Indian Cooking Class: Green Pea Pilaf, Curried Mushrooms, Bhindi (okra), Palak Tamatar, Tomato Salad (and mango shake, chai, and chocolate tofu pie)

Time sure flies - tonight was the fourth of six classes of my cooking course. We made an Indian meal today, and several people felt that this was our best meal yet. I think my students agreed with my suggestion that (North) Indian restaurants are typically over-spiced and that they preferred their own cooking with subtle yet complex spice flavors (a number of spices used, but in small quantities and in such a way that they complement each other) over what they typically get at restaurants.

They made a rice pilaf, curried mushrooms, bhindi (okra-tomato-onion), palak-tamatar (spinach-tomato), and my grandfather's favorite spiced tomato salad with cumin and "black" salt (actually pink in color). My Mom sent some of her stuffed freshly made parathas (thin flat breads), which were very good. We had some chai made with vanilla hemp milk and (again, using hemp milk) mango shakes. We also had an American dessert that they made, a chocolate tofu pie. All enjoyed the meal!