Indian food:An amateur with a view

So, I know very little about Indian food. It's really a damn shame. My first experience with Indian food only happened a couple of years ago and I've LOVED it ever since!

Don't know the different plates other than tandoori, masala, and curry...oh and naan. I don't consider myself an expert on Indian food but I do consider myself an expert eater...or as I like to say a whore for food. Let's face it friends...I am. For some unknown reason people love feeding me. I don't know why. Could it be that I'll try anything? Or eat anything? Maybe. I'd like to think that I make an excellent companion at the dinner table. Talking about world issues, and down economics...ok, maybe not those things. More like the unreal reality shows we watch to make us feel better about ourselves. And of course sexual innuendos I murder with each "normal" conversation. Am I really that shallow? I'm working on it!

Yet another wonderful dinner party at Howie's. This time the cooks were Jenne and Howie the dynamic duo that brought us Big Night:Timpano Extravaganza. I am the silent partner, or so I'd like to think. For one, any idea we have about food, they're always game. So, we cook it out and BAM dinner. Okay, maybe I don't "help" with the cooking. I'm the silent partner because I just shut up and eat.

This night the players were Todd, Greg, Miko, Jenne, Howie and well me:). Miko and Todd brought mango lassi. Miko's was homemade and delicious. Todd's was store bought but also a delicious substitute. Now, onto the food.

The menu:

Lamb in Yogurt Cardamom sauce

Cornish Hens in Apricot sauce

Saag(Greens with cubes of cheese)

Buttered smothered cabbage and cauliflower

Sour Mango relish

Paratha(flatbread)

Raita(yummy yogurt dip)

Jasmine rice

Yeah dude. That's what I said!

We sat down at the large dinning room table and began to dig in to the different plates all over the place. The foundation of rice, set up for me to add all the goodies. The Lamb in Yogurt Cardamom sauce was so delicious. The hens were just fallin' off the bone. I mean EVERYthing was spectacular. This night was awesome. AMAZING food.

We sat around picking here and there. Couldn't quite put the forks down. We talked about accents, and languages...one of my favorite subjects. Got good laughs at those who could do all the different ones in the US well. I think Todd won that contest. That's what dinners should be about. The rituals of eating. Great food+Great conversation. My life doesn't suck. It actually rocks.