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Welcome to feast's January cuisine of the month newsletter. 

Nothing goes as perfectly with the cold long nights of January like the smell and taste of a well seasoned curry simmering in a clay pot. That is simply all that needs to be said about why we picked Indian cuisine for our January cuisine of the month. Indian culture manages to touch all of the senses so brilliantly, making it an ideal, warm, flavorful and colorful reprieve from the somber chill of high winter. Join us as we explore the season's best, freshest ingredients, and see what beautiful and delicious memories can be created for your winter special occasion.

season's best: fresh pistachios .
fresh pistachios

buy
Look for Santa Barbara Pistachio Company's organic, certified US Fancy pistachios at the Santa Monica farmer's markets on Wednesday and Saturday, The Hollywood farmer's market on Sunday, and the Kaiser-Woodland Hills farmer's market on Thursdays. santabarbarapistachios.com



store  

If you manage to get your hands on some fresh raw green pistachios, store them at room temperature but enjoy them right away or within a week. Store roasted and flavored pistachios in an airtight container in a cool dark place. Stored this way, pistachios will retain their distinctive crunch for up to 6 months. 

 

 

serve
Pistachio compound butter, pistachio pancakes, tossed into salad, pistachio pesto, pistachio ice cream, in rice pilaf, pistachio pralines,
chicken breaded in pistachio flour, chocolate dipped fruit with chopped pistachio sprinkle, baked into biscotti, pasta alfredo with toasted pistachios, rack of lamb with pistachio crust... 


cook  

Pistachio and Saffron Rice Pudding (kheer)     serves 4

 

4 cups milk
1/3 cup rice, washed and drained
4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
5-6 whole cardamom seeds (or pinch of cardamom powder*)
A pinch (6-7 strands) of saffron*
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, crushed with a mortar and pestle


Bring the milk, rice and cardamom to a boil. Reduce flame to low and let it cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes to avoid it sticking to bottom of pan. Check if the rice is cooked. Using a hand blender or the back of a spoon, churn the rice and milk mix. Add the condensed milk and saffron. Stir the pistachio nuts into the rice pudding and check for your desired level of sweetness. Remove from the flame when it reaches a pudding-like consistency. Serve slightly warm or well-chilled.

 

what's cooking .

Indian  Side Dishes  Medhu Vada  Aloo Ghobi Cauliflower

indian street bites + cocktails

spiced potato and pea samosas with lemon and cilantro

medu vada; savory lentil "doughnut" fritter with coconut chutney  

indian spiced beef slider, ginger tomato jam

onion bhaji, onion fritter seasoned with ginger + spices
aloo tikki potato cake with a tamarind + green chili chutney  

 

 

indian dinner celebration
warm chapati bar with toppings
broad beans with coriander
dal with spinach
pineapple raita
raw mango pickle telangana
 ** 

grilled lamb chops vindalu with black pepper and vinegar

keralan fish in banana leaf   

clay pot eggplant with tomatoes and spices

roasted potato + cauliflower with yoghurt

vegetable rice biryani

cardamom and garlic spiced lentils

assortment of nann bread

** 

kheer; pistachio + saffron rice pudding 

  
january luncheon

coconut + pistachio chicken curry

turmeric roasted root vegetable

basmati rice pilaf with winter peas 

indonesian cabbage salad with cashew
** 

individual tea infused custard tarts

 


Our menus are created using the best, fresh seasonal ingredients. To ensure premium quality and availability, orders must be placed 24-hours in advance. Contact us for personalized menus reflecting your event theme, culinary tastes or budget. Special dietary requirements can also be creatively accommodated.

details... .
Indian spices  Kasmir Saffron Martini Indian Woks 

our favorite cocktail this month: the kashmir
2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
3 oz.
apricot nectar
3 grinds black pepper
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup; ginger syrup or Domaine Canton ginger liqueur
saffron threads for garnish

Combine first five ingredients over ice and shake vigorously. Serve in a martini glass and sprinkle a few saffron threads for garnish. Alternatively, build and serve on the rocks. For something extra you can put a sugar-curry mixture around the rim.


great ideas  

Outdoor Indian wok cooking over open fire is prevalent all around India. The same effect can be conveyed on an Indian style buffet by serving warm food in heated Indian woks. At a recent "Bollywood" style event, we replaced traditional chafing dishes with  Indian woks, elevated by wok rings and bricks over Sterno fuel. It was a wonderfully authentic alternative to basic serving equipment.   

   

feast loves...
Little India Village; located primarily on the 18000 block of Pioneer Blvd. in Artesia, this enclave of Indian shops, restaurants and culture offers just about anything you need to create an authentic Indian celebration. From grocers selling rare ingredients at great prices, to Bollywood music, beautiful fabrics for accenting your tables, it is a great place for resources and ideas. We love to see all the magnificent ways a trip to Little India Village can transform a party. read LA times article 

 


contact us

We can be contacted at 310-568-8600 or by email.  And as always, feel free to visit our  website. We look forward to hearing from you for an upcoming event, your awards season party, special dinner with family or friends or for your business catering needs. 

bon appetit!

Harvey Slater + your friends at feast

 

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