Time for the Louisville Street Faire

Yes, it's that time of the year when Friday evenings mean a convergence by the railroad tracks across from the library for some live music, local artists, good food and micro-brews. I've said it before that Louisville Street Faire rocks and I am going to say it again! It's grown bigger and more popular - something we really like!

His first Banh-mi

He bought it from the strEAT Chefs at the window of their Airstream trailer. He couldn't stop raving about the fresh flavors.

With Laura, co-owner of strEAT Chefs 

I was very excited to meet Chef Hosea in person!

Kelly and Chef Hosea are all smiles

I always knew my friend Paul did good work but you have to see what he and his team did with this Airstream trailer to convert it into a gleaming mobile kitchen for strEAT Chefs!

The strEAT Chefs debut their Airstream trailer at Louisville Street Faire

I know I will be going back to try the rest of their menu!

strEAT Chefs couldn't have picked a better venue!

The mobile kitchen team

The strEAT Chefs mobile kitchen will be at Louisville Street Faire every Friday through August 13. To keep track of where else they can be found, check out their calendar, follow them on Twitter and bookmark their web site.

I am so glad I kept my promise to Medha and took her to the Street Faire! It was my father's 25th anniversary and it made me very sad to realize that he has been gone for more than half my life. I don't stop to wonder what my life might have been like had he not passed away at such a young age because I really know no other nor do I want any different; but I do wonder how our lives would be different today - in the now - if he were here with us. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else but me. Strangely enough, embracing the sadness gave me the energy to make one of his favorite dishes, kheer. Except, as with everything else, I took a major shortcut because the Street Faire was calling. There was no time to meditate or stir.

Kheer

• 1 tsp ghee
• 1/2 cup basmati rice, uncooked
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 pint half-and-half
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 3-4 pods of green cardamom
• a few strands of saffron

Delectable

1. Wash the basmati rice in several changes of water and drain.
2. Melt the ghee in a small saucepan and add the uncooked rice.
3. Stir the rice for a couple of minutes, then add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and when the water level has dropped to below that of the rice, cover and turn the heat to low. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until the rice is completely cooked.
4. In another pot, heat whole milk and half-and-half and simmer, stirring occasionally.
5. Break open the cardamom pods and pry out the seeds. Pound just the seeds in a mortar pestle. Set aside the pods for another use (coming in a later post).
6. Once the rice has cooked, toss it lightly with a fork and add it to the milk mixture.
7. Add agave nectar and cardamom powder. Mix well.
8. Cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time until the mixture thickens and reduces to a consistency of your liking.
9. Add saffron and serve warm or chilled, as part of the main meal.

Sweet

Notes:

• This is very similar to the western rice pudding except that it has no eggs. Kheer is made on special occasions and is part of the naivedya or prasad offered to the Gods. By virtue of that, there can be no eggs in this dish.
• There are versions of rice pudding that have coconut milk but not our kheer, which only has regular milk.
• Ghee helps the rice cook into long separate grains instead of clumping together. Use butter if you don't have ghee.
• Typically, our kheer is not very thick and is rather runny. I like to reduce the milk because we prefer it that way.
• I make this with leftover steamed basmati rice, too.
• Feel free to adjust the amount of sweetener to your taste. I like to start with 1/8th cup and increase the amount of agave nectar by a tablespoon until I get it right.
• Or use between 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup sugar instead of agave nectar.