Episure

Monica, Well right now I have about 20 kg of semi raw Totapuri mangos going into their new role as a murabba( semi spicy jam). I jullienned 1/2 a mango and added it into tonight's onion pulao. An old ( Satyanarain Puja) favourite is chopped Bananas in Rava Seera/Halva. Raw papaya makes the famous gujarati farsan chatni. The waiters at one of Vikram's fav restaurant, know me as the guy who orders the papaya chatni with an accompaniment of Fafdas, i.e, more chatni and less of the main stuff

Sometimes I go overboard( sometimes?) and will put sliced mango in just about anything-rice, pulao, biryani, currys...........

I know pierogis but what's a barz..bars..barc...barz... Well you know what I mean. What on earth is it, I have to know. Please tell.

No wonder you are hitting the bottle, I am going to tell your Mommy.

And Bandra was called Bandora hill, it's East Indian aunties sold booze even when prohibited and used the empty bottles to fill masala.

I hope it is Bus (on wheels) and not Bus (Enough!!!)

Two pondicherry restaurants have maintained a french influence: Rendezvous and Le club which makes a superb Chateaubriand

This one works for me: Go to bed early preferably with a doctor.

Same here, that's why I asked. Must hack it again. I hope you have carried packets of Noor Mohammedi's Nalli Nihari Masala.

Easyguru, Do you have a Paya recipe? Which part of Bombay are you from?

Bus.

She'll be 58 years in a few days( 20 th May), she's about 52 kgs, she has deep brown eyes, prominent cheekbones, and a perfectly chiseled nose and jaw, all of which reflects her Cherokee Indian bloodline, does yoga and likes ........curry! I would love to cook for her.

I'll never forget Peter Sellers, he did French and Indian too with equal ease.

Oui Madame, Eet ees a millet/sorghum pancake served with a roux of red chilli and chanadal flour. It's a very spartan (@ 10 cents) workers meal and the chapati is made with millet flour and water served with a red chilli+chana dal chatni

Got it! I know this is going to be a winner. Thanks Bague, you rock!

I guess so. I'm upping the prize and adding a wine based dinner at my place for two.

How do you stuff mince into a Cauliflower? My mind boggles, this may turn out into a very interesting technique.

Richie, Your report is vivid enough to make me feel I was there too. Bhel puri is very easy to make as there is no cooking involved, I am sure you all get Bhel Puri kits which can be 'assembled'. Yes, I see there is mention of ready mixes in other link. The trick is to mix everything and consume it immediately before the chatnis soften the puffed rice. Chana Bhaturas are rarer than Bhel Puri/Pani Puri as street foods except in North India where they are prolific. However they make their way on restaurant menus all over India. From your description, it sounds like your Pani Puri had indeed sat around for a while, the Puris are supposed to be crisp and shatter when you bite them. Below is an amazing description of eating Pani Puri posted by bhelpuri( yes we have one here!) excerpted from Crazy Bombay by Gangadhar Gadgil. Regards PS. Take my unsolicited advice and stick to the GF.

Ammini, I had made a chocolate baklava like this some time back and I dont remember if it turned out nice, you have reminded me to make it again.

numerous prize winning Chilli recipes here in the US have chocolate as secret ( not any more) ingredient. I dont recall all the details but this celebrated chef would pulverize a mint and sprinkle it atop his signature dish just as it left the kitchen. It melted/dissolved by the time the dish reached the patron and created a sensational opening taste. So keep sipping that country liquor Episure, it gives you good ideas. And coffee Episure was the secret ingredient in my neighbor's Barbeque sauce. Take nother sip of that inspiring country liquor now. Country liquor is no laughing matter!! I beat them all, I did it first about 15 years ago. Country liquor ( like spice in Frank Herbert's novel -Dune) can give you a lot of prescience. When is your new restaurant opening at Arlington? Do send me all your press releases.

I know you all will laugh but I sometimes add chocolate or coffee to my kormas, curries and biryanis. It works best in spicy meat preparations, the trick is to add only so much that it keeps everybody guessing what that exotic taste is. The first time I did this was years ago, when I was camping out at a disused granite quarry with a gang of car rallying friends, I was making a Biryani and sipping(?) some country liquor at the same time. Now I find out that the Mexicans do this with chocolate all the time. Caramba! Don't knock it till you have tried it, just makes sure your guests are not in the know else they will have pre-conceived notions. Also dont judge it for yourself, let it be evident from the others. Now all egulleteers who read this post can't try it on each other. If anybody dares try it, post your feedback here, be brave!

When I was really small my tiffin would have: Puris with sugar sprinkled and folded in half. Puris with potato wedges. When I grew up, sometimes I would walk home and spend my bus money on Irani samosas( Patti samosas) which are made of thin crisp casing with a spiced onion and cabbage stuffing. They were served with a tamarind, jaggery and red chilli powder watery chatni, something that I cant replicate at all. After so many years I have unearthed them in Bangalore( Rs. 2.50 per) and make it a point to drive by, park at a distance and walk across to eat them. I still haven't grown up after all.

You split it lengthwise,apply salt (/chilli powder) on the fleshy side and scoop the pulp with your teeth. Keep something handy to pound your fist down as it puckers your mouth. Don't ask me why but it's a great combo - puckering and banging on the table. You can cook with the pulp but I think it may be less sour than dried.

Green Tamarind pods are what we used to climb trees for as kids. (Take one look at me now and you will never believe it !). As I remember it's best had with salt and licked with a grimacing face.

Influenced by Indian Buddhism teachings 2000 years ago, some vegetarianism took root in China and now.....