Wednesday, April 27, 2011

CURRY DIVA - SRI LANKA STREET FOODIE.....

HEY THERE EVERYONE.....
I have had such a lovely day today - with my friend Monica and doing our Curry Diva Webisodes together....
I hope that everyone likes this one because - it is something that is easy and fun to do - and also brings me so much fond memories of when I was just a young girl in Colombo Sri Lanka 
(formally Ceylon) and going to the beach in the evenings to hang with your friends and walk the beach when the sun was going down...
This dish made with chic peas (garbanzos) was something that always hit the spot - and they would serve it to you in this sort of paper funnel cup - and I remember always asking for the parts that had the extra chilies in it because even back then I always wanted to eat only hot foods....
Today I make this dish for everyone - even at parties and gatherings - especially if there is a good beer in the room or some great red wine...YUM!!!
Now I have lots of friends that like it and wanna make it themselves ...so this Webisode should take care of that - only, I have to say if you can get the coconut that is in chunks it is better.....so give it a shot and see what you think - if you have fresh curry leaves it is even better - but it is so great also with the fresh mint...the chic peas are protien and the chilies will add the pop and the mustard will activate etc..etc...
All to nourish the body and feed the soul - this is what I love - good for you that taste even better....I hope you enjoy this Youtube webisode on (Kadala) Sri Lankan street food!!!

Curry Diva :)

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

COOKING FOR THE DEEPAK CHOPRA EVENT @ BETH EL

Hello there - 
it's the curry diva trying to get back on track - I know that my last post was all about Australia and I have so much more to write about - BUT I have to pause and write about this very exciting event that is coming up for me!
Yes - I am so excited to say that I will be the curry diva cooking the VIP dinner tasting/meet and great hour for the great event that the Beth El Synagogue will be hosting with The world known - (my hero) Deepak Chopra....
I am so thrilled to do this and be part of this event - After all I have had a picture of him on my vision board for years!! Yes I have listened to all his tapes or I should say a lot of them and followed his sayings and knew that someday I will meet him and he will be able to taste my cooking because growing up as a child in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) we follow many of the Ayurveda  way of life and it is something that has fascinated me always - putting that together with my passion for cooking and knowing that even as a young person that there was a food that healed and helped and nourished the body in many many ways...then growing up I realized that not only can this nourish the body - but my big thing in life was that you have to 'feed your soul' - and that there was too much attention given to the soul much too late after we have passed on - your soul is what keeps you here and that is what you need to feed - and that our bodies are the temples that we are blessed with and to nourish the body and feed the soul was the best thing anyone could do for themselves while we are still here!!!
So I have spent the past 17 years or so of my life knowing this for a fact and that there is nothing more important than feeling good...and there was nothing better than to "nourish the body and feed the soul" so here it is - I seem to want to preach it and live it everyday that I can and also - make sure that most everyone around me gets a little bit of that as well - sure makes me feel good!   
So whenever I can I feed you......


Having said all that now I want to tell you that this is amazing to me - my dear friend Deb Mallin had a lot to do with this - (and other lovely yoga ladies) these are women that I teach Ayurvedic cooking classes to that follow the path of wanting to activate the senses and get the most out of good food and nourish their bodies everyday...anyway the word came back one day - when they called me and said yes Deepak is coming to town to do this event and we would love it if you will do the food.....smile - can you see me smile - oh it was more than just smiling ...so happy....
And now the day is near...and I have been running around with my friend Deb  and checking out the Beth El Kitchen and gathering spices and all that good stuff for the menu that I planned based upon what I think that Deepak would like - it is vegetarian..and a touch of spice and it will activate all the senses and nourish the body as well....
Just finished the final menu today and I think the press will have it tomorrow and on we go - I will do the grinding and roasting of all the spices on the day before and get some of the prep ready and then the day of just go into the production part of it....every excited - I secretively hope that there will be that moment when I get a chance to connect with him- and he does in deed know that I have done the food -and even if he does not get to taste it some of his people will be able to and let him know what they think...and yeah - I would love to have a photo taken with him - that will be part of the dream that I will hold - and I really really hope that it will happen....

Today I spent the entire day looking for just the right wok and it had to be new - searched all the ethnic stores for it and finally found a few and I had to purchase them right away because they looked like the ones that I have had for years and with the seasoning that they get over the years just got better and better - and they will work - so that is done - I am sure that Beth El Synagogue will want to keep at least two of them for their future use and I will be asked again and again to go in there and make food that will nourish everyone!!  ( a wish)
I will continue tomorrow to gather more goodies that add to my spices like the fresh termeric and things like that and keep on my path..
I hope that everyone that reads or knows about the event will want to attend and will be able to come to it....
I will promise to keep you informed about how the rest of the days - and the event ends up being...
The question is - do I want to ware a sari when I am all done ?? because I do get to sit down and listen to him speak...it may be the chance I get this year to put on a sari  hmmmm...or maybe I keep this as an option and see how I do after cooking for a 100 people :) and how much time I will have......


More on this later
Cheers to Activation!!!


Curry Diva