Da Hair
Posted by Aarti on September 9th, 2010 . Filed under: Uncategorized .It’s funny what people notice about you. I assume people notice my constantly erupting skin (curse you gluten!) or my “ample” hips… but more than anything, people ask me about my hair!
While I have learned to tame this near-Medusa mane of mine now, it was not always this way. See, when I was born, my hair was so straight, my skin so fair, my eyes so almond-shaped that the nurses thought I was Filipino!
And while I’m showing baby pictures, here’s another.
Aren’t Indian babies just the cutest?
Perhaps I’m biased.
But then, dear hearts, then… cruel puberty hit. And my hair decided she no longer wanted the glossy good-girl lustre of my Filipino hair. Nope. She decided to run for the hills! In every different direction! And so, I present you with… the awkward years.
Oh.
Yeah.
Do you ever have those moments when you look back at your teen years and wonder whether they were really that bad?
This photo reminds me that, yes, YES… they really were. And that’s sort of comforting to me. The idea that, I wasn’t over-reacting. It wasn’t just the hormones coursing through my body. It really was awful.
Side note: should you want to nick this photo and share on the internet as if it’s something I should be ashamed of… go ahead. I’m not ashamed of it. Puh-leeze. We all go through this awkward stage; that’s what gives us depth and character! Don’t pretend like you didn’t. Unless you really didn’t. In which case I am doing very best not to be jealous. 
Also, to any of you going through an awkward stage right now — don’t worry. Your heart is what matters the most. This too shall pass.
So yeah. THAT happened. Now, after years of going to different stylists and trying everything from gel to pomade to leave-in conditioner, I can tell you the only things that work for this curly-haired mane of mine. (Disclaimer: I’m not sponsored by any of these products so I’m not making a dime off this post. Just letting my curly-haired sisters and bros know what works.)
1) Don’t wash it too often. I condition it nearly every day but I only shampoo it once a week. Curly hair is notoriously dry, so over-shampooing it only dries it out more and makes it frizz. Once a week is plenty. Every time I wet it though, I do condition it with…
2) EITHER Pantene conditioner for curly hair OR Curly, Sexy Hair’s conditioner. I go through that Pantene stuff by the gallon. Good thing it’s cheap!
3) Then, I towel-dry lightly and run Bumble & Bumble’s curling creme for coarse curls through my hair — just a small blob. (They also make it for finer hair). This stuff isn’t cheap (about $30/bottle) but it lasts me about two or three months and it’s worth it. It smooths out the frizz, and strengthens my curls. I take big sections, wrap each around my index finger to form ringlets and let it dry. If I need it dry in a hurry, I use a diffuser on the “warm” setting (not the hot — that’ll dry your hair from the outside-in, meaning it’ll turn frizzy within an hour or so). Otherwise, I let it air-dry. When it is dry, I run my fingers through the ringlets to loosen out the curls a bit.
4) Sometimes, if my hair is still too frizzy, I wet my hands and put a little of L’oreal curling mousse (comes in a gold can) on my finger tips. Then I work the mousse through sections of my hair that I want articulated, especially pieces in the front around my face. Also, if you can’t afford the Bumble & Bumble, just try using this mousse. It makes my hair a little crunchy if I don’t use the B&B first, but it’s worth a shot. It’s my favourite mousse.
And that’s it! Every now and then, if my hair gets really dry, I do a hot oil treatment using coconut oil. My mum used to do that to us every month, but these days, my hair seems glossy enough without it. I warm some coconut oil in the microwave, then work it into my hair; Mum used to massage our scalp too. Oh man that felt good! Then I leave it in for an hour and shampoo it out. I also make sure I take fish oil capsules every day. And drink tons of water!
OH! And whenever I shampoo, I deep-condition with Pantene’s hair treatment. Really good.
Phew! Never thought I’d be giving out beauty tips, but so many of you have been asking, and I KNOW what it’s like to not know how to tame your hair. You feel ugly, unkempt. I get it. So try those things out and hopefully it’ll help!
-x-
aarti
September 9th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Love your hair! I have hair envy. As for the awkward stage, I’m 45 and I think I’m STILL in mine!
September 9th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
yes, Indiah babies are just the cutest. And then they grow into beautiful women.
September 9th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Your hair is GORGEOUS! And mine is just like yours. I may take heed in your advice:-)
September 9th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
THANK YOU!!! Every time I see your hair I get major hair envy! This post is so helpful. I went through 13 years of chemically relaxing my hair until a few years ago I let it go au naturale and I’m still learning how to deal. I feel like I’m reliving the awkward hair years all over again! Love your tips – I’ll definitely be trying them, and love your cooking even more. Congrats on being the FN Star!
September 9th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
I also have curly hair–so curly that hair dressers never know what to do with it and I usually have to cut it myself. A couple products I’ve found that are life-savers: Aussie Moist conditioner, and TIGI Curls Rock #5 (Curl Amplifying Creme).
I am so so glad you won The Next Food Network Star. My husband and I made your Sloppy Bombay Joes the other night and I am officially in love with your food (we dipped tortilla chips in the leftovers and that was fantastic, too!).
September 9th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Haha Aarti, I’m a fan
and couldn’t help be amused at the Filipino references– trying to figure out how that happened, what sort of degree of separation connected you to my people. hehe 
Congratulations and I wish they’d move your show to weekday primetime soon! You’re a star indeed 
September 9th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
That is so funny that you curl your hair around your index finger because that is exactly what I do…And I don’t think anyone taught me that, I think I just did it.
What shampoo do you use when you do shampoo?
PS-As soon as you were on Food Network Star, I wanted you to win. I’m so glad you did. Think you are the best and could watch your episodes over and over and over…
September 9th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
There is a wonderful book out there for those of us with curly hair called “Curly Girl” by Lorraine Massey. It details the mostly conditioner/hardly ever shampoo method, and has a lot of nice “recipes” for your hair, too! It changed my life (and my hair!!!!)
September 9th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
I buy products from Carol’s Daughter for my daughter and have been totally thrilled with them.
And, I try not to remember those awkward years, so very brave of you to share yours like that!!!!! : )
September 9th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your sense of clothing style. What are your usual stores that you shop at? All your blouses are adorable. Thanks for the tip for curly headed chicks like us.
September 9th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
What people notice most about you is that infectious, gorgeous smile that shines in your eyes as well, but yes – you do have beautiful hair even if it rebelled more than you did in your teens.
September 9th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
First of all, congratulations. It was apparent from the beginning that you should win. You should have asked me and it would have saved you weeks of nerves.
I love the Bumble and Bumble products. I haven’t used the curling creme for couse hair as mine is fine like cotton candy. They do have a spritzing spray for fine curls, though.
I agree about the awkward stages. I look back at pictures of my sisters and me when we were little and I do not know how my folks had the courage to even take us out in public! I had thick, thick glasses and buck teeth. The worse is when the hairdresser said we all had petit features so she gave us all pixie haircuts. Oh, my goodness. All I can say is it built character!!!
September 9th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
I have curls. I have always had curls. I have a love/hate relationship with them: when they look nice, I don’t care how I look otherwise, because my nice curly hair makes me feel like a million bucks. (It’s the only thing about my appearance that I’m actually a bit vain about.)
…but if they look like they do today (I was in a hurry and just said “meh, I’ll tie my hair back”), it rather appears as if a small bush has taken residence upon the back of my head.
My hair somehow manages to be curly and oily, goodness knows how, so it has to be washed, and then I have to rinse it realllllly well because my hair does not like relinquishing that shampoo I have so lovingly applied.
If I’m going to wear it loose, I just brush it out and spritz it if I feel like doing so.
September 9th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Caption for picture #2: “Aarti. It’s what’s for dinner.”
You were (and still are) too freakin’ cute!!
September 9th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
I’m a curly girl too, very thick, very coarse, very curly girl! When I get a haircut, they stylist uses the flat iron and it used to be that for a few days I live the life of a straight haired girl, but, alas, I now live in TX and those few days have turned into a few hours. Products are my best friend and I can’t wait to try your recommendations. Right now a bandana is my hair style of choice.
September 9th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
These pictures are too funny! I look back at some of mine too, and I wonder, WHAT WAS I THINKING?!
In fact, I had remarkably straight straight straight hair, and repeatedly attempted to perm it! And the worst part – it didn’t work! I’d get one horrible kink right in the middle, and the rest of it would stay straight! It was a nightmare!
Food, Wine, & Mod Podge
September 9th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
I just love the way you write. Makes me happy! And I must say that Indian babies are the cutest…even if mine is only half.
September 9th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Too cute!!! Even your awkward years were adorable — HA!
September 9th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Hey, my awkward years looked almost just like that, only with longer hair and thicker plastic glasses. (And a slight ethnic variation.)
My hair is coarse, wavy and totally frizzy, never really making a full curl except for one or two spots… I am constantly searching for the perfect miracle product to defy nature. I haven’t tried only washing it once a week (I do it every 2 or 3 days, and then it finally looks good at it’s dirtiest, but FEELS dirty), but think I may need to try the conditioners you mentioned. Normally I try to force it straight, but the hair always wins. Maybe I should surprise it and try the curl…
September 9th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
I have only recently discovered the notion of not shampooing everyday, and wow, what a difference this makes!! My hair looks more wavy and less dry plus my color lasts soooo much longer.
I too had those awkward years but with short, limp hair. As a little girl my mom would take me to the salon and I’d pick a style (always a short 80s style) out of the book, never to realize that you actually had to STYLE your hair to get it to look that way. There are many a picture of me with my weird wavy short flat hair, unstyled and unkempt. Then in high school I moved on to….perms. So sad.
September 10th, 2010 at 1:32 am
Thank you for this! I was totally going to post & ask about your hair!! My hair isn’t as curly as yours but it does frizz up quite a bit, so I’ll be trying some of your tips out!!
September 10th, 2010 at 4:16 am
I’m just a little bit jealous of the curls since I have fine, stick, straight hair! Awkward years are hard, but makes us better people if we will let God do the main work in our character! Blessings!
September 10th, 2010 at 4:39 am
I also have gone through the bad teen years of curly hair…one other brand you may want to try that is FABULOUS is Living Proof. It has seriously changed my life. I travel a great deal and only do carry-on luggage – Living Proof products are the only way that’s possible for me with the container restrictions…try it out!
September 10th, 2010 at 5:52 am
do something about null who ‘s been leave massages against you on all your receipes on food network.
September 10th, 2010 at 7:50 am
I love the hair tips! Aarti we all went through those awkward stages, and you help me see those puberty years in a different perspective, I know now we have nothing to be ashamed of! Thanks Aarti!
September 10th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Hi Aarti! I don’t have curly hair but I love their tips. I’m now wainting your make up tips. You have a great skin! Gorgeous.
Cheers from Brasil!
September 10th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Indian babies ARE the cutest – and I’m not Indian.
September 10th, 2010 at 8:38 am
Thanks so much for posting this Aarti! I’ve got hair a lot like yours, but mine is fine (each individual hair is fine, but there are a ton of them! lol) and it’s about halfway down my back and curly as the dickens!
I love my hair, and it behaves most of the time, but I live in the south so it’s crazy humid, and sometimes it gets frizzy! Thanks so much for these tips!
September 10th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Love your hair! Love you, so excited when you won. We were camping and some fellow foodies had gathered in the coffee house to watch. A great big Yahoo! went up when they announced your win. Have a blast girl, you deserve it.
Sheila
September 10th, 2010 at 10:59 am
Thanks for sharing the tips — hey, a foodie’s got other interests, too, right?
And how about the lovely flowers you stick in your hair? Not to be a copy cat, but I would love to get some flower love for my hair.
And I definitely understand what you mean about looking back at the awkward years. Yup, really that bad.
September 10th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Oh Aarti I know how that goes! My hair was out of control and I was almost to the point of chopping it all off! I’m Turkish and Black so not only do I have the crazy curls but I also have mildly nappy hair. It like to hide on the underside. I have been playing games with oil, greases whatever but it’s always been to heavy and then makes me break out. I finally found http://www.mixedchicks.net. I’m not going to lie I love this stuff! I still use hot oil treatments for my hair and I add a little bit of hair silk at the ends to keep them from frizzing but it’s the best! I love this stuff!
I feel so bad for my Mom because she was used to her black hair and had no idea what to do with my curls and they were so unruly and out of control, she started putting relaxers in my hair just to make it manageable.
September 10th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
I,too, can relate to these hair issues. I was born with stick straight hair which my mom started perming when I was still a baby!!After over 35 years of perming in my adult years a hairdresser finally convinced me to embrace my straight hair and I love it!! It’s so much healthier now and is really long-halfway down my back! So, no matter what kind of hair you have, there is probably somebody out there who would love to have it, so enjoy it and make the best of it!! As far as those awkward years are concerned, still workin on it!! Love ya, Aarti-thanks for just being yourself and making the rest of us to feel it’s ok to do the same!
September 10th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
awww! look at your sweet puddin’!
September 10th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Aarti,
Good post. I love your cooking show, but it is too dark! There are shadows all over you and your kitchen. I’ve noticed other FoodNetwork shows have much better lighting. What gives? All your food looks dark and shadowy. Tell your people to turn the lights on! Also, that white staircase in the corner? It’s distracting. It’s in a corner and the eyes wander over to the corner and up the staircase to who knows where. Cover up the staircase and get yourself in the spotlight. You are too talented to be covered in shadows. Good luck! We DVR your show at our house. We have been seriously waiting for years for Indian cuisine on the FoodNetwork. You go!!
Thanks,
Alicia Walters
September 10th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
My hair is bone straight. So I didn’t get too much outta the curly hair tips, but I did enjoy the baby pictures! AWWW!
September 10th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Aarti, I too have skin problems. It is the worst! But I have come across a solution that has made me thank my lucky stars
One day I came across the website acne.org and it changed my life. I definitely recommend that you check it out. Hope it helps! And thank you for teaching us how to cook the deliciousness that is indian cuisine.
September 10th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
Awesome! Thank you for the curly tips. I too was straight until about 13 or 14, but then I was convincing myself it was just wavy and I fought it and fought it until about 3 or 4 years ago, and I’m still figuring out the products and stuff. I’m going to have to try that B&B, I’m kinda sick of the mousse-crunch.
Also, I was there last Sunday! You were great! You both were so charming and informative but concise, and as a relatively new food blogger I really enjoyed it.
Keep up the great work!
September 11th, 2010 at 10:39 am
Sam–I think those Null posts are really anonymous…….It’s not someone named Null…. I think the word Null is used when information is missing or inapplicable. And you can’t leave more than one comment per recipe…….
September 11th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Aarti, Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge a valid desire to have hair that isn’t frizzy! All curlies everywhere are saying…YES! Your description of how it makes one feel when our hair isn’t tame, was right on and I appreciate you sharing what YOU do!
I just LOVE to see your curls! When I watch your show, it makes me smile because you having your curls look so beautiful makes all other curlies stand out in the most beautiful light, I am so proud to get to see your healthy curls each week. I’ve enjoyed watching your show and hearing tidbits of what makes you, you! You are carrying your show so well. It takes forever for Sunday to roll around. Continue to stay the way you are, genuine and full of life, that is what makes you so successful. – alicia
September 11th, 2010 at 11:50 am
I love your hair and I especially love your food show on the Foodnetwork! I’m so so glad you WON!
September 11th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
I think your hair is lovely (and not another comment about hips – okay?). I just wanted to tell you how much I love your show. I have set the DVR to record it each week, so I do not miss an episode. So glad you won!
September 11th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
Aarti,
such cute pictures.
The teen photo reminded me of mine. Ah, those awkward teen years.
Indian babies are sweet. Most are born with a crown of hair, unlike other babies that are bald or have baby fuzz on the scalp. How cute, either way!
by the way, your dressing style is charming and you looked the cutest on the food network star contest!
For erupting facial skin issues, try Brookes Lacto Calamine as a base. I had skin problems since childhood. After starting to use this product, it has been a relief. (I think now the brand name is just ‘Lacto Calamine’)
September 11th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Aarti – our family loves your blog and are thrilled that you won NFNStar!!
You mention breaking out on your face – I highly recommend Nature’s Way brand Raw Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. I use it on my face daily and add some to smoothies, puddings, etc. I also slather my body with it after my shower.
A horrible case of keratosis pilaris (Google the images if you dare!) was vastly improved in just two days and in 5-6 days it was 95% gone. I have been thrilled with the results. And hard as it is to believe, I also had a remarkable dental checkup after just ten days of mostly applying the coconut oil to my arms, legs and face. No more bleeding gums, some dental pockets that had been 4-6 mm were GONE!! Just had a second excellent check up. This stuff works for excema, acne, all sorts of things – and it’s a great personal lubricant too. If you research Health Benefits of Raw Organic Coconut Oil you will find tons and tons of anecdotal endorsements like mine. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t experienced it myself!
Good luck, and thanks for keeping up with your blog! We tried Pealafuls and they were delish!
September 12th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Hi Aarti!!!
We are two sisters Laili and Amalia. We are 8 and 5 years old. We watch your show every Sunday and we think your are The best cook on Cooking channel. We made your pistachio pops and they were easy to make and tasted great !!! We love you, email us back.
Love Laili and Amalia
September 12th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Love you, your food, your style, your radiating positivity, and….your hair. I am a hair stylist/educator and I think t is so wonderful that you are sharing your hair tips. Lets face you got great curs girl…and I know when you wake up it does not look perfect! I would love to add, for all you curly girls out there, NEVER brush your hair when its dry. I see way too many pretty girls walking around with brushed out dried out curls! Just use a wide tooth comb when your hair is wet to get the tangles out.
By the way I was so excited when you won food network start, I was jumping and screaming for about ten min! but I knew from the first week that you would win
September 12th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Hi Aarti!!! Love your recipes so far!!! Cant wait to see them every week on FN. This comment is totally unrelated to hair (though I wish I could curl mine to save my life lol)…I was just wondering, could you (or have you) compiled a grocery list of the most common ingredients used in your recipes? I would love to have spices or other condiments on hand to whip up the sauces & dressings at least and only have to run to the store to buy the produce, meat, etc.
Thanks in advance!
Your fan from Florida
~Jen
September 12th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Wow! Thanks for the tips, I too have curly/ thick hair. I am always trying to find something better to use. I currently use Aveda’s Be Curly products (which I love) but wouldn’t mind experimenting with other stuff.
I am also wondering about your clothes (tops etc..) you are always dressed very nicely with cute tops/ dresses. Any tips there would be appreciated :>)
ciao!
September 12th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
HA!: “it really was awful.” — it was, wasn’t it? i never asked you about your hair (i’ve tended to obsess more about your clothing style!), but as a fellow hair-tamer, i have wondered what products you use! i love that you’re still blogging
September 12th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
My friend told me over the summer that washing my hair too much is what made it so (in my opinion) awful. So not washing it as much really does help. It works for my straight oily hair too.
September 13th, 2010 at 12:13 am
So funny…I wanted to ask this question, and I’m glad someone beat me to the punch! Love the awkward year photos! Reminds my of my hair! BUt then I just started wearing them in braids till I hit college! Thanks for your advice too! My curls could use it!
September 13th, 2010 at 2:21 am
You go girl! It’s nice to have someone putting photos from their awkward years out there and stating the fact that 99.9% of us have them. I can shut my eyes and visualize a picture from about the 5th grade: my blonde hair is about shoulder length, and it’s crimped from having been in braids the night before, but my bangs are doing the 2 way 80s pouf. I’ve got a big smile on my face, new braces, and nice big Madonna-esque split between my two front teeth (but in a way less cute, more buck teeth sort of way). To wrap up the package? A dark blue dress with neon green detailing. Oh yeah, gotta love the awkward years paired with the 80s. Ouch.
September 13th, 2010 at 8:01 am
Aarti – I’m such a fan of yours from The Food Network and was pulling for you from the first! My husband has always been a fan of Indian food, but I’ve always been put off by how it all seemed so much the same, and completely out of my element. You have made me brave and we went to an Indian market this weekend just to get food to experiment with! I’ve already made your Pulled Mango Pork roast and it was divine. Keep up the good work!
I also wanted to comment regarding your hair. I, too, was born with straight hair and it got rebellious and curly in my pre-teens. My (straight-haired) mother then proceeded to brush it into a frizzy mess every morning and I never got over the trauma. I definitely have you beat when it comes to horrible teenage hair!
Anyway, I love your hair now, and I do a similar treatment to you. I can vouch for the ‘don’t wash every day with shampoo’ method. It does wonders! There is also a website called “NaturallyCurly.com” that has wonderful hints for people with any type of curly hair.
Keep up the good work – I look forward to your shows every Sunday!!
September 13th, 2010 at 9:57 am
Thanks for sharing these pictures. Too cute!
I watched your show yesterday for the first time. Usually we’re in church when it airs.
And we’re too cheap to have a dvr. The kids were sick yesterday so we stayed home. I just loved it!
Can I just say I LOVE your wardrobe!! I need to grab some of your tops up. Where can I get them?
September 13th, 2010 at 11:20 am
Thanks for sharing the pictures! But those curtains in photo #1 – wow!
September 13th, 2010 at 11:53 am
Hi Aarti, I’m a Filipina and I’m a big fan! My hair is straight, but sometimes I wish it’s naturally curly, so I envy your hair. You’re so beautiful! I love, love, love your show! You are doing such a great job. Keep up the good work!
Beth
September 13th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
It’s not just your food… Thanks for sharing the pics! They are cute. Maybe I should share mine since you’re so open in sharing yours… it’s pretty bad as well. Love your beauty tips.
I am actually making your green curry chicken as we speak. I took the day off since it’s the kids’ 1st day of school and wanted to make something yummy and special for dinner. My kitchen smells soooo good right now.
September 13th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
You are just adorable!
All of you – your hair, your personality, your food, your laugh – thank God the Food Network had you on their show because I am your # 1 fan now!!!
September 13th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Aarti,
Your hair is beautiful! Now I know why. Those pretty ringlets take a lot of hard work & product! You’re very generous to share your secret.
In return, I think I have solved your naan dilemma. I have tested this recipe three times, and all three times it worked out beautifully (but the cooking time for me was even shorter, about 3 minutes total in my cast iron skillet with a thin layer of shimmering olive oil). From the late great Laurie Colwin’s book More Home Cooking, whose recipes were frequently published in Gourmet magazine in the 1980s and early 1990s, in the chapter “The Case of the Mysterious Flatbread,” pages 49 to 50: “Stir together 2 tablespoons of warm water with a teaspoon of yeast and 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Mix in 1/3 cup of flour and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Leave overnight, or all morning, or for 3 hours in an unlit oven. The mixture will bubble nicely until you are ready for it. In a bowl combine 2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of sea salt, and 1 tablespoon of black onion seeds (these are called kalaunji). Add the yogurt starter and 1 cup of warm water. Knead the dough on a floured board, kneading in an additional 3/4 cup flour, and leave it to rise for 2 hours. When the dough has doubled in bulk, divide it in half. heat the griddle until it is hot. Flatten the dough as for pizza or roll it out and turn it onto the griddle. You want the bread to toast but not burn. when it is brown and speckled on both sides, (this takes about 5 minutes), reduce the heat to low and continue to cook it for about 10 minutes. Tap it to see if it sounds hollow. This bread is flat and spongy and goes with anything you can think of. And it takes less than a half hour of hands-on work to produce. Furthermore, flatbread proves that we are all brothers and sisters. It is a cross between a Scottish griddle scone, an English muffin, a Russian bialy, an Italian focaccia, and a Navajo fry bread — a whole United Nations in one loaf, and cheap and delicious besides… Well, of course, we ARE all brothers and sisters. This bread from Ethiopia [sambusa] is very similar to a bread from India [nan/roti] or Scotland [bannock] and is appreciatively devoured by a nice Jewish girl from Philadelphia, her husband who was born in Latvia, and their New Yorker daughter.”
Aarti, what I do is divide the dough in 4, cook one portion & put the other three portions in ziptop freezer quart bags in the fridge, & then I have 4 pan-sized flatbreads for 4 different meals, which my husband & I split. Not as soft as pita, but makes a good quick pan pizza base. [Can't find black onion seeds anywhere, so I substitute dusting it with cumin while cooking or with Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt, a mix including onion & garlic powders, salt, pepper, & herbs - maybe oregano, dill, & tarragon?] At any rate, my 10 inch cast iron skillet cooks it fast, & I only have to make it twice a week to have bread ready to fry every day of the week. But don’t use regular ziptops, they burst from the pressure of the yeast gasses! Hope this gives you your perfect naan answer! The yogurt (I used Dannon for the active acidophilus culture) is key. And one time I had old yeast & the starter wasn’t bubbling until I put in a drop of honey to feed the yeast, then it worked beautifully. Let me know, if you can, how it worked for you. patt...@yahoo.com from Ohio, a loyal Aarti Paartier!!! God bless you!
September 13th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
p.s.- This flatbread is delicious with cream cheese and strawberry jam for breakfast, munster cheese melted on top & sprinkled with tarragon for lunch cheesebread, eaten out of hand with soup, chili, your Mum’s dal, or alongside any entree, or topped with non-garlic hummus sprinkled with cinnamon & topped prettily with green grapes cut in half, then placed cut-side down. Enjoy!
September 13th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Aarti, I am in love with your show! You are adorable and your food always looks amazing! I was also having skin problems (as well as digestive issues) and after going completely gluten-free, my skin is back to loving me again. I also feel your joy/pain with having curly hair. Looking back at some of my childhood pictures, I just wonder what my mother was thinking. Thank the Lord that I finally figured out how to style it. Keep up the good work, you are awesome!
September 13th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
As a person with fine straight hair (yet lots of it) I always wished for hair like yours! After years of useless perms, I finally accepted my fate.
I still wish I could find the perfect hairspray though, one that will defy the dreaded summer humidity!
September 13th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Re: flatbread/naan,one more important instruction: BARELY KNEAD it! I just kind of flop it around with my spatula. And Aarti, you know how to tweak recipes to make them even better! So, if you tweak Laurie Colwin’s recipe to good effect, that would be awes)ome (I’ve been trying to make the bread a little softer & more bendable). She was a home cook like you (I think you would have loved her), unashamed in adapting a basic recipe & improving it, then publishing the results for the benefit of all. Your Lassi recipes were a great example of the same, making a good thing even better!
September 13th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Your hair really is gorgeous, doll.
You’ve inspired me to wear flowered barrettes in my short curls!!
September 14th, 2010 at 4:33 am
I can’t thank you enough for the hair tips! My kids are biracial and my 3 year old daughter’s hair is a perfect mix of my husband and my own hair. It’s become a nightmare to figure out how to take care of it since neither of us has hair exactly like hers. Your tips are wonderful!!
Aarti, I love the show, and I’m so happy you won. Your blog always makes me feel like we’re friends chatting by email, and your show only grows on that. Very best of luck to you!!
September 14th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Thank you for the awesome hair tips. I have been in love with your hair since the first time I saw you on Next Food Network Star. I have super-fine, curly hair and your tip about not washing it every day sounded crazy to me at first but this is day 3 and it’s so shiny and bouncy and pretty I can’t get over it. Thank you for helping me tame in one week hair that has frazzled me for 30+ years!!
I can’t believe there are only 2 more episodes of your show! I hope they keep it going. You were my #1 choice all through the competition and I love watching your show every week. Keep up the fantastic work!!
September 14th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
Love your hair – thank you for the tips! I have wavy/curly hair and tend to just straighten it as I don’t always know how to manage it. Love your show by the way! I want to eat everything you make!!
September 15th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Thank you for your hair tips! Until about a year ago (I’m 31 now) I thought I had straight hair with just an annoying wave. After having each of my babies though my hair seemed to get more and more unruly and so a year ago I stopped using shampoo, only washing in conditioner and now I have VERY curly hair. I’m still trying to figure out the no frizz situation and the fact I just moved to Florida does not help, but I will try some of the tips you gave!
September 15th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
I have a high school picture that looks just like that, except it’s me under the blob of hair (not you). I still have a blob of hair. It just never gets any better.
September 15th, 2010 at 11:25 pm
Your hair is soo 90s, it reminds me of the Fresh Prince Days!! Did you go to St Marys in Dubai?
September 19th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Okay.. so i just had an AH HAH moment reading this… i have wavy hair and every time i diffuse it.. it does JUST that… get’s frizzy after an hour.. you’re such a smarty tarty. thanks for the help.. DUR. makes you wonder where my mother is, doesn’t it? hah
September 19th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
oh.. ps. i made your pulled pork sandwiches.. that mango puree was a BIYATCH to find.. but once i did i got the best BEST compliment on it! “wow.. these are the best pulled pork sandwiches i’ve ever had.” couldn’t get any better than that. thanks for being my muse. you ROCK!
October 16th, 2010 at 8:25 am
Aarti, I am sure you are asked this a million times, but where do you get your hair accessories? I love them! I like to wear them too. However most clips and bows and such are made for little girls!
Thanks!
January 5th, 2011 at 3:04 am
[...] cuisine.” Yum – my favorite, and a culinary category I’m trying to master. She also gave great curly hair tips in one blog post – isn’t hers gorgeous!? Her bubbly personality comes over on her blog and [...]