Chipotle Chicken Burrito Recipe

The best part of chicken burrito is the flavor bursting from the spicy chicken. I first soaked the chicken in buttermilk to guarantee tenderness, then tossed the chicken in a sweet and spicy chipotle sauce. I got inspired by Chipotle's cilantro-lime rice, which pairs perfectly with the chicken. I also added a small amount of black beans (I'm not a huge fan), sour cream, baby spinach and shredded cheddar cheese.

I think I went a little over-board with the over-stuffed burrito. I don't how many calories are packed in this meal, but we ended up cutting each burrito in half. I've recently been craving spicy food and this meal fits the bill. I think I've mentioned it in the past; before I got married, I could barely tolerate the spiciness from a dash of black pepper or heaven forbid a chipotle pepper! Now, being married to Lulu, I crave a hint of chiles. Ah, what we do for love!

Apricot Pepper Jelly Recipe

I've made several sweet and spicy preserves in the past and this is one of the many variations we made last summer. As I might have told you before, Lulu's favorite hobby after work is gardening. He takes such great pride harvesting the hottest chiles. He started them from seeds and grew them in those cool Jiffy greenhouses. We should be starting planting the seeds again in the following weeks.

Last August, we harvested jalapeño and Habanero chiles. I paired the spicy peppers with delicious apricot juice and made my own pepper jelly. The problem with canning and making so many experiments during the summer is that we have to store all the jars in the garage. The preserves taste much better if you let them sit for a few weeks so the flavors are at their fullest. By that time, we usually forget about them until we do a huge clean up! It just took us 6 months to find these 3 jars. I’m glad we did; this apricot pepper jelly tastes delicious!

Mirchi Ka Salan Recipe

I just learned how to make a variant of mirchi ka salan by Sheerin Auntie, who came to visit us during winter break week. This version is made with only white sesame seeds and originated from the region of Lucknow (Lakhnau) where Abbi, my husband Lulu's late grandfather was born. The previous version was taught by Baji (Lulu's late grandmother); they lived in Hyderabad where mirchi ka salan is made with peanut, fresh coconut and sesame.

The sesame seed variant is quite a bit milder. The sesame seeds are blended into a thick paste (tahini), then added to cumin-flavored oil (baghar). Whole chile peppers are cooked in the sesame mixture until softened. A drizzle of lemon juice finishes the dish. It's as simple as that. Prior to cooking the mirchi ("chiles" in Urdu), I had to be brave and estimate the level of spiciness of the peppers. If the heat is too fiery, you could cut a longitudinal slit and remove the seeds and more of the sesame sauce will enter in the cavity of the chiles for a milder taste.

Khatta Recipe: Indian Sesame and Tamarind Sauce

Khatta is an Indian condiment that is generally served as an accompaniment to khichdi (coral lentil basmati rice). Unlike raita (Indian yogurt sauce) or chutneys, khatta has a thin consistency. Toasted sesame seeds are ground into a thick paste (tahini) and mixed with green chiles and tamarind. The sauce is then diluted with water and mixed with thinly sliced onions. The finishing touch is the usual top layer of baghar, which consists of fried garlic, cumin seeds, curry leaves and dried chiles.

The recipe was provided by Lulu's aunt, Sheerin Auntie, who is an amazing, gifted cook. Love is the most important ingredient that is required in any dish, and she has it in boundless quantities. She has agreed to teach me several Indian dishes that I've been wanting to learn, and of course, I'll share them with you once I know them well. Thank you, Sheerin Auntie for teaching me so many valuable lessons, culinary and otherwise.

Aloo Gobi Recipe with Purple Cauliflower and Potatoes

Aloo gobi is an Indian vegetarian dish made with potatoes (aloo) and cauliflower (gobi). I gave a little twist to the dish by using purple cauliflower and Peruvian purples, which are Fingerling-sized, purple-tinted potatoes. Except for these changes, the recipe remains the same.

The lilac color from the cauliflower slightly fades once it's cooked, but it's still a great addition of color to the Indian dish. It stokes curiosity and brings a new experience to the dinner table. I've made the same recipe using orange cauliflower and sweet potatoes in the past, and it also worked quite well.

Now, I'm off to test carrot purée using Okinawan sweet potatoes and purple carrots. I’ve been having way too much fun with this!