The Slapdash Cook

It’s summer in Southern California, so of course I’m in love with a food that grows in humid forests! Actually, we got another good price on button mushrooms — so good, in fact, that I ran out of ways to give them the starring role in dishes that I haven’t made recently. So J. intelligently suggested a rerun of a favorite: the Spicy Mushrooms with Ginger and Chilies recipe from Julie Sahni’s Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking. He did the mushrooms, I did a split pea side dish, and boom!

I have recently had my awareness raised about copyright issues vis-a-vis reprinting cookbook recipes wholesale, so I’m not going to. Sorry. This book is worth owning anyway, even if you do routinely have to reduce the oil/butter. I will say this:
1. Thai birdseye chilis work fine where they call for serranos etc., and indeed can be used more sparingly.
2. Chopped cilantro is nice to have, but it doesn’t seem to make or break any dish in this book if you leave it out.
3. J. is a lot more patient than I am about roasting and grinding whole spices. In fact, in general I would say he is a more patient cook than me!