Edward

Hello easternsun, One thing I do often is to make my regular portion of dough, take out enough for a few chapati, and then wrap the rest tightly in plastic wrap and then in a ziploc bag. The dough usually lasts up to 5 days this way. Just remember to bring it to room temperature before using the rest. Otherwise try this proportion : 3/4 cup atta and about 1/4 cup water(more or less as needed). This will make from 3 to 6 chapati, depending on the size. Now, I would love to hear about your "Tomato Fry". What is that all about? Edward edited for spelling

looks like pav bhaji to me......I want to reach into the computer screen and grab some of those nimbu and onions....two things which, in India, have a very special taste!

Recently tried Laziza brand Plum Chutney mix. The box comes with a packet containing spices and sugar and another with dried plums. Following the package instructions made good results. It was really very tasty, especially after maturing in the fridge for a day. I would definitely use it again. Next I am going to try their Instant Haleem Mix......... Edward

meant to post this before but forgot....this is an article Vikram wrote for the year end edition of Economic Times that has some commentary from me.... economictimes

My snowy weather lunch today was a soul satisfying keema, a gingery-garlicky aloo gobhi and big stack of hot freshly made chapati. That bise-bele sounds good too! E

do tell us what you come up with, and whether the shiv sena has anything to say about it right]

Bombay has an unlimited choice of truly awesome places to eat! Here are a few places that I like MAHESH LUNCH HOME- to die for Mangalorean fish dishes... KONKAN CAFE- this is at the Taj President Hotel, more great fish and some really delicious vegetarian food also KAILASH PARBAT- tasty Sindhi sweets and snacks VRINDAVAN HOTEL(?)- South Indian veg food and they also do a good pav bhaji for those afraid to eat it at the beach. Otherwise, for pav bhaji go to Juhu Beach and eat it with a masala soda JIMMY BOY- Parsi food....a good place to gorge yourself...just remember TUMS(: PRITHVI CAFE- this is at the Prithvi Theatre...really nice homestyle food of different varieties....totally unpretentious and a fun place to hang out I could list too many more....I'm sure others here will have suggestions also e

I want real Goa sausages to suddenly appear at my local supermarket

kind of like that...but the batter really does resemble japanese tempura..only "fuzzier" as was pointed out. The meat inside is more like a moist hamburger than a shami kebab... Kobiraj is Bengali for Kaviraj...herbal doctor or something, right? Why its called that who knows....we need one of the Bengali experts in this one

Edward, I'm wondering if you could elaborate a bit more about some of the subtle (or even not so subtle) things you learned in this course. Cheers, Geoff Ruby ←

What's inside? ← Minced meat is whats inside......the outside really does look like a flattened birds nest. I recently had a version at Howrah in Bombay. The other dishes there were ok, but the kobiraj cutlet was really good. I have no idea how that texture is achieved though....its almost like tempura.

You could try adding long slices of eggplant or perhaps zucchinni. fresh greens cooked with fish are nice too...spinach would be good.

Welcome Spiceguy, If I can be of any help feel free to pm me. Where will this restaurant be located? Edward

Ok here are the malai from Suleiman Usman Mithaiwalla. Front left is blackcurrant, front right is kesari and chocolate is in the back. Would love to be able to recreate these at home....they were delicious.

Just went to MA Road 2 nights back on Vikrams urging....not that I really needed to be urged....and had some ambrosial food and came home smelling like a kabob. I was captivated by those giant malpuas...was one of the largest pots of oil I have ever seen! I came across a very small stall where a woman was cooking, on a tava, what looked like a small version of the malpuas. She told me they were called "moroli" and they contained chaval ka atta, anda, mawa, nariyal ka dhood and a little sugar. Instead of getting a sugar syrup at the end she sprinkled on a little sugar during the cooking...they were heavenly....really. I will post a photo when I get home at the end of the week. Another thing I sampled was a blackcurrant flavored malai....I almost died it was so good. Also tasted a chocolate version and a kesar version of the same. I am curious about this sweet. All the guy could tell me was that it was made from boiled milk. I assume it was milk cooked to some stage in between rabri and khoya....it was very moist, but still slightly firm....if any one has any info about this I would love to hear it. I will post a photo of this sweet as well when I get home.

So, here in suburban Bombay I am gobbling up fresh guavas at every chance. They are pretty abundant right now and their fragrance is irresistable...I can smell them halfway down the street! Besides just eating them doea any one have any ideas for cooking them...like a chatni perhaps? Edward

Thanks. I am ok. Have had some amazing food here in Ahmedabad, especially at Aghashiye..which is on the rooftop of The House of MG. It was an all out Gujurati dinner with decked out waiters and brass plates and katoris. It started with a "welcome" of fried crunchies and sandwhich dhokla and nimbu sharbat. Then it was chillas, bakhri, 3 vegetables(one was sweet) chaash, 2 pickles, garlic chatni, radish salad, kitcheree, kadhi, jeera rice, a raita with sweet tamarind sauce and pomegranite seeds, a type of kheer with charoli nuts, sweet seviya, kesar kulfi and then several churnas and mukhwas. Hands washed with warm rose-scented water at the beginning and end. It was wonderful. The pollution here is not wonderful. I am off to Bombay tomorrow. Edward

Thanks a lot. Remember, it may not be cold here in Delhi, but the sky is certainly grey...greyish-green to be exact!! Take care

Wow! Thanks for the info. I guess I am lucky I was able to get a train ticket considering all this going on. I will keep in touch here and let you know how things go. Edward

Almonds and keora....a match made in heaven... Will be back in Delhi in the last part of my trip and will have to return there a couple more times. Its great they give half portions...that way you can try more stuff at once.

Yeah, textile industry especially. I think. I have been told that it has some rather impressive musuems and , of course, Sabarmati Ashram. This week being Navaratri, there should be a chance to see danda rasa.

Thanks, will do. I will post photos of the food when I get back home mid November. Edward

I also think that almonds make an interesting substitue for white poppy seeds...of course their flavor is not the same. I have made an aloo posto with ground almond paste instead of poppy seeds and it was very good. Had the Badaam pasanda at Karims in Old Delhi yesterday.....God that is good! I love how it has whole chunks of almonds along with the ground ingredients.

Too late now....I'm heading off to Ahmedabad day after tomorrow. Some friends have mentioned some good things to do there. I am only staying 2 days before heading off to Bombay for a week. Do you know of any place good to eat at in Ahmedabad(for kutchh food or the like)? Edward

Hello from Delhi everybody, Episure, I love pumpkin with kalonji. Try it with kalonji(or cumin), green chili, and tejpatta. Cook it with a little water and then stir in some rich yogurt and the end and heat it through(but not until curdled). A little garam masala at the end is nice. Sort of a pumpkin korma. Edward