Lentils, Lentils, Lentils: Let the Cooking Series Begin!

Daal (lentils) was a staple food in our home growing up. We ate Daal at least once a week. First, it would fly solo with some rice and chapatti. Then, the leftovers served as a side to compliment other dishes for the remainder of the week.  It was like the dish that just kept giving  and giving and giving. Reflecting back on those weekly Daal days,  it was amazing how 1 cup of daal could be part of our  family meals for multiple days. A little sure went along way!  Not only in quantity, but also nutritionally. And all this for not a ton of cash! I can see myself going down the philosophical path on the karmic value of this staple Indian/Pakistani dish, so I think I better stop myself before I begin to ramble and forget my point. However, before I get to it, I also have to mention the numerous types of daals and the variety of recipes that are floating in this ether. My imagination can only ponder so far when I begin thinking about the regional differences and then break it down further by city, then town, then village, then neighbor and faith. It’s endless. All I know is  I want to try as many Daals as I can in my lifetime! This being said, I also want to share the Daals I grew up eating, many of which I have yet to see in Northern California Indian or Pakistani restaurants. So, in addition to  serving up my favorite Daals when i pop open the café,  in July Chit Chaat Chai’ will also hold a 3-part cooking series on you guessed it – DAAL!

The 3-part cooking series will be held on 3 consecutive Thursdays beginning, July 12^th, 2012 at 6:30pm in Oakland. Each class will demonstrate how to cook one of my three favorite Daal recipes beginning with quick and easy Daal and ending with a more complex Daal. In addition to sharing my three favorite Daal recipes, each class will also discuss the medicinal benefits of the spices and Ayurvedic (a 5000 year old Indian veda meaning "the science of life") principles in relation to food, the seasons and our eating/cooking practices. After the demo and interactive discussion we will sit down together and enjoy a meal in good spirit! All are welcome to join, no matter what your skill level.

 Click here for class detail

First Gathering in Oakland

Take 2 in Oakland turned out so lovely! I was worried it was going to be either too hot to enjoy a warm meal or too cold to eat in our lovely garden where we are visited daily by squirrels, butterflies, hummingbirds & of course our resident cats Poppy & Jack.

But it was a purrrfect weather! 70 degrees with a slight breeze and plenty of California sun. 

 

After lunch we transitioned from our love of food to crafting folk-art inspired stuff animals with love.  

 In partnership with my dear friend Robbyn McGill's organization Animals for Africa, we made a variety of stuffed animals for the KAYDA orphanage in Uganda.

 Crafting with a group of lovely ladies then inspired us to watch How to Make an American Quilt and go down memory lane with the Quilting Bee ladies. Total nerd moment.. but super fun!

They all turned out super cute!

Thank you all for coming and supporting our first event and partnership !

Take 2

After a two-year hiatus, a journey through graduate school, retuning from Toronto to the Golden State and beginning a new adventure in Oakland, Chit Chaat Chai will pop open for lunch on Sunday, June 24^th from 12-1pm. Since we celebrated new beginnings with Spring/Navrooz for the café’s first opening,  it seems appropriate after a winter in Toronto to open the second time around a few days after the first day of summer. As the daylight hours now slowly begin to shorten, celebrating sunshine and all the warmth it brings is a little too picture frame perfect to represent the second opening. It makes me go hmm…cuz my normal is not “practically perfect in everyway”. But hey… when in Rome, we must eat!

On Sunday, June 24^th, Chit Chaat Chai will partner with Animals for Africa: Love Made Tangible, a non-profit arts program that benefits and empowers vulnerable women and children through art workshops/education to develop and support hand-crafting cooperatives in impoverished villages. To support the program’s mission, founder Robbyn Alexander McGill has developed folk-art inspired stuffed animal crafting kits to promote crafting circles here in the states.  The cute little creations are then given to vulnerable children as tokens of love. This Sunday retreat, Animals for Uganda will be hosted at the Animals for Africa's headquarters in Oakland, CA.  Crafters of all skill ranges are welcome to create stuffed animals for the KAYDA Orphanage in Kampala and raise funds for their youth art program - In Movement- Art for Social Change. Prior to the crafting party, I will serve up a some fare to fill the belly followed by a cup of cardamom chai at tea time for those who are participating in the crafting circle. (if you would like to host your own crafting circle click here)

Menu

Served together:

Masoor daal - red lentil stewed with pungent spices, herbs, garlic, ginger and a squeeze of citrus

Qunioa infused with garam masalas

On the side:

Roasted sesame cabbage salad with ginger-lime-cilantro dressing

Chopped beets for a little something sweet

BYOA

All food is sourced locally, organic + local when available, cooked with ayurvedic principles and l-o-v-e 

Donation Requested $10 (for lunch)
Tax deductible donation for Animals for Africa $25 (includes chai)

Buy your ticket online here or donate at the door

Space is limited. Reservations Required. Please RSVP

Animals for Africa
1119 E. 15th Street
Oakland, CA 94606