Gerry Furth-Sides

Mandi Biryani at Home in House of Mandi!

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The signature Mandi Biryani platter at House of Mandi in Little Arabia

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Summer Sundays in Anaheim can be as sticky and hot as the original home of Mandi Biryani in Mandi (the name for this feast) in Hadhramaut, Yemen. We arrived for a meal here in the name of research because Banana Leaf Chef-Owner, Sri Sambangi,  LocalFoodEater.com publisher, added Mandi Biryani platters his menu after discovering its new popularity in India.

Mandi biryani is prepared with specially seasoned proteins or vegetables and rice are cooked separately instead of layered in one pot (dum biryani). Generous sharing platters encourage communal finger-food dining.  House of Mandi stays full continually.  Even without word of mouth, when we phoned minutes before arrival, no less than owner Sarem Mohamed welcomed us on the phone.

t Mandi Biryan platter at House of Mandi in Little Arabia

Mandi biryani originated in Yemen and traveled to India by way of the Arabian peninsula. Meats are traditionally slow-cooked underground on smoldering fires, or at the very least in special ovens to keep them moist, which is gives “mandi”its name.

Lamb Mandi, a traditional dish from Hadhramaut in Yemen, can be ordered individually or for large groups.  A very young  fresh lamb is gently roasted underneath the oven until the ultra-tender meat literally falls of the bone.  It is served on a bed of specially seasoned Mandi rice with slivered almonds and yellow raisins, and arrived with a little container of Yemeni sauce and yogurt. ($24.99 “serve 2-3”  and can serve six)

Mandi Biryani platters draw a crowd at House of Mandi in Little Arabia run by family and friends

Hrada of Fahsah is traditional dish from Sana in Yemen. A shredded lamb and deer whipped fenugreek is served bubbling hot, cooked in the traditional Yemeni plate carved of stone.  One blanket of a Yemeni bread and yemeni sauce comes with the dish. ($21.99 “serves 2-3” and can serve four) 

Famous Hrada of Fahsah at House of Mandi features shredded lamb

When we heard about House of Mandi, we headed right to Little Arabia although we later discovered other restaurants that serve the dish near DTLA.

House of Mandi, 518 S Brookhurst St Unit 1, Anaheim, CA 92804, Phone: (657) 220-5272, //www.houseofmandi-yemenirestaurant.com.

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. No alcohol. Credit cards accepted. Lot parking.

Thank you @tableconveration, @foodfaye and 2photosbyyakir for introducing me to this restaurant when it was Olive Tree and creating such special memories. And this included going to the Middle Eastern Market to see the fresh ingredients for yourself!

No trip to Little Arabia feels complete without a trip to the Fresh Market!

For the story of how regal Biryani was  brought to India by the  powerful, ruling Mughals to the northwest to be transformed by a shah’s wife, when  It was already a classic rich with fruits and meats in the Mughal royal kitchens of Persia and how Mandi Biryani arrived in the south by way of traders from the Arabian peninsula, where it was cooked in special ovens that kept the meat moist and gave “mandi” its name, please see www.localfoodeater.com

 I first experienced finger food eating, on the floor inside of a house of the Asian Culture when I was doing a special on a network TV special on Immigrants. I was quite surprised. And then remembered the outdoor picnic in western cultures that does the same thing, and with insects!

Salsa Grill Opens and Closes the Hatch Pepper Season with Sizzle

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Chef Marco Zapian in the midst of Melissa’s Produce Hatch Pepper treasures of the 2022 season,i

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Welcome Hatch Pepper season! And it runs longest at Zapien’s Salsa Grill. The restaurant introduced this year’s early season which started in July, and the last pepper roast and special menu feast will be right outside the door on September 10. For detail please see: //thesalsagrill.com/events-2/hatch-chile-roast-3/

We were so fortunate to preview Chef Marco’s seasonal dishes at an introductory luncheon co-hosted with Melissa’s Produce, major supplier of hatch chilis and products.  The menu: Hatch Cilantro Caesar Salad; Hatch Pepper Braised Short Ribs; Roasted Hatch Pepper Beans and Hatch Pepper Rice!All the recipes are in the new HATCH PEPPER COOKBOOK available now.

Zapien’s Grill special Hatch Pepper menu with enchiladas, rice, cake and Hatch Chili ice cream!

Melissa’s delivers these full-flavored peppers to local markets, where customers may have them roasted for using and storing 25 pound batches. The peppers can be frozen for up to a year– just remember separate them first!

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The Hatch Chili Pepper Season is on!

Love at first bite! Melissa’s Hatch Salsa made with authentic Hatch peppers & house-made chips JUST out of Chef-owner Marco’s kitchen. You cannot stop eating them because of the crunch and the lingering tingle of pepper salsa.

Melissa’s Hatch Salsa made with authentic Hatch peppers & house-made chips
Anaheim peppers, baby relative of Hatch Chiles on top with the books to prepare them!

The combination of nutrient-rich soil, intense sunlight and cool desert nights, result in this sought-after pepper with thick walls and meaty, flavorful flesh. The weather in Hatch gives the mildly hot and savory pepper an obsessively delicious spicy and sweet flavor. No wonder the peppers – and the sweet onion crop grown right before them – have developed a cult following. See more at //localfoodeater.com/an-insiders-guide-to-hatch-chili-season-starting-now/

The sweetest, almost crispest onions you could image, with addictive Hatch popcorn!

More and more stores and supermarkets celebrat Hatch Chile Season and stores with outdoor roastings, many with a variation of heat levels. For dates please see: //www.melissas.com/pages/hatch-pepper-roasting-dates-and-locations-2022

For Hatch Chile roasting at supermarkets across the southland. see: //www.melissas.com/pages/hatch-pepper-roasting-dates-and-locations-2022
Hatch chilies polenta: simply slice, braise and add to any plate with for a an extra special meal

Named after the original growing area in Hatch, New Mexico, authentic Hatch Peppers so grown in the Hatch Valley, just north of Las Cruces are prized so highly they have developed an almost cult following. Row after row of these green leafy pepper plants are harvested for a short six-week season during the summer.

Sweetest memory: A Hatch Dinner at Panxa dedicated departed chef and dedicated Hatch Pepper aficionado:  Executive Chef/Co-Owner Arthur Gonzalez  ! Read about it in //localfoodeater.com/celebrates-hatch-chile-month-2018-with-panxa-cocinas-menus-roastings/

Melissa’s Produce has created a Hatch Essential line for those customers unable to do this. The line includes: Hatch Clean Snax®, Hatch dried pepper pods, Hatch pepper pecans, Hatch popcorn, Hatch polenta, Hatch salsa, Hatch seasoning powder and more.

This year an extra special, posh “hatch party pecan mix” offers every universally loved combination from yogurt and chocolate covered to red and green dusted chilies dusted. Hatch Pepper chia & flaxseed CLEAN SNAX are wonderful to pop in your mouth or used in desserts and salads.

Extra posh and the PERFECT gift for yourself and others is the new Hatch Party Pecan Mix
For a special gift: Melissa’s Produce Hatch Chile Basket
An array of For a special gift: Melissa’s Produce Hatch Chile Products!

Once we discovered Hatch Chile from Melissa’s we started seeing it all over. We loved being surprised at the ALTAMED event with Chef Marco and bags of Hatch!

Chef Marco of Zapien’s Salsa Grill who hosts the longest season of Hatch Pepper events

You can see how happy the season makes us! Robert Schueller, Melissa’s Produce Marketing Director and major authority and enthusiastic of Hatch Pepper, where with daughter Marguerite who handing out addictive hatch pepper popcorn and brittle balls – the recipes are in the HATCH PEPPER book available for purchase online!

Robert Schueller, Melissa’s Produce Marketing Director and major authority and enthusiastic of Hatch Pepper, where with daughter Marguerite who handing out addictive hatch pepper popcorn and brittle balls!

Happy 75th Independence Day, Ancient Modern India!

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Celebrating Indian Independence Day when on August 15, 1947 the United kingdom proclaimed the Indian Independence Act and the country began its transition into a republic (January 1950).

Independence came with partition along religious lines when British India was divided into the Dominions of India and Pakistan. 

There is could be no more fascinating story of colonial rule and obsession than this one.

For how this played out in the culinary world, in which the British fell in love with the country and the cuisine and blended it into their own, please see our article in //localfoodeater.com/bombay-bugle-brings-first-anglo-indian-cafe-in-la/

Curries & Bugles, the story of how British and Indian cuisine combined during the Raj

Thank you, many decades worth over, for the sheer enjoyment of films I see over and over.  

And for the life-changing spiritual and health practices even if I never made the connection to their origin and couldn’t identify Indian food if it was in front of me then.  How wonderful to have discovered the best of the foods, especially southern Indian food, now!

 I magically found out about yoga by way of a Sunday newspaper magazine and  still use the book (see it here).  From the first time I tried yoga, it was as though I had been doing it all my life (or lifetimes!)

The music!  My super-athlete dad, a major figure skating and ski film fan, took me to see Ravi Shankar concerts. 

More recently my favorite guided evening and nightly meditation are from Heartfulness in India.  And I always get such a kick out of the British expressions used in them.

And  film.  I’ve probably sat through days at a time of the APU trilogy (7 hours with the director’s bio) and seen every Merchant Ivory film  Thank you @TableConversation for the congenial, sophisticated  cookbook by Merchant.

 
And yes, the controversial Jinnah film is a recent find. It gives more insight and depth to both sides.   I was sad to learn his daughter Dina, just passed away at the age of 98.  I had dreams

Watch the TCM schedule for an airing of it and the sweeping David Lean film, Gandhi. The Jinnah film was not allowed on screen in India for some time because of the British lead actor.

Ancient Indian culture that is both timeless and contemporary

Thank you, many decades worth over, for such beautifully designed and crafted fabric (shown here in the clothes I sewed). The cloth industry in Bengali once accounted for 12% of all cloth internationally! (For my other silhouette “loves” of the “Nehru” tunic and jodhpurs, please see //www.gentlemansgazette.com/jodhpurs-guide-pants-history-style-where-to-buy/and //www.utsavpedia.com/ethnic-innovations/nehru-jacket-where-tradition-meets-fashion/

The skirt of “madras” fabric was worn by an unknowing Beverly Hills fashionista), meticulously made as always in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. 

Madras cloth is named for the region that made it famous. Bermuda shorts made madras internationally fashionable at about the time of Independence and they are to this day, like jodhpurs! Both tell the story of class and creativity in colonial India.

The story: official Madras plaid, per the U.S. Federal Trade Commission must be made in Chennai (formerly Madraspatnam or Madras. The name was first used by a shirt maker in 1844 to describe the fabric that had been in use already for 5,000 years in its home country of India, known as a humble fabric used for laboring class clothing or pajamas. There is it often looked down upon as a reminder of slavery and oppression to some, yet a symbol of affluence to others in power. You only need to know that “The plaid was so valued that it became possible to trade the fabric for slaves.” For the full story please see//petermanningnyc.com/blogs/news/guide-to-madras-plaid

Madras, now Chennai, where the international famous fabric was born

These days the region named Chennai is as well loved for its the wildly long dosas and other regional dishes!  Read about the delicious dishes you can try at Annapurna Restaurant in //localfoodeater.com/tag/annapurna-culver-city/

Fun, scrumptious, authentic Southern Indian food at Annapurna

ttps://localfoodeater.com/tag/annapurna-culver-city/

A dosa! One fun, delicious dish you can try at Annapurna Restaurant

And finally, the people, the links that spark vitality and inspiration into the bridge between cultures. Here are only a few of them from the past seven years.

Authentic, Meticulous Vietnamese Street Food at Casual Tayho Restaurants

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) We welcome Tay Ho Restaurant Chino Hills, the second restaurant Vietname restaurant, lovingly named after the Tay Ho District located in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi.  Like the flagship restaurant in San Gabriel, it serves authentic, delicious Vietnamese street food and eclectic Asian dishes. Here, casual street food is meticulously prepared in the kitchen, some dishes taking days.

Tay Ho Restaurant Food (photo courtesy of Tay Ho Restaurant)

Tay Ho Restaurant’s love of Vietnamese cuisine is for its rich history and versatility. Tay Ho’s prepares of each dish utilizing handcrafted techniques, slow cooked broths, and steamed vegetables to create the most elevated takeout food made from the finest ingredients and fresh locally sourced herbs.  Drinks are also special.

Tay Ho Restaurant Special drinks (photo courtesy of Tay Ho Restaurant)

Tay Ho’s signature Bánh Cuốn (pronounced bun kuon) is a premier example as their Specialty Rice Crepes take upward of five full days to prepare. It all starts with the rice. 

The Tay Ho culinary team grinds the rice grains with fresh water and then they let the rice sit for twenty-four hours. The next day the rice flour settles towards the bottom of the water and a milky water rises to the top. The water is then discarded as are the impurities, in which to make the cleanest batter possible. 

Tay Ho continues repeating this process for approximately five days until the water is completely clear.  Next, a thin cotton cloth is pulled tautly over a pot of steaming water and the rice batter is very carefully spread over the cloth. 

Once the batter set, Tay Ho’s crepes are cooked to delicate perfection, by removing each crepe in the pan after just a few seconds with a bamboo stick.  Tay Ho Bánh Cuốn Set features classicrice crepes, pork and mushroom rolls, Vietnamese ham, and a shrimp and sweet potato fritter. 

Tay Ho Restaurant  Family Business Director Vivian Yenson, (photo courtesy of Tay Ho Restaurant)

Pork & Mushroom Roll Set, star pork and mushroom rolls, Vietnamese ham, and a shrimp and sweet potato fritter are also available to-go at Tay Ho restaurants .

The Khai Vi (pronounced khai vee) section offers up six sublimely savory Appetizers including Crispy Egg Rolls, Shrimp & Sweet Potato Fritters, Viet Style Chicken Wings, Shrimp Spring Rolls and Vegetarian Spring Rolls.

Tay Ho’s Banh Xeo (pronounced bun seo) is a Vietnamese Crispy Crepe and a staple in Vietnamese cuisine. Banh Xeo is a mix of potato flour, rice flour, salt, steamed mung bean, and turmeric to achieve its vibrant look. 

Each Banh Xeo is cooked-to-order offering a choice of either Pork & Shrimp or Mushroom & Tofu, each served with a fresh vegetable basket of mint leaves, lettuce, sliced cucumbers, and daikon, as well as Tay Ho’s Famous House Dipping Sauce.

Mi Xao (pronounced mee saow) showcases Tay Ho’s house-made Garlic Noodles.  They pair with Garlic Seasoned Filet Mignon  Steak, Lemongrass Marinated Chicken, Garlic Shrimp, and Tofu & Varietal Mushrooms.

Chay (pronounced CH-ai) Vegetarian Options including the Vegetarian featuring a classic rice crepe, served with a sweet potato fritter and fried tofu, Beyond Roll Set with rice crepe rolls filled with Beyond Meat and served with a sweet potato fritter and fried tofu,Vegetarian Spring Rolls, a varietal of mushrooms with vermicelli rice noodles and fresh herbs wrapped in rice paper and served with Tay Ho’s vegetarian dipping sauce, Vegetarian Banh Xeo, Vegetarian Rice Plate, or Vegetarian Garlic Noodles.

Tay Ho Drinks signature Vietnamese Iced Coffee, everyone’s favorite, including me. Vivian’s secret ingredient – a touch of chocolate! Other authentic beverages includes Tay Ho’s slow dripped Vietnamese Black Coffee, Thai Tea, Strawberry Peach Black Tea, Lychee Green Tea, Taro Milk Tea, and Lychee Lemonade. 

Tay Ho Restaurant, 3410 Grand Avenue, STE C, Chino Hills, CA 91709, 909.978.2946 (909.97.TAYHO)

Tay Ho Restaurant Chino Hills hours: Thursday through Tuesday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. For more information, please visit www.TayHo.com or call Tay Ho Restaurant Chino Hills directly at 909.978.2946.

“Eastside LA Meets Napa” Altamed Fundraiser Live 2022! celebrates Latino- Owned Restaurants & Wineries

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Returning after a two-year hiatus, half-century-old  AltaMed Health Services, we were honored to attend the nation’s largest, independent federally qualified community health center held the 15th East LA Meets Napa Food & Wine Festival at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles.  The fundraiser featured and celebrated Latino-owned Restaurant cuisine and California wines from Latino-owned vineyards.

Altered 2022 at LA LIVE!

Eat Dessert first when you have to navigate traffic coming to LA LIVE! We discovered a new absolutely favorite after a generation of loving Cuban Portos Bakery: Cuban Dulce de Leche Besito® Cookies. The layer also appeared in the most delicious cookies ever. (www.Portosbakery). Porto’s generous display included signature Mango and guava mousse cups and their guava and cream cheese-filled puff pastries called Refugiados.

Participating restaurants and chefs include: Oscar Perez, executive chef and co-founder of Sol Agave Restaurant at L.A. LIVE right around the corner, who was the first friendly booth.

Sol Agave Restaurant at L.A. LIVE served Lamb Chops with Spicy Mole and Chorizo and potatoes potatoes from @solagave

Prize-winning, Spanish Paella Valenciana from Chefs Maria and Natalie Curie of WWW.elcoraloense featured chicken, pork, beans flavored with saffron and pimento. We were treated to our own special plate right from the pan.

Prize-winning, Spanish Paella Valenciana from Chefs Maria and Natalie Curie
El Coraloense Spanish Paella Valenciana from Chefs Maria and Natalie Curie

Chef Marco Zapien at Zapiens Salsa Grill serves delicious mole on rice – AND Melissa’s Produce Hatch Peppers! from

Even more than usual the event was about people just so happy to get together again. Below are long time friends (on the left) Chef Marco Zapien flanked by longtime, respected media members, Yakir and Fay Levy and Barbara Hansen (seated). On the Right: Barbara joined by Latino Foodies.

Chef Marco Media and chef friends come togethe

Other highlights includes Chicken empanadas topped with Oaxacan mole negro and cheese made byRocio Camacho, or “the Goddess of Mole,” of@rociosmexicankitchen

Wines included Cabernet Sauvignon from gallegoswines in Napa ValleyHouse sangria from La Parilla Restaurant, Themis Pinot Noir from @justiciawines in Napa Valley 

Proceeds from East LA Meets Napa benefit AltaMed Health Services, which has provided
quality care to underserved communities of Southern California for nearly 50 years.
AltaMed’s programs provide health services regardless of ability to pay.

The event’s sister festival, OC Meets Napa, will take place at Mission San Juan Capistrano, a lovely venue, on October 15th. See //altamedfoodwine.org/ocmn

Sol Agave

Juan Sanjuan III of Gloria’s Restaurant from Huntington Park, and Rocio Camacho of Rocio’s Mexican Kitchen from Bell Gardensand our old friends from El Tapayac who are expanding. The first place I went on a date in LA and where my husband and I always stopped to talk horses with the owner after coming back from Santa Anita!

El Tepeyac Restaurant and now Tequila Sports Bar, too!

Participating Vintners representing the Mexican American Vintners Association (MAVA) include: Herencia del Valle, Encanto Vineyards, Honrama Cellars, Bazan Cellars, and more.

Marvelous Marin Guerrero and Olga Fernandez of Guerrero Fernandez Winery (www.gfwines.com)
Our friends at San Antonio Winery! (www.sanantonioWinery.com)

All proceeds from the event benefit AltaMed’s programs that provide access to health and dental care, senior services, HIV treatment and prevention, teen mentoring programs, health education to more than 375,000 people in Los Angeles and Orange counties, regardless of their ability to pay.    

East LA Meets Napa tickets are $400. To learn more about AltaMed and view the full list of restaurants, vintners and entertainment participating in this year’s East LA Meets Napa, visit: www.Altamedfoodwine.org.  

Altamed brought out the “glam” and high spirits in every guest!

  Grammy award-winning Ozomatli and Latin-jazz ensemble Monogorama got the crowd to dance with their variations of Latino music that blends cumbia, samba, funk and charranga jazz.

Heka Saucery Egyptian Tomato Sauce Guarantees Perfect “Zip” to a Classic

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Look what just arrived in the mail! Generous 25.8-ounce jar.bottles of Heka Saucery Egyptian Tomato Sauce! And in such sleek, luxurious wrappings it was tempting to leave them in the box.

Generous 25.8-ounce jar.bottles of Heka Saucery Egyptian Tomato Sauce!

But, as new aficionados of tomato sauce, we were eager to try it!

We also have long admired, co-founder Natalie Wiser-Orozco, as the creative social media writer of The Devil Wears Parsley (dvlwearsparley). All of this showed in the thoughtful ingredients, packaging, wealth of beautifully presented recipes and background information. 

And we were immediately fascinated with co-founder, Iman Mossa, originally from Cairo, Egypt. We instantly starting doing research and her restaurant and the food it is named for, Koshery!

Heck Saucery co-founders, Natalie Wiser-Orozco and Man Mossa

The sauce proved to be as lush and elegant as its packaging. At the same time, a heartfulness permeates each bottle, part of the founders’ intentions to share ” Our Egyptian Tomato Sauce steeped in family tradition, passed on lovingly from Mother to Daughter…” and to inspire cooks to create their own dishes to become a tradition in their family.

Visions of our favorite dishes already danced in our heads for this prepared sauce!

Visions of what to make with tomato-based Heka Saucery are endless!

What is so different is the “tingle” of tangy flavor from the layering of bright vinegar and spices permeating a base of onions, green peppers and the finest tomatoes. This “middle eastern zip” is what makes it unique.

This glorious Egyptian tomato sauce is made with clean, fresh ingredients. Even the packaging for shipping stands out. Egyptian partner in Heka is Iman Moussa, originally from Cairo. The tomato sauce is based on her mother’s recipe. 


Will the real Shakshouka please stand up!  This dish immediately came to mind as soon as we saw the Heka Saucery Egyptian Tomato Sauce!  It turned out to be as lush and filled with tomato flavor as it was simple to make!  And proved to be as easily eaten from a skillet at home as it such a novelty at restaurants!

Chopped tomato sauce based Shakshouka is made in minutes with Heka Saucery Tomato Sauce

This Maghrebi (North African) dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion and garlic, and commonly spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper is a favorite — and we have used our very own Faye Levy’s clear, delicious recipe from Feast from the Middle East. 

Side note: another cookbook favorite,  Joan Nathan wrote that the dish originated in 16th-Century Ottoman North Africa after Herman Cortes introduced tomatoes to the region as part of the Columbian exchange.   So it honors Heka Saucery’s Natalie Wiser-Orozco Latin family background and Iman’s heritage of Egypt in North Africa.  

A salad dressed with Garcia de la Cruz virgin olive oil and a squeeze of garden-fresh lemon

How can we ever think tomatoes and not think Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, which we make a supply of just about every week with chopped tomatoes.   And speaking of Joan Nathan, it is her recipe from King Solomon’s Table.

Heck Saucery Egyptian Tomato Sauce makes adds layers of flavor sweet and sour red cabbage

Heka Saucery Tomato Sauce stood in for fresh chopped tomatoes and we used only 1/4 the sweet onions, peppers (still valued for color) white wine vinegar and salt.  So much simpler!  Thank you, Heka Saucery! 

The dish turned out to be a little bit more “salsa” than slaw and as pretty!  And so we topped the cabbage dish with  melissa’s Produce prize pine nuts, toasted and added before serving.  We checked to see if this was proper, and it seems that pine nuts are the latest “secret surprise” ingredient to red cabbage slaw! 

We love to feature something Spanish in our dishes with Heka Saucery Tomato Sauce. Here is a simple (purchased) toast point, a sliver of Basque cheese and a teaspoon of sauce pared down a tiny big in a pan. The fresh sardine is form the Culver City farmers market.

Heka Saucery guarantees the fresh taste of tomatoes, onions and green peppers seasoned to a tangy, Egyptian perfection. it will always be in my pantry.

What is so different is the “tingle” of bright vinegar and spices permeating a base of onions, green peppers and the first tomatoes. This “middle easter zip” is that makes the sauce so unique.

A textured, flavorful appetizer with Heka Saucery Tomato sauce, freshly grilled sardine and basil.

A Spanish flair comes so easily when a tomato is involved, especially in a sauce seasoned and Heka Saucery has done all the shopping, chopping, seasoning and cooking? We simply put together shrimp, potatoes, olives, peas, corn and peas, and then topped the dish with a tapenade and toasted pine nuts.

The tomatoes are already in the most marvelous sauce already seasoned for you in a jar from HekaSaucery.   s and a green olive tapenade.  We simply first steamed another favorite from Melissa’s Produce, 6 Baby Dutch Potatoes and then grilled them with 2/3 each of peas and corn.  Meanwhile the tomato sauce was gently heating on low.  The sauce then made a bed for the ingredients, topped with black olivePerfect for a main dish at dinner or lunch, along with a salad of greens. 

Heka Saucery Tomato Sauce provides the Spanish flair in a dish with Grilled shrimp, potatoes and pine nuts
Heka Saucery Tomato Sauce provides the Spanish flair in a dish with Grilled shrimp, Melissa’s Produce Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes and pine nuts


For more details and the story , please see: www.hekasaucery.com, follow them on Facebook and on Instagram!

Saag Paneer: India’s Answer to Popeye

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If Indian Sag Paneer were an American dish there would be no need to create a Popeye to get kids to eat spinach. Or me. 

Popeye and Sag Paneer promote spinach!


I never tire of it.  This is especially true after about a decadent month of candy and spirits, like now. And it is the perfect side dish that complements all foods.

Sag Paneer complements the dishes at United Kitchens

Yes, the dish is so common on Indian restaurant menus it can be considered trite.  But trite as in Burger and Fries, or Pad Thai and Stuffed Angel Wings.  I love them all. 

So it was fun to just find out, and share! – the difference between the Southern or Northern versions. It also turns out that the “exported” northern version has its own Do you know?  

Sag Paneer, a favorite, across India and Bangladesh


Cubes of fresh, unsalted cheese (paneer) are served in a velvety sauce made from leafy vegetables (sag). Fried paneer usually adorns the dish. We garnished our dish with the southern versions in Slide #1 and #2. 

Southern style Sag Paneer from Banana Leaf, topped with red chili

The veggies, so ground down they almost make a paste, are then artfully seasoned in this southern version.  

Spinach is the predominant green in the classic versions in India. high spinach leaves or palak, lending its name to the pure spinach version of Palak Paneer. , fenugreek leaves, purslane and/or mustard leaves.  

Paneer is an Indian cheese an unaged cheese, so soft a cheese it looks like tofu.  It is made from curdled milk plus a vegetable acid like lemon juice).  

In the classic international restaurant version, spinach remains the main ingredient although there are at least 15 subtle variations of seasonings and ingredients.

And, like the Bengali interpretation, garlic and onion are sauteed in olive oil with red chilies and then the spinach is sauteed in the pan before adding a blend of seasonings. 

Sag dish originated in the northern Punjab region, and so the Southern is characteristically spicier.   But the serrano chili used lend a sort of heat, not spikiness.  And it is this warmth balances out the creamy richness of the greens.  And there is no butter or ghee in this version in which the spinach is ground almost into a silky paste.

Southern Indian Sag Paneer at Banana Leaf LA

To me what makes the different are the cooks who put such care into working the fresh ingredients.  Then never disappoint at Banana Leaf or at United Kitchens.  Just look at Martin Shah here. Chef-partner of United Kitchens

Martin Shah here,Chef-partner shows his Sag Paneer at United Kitchens & Lounge

Martin also told us that fenugreek is not used in sag paneer, began bartha (eggplant) or korma because it has a distinctly, unappealing taste.  

Of course Sag Paneer tastes clean and nutritional.  It turns out to be the perfect Rx for anything that ails you, and a dish that promotes health.   

Sag Paneer at United Kitchens & Lounge

Saag provides at least 50% of the RDA for vitamin A and is a good source of iron, calcium, and folic acid. AND the spinach is cooked so the iron is absorbed not the bloodstream.  It helps prevent osteoporosis, heart diseases, arthritis, and colon cancer.  

And if nothing does, then they just make the day go so much better. 

Bananaleaf Restaurant, (www.bananaleafla.com)  10408 Venice Blvd Suite: B, Culver City, CA 9023 (310) 838-2130                                  

United Kitchen & Lounge, (www.unitedkitchensla.com) 2305 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA  90405, (310) 310-2258

Martin prepared sag paneer from scratch for each customer order at United Kitchen & Lounge

Celebrating the Two Major Muslim “Eids”

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Flowers and children are important in the two Eid festivals

Muslims all over the world this week are celebrating Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Fitr, one of the religion’s principal festivals was celebrated in spring. Ken Chitwood, a scholar of global Islam, helped us understand the two Islamic festivals.

Eid literally means festival or feast in Arabic. There are two major eids in the Islamic calendar per year – Eid al-Fitr earlier in the year and Eid al-Adha later.  Both follow the lunar calendar.

The second and Eid al-Adha, is the “feast of the sacrifice.” It comes at the end of the Hajj. This annual pilgrimage by millions of Muslims to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is made at least once in a lifetime.

Eid al-Adha recalls the story of how God commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as a test of faith. The story, as narrated in the Quran, describes Satan’s attempt to tempt Ibrahim so he would disobey God’s command. Ibrahim, however, remains unmoved and informs Ismail, who is willing to be sacrificed. 

But, just as Ibrahim attempts to kill his son, God intervenes and a ram is sacrificed in place of Ismail. During Eid al-Adha, Muslims slaughter an animal to remember Ibrahim’s sacrifice and remind themselves of the need to submit to the will of God.

The sacrificed ram is symbolized by goat in this Banana Leaf LA goat sukka dish

Eid al-Fitr Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of the 10th month in the Islamic calendar.  This three-day-long festival and is known as the “Lesser” or “Smaller Eid” when compared to Eid al-Adha, which is four-days-long and is known as the “Greater Eid.”

Sweets are always a part of the break-the-fast Eid al-Fitr here at Forn-Al Hara Bakery and Restaurant

Eid al-Fitr means “the feast of breaking the fast.” The fast, in this instance, is Ramadan, which recalls the revealing of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad and requires Muslims to fast from sunrise to sundown for a month.

Eid al-Fitr features two to three days of celebrations that include special morning prayers.  special . People greet each other with “Eid Mubarak,” meaning “Blessed Eid” and with formal embraces.

Sweet dishes are prepared at home and gifts are given to children and to those in need. In addition, Muslims are encouraged to forgive and seek forgiveness.

The final major break-the-fast meal at Olive Tree in Little Arabia

For more information on halal meats, please see: //localfoodeater.com/what-is-halal-and-why-it-is-going-viral/

Must Visit Oxnard: “Not Just a Pretty Name”

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) We used to drive up to Oxnard on lazy summer evenings in the late ‘70s. The sleepy “main drag”  was a scene straight out of American Graffiti.  About the only thing missing was a Dairy Queen.  

Fast forward to the present and a revamped Oxnard. It still retains the best of the old and the new. And now there are two busy Dairy Queens within the city limits.  

 And “Friendly” and “old-fashioned” are still key.  These days, Oxnard is as famous for its annual summer Strawberry Festival and its Salsa Festival as its crops.   And “Friendly” and “old-fashioned” are still key.  

La Gloria’s in Oxnard near the Transit Center with the feel and authentic food of gracious Mexico

Oxnard is still home to miles of exceptional public coastline and beaches piled high with pristine, soft sand (free and ample parking) and hilly dunes.  The town also happens to be the gateway to the magnificent Channel Islands, truly described as “like nowhere else on earth.”  

Added to this is a startling slew of friendly eateries to replace the that range from old-fashioned diners (Uncle Herbs) to the best Italian (Capriccio) owned by a Frenchman). The 27 or so Taco stands, stores and trailers alone are worth the trip!

Tacos La Bonita – Taqueria across from Carnegie Art Museum on C Street in Downtown Oxnard; well known for their vampire tacos, barbacoa and birria

Yesteryear and this year show how much Oxnard is keeping up with the times. This Carnegie library, part of the Andrew Carnegie endowment to encourage literary at the beginning of the 20th century, was the first to be built on the west coast.

The Taqueria faces Carnegie Art Museum in Downtown Oxnard

Century old restaurants, still operated by the same family are another attraction. The hospitality of casual Otani’s, for example, explains why they remain so popular. Owner Karen greeted us at the door. The lines never stopped at the order counter for customers to be seated in the pleasant, high-ceiling cafe or do take out. Otani’s did everything humanly possible during the pandemic to accommodate customers.

Owner Karen, only too happy to talk with us at popular Otani’s, continuously family run since 1952.

Even when the weather is sweltering in Los Angeles – or only a few miles away in normally cool Camarillo – and Camarillo is known for having the best year-round, 75 degree average, weather in the country – Oxnard is gentle sea breezes keep it cool and collected as only a century old town can be.  It wasn’t labeled “the Hollywood Riviera” by the likes of Valentino, more recently, Cher, for nothing.   

It’s no joke that air conditioning even in summer means “turning on the heat at night,” according to town preservationist, Gary Blum.  Any of the determined reservationists who are only too happy to show you around the rich Americana architecture in their quaint little agricultural town.  

Oxnard now also boasts sumptuous new homes on the water

True, the two French Oxnard brothers came cross country from the deep south to put the community on the agricultural map with sugar beets. But ironically, they never lived in the town or tried to give it a more alluring name.  

Once a few Hollywood stars and producers came to visit, they built vacation homes and inspired the architecture and names, such as “ Hollywood Beach and the Silver Strand.   The name mattered no more.

These days with limited land space, it takes no small amount of money for this pretty little agricultural area to retain its charming small town feel and picture-perfect seaside village.

History helps explain.  The high quality soil, coupled with a favorable climate, makes Oxnard “one of the most fertile areas in the world.”  Even so, the self-proclaimed “Bean and Strawberry Capital of the World,” started to became plowed over in the 70’s and 80’s for development.  Why? Land goes for $2 million an acre.  Then in 1995, a grassroots effort known as SOAR (Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources) was initiated by farmers, ranchers and citizens of Ventura County in an effort to save the vast agricultural Oxnard Plain assets. 

The renovated historic (1949) Woolworth building downtown holds new, appealing restaurants and dessert spots.  

Some of my favorite “no frills” restaurants in town are the following:

  • Xielo Artisan Desserts – family recipes from Mexico, including crepes, pastries, and specialty coffees (inside the Woolworth Building, Downtown Oxnard)
  • Sushiway – Japanese/Mexican fusion by social media sensation “Mr. Tacosway” who has restaurants from LA to Tokyo
  • Sea Fresh – Local spot for seafood at Marine Emporium Landing with beautiful harbor views; try the steamed clams, they’re delicious!
  • Dominick’s – Family-owned Italian restaurant with recipes handed down through generations
  • Tacos La Bonita – Taqueria across from Carnegie Art Museum on C Street in Downtown Oxnard; well known for their vampire tacos, barbacoa and birria
  • The Raven Tavern – Pub fare on the water in Seabridge Marina; they have delicious dinner pies topped with whipped mashed potatoes.
  • Vineyard Café – Great brunch spot w/ bottomless mimosas served every day of the week; I really like the cinnamon pancakes!

A little more upscale:

  • The Haven at Whitesails is a brand new Caribbean restaurant in Westport Marina.
  • The Waterside Restaurant offers rich hearty entrees and a waterside view
  • Tierra Sur at Herzog Wine Cellars and tasting room with kosher food.

Instant New Favorite! Acclaimed Chef Tony Dim Sum

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Our meals at the highly acclaimed Sea Harbor Seafood Restaurant are lifetime memorable because of Chef Tony in the kitche. Now you can experience the reason why at Chef Tony Dim Sum in Old Town Pasadena.

Chef Tony Dim Sum‘s chef-owner Tony Ho

Here you can go in on your own in the Old Town Pasadena location. Instead of the traditional rolling cart dim sum service, Tony’s dishes are made-to-order with full descriptions. At Sea Harbor Seafood we had a host with us who spoke Chinese and knew what to ask for that was not on the cart.

Chef Tony Dim Sum in Pasadena

Chef Tony’s mission is to elevate traditional dim sum. His Chef Tony Dim Sum dishes are a reflection of Guangdong Cantonese cuisine layered with refined touches. Ingredients are of the highest quality and even feature freshly shaved black truffles and gold leaf touches.

Chef Tony Dim Sum dishes include shaved black truffles and gold leaf touches

Located in the historic Bear Building built in 1929 on Colorado Boulevard, this stunning 1,260 square foot restaurant showcases the historic art deco walls, red accented booths and chairs.

The original opulent chandeliers beam in the main dining room. A separate cocktail bar seats six guests at the bar and ten guests at the bar counter, 

Chef Tony Dim Sum‘s opulent art deco interior

The Chef Tony Dim Sum Menu offers something for everyone featuring twelve delectably delicious sections including –Starter, Dim Sum Steamed, Dim Sum Rice Noodle Roll, Dim Sum Baked and Fried, Seafood, Meat, Soup, Congee, Noodle, Rice, Vegetable, and Dessert.

Every dishes made-to-order fresh right out of the Chef Tony Dim Sum kitchen. Signature Dishes include  Sliced Chinese Broccoli with Black Truffle Sauce, Squid Ink Shrimp Dumplings with Gold Leaf, Sticky Rice Ball with Lava Salted Egg York.

Chef Tony Dim Sum is open every Wednesday through Monday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. For more information about Chef Tony Dim Sum or to make reservations, please call 626.803.0028 directly or visit Chef Tony Dim Sum Pasadena.

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