The first rule of cookbook club is:
YOU TELL ANYONE AND EVERYONE ABOUT COOKBOOK CLUB
The second rule of cookbook club was supposed to be:
YOU TELL ANYONE AND EVERYONE ABOUT COOKBOOK CLUB
Except…
As recent events transpired, I came to the realization that the second rule of cookbook club should be:
REMEMBER TO TAKE PICTURES THE ENTIRE TIME AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE GOOD PICTURES OF FINISHED PRODUCT
Because…................................................................................................................
Once upon a time, I decided to have a guest join us for my first Cookbook Club meal from the amazing book Why We Cook by Lindsay Gardner, and I got so involved in my entertaining that I completely spaced taking pictures for the blog.
I technically have pictures but…going forward I’ll be sure to make them a top priority.
It's an absolutely gorgeous book and I am so glad I decided to try out some recipes from it.
For this Cookbook Club kickoff meal, I made:
KADHI by Priya Krishna
I have to tell you, it absolutely pays off to buy every ingredient listed in this dish. If you're lucky, you already know what they are and have easy access to them. Unfortunately for me (thanks for nothing Utah) a few of the spices aren't spices I've seen in my area and, if I have ever eaten them, I can't say I knew or would be able to recognize what they were now.
This dish was such a refreshing surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect and I don't even know how to describe it. My husband, our guest, and I all sat in silence for a few minutes tasting it, letting it sit, going back for more, and looking at each other like, "This is so good, I haven't tasted anything like this before!"
Even my 1/yr old loved it.
The yogurt and splash of lime juice kept it tangy, the spices brought a beautiful combination of sweetness and heat, and mopping it up with the rice felt so comforting.
It was delicate and so complex at the same time.
Every bite I took sent my brain in a new direction.
In the book, Priya Krishna describes it as "A cozy blanket draped over a hot bowl of rice" and that's exactly how it felt. This is the kind of dish that makes me envious of anyone who grew up eating it.
Needless to say, I am SO glad I made this and I can't wait to make it again.
The other dish I made was:
CHICKEN YASSA by Jessica B. Harris
THIS IS SO GOOD! It's so simple, so easy to make, and soooo delicious.
Jessica's note states that she will often crisp the chicken on the grill instead of under the broiler, and I'm definitely going to try that next time. I think the added smoky layer would amp up this dish a ton.
The onions and carrots were so sweet, the lemon juice kept things bright, and the olives were just a total salty pop of perfection with the super tender chicken.
This will likely be a new staple in our house. My picture really doesn't do it justice, I should have gotten a picture of it while it was in the pot because it was so lovely.
Just smelling it made me lose all sense of control and we started devouring it before I could think straight.
Both dishes were a win!
I highly recommend you check this book out, especially if you're like me and enjoy reading about food. I can't get enough of it, and the essays were so beautiful.
Stay tuned for the next Cookbook Club post.
Recipes from:
FILIPINX by: Angela Dimayuga & Ligaya Mishan
MENU (options):
Steak w/Lemon & Onions (pg 19) OR
Fried Pork Chops (pg 39)
Crispy Pandan Coconut Rice (pg 79)
Lumpia (pg 207)
Caramelized Coconut Stick Rice (pg233) OR
Grapefruit Leche Flan (pg 243)
(Initially I wanted to make the coconut chicken adobo but I am kind of obsessing over all the coconut dishes and need to reel it in a bit)
Check back around Jan 26th for the post! Happy cooking!