Mr. Bijoy Writes

Falafel started life in Egypt, around the time of the pharaohs (apparently). But enough of the boring stuff. Now found as a staple throughout the Middle East and India, falafel are a staple in many households and street vendors. My mom has a pretty good recipe, but she hasn't chosen to share it yet. I took some advice from some of my chef friends and worked together this recipe for the nights that I really just wanted some happy-food. Let me know what you think! If you need to tweak anything to make it work for you, do it! What ya need: 1 cup of dried chickpeas (15oz can of chickpeas are ok in a pinch) 5 medium cloves of garlic 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped  1/2 cup of fresh parsley, chopped 1 small onion 6 tablespoons of flour 1 teaspoon of baking powder 1 teaspoon of salt 2 teaspoons of cumin 1 teaspoon of coriander 1/2 teaspoon of ground red pepper (cayenne works too) 1-2 cups of frying oil, for frying (I like a vegetable blend for this, but some people like...

A healthy side-dish is always a good choice. Here's a healthy and delicious side dish for you to enjoy. It's a perfect addition to any lean protein, but also tastes great on its own as a snack. Let me know what you think of it! What ya need: 1 pound of fresh asparagus   1 tablespoon of quality olive oil (you don't need extra virgin, unless you prefer it)   1 tablespoon of high-quality balsamic vinegar   1/2 teaspoon of fresh, minced garlic   1/2 teaspoon of kosher sea salt   1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper Ok, so: Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Cut off the tough lower ends (about lower 1/6) of the asparagus and throw those away. Rinse what's left of the stalk and pat dry. Place these stalks on a cookie sheet, in a single layer, and drizzle with the oil and vinegar. After the stalks are coated, sprinkle the garlic, salt, and pepper over them.  Now bake at 425ºF for 5 minutes. Turn, or toss, the stalks and bake for another 5 minutes. Remo...

  I often am asked what my favorite methods are for some simple things. Honestly, for a lot of things, I have more than one way of doing them, and I just choose the method I find best suited for the time and audience. So, in light of all this, here is one of my favorite steak rubs. If you don't put a rub on your steak or do anything to it, out side of seasoning it a little bit, I have nothing bad to say to you. That's how I generally like my steak. However, sometimes, I feel the need to step it up a bit. This recipe is just that- a step up. This recipe yields much more than you'll need for one steak, so don't overdo it. What ya need: 1/2 cup of light brown sugar 1/2 cup of kosher sea salt 2 tablespoons of cumin 2 tablespoons of garlic powder 2 tablespoons of onion powder 1 tablespoon of dry English mustard 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper 1/2 tablespoon of finely ground white pepper 1/2 tablespoon of finely ground black pepper Ok, so- In a medium Tupperwar...

Here’s a really cool side-dish that is not only tasty, but fairly healthy. The spinach and mushrooms allow for a nutritional touch to a hearty dish. Have a great time with this and enjoy it! What ya need: 6 ounces of dried farfalle, also known as bow-tie pasta 1 tablespoon of  extra virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped well 1 cup of sliced portobello mushrooms, rinsed 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced 4 cups of thinly sliced fresh spinach 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme 1/8 of teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2 tablespoons of shredded Romano cheese Ok, so: Cook farfalle according to the directions on the box. Drain the water, but don’t rinse the pasta. In general, stop rinsing any pasta after cooking it. Well, unless the recipe calls for it. Grab a large skillet and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Stir in the spinach, thyme, and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add th...

Here's a great, nutritious side dish for recipe for you. I learned how to make this when I was working at a small bistro in St. Louis. It has it's roots in Italian cuisine, but has evolved here in America. It's tasty, healthy, easy, and a perfect side dish for a weeknight meal. I hope you like it! What ya need: 6 cups of fresh cut broccoli florets 2 bunches of fresh green beans, left uncut 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon of dried red pepper flakes 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Romano cheese, if desired kosher sea salt, to taste Ok, so- Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a roiling boil. Season this water, once boiling, with a few pinches of sea salt. Now, fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Throw the broccoli in the pot of boiling water and let cook for 3 minutes. Immediately remove from the boiling water and toss it in the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Repeat the cooking and shock...