Moroccan style chickpeas and cauliflower curry

I believe that many more people would like vegetables if they were cooked the right way. So many times I've seen people just boil broccoli, brussel sprouts, or cauliflower, but there are so many better ways to cook food in ways that enhance its flavor.

This is one such dish. You use vegetables and make a thick, slightly spicy curry that adds incredible flavor to ordinarily bland vegetables like cauliflower.

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas (garbonzo beans)
Half of a small cauliflower head, cut into florets
1 medium onion, chopped
I large carrot, chopped
3/4 cup of hot water
1/4 cup cream
1 chicken or vegetable bullion
1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic ginger paste
1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon or more of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of oil

Add one tablespoon of the oil to a dutch oven pot, and heat to medium. Add the onion and carrot and sprinkle some pepper on top. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Then add the chickpeas, chicken or vegetable bullion, water, and all the spices.

Cook for about 10 minutes on medium. Coat the cauliflower florets with the remaning oil, and some salt and pepper.

Add to the dutch over, and cook for about 30 minutes more on medium heat.

Add more water through this process if most of yours has evaporated. Add 1/4 cups of cream and slowly mix in, making sure not to break apart the cauliflower.

Cook for another minute, then turn off. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then serve.

I like this best over plain white rice.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

This pancake recipe is full proof. Its easy, quick, fluffy, and chocolaty. Some people dont like chocolate chip pancakes because the chocolate chips are so heavy compared to the batter that they dont spread out when you try to cook them. Other times they sink to the bottom of the pancake, and the chocolate burns a little bit.

I havent had the chocolate burning problem with this recipe, but I have with others. I think pancakes are a great meal to serve anytime, especially with a side of eggs.

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 cup of flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar

3/4 cup of milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1/3 cup of chocolate chips

butter for cooking

Add the first set of ingredients and mix them up well.

Get another bowl, and add the milk. Crack the egg into the bowl, and whisk with the milk until its incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and the oil and mix well. Add the flower mixture and mix well. Lastly add the chocolate chips.

Heat up a non stick skillet on medium/ high heat. Add a teaspoon of butter, and once it melts, add 1/4 cup of the pancake mixture to the skillet. Once the edges are solid and bubbles form on the top (about 40-50 seconds), flip the pancake onto the other side, and cook for another 30-40 seconds. Once its all solid, transfer to a plate, and repeat.

Add a bit of butter and spread onto every pancake, and drizzle with syrup. Serve with a side of eggs.

Bollywood Bistro

I have tried most of the Indian food establishments in Columbus, and I have to say, Bollywood bistro on Bethel Road, is probably my favorite. I've only had their lunch buffet, but it includes all of their specialities, and its only $8.99.

The best part is they give you made to order naan with your buffet, either plain or garlic. We always get the garlic, its always perfectly light and warm, topped with shredded cilantro leaves.

They always have a very good variety of food, from carbs to proteins to vegetables and fried goods.

Everytime I go they have something new that I have not had before, and this time it was a cauliflower dish where two cauliflower were cooked whole in a rich, spicy tomato sauce.

Palak Paneer is a spicy spinach dish with little pieces of fried cheese. This is one of my favorite ways to have spinach. The spinach is creamy, spicy, and amazing with the naan they serve here.

Their chana masala is always perfectly seasoned and cooked, a lot of places dont cook the chickpeas enough and are a bit hard, but theirs are always perfectly soft and seasoned.

Their tandoori chicken is always spot on. The meat is a beautiful red color, and very tender. Its served on top on grilled onions and peppers.

The chicken tikka they have is less spicy and much creamer than most that I have had. I love the flavor and texture of the chicken, as it is not more overpowering than the sauce, they compliment each other perfectly. The spices are not as overpowering as a typical chicken tikka masala dish, part of the charm of this one.

Indian deserts are a lot different than the ones we are used to in the U.S., but gulab jamun is one many can agree on. Ive had some really bad gulab jamun,and really good ones, but this one at Bollywood bistro is by far my favorite.

The gulab jamun is incredibly light and delicate, and the syrup melts into it to form a very moist desert. I would go back to this restaurant just for that.

Cheesecake Factory trip....without the cheesecake

The cheesecake factory is one of those restaurants with a ginormous menu, and with food from every part of the world. Some restaurants dont do well with this, but the Cheesecake Factory does it well. Almost every dish they have is expertly executed, and seems like its the only thing they make.

One thing my friends and I love doing when going to restaurants like this, is all order different things and share them. W'll get small plates and take bits from all the different dishes.

For this trip, we started with the white mean hummus and bread. Their bread was wonderful, flaky and warm, and light.

The hummus was also lighter than what Im used to, probably because of using white beans instead of chickpeas. The garlic and lemon used to flavor the hummus were just right; many places use too much or too little of each and it throws the whole dish off.

The Cheesecake Factory complimentary bread and butter basket is also a favorite of many.

The chicken croquettes are filled with a warm and creamy fontina cheese filling, then breaded and fried until golden. I love the crisp outside and the soft inside. Its great dipped in some marinara sauce.

Pasta is usually a safe choice, but most retaurants have the same old same old. Usually its some sort of pasta with alfredo or marinara sauce, or a florentine sauce. There are a few different choices here, and my favorite is the Louisiana pasta with chicken.

Its bow ties pasta cooked al dente, and the sauce is a creamy concussion with Louisiana and cajun spices, as well as mushrooms and green onions. It has a nice spicy kick, and the cream just mellows it out.

The chicken made the dish though. Its seasoned perfecty and coated with panko bread crumbs and then flied. The skin is crisp and light, and the inside is nice and juicy.

Next was the Shepherds pie. Shepherds pie is a British dish, made with either ground lamb or beef. Vegetables and the meat are browned with spices, then a mashed potato mixture is added on top and baked off in the oven.

The cheesecake factory adds a creamy cheese sauce on top of the mashed potato, making it even more creamy and rich. Although I enjoyed their Shepherds pie, I feel like they could have seasoned it a bit more.

I saved the worst for last. One of my friends ordered the veggie burger, and although it was not the worst veggie burger I have had, it was definitely not what I would expect from the Cheesecake Factory.

The patty was bland, and lacked anything unique, unlike all their other dishes.

The thing I liked most about this dish was the presentation of the fries.

Overall the experience was very good, but we were so stuffed that we couldn't get any cheesecake.

Hash brown and Egg Stack

Some days you dont want just a bowl of cold cereal. You want a hot, filling meal. This dish takes less than 20 minutes to make, and includes protein, vegetables, carbs, and dairy, a great start to anyones morning!

Ingredients:
1 medium/small potato
1 large egg
1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 Piece of toast
2 teaspoons of butter
2 dashs of chili powder
2 dashs of garlic powder
salt and black peper to taste

Start by peeling the potato, and wash it to remove the residue. Then get a cheese grater, and grate the potato on the grater.

Now sprinkle the garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper onto the potatoes. Then mix it all up.

Heat up a small frying pan on medium/high heat, and add a teaspoon of oil. Shape the hash brown until it resembles a round disk about 1/4 inch thick, and place in the pan.

After 4 minutes, check the bottom of the hash brown. If its crispy and golden, flip it over.

Once both sides are done, transfer to a plate. Rinse the pan, and put it back on the stove. Add another teaspoon of oil, and crack the egg into. Scramble the egg and add a dash or two of salt.

Toast the piece of bread, and add to the plate.

Then add the hash brown on top of the toast.

Sprinkle half the cheese onto the hash brown.

Now add the egg on top of the hash brown and cheese.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese onto the egg.

The hash browns and eggs should still be warm, so after a minute or two the cheese will be mostly melted. If not, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds, or better yet, in a warm oven for 3 or 4 minutes.

Chicken Tikka

This is one of the few Indian dishes most of my family will eat. Chicken tikka is chicken pieces marinated in yogurt and spices, then broiled or grilled. Theres also chicken tikka masala, where you make the chicken the same way, but theres also a creamy spiced tomato sauce you put the chicken in. I'll make that in a future post as well.

A few years ago, I hadnt ever had Indian food, and I rarely had anything spicy. But I became friends with a woman of Pakistani decent, and one of the first times we hung out, we went to an Indian restaurant. I loved everything I ate, and soon nothing was spicy enough for me.

This dish is simple, extremely flavorful, and a great crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:
1 pound of chicken breast, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic ginger paste
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder
1 teaspoon of garam masala
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Get a large shallow bowl, and put the chicken in it. Add all of the spices, the yogurt, the ginger garlic paste, and 1 tablespoon of the oil.

Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees.
Now mix up the chicken and the marinade. For the best results, marinade the chicken in the fridge for two hours or as much as one day. I didnt marinade this time, and it tasted great anyways.

Get a baking tray, and coat the boat with oil. Place the chicken in a single layer on the sheet, and place in the oven.

Cook for 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear.

Now place the chicken on a plate, and serve with rice or naan.