blogger fodder
The first time I tried to arrange to meet with Manisha and Kitt for lunch, I asked for suggestions or preferences. Manisha immediately ruled out most of the Indian restaurants in Boulder. I chuckled to myself over that because I would have done the same regarding any of the Chinese restaurants in Boulder. I never doubted for a second that the woman knows her Indian food and today was proof of exactly that.
when i walked in, shalan was heating up malaysian parathas
Manisha graciously invited me and several others over to her house for a lunch of phenomenal food today. While I love to eat Indian food, I know almost nothing about it. I heard so many unfamiliar words (all foods!) that I begged Manisha to please email me the menu – which she did this evening. What a sweetheart.
butter chicken (chicken makhani or murg makhani)
gosht (lamb) banjara
Her friends were a lively and fascinating bunch. I didn’t feel so bad pigging out on the amazing spread of food because everyone else did too – it was SO GOOD. Bummer that Kitt had to babysit a tree cutting or else she would have joined us.
sitting down to our first helpings
completely decadent coconut burfi
I tried my best to sample some of everything, but I really think I missed out on the pickled green mangoes! Dang… Would you like to know what all was on the menu?
butter chicken (chicken makhani or murg makhani)
gosht (lamb) banjara
beet raita
mushrooms and peas
pulao (spiced rice with veggies)
Malaysian parathas
roti or chapati
pickled limes
tomato and chili chutney (from shalan)
coconut burfi
pumpkin cake and ice cream
Oh man, that was a lot of food. That was a lot of fantastic Indian food! But I had to be off to run errands and make more medical appointments. In the evening, Jeremy and I met up on Pearl Street because we got a call from two dear friends who were in town from Seattle. We took them to one of our favorite places in Boulder for dinner.
jax seafood
It also happens to be First Bite Boulder this week. It is an event to highlight the great dining establishments around town. Several restaurants participate and offer a prix fixe menu: 3 courses for $26. Great deal. It’s getting late, so I’ll just show you the rundown of some of the dishes…
clam chowder
jeremy ordered the seared tombo
my blackened catfish which i barely put a dent in (manisha’s fault!)
key lime pie surrounded by bonny doon framboise, port, and muscat
November 21st, 2008 at 12:30 am
Yahrrr! Wouldn’t I love to swim in the butter chicken and the lamb… Maybe floating on a paratha :) I can’t believe you barely touched the catfish, it looks fantastic! (Hee, here I go again, wishing that unfinished dishes would magically appear in times of hunger…)
I’m a fan of key lime pie but no one else in the family appreciates the too-sweet condensed milk lime custard (or was it Cook’s Illustrated’s fault? Hmm!). I still yearn for it, though :)
November 21st, 2008 at 12:38 am
Wow, all that gorgeous food is making me drool! Everything looks so flavorful and fantastic!
Cheers and have a wondeful weekend,
Rosa
November 21st, 2008 at 1:05 am
Dammit dammit dammit! Now I’m REALLY bummed. And hungry.
November 21st, 2008 at 5:19 am
it all looks so good.
I love food!
November 21st, 2008 at 7:39 am
Oh yuuuuuuuuuum. All that food looks and sounds beautiful and amazing! Parathas are one of my favorite foods, period. Like a buttery, flaky version of naan….mmmm. Love the quote in the jax pic. :) Happy weekend, Jen!
November 21st, 2008 at 8:04 am
My tummy is full. ;)
I hope you conspire with Manisha to give us the recipes.
November 21st, 2008 at 8:24 am
It would almost have been lunacy not to try as much as you could! I’ve heard of butter chicken before and I’ve been wanting to try it.
November 21st, 2008 at 8:35 am
I’m a HUGE fan on Indian food. It all looks fantstic!
November 21st, 2008 at 8:51 am
There is nothing like Indian food that is cooked at home. Your tasting menu at Manisha’s house looks spectacular.
November 21st, 2008 at 10:15 am
I’m sure we’re all hoping for a good recipe out of these drooling inspiring indian favorites! Well, at least I am.
November 21st, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Beautiful meals, all! That seared tombo looks especially inviting.
November 21st, 2008 at 2:23 pm
You made it look so good!! I forgot all about garnish with cilantro :-D Next time!
Someone looking in through the window would have seen Boulder County’s fabulous five! I loved having all of you over. Next time, we’ll make it Denver metro area’s sizzling six. Kitt won’t be allowed to miss it.
I have a gift card for Jax. I hope they still have reservations for next week cos the food looks yummy!
November 21st, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Wow Manisha, you make unbelievably tasty looking Indian food. It’s not a cuisine I typically jump to eat, but your food is making me rethink that right now!
Jen, thanks for the total food porn post. :P Also, I love the fish proverb on your dinner menu. What a delightful thought.
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:18 am
Wow. This is what MY Manisha made? It looks like something served in a 5 star top notch restaurant! Fantastic photos, and how I would have loved to taste the mushrooms and peas as well as the roti. Oh, I’m hungry now…
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:08 am
Wow, Jax seafood looks awesome. The executive chef there is Hosea from Top Chef!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:03 am
Butter chicken?? Well, really, butter anything, but that’s a new one on me. It looks fantastic.
How is it you don’t weigh 300 pounds? Wait, I know the answer to that. . . .
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:08 am
I was at this lunch with everyone. I really enjoyed meeting you! Your photos are amazing, it took me right back to that delicious plate of food. Did you get a photo of the gorgeous, ruby colored beet dish? I think I am still full from that lunch. Manisha has a real gift with her cooking. I’m so honored to often be a recipient of her gift! However, after eating her food, it makes it hard to pay top-dollar for mediocre food at Boulder Indian restaurants!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:10 am
One other comment. I took home a couple of pieces of the coconut burfi and have been eating small bites of it along with Dove milk chocolate! It is an AMAZING flavor combination. Have I invented something?
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Damn you! Why do you make me hungry all the time?
Now my leftover turkey chili with overcooked basmati seems paltry. Paltry poultry.
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I love Indian food. That meal looks fabulous.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:49 am
what a great pig out! I miss having delicious Indian food though I just made some cauliflower with curry a couple of days ago!
3 courses for $26 isn’t a bad deal! the food looks fine :)
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:29 pm
The food looks out of this world delicious! Butter Chicken, yummy!
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Wow – what a day of food…. that all looks fantastic! Jealous…
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Hey Jen, Anyway you can have Manisha post her Butter Chicken recipe? Great pics as usual!
November 24th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Wow, you got to taste Manisha’s cooking! So lucky! then you go and eat some more great food…
How you do it all I don’t know….
i’m really drooling over the stuff, especially all that great homecooked Indian food..wow!
November 24th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I have just discovered your blog and love it. Can’t wait to try the recipes and those photographs are amazing.
November 24th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Thanks all! I will beg and plead with Manisha for her delicious recipe(s). I still dream of that awesome food… Thanks to Manisha (xxoo)!
November 24th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
manisha is the queen. did she do the little jig where she shakes the jar with cream for a few minutes and makes butter? that’s worth paying for. i still remember the meal i had at her place. that gal has probably one of the oldest food blogs, dating to 2003 or even earlier.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:41 am
*blush*
I hope to post recipes soon. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks.
Jen, we went to Jax tonight and, like a good girl, I asked if it would be OK to take pics. I was asked “for what purpose” and when I mentioned that I write a food blog, I was told it would be better not to because the chef is a “Bravo chef” and “everything has to be approved” – whatever the heck that means. So I put my camera away and enjoyed my meal instead. The fish was excellent!
November 25th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Bee – no jig, but I would have loved to see it :)
Manisha – thanks love, that would be fantastic. I can’t believe they didn’t let you take pics!? Everytime I’ve been I have taken pics and they never had a problem with it – NEVER. :( I’m sorry, hon. I’m glad you liked your food though.