“So just take me home where the mood is mellow and the roses are grown, M&Ms are yellow”

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

If you are what you say you are, a superstar
Then have no fear, the camera's is here
And the microphone's
And they wanna' know oh oh oh oh

As foodies we not only cook different varieties of meals that range from many ethnic backgrounds we also love trying new foods…..be it vegetarians or non. And if the fare smells and looks good and the restaurant is surrounded by rave reviews then it’s the perfect combination for foodie heaven. I am very much into trying new foods…..especially Asian foods. I can honestly say that I have NOT tried every single type of Indian food….I mean every state has a very particular way or preparing their food and the dishes also vary in taste…so I got to keep searching for these authentic Indian state restaurants. India’s neighboring countries also have foods with Indian influences in them. I think most Indian folks love Thai food for this reason. The curries, the spice and the flavors…all remind us of Indian fare but with a twist. But have you ever tried Burmese food? Well what do we know of Burma?

In current times we hear of the political upheaval caused by the country’s military dictatorship. People are not allowed to express themselves through religion and the corruption is rampant. So who would have guessed that this country neighboring India and Thailand with all its political and religious turmoil has some of the most amazing food!? I sure didn’t. There was a little Burmese hole in the wall restaurant called Mandalay, outside the university gates run by a Burmese family. My friends and I used to go there sometimes if we were sick of the usual Chinese and Thai food. It was love at first bite! I was sad to hear that they decided to move their restaurant because of their booming business to a location further from school. I recently found out that Mandalay expanded into a bigger restaurant in the Silver Spring area (suburb of DC) closer to my parent’s home. So on Saturday my family (minus Bhatji) decided to get a taste of Burma. And the food did not fail me again. So what does Burmese food taste like? Well it’s the perfect blend of Indian and Thai food. So you get your curries and such but with a hint of basil. But since Burmese food is heavily influenced by Bengali cuisine they have a lot of dishes made with mustard. So if you ever miss or want to try Bengali sea food dishes and don’t know where to go…..Burmese cuisine can fill that void. We ordered a fish dish, a chicken dish and a pork dish. All 3 with different sauces and we ordered it spicy. When Burmese say spicy….they mean SPICY!! I mean its perfect for us Indian folk who love the green and red chilies galore :o) So be warned do not say Extra spicy because there is a chance you will be drinking more water then eating the delicious food. They serve the curries along with rice. There are tons of vegetarian options as well. If you are ever in DC then definitely give this authentic Burmese restaurant - Mandalay restaurant a try. Its metro accessible (downtown Silver Spring metro stop) so don’t need a car to get there. If there are any authentic Burmese restaurant around your neck of the woods then definitely let me know….if ever I visit the area then I wouldn’t mind trying it out ;o)

“Time is waiting. We only got 4 minutes to save the world!”

Thursday, April 10, 2008

The road to heaven, paved with good intentions, yeah
But if I got a night
At least I can say I did what I wanted to do
Tell me, how bout you?
If you want it, You already got it
If you've thought it, It better be what you want
If you feel it, It must be real just...
Say the word, and I will give you what you want

I am big fan of almost all songs produced by Timbaland and it seems like he is everywhere! I’m in hip hop heaven :o) that and the gorgeous weather are keeping me happy in DC this week. Work has been busy as usual and I can’t wait for next week when I’m done with the 2 weeks and sneak in a mini vacation with Bhatji. Well technically it won’t be a vacation since we are going to one his best friend’s wedding where both of us are going to be busy working away……but ya know anything is a vacation if you are breaking the monotony.
When Bhatji and I visited India en route to our honey moon, we had a 2 day visit planned in Delhi. My father in law’s friend was showing us around and for lunch one day he suggested pizza hut. At first both Bhatji and I were thinking why would we try pizza hut, I mean we get Pizza hut at home. I wanted some serious Moghali khana, Delhi chaat, falooda’s, Kulfi’s and any authentic cuisine that Delhi had to offer. So needless to say I was lil disappointed that we were going to Pizza hut. But both Bhatji and I didn’t want to be rude so we agreed to go for a late lunch…and boy were we happy that we went! The Pizza hut menu in India is unlike the one in the US. In fact if I dare say it….its better! It’s spicier and has more options then the American menu. I got the Paneer Tikka pizza and Bhatji ordered the Chicken Tikka Pizza and we wanted more!! Why hasn’t US Pizza Hut added these to their menu so that the desi’s and non desi’s into Indian food can indulge! The next time we go to India, we are definitely getting some more Pizza hut….YUMM. Ok enough drooling. Since we don’t get that kind of pizza here…I decided to attempt a recipe for Paneer Tikka Pizza. I used several recipes to make it my own but it turned out amazing! In fact Bhatji keeps asking me when I’m going to make it again….you know when you’re hubby is asking for more, the recipe is a success. So here is the recipe for Spicy Paneer Tikka Pizza:

Ingredients:
1 large store bought pizza crust (I bought mine with cheese on it)
1 ½ cup paneer cubed
1 green bell pepper cut into long pieces
1 red bell pepper cut into long pieces
1 red onion cut into long pieces
½ cup of yogurt
2 tsp of red chilli powder
3 tsp of garlic paste
1 tsp of ginger paste
1 tsp of green chilli paste
1 tsp of garam masala
2 tsp of tandoori masala
1 tsp chaat masala
2-3 tbl spn oil
Shredded mozzarella to top the pizza as per your taste
Salt to taste

To Make:
Combine the yogurt with the garlic, ginger and green chilli paste. Add the tandoori masala, and the paneer and then add salt to taste and set the mixture aside for 30 mins. Pre heat the over to 300 degrees and cook the paneer on a baking sheet for 30 mins. In the mean time prep the vegetables. Heat the oil, add the onions and cook until translucent; add the bell peppers stir for a few mins. Add the chilli powder, garam masala and chaat masala. cook until the veggies are well integrated with the spices and cooked then set aside. Add the paneer and the veggie toppings on to the pizza crust. Add more cheese as needed. Pre heat the oven for 350 degrees and cook the pizza for 20 mins or so until the cheese melts and you are done! Serve hot.


It was spicy and soooo delish! I mean I added more red chilli flakes on it hehe but man it was tasty!! Come to think about it maybe it isn’t just Bhatji that wants me to make it again hehe. The best thing about this recipe is that you can play with it…like add more veggies, add other spices…experiment away!! Give this recipe a try and let me know of other versions floating out there. Alright you beautiful people….until the next entry....enjoy the weather. Oh anyone know what Madonna means by “you only got 4 mins to save the world” ;o)

“This is right where we belong. Turn up the music”

Monday, April 7, 2008

Oh oh oh oh
This is the dance for all the lovers
Takin' a chance for one another
Finally it's our time now
These are the times that we'll remember
Breaking the city's heart together
Finally it's our time now
It's our time now

I am trying very hard to recuperate from a fantastic weekend! As I had mentioned my best friend was visiting and we partied like we were back in college; only we got tired much sooner, and weren’t as crazy as the college years. So I guess not really like we were in college hehe. But it was soo much fun to see the gang back together again. Luckily it was a beautiful warm weekend in NYC. We shopped all day; ate dinner at Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles restaurant and went bar hopping and ended up in a club where we ran into more DC folks! What are the chances that you would run into someone you know in a big city like NYC but clearly the chances are pretty good :o) All in all a wonderful weekend. I miss being around these wonderful people already. But it’s the distance that makes these meet ups all the more special.
Its spring time and time for new changes so in honor of this wonderful season I am thinking of changing my blog name. I know Anuzi is unique….especially since the name was bestowed upon me by my old dance crew. But I figured since I do have a foodie blog maybe I should gear the blog name towards a more food related term…..what do you guys think? Or do you like Anuzi…since it provides some ambiguity…where it could be a foodie blog or just a blog for my thoughts. What say you folks?

“Dreams are nothing more than wishes”

Thursday, April 3, 2008

And a wish is just a dream you wish to come true
If only I could have a friend
Who sticks with me until the end
And walk along beside the sea
To share a bit of moon with me
I'd take my friend most everywhere

There are times when I feel like I do more for people around me than they do for me. And let me tell ya its infuriating! Ok enough whining.

I am super excited about this weekend. My best friend is coming into town and we have a full packed weekend ahead. Secrets will be shared, gossip (the good kind) is inevitable and good times will be had by all :o) I am also a bit sad that my time in NJ is almost coming to end for now and I will have to go back to DC for a week and a half. I know it’s not that long, but I am not really excited about going back to DC. I like it here in NJ, I love my own kitchen, I love my own bed and I love my hubby. I am beginning to cherish our time together…even if it’s us just vegging out on the couch :o) sigh. I am starting the job hunt so I can be in NJ permanently. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Pray for me people and wish me luck.
Ok now on to the foodie part of this blog. Well I am not really sharing a recipe but I wanted to share my fav wine with you guys. Bhatji and I have started getting into wine…we aren’t really connoisseurs but we enjoy good wines. So here’s a dessert wine that is Bhatji and my favorite: Sutter Home’s Moscato. It’s the perfect light wine for after dinner and great for chilling out on the balcony during good weather. It isn’t expensive but the taste is definitely rich! Give it a try and let me know what you guys think :o)