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It's been a while since I wrote about an event. I must be busy.
Someone asked me today whether my events are getting easier [and better] as I host more and more of them. It got me thinking about my first popup just a year ago. And boy (if I may say so myself), have I improved. From struggling to fill 10 seats, to 20 spots going off in a flash within 48 hours, I am inclined to think I must be doing something right. And learning. Still learning.
Read More"Herbs" Dal meant nothing to me till a few months ago, when I made a simple spinach lentil curry and my husband says "Oh, this reminds me of our Herbs Dal". Being of South African Indian origin, my husband's foodie language is sometimes just as confusing as their mixed culture, so I decided to dig deeper. I discovered that Indians households in SA make a version of spinach lentils with a bunch of mixed greens & sour leaves. I couldn't exactly find all the 'herbs' they used, so decided to make my version with a few favourite seasonal greens.
Read MoreWhen I served this at one of my events, I really didn't expect for people to ask me the recipe. Had the plain ol' cucumber salad cut un-laboriously for every childhood meal, suddenly become mainstream? Or was it that in an effort to appreciate complicated food, one had forgotten how simplicity tastes? Either way, I couldn't help but remember those summer days when mum used to serve this alongside a Rajma (kidney bean curry) Chawal night, and we always tried not to look at it (as though it would magically disappear!) - not that we didn't like it, but as kids, who wanted to have anything green!
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Did you know beetroot leaves are edible? Yes sir! The young ones can be eaten raw, and as they get older it is advisable to cook/sauté them as you would do with spinach. Packed with vitamins and other nutrients, 1 medium beetroot – leaf, stalk & root et all helps boost immunity, fight infections, lower blood pressure and increase red blood cells. Aren’t those enough reasons to add it to your next meal?
And if you cook it like I did, you won’t care how healthy it is. You’ll just want more.
Read More“A desi breakfast staple, goes mainstream this spring,
With asparagus for an oomph, I create this seasonal fling.
Humble and easy, this flattened cousin of rice,
Is ready in minutes, and bears nearly no vice.
Cook up for a weeknight, oh you’ll do so on repeat,
After you taste the magic, once you sit down to eat..”
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The idea was born, the time came, and just as quickly, it was all over. But not for nothing.
Two months of hard work paid off last night, when 29. hosted it's first ever Supperclub dinner inside the West Elm Chelsea home-store in New York! 15 guests were treated to, apart from my non-stop banter, a tasting menu inspired by Indian cuisine. The story behind it all? What is 'home' to me. Oh, and if it's not already hard enough playing host + chef, I was also trying to be the event photographer!
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CT9
Last month, while soaking up some sun in Cape Town, I set out to explore some recommended local dining options. The Pot Luck Club by award winning Chef Luke-Dale Roberts was definitely the highlight, followed by other great culinary finds in the mother city.
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Farro Fried Rice1
“Farro is nutty, Farro loves spice,
It is my solution, To something other than rice.
Cooks in minutes, And blends in well,
Be it soup or curry, Or a bake so swell.
With a grainy bite, And a fragrance mellow,
I now turn everything, Into a version A-la-farro…”
Read MoreIt's the 29th! What better a date than this to recap the 29. endeavors in 2014.
2014 was a special year for me. I completed my first full year as a chef. Yay! Swapping careers took a while, and despite the many times when I questioned the decision, I am happy to report that I am indeed exhilarated. This year was about growth, learning, accomplishments, partnerships and tiny milestones that mean a lot, yet keep me humble. The only drawback of being your own boss is that there is no team to throw a holiday party with! But I'd like to believe that I'm in part celebrating with hundreds of new friends I made in 2014. Wherever in the world they might be. (Are you listening folks?)
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