Bihari Kabab in 8 Steps

Bihari Kabab is the food of my people. The recipe I am sharing here is sort of a family heirloom. My mom inherited this recipe, from my grandmother, and she has now passed it down to my sister-in-law and me. The only difference is that growing up we called it Seekh Kabab, since these kababs are cooked on thin flat skewers, called seekh in Urdu. It is kind of like that Friends' joke:

Joey: [to Ross] Forget about Rachel. Go to China, eat Chinese food.
Chandler: Of course there they'd just call it food. 

The story behind Bihari Kabab is that apparently there was a Moghul Emperor, who lost his teeth, but still wanted to eat Kababs. He commissioned his royal chef to create a kabab recipe that did not require too much chewing. The chef brilliantly decided to marinate the meat in green papaya. The connective tissue in the meat breaks down when it comes in contact with an enzyme called papain, found in green papayas. So without further adieu, let's get cooking.

Bihari Kabab
Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Book Review: The Day the Crayons Came Home

My toddler and I discovered 'The Day the Crayons Quit' last year, and absolutely fell in love with it. In this funny book, by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers, Duncan's crayons write him letters, expressing their demands and woeful grievances.

Pomegranate Quinoa Salad in 6 Steps

A is for App	N is for Nuts or Nut butter
B is for Babyccino & Balsamic Vinegar	O is for Organic
C is for Chia Seeds, Carrot & Cardamom	P is for Pomegranate & Pistachio
D is for Dairy-free	Q is for Quinoa
E is for Edamame & Ergobaby	R is for Rainbow Sushi Roll
F is for Free-Range Eggs & Farro	S is for Swaddling
G is for Gluten-Free	T is for Trader Joe's
H is for Hummus & Honey	U is for Umbrella Stroller
I is for Ikea	V is for Vaccination
J is for Jute bag	W is for Whole Foods
K is for Kale	X is for Xanthan Gum-Free
L is for Linguistic Stimulation & Lemon	Y is for Yogurt (probiotic)
M is for Maple Syrup & Mint	Z is for Zombie-Mommy

You know it's time for a pre-fall salad, when kids start heading back to school, Trader Joe's starts handing out the above photographed back to school inspired ABC stickers, the pomegranate tree starts giving fruit, and yours truly shares this delicious quinoa salad recipe with you. The preparation time is only 30 minutes; and you are rewarded with a healthy salad, and the opportunity to teach your child a new series of ABC associations, which clearly evaded our generation.