Food is Always Better with Friends

Helen joined us for dinner tonight. I always produce a yummier meal when I prepare for others.

Kofta Kabobs with grilled tomatoes, onions, and pita, topped with tzatziki.

Palak Chawal

Pumpkin Kaddo

For dessert, I put out some won ton wrappers, topped some with fig and some with apricot preserves and I added goat cheese to a few. I brushed egg around the edges and topped with another won ton. I used some cookie cutters to make cute shapes then fried for a few minutes on each side. After they cooled a little on paper towels, I sprinkled them with confectioner's sugar and served with ice cream. Yum!

Spicy Eggplant

Don't go to the grocery store hungry! Do go to the local farm hungry!

I stopped by Spicknall's on the way home and loaded up my canvas bags with a bounty of brightly colored fruits and veggies. Here's what I did with a few of them ... (note that while it is contrary to my typical style, I will try to be more exact with ingredients as I have a sense that it matters in this dish).

(Mini Eggplant)

Roast 3 small eggplants with EVOO and S&P at 375 until soft. Scoop out innards and set aside.

Boil one small potato and set aside. I used a potato left over from another meal.

Heat about 2 TBL ghee in a saucepan.
Add about 6 peppercorns and about 6 corriander seeds.
After about four minutes, crush them with a heavy spoon or pestle.

(Galangal)

(Cowhorn Pepper)

Add a medium piece of galangal and about an inch of cowhorn pepper.

Add one small onion and three small cloves of garlic - both diced.

Add three good shakes of fenugreek, five shakes of garam masala, and one shake of turmeric.

Cook until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute,

Dice half of a green tomato and add to the saucepan. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Run a knife through the eggplant and add to the saucepan.

Dice potato and add to saucepan.

Remove cowhorn pepper and galanga.

Add a little water if it looks dry.

Add a few shakes of salt - I used a very fine grey sea salt.

Heat through and enjoy alone or with rice or naan.