Indian food in Mar Vista

I had a lovely simple and delicious meal a week or two ago at Tara’s Himalayan Cuisine on Venice Blvd in Mar Vista.

This is basically Northern Indian food with an addition of a number of potato dishes as the Himalayas are chilly and the potato is a major food group.

We went with two other people and all of us found the place cozy and quiet. A refreshing change after all the trendy noisy places in L.A.

We ordered a couple appetizers; Aloo Achaar; which is a sautéed potato dish with scallions, chilies, cilantro, garlic and sesame seeds. This was a big hit, very flavorful and just the right amount of spice. We also had Vegetable Momo, which was a dumpling of sorts filled with vegetables, which was a bit doughy and lacked flavor- this one I would scratch from the menu.

We then went on to a number of entrees served with their wonderful Garlic Naan bread that was crispy and thin and very nicely done with plenty of garlic and cilantro. The entrees we had were Chicken Sekuwa- which was chicken breast baked with ginger, garlic and spices, Chicken Vindaloo – baked chicken breast with potatoes, onions and tomatoes and Saag Aloo – a version of Saag Paneer – spinach cooked with potatoes and pureed with spices. All the food was well prepared and flavored just right. Not a restaurant for people that don’t like cilantro as it is in every dish. I am obviously not one of those so I truly enjoyed the generous use of cilantro, garlic and onions.

We stayed for hours after our meal drinking Tibetan beer and feeling very relaxed. No one bothered us to leave and you could talk without having to strain to hear the other person, which went a long way in our enjoyment of the place.

The atmosphere is borderline hole in the wall so not a good first date or romantic destination but for good simple food with great prices I would recommend Tara’s as a neighborhood joint.

Speaking of Indian food I have just returned from Manhattan where I took an intensive masters class in Indian cooking. I am teaching these classes in Venice starting in September at the Culinary Training Program. I learned all about the spices and how to use odd ingredients such as Kokum, Tarmarind seeds, long ridge squash and asafetida.

Here is a sampling of what I learned; the results will impress those who get to enjoy this dish.

Curry Chicken with Tamarind Sauce

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 inch round tamarind pulp

1 cup hot water

Spice paste

2 tablespoons coconut vinegar or sherry wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground red chili powder

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin and excess fat removed

Spice mixture

One 1 1/2 inch piece cinnamon stick

5 whole cloves

4 whole green cardamom pods

1 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed

1 medium-sized yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

4 tablespoons canola or olive oil

6 baby eggplant, left whole- slit open like a radish

Procedure

1. Place tamarind in a bowl and add the hot water. When cool enough to, handle, crush tamarind pulp with fingers and extract pulp clinging to fibers. Strain the juice into a cup and discard the fibrous residue.

2. Combine the spice paste in a large bowl. Add the chicken and rub it in. Set aside for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge.

3. Combine the spice mixture in a small bowl and set aside.

4. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until very hot. Add the spice mixture. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is light golden, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, tossing and turning, until lightly seared, about 6 minutes. Add the eggplant and tamarind juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, covered, until the chicken is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning and serve.

Technique Classes at Surfas

Have you dreamed of diving deep into culinary studies to learn the hidden secrets from the professionals? Do you fantasize about wielding a knife like a pro, simmering stocks, braising, sautéing and glazing but your day job gets in the way?

Now you can live your dream and keep your day job! Chef Amanda Cushman, premier Culinary Educator and Private Chef is back in the Surfas Test Kitchen with her "Techniques of Fine Cooking Series". This series of five 3-hour class is meant to give you the information in a professional cooking program but focusing on the skills most important to the home chef.

For more details and to register:

http://www.amandacooks.com/html/cooking-classes-los-angeles.htm#technique (scroll to bottom of page)

Eating at home with a budget

We all know that times are tough and many people are tightening their belts right now. This may mean cutting back on frivolous items or forgoing a favorite activity such as eating out or seeing a movie. Whatever it means to you I have a few tips on how to still have fun while cutting back on spending.

I love going to the movies, so for me, not going is out of the question. But what you can do is substitute dinner with popcorn. There is nothing quite like freshly popped corn with a few good shakes of salt for a satisfying meal. I mean it. Popcorn can be quite filling and delicious and if you have a medium container it can take the place of a meal. A medium serving of popcorn in the movie theatre has 58 grams of fat, 93 grams of carbs and 14 grams of protein. The calories weigh in at 950 but this is dinner, remember, so what is wrong with that? Not to mention the deliciousness of sitting in a dark cool theatre where no one can reach you and you are happily munching away. So there is one tip for saving the fifty odd dollars that can be a meal after a movie.

I personally pop my own popcorn at home, rent a movie and have now saved the price of a movie ticket, parking and gas! So this is the ultimate in a cheap date, something I don’t recommend suggesting until you know the person fairly well.

To pop your own corn you have to start with quality corn. Paul Newman has a good one along with Orville Redenbacher and health food stores have organic pop corn which I usually go for. You heat a medium heavy bottom saucepan over medium high heat and then add a thin layer of vegetable or canola oil. Let that warm up a few minutes and then toss in a half an inch of corn kernels. Cover the pan and wait until you hear that first pop. Then it goes fairly quickly from there and within about 4 minutes you have a huge bowl of hot fresh popcorn. Sprinkle with salt and settle in for a great snack or meal depending on how hungry you are.

Another suggestion is to go meatless and chicken-less once or even twice a week and have a vegetarian evening. You can save quite a few dollars without animal (or fish) protein on the table along with improving your health. Fish has become quite expensive in the last year or so and if you are feeding a family you can’t always afford to spend $60 for four pieces of fish (a price I just paid recently at Santa Monica Seafood).

I think most of us know that meat and chicken is not so great for you especially if it’s not organic and free range, so taking a break from it is a good idea.

I love tofu and tempeh and have enjoyed many dishes where one or the other form of soy protein is the entrée. But there is also the meal made of grilled Portobello mushrooms served over a steamed grain (see recipe below) or eggplant with homemade tomato sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan. Served with a green salad and maybe a loaf of whole grain bread you can feel good about eating and walk away from the meal without that stuffed feeling.

I suggest you check out your local farmer’s market for better deals on seasonal fruits and vegetables and have fun with stir-fry’s, salads and fruit desserts.

Cooking at home is definitely a better deal all the way around. Good for your health, wallet and psyche. That must be why my in home cooking classes are doing fantastic right now.

For those of you wondering about meatless entrees check out the recipes below:

Tempeh Sauté with Miso Dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients

Dressing

3 Tablespoons canola oil

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons miso

2 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

3 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley

Fresh pepper

Sauté

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1/2 red onion, halved, thinly sliced

½ pound domestic or wild mushrooms, wiped clean, thinly sliced

8 ounces Tempeh, diced

Salt and pepper, to taste

3 pounds baby spinach leaves

Procedure

1. Combine the canola oil, honey, miso, tamari, lemon, garlic, sesame oil and parsley in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, taste and add fresh pepper. Set aside.

3. Heat the canola oil in a large high sided skillet and sauté the onion over medium high heat until slightly golden about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and tempeh seasoning with salt and pepper and continue to sauté until the tempeh is lightly browned about 8 minutes. Add the spinach and ¼ cup of water and quickly wilt. Spoon the mixture onto a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing.

Grilled Eggplant with Miso Glaze

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tb. canola oil

1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. minced ginger

1 ½ tsp. soy sauce

1/4 cup light miso

3 Tb. light brown sugar

2 Tsp. rice vinegar

2 Tb. chopped cilantro

6 Asian eggplants, trimmed and halved lengthwise

Steamed Basmati or Jasmine rice

Cilantro leaves, garnish

Procedure

1. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the shallot, garlic and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to small bowl. Add the soy, miso, sugar and rice vinegar and whisk.
2. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill until hot. Brush the eggplants on the cut side with some of the glaze. Place on the grill and lower the heat and grill for 6 to 8 minutes turning occasionally, brushing often with the glaze. Transfer to a platter and spoon some of the sauce over. Serve with rice and cilantro leaves as a garnish.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Bulghur Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

Portobellos:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 Tb. fresh thyme, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean with a damp paper towel

Salad:

1 1/2 cups bulghur wheat

1 3/4 cups water

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Garnish:

1/4 pound parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Procedure

1. Combine marinade ingredients and add mushrooms in a shallow baking pan. Marinate 1 hour, or overnight.

2. Prepare grill. Grill mushrooms about 7 minutes turning and basting often. Reserve the marinade that is leftover. Slice the mushrooms into 1/4 inch slices.

3. Meanwhile, combine the bulghur and water in a small sauce bring to a boil over medium heat and then cover, remove from the heat. The water will be absorbed in about 5 minutes. Transfer the bulghur to a medium bowl and add the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Spoon the bulghur salad on each plate and then place the portobello slices on top. Drizzle the leftover marinade over the mushrooms. Garnish with the shaved parmesan.

Trip to Sicily- Cooking and Eating for ten days!

SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2011

Dreaming of Italy

By Erin Ferucci
Celebrity Lifestyle Designer

In September

I will be there.

Chef Amanda Cushman: www.amandacooks.com

The tour was designed by Italy In Style. It is cooking in Sicily.

Tour dates: September 30 - October 8, 2011 (9 days/8 nights)

Itinerary

Day 5 - Tuesday, October 4 – Agrigento area

In the afternoon hands-on cooking class with Chef Amanda and your local chef.

Day 6 - Wednesday, October 5 – Taormina

Guided sightseeing tour of the town.

You’ll enjoy a visit of a local winery where you will explore their wine-making techniques.

Day 7 - Thursday, October 6 – Syracuse

iCooking class with Chef Amanda and Chef Fiora.

Day 7 - Friday, October 7 – Mt. Etna

Your last cooking class will take place on Mount Etna. Here you’ll meet book author and Chef

Eleonora.

Before returning to your hotel, visit the Honey House and honey tasting.

Farewell dinner at a local pizzeria and presentation of the cooking certificates.

Day 8 - Saturday, October 8 – Arrivederci

DepartureSicilian specialty

There are still openings if anyone is interested in joining me in Italy. http://amandacooks.com/html/italy.htm

Eating in Santa Monica

I have often heard of Michael’s in Santa Monica and have walked passed it many times. I had never had the chance to visit until recently and was pleasantly surprised.

I met a friend for a late lunch and we were seated in the back garden, which is beautifully decorated for the holidays; full of poinsettias and little white lights. This is a cozy, romantic spot to share a meal with its lush plantings and quiet atmosphere. Michael’s has been a staple in Santa Monica for over thirty years and takes pride in its contemporary art as well as its cuisine.

We were waited on right away, as there was no one but us on the patio. We each had an appetizer; mine was a gravlax plate and my friend had a Caesar salad. There is a new trend of serving this popular salad in a small round tight ball with a few croutons on the side, this is what came to the table and she said it was delicious although I am a fan of the more traditional presentation. My gravlax was an ample portion and seemed more like smoked salmon to me than the cured salmon dish that I expected. It was very good and came with toast points and mustard dill sauce. I ordered my favorite salad; Nicoise and my friend had a burger which came with bacon, blue cheese, gruyere and onions. Oh, and the usual French fries.

Her burger was massive and looked fantastic, although rich I am sure this would be a great choice if one were very hungry. My salad was lovely although there were no new potatoes on the plate as advertised. This salad which I make all the time is traditionally served as a composed salad with a little lettuce under the other components. It is meant to be arranged and is served with anchovies and often basil on top. At Michael’s it was a bed of arugula with slices of seared tuna, hard boiled egg, tomato, baby green beans and a bit oddly, parmesan cheese. I enjoyed it although I was missing the traditional version, which, in my opinion, does not need to be altered. We had no room for dessert but I would return for the dinner menu as I really liked the atmosphere and almost old fashioned feel of the place.

Michael is offering a unique series of Farmer’s Market trips that focus on finding the best produce and highlights one ingredient specifically. These trips are sold as “Michael’s Market Meet-Ups” and he offers them once a month. The group meets in the morning at his place and enjoys cappuccino and pastries. Then they accompany Michael to the market where they learn about how to shop and meet local vendors. Upon their return to the restaurant a meal is served highlighting the one ingredient that is the focus for the month. They get a signed copy of his cookbook; Welcome to Michael’s: Great Food, Great People, Great Party! And all for the modest price of $60.

I for one would love to join in, so in January hope to attend. It sounds like the perfect way to meet this accomplished chef, enjoy a meal and meet others with the same interests.

I have included a few photos of the past Meet-Ups and who knows maybe I will see you there!

For those of you who would like to try the traditional version of the classic Nicoise Salad, here it is.

Classic Salad Nicoise

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

1 Tb. Dijon mustard

2 cloves minced garlic

3 Tb. Balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt, pepper

1 pound new potatoes, washed and quartered

12 ounces haricot verts, trimmed

3 large eggs

2 Ahi tuna steaks, about 5 oz. each or 2 cans water packed tuna, drained and crumbled

Olive oil

Thyme, minced

Lettuce for platter

2 ripe tomatoes cut into eighths

10 nicoise olives

4 anchovies, rinsed and drained, optional

6 basil leaves, chiffonade

Procedure

1. Combine the mustard, vinegar and garlic in a bowl and whisk, add oil slowly while whisking and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Cook potatoes in a small saucepan of salted water until tender about 20 minutes, drain, set aside.

3. Blanch beans and refresh with cold water and set aside.

4. Place eggs in a small saucepan of cold water and bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile rub tuna with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Heat the grill and grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove to a cutting board.

6. Arrange lettuce on large platter; arrange groups of vegetables in piles around platter. Slice tuna in 1/2 inch slices and add to platter. Scatter with olives, lay anchovies on top and sprinkle over the whole platter. Drizzle the dressing over the platter before serving. Serve cold or room temperature.

Culver City Dining

I have recently been eating out in Culver City quite a bit and enjoy the small town feeling of the place. There are a number of decent restaurants now and one in particular I enjoyed a few times in the last two weeks is Saint Amour. Right behind Starbucks on Culver Blvd. Saint Amour is one of those classic French bistros that are worth a visit.

I sat outside and had lunch on a warm and sunny day about three weeks ago and had a terrific salad Nicoise. This has to be one of the best salads ever and I teach a class on main dish salads where we learn this traditional entrée. It is a composed salad of steamed green beans, seared tuna, hard-boiled egg and new potatoes with olives and anchovies on top. It is not only beautiful but also very delicious. The Saint Amour version was very, very good.

My husband and I visited for a light meal there about two weeks ago before a movie and were impressed to find such a gem in Culver City where there are many trendy places but less with this type of quality.

The second visit was almost perfect from the service to the beautiful décor we both loved the place. We had wonderful warm baguettes with a small dish of olives along with a delicious Belgian beer. Then ordered frisee salad, parsnip soup and a charcuterie plate. The soup – made with parsnips pureed with butter, cream and chicken stock was velvety and satisfying. The frisee salad with lardons- one of my all time favorites was done to perfection; just the right amount of bacon, a lovely vinaigrette and a perfectly poached egg on top. This salad is a meal in itself and it is rare to find one of this quality in a restaurant. The charcuterie plate came with the traditional accompaniments; cornichons, Dijon mustard and pickled onions. This plate is a winner that I highly recommend.

We reserved a spot on a Sunday night with another couple to try the dinner hour. We ordered a Pot Au Feu which is a beef shank that is braised for hours and then served with a little of it’s own broth with potatoes and root vegetables – a peasant dish. This didn’t look anything like that when it arrived, somehow there were no vegetables and the meat was swimming in liquid, more like a soup with some meat and potatoes in it. I was not impressed with the presentation although it had good flavor. I ordered a half roast chicken with some greens and turnips, which was nicely cooked but just a tad bland. Our friends had mussels, steak frites and the beautiful frisee salad with lardons. The dishes were authentic bistro fare that everyone enjoyed but the salad still wins, hands down.

We then had two desserts a perfect chocolate pots de crème with a layer of salted caramel on top that was to die for and a profiterole. I said this was classic French bistro fare and as you can tell by the menu it truly is. The profiterole presented well but the cream puffs were dry and tough; something I would not recommend.

All in all I would have to say this is a lovely place, the atmosphere is charming, the staff are efficient and professional (almost all are French) and if you would like to feel you are in a bistro in Paris this is the place.

If you want to try the salad Nicoise at home here is the perfect recipe.

Classic Salad Nicoise

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

1 Tb. Dijon mustard

2 cloves minced garlic

3 Tb. Balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt, pepper

1 pound new potatoes, washed and quartered

12 ounces haricot verts, trimmed

3 large eggs

2 Ahi tuna steaks, about 5 oz. each or 2 cans water packed tuna, drained and crumbled

Olive oil

Thyme, minced

Lettuce for platter

2 ripe tomatoes cut into eighths

10 nicoise olives

4 anchovies, rinsed and drained, optional

6 basil leaves, chiffonade

Procedure

1. Combine the mustard, vinegar and garlic in a bowl and whisk, add oil slowly while whisking and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Cook potatoes in a small saucepan of salted water until tender about 20 minutes, drain, set aside.

3. Blanch beans and refresh with cold water and set aside.

4. Place eggs in a small saucepan of cold water and bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile rub tuna with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Heat the grill and grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove to a cutting board.

6. Arrange lettuce on large platter; arrange groups of vegetables in piles around platter. Slice tuna in 1/2 inch slices and add to platter. Scatter with olives, lay anchovies on top and sprinkle over the whole platter. Drizzle the dressing over the platter before serving. Serve cold or room temperature.

Raw Food is Too Raw for Me!

I visited a raw foods restaurant last night on Main street after hearing about it for a while and passing by a few times on my way to the beach. Rawvolution is the name of the place and after walking in and smelling the distinctive aroma of vitamins and wheat grass juice I chose to sit outside.

The service was efficient and friendly and the menu was short but fairly extensive given that there are no cooked foods to be had.

I am definitely into healthier food and take pride in cooking with no dairy, little fat and organic produce so I was open to enjoying a raw food experience. Having said that I must admit after the meal I had a strong urge to go across the street and order a piece of pizza from Bravo.

Ok, ok, raw food is all the rage right now with restaurants cropping up all over L.A. but this was a meal that was hard for me to swallow.

I ordered a mushroom “burger” after hearing from a friend that the onion “bread” they are famous for is so amazing. It came on said bread but something about the texture of it was very strange. First of all, they don’t use wheat, yeast or any flour in their cuisine so all “breads” are made from seeds and some kind of pressed grain. The texture was chewy and dry sort of like eating very salty cardboard and I didn’t detect any onion flavor at all. The mushroom was topped with a spread that is supposed to be a facsimile of cheese which wasn’t bad but also overly salty. The whole thing was quite dense and heavy and I felt full after eating half of it. I also ordered the one quite yummy item of my meal which was a nori roll filled with vegetables and a bean spread, it was delicious and although messy to eat- so not first date material- I would say that is worth going back for. I went with a friend who also is into vegetarian food and enjoys trying new cuisines as I do so she was the right person to accompany me. She ordered a “big mac” but remember we are eating raw foods here so no burger, cheese or bun. This was a creative attempt to copy a burger with the infamous onion bread once again and a textured grain, seed, nut thing as the burger. Hers was also overly salty but she liked it more than I did.

We tried their truffles for dessert and the wait person said they were great. We ordered a cookie dough, chocolate coconut haystack and a Goji berry truffle. They gave us one order that we split, thank god because I could barely eat any most of it. The coconut one was acceptable but the other two were in edible, between the weird texture and the strange sweetener they use I almost spit it out. Give me a good piece of chocolate any day over this mock dessert.

I often here people say I must be picky in restaurants because I am in the food business and my answer is, only when it is bad. I go out to all kinds of places and an appreciative of efforts made to prepare good food as I know what goes into it. But this experience left me with a bad taste in my mouth, literally.

I was macrobiotic for a few years in my early twenties and taught at the one and only vegan cooking school in the country for five years so I am not a novice at off the beaten path vegetarian fare but next time I will pass on the raw part of healthy eating and choose for my food to be cooked.

If you would like a fabulous vegan chocolate chip cookie try this one, you won't be disappointed.

Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 2 ½ dozen

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups rolled oats, toasted in a 350 oven for 6 min., ground in food processor, cooled

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup raw almonds or hazelnuts toasted in 350 oven for 10 minutes, roughly chopped and cooled

1 cup chocolate or carob chips

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tsp. vanilla

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line two half sheet pans with parchment, set aside.

2. Combine oats, flour, salt, soda, nuts and chips in a large bowl stir and set aside. Combine the oil, syrup and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk. Stir wet into dry ingredients just until mixed.

5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto sheet pans about 1 1/2 inches apart. Flatten dough with fingers.

6. Bake one pan at a time until lightly browned on bottom about 15 min. Cool and remove to wire rack. Repeat with the other pan and remaining dough.