If all of the ingredients and flavor combinations present in Brazilian food make your mouth water, consider stocking up on some pantry essentials that will help you delve into creating the cuisine at home. While much of the dishes are based on fresh fish, meat, and vegetable, there are some staple ingredients that are relatively easy to get your hands on. Click through to start building your Brazilian pantry.
The Hunger Games is finally here! Fans flocked to theaters around the country at midnight to catch their first glimpse at the action on the big screen and even more have their tickets ready for a weekend showing. If you're one of the many obsessed with the series or are just getting into it, we've got you covered with plenty of Hunger Games fun. From fashion straight from the Capitol and Effie Trinket's crazy nail art to Hunger Games-inspired wedding ideas and decor trends, there is so much to get excited about across the PopSugar Network. Click through to get your Hunger Games fix and don't forget to check out DistrictSugar.
If you're new to Indian cooking, dal is a good place to start. This recipe for Pakistani lentils comes courtesy of Sachin Chopra, consulting chef at Arka and chef-owner at All Spice. Note: For this recipe, you'll need a piece of cheesecloth, cut into a 6-inch wide square.
From Sachin Chopra
Ingredients
2 cups masoor dal (red lentils), rinsed 3 times
1/2 teaspoon plus another 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, divided
4 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
4 black cardamom seeds
5 green cardamom pods
1/4 cup clarified butter
2 dried red chiles
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 medium onion, chopped
1” cube ginger, finely chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
10 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/8 tsp garam masala
1/8 teaspoon deghi mirch
1 teaspoon chaat masala
1/8 teaspoon asefetida (hing)
1 tomato, chopped
Lemon juice
Directions
With The Hunger Games opening in T-minus two days, it's time to start whetting your appetite, not only for the film's serious eye candy, but for the vividly described food that makes a few cameos in the movie as well. From freshly baked bread loaves to that legendary lamb stew, here are more than a dozen provisions that'll leave you, well, hungering for more of the Games.
Photos: Camilla Salem, Lionsgate
We're seeing bits of Spring pop up in restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers markets. So we challenge you to go out and capture all the deliciousness of the season. This honey lavender granola I picked up at the farmers market, for example, is almost like eating Spring by the spoonful. We can't wait to see what you come up with!
Upload your photos to Instagram and include the hashtag #savorysight in your caption; we'll combine our favorite shots and share them with you next week. And make sure to follow YumSugar on Instagram (username: heyyumsugar) for delicious inspiration. If you don't use Instagram, don't worry! You can always upload your Spring food photos into our Savory Sights community group.
Got a weekend hangover that you simply can't shake? Cure it with the ultimate hair-of-the-dog refreshment, the Michelada. All put together this quick, easy, and spicy drink is lime, salt, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, and the light beer of your choice. Serve it up with some guacamole and enjoy!
Over the past few years, Indian food, much like Vietnamese and Korean cuisines, has made giant strides in the landscape of American cuisine. No one can speak to this more than chef Sachin Chopra, the creative force in the kitchen at Bay Area restaurants All Spice and Arka (where he's chef-owner and consulting chef, respectively). Chopra, who was recently named one of the four new chefs to watch by Esquire, had garnered accolades for his unique marriage of Indian and West Coast flavors. I spoke to the chef about his creative twists on classic Indian cuisine, the benchmark dish for a truly great Indian restaurant, and what spices you need in your pantry to create restaurant-worthy Indian food.
YumSugar: Where do your menu items (like chilli cheese uthappam and tomato basil biryani, both on the menu at Arka) come from?
Sachin Chopra: Working in various upscale restaurants over the years, both Indian and American, I developed a passion for combining the best elements of each. Arka's menu is a reflection of that passion; it is my interpretation of classic Indian food, presented with Californian sensibilities.
YS: I've noticed a trend toward the fusion of Indian and Latin ingredients. Does that influence you at all in your menu development? Do you think the Latin-Indian fusion concept has mainstream potential?
SC: We have an abundance of fresh produce here [in California], and it so happens that some of the same ingredients that make Latin cuisines delicious also work well with Indian food. Sure, there could be a market for Latin-Indian fusion, provided the chef respects each cuisine and is masterful in combining them.
YS: What are some other trends you're seeing in Indian cuisine today?
To find out his answer, keep reading.
Photo: Anna Monette Roberts
I'll admit to using several of these words interchangeably on a regular basis. For the longest time, I thought that if mashed-up fruit came in a jar, it was essentially all the same thing. But as it turns out, there is a difference between jam and jelly, and preserves and fruit butters. Upon learning what those differences are, I realized why I am typically drawn to one type of spreadable fruit preserve over another.
For more, keep reading.
Photos: For Your Party, Camilla Salem
If you're planning to celebrate today's The Hunger Games release, might we suggest a party? In this case, the fun is in the details. They may be called the Hunger Games, but nobody will go hungry with food like lamb stew with dried plums and fresh bread topped with goat cheese. Turn your home into a scene from the glamorous Capitol, and discuss what your strategies in the arena would be. For our party suggestions, keep reading.
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