Phoenix Cooks

I'm on a mission to discover good food and fellow foodies in Phoenix. It's not proving to be an easy task. I'll blame it on the scorching dessert sun (for now).

So, where does one go, in search of previously mentioned food and foodies; A food festival.

Phoenix Cooks is an event whose beneficiary is the Phoenix Children's Hospital. Proceeds come from the selling of merchandise, tickets and specialty sessions.

General Admission tickets include access to all the food and wine tastings, marketplace and wine and dessert rooms. Advanced purchase tickets cost $65 + tax. New this year are Food Forum sessions. These sessions are sponsored by various 4 to 5 star hotels or other local kitchen moguls. The sessions are 30 minutes and cost $5 + tax. I signed up for Knife Skills being presented by the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and Desserts of the Mediterranean sponsored by the Royal Palms Resort.

In total, the whole day set us back $162.18. For more information, you can visit their website, Phoenix Cooks.

Summertime Indian Chow Down

It's nights like this that make me want to shout, "My kitchen smells better than yours!" I've really been craving Indian food lately, and we've found a few spots in the metro area that have great food, but nothing really within our bubble. So, I've taken matters into my own hands.

Tonight we're having Chicken Masala with Rice, Peach Lassies and Vanilla-spice ice cream. My staple Indian item is usually a vindaloo, but I'm having personal issues with peppers lately, so we're on a bit of a time-out.

I learned some new things with this dinner, I found that Chicken Tiki Masala differs from Chicken Masala mainly with ginger being the main contributor to that. Cooking methods other than that are the same. For the masala I'm using a recipe from Sandra Lee:

4 chicken breast halves without skin
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon garam masala seasoning, plus 2 teaspoons
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup cream of chicken soup,condensed
1 cup light coconut milk
Salt and pepper
1 cup frozen peas
Cooked white rice, to serve

Place chicken breasts and flour in zip-top bag. Shake until chicken is coated with flour. Remove from bag, shaking off excess flour and set aside. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until soft. Add the garam masala, tomatoes, soup, coconut milk, and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and return the chicken breasts to the pan. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the frozen peas. Return to a simmer and cook for an addition 10 minutes. Serve hot with white rice.

While all this is cooking, my husband has whipped up a cool Peach Lassie. He's been to India for business and has never heard of this drink, but here's what Wikipedia had to say about it,

Lassi is a traditional South Asian beverage, originally from Punjab, India/Pakistan, made by blending yogurt with water, salt, and spices until frothy. Yogurt is mentioned in ancient Indian texts, and so is buttermilk. Yogurt sweetened with honey is used in Hindu rituals. Lassi, the salted watery version, was probably introduced by the Turks in India, (lassi is similar to Ayran). Traditional lassi is sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin. The Lassi of the Punjab sometimes uses a little milk and is topped with a thin layer of 'Malai' --- a clotted cream --- also known as Devonshire Cream. Lassis are enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment. With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a treatment of gastroenteritis.
Dessert was different. How's that for a description? It's sorta like seeing someone's prized (insert strange collection here) and saying, "wow, that's nice." I don't know what to name it other than a Chai-vanilla ice cream.

I whipped up a basic vanilla ice cream recipe, from my Krump's user's guide and added these ingredients,

1 pint vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup brewed Chai tea, chilled
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Sliced almonds for garnish

I like the idea of rich, multi-flavored, savory ice cream, and I bet my friends over at Ice Cream Ireland, would be happy with my experimenting. It just didn't give that finish that I was looking for, I think I wanted the savory with a sweet finish.



Left overs are going to be so good.