Lecker

Have only managed to work my way through a few items on my do-to list for the weekend, but at least I got to enjoy the weather a bit (i tell myself.) This upcoming week will be a little hellish with the number of interviews and meetings I have. (On average 2-3 interviews per day + team meetings, etc.) So...looking forward and not looking forward at the same time.

I FINISHED MY US TAXES!!!! Just in time too. Tomorrow is the deadline for those people living outside the US. This year was unfortunately really complicated based on the amount I earned, (had to calculate crazy tax credits, etc.) so next year I will start earlier and likely just hire an accountant. The tax law is fairly complicated and even with the software I downloaded I am crossing my fingers that everything is correct. I think it is, though (HEY YOU IRS FOLKS, IF YOU ARE READING - I DID MY BEST WITH YOUR COMPLICATED SOMETIMES CONTRADICTORY THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF CALCULATION INSTRUCTIONS!)

Lecker: an important German word. Means "TASTY." And that was dinner this evening.
We had Chicken Kolhapur, Coconut Rice, Cucumber Raita. Not quite like eating dinner on the beach in southern India, but made with my hands rather than someone else's, and this also means I know exactly what went into it, which...most of the time is simply better than eating at a restaurant. I can control the oil, salt, etc. And make sure it is as spicy or mild as I'd like, that there is the amount of tomatoes or coconut in it that I prefer, onions and garlic have their proper place, and spices (pepper, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom) are chopped or ground to the degree that works for me. BUT

Here's the challenge.

I was watching Kuechenschlacht on TV again yesterday morning at the gym. And sort of fantasizing about trying to take part. I downloaded the instructions for entering - fairly work intensive - you need to send in a number of recipes, do a little video of yourself, etc. So probably I won't. But...if I do, I would have to enter at least one Indian recipe (simply because I cook so much of it and I think by now I am reasonably good at it...well, maybe except for Biryani...). And the problem with Indian recipes, is that though they TASTE wonderful, they (just like Chinese and a number of other Asian cooking genres) don't look beautiful. Sorry, they don't. And I need a solution for this. Because the winners of Kuechenschlacht are able to hit everything on the nose: the flavors, the technique, the creativity, and of course the presentation.

If you have any ideas, tell me. Because a sea of spicy tomato with cocunut and a lake of yogurt and cucumber is just not sexy. Tastes great, but...I would need to do better than that. ;-)