Seafood paella

I have serious emotional attachment to seafood paella since I first tried it in Barcelona. I had it many times in restaurants before I finally visited a Catalan cooking school. That was double luck: the paella we made at school was even better than those really good ones I tried before. Simultaneously I figured out how to make it. The recipe performed really well both at our family kitchen and at our Moscow cooking classes for half a year and it feels like a good time to share it.

Very British: pearl barley and cheddar risotto

This dish might truly surprise you. I never thought that one could get such a bursting flavor and such a lovely texture from pearl barley. The idea came from a British cooking class I took in London couple of weeks ago. I'm saying "risotto" here to refer to the technology of cooking a grain, which makes it creamy, and I don't mean to heart anyone. Anyhow my risotto loving family said this one totally counts.

Thai pineapple fried rice

It is hard to believe, but I definitely have more trouble finding time for writing now then before I left my full time job. Our little cooking school suddenly makes me even busier. But I'm still determined to keep writing whatever happens, this time - about fried rice. I always liked the whole idea of fried rice, which is to take some sad leftover rice out of your fridge (or even freezer) and give it a completely new life. Now I mostly cook fried rice thai style and this pineapple version is one of my favorites.

Falafel home making

I always thought it was difficult and time consuming but now I know it isn't. Making falafel at home turned out easy and fun. But even if it wasn't I'd still do that at least sometimes because nothing can compare to having that first falafel ball. It is yours right out of the hot oil before anyone even knows that falafel is coming. I mean, you have to taste when you cook, right?

Dal Makhani to die for

Just for you to know, I've been saying that I should start cooking Indian food at home since last January. Only a year and a bit and there you go, I made my first dal. I've never been to India and all my love to the food comes from my Indian friend from Insead. From the dal he made for himself and let me taste at our mutual home in Fontainebleau.

Thai green curry from scratch

While I was living in Singapore and Thailand my favorite thai food was always green curry, not tom yam or phad thai. There were whole weeks when I kept eating it day after day, craving for it, hunting and traveling for it. The best green curry I had in Bangkok - at a little thai restaurant across the street from Holiday Inn. We came there by chance, a happy one (I know now) because we missed our flight from Cambodia to Singapore.

Quinoa, well, salad

I had two sources of inspiration for this - Corner Burger and leftover quinoa. It is something you can throw together in a matter of minutes and get a beautiful light lunch or dinner. It is one of those meals that are disproportionally rewarding for the effort you put in.

Slow cooked vegetable tagine

I got used to eating tagine in Fontainebleau. The town though small has two or more Moroccan restaurants, one of which was almost next door to our house. We frequented that tiny hospitable place with dark red walls and always well made food. I loved the tagine there, but once I made it at home I realized it can be even better when you can afford to cook it really slowly.

Hummus, not seriously

I got addicted to hummus in Insead and a year after graduation it seems it is not going away that easily. My cravings finally made me learn to make it and, surprise, it turned out quite rewarding both in terms of the result and in terms of the process.

Home made granola

I'm for making granola at home. Really. I know that you can buy it ready made at a nearby store. And I'm not one of those people who easily get to making something at home in such a case either. I made it for curiosity. It took some 10 minutes for mixing, went into the oven and 10 minutes later the whole house was filled with magic sweet and spicy aroma. Now even my little bro turned to having healthy breakfast while all the ready made packs keep resting forgotten on our kitchen shelves.

Quinoa with smoky eggplant and roast pepper

I finally got some quinoa. I tried this grain twice before - at Terresa's class in Paris and in Corner Burger in Moscow. Both times I found it completely amazing so I cooked it at home to share the finding with my family. Yes, they did indeed like it. But as soon as I set down and started eating I realized I was making it just for myself.

Cooking buckwheat

Buckwheat is one of my favorite grains and something I closely associate with home and Russia. It has a lot of character. When cooked properly it is absolutely delicious on its own. No adds or toppings are necessary. In this sense it is similar to rice. The right way to cook it is nothing complicated, but it really makes a difference.

Rice with green lentils (inspired by Kitchari)

I don't really have a name at hand for this dish, but the idea comes from Indian kitchari. Last weekend I tried kitchari for the first time at a vegetarian cooking class by beautiful Moscow food blogger Natasha at Sok cafe. Now if I think about feel-good-food kitchari comes to my head as the first idea. I just love the whole idea of combining rice with a legume in one dish. Vegetables add lightness and flavor to it and a touch of hot spices really makes it shine.

Gorgonzola and spinach risotto

That weekend I really didn’t feel like going anywhere out. Even out of my bed, I’m not even talking about restaurants. It felt very strange, given that I’d normally wake up on Saturday thinking about where I should now go. Is it Upside down cake or Coffee bean? Coffee bean or Upside down cake? This time however, I needed to stay in my shell. That’s how I ended up actually cooking food (not usual sweets or snacks) at home.

Oatmeal love and hate

I had huge doubts on whether I should write this post. The thing is that in Russia oatmeal is traditionally served for breakfast in kindergartens. Somehow they cook it in a way that serious number of adult people in Russia hate the oatmeal till the end of their life. Even the smell and look of it. So if you feel sensitive to the subject, you might want to stop right here.

Pumpkin porridge for Russian winter

I've done way too much French baking lately. Especially taking into account that the air temperature holds at -20C for the second week in a row and everybody needs real food. Hot, simple and nutritious. Whenever it gets so cold the same thing happens to me. Not only I start eating like crazy. I just have to have as much butter, chocolate and other greasy food as possible.