Mid-Town Buzzer: Olympic Grill, Warren Ave., Detroit – Part 2

Veggie Skillet

 I had written about this amazing place in another post http://www.foodvisor.blogspot.com/2011/06/door-to-knock-at-1-o-clock-olympic.html . I described about their omlettes in my previous post about this place. Not long ago, they have introduced some new dishes. Out of those, my taste buds hit another jackpot called the “Veggie Skillet”. This dish has tossed and baked assortment of veggies and hash browns flawlessly fused together with melted cheese. It also comes with eggs and toast. There are skillets with more meat options. When I tasted my first bite, there was a party in my mouth to say the least. The diverse flavors from the veggies combined with the starchy texture from the hash browns and the 'gooeyness' of the melted cheese just nailed it on the bull’s eye.

I was surprised to read some negative reviews about this place in google. Being a customer for about 6 years (and counting), I can say without a doubt that the staffs are super-friendly and the service is prompt. The restaurant has an amazing hustle-bustle ambiance. I frequent this joint atleast 50 times a year.

 Please post comments about your own experiences in this midtown buzzer.

Disclaimer: The content of this blog is for information purposes only and may not be applicable to you/your situation. The author(s)/publisher(s) neither warrant the accuracy of the information nor shall be liable for any financial damages or health-related/medical issues resulting from the usage of the content in this blog.

Fusion of Simplicity & Freshness – Fruit Salsa

Greet the summer with this cool and colorful dish. This dish is so simple that even a complete culinary illiterate can make it with ease. This dish is made of 2 basic ingredients.

Dressing: Orange Juice (½ cup), Lemon/Lime Juice (¼ cup), Olive Oil (½ cup), salt to taste, a pinch of black pepper and dried oregano flakes

Beat the ingredients thoroughly and set it aside for 10 min. Lime in the dressing not only enhances the sweetness of all the fruits but also prevents their oxidation and retains the bright rich color of the dish.

Fruits (all cut into ½ inch pieces): Peeled mango (3 cups), Peach (1 cup) and Watermelon (2 cups)

Mix the fruits and dressing 5 min before serving and garnish it with some chopped cilantro and red onions. This dish works well with any combination of fruits. With this recipe, you can enjoy different seasonal variations of salsa. Try this dish and post your comments.

Disclaimer: The content of this blog is for information purposes only and may not be applicable to you/your situation. The author(s)/publisher(s) neither warrant the accuracy of the information nor shall be liable for any financial damages or health-related/medical issues resulting from the usage of the content in this blog.

Best bargain on North Indian/Bangladeshi Food in Detroit Area: Aladdin Sweets and Café, Hamtramck, MI:

 Located just 6-7 miles away from Detroit Downtown, I find this restaurant extremely wallet-friendly with absolutely no compromise in the taste. I loved everything I have tried. Whether you are a vegan, a vegetarian or a hardcore meat-eater, they got your back. Be it throwing a party, taking your family out for dinner or even grabbing a quick late-night meal when you are over-working yourself, this place can really be your ‘Dining Room away from Dining Room’.

I wouldn’t be doing full justice, if I don’t make a mention of their Tea (also known as Chai in India). This is a proper Indian Chai. It’s not so-called ‘Chai-Tea’ we get in other places. Aladdin’s Chai/Tea is made with lots of milk and spices just like it’s done in Indian homes. It is very refreshing and good for digestion. Before I start preaching about nutrition, let’s move on. 

Service is pretty quick. The staffs are genuinely friendly. They don’t have that “fake and formal” attitude which I find in some restaurants really annoying. Since I am a loyal customer for almost six years (and counting), on many occasions, they have made my tea or dessert orders ‘on the house’. They are very student-friendly that they extended the working hours by one hour on all days just because some students requested them to do so.

Not long ago, they have started a new dining section with a high-class ambiance. Of course, this section is going take a slightly bigger bite on your wallet. What the heck? It’s still a lot cheaper than other Indian restaurants I have tried. Now you can add more occasions to come to this place. They do outdoor catering as well for big occasions like wedding parties. They also do home-delivery for bigger orders (over $25).

Disclaimer: The content of this blog is for information purposes only and may not be applicable to you/your situation. The author(s)/publisher(s) neither warrant the accuracy of the information nor shall be liable for any financial damages or health-related/medical issues resulting from the usage of the content in this blog.

Oven-Roasted-Tomato & Spinach Pasta: 5-Star dish from your own kitchen

Simplicity tastes better. Here is another dish with few and fresh ingredients. This is very similar to ‘loopy linguine pasta’ that I had written earlier though there some subtle differences. In that article, I had mentioned some kitchen hygiene and cooking tips with pasta which are applicable to this dish as well.

To start, turn the oven to 400°F. Cut about 10-15 baby tomatoes into half and remove seeds and pulp. But retain flesh and skin. Baby tomatoes give a nice red color. If you don’t have baby tomatoes, you can use regular tomatoes too.  Put the tomatoes on a baking tray; add little salt and olive oil. Bake it for about 30 minutes. Finely chop about 10 cloves of garlic. Heat up some olive oil in a vessel and add the chopped garlic. Once they start turning brown, add the cooked pasta. You can use any type of pasta. I used bow-tie pasta. Add coarsely chopped spinach. You can add as much spinach as you want. Use dried or freshly chopped basil leaves as seasoning. Grate little bit of lemon zest (skin). Cook everything on medium heat. The spinach will start to shrink. Add salt and crushed red peppers according to your taste.

This dish is a treat not only to your taste buds but also to your eyes. The red color from tomatoes and the green color from the spinach with white pasta back ground is a major “wow” factor of the dish. The garlic infused olive oil and the lemon zest leverages the roasted tanginess from the tomato and the bold flavor from spinach making the whole dish delectable. Serve the dish topped with grated parmesan with a piece of lemon and hot sauce on the side.


Disclaimer: The content of this blog is for information purposes only and may not be applicable to you/your situation. The author(s)/publisher(s) neither warrant the accuracy of the information nor shall be liable for any financial damages or health-related/medical issues resulting from the usage of the content in this blog.

Fun in the Sun with Fajitas!!!!!!!!

With a little beforehand preparation you can rock your grilling picnic party or camping. You need to prepare a sauce to marinate your paneer and veggies. For the sauce you need yogurt, paprika powder, garam masala (substitute with all spice powder), turmeric powder, salt to taste. You can get paneer from the freezer section in an Indian grocery store. Paneer is nothing but fat extracted by curdling the milk with lime juice or vinegar. It is also known as curd cheese. Even meat lovers will get allured to this dish. You can use chicken in lieu of paneer. If you are a vegan, you can use firm tofu. You should let the paneer to reach the room temperature. For veggies you can add your favorite ones. I usually use green peppers, red onions, red bell peppers. If you are not big fan of red onions you can use zucchini, mushrooms etc.

Cut all veggies in a similar shape and size for even cooking. It you are using wooden skewers soak then in water overnight. Take a large bowl and add your veggies and paneer into it. Add the sauce to it coating all the veggies and paneer. With not one particular combination in mind add your veggies and paneer to skewers as shown in the picture to the left. This can be stored in a box and left it in the fridge and next day it can ride with you in the ice box.

This can be grilled on a charcoal grill or propane gas grill. Place an aluminum foil over the grill and place the skewers on it. Remember that paneer does not take a long time to cook. Let each side cook for not more than 2 min. Again the grill should be maintained at medium heat. If it is very hot it can burn your food. You can also use a thick pan to kind of even out the heat. After it is cooked you can drizzle some lime juice on it. You can serve this with tortilla and guacamole salsa and your fajitas are ready.

Guacamole Salsa: Cut a well-ripened avocado into small cubes. Add chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro. Season it with salt, pepper and lime juice.

Disclaimer: The content of this blog is for information purposes only and may not be applicable to you/your situation. The author(s)/publisher(s) neither warrant the accuracy of the information nor shall be liable for any financial damages or health-related/medical issues resulting from the usage of the content in this blog.

Masala Maestro: Match-maker for Spices

Dear Readers,

I take great pride and pleasure to introduce a new author/team member of my blog, ‘Masala Maestro’ or MM for anonymity. MM has about 10 years of cooking experience and more importantly “goofin’ around with spices” experience. MM likes to experiment all the time and always comes up with something very unique and delicious. MM can mentally simulate the combination of flavors even before cooking and can please our palates with flawless execution. I strongly believe MM would be a great addition to this blog and can aggrandize the quality of the blog. MM would be starting to write articles in the very near future (possibly later today) and I kindly request you all to warmly welcome ‘Masala Maestro’ by sharing our posts with your friends.

Sincerely,

Chan

It’s summer, take a chill pill: Classy Lassi

This drink is so simple yet very effective in cooling down your body in summer. Given the temperature conditions, it is no surprise that it is prevalent all over India with some variations. This drink regulates your digestive system, relieves constipation, reduces the risk of heat stroke tremendously, cures blisters you get in your mouth and tongue during summers. For centuries, this has been and still is a home remedy in India for most of the heat-related health issues. In this article, I will be discussing a sweet and a savory version of this drink.

Lassi (sweet): This drink is very common in Northern part of India, predominantly in Punjab state. Take a cup of plain yogurt/curd in a blender/mixie jar. Add half a cup of water. It is not rocket science. We are just making buttermilk from Yogurt. The amount of water really depends on the consistency you want. Add 2-3 teaspoons of sugar. Take a cardamom/Elaichi (Indian spice), crack it open, add just the seeds and not the skin. The skin won’t ruin the taste, but it will be very annoying to drink. You have to spit out the pieces of skin for every sip. Add few (about 3-4) drops of vanilla extract. Blend everything in a blender and the drink is ready. The variations are infinite. You can also add fresh fruits like strawberry, mango and pineapple while blending to give it an extra kick.

Lassi (savory): This is very common in southern part of India, predominantly in Tamilnadu state. It is not called ‘Lassi’. It is called as ‘Neer More’ (translated as diluted buttermilk). It has the same health benefits mentioned above. If you really don’t have a sweet tooth, you might like this version. Again, the dilution ratio depends on the consumer. But instead of adding sugar and vanilla essence, add some salt, a small piece of ginger, a small green chilly, cilantro and/or curry leaves (which are available in Indian stores). If you don’t want the hassle of going to an Indian store, you can skip curry leaves. Blend everything in blender.

In both the versions, you can pretty much customize anything and you can fine tune it to your taste. You can drink it anytime of the day. You can also drink it with a meal like coffee or iced tea. Try this drink and post your experiences/suggestions in this blog.




Disclaimer: The content of this blog is for information purposes only and may not be applicable to you/your situation. The author(s)/publisher(s) neither warrant the accuracy of the information nor shall be liable for any financial damages or health-related/medical issues resulting from the usage of the content in this blog.