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If they are clean I would soak them in olive oil for a few weeks and then use them. You get some free morel flavoured oil in the bargain that beats many commercial tartufo/truffle oil brands. I use morels in delicately spiced pilafs and in curries. Or I would use them in a wine+cream sauce as the main flavoring ingredient for meats or seafood. What weight did you get for $5?

Some time back I had attended a friend's wedding in Jaipur. I took the opportunity to visit Jaisalmer as the dates coincided with the Desert festival-first full moon in February. Jaisalmer is a place out of a movie set and should be on everyone's must visit list. I checked into a hotel and scouted around to hire a camel for a 3 day trip in the desert. I was told by the agency that a deluxe tour would cost me Rs. 300 a day and the standard would cost Rs. 200 a day. This was inclusive of a guide/camel driver, breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. The deluxe breakfast, I was told, would consist of eggs made to order, tea/coffee, muesli and toast with butter/jam, all cooked by the camel driver. Horrified at the prospect of eating this in the middle of the desert I cut him short before he described the rest of the meals. Do you have anything cheaper, I asked. He sized me up disapprovingly and said they had something for Rs. 100 a day, but the food would be very spartan. He went on to moan that Indian tourists like me dont spend enough money and Rs. 100 would entail the camel driver to share his food with me. I jumped at it and there began my most memorable journey which had superb food, a ghost town, a mean tempered camel and the world's fastest bar thrown in. All enough for a novella. But I'll come back to the Chatni, my camel driver had this ball wrapped up in newspaper from which he would pluck out a bit and add it to the food. Even after giving weightage to the full moon( and rotgut moonshine!) and a sea of sand, it was simply the most amazing Garlic Chatni I'd ever had! Unfortunately due to language problems our conversation was restricted to the essentials. Coming back to Jaipur I did some research on this Chatni and after experimenting in my Bombay kitchen, this is how I think it goes: 4 pcs. dried kachri( A wild gherkin like cucurbit ) 1 head garlic peeled 1 tsp aniseed powder 4 whole red chillis( or whatever quantity and Scovilles turns you on) salt to taste Dry roast the kachris and red chillis. Grind everything together in a coffee/spice grinder and store in a jar( tight lid) in the fridge. Wait till you get the urge, let this garlic chatni jar summon you from the fridge and remember me. Warning: Frequent consumption can lead to failed marriages. Can also be used as a substitute for " Not tonight dear, I have a headache".

M65 Your menu is definitely Eurasian as described on your website. It's my kind of food and I'd love to try out the degustation menu, unfortunately your restaurant is a little far for me. I'm quite intrigued by the Lentil Tuile, please describe it. I've been experimenting with similar cuisine but with more Indian influences. To give you a small example: Thandai Creme Brulee, Herbed Paneer Steaks......... The funny part is that there are no takers for avant garde Indian cuisine here in India, many people find it intimidating. M65, What is your restaurant's customer profile?

Pim + Mamster, Thanks for such an informative class. I've often seen the multicoloured sweets and desserts in Thailand but after a thai meal ( as if it's my last one! ), I seem to have never left any room for them. What are they like, do you have a favourite that one could replicate at home?

It's a little complicated, I'll PM it to you tomorrow.

Some time ago I was on a 5 day fishing holiday on a self-driven hired cruiser on the Shannon. I think it was the first time the aroma of freshly caught Pike/Perch, grilled with tandoori masalas wafted across this pristine river. The locals that my companion and I met in the shore pubs wouldn't allow us to pay for our drinks, so in reciprocation we would invite them on board for some Indian cuisine. I have never experienced such genuine warmth and hospitality. A good masala fish is the perfect accompaniment for Guiness stout.

Irwin, Your reply here and your posts elsewhere on this site reveal that you are an old war horse from the F & B service battleground. A few questions: " From opening day the gross volume of sales was 5/10 times the most optimistic projections.: How do you calculate an optimistic projection? What are the factors that you take into account? What's a Dale Keller design? I googled for it and did'nt find any answers. What is Nursery Foods? Comfort foods perhaps? What's the name of your sold restaurant that's still going on after 38 years? I would like to eat there the next time I'm in HK. You can PM this to me if you like. " Continue to serve dishes that you've enjoyed at home. But always attempt to prepare them at your best correctly and delicious. Don't ever adapt Street Foods, or most dishes into what you think the market reflects. If you do so then clearly state on your menu that this dish is made especially for your special customs, but you'd be DELIGHTED to prepare it authentically. The World is getting smaller, customers travel or try to travel thru their stomachs. Realize this and cater to them. Never take any customer for granted. The only good customer is one who returns. Never look down upon anyone, it backfires." Never has a truer word been spoken yet as we speak there are many establishments especially the chains that cannot adhere to this wisdom.

Paw Paw aka Papaya when raw is used as the main ingredient in the Thai salad: SOM TAM. It's also a powerful meat tenderizer - Papain.

They also made this dish for which there is no recipe.

More on Street food It looks like Bhel Puri is really the snack du jour.

Here in India, Ginger is used on a daily basis. Often we puree it into a paste which is stored in a tight capped small glass jar kept in the chiller section of the fridge. It stays without deterioration for a month. If you require juliennes/slices then peel and cut into desired cuts and store in the jar with a little salt and fresh lemon/lime juice. The ginger will turn pink and acquire a savoury 'bite'. A little vinegar will extend the fridge life almost indefinitely.

Cut them into quarters and flex each segment out, most seeds will pop out for the rest use your fingers. I make guinea fowl using Pomegranate juice.

The Dhungar method works everytime, perhaps you didnt have enough air space in the pot to supply some oxygen. Try it again, I am sure it works, I have used it on Biryanis, Curries, Raans and Tandoori Chicken. Though for the last few years I have been using a different contraption using a disused Pressure cooker.

Picture Per = Mundanai Moodichu I wish everbody in the world believes it is an aphrodisiac, so some animals would be spared and south Indian cuisine would become popular.

What no rejoinders? What a damp Squid.

Well, there is one goat dish that I would like to not remember. My first attempt to make a spit roasted whole goat was a complete disaster, I had to order food from a restaurant, my whisky was confiscated and I had to suffer a gauntlet of sneers. Moral: Never attempt anything ambitious in front of a crowd.

Okay then try this: Make Paneer the usual way but as soon as it curdles, turn off the heat, strain and dont weigh it down too much. This way you'll get a softer Paneer which is sometimes called Malai Paneer. BTW UHT milk is not suitable for making Paneer. And don't disappear for such long periods. P.S. I think the world's friendliest people live in Ireland.

In the larger perspective of Seller/Buyer economics, reasonable would mean what the market can bear. The restaurant's target segment, I mean.

I completely agree with you about starting high profile and then moving into mainstream, though there have been exceptions. But right now since we have Suvir's restaurant as a live example, I'm referring to the variable of Price with respect to effecting a change in no. of covers/billing, and how will diners react to the change. No doubt some will be offended in the process but the objective here is to fill up the restaurant.

This is a spin off to the 6$ Bhel puri topic and in deference to mongo_jones justified plaint that the thread has assumed a different colour. Let me then paint it Red.... or is it Black? What's the big fuss about? A restaurant is a private enterprise, if it can withstand market driven dynamics, charge 6 $ for a Bhel puri and operate at optimum capacity, then it has every right to do so. Customers don't come to the rescue of a restaurant when crowds have deserted it. If customers feel that the menu is overpriced, they will move on to some other restaurant. Now my question is: Nobody can predict market dynamics, you have to react as they occur. There are two simplistic options available to a new restaurant operator: 1] Start with a higher price and if necessary lower it. 2] Start with a lower price and then ramp it up. The pros and cons to both are quite complex and not as obvious as they seem. Any Views?

Monica, have you tried Adobe Pagemaker?

It's not everyday that I get to interact with the author of some books that form part of my Culinary Library. Across the seas this reader from Bombay says hello to you. Paula, I just discovered that I am out of RAH and that rekindled my interest in Moroccan cuisine, which is not very different from Indian. I shall be making Goat Tagine again after a period of two years as soon as I get my RAH. If any one wants details of my preparations, please Email/PM me. Checked out seasonedpioneers, they do seem to carry a comprehensive range. Might be useful for some of you guys out there. Are you working on any new books, Paula? Paula Wolfert can be found Here

Prasad, This is a magnificent spread at that price! Are you sure you can afford it to give that much?

very spongy Paneer = Rossogolla - Sugarsyrup QED

Ras al Hanout is like a Garam Masala and then some. I've just finished my stock but the first time I used it I knew I had come across something alien to Indian Cuisine. According to one of Paula Wolfert's (she participates elsewhere on this site) books, Ras al Hanout can comprise of 5 to 100 ingredients, some of which have powers that are questionable. I have managed to make an ersatz version but it's not quite there and I am not bothering too much until I get diverse samples. We Sindhis take these tasks seriously.