Recipes, books and classes for Indian cooking made fun and easy by Suneeta Vaswani

I wanted to say again how excited I was to meet you in Houston a few weekends ago. I really do love both your cookbooks and have always had good success with the recipes. And now that I am familiar with your website, I'm even more thrilled to have that as a resource. I made last month's recipe of the month, which made for a tasty but also quick and easy one-dish meal to eat over a couple of days.

Thanks,
– Amy Bell

I am a featured chef at the upcoming Feast of Faiths Dinner hosted by the Boniuk Center for Religious Tolerance at Rice University. Please join me on June 10 for this Cross-cultural culinary experience. Visit www.boniuk.rice.edu to learn more about the event and to RSVP.

On February 25th I made a presentation at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston on The Art of Indian Cuisine tied into some of the museum’s pieces displayed in the recently opened Indian art gallery. It was gratifying to see the enormous support the programme received and the book sales that followed.

My presentation focused on the works in the recently inaugurated Nidhika And Pershant Mehta Arts of India Gallery. An exciting project that I'm so looking forward to. The event was open to the public and was followed by a reception for the museum's popular Artful Thursday evenings. Click here or the image for a PDF with full details of the event.

In November I was invited to return to one of my all-time favorite places in the world - Rancho La Puerta in Tecate on the Baja peninsula in Mexico, to teach 3 classes during a 1week stay at this beautiful resort/spa. When I first went there 2 years ago, I was mesmerized by the natural beauty of this area. Majestic Mt. Kuchumaa, the sacred mountain of the local people looms above the landscape and many of the morning hikes go up its rugged paths. Fantastic rock formations and an amazing array of birds and little creatures greet the adventuress hikers.

The Ranch has been an anchor in this area for 68 years and has grown from its' modest beginnings to encompass 3000 acres of pristine land, some of it beautifully landscaped with local vegetation, groves of olive trees and meandering paths bordered by fragrant rosemary and many other fragrant herbs. In fact, with the cottages or casitas as they are called, spread over several acres of the property, guests have to make their way along these beautiful pathways to get to the lounge, dining areas and the various gymnasiums. In 2007 a state-of-the-art cooking school, La Cocina que Canta - the Kitchen that Sings - was added to the property and offers cooking classes during the day and evening. Several acres of organic gardens provide the freshest of vegetables and herbs for the classes as well as most meals served at the Ranch. The spa facilities are top notch as are all the instructors in the various forms of yoga, meditation, pilates and feldenkreis amongst other offerings. Today, Rancho La Puerta offers a programme that encompasses mind, body and spiritual wellness and it is no wonder that most people return year after year to recharge and then return to the real world with a sense of calm. I consider myself amongst the very fortunate to have been invited twice to teach at this beautiful jewel of a resort. Please see the new photos in the gallery from my trip by clicking the link.

A few weeks ago I was invited to cook for a winery luncheon at Stone House Vineyards, participating in the 24th Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. An event that has grown with each passing year, this popular festival features Texas wineries, chefs and products. My contribution was Tandoori Chicken Salad, which was paired with Spicewood Vineyards excellent Sauvignon Blanc. The luncheon was one of three offered this year and was sold out almost immediately. Angela Moench, the owner of Stone House Vineyards is a passionate wine maker and has planted almost every vine herself, and tends this baby of hers with extreme TLC with some help from her husband and co-owner Howard.

The luncheon showcased an outstanding entrée by Chef Jeff Blank of Austin's Hudson on the Bend - sausage stuffed quail in a pool of cheesy grits served with a beer blanc sauce. The accompanying wine was Stone House Vineyards outstanding Claros. Dessert was a meringue covered individual cake by the Queen of Desserts - Rebecca Rather of Fredericksburg's Rather Sweet Bakery.

The culinary tour of India in February with a group of 10 very serious 'foodies' was very successful. We enjoyed regional and local foods in all the areas that we visited, and had cooking classes in two homes in Kerala. Each was exceptional and very different from the other. Our gracious hosts demonstrated local specialties and then we feasted on dish after dish of astonishing fresh home-cooked food.

At many of our hotels I had arranged for demonstrations of dishes that are typical of the area, including tandoori food from a portable tandoor set up poolside for our group in Agra. In the hotel in the Periyar Hills in Kerala we saw an amazing demonstration of the famous mouth-watering Kerala Porotta, which is a richer version of the North Indian paratha.

A night spent on a ketuvellam (a luxurious version of a converted Kerala rice boat) gliding on the peaceful Lake Vembanad was a welcome respite from the riotous cities of the north and we felt like we were living the life of the lotus eaters as we sailed past spotless little villages with gleaming freshly painted churches, people bathing in the lake and birds of many hues singing their hearts out. Not to mention the stars that shone so brightly over the lake. We had 2 ketuvellums, a three-bedroom and a two bedroom each with its' tiny kitchen in the back. The 2 chefs turned out identical menus but each added their particular touch. We anchored side by side and dined together under the stars. It was magical.

A visit to the famous Mylapore Temple in Chennai was another memorable experience. Hindu temples are vibrant and very much a part of daily life in India. People come in on the way to work and say a quick prayer to the diety before going off on their daily routine. Families come in to bless a new baby or to bless a betrothed couple. Others come in to ask for blessings before an important examination or starting a new job. We watched as people wafted in and out of the temple, each with a different mission.

Apart from the famous Taj Mahal and the grand monuments and forts of India, its' people are it's most valuable asset, and visitors come away with memories of a country that is colorful, chaotic and happy.

When I was in India in September, Mumbai celebrated one of the most important annual festivals in Maharashtra - Ganesh Chaturti- the festival of the elephant god, Ganesh. Recognized by Hindus as the remover of obstacles, Ganesh's blessings are invoked for all important occasions such as the start of a new business, a new job, or a new home. Click here to read more and view the wonderful photo gallery.

I am delighted to invite you to go on a trip of a lifetime with me. This culinary adventure to India takes us through the north and the south and will open your minds and palates to the diversity of the legendary cuisine of this ancient land. Along the way we will tour the cultural sites and learn from professional chefs and from renowned home cooks too, all the while enjoying the comforts of some of the world’s best hotels. For more information, click here.

Cooking Demonstration, presentation and book-signing
There are some common misconceptions about Indian food, curry being one of them. While there is no curry powder, there is a curry tree! Learn fascinating facts about Indian cuisine and also some of the common spices and their health benefits.

Book Signing at The Book People in Austin TX
A presentation and book signing at the bookstore, an Austin icon. Meet and mingle and enjoy samples from the new Complete Book of Indian Cooking. April 8, 7pm, The Book People, Austin, TX.

A week at magical Rancho La Puerta
A week at magical Rancho La Puerta — a resort/spa in Baja, Mexico was the highlight of the past few months. I was invited to teach 3 classes at their spanking new state-of-the- art culinary center — La Cocina Que Canta — The Kitchen that Sings.
Read more & see photos…»

In Touch with Indian Cuisine
By Dai Huynh [Originally published in the Houston Chronicle, Wednesday, November 14, 2007]
Cookbook author Suneeta Vaswani offers a lesson in her country's regional foods by examining ingredients and cooking techniques.
Read more…»

Asia Society Texas Center presents
“A Cook's Tour of Indian Kitchens”
Take a tour of regional Indian kitchens with author and Indian cooking expert Suneeta Vaswani. Her new book Complete Book of Indian Cooking (Robert Rose/available mid September) explains regional differences in the spicing and cooking techniques of the north, south, east and west of India.
Read details…»

At Home With Indian Cooking –
By Pip Stromgren [Originally published on: Friday, April 23, 2004 ]
At a stage in life when some people are looking forward to retiring, Suneeta Vaswani is heading in the other direction. She has been a respected cooking instructor in the Houston, Texas, area for 25 years. She has marketed her own line of specialty Indian food products. Now, with the publication of ''Easy Indian Cooking,'' she has added the title of cookbook author to her list of accomplishments.
Read more…»

The Chefs – Suneeta Vaswani
from Cooking School of Aspen
Born in Bombay, India, Suneeta Vaswani emigrated to the U. S. in 1977. Concurrent with the move, Suneeta shifted her areas of interests from teaching Bonsai and Ikebana to teaching Indian cuisine.
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