Indian-Nepalese restaurant called Kathmandu Kitchen

There is always a mystic with India.  The colours of their saris that would flow almost forever.  Their spices that lingers in the air and explodes in their dishes.  This explosion some times feels like the atom bomb, that for the inexperienced would numb your taste buds.

However, I discovered that not all Indian kitchens produce such bomb exploding dishes, which are usually in the North region and those high in the mountains.   So, I was so happy when I came about an Indian-Nepalese restaurant in the Jordaan area of Amsterdam (Netherlands), called Kathmandu Kitchen (www.kathmandukitchen.nl).

What did I eat?  It was hard, because there were so many of them, but there were quite a few that were new to me, which I learned was more Nepalese. I decided to start on my all-time Indian favourite, the Samosa.

Their samosa was looking no different, in their triangular shaped and formed.  The filling was the usual potatoes with green peas and seasoned with the typical Indian spices that I have always enjoyed.  How these spices played in my taste buds was where all the difference and set this Samosa apart ... It is was sensation that one has to wait and let the spices slowly blossom, until it unravels it's magic that would make you want to keep on putting more of it in your mouth.  Though it was flavourful, it was still so soft, that you are not over-whelmed with it.  So, we ended having a second round of the Samosa.

Then we had the dumplings called Momo.  We had chosen the lamb Momo, which was tasting so close to the beef-lamb type of Chinese siomai.  They came in a plate of 10 pieces, that seemed to have fallen to the floor, because in wink it was all gone with only 6 people sharing it.  

What made this Momo so interesting, aside from the dish itself, was the sauce it came with it.  We enjoyed it, but the group commented on how the heat of the chillies were still too soft.  So, the server (the owner, I think) gave us the most exquisite chilli sauce that I have had in my life.  It tasted a bit sweet at start, slowly caressing your buds to accept more of it.  Then it continues opening every surface of your taste buds to accept the heat it is starting to exude.  Afterwhich, you would want to just let the sensation sit in your mouth, and decide to order another round of Momos.

After the Samosa & Momos, we shared a number of dishes (from left to right):

* Chicken Tikka Badami;

* Chicken Madras;

* Peshawari Naan;

* Daal Makhani, and;

* Lamb Karahi.

Of course, we also had RICE ... HAHAHAHA!!!

Though rice is lovely with the curries, but some of the Indians do eat it with just the Naan bread (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naan).  The one we choose was the Peshawari type, because of the lovely fillings of nuts and dried fruits. 

The main course were as exquisite as the starters, though I was a bit disappointed with the Chicken Madras, as it missed the needed spicy kick which I have been accustomed with in the past.  I loved the creamy Chicken Tikka Badami, which in my opinion can afford the kick too.  However, all the dishes were perfected by the lovely chilli sauce that we used for our Momos.

My favourite our our main dishes was the Lamb Karahi, which is my usual choice in any Indian restaurant.  It is like the stew of the Indian dishes, which is why it is cooked in a Karahi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karahi), where the sauce thickens and makes it more tasty to eat with rice or exciting to dip or wipe your dish clean with your Naan.

The Daal Makhani was perfection to me, which was the perfect accompaniment for the whole ensemble.  Guess this is the reason that they would always have this dish always in their table.  At the sametime, it is a vegetable dish, that packs a good source of protein.

After all that flavour, and the generous amounts of the chilli sauce, it cannot be denied that heat quencher was needed and this was answered by their Lassi drink (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lassi).  

If they are able to keep the standard that I have experienced last week (13 August 2014), I would highly recommend the Kathmandu Kitchen (Elandsgracht 36H, 1016TW Amsterdam; info@kathmandukitchen.nl) to anyone who loves to taste flavour and enjoy the soft heat growing slowly in your taste buds.

Yes, we had two experts with us.  How do you think, I got to find out about this restaurant?

Saving the Farmers & their Veggies (Redt de Boeren en zijn Groenten)

Recently, a commercial airplane (MH17) has been gunned down.  The origins of the missile is still unofficially determined (which might take another decade or never), due to the war raging civil war.  Some say, the war is fuelled by another country.  While the "accused" country remains its innocence.

Anyway, due to this event, boycott & banning of products has affect the Dutch farmers tremendously.  

At the sametime (totally about another topic), I found a kitchen gadget that I have dreamed to have in my kitchen ... TO USE (and not only to decorate it) ... is a FOOD DEHYDRATOR!

Now, you see where this is leading ... HAHAHAHA! 😜😜😜

What I got was a Severin Food Dehyrator (model ), which has 5-trays.  The trays are so convenient, because it has been designed to not need a separate piece for spacers (when you need one, like when you exceed 5mm thickness and would not want it to touch the upper tray).  It was so simple to use too.  After taking the gadget out of the box, I just rinsed the trays, then laid down the sliced tomatoes (skin side down for the ones with skins) in 6 mm thickness.

 

However, prior to embarking on this endeavour, I decided to do some research.  Found a wonderful video in YouTube, from an Arabic speaking woman.  I didn't understand a single word she said, because (obviously) I do not to speak, much more, understand Arabic (yet ... You never know, when one day, I have a patient Arabic speaking friend, who would pursue to widen my portfolio of languages spoken), but the video was clear (as if she had a foresight - or just intelligent enough to know that there is a world outside her own). She showed her ingredients, and edited the parts, so you would not wait for her to repeat the processes to every tomato.

What did she do?  In a nutshell (not that she is a nut ... HAHAHAHA), she basically seasoned the tomatoes (good old salt & pepper plus olive oil ... I think ... If not, it surely was oil).   

Watch it at: 

http://youtu.be/oes4jD_gN5s

Back to my actual experience ... Well, after watching videos & videos in YouTube and sliced the tomatoes, I set them out on the dehydrator's trays after I have seasoned them each one.  

12 hours of drying & 5 minutes to cool off, I packed them in a re-sealable bags & the others in a clean bottle.  Others, I placed in a clean bottle with olive oil to remoisten them.

Still do not know how long they would last, as I just made the first ones ... and I am enjoying my snack ... HEHEHEHE!!!

However, the supermaket bought ones I have, are still in the cupboard.  The last time I tasted them (before I tried making my own), they still tasted fine, but not as the tomatoes I dried myself, because I know that I used the best tomatoes which I love using for my dishes, salads & sandwiches. 

One way that I love using dried tomatoes is as toppings on my toasts or filling for sandwiches, as they are a lovely accompaniment with a nice glass of chilled white or soft red wine!

Not only will I enjoy dried veggies (and/or fruits).  I am also helping the farmers sell their produce ... and lessen our need to have more meat in our diets ... HEALTHY LIFESTYLE!

Basic Tomatoes, Herbs & Garlic plus Roast Beef

Whenever I'm in the market, I always grab a few bunches of herbs (coriander, parsley & dill) juli,e with the tomatoes, onions and garlic.  As I would say, one could never have enough of herbs in the fridge ... If only I could grow them, I would ... Don't have a big windowsill and a garden a bit bigger than a postage stamp (seriously, it is nice to have the neighbours take care of it ... All I have is a grape plant, which isn't getting any bigger but not dying on me YET!).

As anyone in the northern hemisphere know, spring is here and summer would be close-by ... Meaning need to trim a bit ... Like how I wish I could trim a bit ... But that never stops me from trying to do someone good-old-fashioned combinations (I think).

What did I do this time ... 

* leftover (quarter of a) courgettes cut in julienne;

* leftover (quarter of a big) carrot cut in brunoise;

* an onion finely chopped;

* tablespoon of crushed garlic;

* tablespoon of capers

* 125ml of cooking olive oil

* 2-3 drops of chilli oil. 

Sautéed the onions & garlic in hot olive oil ... Then, the tomatoes and the carrots, followed by the courgette and capers. Super SARAP ... It felt so Southern Europe ... Fresh!

Served it with a simple homemade roast beef and grilled courgettes ... EET SMAKKELIJK!

Home-made Ice Cream & Frozen Yoghurt ... YES!!!

Seriously, who does not love ice cream?

Do not remember when I first fell in love with it, but one of my most memorable memory of ice cream was tasting Coney Island's (an American ice cream franchise) bubble gum flavour.  I loved the bubble gum in an ice cream, and even enjoying a bubble gum or two when all the ice cream has melted in my mouth ... YUM YUM!!!

There was also a time, that I made myself some Popsicles, using good old orange fizz drink (Royal Tru-Orange) with a mix of coffee milk plus sugar.  It tasted like the mass produced orange popsicles of Magnolia ice cream (which is not Nestle-Magnolia).  It never was able to reach the satisfaction of having that creamy texture that real cream mixed with sweetened fruits and frozen to perfection.

Eventually, I got myself an ice cream machine (thank you 💋💋💋), and my world started the new leaf of experimentation.  I mixed milk with vanilla and sugar ... Reduced the milk with vanilla ... Added some more dried fruits.  However, it was never liked the ice cream that I get in Saluti (one of the best local ice cream shop in Zwolle, NL).  Then, like any Saturday mornings, while watching a BBC documentary about the early 20th century, they were talking about old time favourite foods and how they made them, they featured one famous delightful dessert ... YES ... obviously ... ICE CREAM!

The recipe was simple ... Cream & Jam (or marmalade) ... !!! YES, just that sweetened stuff we put on our toasts or crackers ... Or even at times on our roasted ham or chicken!  So, true to my routine, I got myself ready to try it out ... went to the kitchen, took the 2 litre jug of cream (yes, I have one always in the fridge ... One needs cream to make those sauces ... Or just to give your soup that extra touch) and searched the strawberry jam we got from the Christmas package.  

Mixed the jam-marmalade & cream with a ratio of 1:2, made sure that there were no lumps and poured the mixture into the ice machine.  After an hour (using a MagiMix, love it because it has its own cooling element in it where you wouldn't need to freeze in a freezer ... You just turn it on while you start thinking of making some ice cream - approximately 10-15 minutes before you pour the mixture - and you are ready to use it), I had a creamy ice cream devoid of ice crystals.  Creaminess that I have dreamt ... Tried it again another time, but this time I got from the shop Lime Curd ... Same ratio, the result was ice cream with that hint of lime to die for ... Repeated and served this a number of times, and everyone just LOVED IT!

That was a couple of months ago, but these days springtime, having a typical Dutch summer, trimming to get ready for the regular sailing cruise in Turkey (hopefully, this time, I can have a flatter tummy).  To avoid the fat, got myself a Turkish-Greek type of yoghurt with 10% fat content, and following the same jam-marmalade & cream ratio of 1:2, then pouring it in the ice cream maker.

For my first try, I used orange marmalade, which has the loveliest orange rinds in them.

The only advice I would give, is to use the best jam-marmalade, as it is the one that would MAKE it!  

EET SMAKKELIJK!