Here is what was on the menu:
- Tilapia Fillets in Coconut-Tamarind Curry
- Roasted Cauliflower with Garam Masala
- Spiced Bulgar Wheat and Zucchini Salad
My male Indian friend arrived early and brought basmati rice and frozen veggie samosas (Indian filled pastries). I had never prepared samosas before, so he instructed me to deep-fry them.
"But I never deep fry anything! That's so unhealthy! Plus, it wastes SO much oil," I exclaimed in protest. He argued and told me that it was how his mom prepares samosas. Since one of my life missions is to learn everyone's mom's cooking methods, I obliged.
I felt very skeptical as I emptied the last of my vegetable oil into the pot and turned the heat up to high. "Wow, this is taking forever to heat up," I thought. So, I proceeded to cover the pot using a glass lid with a metal handle, just like I would when boiling water. Rachael Ray will forever (and obnoxiously) preach to America that "A watched pot never boils -- so put a lid on it!" and clearly, she has indoctrinated me.
Many minutes later, I finally glanced at the pot and noticed that the clear glass had turned very brown and was starting to steam. I quickly picked up the lid off of the pot, minus a a pot holder, discovering that the lid was extremely hot. Then, the following happened in a span of about 5 seconds:
