Fall 2009
Cooking Classes
|
FALL
2009 COOKING CLASSES are OPEN for
REGISTRATION
Register Online,
In-Person, or by Telephone
Harper's Point
classes - Call 513-489-6400 Settler's Walk
classes - Call 937-748-4540
www.cookswaresonline.com
To view all of the details, visit our
website now and plan some fun this autumn! Limited seating --
Plan early, then Register!
Thurs, October 22 - Tween Halloween Cuisine with Tricia
Jacoby Settlers'
Walk from 6:00 - 8:30pm $30  Hands On! - Ages 11-13 - Limited to 16 students
Mon, October 26
- Party Appetizers á la Paul with Paul
Dagenbach
Harper's Point from 6:30 - 9:00pm $50 Class Full! (E-mail us
to be added to the waiting list). Tues, October 27 - Adult Basic Culinary Skills - Class 3 of 3 with
Greg GenettiHarper's Point
from 6:00 - 9:00pm $180/Series of 3 - Partial Hands On!Tue, October 27 - Italian Chicken Dinners - Extra Value with Sean
Schmidt Settlers' Walk
from 6:30 - 9:00pm $45 Wed,
October 28 - Inspired Indian with Nandini Cherukuri
Settlers' Walk from 6:30 - 9:00pm
$40 Thurs, October 29
-Pumpkin and Squash Sensations with Dan
BergerHarper's Point from
6:30 - 9:00pm $40 Class Full! (E-mail us
to be added to the waiting list).
Fri, October 30
- Knife Skills with Wüsthof/Trident with Chef Rhonda
Clark and Cutlery Expert Ed Bartush
Harper's Point from 6:00 - 9:00pm $45
Mon, November 2 - Murphin Ridge Inn's Holiday
Traditions
with Jackson
Rouse
Settlers' Walk from
6:30 - 9:00pm $45
Class Full! (E-mail us
to be added to the waiting list).
 Tues, November 3 - The Aromas of Fall Pastry, Fruits and Sauces
with George GearyHarper's
Point from 6:30 - 9:00pm $65
Wed, November 4 - "Dressed Up" Dinner without the Fuss with Todd
Shanks
Harper's Point from 6:30 - 9:00pm
$40 Thurs, November 5 - Dewey's Pizza Encore with Chuck
LippSettlers' Walk from 6:30 - 9:00pm
$40
Class Full! (E-mail
us to be added to the waiting
list).
Sat, November 7 - Everything's Better with Bacon with Leigh
Ochs
Harper's Point from 11am - 1:30pm
$40
Harper's Point
classes - Call 513-489-6400
Your Cooks'Wares Bonus:
Cooks'Wares offers a 10% Discount
on your merchandise purchases
on the
day you attend class! (excluding kitchen electrics and during
Storewide Sales) |
Indian
Cookery
|
 India
is a big country with many regional specialties as in our own
country, and certainly many more than one can grasp in a brief
overview. The specialties arise from the land and climate, and take
advantage of the food that flourishes best in each area. Further,
India's rich history as a melting pot of many peoples and migrations
has greatly influenced its cuisine over the centuries along with its
multiple ethnic and religious traditions.
A very broad
categorization of Indian cuisine might start with a delineation of
Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Indian food traditions -
(apologies to our Indian friends for this simplistic explanation).
Within each region are distinct cuisines: Andhra, Bangladeshi,
Bengali, Gujarati, Karnataka, Malayali, Nepalese, Oriyas, Pashtun,
Punjabi, Sindhi, Sri Lankan, Tamil, Telugu, and on and on. As spices
of the Far East headed to Europe and the New World centuries ago,
the return trip brought tomatoes, potatoes, squash and chiles to the
Indian subcontinent turning them into culinary staples for Indian
kitchens. Old and new together have created today's unique and
pleasing fusion of flavors.
|
Cooks'Wares proudly
features:
Cooks'Wares
stocks over fifty fresh spices, herbs and
blends from Summer Field Spices. This is San
Francisco Herb & Natural Food Co.'s line of
fine herbs and spices for restaurant chefs, caterers,
bakers, and food service professionals -- now available
to you! So you can choose just the right flavor, each
blend package is labeled with its ingredients. With many
of their products grown on their own Certifed Organic
Farm in central Oregon, San Francisco Herb has been a
reliable source for quality botanicals for 40
years! | | What is curry? Just one category of
Indian recipes, "curry" is actually a generic term most easily
translated as "sauce" or "gravy." From that broad definition, the
specifics explode into an array of pleasures. To our initial
frustration, there is no single list of spices or ingredients that
define "curry." Curry can refer to the spiced sauce, or to an entire
dish made with a spiced sauce. Resolution on the definition is best
reached by understanding "curry" in its broadest sense - "a spiced
dish with southern Asian origins." To confuse matters a bit more,
curry is also a plant whose leaves are often used in fresh form.
Curry leaves may be part of a curry dish, but are not responsible
for the classic taste of curries.
What is curry powder? - Curry
powder is a spice blend that attempts to shortcut the assemblage of
spices for a curry dish. Spice purveyors mix their own blends of
curry powders. Again, there is no one list of ingredients or proper
proportions comprising curry powder. There are certain themes across
the unique blends that almost always include: turmeric, cumin,
coriander, and fenugreek, then perhaps proprietary amounts of
garlic, cloves, fennel seed, ginger, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed,
cardamom, mace, nutmeg, black pepper, red pepper, or any number of
other spices. A curry powder is handy, but obfuscates the breadth of
flavors possible in making curry dishes from individual spices
according to the needs of the specific recipe.
 What is garam masala? A literal
translation of garam masala
is "hot mixture," where "hot" refers to an intensity of taste,
rather than heat as produced by a chile. There are hundreds of garam masala mixtures, each unique
to the cook or family tradition. A garam masala mix of spices varies
regionally, but might include peppercorns, cardamom, nutmeg,
cinnamon, and clove. Garam
masala is usually added at the end of cooking to maximize the
flavors. Unlike curry spice blends, garam masala does not commonly
feature turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, or mustard seed to the
extent that curry powder does. Garam masala has distinct uses in
both its roasted and unroasted forms.
In addition to key
spices, flavor-filled fresh herbs and vegetables underpin many curry
recipes, especially onion, garlic, ginger and fresh chiles. The
spices and aromatics combined with oils, coconut milk, or vegetable
liquids form the curry sauce that deliciously coats vegetables,
legumes, meats, or
poultry.
|
Curry
Techniques
|
Most Indian
cookery is accomplished on the stovetop with very little use of the
oven. It holds many similarities to wok cookery in that regard. The
techniques of Indian cooking focus on the layering of flavors and
the optimization of each ingredient. This is most obvious with the
preparation of spices:
 Dry-roasting
of Spices - Many Indian recipes call for the roasting
of spices. Like nuts, many whole seed spices such as
coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and others, benefit from roasting; the
flavors are brought forth and the golden toast transforms and
deepens the inherent flavors. To dry roast spices, use a small,
heavy-bottomed skillet. Heat the pan over medium high heat.
Add the seeds and stir frequently to achieve even browning. The
color of the seeds will deepen and exude their aroma. If you
"over-roast" the spices (a.k.a. "burn") throw out that batch and
start over!
Oil-roasting of
Spices - Some spices respond to hot oil with a special
blooming of their flavors, especially coriander, cumin, fenugreek,
and peppercorns. This process of oil-roasting is known as tadka or tarka. Heat a
high temperature-tolerant oil such as canola or peanut oil in a high
quality skillet.  Test
the heat of the oil with a drop of water. When the droplet sizzles
and skips, add the seeds. They too will sizzle and spatter as they
quickly roast. (A splatter screen is very useful at this moment!)
Watch very carefully as the seeds will brown quickly. Remove the pan
from heat and transfer the seeds to a small plate lined with a paper
towel. Once cooled, grind the spices and proceed with your
recipe.
Grinding
Spices - As with all spices, buy small quantities that will
be used within a relatively short time period. Store them in a dark,
dry location in your kitchen. Whole spices hold their flavor longer
and with greater potency than ground or powdered spices. In Indian
cooking, whole spices are frequently preferred for the added flavor
yielded in the roasting step. Whole spices are roasted then ground
just as they are needed in the recipe. Spices may be ground with a
mini food processor, mortar and pestle, a coffee grinder, or a
mechanical spice grinder.
Aromatic Roots - Onion, Garlic,
Ginger - Many, many Indian dishes begin with a diced onion
quickly followed by a paste of garlic and ginger.
- Onion
Dicing - a sharp knife and cutting board are tried and
true, but you might like to experiment with other onion tools that
dice whole onions with one motion.
- Garlic
Prep - With the too-simple-to-believe garlic peeler and
twisting garlic mincer, preparing larger quantities of garlic is
easy and quick.
- Ginger - Use
a ginger grater or a microplane to zest peeled ginger into a pulp
while leaving behind the stringy
fibers.
 Pressure-cooking
for Legumes and Meats - Modern day
Indian cooking often deploys a pressure cooker to make quick work of
stewing meats and cooking dried legumes. Unlike your mother's
pressure cooker, today's pots are safe and a true time saver. The
two hours it previously took to soak and cook lentils or split peas
now consumes a total of 15 minutes with the help of a pressure
cooker. You'll quickly find that your pressure cooker is your new
favorite pot -- Indian dishes are but one use for this re-engineered
time saver. |
Curry
Companions
|
Integrating a
curry dish into your menu can be accomplished as an eclectic event,
or as part of a themed meal with traditional accompaniments.
 Curry over Rice - A classic
presentation of a curry dish is where the sauce is ladled over a bed
of rice. Basmati
rice is the choice for Indian dishes. Basmati rice is a
long-grained rice with a wonderful fragrance when cooking and a
distinctive, nutty flavor when eaten. Available in both white and
brown forms, basmati rice cooks up as separate, individual grains.
Rice may be steamed on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. Biryani, a
whole category of spiced, rice-based Indian dishes, goes well with
curry dishes and is another topic to explore as you try your hand at
Indian cooking.
Indian
Breads - Reliant primarily on stovetop cooking, Indian breads
such as chapatti, poori, naan, and roti, are
cooked on griddles and skillets in quick flatbread fashion. Torn
portions of the bread are used to scoop up the curry. You'll love
experimenting with Indian breads along with investigating
curries.
 Raita (raithas) -
Hot, spicy dishes call for relief occasionally. Chilled Indian raitas offer a
respite with their yogurt-based dressing. Yogurt, plain and
unsweetened, is a staple of Indian cuisine. Finely diced cucumbers,
onions and other vegetables are added to the yogurt along with, of
course, a few spices.
Chutneys/Pickles - Among our
favorite components of an Indian meal are chutneys and pickles.
Chutneys - loosely akin to salsas - might be for dipping or
drizzling. They are an essential side dish and complement to an
Indian meal. Indian pickles, another side dish, can be made of any
number of fruits or vegetables marinated in oil, lemon juice, and
spices.
|
Cooks'Wares'
Smart Indian Cooking Tips
|
Tip #1: If you're seeking to
incorporate more plant-based menus in your diet, Indian cuisine is a
natural source of inspiration. It's reported
that less than 30% of Indians are regular meat eaters. You'll find
many delicious recipes that will enhance and expand your enjoyment
of all kinds of fruits and vegetables with Indian
cooking.
 Tip #2: Shop at health
food/natural food stores or ethnic food aisles for some of the
ingredients required in more complicated Indian recipes. But don't
let unfamiliar ingredients hinder your explorations! As noted in the
cookbook reviewed below, many delicious Indian flavors and great
dishes are available with commonly available ingredients.
Tip #3: Ghee is a
common ingredient in Indian cooking and easily available in jarred
form. Ghee is butter that
has been clarified and "toasted," and has a very concentrated butter
flavor. To make your own ghee, melt butter at a medium
temperature until foaming occurs and the white milk solids separate
from the oil. Skim away the
foam. Allow the
butter to continue heating until the white  milk solids
turn a golden brown; monitor carefully during this stage.
The process
steams away any water present in the butter. Strain away the browned
particles reserving the clear oil. Ghee may be stored at room
temperature for up to six months and in the refrigerator for up to a
year. Use as you would any flavorful oil, not just in Indian
cooking.
Tip #4: Curry is not
restricted to Indian dishes, Thai curries and Vietnamese curries
share the same "spiced sauce" definition, but with their own
regional twist. Thai curries often begin with curry pastes based on
red, green, or yellow chiles and developed with unique blends of
spices and herbs. Vietnamese curries are thinner in consistency than
most Indian curries.
Tip
#5: Enjoy Indian spice flavors with a warm chai. A mix of
sweetened milk and tea is steeped with spices, (cinnamon, cardamom,
cloves and other variations). Many find drinking chai to be a very soothing,
relaxing experience with positive health
effects.
|
Q &
A's
|
Q: What is coconut milk?
A:
Coconut milk is the liquid contained in the pulp of a
coconut. Once opened, the white portion of the coconut is grated
with a coconut grater, or the "white meat" chunks are removed and
processed to a pulp in a food processor. The pulp is squeezed dry
with the juices - the coconut milk - saved. The water in the center
of a coconut is known as coconut water and may be used in cooking,
but is not the milk and not very flavorful. Coconut milk is also
available in most supermarkets along with other ethnic foods. It's
important to distinguish canned coconut milk from canned crème de
coconut which is sweetened and not suitable for most curry
recipes.
Q: What is
vindaloo?
A: A vindaloo is a common Indian entrée
typically with some red chile fire power. Traditional vindaloos are
made with pork and stem from Portuguese traditions. Modern vindaloos
may replace pork with chicken, beef, or lamb, and often include
potatoes. A type of curry, a vindaloo has a vinegar component along
with a fiery spice mixture. The meat in a vindaloo is frequently
marinated in the spice mixture for extra flavor enhancement.
 Q: What is turmeric?
A:
Turmeric is a common Indian spice made from a rhizome (root
stem) and is related to ginger. The roots are boiled, dried, and
powdered. India produces and consumes the majority of the turmeric
crop. Turmeric is responsible for the intense yellow color of most
curries and is a common thread across the many curry variations.
Take care when using turmeric as it easily stains clothing,
countertops, and porous utensils a lovely yellow color. The yellow
of the stain is dissolvable with alcohol or oil. The ultra-violet
component of sunlight will also help to remove stains from
clothing.
Q: What are
pulses?
A: Pulses are a common Indian term for
legumes of all types. With the heavy emphasis on vegetarian eating
in Indian, pulses are an important nutritional component of the
diet. Pulses include red lentils, brown lentils, yellow and green
split peas, chickpeas and beans of all types. Preparations of pulses
are often termed "dals," or
"daals."
|
Cookbook
Review
|
5 Spices, 50
Dishes, Simple Indian Recipes using Five Common Spices by
Ruta Kahate. Photography by Susie Cushner. Copyright 2007. Published
by Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA.
 A
perfect introduction to Indian cookery for the layperson! With the
angle of using only five common spices, much of the intimidation of
Indian cuisine is taken away. We're no longer put off by unfamiliar
spices and trips to specialty markets in search of ingredients.
Rather, by assembling and adapting recipes with commonly available
spices and ingredients, the novice is enabled in the basics of this
cuisine. The result of these introductory lessons is a collection of
easy, tasteful dishes, and a curiosity and confidence to take the
next steps in developing a competence in this marvelous cuisine. Ms.
Kahate presents her instructions in a logical manner without being
overwhelming. She groups her recipes in logical groups: Vegetables,
Dals, Beef and Lamb, Chicken and Eggs, Seafood, Salads and Raitas,
Rice and Bread, Sweets, and a standalone chapter on "A Perfect Cup
of Chai." You'll enjoy your culinary travels to the other side of
the world from the comfort of your own
kitchen!
|
Recipes for
Three Easy Indian Dishes
|
Recipes excerpted from 5 Spices, 50
Dishes, Simple Indian Recipes using Five Common Spices by
Ruta Kahate. Copyright 2007. Published by Chronicle Books, San
Francisco, CA. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. All
rights reserved.
Steamed
Cauliflower with a Spicy Tomato Sauce
 Quick
and easy, this incredibly flavorful sauce came together while the
cauliflower steamed. Using classic spice roasting techniques, the
kitchen fragrances abounded. The flavor layers built on one another
with the addition of garlic, ginger, and crushed tomatoes. The
result was a beautiful presentation and the tastiest cauliflower
we've ever had!
Click here to view the full, illustrated
recipe.
Click here for a printable version of
the recipe.
Everyday
Yellow Dal
 High
protein, inexpensive and marvelously delicious, this yellow dal
deserves to be a regular in your repertoire! Spices are bloomed in
hot oil, and a savory mixture created with the addition of plenty of
onions and garlic. Traditional flavors are showcased well in this
satisfying mélange of color and taste. Next time we plan to try our
pressure cooker so that the soaking step is eliminated and the
cooking time cut to one-third the time.
Click here to view the full, illustrated
recipe.
Click here for a printable version of
the recipe.
Goan Shrimp
Curry with Eggplant
 The
featured spices rearranged for this curry were enhanced with the
addition of coconut milk. This recipe has its roots in the coastal
Goa region of western India where seafood dishes are the natural
cuisine. Once again, the tantalizing flavors dazzled our taste buds
and more than satisfied our hunger. With a one skillet preparation
the dish came together in less than one-half hour. This recipe would
be equally good with any number of vegetables. Another keeper for
the quick supper repertoire!
.
Click here to view the full, illustrated
recipe.
Click here for a printable version of
the
recipe.
| |
