Nirmala’s spicy style spans the globe

"In Nirmala’s Kitchen" is a great resource for theme entertaining

By: Faith Bahadurian
   In the two-and-a-half years since I met Nirmala Narine at a food show in New York, her spice business has taken off, and she has now published a cookbook imbued with her love of exotic foods and cultures, "In Nirmala’s Kitchen, Everyday World Cuisine" (Lake Isle Press, 2006).
   Ms. Narine has always talked enthusiastically about her childhood in Guyana, where by the time she was 6 years old she was cooking for her family under the watchful supervision of her grandfather, who had a particular interest in ayurvedic cooking, from the family’s Hindu roots in India.
   There were no conveniences, or even running water or electricity, in the tiny kitchen of their wood plank house. A heavy "masala brick," a prized family heirloom, served as blender, grater and mixer.
   Eventually the family moved to Queens, N.Y., where Nirmala matured in the cultural and culinary melting pot where she still lives, amidst 167 nationalities with more than 116 languages spoken. She revels in this global stew, traveling the world to bring home things like Ethiopian berbere, Oman black limes and Zanzibar cheromula. Wherever she goes, she seeks out cooks and visits universities and museums to learn as much as possible about the area’s culinary influences and ingredients.
   "In Nirmala’s Kitchen" is a great resource for theme entertaining. She covers 15 countries, describing essential ingredients for each destination, and winds up with an extensive glossary (ackee through zhoug) and information about supermarkets, specialty stores, and online resources (including www.nirmalaskitchen.com). There are beautiful photographs throughout, many of which she took herself. With this cookbook, you can take your guests on a gastronomic tour without ever passing through airport security.
PERUVIAN AJI DE GALLINA
(Chicken in chile sauce with cashews)
Serves 6 to 8.
   (This can also be served cold as a summer dish.)
   2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
   1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
   2 slices white bread, crusts removed
   2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
   1 medium onion, finely chopped
   2 garlic cloves, minced
   1 teaspoon smoked paprika
   1 tablespoon ground aji chile or cayenne pepper
   ½ cup unsalted cashew nuts, finely chopped
   ¾ cup evaporated milk
   5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
   8 small Peruvian blue or red bliss potatoes, boiled and cut in half
   3 hard-boiled eggs, cut in half lengthwise
   ½ cup pitted black Kalamata olives
   Finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish
   Cover chicken breasts with 1 inch cold water in a medium saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Boil until tender and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breast.
   Remove the chicken breasts and set aside to cool. Discard all but ½ cup of the cooking liquid. In a small bowl, soak the bread in the reserved liquid and set aside. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into small pieces and set aside.
   Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, paprika, and aji chile and cook until the onions are soft, abut 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the soaked bread. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon breaking up the bread, about 3 minutes.
   Add the cashews, evaporated milk, grated cheese and shredded chicken; continue cooking for about 5 minutes more or until heated through. Transfer chicken mixture to the center of a large serving platter. Arrange potatoes around the outer edge of the platter. Top the chicken with hard-boiled egg halves and olives, and garnish with chopped chives.
TUNISIAN CARROT SALAD
Serves 4.
   1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
   ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
   2 garlic cloves, crushed
   1 teaspoon ground cumin
   1 teaspoon curry powder
   ¼ teaspoon cayenne, plus more to taste
   1 teaspoon sugar
   1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
   Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
   3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
   Place carrots in medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook 5 minutes, or until carrots are tender but still slightly crisp.
   Drain carrots and set aside. Add oil, garlic, cumin, curry powder, cayenne, sugar and lemon juice to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, stir, and continue cooking for 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove carrots from heat and add cilantro. Let cool before serving.
VIETNAMESE COFFEE GRANITA
Serves 4.
   ½ cup sugar
   3 cups freshly brewed espresso
   About ½ cup canned sweetened condensed milk
   In a large bowl, combine sugar and hot espresso. Add additional sugar to taste, if desired. Allow to cool to room temperature
   Pour coffee into a deep pan, cover with foil, and place in freezer. When ice crystals begin to form (about 1 hour) remove pan from freezer and stir with a fork, breaking up ice chunks, especially those around edges. Return pan to freezer. Continue to stir, breaking up the ice as crystals form, about every 30 minutes, until the mixture has an even granular texture, about 2 to 3 more hours.
   Divide the granita among 4 large glasses. Drizzle with condensed milk and serve immediately. (Can be stored in freezer for a few days).