ghee into a deep brown color, then add this rich paste of fatty, veggie, spicy flavor to the simmering lentils and let them cook until you like the consistency. Lentils treated this way are called Daal, which is a much sexier name, and are fantastic with basmati rice eaten with your fingers. Finger licking is encouraged!

• And here's the gem...a truly exotic thing that will raise your status in the Indian grocery by leaps and bounds when you ask for it with confidence. It's called Hing. It's sold as a powder in what looks like a medicine bottle, but it is a resin ground for use as a spice that has almost a sulfur-like oniony smell. It has excellent digestive aid properties and will bring a dish to life. It's the secret spice that makes an Indian restaurant smell so good. But, it must be used sparingly...just a dash...in hot ghee...in the skillet...with the roots and spices mentioned above, and truly your kitchen will smell amazing. First, when my Indian host showed me the powder and warned me of the smell I was skeptical, then when she dashed a spot of Hing into the skillet I almost fainted with pleasure. The next evening, I stopped into an Indian market and asked for Hing. The gorgeous woman wearing an intricate sari looked at me with wide eyes for the first time, and I felt I had arrived. She became very excited to show me to the aisle I needed for Hing and chat with me about Indian dishes along the way. It was like the first moment you are invited into a special club. Thank you, INDIA!

And this is the export version! I really must travel to India.

And lastly, the following discoveries are interesting but are on hold, because they intimidated the hell out of me:

1. The pressure cooker...YIKES.
2. Naan - this Indian bread that is so delicious and perfect for sopping up the wet Indian dishes - is a fermented (hello, a sourdough connection), flat bread cooked traditionally in a tandoor oven. Because I could possibly use my sourdough starter, Claudia, this idea seems very appealing, but a special kind of fire pit oven for a certain kind of bread? Not so appealing.

These two are over my head at this time and so will be avoided for now. I encourage you to also avoid kitchen experiences that make getting into the kitchen feel like a chore or a research project. For instance, if you like some of these ideas but the thought of making or using ghee has you cringing, then go forth with an alternative that you like...butter, olive oil, coconut oil...your kitchen, your choice! Ease and pleasure in the kitchen is totally achievable by experimenting with intriguing ideas and ingredients...and keeping a relaxed attitude about the results. Enjoy!

Helping you improve your health with ease and pleasure in the kitchen...next up: Not Your Mamma's Cookie Jar.