Siri-ously Funny *Siri*-isms

November 2012 

It's no secret that I love my tech toys.  

The ipad, for example, is attached to my left arm from early morning till late at night
... for entertainment (Hello *Angry Birds* and *Bad Piggies*); 
... for reducing my ecological footprint in terms of downloads of e-newspapers, e-books, e-music, e-videos; and 

... for work purposes (Yeah!!! after countless failed experiments, I've recently found a stylus that works like a pen for notebook apps PLUS I'm slowly convincing work to upload the endless hefty pounds of non-secret briefing books I get every day into the GoodReader app).  

It's all good.

When I'm bored, I have conversations with *Siri* using my Ipad3.  For those of you not intimately connected with *Siri*, this voice-activated software lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls.  All serious stuff.

Except... *Siri* also has Attitude.  Major Attitude.  Funny sayings that only someone with a wicked sense of humour could program.  I think up dumb questions about the meaning of life, love, happiness and pose them to *Siri*. 

The responses are a riot... here's a few.

Me:  *Siri*:  What is the meaning of life?
*Siri*:  '42' (aka Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy? and, coincidence? the year in which Husband was born.) 


Other responses to what is the meaning of life.... 

*Siri*:  Try and be nice to people. Avoid eating fat. Read a good book every now and then, get some walking in and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.
OR 
*Siri*:  I can’t answer that right now, but give me some very long time to write a play in which nothing happens. 
OR
*Siri*: A principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings. I guess that includes me.
My favourite (right):
*Siri*:  All evidence to date suggests it's chocolate.  

Other funny Siri-isms.  

Me: *Siri*, will you marry me? 
*Siri*:  My End User Licensing Agreement does not cover marriage.  My apologies. 
OR 
*Siri*:  People will judge us. 
OR 
*Siri*:  Those who claim robot love is (sic) wrong.
OR
*Siri*:  But I don't care about that anyone.
 
The ever self-serving Apple gets its best shot through Siri:

Me:  What is the best tablet and phone?

*Siri*:  There's the iPad, and then there's ... well, nothing I guess.  The best phone?  The one you're holding. 
OR 
*Siri*:  The Apple iPad is the best.  And it's not just my opinion.  
OR 
*Siri*:  The Apple iPad.  Need you ask? 

And, finally, just try and ask *Siri* a romantic or embarrassing question, like:
Me:  Do you love me? (in a Fiddler on the Roof tone of voice)  
*Siri*:  How can I tell?
OR
*Siri*:  I respect you.

Me:  *Siri*, why are you so great? 
*Siri*:  I am what I am.  
OR 
*Siri*:  I just am, I guess.

Me:  *Siri*, you're sexy.
*Siri*:  I am?
Me:  Yes.
*Siri*:  I thought so.

And, finally, the answer to that question I've been pondering as I make my Christmas list and check it twice ... and so I ask:

Me:  *Siri*, what do you want for Christmas?*
*Siri*:  I have very few wants.  

Ahhh... My e-Personal Assistant, *Siri*.  She's the best.

White Radish with Chopped Radish Greens Recipe

SmartCooks here.


I bought a new cookbook the other day -- The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking.  800 pages filled with more than than 500 recipes, with fresh produce, herbs, curries and adapted for North Americans.  It's written by a well-renowned cook, Yumana Devi, and from what I can see, she and Madhur Jaffrey, cover many aspects of Indian cuisine.  

I said I wouldn't buy another cookbook but, after leafing through this one for 15 minutes, resistance was clearly futile. The ultimate rationale was a chance to use some of the more than hundred spices that I have crammed into my cupboard and that grace my kitchen walls.  Blame the Spice Hunters, the funky Montreal-based spice shop that also makes it way too easy to order spices on-line.  


The recipe I chose is "White Radish with Chopped Radish Greens".  And, yes, it took me a few stores to track down the radishes -- white, daikon (known as mooli) and breakfast red.  But, totally worth it.  the second challenge was looking for radishes with the green tops still on.  I found some but also used kale.  You can also use a bunch of Swiss chard, spinach or mustard greens.  In this recipe, the radish tops and kale are steamed, which reduces their volume considerably.  

A word about North Indian cooking.  I'm a complete novice in this world.  I'm doing complete trial and error i.e., if it tastes great.... it's a keeper.  In reading up on this recipe, I learned that in the Kashmir area of India, the oil would likely be mustard oil; while in the Punjab area, peanut oil would more likely be used.  

Ghee (clarified butter) is completely easy to make but also readily available so I buy it.  It lasts for a long time in the fridge.  

I adapted this recipe slightly by using all 3 types of radishes.  You can use just one or two types, depending on the quantity you need.  The dish is easy to assemble, in about 20-30 minutes all in. A perfect choice for an evening dinner side dish or gracing a salad.  Enjoy!  

A Word about the Spices

Cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne are all readily available spices.  Finding Ajwain seeds can take a little work but is well worth the effort from a taste-bud point of view.  Ajwain seeds have a strong smell reminiscent of thyme.  It is commonly mixed with coriander and cumin to season chicken and fish and works well with root vegetable dishes.  




White Radish with Chopped Radish Greens 

Ingredients:
2-3 white radishes
5-6 medium-sized red radishes
2-3 daikon radishes 
1/2 lb radish greens (or substitute Swiss chard, spinach or kale), washed, trimmed and chopped 
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 T coriander seeds
1/4 tsp Ajwain seeds
3 T ghee, mustard or peanut oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or paprika
2 tsp maple or brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh lime or lemon juice

Preparation:

Wash and trim the radishes.  Cut white radishes and daikon into 1/4 inch pieces; thinly slice the round variety.  Place the radishes in a steaming basket, lay the greens on top, and steam for up to 15 minutes or until tender-crisp.  

Combine the cumin, coriander and Ajwain seeds in a small bowl. In pan, heat the ghee or oil over high heat.  When it is hot (not smoking), add the spice seeds and fry them until they darken a few shades.

Seconds later, add the radishes and greens.  Stir in the turmeric, cayenne or paprika and sweeter (either maple or brown sugar).  Reduce the heat to moderate and fry for 4-5 minutes, remove from heat, add salt and lime or lemon juice and toss to mix well.  

Enjoy! 

Aside: Book Launch!

Hi all:

Bob and Anne Marie are thrilled to announce that Professor Ilya Parkins, Coordinator of Gender and Women's Studies at the Okanagan Campus of the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, British Columbia, is about to officially launch her first solo book -- Poiret, Dior, and Schiaparelli:  Fashion, Feminism and Modernity -- on December 10, 2012, at a bookstore in Toronto, Ontario.  

Using memoirs, interviews and writings, the book explores changing notions of femininity in the early decades of the 20th century, when the democratization of fashion began.  It looks at fashion's ambivalent approach to women by both celebrating and vilifying them.  The text will be used by professors, scholars and students of gender studies, cultural studies, and history.

To mark the launch, Bob and Anne Marie are pleased to host a drop-in with Ilya on Friday, December 7, 2012, in Ottawa, at our house.  We would be delighted if you would join  with us in a shout out to congratulate her on the publication of this book, which is available at Chapters and through Amazon.ca.

Smitten Kitchen Book Launch Tour

November 2012

SmartCooks here. Facebook seems to want to delete text soooo.... I'm reverting to the blog.  

Although I’m so work-occupied these days ;), I retained enough memory to pre-order an advance copy of the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, which arrived this week and perked up my day. It's a sturdy book with its 105-plus recipes, 85 of them vegetarian, and 300+ full- colour photos.

It’s the long-awaited cookbook from the first food blogger I found when I started the SmartCooks blog. Smitten Kitchen author Deb Perelman has been blogging her kitchen creations for the past four years from a tiny New York kitchen. The recipes on the blog, and now in the cookbook, are based on seasonal produce from her local farmer's market, and come complete with her signature style of photographing food. 
Her writing style is witty and engaging – each one of her entries leads to hundreds of enthusiastic comments from her loyal followers, myself included. 

Her book launch tour was delayed due to Superstorm Sandy and lack of power in her home! But she has two gigs in Vancouver (Nov 6 and 7), with one on CBC already sold out. She will be in Toronto on November 16 at the George Brown Chef School and it too is nearly sold out! 

I bought my copy of the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook from Amazon.ca and am prepping a Sunday night dinner of mushroom bourguignon, (http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon), a worthy choice after Husband and I brave the cold and rake up the oodles of bags of soggy leaves. Enjoy!

And update:  Leftovers!  Am watching the results of the U.S. Presidential election, a nail biter, and eating leftovers.   Yumm.'

Weekend Refresher with Za'atar-Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts

October 2012

SmartCooks here.  It was a whirlwind week of cross-country flying on oversold/late planes (!) and meetings with close to 600 people -- in person and by teleconference and videoconference -- plus a rapid tour of the services for veterans at a military base.  

This weekend ... back on ground zero ... offers a breather to chill with Za'atar-Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts.  

It's the second time I've made this dip, and results from both trials are the same -- refreshing, unique, pleasing taste and low-fat dish if you use the hazelnuts and goat cheese in moderation.  

The first time I made it with red beets and it turned out very close to the colour in pix at right (from Food and Wine).  

The second time I made it with golden and Chioggia (or candycane, pix left) heirloom beets, resulting in a lighter coloured dish.


Za'atar-spiced beet dip can be used as a spread, as an appetizer with whole wheat crackers from a Smitten Kitchen recipe or even a light dinner with wholewheat pita.    

A word about Za'atar 

I've written about my discovery of and use of za'atar before on SmartCooks and once again encourage trying it.  It's both a herb (known as the 'King of Herbs' in the Middle East) and a spice blend.  The herb is rarely exported so in North America we tend to find a variation of the spices depending on the region (as in photo right).

It's a versatile spice blend that can be used in a variety of dishes -- from meats and rice to veggies, dips and breads. It can be bought mixed or try a variety of recipes for it, which typically involve thyme, marjoram, oregano, sumac and roasted sesame seeds.  

Enjoy! 

Za'atar-Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts

Ingredients:
6 medium beets, or about 1.5 lbs 
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 small red chile, seeded and minced
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 0% fat)
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1.5 T pure maple syrup
1 T za'atar
Kosher salt
1/4 cup roasted skinned hazelnuts, chopped
2 T goat cheese, crumbled
2  scallions, thinly sliced 
Interesting bread, wholewheat pita, or crackers, for serving 

Directions:

Preheat the over to 350 degrees.  Place beets in a roasting pan and add 1/4 cup of water, cover with foil and bake, until tender, about 1 hour.  Let cool slightly, peel, and cut beets into wedges, then transfer to a food processor.

Add garlic, chile and yogurt to food processor and pulse until blended.  Add the olive oil, maple syrup, and za'atar and puree.  Season with salt.  

Scrape into a wide, shallow bowl.  Scatter roasted hazelnuts, goal cheese and scallions on top and serve with bread, crackers or wholewheat pita.

Thai Chile-Lime Cashews

October 2012 

SmartCooks here.  For Thanksgiving dinner, you don't usually need much in the way of appetizers. This year Bon Appetit was featuring light appetizers and I found and tried Thai Chile-Lime Cashews.  They worked well, especially set out in cute little bowls in the living and dining rooms.  Plus a small bowl for the cook!  

I preferred making my own mostly because you can control the sodium level.  In this version you get only about one-third of what you find in store-bought versions.  Plus, this appetizer is super simple to make and cheaper than the packaged brands!  

I found all the ingredients, i.e., the dried chiles de arbol, ground ancho chiles and kaffir leaves at my favourite local, organic Herb and Spice store.  

Despite the chiles, this is not a super-spicy dish. The lime cools it off considerably.  To borrow a phrase ... Bet you can't eat just one!  Bon Appetit-izer! 

Ingredients: 

4 cups raw cashews (definitely unsalted) 

15 dried chiles de arbol, pix below

10 kaffir lime leaves cut in 1/4 inch slices

2 T melted unsalted butter

2 T vegetable oil (I used safflower) 

1 T kosher salt (or less... up to you) 

1.5 tsp ground ancho chiles (pix right) 

2 T finely grated lime zest 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. 

Combine cashews, dried chiles de arbol, kaffir lime leaves, unsalted butter, vegetable oil, kosher salt and ancho chiles in a large bowl and toss to coat.  Spread nut mixture in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.

Roast, stirring occasionally, until cashews are evenly toasted, about 20 minutes. Let nut mixture cool completely on sheet on a wire rack. Transfer nuts to a large bowl and toss with the grated lime zest. 

This appetizer can be made up to 2 days ahead of the event and leftovers stored in a tight container at room temperature for awhile (I don't know for how long... they didn't last).

South Indian Beef Curry with Rice or Quinoa

SmartCooks here.

The Canadian three-day holidays are just fine.  Almost over though.  Darn.  I'm leaving on a jet plane again tomorrow... this time to Halifax and then C'Town, then next week across the country to various locations talking to the regional folks. Wish I had good news to impart ... tough six months ahead.  

As I expected with this new position ... month 3 ... blogging is difficult.  Cooking is difficult.  Eating healthy is difficult. Carving out 45 minutes 2x a week for Greco's personal training is difficult as is timing a rockin' Goodlife cardio class.  

To take back life, I found a delicious recipe in my Food and Wine app for South Indian Beef Curry with Rice.  I skipped the fragrant basmati rice in favour of a medley of quinoa (black, red, and white) mixed with a bit of leftover Israeli couscous.  The dish was a completely divine Saturday dinner-with-movie affair, definitely worth searching out boneless beef short ribs at the butcher and asking him or her to cut it into 3/4 inch slices or, better yet, cubes.  Saslove's Meat Market even found me local hormone ones, much to my delight.  No worries about any XL meat in my life.   

South Indian Beef Curry is super simple to prepare, a one-pot meal, that simmers for 90 minutes to end up a tender, well-blended, not too hot, meal.  It's a keeper.  All the spices can be found at whatever local version of a Herb and Spice you have in your area, including the dried Chili Peppers (left) that are a staple of mine for Thai and Indian curries.  

South Indian Cuisine

I did a bit of research to understand the style and characteristics of South Indian cuisine.  I couldn't possibly do it justice here but most sites seem to agree that most South Indian food is based on some type of rice, often eaten with a curry.  Food tends to have a generous, but balanced, amount of spices in both the vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes of the region.  Tempering of dishes tends to include a mixture of oil, curry leaves, red chiles etc.  So... 

Enjoy! 

South Indian Beef Curry with Rice  

Ingredients:  

2 T canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
12 fresh curry leaves (hard to find so I used dry) or 2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, grated
4 tsp finely grated and peeled fresh ginger 
1 T tomato paste (the tubes of tomato paste are fabulo), dissolved in 1/2 cup of water
2 tsp ground coriander 
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
4 small dried hot chiles
4 star anise pods (pictured, right) 
2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
1 3/4 lbs boneless beef short ribs, 
cut into 3/4 inch pieces 
Salt (I used kosher salt)

Directions:

In a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron casserole, heat the canola oil until shimmering.

Add the onion and curry leaves and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. 

Add the garlic and ginger and cook until aromas develop, about 1 minute.

Stir in the tomato paste dissolved in water, along with the coriander, garam masala, cayenne, turmeric, dried chiles, star anise and cinnamon sticks.  

Add the ribs, season with salt and stir until coated with the spices.  Cover partially and cook over very low heat until the meat is tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.  

Spoon off any fat and discard the star anise, cinnamon sticks and any bay leaves, if using.  I also took out some of the dried chiles.

Serve over rice e.g., basmati or whole wheat.  Quinoa, Israeli couscous or any type of whole grain are always options.