The 100 Foot Journey is an appropriate title of a film that brought close friends a little closer. I’ve long been a fan of a good food movie.The list probably began when I read Like Water for Chocolate, and then enjoyed the film because it stayed so true to the short but sweet little novel. Then came, Big Night which we saw on New Year’s Eve, because we must have known it was going to be pretty special! That sets me off on a tangent, there is Mostly Martha, Tortilla Soup, Babette’s Feast, Eat Drink Man Woman, and Chocolat. What others have I missed?
So when a friend mentioned having her own little “foodie-movie” fest, she recommended that Chef and The 100 Foot Journey be added to my list. That’s all it took for me to think up an excuse to create a movie night around one of my favorite cuisines: Indian! I’m lucky to know a group of intrepid food lovers and they signed on right away.
The concept was simple. Place a carry-out order from a good Indian restaurant and watch The 100 Foot Journey after the feast. It didn’t hurt that I’m learning French and the film is set in Provence (although the script was dumbed down and Anglicized to the point where the French speaking locals would say “Hello” instead of “Bonjour” to each other!) Mon dieu!
So here’s a look at what we shared from TAVA a gem of a place in Morton Grove, Illinois.
Appetizers
Momo – stuffed, steamed dumplings seasoned with Himalayan herbs and spices served with an exotic Nepalese sauce
Calamari Bhaji – tender calamari and chopped onions tossed in a chickpea, rice and corn-flour batter, lightly fried in canola oil and served with chutney
Entrees
Tava Fish Tandoori – fresh, tender morsels of catfish marianated with signature spice blend, and roasted to perfection in a tandoor
Samundri Mixed Grill – salmon, catfish and whitefish marinated in yogurt sauce, roasted in a clay oven, served with roasted onions, fresh bell peppers, tomoatoes and spicy chili peppers
Lamb Curry – Fresh tender boneless lamb cooked with traditional mughalai spices, onion and saffron.
Family Dinner for 4 – Tandoori chicken (6 pieces of dark meat) or Tandoori Vegetables, Chicken Makhani, Chicken Tikka Masala or Chana Saag, Dal Makhani or Dal Tadka, Peas Pulao
Steamed Basmati Rice & Bread Basket – Plyazi Kulcha, Paneer Kulcha, Roti, Garlic Naan, and Plain Naan
Desserts
Desi Kheer – fragrant, traditional rice pubbing with raisins and almonds
Carrot Halwa – homemade carrot pudding cooked with cashew and almond, served hot
TAVA!!! I still have that craving
What a wonderful idea, and as your favorite cousin I should have been invited! What 2000 miles for a good free dinner? Dee and I leave for Puglia Italy soon, which is the heel of the Italian boot. Still undiscovered by massive crowds of tourist it’s suppose to be quiet, peaceful and still untouched. And imagine, Italian food everywhere. We seem to lean towards Italian food when we dine, I guess another gift from my father. To me it’s the perfect food, and who invented it? Italians, so there ya go!
I’m finishing up a few books now. It’s taken two years but I’m almost done with “The rise and fall of the third reich”, only another 100 pages. (Please if you know how it ends don’t spoil it for me. I’ll tell you this Hitler guy is a real nut case. What a bigot! And anti-Semitic? You just wouldn’t believe!)
I’ll finish tomorrow Dr. Sleep by Stephen King. A friend warned me not to do it. He’ll never step in the King pool again, and he was right. I can’t wait for it to be over. Remember how upset you were with the lame endings? Well he’s back.
Finally “Wild Tales by Graham Nash”. A lot of great memories. He writes about performing in NJ, August 8, 1974 the night Nixon resigned, and I was at that concert. What a trip. Very enjoyable read, all the great names and performers coming together.
CARRY ON, LOVE IS COMING TO US ALL…
It was a fun evening! What a great re-cap & explanation of your love for foodie-movies!!!