Rasika West End Chef’s Table 06.24.2012

The spiced, crispy spinach is just the tip of the iceberg.  Using “iceberg” in an analogy for an Indian feast may seem out of place, but it is the perfect description for chef’s table at Rasika West End because it is big and powering.  

I’ve been eating at Rasika in Penn Quarter for years and know the work of Chef Vikram Sunderam:  this is not your grandmother’s Indian cooking. Rasika West End is the same brilliance as the Penn Quarter location.  The crispy spinach is wildly famous, but you are urged not to stop there.  The rest of the menu will knock your socks off.

I, along with Eric and group of lucky foodies recently had the first chef’s table at Rasika West End.  The first of many courses was the crispy spinach, but you have no idea of the pleasure that followed.  Dish after dish of interesting, inventive flavors, and well-paired wines.  There was a lot of moaning. 

We arrived early for pre-dinner cocktails at the bar, and then the six of us were huddled downstairs, past the bustling kitchen into a glass-encased room set only with one round table and chairs.

Simon demonstrating hyper-decanting

Sommelier Simon Stilwell stayed with us through each course describing the food and introducing the wines.  I wish every chef’s table had someone like Simon managing the proceedings.  He is quick, witty, and gets into the gritty details foodies love to hear.

For one course, he brought us a Spanish white, giving only the tiniest pour.  He then poured what was in the bottle into a blender – yes, a blender – and ran it.  This is called hyperdecanting.  We then tasted the wine after and it tasted better, more open.  

Every now and then Chef Vikram would pop in to chat about the food, as would the Chef de Cuisine, Manish Tyagi.  And this is what a chef's table is all about, isn't it?  Getting so close to the food, the people who make the food, understanding how they work -- it makes a meal memorable.  

Incidently, owner Ashok Bajaj was Washingtonian Magazine's restauranteur of the year.  I know who I would have my pick as chef of the year!

My friend David of the blog Pleasures of the Table also blogged about this meal -- his photos are fantastic so check out his post.


Below are photos of all the food we ate with the wine pairing.  Enjoy!

• Amuse - Palak Chaat.  Wine:  Conde de Subirats, Cava Brut Rosé, NV, Catalonia, Spain

We started with the Palak Chaat, followed by the Sev Batata Puri, Avacado Banana Chaat, and Sweet Potato Tuk.  These are all exceptional savory starters.  While the crispy spinach is a huge favorite, I prefer Sev Batata Puri and Avacado Banana Chat, an unusual (and delicious) twist on traditional Indian street food.  

• Crab-Calamari-Scallop-Shirmp.  Wine:  Vassiliou, "Retsina of Attica", Savatiano, NV, Attica, Greece

I can't believe there was a time in my life when I did not eat seafood.  All of these dishes have varying degrees of heat, but there is some there.  My favorites of this course were the Dakshini Scallops and the Calamari Chili Garlic.  

I was happy to eat the Crab Pepper Masala (pictured at the top of this post) since the last time I ate at Rasika West End I was getting over a cold and did not properly taste everything. 

• Assorted Kebabs.  Wine: Telmo Rodriguez, "Gabo do Xil", Godello, 2007 Valdeorras, Spain (hyperdecanted)

I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of kebabs and was hesitant when the chicken kebabs arrived.  There has been much dry meat in my life and it's not pleasant.  But Rasika's kebabs were all tender -- even the chicken.  Perfect with chutney and naan.    

• Black Cod West End Style.  Wine:  Chateau D'Escalans, "Whispering Angel", Grenache Rose, 2011 Cotes de Provence, France

One the favorite dishes over at Rasika Penn Quarter is the black cod, and I think it's going to be a favorite at the West End location.  The one on this menu is called Khatta Meetha Black Cod, which means tangy-sweet in Hindi.  The cod is beautifully tender and flavorful.  Sitting next to the piece of fish is curried quonia -- really a fantastic take on a healthy-but-uneventful quasi-grain.

• Curry.  Wine:  Shina's Estate, "The Guilty", Shiraz, 2008 Victoria, Australia

I love the idea of a curry course.  There should always be a curry course.  And sometimes, that is the only course I need.  There were so many elements that it was a little overwhelming.  The first picture here is the Kid Goat Biryani, followed by the Chicken Tikka Masala.  This, I have to say, completely, utterly blew me away.  It is possibly the best chicken tikka masala I have tasted.  There were vegetarian dishes as well, including Panjabi Khadi and Lentils.  The Panjabi Khadi is a personal favorite.  

• Dessert:  Gulab Jamun and Kulfi.  Wine:  Heinz Eifel, Eiswein, 2009 Rheinhessen, Germany

I cannot tell you how many times I have been at an Indian restaurant and forgotten to photograph the Gulab Jamun.  And that is because I eat it as soon as it is put in front of me.  Devine sweetness: you must have it.  We also had with the dessert course the kulfi, which is Indian ice cream.  I remember when I was growing up, my mom had brought from India aluminum kulfi molds -- they are cone-shaped.  She would pour the liquid mixture -- usually pistachio-flavored -- into the molds and place in the freezer to set.  

Rasika West End 

 1177 22nd Street, NW  

Washington, DC 20037     

 202.466.2500    

www.RasikaRestaurant.com

General Manager Atul Narain -- 

the first person you will see

Cloud Computing and Indian Food -- Connected? 06.07.2011

No.  Not really.  I'm in New York City this week for a conference on cloud computing, which has nothing to do with Indian food, or food for that matter.  Well, one could argue, but...let's move on.  

I'm staying with my good friend Michelle, who has a deep appreciation for Indian food.  So, last night we made our way to Shaan, at E. 53rd between Second and Third Avenues .  

Michelle was intent on trying Shaan because before it opened two weeks ago, another Indian restaurant she loved - Baluchi's - was at that location.  She was a regular enough customer at Baluchi's that she's traumatized they didn't personally tell her they were leaving.  As in, a phone call or an invitation to the restaurant to break the news.  

We walked into Shaan and the space and smell reminded me of many Indian restaurants in New York.  The restaurant is long and narrow and a rush of spices hits you as you walk into the door.  Well, it hits me.  Michelle swears it didn't hit her.  I find that hard to believe.  

The decor is spare, which is perfect.  I read a review describing the decor as "Temple of Doomish", but I disagree.  The lighting is soft and there is not a lot distracting you from the food.  It's peaceful.

I was craving samosa so I knew I had to get that.  Shaan has a samosa trio:  one with lentils, one with spinach and cheese, and one with potatoes and peas.  For my main course, I had chicken methi.  Methi are fenugreek leaves, which are -- I'll just say it -- mind-blowing.  The flavor is intense, the aroma intoxicating.  My mother makes fish methi.  There have been numerous occasions when my brother and I looked dumb-founded with pleasure after eating my mom's fish methi.

The samosas came out piping hot so I had to wait for a bit before I could eat them.  The spinach and potato samosas were great, but the lentil samosa was greasy.

As for the chicken methi, all I can say is you have to try it.  It's fantastic.  We ordered naan with our meals and I got the keema naan, which is lamb.  Initially I thought there was not enough lamb in the naan, but was quite happy with it at the end of my meal.  I dipped the naan into the chicken methi, which I recommend you do.  Well, just dip naan into any curry and you will be happy.

  

The whole meal was satisfying, to say the least.  There was no room for dessert.  Bhushan Arora was overseeing the restaurant last night and brought out an order of gulab jammun, that gorgeous, sugary, saffron-infused, fried, dumpling-dessert that never disappoints.  

With my meal I drank the house sauvignon blanc, which is my drink of choice these days.

On our walk home, Michelle would see Indian people and asked if I knew them.  Initially surprised, I would do a double take.  I must know a few of the billion, yes?  

Shaan

The Restaurant of India

224 E 53rd Street

New York, NY 10022

212-750-5515

www.shaannyc.com

Chicken Curry: One Billion People Can’t Be Wrong 01.07.2011

As far back as I can remember, chicken curry has been a regular part of my eating life.  I grew up eating chicken curry that was incredibly savory, with meat falling off the bone, and the juices satisfying enough to mix with rice and eat.  I have vivid memories of eating only rice with the chicken curry juices, much to the frustration of my mother.

For the longest time, my mother exclusively used drumsticks.  And as far as I could tell, many of the Indian friends we had in Houston also used drumsticks in chicken curry.  My mother moved on to other parts of the chicken, and then eventually boneless breasts, which, as you might imagine, drastically changed the composition of the curry. 

She goes back and forth between boned and boneless, but keeping to a relatively vegetarian diet these days, doesn’t make chicken curry that often.  I’m not complaining.  The Indian vegetarian food she makes is fantastic.

When I first started cooking in my early 20s, Indian cooking scared me.  It seemed complicated.  It is, in fact, quite simple.  There are a standard set of spices and their potency depends on how long and at what temperature they are cooked,; and then of course, you apply the same theory to the chicken, beef, seafood, or whatever you’re cooking.  This took a while for me to understand, and a little while longer for me to put into successful practice.

And because of my fear of Indian cooking, I took the easy way out and cooked with boneless breast, which was a tragic mistake.  The flavors don’t dance the same way without bone.

I’ve used a number of recipes over the years – note that my mother does not use a recipe, only her memory – and my favorite one (and most simple) is from a cookbook called “The Classic 1,000 Indian Recipes”, by Wendy Hobson.  I love this cookbook and this particular recipe. 

Here are the ingredients, I’ll go through my process below:

·      5 tbsp oil or ghee (I use 3 tbsp)

·      2 onions, thinly sliced (I only use one; not a fan of lots of onion)

·      5 cloves garlic, chopped (I use 6; huge fan of garlic)

·      1 inch ginger root, chopped

·      ½ inch cinnamon stick

·      4 cloves

·      4 black peppercorns

·      2 bay leaves (I usually use 4-5)

·      1 black cardamom pod (Can be found at Indian grocery stores; I use green if I don’t have black)

·      12 chicken pieces, skinned

·      1 tbsp ground aniseeds

·      1 tbsp ground almond

·      1 tbsp ground coriander

·      1 tbsp ground roasted cumin

·      ½ tsp ground red chili

·      ½ tsp ground turmeric

·      Salt

·      14oz canned tomatoes, chopped (I include the liquid)

·      2/3 cup plain yoghurt

·      ¾ cup water

Garnish

·      ½ tsp garam masala

·      1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (I use a hand full of cilantro)

·      1 small green chili, chopped

While I am getting all the ingredients out, I brown the chicken in a bit of vegetable oil – about 5 minutes each side.  Madhur Jaffrey did this in a chicken curry recipe I read years ago.  I have no recollection of the explanation, but the result is great. 

Once the chicken is slightly brown, I put it aside on a plate and pour out the fat and remaining oil.  Without cleaning the pan, I put in 3 tbsp of oil for the next step.   Indian food uses an excessive amount of oil, so I always decrease whatever amount asked in a recipe.  And I only use vegetable or canola oil – never, ever use olive oil.  I was up in Maine once visiting my in-laws and in a moment of desperation used olive oil.  It was…look, it was so horrible I can’t talk about it.

1.     Okay, so heat the oil and fry the onions, garlic, ginger, and whole spices over medium heat until everything is golden brown.

2.     Next, stir in the ground spices, tomatoes, and salt.  Cook until oil appears at the surface.

3.     Add the yoghurt and (the recipe says) “cook until all the liquid has been absorbed”.  I’ve always been unclear on this.  Does this mean that the liquid is all gone or that the yoghurt and other liquid have meshed well together?  I cook until everything is mixed well together.  

4.     Then, add two-thirds of the water, cover, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

5.     Add remaining water, increase heat to medium and cook for another two minutes until “the sauce is the consistency you prefer.”  My preference is for a thickish sauce, that is more brown in color.  I get the consistency, but I’ve never been able to get the color.  I have no idea how my mother does it, but her curry is always perfectly brown.

I like to let any kind of Indian food sit for a bit before eating so all the spices have time to age, as it were.  I mix in chopped cilantro, cover, and let it sit until the meal.

A note about cilantro:  I love it.  I can’t get enough of the flavor, the texture, and the aroma.  I tend to overdo it on the cilantro garnish. 

For the rice, I make 1 ½ or 2 cups of basmati rice, and cook it with butter, salt, a bay leaf, a few cloves, a cardamom pod, and a cinnamon stick. 

 

Beer is the common alcoholic beverage to go with curry, but I find champagne does the trick, too. 

Enjoy!

My Mom's Butter Chicken: To Die For 08.28.2010

During the ‘90s, my mother started making a mind-blowing butter chicken. She has a history of making mind-blowing chicken curries so it was no surprise that the butter chicken would be just so. The chicken curries were – and still are -- juicy, perfectly moist.


Prior to the butter chicken, the curries were the typical brown color and, as in most Indian homes, she used chicken drumsticks. I don’t know the reason for the drumsticks, but I suspect the majority of chicken drumsticks in the world are being consumed by the subcontinent. The butter chicken recipe calls for cubed chicken breast.

As you might imagine, my mother’s cooking is fabulous all around (and you would be correct), but getting a recipe out of her is near impossible. Not because they are closely guarded secrets of some Indian family, but because she does not work off of recipes. And when you ask her how to make something, her response is always (frustratingly) the same: “It’s easy.” That’s it. That’s all you get.

I managed to get a list of ingredients – with no measurements, of course – and with a little experimentation, came up with a recipe. Enjoy, and let me know how your version turns out. Some of the ingredients can be found at your local Indian grocery.


Also, if you’re dining out, butter chicken is known as chicken makhani in Indian restaurants. I’ve yet to eat bad butter chicken anywhere, but my mom’s is the best.


-- shb

My Mom’s Butter Chicken Recipe

Serves four just fine, decadent for two really hungry people.

Do not keep for more than 24 hours. I don’t know why but that’s the rule.

Marinade


• Three boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

• Plain yogurt (enough to cover but not soak all the chicken cubes)

• 1 teaspoon black salt (more if you like)

• 1 cap-full vinegar

• 1 table spoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 2 tablespoons turmeric




Sauce



• Hand-and-half or heavy cream (enough to cover chicken cubes once they are in sauce pan)

• 1 cup tomato sauce (you may want to add more later, depending on your taste – adds tartness and color)

• 2 tablespoons (or 3 depending on taste) dried methi leaves (Indian grocery). The aroma is intense; you’ve been warned

• Black salt (keep adding pinches until it tastes right to you)

• 1 teaspoon turmeric (more if you want it more yellow)



For a kick: mince a green chili (seeded) and add to sauce


Directions


1. Place cubed chicken breasts in a bowl

2. Pour yogurt until yogurt covers – not soaks – chicken cubes

3. Blend into chicken-yogurt mixture: 1 teaspoon black salt, one cap-full vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 2 tablespoons turmeric. Blend well.

4. Cover bowl and let sit for at least three hours. Longer is better but no need to go crazy and do an overnight.


SUPER TIP: While the chicken marinates, clean up the mess you’ve made in the kitchen, making sure to clean all surfaces touched by the raw chicken. Cleaning up is not only hygienic, it’s also efficient. It’s no fun to sit down to a meal with a messy kitchen. After you’ve cleaned, fix yourself a glass of wine (a white burgundy will do just fine) and relax.


Just before marinating time is up, heat the oven to 350 degrees.


1. In a baking pan, pour chicken in marinade and place in oven for 10 minutes


2. Turn chicken over and keep in oven for another 10 minutes


3. Take out of baking pan, and with a spatula, move chicken pieces – not the marinade – into a heavy saucepan


4. Put saucepan on medium heat and pour half-and-half or heavy cream into pan just a tad below the tops of the chicken pieces


5. Throw in tomato sauce, methi leaves, black salt, and turmeric.


6. Stir until blended; simmer for 15 minutes


Serve with basmati rice.


For Indian meals, I like to cook the rice with a few cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cloves, and cardamom. Delicious!

Rasika Restaurant 07.28.10

I don't think I've had one bad meal at Rasika. Located in the increasingly busy Penn Quarter area of Washington, DC, Rasika has provided since it opened a solid menu of intensely flavored Indian food that is inventive, but with a traditional Indian backbone.

On Wednesday, I ate at Rasika with T, who I met through a mom's group several years ago. We spent much of our meal discussing offspring issues and balancing work and life, which, if you must know, is absolutely chaotic right now. T loves Indian food and with her, I am also able to discuss another shared passion: all things Scandinavian. More on that later.

I started with garlic scallops surrounded by yellow rice, hints of curry leaves and poppy seeds. The scallops had a wonderful spicy kick. For my meal I had the chicken green masala, which also is spicy. Rasika's sister restaurant, The Bombay Club, has a green chicken curry which I once ordered and of which I was only able to take one bite. Too spicy for my Indian blood.

Rasika is in lovely space next to the Wooly Mammoth Theater on 7th and D. The decor gives off an Eastern vibe. But if you're looking for a quiet, intimate environment, you won't find it here. I don't know if music was playing at Rasika, but I do remember being able to hear everyone, all at once. Not an empty table in the house, which tells you how good the food is.

I'm a huge fan of tasting menus but have never tried the one at Rasika. Next time.

Back to Scandinavia: I've known for several years that T, like me, loves Scandinavia and reads Scandinavian authors. I told her I am reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," which she recently read along with the two volumes that follow it. The book started off a bit slow but I'm on page 182 and am really enjoying it. T mentioned several other Scandinavian authors, which I'll have to get from her later.

Rasika Restaurant
633 D Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004

202.637.1222