Baigan Bharta Recipe (Indian Eggplant Dip)

If you're an artichoke and spinach dip lover and don't feel guilty about the calories, baigan bharta is for you. Eggplants are chopped into small pieces, boiled until softened and drained. Then they are sautéed in oil until all the liquid has evaporated. After that, the eggplants are flavored with onions and many Indian spices. Once the mixture cools completely, yogurt is added and folded into the eggplant mixture. Raw onion is also added for a little bite to the Indian-style dip. Though non-traditional, I also add fromage blanc, which helps give a creamy and rich texture to the dip; it's also lower in calories and has less cholesterol than cream cheese.

Today was Game 1 of the World Series, featuring our hometown San Francisco Giants. I made this dish and served it with warm tortillas chips for Lulu and the girls to munch on while they watched the game. I don’t understand baseball, but I can definitely say that the food was a home run. That’s a baseball term, right?

Cucumber Raita (Indian Yogurt Recipe)

Raita is an Indian condiment made with yogurt (dahi in Urdu). It's used in Indian cuisine as an "antidote" to spicy food. But the yogurt not only cuts the heat, it tastes great too.

Traditionally, raita is seasoned with cilantro, ground cumin, mint and red chili powder. For more texture, I added finely diced raw vegetables such as Persian cucumbers and tomatoes.

If you fancy a change of pace, you can try my “fusion” raita that uses a lot of French flavors and techniques. My husband Lulu loves it with khichdi!

Vietnamese Pickled Carrot and Daikon Recipe (Do Chua)

Pickled carrots and radishes are a very common condiment in Vietnamese cuisine. In Vietnamese, they're called "đô chua", which literally translates to "pickled stuff". The vegetables are soaked in a sweet and savory mixture made of white vinegar and sugar.

You've probably seen the popular condiment in bánh mì sandwiches (I'll post the recipe tomorrow), gơi gà (Vietnamese chicken salad) or spring rolls. Carrots and daikon are a must; today, I also added white onions, but you could combine any other root vegetables.

This recipe doesn't require any particular skill. All you need are basic ingredients and a little patience. Our family loves đô chua. So I always make sure we have some on hand. I prepare the vegetable pickles in advance, transfer them to a jar and store it in the refrigerator. You can keep the pickled veggies for up  to 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.

How to Make Sesame Chutney (Til Chutney Recipe)

Sesame chutney (til chutney in Urdu) is one of many Indian chutneys that we make regularly at home. First, sesame seeds are ground into a fine powder. Then, freshly grated coconut, spices and water are added to create a thick paste. The coconut is what gives the sauce a rich mouth-feel. The condiment can be served with rice dishes, idlis or dosas (enormous, thin, crisp, Indian-style crêpes).

Dosas are my husband Lulu’s favorite Indian food, and the reason I haven't posted a dosa recipe yet is that I haven’t been able to successfully make them on my own. Pali appa (Lulu's aunt), who lives in Oakland, comes to visit us from time to time and makes the best dosas from scratch. She taught us how to grind urad dal and rice and let the mixture ferment. On the several occasions when we've made the recipe with her, the dosas were wonderfully delicious. However, on my own, I've failed miserably so far. Will post a detailed recipe once I succeed. Stay tuned!

Harissa Recipe Provided by Chef Pawan Pinisetti

This recipe was provided by Chef Pawan Pinisetti. To learn more about the life of a chef in Vegas, check out his interview (click on the link to view):

"Here's a recipe of one of my favorite accompaniments when I'm eating Mediterranean food. This is a recipe I learned when I was in school (Culinary Institute of America, New York) and I've held onto it ever since. Hope you try it out and enjoy it as well.

Harissa, a spicy red chili paste, popular throughout the Maghreb, was created long after Islam occupied the Iberian Peninsula. Not until the 16^th century and well after the discovery of the New World, did the rest of the Mediterranean accept the pepper as an edible and flavorful ingredient."