The mushrooms can be fried ahead of time and then reheated for about 10 minutes in a very hot oven, but the crusts will lose just a bit of their crispy pizzazz that way. Serves 6 • 1½ lbs. fresh, firm mushrooms • 1 cup dry bread or cracker crumbs • ⅓ cup minced fresh...
Serves 6 • 1 lb. fresh white mushrooms • 1½ cups water • 1½ cups cider or white vinegar • 1 Tbs. pickling spice, or: • 4 cloves, 4 peppercorns, ¼ tsp. mustard seeds, ½-inch stick cinnamon, pinch of dried rosemary, and 1 bay leaf • 2½ Tbs. olive oil • ¼ tsp. basil,...
Serves 4 to 5 • 2¼ lbs. tomatoes (about 8 medium-sized) • 1 tsp. salt, and more to taste • 1 medium-sized yellow onion • 2 cloves garlic • 3 Tbs. olive oil • 2 bay leaves • ½ tsp. dried basil, crushed • ½ tsp. dried tarragon, crushed • 2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley • 5...
Serves 4 to 6 • 1 lb. fresh zucchini • 1 small yellow onion • 5 Tbs. butter • ¾ tsp. salt, and more to taste • ¼ to ½ tsp. dried basil, crushed • fresh-ground black pepper to taste • 3 Tbs. flour • 1⅓ cups warm milk • 6 egg yolks • 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese • 7...
Serves 8 to 10 as an appetizer, 4 to 6 otherwise. Serve the puff hot or cool, cut in wedges or squares. It makes a very nice hors d’oeuvre or can be combined with a rather hearty salad for a perfectly tasty little supper. • 12 oz. marinated artichoke hearts • 1...
Whenever I am looking for a snack that is not too fattening, I turn to these cucumber spears. We used to eat a simpler version as children, cucumber halves or quarters just sprinkled with lime juice and dusted with spices, but now I have started giving the dish a...
India is the second-largest producer of peanuts in the world, after China, and vegetarians make ample use of the protein-rich product by adding it to their meals, either cooking it along with vegetables and legumes (peanuts are a legume too, of course), or by adding...
Crisply fried okra is eaten all over India. I remember that in our family we cut the okra into thin rings, fried them until very crisp, then ate them with a sprinkling of salt, amchoor (sour green mango powder), and some chili powder. In Tamil Nadu, where crisp foods,...
This is a wonderful snack to nibble on, especially when enjoying favorite TV programs and films at home. You could serve it with Simple South Indian Tomato Sauce, plain old tomato ketchup, or nothing at all. It is good just by itself. SERVES 4 • 2 teaspoons lemon...
Wherever Indian snack sellers congregate, such as Chowpatty Beach in Bombay, you are likely to find some version of these bondas. Round in shape, with a chickpea flour skin on the outside and spicy crushed potatoes inside, they are served still hot and crisp from the...
