There are many varieties of chilies from all over the world. For this recipe I used authentic Kashmiri chilies from a specialty Indian food grocery. They are good but I also love the subtle heat of the dried Chile de Arbol when a recipe calls for dried chilies. My tip for you: experiment with dried […]
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To remove the seeds and fibers from tamarind pulp start with a cup of pulp and one cup of boiling hot water. Place the pulp in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. Remove the pulp with a slotted spoon and place in a fine strainer. Use
A mortar and pestle is the traditional way to grind spice blends into pastes and powders. It is time consuming, but extracts more of the natural oils and flavors from the spice blend. An electric blender can be a short cut. If you have the time, use the mortar and pestle. They are made from
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A chef that I worked for taught me to dip the back of a spoon into your sauce. Hold it up and blow on it; a “rose” will be created. The definition and length of time the “rose” stays on the spoon indicates the thickness of the sauce. If the sauce runs off the spoon
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I like to use a “pencil cut” to prepare mirepoix for stock or vegetables for puréed soups. This cut creates a vegetable that is not only more even in size but, with more surface area exposed, it’s also more flavorful. Use a pencil cut for long vegetables like carrots and parsnips. Here’s how: First peel
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Piloncillo is unrefined Mexican sugar. It tastes similar to brown sugar mixed with molasses, even though it has no molasses. If you cannot find Piloncillo you can substitute 1 cup of dark brown sugar and add 1 tablespoon of molasses.
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Pitting stone fruit can be tricky. First, cut along the seam of the fruit all the way around, using a serrated knife. Then, gently twist the two halves and pull apart. You should be able to pull the pit out from the fruit half. If not, lay the half with the pit on the cutting
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To stop cream from boiling out of your sauce pan when reducing for a cream sauce, turn off the heat and place the tip of your finger in the foam. The temperature change will make the foam subside. If you don’t think your finger can “take the heat”, simply blow gently into the foam when
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Here are my favorite ways to remove silk from a fresh ear of corn: If I shuck it completely, I run the cob over the stove flame to singe it off. If I do not remove the shuck completely, as in this recipe, I use a stiff vegetable brush, brushing lightly to remove the silk.
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Start by placing your bowl and utensils in the refrigerator. When you are ready to whip, take them out and dry off the bowl and utensils. Remove the cream just before you whip. The cold affects the fat bubble that forms during whipping. The colder the cream and the tools, the fluffier the cream will
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