The Best Things Ashy Ever Ate - 2

The sequel took a while, but as they say, better late than never! So here's my second installment of some of the best things I have ever had. Additionally, I have come to realize that, through this series I would like to narrate some of the memorable experiences from my travels, wanderings and restaurant-outings.

What: Galinha Com Camaraoes
Where: Atasca Portuguese Dining in Cambridge, MA
We went to Atasca on Valentine's Day this year. J & I love trying out new cuisines and so he picked this place which was complete surprise for me! It was our first time trying the Portuguese cuisine. I ordered this yummy chicken savory dish that came with a red-heart flaky pastry (special Valentine’s Day touch) and was not sweet at all. It reminded me of the 'Indian' khari-biscuit; it's a soft, flaky, pastry which we eat usually by doing a dip-dip in the tea :)
If you love trying different cuisines and are in the Boston area, then you I would highly recommend you to try this place. 
  
What: Churros
Where: Toro Salao, Puerto Rico
We had one of the unique dining experiences at ‘Toro Salao’ in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico – alfresco and beneath the stars! I remember we tried the Spanish chilled veggie soup – Gazpacho, Chicken Paella (aka biryani) and finished off the meal with Churros! Churros are soft balls of dough, deep fried and then sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar. You savor them as-is or dip in the warm chocolate sauce. In any case, the churros were ‘mucho delicioso’!

What: French Toast with Peaches & fresh berries
Where: Exchange Street Bistro, Malden, MA
What could be more fantastic Sunday than having a warm French toast with fresh berries and peaches for brunch? And if you happen to get this comforting breakfast at a walking distance from your home then, I would say it’s your lucky day! Well, it was my lucky day for sure, one beautiful 'Boston-summer' Sunday! Exchange Street bistro was a classy restaurant in our neighborhood (in Boston)and though we never dined there, I will always remember the sophisticated brunch we had!

What: Koffee in Kulhad
Where: At a tea/coffee shop by the Lake Fateh Sagar, Udaipur, India
On our trip to Udaipur in Jan 2012, the ‘Koffee in Kulhad’ was an experience in itself! The coffee was no doubt delicious, warm, sweet and milky – just the way coffees are made in India. But the best part was the 'kulhad' (earthern coffee cup) which enhanced the coffee flavor like 100 times. With the backdrop of scenic Lake Fateh Sagar, in Udaipur, I would say it makes as a perfect spot for memorable ‘coffee conversations’!

What: Gourmet Bhel-puri
Where: Indique Heights, Chevy Chase, MD
Bhel-puri is rice puff snack that you get on the streets of Mumbai or any other city in India. It’s usually made fresh in front of you by ‘Bhaiyya’ (street vendor) and wrapped in a cone of newspaper ready for you to devour in as you sit by the 'Marine drive' or choose to eat it as you travel in the crowded local train compartments. So you can guess my surprise when bhel-puri was served to me in such a glossy way! Well nonetheless, I loved the presentation and the spicy-tangy taste wasn’t compromised at all. This was our bar-snack while we sipped on Indian-flavor infused drinks at 'Indique Heights'. ‘Indique Heights’ has a unique ambience and serves great quality Indian food. If you are in the Washington DC area, it is highly recommended for an Indian-dinner outing.

P.S.: I  have been thinking of changing the blog's look for some time now and finally on the notable date of 12/12/12, the blog went through a make-over!
I was aiming for a more 'neat-n-clean' look here; I hope I have done justice to that. I would absolutely love to know any feedback or suggestions from a reader's perspective. Do drop a comment below!

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Thai Green Curry

I love Thai food especially the 'coconut' based dishes - curries, fried shrimp, ice-creams. Coconut milk/flakes take the dish to another level, the special taste that coconut brings out is delicious. So today I am sharing with you one of the Thai curries I have tried at home - Green thai curry with veggies.

The best part of this curry is of course the coconut milk but, yeah, I do love it 'cause its loaded with veggies and that it makes it so colorful. You can try it out with chicken or shrimp and I am sure it will just taste as yummy!

I adapted this recipe from one of 'Sanjeev Kapoor's' recipes (He is one of the well-known chefs in India). The heart of the recipe is the green curry paste; once that's ready and the veggies are cut, the whole process does not take more than 30 mins.

Ingredients
•Orange carrot 1 medium
•Red capsicum 1/2 medium
•Green capsicum 1/2 medium
•Yellow capsicum 1/2 medium
•French beans 6
•Potato 1 medium
•Baby corn 6
•Broccoli florets 6-8
•Mushrooms 6-8
Tip -  In general, you can add any veggies/tofu/paneer/meat you like. 
•Lemon grass stalk 5 (you will get it in the herbs section of your grocery store)
•Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
•Salt  to taste
•Fresh basil leaves 2-3 (if I don't have fresh basil leaves on hand, I substitute them with dried basil leaves)
•Fresh coconut milk 3/4 cup (I used canned Coconut milk)
•Oil 1 tablespoons
Green curry paste
•Galangal 1 inch piece (You will find it in the herb section of your grocery store, if you don't then use Ginger)
•Garlic 2-3 large cloves
•Green chillies 5-6 (adjust them as per your taste)
•Coriander seeds 2 teaspoons
•Lemon rind ,grated 1/4 teaspoons
•Cumin seeds 2 teaspoons
•Shallots 3 (You can substitute regular onions for shallots)
•Coriander roots a small bunch
•Fresh coriander leaves a handful

Steps
1) Cut galangal into strips and diagonally slice the bottom part of the lemon grass stalks. Heat sufficient water in a deep non-stick pan. Add the top part of lemon grass stalks and let the water boil. This is to make the galangal flavored stock.
2) For the green curry paste, grind together sliced lemon grass, galangal, garlic, green chillies, coriander seeds, lemon rind, cumin seeds, shallots, broken coriander roots and coriander leaves with sufficient water into a fine paste.
3) Halve carrot vertically and then cut into 1 inch pieces (juliennes - thin long strips). Separate broccoli into small florets. Cut all three capsicum into juliennes too. Cut French beans into 1 inch pieces. Cube potato. Wash, dry and thinly slice mushrooms. Slice baby corn vertically. Basically cut the veggie/meat/tofu in small pieces so that they cook faster and absorb the curry flavor.
4) Add potato and carrot to lemon grass stock, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or till the vegetables are slightly soft and have a bite to them. Remove the lemon grass and add broccoli and beans and cook for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the vegetables into a bowl.
5) Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add the green curry paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Add salt, mix well and cook for a minute.
6) Add the cooked vegetables and mix well.
7) Add coconut milk and stir to mix. At this point, add the three different capsicums and mix well.
8) Add lemon juice and torn basil leaves and mix well.
9) Cook till the potatoes are done.

Yummy Green Thai curry is ready to serve with plain rice or noodles!!

Now that the weather is getting cooler, the Thai curry makes for a perfect Saturday/Sunday lunch with your beloved and a nice movie. Aah, the weekend just got better :)

Do you love Thai food too? Which is your favorite Thai cuisine dish?