red kashmiri chilies. These chilies are mild in heat so if you want a more spicy punch to your dish, you can add in cayenne or other fresh chilies like serrano or Thai green chilies. For my flash back meal to India - my Indian feast menu included:
recipe that uses yogurt in the dough. I’ve been seeing some other unique recipes out there that don’t use yogurt and even some that don’t use yeast. I don’t know what it is about paratha but I can’t seem to get it right. Please help! Indian food is comforting to me. When I was first starting my career, there were often stressful days. Many people will look for pizza or ice cream. I would crave palak panner. Maybe this would be comforting to me because it reminded me of a simpler time. A time when all I had to do was focus on learning and living. A time when I was unfiltered and mesmerized by the sights and sounds of the unknown. These are the reasons that traveling is so much fun. I get to explore new lands and even see familiar places in new ways. I’ve traveled to India a couple of times and the second trip was not like the first. I met new friends the first time and brought family with me the second time. The first time I was protected by a school group and the second time I was able to experience what it’s like to be a foreign woman in India. Even though the trips were very different, they were both amazing and memorable in their own ways.
• Palak (Spinach Curry) • Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken) • Lobia Masala (Black Eyed Peas Curry) • Basmati Rice • Naan • Paratha
One of my favorite memories when I first went to India and one of the house helpers duties were to make bread for the day. Can you imagine fresh bread daily? She didn’t speak English, and I didn’t speak Hindi. We couldn’t talk to each other but we were able to make bread together. Lately I’ve been trying my best to recreate those delicious paratha breads, and I have not been successful. I have looked up recipes and watched videos and still can’t get those soft, flaky layers. Any tips? I’ve been making naan bread which has come easier to me. Garlic naan is so delicious and easy to make if you follow the basic naan recipe. All you have to do after making the basic naan is brush your bread in garlic butter. I’ve been using a naan
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Want more cultural dish?
• Trip to Puerto Rico • Trip to Germany • Trip to the Philippines
Bettina is a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist, School Nutrition Specialist, and all-around Foodie. She’s had a passion for food and sharing that love of food with others since childhood. In her teenage years, she started cooking at home for her mom. She learned from watching cooking shows and studying cookbooks. As she continued to cook family dinners, I was able to explore more foods and exotic dishes. When I had to start a career, It was important for her to blend her love of science with her love of food. Bettina gained her masters’ degree in Integrative Bioscience with a concentration in Nutrition and became a Registered Dietitian- Nutritionist. School nutrition is where she’s found her niche and became a credentialed School Nutrition Specialist. She enjoys sharing her love of food with younger generations. Seeing students taste something new sparks joy in her life. Bettina J. Applewhite, SNS Baltimore County Schools (MD) | Bites With Applewhite
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