Indian

Curried Lentil, Rice and Carrot Burgers

May 6, 2013 by Charles 2 Comments

Indian food rarely lacks for flavor. Packed with exotic spices and chutneys, the dishes brim with colors and culinary delights. This dish is no different. And better yet, this dish won’t send you scurrying to exotic markets or stores; all of the ingredients are staples of most pantries and refrigerators.

A vegetarian and Indian take on the classic American burger, this Curried Lentil, Rice and Carrot Burger packs a healthy punch. Sandwich it between two toasted buns and adorn with a little mayonnaise, and this vegetarian burger is bound to please. Serve alongside roasted sweet potato fries or, for the sake of regional consistency, prepare a side of Aloo Gobhi Masala.

A word of warning: this recipe …

Aloo Gobhi Masala

November 30, 2011 by Charles 4 Comments

The other day, when I was in the gym, I was flipping through the channels, searching for something to hold my attention while on the treadmill. After a few clicks, I stopped, landing on the familiar fedora of Indiana Jones.

As Indiana trekked through the jungles on his elephant, I immediately recognized this movie as the second installment in the series, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I wasn’t old enough to see the movie in the theaters — I was only four — but I can remember watching the movie as a young teen, perhaps catching the movie on television late one weekend night.

Owing to my young age, …

Garlic and Cheese Naan

December 19, 2010 by Charles 5 Comments

The Cincinnati football team is named the Bengals, and takes, as its logo, an image of a leaping Royal Bengal tiger. The Bengal tiger is native to India and Bangladesh, and can be found in the aptly named Bengal region. With a population of close to 250 million people, the region is one of the densest and most populous regions in the entire world.

This is not the only link between the city of Cincinnati and the Indian sub-continent. Despite the city’s German roots, the city is home to a thriving Indian community, particularly given the relative size of Cincinnati. The public library’s collection includes a significant number of Bollywood videos and books in Bengali. The Clifton area boasts an Indian grocery, and the city itself is home to about a dozen excellent Indian restaurants.

When Caitlin first visited Cincinnati, we went Ambar India, which is now …

Mango Pineapple Lassi

June 14, 2009 by Charles 7 Comments

Predicting another hot weekend in Saint Louis, I decided to freeze a pineapple and two mangoes. The next day, when the mid-afternoon sun hit, I was ready. I ran each fruit under some hot water to loosen the skin, diced the fruit, and then dropped them in the blender to make a cool lassi.

Lassi is an Indian drink with a yogurt base,…