Monica Bhide, author of "Modern Spice"
Update–we have a winner! The comment chosen at random to win a copy of Monica Bhide’s Modern Spice is:
Jenni:
“I have recently stumbled across a recipe for curried rice and raisins. It is just enough spice but not too much for the kids to enjoy. My husband loved it and that was great because he doesn’t always like to try new recipes I bring into the house. Here is the link
http://kosherfood.about.com/od/sidedishes/r/medricepilaf.htm“
Congrats Jenni! I’ll be in touch to get your mailing info. Thanks to everyone who entered.
I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a region known for physical beauty, hard winters, hardy folk and no-nonsense stews and meat pies–but not exactly renowned for its exotic flavors. I think the only flavorings my mom ever cooked with were garlic, onion, salt and pepper–and that’s barely an exaggeration. For years I avoided flavorful, spicy foods and always opted for the blandest possible versions of any dish (sauce on the side, please.) One of my goals with my kids has been to introduce them to a wider range of foods so they won’t be afraid of strong flavors. But since I’m not always confident in actually preparing those foods or using unfamiliar spices, it’s not always easy to do.
So today I’m thrilled to welcome Monica Bhide to The Happiest Mom. Monica is the author of several books, most recently Modern Spice. She also teaches food writing courses online and recently started a section on her blog called SPICECAPADES that helps parents introduce kids to spices.
Meagan: Thanks for spending some time with us today, Monica! Tell me a little about your family.
Monica: I come from a very close-knit family most of whom are in India and I miss them terribly. Here in the US, we are a tiny family of four: my two boys, Jai and Arjun, and my hubby Sameer. Jai is 11 1/2 and Arjun is 3 1/2. The kids love to eat and help in the kitchen (although they dont really cook per se). My hubby loves to clean and we have sparkling counters. Since all he loves to clean are the counters. But hey, I will take it.
Meagan: Please tell me a little about the role food plays in your life. Was it a big part of your growing up? How do you involve your kids in the kitchen now?
Monica: I come from a family obsessed with food, to put it mildly. At breakfast we discussed morning snacks, during snacks we discussed lunch and during lunch the next meal. Our focus always seemed to be what dish is best where and who cooks the best whatever and how we could learn to do it. Both my parents are amazing cooks and I love being with them in the kitchen. They live overseas and so it is hard to see them as much as I want but they really instilled me a love of good food. I think it is safe to say that spices run in my blood.
My kids love eating and love being in the kitchen. They love to help lay the table, clear the dishwasher, water my herbs etc. The older one loves to bake and can make a mean pound cake! I think the best part of having them in the kitchen is that they love to talk when we are there. It seems like the safest and most comfortable spot in the house. I get to hear all about school and what happened to who and how many goals were scored during recess and what else they did. The little one, who just started preschool, shares his day too — he tells me that yesterday he was napkin helper and that today he is going to be the “door opener.”
Meagan: If somebody (like me!) came to you and was unsure about cooking with new spices or trying to make Indian cuisine, where would you tell them to start?
Monica: You know, I cook with all kinds of spices not just Indian.. I adore spices. And yes, if you did not grow up with them, they can seem intimidating. When I teach classes or talk to people, I always ask them what types of things they like to eat. If they like sweets, I tell them experiment with cinnamon or cardamom. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on a finished stew or grind one green cardamom pod into your oatmeal. It is critical to eat spices not just for taste but because they are GOOD for you. Cinnamon has one of the highest antioxidant content of any spice. Think of it this way, as my friend Rebecca Katz taught me, spices are like suncreen for your inside.
But back to your question: I would also advise using turmeric. It adds a lovely yellow color. It is bitter so use sparingly. Turmeric is soooo good for you. It is a natural anti-inflammatory. It does NOT have an overpowering taste so you can add a touch and benefit a lot. Here is a link to an article I did for KIWI which includes a simple recipe using turmeric which kids and adults will love equally.
Meagan: What are some of your biggest challenges when it comes to feeding your family?
Monica: I think making sure that they eat healthy. Sometimes we are all on the run and it seems easier to grab something at a fast food place. i try to discourage that but I dont forbid it. As long as they are eating healthy 90% of the time, junk food here and there is okay. I try to focus on creating flavorful, seasonal dishes that are reasonable and delicious but can also be cooked quickly so when the boys are starving and want food NOW, I have something ready to go!
Meagan: On that note, can you recommend an easy, flavorful dish that a busy parent can get on the table in a flash?
Monica: This is one of our family favorites. It showcases how easy it is to use spices and how a single spice can add such accent and depth to a dish. You can also make this dish with brown basmati rice. The rice in itself is fragrant and has a nutty flavor. Use petit peas, they add a touch of natural sweetness and the cumin adds a toasty flavor. You can eat this by itself or serve it with your favorite side or curry.
Basmati Rice and Peas
Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
1 cup Basmati rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
2 cups of water
Table salt to taste
1. Rinse the rice at least 3–4 times with water. Drain and set aside.
2. In a deep pan, heat the vegetable oil on medium heat.
3. Add the cumin seeds. When the begin to sizzle, add the peas.
4. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes
5. Add the rice and salt. Mix well. Add the water and bring to a rolling boil.
6. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
7. Cover the rice with a lid and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. You will see small craters forming on top of the rice.
8. Remove from heat. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving. Serve hot.
Would you like to win a copy of Monica Bhide’s book Modern Spice? I know I would. She’ll be giving one away to a lucky reader–to enter, just leave a comment on this post answering this question: What’s the spice you are most afraid to cook with? You can enter a second time by posting a link to your own favorite spice-loving recipe. The giveaway will end at 1:00 PM EST Monday, November 15, and a single winner will be chosen at random. Winner must live in the continental U.S. or Canada. Good luck and thanks for reading!
Cardamon in oatmeal!! What a lovely idea–why didn’t that occur to me? I used to bake a Finnish bread from scratch (Pulla) and we use cardamon in it. As for a spice that scares me, it has to be turmeric or anything else that is bitter. I probably overuse salt because I really dislike bitter tastes
I love pulaos but have rarely really dipped into them. What a lovely, simple recipe. I will definitely be trying this. Also, I am always looking for good desi cookbook authors – I am excited to find another one for my cache of Indian cookbooks.
Thank you Meagan for asking such thoughtful questions. Whenever folks express surprise that my kids eat Indian food, I can’t help but comment “What do you think kids in India grew up eating?” (um, and I try to resist the urge to point that their daddy IS Indian, after all. Not that I ever had to tell my grandma that when she expressed dismay that I would “hurt” their stomachs. No! Ahem.)
One thing that I am SO appreciative that I learned from Indians and Pakistanis is the “washing” of spicy food when feeding children. Sometimes, I will accidentally make a curry that is too hot for our kids. We rinse the bigger pieces in water – that takes much of the hotness away, but still leaves behind enough taste for them. It’s a great tip for any kind of food, really. I just had to do that tonight with some BBQ chicken wings that my son deemed too hot.
And!! I would like to 2nd the use of cardamom – it is a perfect addition to anything sweet – in particular, milk-based things. I am making creme brulee for an Indian dinner I am hosting tomorrow night, I am SO tempted to jump off a cliff and use cardamom instead of vanilla. If I do, I’ll be sure to report back to you, Meagan. 🙂
I’m pretty comfortable with most spices, I have never used saffron just because I’ve heard it’s so expensive! (Is saffron even a spice? Hmm… 🙂
Here’s a spicy recipe I made recently. I finally bought turmeric to put in the rice! It’s chicken tikka masala.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/06/chicken-tikka-masala-by-pastor-ryan/
Anise is the spice I’m afraid to use. When I lived in NEw MexIco I held off on making some of their traditional sweets, bc I don’t like black licorice,so to this day I am curious what one of the most popular Christmas cookies taste like. Just writing that down makes me think I need to try it this season!
Actually, it’s turmeric! I used too much in a previous dish, and blech! But I am looking forward to trying the ginger & turmeric chicken bites she linked to so I can put my fears to rest!
I’ve always been a little afraid to cook with saffron and curry. I absolutely love cooking with spices (the spicier, the better!) Maybe I’ll get brave enough to try these one day!
Here is a link to my latest obsession-Spice Baked Chickpeas! So yummy..and healthy!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/spicy-baked-chickpeas-recipe/index.html
What a great give away! I am trying to learn more about cooking with spices and I struggle with the cardemon pods. I admit they intimidate/scare me. I don’t know if I am supposed to grind the pods whole or break them open and use the seeds? I have looked around online but haven’t found anything to really address this concern so I am holding off and focusing on cooking with easier spices right now. =)
Scariest spice? I’m always careful with both cloves and nutmeg because both of them can easily overpower and otherwise good dish.
I have recently stumbled across a recipe for curried rice and raisins. It is just enough spice but not too much for the kids to enjoy. My husband loved it and that was great because he doesn’t always like to try new recipes I bring into the house. Here is the link
http://kosherfood.about.com/od/sidedishes/r/medricepilaf.htm
This recipe for black pepper lamb was a hit:
http://www.hookedonheat.com/2008/02/21/winter-warmer-pepper-lamb/
Great interview, thanks! My mum is from South Africa, and I grew up eating a lot of curries, etc. I cook a fair bit of it today as well. Probably the spice I’m most nervous about is chili. I react to capsicum but I’m sure there are ways I could create those flavours without using too much chili….?
The spices Im most afraid to use are ones that can take over your dish because they are so strong. Curries, anise, fennel, chinese five spice (used that once its now in the back of the spice cabinet, LOL) I think I just need more practice with these types of spices. I just added tumeric to my collection of spices and I love it, it gives a nice suttle flavor and beautiful color!
I can’t say that that there is a spice I’m afraid to cook with since I am very adventuresome in the kitchen. If I had to pick one I’d say nigella just because I’m never cooked with it.
joosbornenc at yahoo dot com
I’m beginning to contemplate fenugreek. I’m not sure that I fear it, per se, but I don’t automatically go to it. I don’t really know what to do with it or what it goes with. But I just got a little bag of it, so maybe I will just start adding it to things and see what happens…
http://www.food.com/recipe/pakistani-kima-hamburger-curry-134397
This is amazing and I have yet to meet a kid who won’t eat once they try a first bite. Maybe it would be good with he mysterious fenugreek…
I just love this post… I can’t wait to try the recipe featured! One of my husband’s favorite dishes that I make (and the kids like it, too!) is this…
http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/salmon_indian_spices.html
I don’t eat meat or fish so I can’t speak for myself, but I make it for them and they love it… 🙂
Since I don’t really even taste many of the main dishes that I cook for my family, I think that I am afraid of getting creative with most all spices so I tend to find recipes that I think they might like and follow them exactly and then “test” them on my family… We do eat vegetarian about 2 or 3 nights a week so then I can experiment a little more!
I don’t know if I am afraid of it, I just don’t know what to do with it. Tumeric. I have read so much about it and understand it is very good for you… I just don’t know how to cook with it (other than curry, of course). Any advice would be welcome.
My friend made this yummy chicken with garam masala (sp?) and I loved it. When she moved to Portland, she left me a box of the spice but not the recipe so I have this box of spice that I want to use but no recipe to use it with, and I’m definitely not confident enough to wing it with such a complicated spice mixture!
My new favorite recipe using spices is from Monica’s blog. I highly recommend this easy to make crowd-pleaser chicken recipe.
http://www.mbhide.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/08/once-upon-a-story-high-flavor-low-labor-giveaway.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ALifeOfSpice+%28A+Life+of+Spice%29
I am most afraid to cook with saffron. It’s soooo expensive that I’m just terrified to use it in a recipe and have it fail. It’s like throwing away money!
This is one of our favorite recipes.
It’s very tasty and gets all those fun flavors
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/quick-tagine-style-chicken-recipe/index.html
I generally love cooking with spices, but the spice I am most afraid to cook with is nutmeg. It’s in so many recipies, but its flavor can ruin a dish for me if it’s too prominent. Like the horrible sugar cookies I made last December.