Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Pappadam

Eschewing Oscar themed meal advice (cowboy beans for Brokeback Mountain?), we went with an Indian meal that was spicier than Jon Stewart's opening segment - even with George Clooney in his bed.

Maya Kaimal's Gourmet Indian Simmer Sauce (now marketed by William Sonoma, Whole Foods, and many other sources as well as online) was the star of our show - Tamarind Coconut Curry over jasmine rice. Supporting cast included Mulligatawny soup, Shahi Aloo Ghobi (spicy cauliflower), Naan and my beloved Pappadams.

If you have not tried Maya Kaimal's simmer sauces (www.mayakaimal.com) you must. All the luscious complexity of homemade recipes in a simple simmer sauce. If you're like me and love to read cookbooks, her Curried Favors is gorgeously photographed and lovingly told. It is a cookbook, but it reads like a treasured family bible.

Having the benefit of dear friendship with Maya's sister-in-law, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting her parents and learning of her work with her father as they carefully converted "about this much" mustard seeds into teaspoons and such. Her simmer sauces were gifted to me before they hit stores here and we carefully chose special moments to try the first one, then the next. Fortunately for all of us they are available widely now. See the website for a store near you or online options.

To Oscar! To Maya!