Photo: Emma Haberman

Chicken Kapitan is a popular Malaysian curry developed by the Peranakan, the descendants of early Chinese immigrants to Malaysia. The Kapitans were the chiefs of various ethnic communities in present-day Indonesia and Malaysia; Kapitan China, for example, was the title for the representative who linked the Malay rulers to the country’s Chinese enclave. True to its name, Chicken Kapitan mingles Chinese and Malaysian cooking tradition, resulting in a unique sweet and spicy flavor.

Kapitan is a thick, spicy curry whose base is a chili pepper paste – much spicier than traditional Chinese dishes. Traditional Kapitan uses lemongrass and coconut milk to balance the intense spiciness and deepen the flavor. Other key ingredients include “belacan”, a shrimp paste that enhances the curry’s flavor, dried chilies, and a turmeric powder marinade. The curry is usually served with crispy shallots, which add texture as well as cutting a bit of the spice. Read More

Photo: Emma Haberman

Nervous about the arrival of a chilly fall? Make it a chili fall! Summer and sunshine are all well and good, but I’ve been secretly waiting for crisp autumn to settle in. Sure it was hard to say goodbye to flip flops, barbecues, and fresh corn, but their departure makes room for cozy sweaters, tailgates and chili. As the temperature drops and the days shorten, chili is comfort in a bowl. Warm, hearty, full of flavor and spice…it just doesn’t get much better than a steaming bowl of chili on an October afternoon.

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Photo: Greg Peverill-Conti

As the season changes and dusky moods replace light and effervescence, desire beckons sultry alternatives.  The cooler weather makes us prime candidate for earthy tones and scents which tickle the back of the throat and ultimately, warm it up. Despite the ice, this ginger cocktail will do exactly that. Ginger is a palate pleaser and yet its responsibilities go beyond taste. A healing hand, this magical ingredient is considered to nudge that autumnally challenged immune system in the right direction. Today’s glass of bliss personified with muddled ginger, cherries and a kiss of cayenne, may prompt you to have more than just the one. Salut! Read More

Photo: Serene Vannoy

As the weather starts getting colder, the blistering frozen winds, loss of dexterity, and the ever-present climate freezing your appendages can make tailgating at wintery football games a formidable task.  But for those dedicated individuals who wouldn’t even think of throwing in the towel, here’s a chili that is not only sure to warm your insides, but also blow your taste buds right out of your tongue.

Whoever decided to put beer and coffee into chili was either a madman or a genius.  Either way, this chili’s good! Read More

Photo: Marla Meridith

Can you believe we just celebrated the last long weekend of summer? I hope yours was filled with all kinds of wonderful memories. Guess what? It is officially my favorite time of year. We are starting to feel a whisper of cool fall air roll in and it is wonderful. Pretty soon markets will be full of pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and other great autumn produce. We will all tuck inside a little more and crave warmer foods. Chili, stews, and casseroles start to replace summer salads and typical “picnic” foods.

When we were recently in Telluride, I prepared us a giant batch of this elk chili. If you have never tried elk, be prepared for a treat. Read More

Photo: Adam Macchia

KITCHEN DAILY VIDEO

August nights call for festive dinners made with refreshing ingredients. I like how light and cool this chili lime shrimp tastes.

In the mood for another light summer dish, try my Mediterranean Chicken Salad. Read More

Photo: Rena Unger

Vitamin E, along with vitamins A, D & K, is a fat soluble micronutrient. The presence of fat at the time of digestion is necessary for the body to absorb this nutrient. A diet low in fat is often a contributor to Read More

Photo: Madeleine Ignon

Chili is mostly foolproof, hence its appeal. Plus, it feels like it can go with almost any time of year, especially in San Francisco where it’s warm and sunny one day and cold and overcast the next.

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My favorite Texas dish is chili-it’s a fantastic one pot dish that’s easy on a weeknight. The secret ingredient, Mexican chocolate, makes this dish really special.

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Photo: Lindsay Hunt

This is a hearty stew, great for a mid-week meal.

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