What's for dinner? Indian!

I've been missing dinner parties. Back in Norfolk, they were a regular staple of life. Olga would throw backyard potlucks. Marty and Kelly would host Scrabble night finished off with bread pudding. I'd make crepes (lemon? chocolate? Nutella?) for brunch.

But I'm still getting into the rhythm here. It's only been a few months. I need to buy a sofa. I need to hang pictures on the wall. I need to relearn how to cook on an electronic stove. Sigh.

So I was thrilled when a classmate invited a few of us girls over for dinner. The theme: learning to cook Indian food. The chef: my lovely learning team member Swarupa. The food: spectacular.

It was seriously the best Indian food I've ever had.

Even the rice was amazing. Can't you just smell this?


The lentil dish below, cooked with fresh cream, is Dal Makhani.


These oven kabobs included paneer (Indian cottage cheese) and veggies for Paneer Tikka Masala.


And I think this one was Dum-Aloo, or curry with small potatoes. (Anyone know? :)


Somehow, we were all so enchanted by the blur that is Swarupa cooking, that we didn't actual learn to cook Indian! This despite quite a few wonderful Indian friends hanging out with us.

So I'm promising myself: In two years, I will leave Charlottesville knowing how to create a cash flow statement, how to calculate net present value, and how to cook Indian food.