So this post is mostly for my own benefit since I don't have solid recipes for any of these things... but I needed to make a list of what I can make, and writing a blog is so much easier than making a file that will get lost somewhere on my computer.
Here in India I have a simple 3-burner gas stove and very simple cookware: just a knife and cutting board, a few stirring spoons/bamboo spatula, and 1 small pan and 2 pots. Someday I am going to make a mess/burn my self horribly with the small pan, because it is so unstable and the handle gets hot. I would like to invest in more cookware (a kettle, rice cooker, wok, etc.) but I'm only here for 5 more months and I'm travelling for about 1 month, and I'm on a strict budget.
I've also learned that it's much cheaper to cook with domestic ingredients vs. imported ones (mustard oil vs. olive oil and so on), so I'm cooking some Indian food. My breakfast is usually yogurt and muesli or toast and peanut butter with plain tea, lunch is usually at the office or leftovers, but here's what I can make for dinner:
Daal-- red lentils, turmeric, green chili, and tomato, with "tadka" made from fried onion, ginger/garlic paste, dried red chili, and nigella and/or mustard seeds. I bought some coconut milk so I can make coconut daal sometime!
Egg curry-- hard boiled eggs, curry made from fried onion, "masala" spices, ginger/garlic paste, and tomato. Add potatoes and cook with water and the curry mix, then add hard boiled eggs at end.
Chickpea curry-- chickpeas cooked with coriander and cumin powder, ginger/garlic paste, and onions/tomatoes as desired.
I also want to start making some vegetable side-dishes, such as okra and zucchini things. I usually eat rice as my carb, but I'd like to start eating brown rice or roti more. I can't make roti, but I can buy it from a local restaurant.
Finally, I'll probably make a few "western" dishes every once and a while. I have a block of feta cheese waiting to be used...
Here in India I have a simple 3-burner gas stove and very simple cookware: just a knife and cutting board, a few stirring spoons/bamboo spatula, and 1 small pan and 2 pots. Someday I am going to make a mess/burn my self horribly with the small pan, because it is so unstable and the handle gets hot. I would like to invest in more cookware (a kettle, rice cooker, wok, etc.) but I'm only here for 5 more months and I'm travelling for about 1 month, and I'm on a strict budget.
I've also learned that it's much cheaper to cook with domestic ingredients vs. imported ones (mustard oil vs. olive oil and so on), so I'm cooking some Indian food. My breakfast is usually yogurt and muesli or toast and peanut butter with plain tea, lunch is usually at the office or leftovers, but here's what I can make for dinner:
Daal-- red lentils, turmeric, green chili, and tomato, with "tadka" made from fried onion, ginger/garlic paste, dried red chili, and nigella and/or mustard seeds. I bought some coconut milk so I can make coconut daal sometime!
Egg curry-- hard boiled eggs, curry made from fried onion, "masala" spices, ginger/garlic paste, and tomato. Add potatoes and cook with water and the curry mix, then add hard boiled eggs at end.
Chickpea curry-- chickpeas cooked with coriander and cumin powder, ginger/garlic paste, and onions/tomatoes as desired.
I also want to start making some vegetable side-dishes, such as okra and zucchini things. I usually eat rice as my carb, but I'd like to start eating brown rice or roti more. I can't make roti, but I can buy it from a local restaurant.
Finally, I'll probably make a few "western" dishes every once and a while. I have a block of feta cheese waiting to be used...
