Milagai
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Posts posted by Milagai
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tomato rasam! very hot in temperature, and
rivals any amount of chicken soup in germ-fighting
and mood lifting properties.
contains lots of appetizing ingredients like:
tomatoes, cumin, black pepper, tamarind, dal-paste,
hing, etc. etc.
comfort food is such a cultural thing!
i was very interested to see that lebanese grandmothers
dish up yogurt rice when people are sick.
so do south indian grandmothers and mothers!
my best comfort food is a bowl of yogurt rice
with a dab of home made lemon pickle (cuts nausea
like nothing eles); with a steaming mug of tomato rasam.
milagai
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episure: if i hadn't been raised right, i would wish a mango-rash
on you immediately :)
bhelpuri: refuse to speak for yourself.
tryska: mangoes are widely reputed as likely to give
you rashes, allergies, acne, you name it.
According to indian medical traditions, they heat the body too much.
milagai
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yetanudder practical application of being an anthropologist:
write superlative travel books connecting peoples that
others ignore....
:)
milagai
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and even though it has nothing to do with food everyone should read amitav ghosh's "in an antique land"--about contact between egypt and india, his own--during his anthropology ph.d fieldwork in the late 70s--and medieval trade. perhaps the best book he's written.
re amitav ghosh's book: ITA! :)
I did enjoy much of his later stuff,
including the wonderful Glass Palace,
but somehow Antique Land stands out.....
Milagai
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ps to Whippy:
I thought your coconut paste asparagus thingy
was very similar in general idea to the paruppu usilli recipe ...
sounds much easier, so I'll try that when asps next
go on sale.
Milagai
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Thanks Whippy:
what veggies does Viji Varadarajan use in her paruppu usillis?
I also wonder how much her recipe differs from mine (mine
I learnt from my mother, and like any Indian recipe, there
are as many variations as there are mothers in law).
I also use green beans instead of asparagus
red bell pepper strips instead of carrots - mix and match
any / all of the above.
re technique: some people swear by spreading
the dal paste out on a plate and MW-ing till done,
for a fat free version. I haven't tried it ....
Milagai
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Well, what got me through exam nights in Delhi University
was the wonderful Khada Chammach (standing spoon)
masala chai from the thela-vaalas outside the hostel walls.
They also sold wonderful bun-andas and parathas.
We had dragged out a broken old table to set against
the wall, to stand on and conduct our transactions over
the wall, after the gates were locked at night (curfew ~ 8 pm).
The best masala chai:
boil everything: bad quality tea leaves, milk, and sugar
thoroughly for a long time. In fact, go right ahead and stew it.
Otherwise the spoon would not stand upright in it :)
Throw in the masala early in the process:
Smashed green cardamom (pods and all)
slices of fresh ginger
coarsely smashed peppercorns.
a small pinch of haldi if you have a cold.
(Actually I found the whole concoction very medicinal
and soothing when I had a cough / cold - substitute
honey for the sugar for best anti-cough effect).
Serve in little disposable clay "kulhad" cups.
Adds that earthy fragrance......
Biodegradable and employs otherwise marginalized
"sons of the soil"......
Nothing beats this IMHO. Until recently I'd never heard
of putting cinnamon, fennel, etc in masala chai
Milagai
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Thank you so much, judges and hosts!
I'm really excited - first time such a thing has
happened with me.
Any comments / feedback (appropriate word) /
tester's notes on ALL recipes welcome.
Milagai
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I've made gajar halwa, and
kheer of some kinds,
substituting soy milk for cow's milk.
It tastes very good.
Can hardly tell any difference after
you add all the sugar, cardamom, etc etc.
I haven't tried tofu-chenna or soy-based gulab jamuns though.
Milagai
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ALright so fine.. we have the tips -- how about some fun inventive things to do with this yogurt.. I know I can make raitas and Lassis till the cows come home..............................
how about something different???
Idea 1:
Shrikhand!!
Best thing to do with "excess" yogurt!
Hang the yogurt several hours till most of
the liquid has drained out.
Then add powdered sugar, cardamom,
maybe a little saffron, and mix well and serve.
Garnish with chopped almonds / pistas if desired.
Mango shrikhand - add mango puree to the above.
Idea 2:
Aviyal
Idea 3:
Mor-kuzhambu (South Indian style "kadhi)
or Kadhi
or GUuarati Kadhi
Idea 4:
Make a face and hair pack and bathe in it
(seriously)
Milagai
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Rainy day menu:
make a piping hot tomato rasam, and cocoon with a good book
or indian movie and spouse / SO! Turn off phones and send
kids away for a play date.
Easy shortcut Recipe:
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1 tbsp tamarind paste
2 cloves garlic smashed
2-3 slices ginger grated / chopped fine
(simmer the above for ~ 15 - 20 minutes)
Add:
1 tbsp jeera
1 tsp black peppercorns,
toasted and coarsely ground together.
Salt to taste
Simmer for ~ 10 minutes
Heat oil, season with:
mustard seeds
hing
curry leaves
Garnish with:
chopped cilantro
Taste, and add more water or spices as needed.
Serve HOT.
Make in industrial quantities and store in the
fridge for ~ 1 week (max) or freeze for later use.
Milagai
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How do you all add the link to your recipe in your post?
(sorry, clueless new member question)
- M
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Hi: I'm a new member of this group, and I recently added
a recipe for the asparagus contest:
asparagus paruppu usilli;
it's an adaptation of a common south indian veggie side dish
to this great veggie. It's a very mild and family friendly
recipe, so it won't overpower the asparagus taste.
My kids love this...
Milagai
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Asparagus and Carrot Paruppu Usilli
Serves 6 as Side.
Hi: I'm a new member of the egullet community.
This is my entry for the asparagus - in - Indian - cooking
recipe contest. The contest inspired me to join
this board. The recipe is an adaptation of a common
South Indian side dish veggie preparation, called
"paruppu usilli" that's made with any common
veg: green beans, carrots, etc.
It works REALLY well with asparagus.
I've read some of Monica Bhide's cooking
writing, and enjoy it very much.
Milagai
- 1 c baby carrots
- 1 bunch of fresh asparagus
- 1/2 c masoor dal (red lentils)
- 1/2 c chana dal (like yellow split peas)
- 2 dry red chillies
- 1/2 tsp hing powder, divided into two
- 1/4 tsp turmeric (haldi) powder
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 sprig of fresh curry leaves
- 1/2 c freshly grated coconut (optional)
- salt to taste
- 1 squirt fresh lemon juice
- 2 T veg. oil for cooking
1. Soak the masoor dal and chana dal in 2 cups warm
water for a few hours, or even overnight.
Rinse, drain, and grind to a coarse paste with
a little fresh water as needed, in a small
food processor, along with the dry red chillies
(USE MORE OR LESS CHILLIES TO TASTE, BUT THIS
IS AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT, IT IS THE *ONLY* 'HOT' SPICE
THAT IS ADDED, AND THE OTHER INGREDIENTS
ARE ALL VERY BLAND AND SIMPLE) and half
the hing powder, turmeric, and salt to taste.
2. Heat the veg oil in a deep skillet or wok, add
the remaining hing powder, then mustard seeds,
as soon as they pop, add the curry leaves and
saute briefly.
3. Add the dal paste, and keep stirring for a longish while
on medium - low heat
until the paste dries up and becomes a nicely sauteed
dry-ish powder and stops clinging in lumps.
4. In the mean time, slice the baby carrots vertically in half.
5. Cut off and discard the woody bottom of the
bunch of asparagus. Cut the remainder into thirds,
roughly similar in length and diamater to the carrots.
6. Steam these veggies to the desired done-ness,
more or less al dente depending on your taste.
Steam them separately because they take different times
to cook. I begin steaming the carrots first, then
add the asparagus bottom and middle
pieces half way, then the tips
last of all, so that nothing gets either too mushy or
too raw. This is the only tricky part to the recipe.
Add a little salt here if desired, remember that
you added salt to the dal paste so be cautious.
7. When the veggies are done, drain them (if needed),
and add them to the dal paste, WHICH SHOULD HAVE FINISHED
COOKING TO A DRY CRUMBLY POWDER. If the dal paste has
not reached this stage yet, then keep the veggies waiting
for a few minutes till the dal is done. Don't hurry the dal.
8. The dal will turn pasty-ish again because of the
moisture in the steamed veggies, and will cling to the
veggies. Saute on medium-high heat until it dries up
just a little. It won't turn 100% dry again but that's
OK.
9. Turn the heat off, and add the shredded coconut if
desired and mix well. The white coconut flecks
look attractive against the golden-brown dal paste,
and the orange carrots and green asparagus.
10. Add the squirt of lemon juice if desired.
This step is not very traditional but I find it
adds a good dimension to the flavors.
Serve hot with the other components of the meal:
dal, rice / chapatis, yogurt, etc.
You can make this ~ 1 day beforehand and reheat,
though fresh-made is better.
This dish can also blend well with any multicultural /
multi cuisine buffet .....
Keywords: Side, Vegan, Intermediate, Indian
( RG988 )
- 1 c baby carrots
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Asparagus and Carrot Paruppu Usilli
Serves 6 as Side.
Hi: I'm a new member of the egullet community.
This is my entry for the asparagus - in - Indian - cooking
recipe contest. The contest inspired me to join
this board. The recipe is an adaptation of a common
South Indian side dish veggie preparation, called
"paruppu usilli" that's made with any common
veg: green beans, carrots, etc.
It works REALLY well with asparagus.
I've read some of Monica Bhide's cooking
writing, and enjoy it very much.
Milagai
- 1 c baby carrots
- 1 bunch of fresh asparagus
- 1/2 c masoor dal (red lentils)
- 1/2 c chana dal (like yellow split peas)
- 2 dry red chillies
- 1/2 tsp hing powder, divided into two
- 1/4 tsp turmeric (haldi) powder
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 sprig of fresh curry leaves
- 1/2 c freshly grated coconut (optional)
- salt to taste
- 1 squirt fresh lemon juice
- 2 T veg. oil for cooking
1. Soak the masoor dal and chana dal in 2 cups warm
water for a few hours, or even overnight.
Rinse, drain, and grind to a coarse paste with
a little fresh water as needed, in a small
food processor, along with the dry red chillies
(USE MORE OR LESS CHILLIES TO TASTE, BUT THIS
IS AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT, IT IS THE *ONLY* 'HOT' SPICE
THAT IS ADDED, AND THE OTHER INGREDIENTS
ARE ALL VERY BLAND AND SIMPLE) and half
the hing powder, turmeric, and salt to taste.
2. Heat the veg oil in a deep skillet or wok, add
the remaining hing powder, then mustard seeds,
as soon as they pop, add the curry leaves and
saute briefly.
3. Add the dal paste, and keep stirring for a longish while
on medium - low heat
until the paste dries up and becomes a nicely sauteed
dry-ish powder and stops clinging in lumps.
4. In the mean time, slice the baby carrots vertically in half.
5. Cut off and discard the woody bottom of the
bunch of asparagus. Cut the remainder into thirds,
roughly similar in length and diamater to the carrots.
6. Steam these veggies to the desired done-ness,
more or less al dente depending on your taste.
Steam them separately because they take different times
to cook. I begin steaming the carrots first, then
add the asparagus bottom and middle
pieces half way, then the tips
last of all, so that nothing gets either too mushy or
too raw. This is the only tricky part to the recipe.
Add a little salt here if desired, remember that
you added salt to the dal paste so be cautious.
7. When the veggies are done, drain them (if needed),
and add them to the dal paste, WHICH SHOULD HAVE FINISHED
COOKING TO A DRY CRUMBLY POWDER. If the dal paste has
not reached this stage yet, then keep the veggies waiting
for a few minutes till the dal is done. Don't hurry the dal.
8. The dal will turn pasty-ish again because of the
moisture in the steamed veggies, and will cling to the
veggies. Saute on medium-high heat until it dries up
just a little. It won't turn 100% dry again but that's
OK.
9. Turn the heat off, and add the shredded coconut if
desired and mix well. The white coconut flecks
look attractive against the golden-brown dal paste,
and the orange carrots and green asparagus.
10. Add the squirt of lemon juice if desired.
This step is not very traditional but I find it
adds a good dimension to the flavors.
Serve hot with the other components of the meal:
dal, rice / chapatis, yogurt, etc.
You can make this ~ 1 day beforehand and reheat,
though fresh-made is better.
This dish can also blend well with any multicultural /
multi cuisine buffet .....
Keywords: Side, Vegan, Intermediate, Indian
( RG988 )
- 1 c baby carrots
Stuffed okra in less than 30 minutes
in India: Cooking & Baking
Posted
South Indian style, in sambar and in mor-kozhambu.
never comes out slimy (saute thoroughly before adding to
liquid ingredients)!
Esp. mor kozhambu, just fabulous!
also thin slices crisp fried or toaster ovened to crispy,
put into spiced yogurt: vendekkaai (=okra) pachadi (=raita).
milagai