The Month of Tuna Fish: Part 1

Carmie loves tuna fish month

As Americans we always like to re-state the obvious in our vocabulary. For example, instead of bin, we have "wastepaper baskets or trashcans" and so forth. Which is why the following attempts are "tuna fish" recipes and not "tuna". Tuna = the whole fish or a fillet. Tuna fish = canned tuna. 

For me to attempt to perfect a tuna recipe would be very ambitious, thus is why February was deemed tuna fish month (and because the first week of the month we had barely anything in the kitchen pre- and post- travels) except miscellaneous canned/dry foods.

Hungry Expat's "Indianized" Stovetop Scrambled Eggs

Inspiration for my next "Indianized" dish came quickly today. I am a huge fan of breakfast for dinner which is why I took my leftover "salsa" concoction from my baked potato and Indianized myself some dinner out of it. Scrambled eggs are another favorite of mine and super quick and easy.

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3-4 eggs                              1/4 c milk                           2 tsp butter 

For some pizzaaz one may also add some cheese and cilantro and definitely salt and pepper, but they're pretty bland the traditional way, even with a side of bacon and toast.

Hungry Expat's "Indianized" Best Baked Potato

Growing up, baked potatoes were my go-to meal because they were quick and easy and required pretty much zero level of skill to make. An American baked potato, while filling, comprises of very little and is easily cooked:

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potato                            butter                        sour cream                   cheddar cheese              salt                            ground black pepper

It was also common to spice it up a bit with the ever popular Bac-os (for those of you uninitiated in American imitation food - that is bacon flavored "bits" made out of soy or some such) or chives. If you were really ambitious, you could also cover lightly in olive oil and dust with sea salt for a better baking result, but I rarely exerted that little bit of extra effort and opted for the quick and dirty microwave.

Mixing Indian flavors with American tastes

I've had a parade of visitors since we moved to India almost 2 1/2 years ago. Most of my guests are expats who have/are living abroad or friends of friends who are frequent travelers, but recently my parents ventured over as well as one of my besties from the US. This is when I realized that not everyone loves Indian food as much as I do (I do miss my weekly sushi and the variety of different cuisines in my diet, but I also happily eat Indian for the majority of my meals daily). While many expats and frequent travelers love to immerse themselves in the food and culture of a new place, many Americans can't handle all of the richness and flavors. (I have a test case of a Polish-American expat (aka Buffet Queen for long-time readers!) coming to visit this week to compare - she grew up on barely any black pepper and can't handle spicy, but she has lived abroad for many years - we'll see how much Indian cooking she can endure.) 

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I think the reason that I love Indian food so much is because it's made from so many familiar flavors. I grew up in Texas eating a healthy amount of Tex-Mex and Mexican food for as long as I can remember, and those flavors of cayenne, onion, chili peppers, cumin, bell peppers, garlic, and coriander/cilantro, amongst others made Indian cuisine feel a little bit more like home. That said, there was an article on WaPo last year discussing the science behind what makes Indian delicious, and it was mostly because they combine flavors completely differently than we do in American food. Another aspect of it is the fact that Indian food isn't just a few dishes, it's literally thousands of different meals (not that our cook realizes this ... I need Curry Delight back in the kitchen). 

So all of this led me to think more about how India "Indianizes" American foods and how the US "Americanizes" Indian foods to meet individual taste expectations. Sometimes this is done successfully resulting in deliciousness (visit The California Boulevard in Gurgaon to experience a delightful fusion of flavors) and sometimes it ends poorly with an over-masala-ed mishmash of seasonings or a weird, wannabe bbq sauce/Ranch dressing. So my plan is to take my favorite American dishes and "Indianize" them. While I'm no expert on flavors, I'm hoping I can't screw up this experiment too badly since Indian food is supposedly all about combining things with nothing in common. First up is baked potato. Check back for how I changed the traditional bland American version into a more flavorful dish using Indian spices!

The California Boulevard

As Gurgaon's InterNation's ambassador I get to plan fun events and culinary adventures for our members each month. I like to keep it fresh and try to find a new spot to host my monthly events so I usually identify a new place or take suggestions from members then approach the manager/owner about our organization and mission. Now that I've been doing it for almost a year I sometimes get invitations from some restaurants that want to work with us. Yesterday was one such day. A friend who is a new activity group consul for InterNations and has a background working with restaurants in the area wanted to meet with The California Boulevard and combine forces to host a duel activity group dinner. I am fully aware that because of the special treatment I received when dining with the PR head and having the chef prepare us some of his favorites I had a very different dining experience than most. Full disclosure, I did not pay for my meal, and I am hosting a future event at their location, but they also did not ask me to write this. I miss writing and this just happens to be the most recent place I've visited and had a sit-down meal rather than just an array of appetizers. Also, I have attended a previous event at this location and paid at that time.

I visited The California Boulevard's Gurgaon location in Sector 29. It is known for its fine dining and Hollywood-inspired theme ambiance. It prides itself on the California "experience" and making fine dining available for all. And it appears that is something they are achieving, for a Sunday afternoon, there were a surprising number of guests in the restaurant.

The servers were well-trained in being available, but not hovering. The meal commenced with a waiter putting a silver bowl with a small white square in front of me. He then poured water over it and voila! I had a small wet wipe for my hands. It was a much nicer presentation than a finger bowl with nothing to dry your hands on. Not a novel concept, but something different from most restaurants I have eaten at in India. While our hostess ordered a variety of bitings for us, I did get a chance to look at the menu and was quite impressed by the selection which is apparently going to grow in the next few weeks with a new menu being launched. One thing I didn't get to try, but will definitely order next time is their cheese fondue. I love fondue (who doesn't love a pot of molten cheese?!) and didn't even know that there was a restaurant offering that option in Gurgaon.

We started with their version of a Dilli ki Chaat nibbler. I'm used to it looking like this:

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But theirs was a light and airy appetizer that you could eat several and still feel like you have room for your main course. It was a great start to the meal and fun twist on a traditional Indian snack.

Crunchy spinach leaves with yogurt, tamarind, and mint chutney

Experiments in Paleo

As part of my foodie adventure, I am always up for trying something new (and weight loss friendly!). When a friend mentioned to me that she recently switched to a paleo-inspired diet and was able to re-adjust to life without carbs fairly quickly I figured why not give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. After quite a bit of googling and reading, it sounds like a pretty simple diet for us since we already don't eat packaged food and have access to inexpensive farm fresh vegetables and meat. From what I can tell, we need to switch to more healthy fats and up our protein and vegetable intake. Fortunately, we live in the land of ghee so cooking with clarified butter is not a problem and olive oil isn't blacklisted. Reducing fruits might be more of challenge, but substituting antioxidant-rich berries and low-fat nuts should help with the transition. The main challenge, I think, will be cutting out the grains and legumes. Since we eat a lot of bread, pasta, rotis, rice, and daals, the first order of business was to find some satisfactory alternatives. Fortunately, I found quite a few rice and flour substitutes.

Tonight I'm trying out a recipe for cauliflower rice and pairing it with grilled chicken.

Southern Delights: Hungry Expat's Yellow Potato Salad

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I love Indian food (probably because I don't have to cook it), but I was craving something different for dinner and decided to make some potato salad. This is a conglomeration (like most of my recipes) of several different versions of this dish. Hard boiled eggs are a staple in most southern recipes, but if you aren't feelin' them they are definitely not required. I'm used to my mom's recipe which uses more mustard than most so you can also cut back on that, depending on your tastes. 

Savoury Samplers: Hungry Expat's Egg Salad

My favorite egg salad is a spin on the traditional and combines ingredients from a few different recipes.

Egg salad sandwich

Ingredients:

8 eggs 

2 medium red onion

1/4 c prepared mustard or 1 1/2 tbsp whole-grain mustard

1/2 c mayonnaise*

1 1/2 tbsp dill

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp paprika 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 stalk of celery (optional)

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Savoury Samplers: Hungry Expat's Deviled Eggs

Smoky Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are like manna from heaven (or a Lays™ potato chip); you can’t eat just one. Any good southerner will vouch that these are the best summer appetizer for any holiday garden party, backyard BBQ, or picnic, but I maintain that these can and should be made year-round. Thanksgiving dinner appetizer? Deviled eggs. Need a snack for the office Christmas party? Deviled eggs to the rescue. Random cricket match viewing party? Deviled eggs for the win. Birthday parties, funerals, bar mitzvahs, they are eternal.

Sutra Gastropub

According to Delhiites, DLF Cyberhub is the only reason to venture over to Gurgaon and I am tempted to agree. Although Gurgaon has its fair share of decent restaurants it cannot compete with the many options scattered throughout Delhi's trendy neighborhoods. However, Cyberhub does offer Gurgaonians a place to eat out, take in some music, and barhop all in one location. While it doesn't have the feel of say a Khan Market or Hauz Khas, it's not far off from Connaught Place. Cyberhub embraces their suburbian-ness by marketing its nearly 50 restaurants, fast food, and lounge options to young professionals, middle-aged businessmen, as well as families. Furthermore, the open-air amphitheater regularly shows cricket matches on the big screen, hosts concerts, and offers the opportunity for wide-scale embarrassment for those gutsy enough to karaoke in front of the masses.

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#SufiSutra with Indian Ocean 5 Nov 2014

First up for review is Sutra, a spacious indoor/outdoor bar on the Cyberhub’s 2^nd level pub hub. With unlimited ₹1 drinks every Monday, free drinks for ladies on Tuesdays, Wednesday Sufi nights, and live bands on Sundays, there is something going on at Sutra practically every night of the week. Most recently we visited on a Friday night and were pleasantly surprised with buy one get one happy hour specials until 8:30pm. Drink choices were limited, but still offered a wide enough selection to make everyone in our group happy.

Beat the Heat: Hungry Expat's Texas Tea

This is the first summer that has felt like summer to me since I moved abroad five years ago. Being from Texas I am used to ridiculously hot temperatures and moving about from one air-conditioned place to another. However, Kenya was extremely temperate and Nairobi never reached over 30°C (that’s 86°F for you North Americans) despite the common misconception that its proximity to the equator means the temperatures are sweltering and desert-like. In short, I got spoiled. This being my first summer in India, I quickly realized how much I did not miss the soaring temperatures and highs of 45°C (113°F) and have thus become hermit-like, holing up in my air-conditioned abode only to leave for basic necessities or after nightfall when temperatures drop to a mere 29°C (82°F).

In order to beat the heat, I’ve reverted to ice baths and summery drinks to stay cool. A summertime staple growing up at my house was iced tea. I could drink gallons of the stuff. However, I discovered early on that my mom’s version of iced tea was *very* different from your typical Southern-style iced tea. It was sugarless. I can hear the screams now. No sugar!?! That’s sacrilege!  My mom was a bit of a health nut in the ‘80s, before it was the thing to be; our Kool-Aid™ had about ¼ of the recommended sugar.

Meze Fresh Gourmet Burrito Bar

With only a few hours to kill in Kigali after a two week Byumba-imposed diet of chips and croquettes, my friends and I moto-ed across town in search of the famed "Chipotle-inspired burrito place". It's located between Kimihurura and Kacyiru. Not known to many moto drivers my friend told them to drop us at a well-known Chinese restaurant in the area (Great Wall Chinese) and then we just walked up the hill towards the boulevard. 

Popular among local expats, if you did not know what you were looking for when you stumbled across this restaurant you might be confused by the bright colors and traditional Rwandan art. However as soon as you approached the counter and saw the selection of fresh ingredients and multitude of options you would undoubtedly be filled with joy.

Many Americans will recognize the Chipotle-style layout (Freebirds, if you're from Texas). There's a wide selection to choose from including chicken, beef, pork, or vegetarian burritos, burrito bowls, and salads and prices are reasonable at 2,800-4000 RWF for burritos and 1000 RWF for a beer. 

12-Step Guide to the Perfect Bloody Mary

The Cocktail Contessa strikes again...finally. While the origins of the cocktail might be unclear (the French seem to have taken a decent idea and spiced it up to the greatness it is today) the deliciousness factor is definitely not. Three cheers for the perfect Bloody Mary concoction!

As your Cocktail Contessa, I feel that the time has arrived for me to up my number contributions to the Nairobi Nightlife Guru’s blog from one to two.

Anyone who lives in Nairobi knows it’s nearly impossible to find a decent mixed cocktail beyond your basic gin and tonic – and even those can be questionable. I’m banned from most of my friend’s kitchens for safety reasons – but I’m always the go-to for Bloody Mary’s. DO YOU DOUBT ME? Don’t doubt me.

Without further adieu, I give you the 12-Step Expat Guide to Bloody Mary’s.

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Between traveling for work and visiting home for the holidays I have been absent from the Nairobi social scene and foodie adventures for a few months.  Now that I am back in town I am ready to eat! 

Did you know that Colonel Sanders did not find his true calling of selling hot, fried chicken to the masses until he was 70?

Anvil Pub

Former expat, queen of snark, and determined vegetarian, Rachel B., recently returned to the motherland, Dallas, Texas, where she shares her initial impressions of the new bar and eatery on the scene, Anvil Pub.  

For those of you not intimately familiar with Dallas' foodie scene, it's like this: shopping and eating are king in this town and new restaurants, bars, and clubs open and close at an astounding speed as the locals rave and then, 30 minutes later, find a new hotspot to frequent until they once again grow bored. Entrepreneurial restauranteurs must seek the happy medium of becoming the neighborhood hang out as well wooing hipsters to a trendy new locale. It's a status seldom achieved and many promising and delicious start ups fall by the wayside in a sad collection of once celebrated venues now forgotten. Read on as Rachel details her experience and pronounces Anvil a temporary success:

Whiskey Cake Kitchen and Bar

I have been known to refer to Plano as the "land of the chain restaurants," but I was pleasantly surprised by the new addition to the suburb, Whiskey Cake.  Some friends recommended this place and I'm very happy we decided to try something new and venture a bit further north outside of the Dallas bubble.

Hard Rock Cafe

It's with a little bit of shame I write this next piece.  Yes, yes, I will admit that I went to Hard Rock Cafe (HRC) in Cairo.  I will own up to my embarrassing collection of Hard Rock paraphernalia and the fact that I seek out HRCs in every country I travel.  My name is Captain Awesome and I am a Hard Rockaholic.  I get excited when I visit a city and discover a cafe with a Rock Shop unbeknownst to me. 

Otlob: McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, and more

McDonalds, McDonalds
Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut 

You like it you love it

You know you really want it

(Lyrics: The Fast Food Song, Fast Food Rockers, 2003)

(Photo credit: http://otlob.com/)

Be still my beating heart for I have been introduced to the greatness that is Otlob.  Otlob is an online food ordering service similar to Dining in in the States.  It delivers 24 hours a day all over Cairo.  I was first introduced to the fantasticness the evening of my arrival.  After a night of shisha and Horreya coupled with American food deprivation we decided a late night order of McDonalds would hit the spot.  I don't eat McDonalds when stateside but I have found it tastes shockingly better in other countries.  A cheeseburger, fries, and a Kit Kat McFlurry later and I was ready to crash a happy camper.