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<p>While Adam Ruderman, of West Pittston, chopped some fresh ginger root on a recent Friday morning, Paula Chaiken of Shavertown peeled garlic cloves and Doug Evans, of Mountain Top, whisked black pepper into a beaten egg.</p><p>It was the second lesson in a four-part series on Indian cooking, taught by Kavita Syed from the Letts Eat restaurant in Wilkes-Barre, and hosted by the new Friedman Jewish Community Center in Kingston. (The center is so new its Grand Opening is set for 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, and the public is welcome.)</p><p>The kitchen was big enough to comfortably fit nine participants plus their teacher and her helper, and give everyone a chance to chop and stir and fry.</p><p>&#8220;The class filled up very quickly,&#8221; said Taly Kornfeld, who like Chaiken, is a JCC board member as well as a student in the inaugural cooking class. The board members expect the series will be the first of many that will reflect various cooking traditions.</p><p>The dish of the day was Indo-Chinese Chicken, an entree whose ingredients included chicken, cumin, turmeric, salt, black pepper, cauliflower, bell pepper, red onion, soy sauce and ginger-garlic paste.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll have scallions and cilantro for garnish,&#8221; Syed said.</p><p>&#8220;I love the smells,&#8221; Carmine Carrato, of Hazleton said, explaining she is a fan of Letts Eat and, when she read about the JCC class on the restaurant&#8217;s Facebook page, she was delighted to sign up. &#8220;I&#8217;m not a real spicy person, but my husband is, and you can adjust the spices in a dish.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;I have two pans,&#8221; Syed continued. &#8220;One for vegetarian and one for non-vegetarian.&#8221;</p><p>Soon Karin Hohn of Mountain Top was frying chicken in a pan while Alison Kovalchik and Ellen Greenberg, both of Shavertown took turns frying cauliflower florets that would play a large role in the vegetarian version.</p><p>Indian cuisine is a new venture for Kovalchik, who said that brisket is her specialty at home. &#8220;That&#8217;s what everybody seems to like best.&#8221;</p><p>While the fryers finished frying and Chaiken sliced scallions for garnish, Ruderman thought of a beverage.</p><p>&#8220;Who can &#8216;go to India&#8217; without tea?&#8221; he said, rounding up a few helpers to peel cardamon seeds and bring out other spices to add to a pot of chai tea.</p><p>&#8220;It smells like Christmas,&#8221; Hohn said.</p><p>&#8220;It does smell really good,&#8221; Kornfeld said.</p><p>Hohn said she appreciated seeing how Syed enhanced the flavor of the food, first by adding a fresh paste of ginger root and garlic and later by using minced onions as a thickening agent. &#8220;When I tried making Indian food at home before, it was bland,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Cooking classes are just one example of what the Friedman Jewish Community Center, located at 613 S J Strauss Lane in Kingston, just off Third Avenue and next to the levee system, has to offer. Its programs range from an early learning center to classes for senior citizens, a fitness center, a food pantry, educational speakers, fitness classes specifically designed for people with Parkinson&#8217;s Disease, banquet halls and an outdoor patio where receptions can be held.</p><p>You can learn more about its various programs if you attend the Grand Opening from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The event includes interaction with Harlem Wizard basketball players, a chance to win a flat screen television and refreshments. For more information, call 570-824-4646 or see friedmanjcc.org.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Kavita Syed from Letts Eat heats some red and green peppers and purple onions that will add color to an Indo-Chinese Chicken dish as Carolan Glatstein of Dallas, a participant in a cooking class at the Friedman Jewish Community Center in Kingston, looks on. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking.10.colorful.jpg</photo0><caption0>Kavita Syed from Letts Eat heats some red and green peppers and purple onions that will add color to an Indo-Chinese Chicken dish as Carolan Glatstein of Dallas, a participant in a cooking class at the Friedman Jewish Community Center in Kingston, looks on. </caption0><photoCredit0>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking11.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Karin Hohn of Mountain Top, Adam Ruderman of West Pittston and Carmine Carrato of Hazleton peel cardamon seeds as they prepare to add spices to chai tea. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking11.jpg</photo1><caption1>Karin Hohn of Mountain Top, Adam Ruderman of West Pittston and Carmine Carrato of Hazleton peel cardamon seeds as they prepare to add spices to chai tea. </caption1><photoCredit1>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking.spices.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamon seeds and cloves are among the spices in one of the aromatic tins instructor Kavita Syed brought to the cooking class. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking.spices.jpg</photo2><caption2>Cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamon seeds and cloves are among the spices in one of the aromatic tins instructor Kavita Syed brought to the cooking class. </caption2><photoCredit2>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Taly Kornfeld of Kingston, Adam Ruderman of West Pittston and Paula Chaiken of Shavertown work on the Indo-Chinese Chicken dish. They used a powerful blender Kornfeld brought from home to make a past of garlic and ginger root. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking2.jpg</photo3><caption3>Taly Kornfeld of Kingston, Adam Ruderman of West Pittston and Paula Chaiken of Shavertown work on the Indo-Chinese Chicken dish. They used a powerful blender Kornfeld brought from home to make a past of garlic and ginger root. </caption3><photoCredit3>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Cooking instructor Kavita Syed from Letts Eat restaurant pours corn starch into a container Carmine Carrato of Hazleton is holding. Carrato said she is a big fan of the food at Letts Eat and was excited to be able to attend a cooking class at the JCC. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking4.jpg</photo4><caption4>Cooking instructor Kavita Syed from Letts Eat restaurant pours corn starch into a container Carmine Carrato of Hazleton is holding. Carrato said she is a big fan of the food at Letts Eat and was excited to be able to attend a cooking class at the JCC. </caption4><photoCredit4>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Adam Ruderman of West Pittston takes a turn stirring pieces of chicken in hot oil. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_indian.cooking6.jpg</photo5><caption5>Adam Ruderman of West Pittston takes a turn stirring pieces of chicken in hot oil. </caption5><photoCredit5>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>&#8230; as Friedman JCC plans Grand Opening for Sunday</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mary Therese Biebel</p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>GRAND OPENING</strong></p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Friedman Jewish Community Center, 613 S J Strauss Lane, Kingston</p><p><strong>When:</strong> 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 22</p><p><strong>With: </strong>Harlem Wizards baketball players, a chance to win a color TV, information about programs, refreshments</p><p><strong>Admission:</strong> Free</p><p><strong>More info:</strong> 570-824-4646 or friedmanjcc.org</p></factboxMeta></div>

Inaugural cooking class already under way …