A dear friend of Kev and I, Barbara, also shares a certain – what do you call it – “foodie-love” with us. It is evening in our tiny, romantically-lit, 1970’s inspired kitchen in the Berkshires, and Kevin hands me a recipe. (By romantically-lit, we’re talking one little baby lamp on the counter top and a floor-to-ceiling thing we picked up at Wally World; and by 1970’s inspired, I mean pieced together actually in 1970…)

Along with the recipe from Barbara is a bag full of exotic and fragrant, dark green Kari leaves. Just looking at them and taking in the aroma makes me wonder what traveling to India would actually be like. They appear strong and glossy and feel silky under my hands.

Earlier, I put good use to the grocery list from Kevin, happily searching for ingredients for the dinner (what is Garam Masala?) gliding up and down the aisles of Guidos. Plus, I was eagerly anticipating the taste of the homemade curry powder my very talented chef cousin, Gregg, gifted me with on Christmas. (All about him on another day, I promise.)

Here are the ingredients.

Isn’t this watercress outrageous?

I chiffonade the Kari leaves by layering them all into a stack…

Rolling them tightly…

And slicing thinly on a slant. For such little strips they are abundant with robust fragrance.

I use chicken instead of shrimp in these photos (taken at a later date in a different kitchen) to add my own variation to the recipe.

Pressto. As the meal comes together and the whole apartment fills up with intense and deep, complex aroma, I feel India in my heart and decide that one day I will travel there.

For the recipe, click here. Thanks Barbara 😉

Have you been to India? What recipes in your file inspire you to travel?