EGGPLANTS AROUND THE WORLD: BAGARA BAINGAN
The second installment of the ‘Eggplants Around the World’ Series comes from Hyderabad, India. I think it’s really fascinating that this recipe dates back to the Mughal Empire, so people have been eating some variation of Bagara Baingan in this region for 500 years! (And it is also popular in Pakistan.) Some of the challenges and benefits of trying new cuisines from different cultures is trying to find the obscure ingredients. I had to go on a hunt for tamarind paste and luck
EGGPLANTS AROUND THE WORLD: MOROCCAN ZAALOUK
Aubergine, brinjal, melongene, garden egg, guinea squash, baingan, melanzana… whatever name you call them, eggplants are awesome. Wikipedia tells me that eggplants, being the night shades that they are, are a relative of the tobacco plant, which might explain my addiction to them (although you’d need to eat thirty pounds in order to get the nicotine equivalent of one cigarette, I still think they are crave-worthy, and certainly better for you!) I was looking for a new eggplan
FRENCH LENTIL, ARUGULA, AND AVOCADO SALAD WITH PECAN PESTO
It’s Earth Day tomorrow! Well, really everyday is Earth Day am I right? Eh? But tomorrow’s the official one. My friends and I did a beach clean up this weekend, and tomorrow, I’m going to plant some herbs and vegetables in the yard. One of the easiest ways you can honor Earth Day is to try a plant-based diet, even if it’s just for the day.(Actually did you know that it’a also Earth Month? Just throwing that out there!) Especially if you are in the drought-stricken state of C
HERBS AND OLIVES TAPENADE
My friend Kelly had heard good things about this bakery called Gjusta, so she and I went for a sunny bike ride around Venice beach yesterday with the plan to stop there on our ride home. This bakery was really cool. So cool in fact, that they didn’t even have a sign or an address number on their plain white building, but it was bustling with patrons nonetheless. In fact, I don’t think they even have a website, bold move Gjusta. After spotting a chef in the back wearing a Gjel
