The Indian food that you get to eat and learn at Soma's Kitchen is very different from the Indian food served at the restaurants in America. The food that you find in most Indian restaurants in US is an anglicized version of Mogul food from Northern India. That is not what we eat in India. In fact, I am very hard pressed to define "Indian" food. India has 35 states and territories, each with its unique culture - dress, cuisine, language, script, customs, rituals, etc. There are some common spices and techniques in cooking, but the recipes vary significantly across the country and sometimes even in adjacent homes with family tradition defining the flavor mix. So, I cringe when people call out a generic 'Indian curry powder' and feel really sad when Indian cuisine is portrayed in such uni-dimensional color.
At Soma's Kitchen, I teach home-style cooking focusing on the techniques and the play of spices when applied at different phases of the cooking process yields different results. I want to equip my students with the knowledge and not mere recipes to replicate. I compare this to the art of painting - I teach you how to draw and about colors and textures, you then go on to create your own painting. Some techniques are simple and fast that create a quick-fix meal, some are more complex and yield a more rich and layered flavor. I believe that when students are armed with the knowledge, they can create miracles! I look forward to hearing about their lessons learned and successes...
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Typical Cooking Class
Each Soma's Kitchen class is custom created based on the interests and tastes of the participants. Menu is determined with the class participants. We could go for familiar Indian dishes (e.g. those available in restaurants) or try something new and exotic. The usual format is an appetizer + two course meal + dessert. We could skip the appetizer and just do a three course meal. We could choose a region of India and create a cuisine from that region or can just do a mix of dishes from all over India. It's totally up to the class to decide.
Picking the menu is key and pricing depends on it. My classes have been from basic ($45 per person) to really exotic ($70 per person). For the most part, the ingredients determine the price. Seafood/fish is a bit expensive while beef/chicken/pork not so much.We usually have eight to 10 students in a class.
The classes have the following format:
I expect that the students will participate in the prep and cooking process. We will also have several tasting exercises. Please come prepared to slice and dice, and don't forget to bring an apron.
We do a lot of birthday parties, bridal showers, anniversary parties, or just plain family and friends gatherings. It is a fun exercise, to gather together and learn and cook.
At Soma's Kitchen, I teach home-style cooking focusing on the techniques and the play of spices when applied at different phases of the cooking process yields different results. I want to equip my students with the knowledge and not mere recipes to replicate. I compare this to the art of painting - I teach you how to draw and about colors and textures, you then go on to create your own painting. Some techniques are simple and fast that create a quick-fix meal, some are more complex and yield a more rich and layered flavor. I believe that when students are armed with the knowledge, they can create miracles! I look forward to hearing about their lessons learned and successes...
Connect with Soma's Kitchen at:
Yelp
 |
| Fried Fish |
Typical Cooking Class
Each Soma's Kitchen class is custom created based on the interests and tastes of the participants. Menu is determined with the class participants. We could go for familiar Indian dishes (e.g. those available in restaurants) or try something new and exotic. The usual format is an appetizer + two course meal + dessert. We could skip the appetizer and just do a three course meal. We could choose a region of India and create a cuisine from that region or can just do a mix of dishes from all over India. It's totally up to the class to decide.
Picking the menu is key and pricing depends on it. My classes have been from basic ($45 per person) to really exotic ($70 per person). For the most part, the ingredients determine the price. Seafood/fish is a bit expensive while beef/chicken/pork not so much.We usually have eight to 10 students in a class.
The classes have the following format:
- Introductions
- About India, it's culture and cuisine
- Get familiar with the spices
- Recipe discussion
- Prep work
- Cooking
- Enjoying!
I expect that the students will participate in the prep and cooking process. We will also have several tasting exercises. Please come prepared to slice and dice, and don't forget to bring an apron.
We do a lot of birthday parties, bridal showers, anniversary parties, or just plain family and friends gatherings. It is a fun exercise, to gather together and learn and cook.