percyn

A bit of a haul, but there is a new South Indian restaurant called Devi, which opened in Exton.

This Malido recipe is from Jamva Chaloji (Shrinbai Panthaky's Malido, serves 10-12): 2 cups rava or semolina 1 cup wheat flour 3 cups sugar 6 eggs (optional) 25 gms almonds, boiled, sliced and fried 25 gms charoli, fried 25 gms rasins, fried 50 gms orange peel 25 gms sugar crystals 25 gms jujubes 1 tbsp cardamom - nutmeg powder 2 tablespoon extra pure ghee (for rotis) 500 gms pure ghee 1 tbsp vanilla essence Hey, nobody said this was diet food - Mix the rava and wheat flour with 2 tbsp ghee and one cup water. Mix and knead into a firm dough. Make 5 rotis and fry them. When cooled, pound them into a powder. - Make a syrup with 3 cups sugar and 2 cups water. On a low flame add the roti powder. Keep stirring while slowly adding all the ghee, a bit at a time. When completed, remove from heat to cool a little. - If using eggs, whisk and pour into the mixture in a thin stream, while stirring the mixture. Simmer and stir for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add cardamon and nutmeg powder and vanilla essence. Stir in half the nuts, orange peel and raisins. - Transfer to serving dish and top with remaining nuts, raisins, orange peel, jujubes and sugar crystals - Promise to mail me some if you make it

Lets see if I remember... Brown 4-5 short ribs, remove and add 1 lg onions, 2 shallots, 2 cloves chopped garlic. When onions are light brown, add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 min. Return ribs to pot, add 1/2 cup demi glace, red wine and beef broth to cover about 3/4 of the height of the ribs. Bring to boil and simmer. Cook until fork tender, which usually takes 2-3 hrs. This particular time, I made these in a pressure cooker and I have to say, it was very tender whithin 1 hr. Chufi, I usually make the polenta from an organic italian mix, but this time I had some pre-made polenta tube, I bought from a store (Trader Joe's I think). I cut a think slice from the cylinder of polenta, diced it up and mixed it with boiling cream. Thus, the term "reconstitution". Cheers Percy

LOL I suddenly got an image of Dali using eggs in his Divine Comedy series. Would have added that to my collection

Why go to a bar when you can enjoy one at home?

Ling, you beat me to the punch.... I am the only one in my family who eats sushi and sashimi. Began eating sushi about 10 yrs ago but sashimi only about 3 years ago. Now, I am hooked and have to have it at least once a week (luckily there is a great place on my way home from work). About the only thing I do not eat is watermelon. I could force myself to eat but, but do not enjoy the flavor.....no flames please

Woodford Reserve, which I seem to enjoy over the rocks.

Thanks for the compliments on the short ribs all...I was not expecting this humble meal to generate such a response. Chufi, "mushroompolenta" was born when I had left over shitake mushrooms and some polenta. I sauteed the mushrooms in some olive oil, added the polenta with some cream and stired, stired, stired. The shortribs were made last weekend, but I find that the flavor enhances when I let it sit for a few days. So I make it over weekends (which is the only real time I get to cook) and eat it as a quick meal on weekdays. This plate took me maybe 12 minutes to put together, mostly because of the polenta I had to reconstitute. Daniel, I had an open bottle of 2000 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone, which seemed to go well with the dish. A few days ago, I was luck enough to watch a cooking TV show in the making and enjoy 9 dishes, made by 9 different renown chefs at the Fretz Kitchen. You may see inspirations from these dishes in my upcoming meals Cheers Percy

Yes, that does make sense. I'm curious what's in the Kaju Katri. Do you make that? ← Kaju = Cashew, Katri = diamond shape (I think). Thus, Kaju Katri is really ground up cashews and sugar...sort of like a marizpan, but with cashews instead of almonds. It is quite common and can be found in most Indian grocery stores.

Soft scrambled eggs w/Chou Sou sauce This was an experiment....I was staring into my fridge with an eye on the smoked duck breast, when I spotted some left over Chao Shou (spicy Sichuan dumpling in red oil) sauce. People top their eggs with tabasco, chives, green onions, so why not??? I thought to myself The result was fabulous !!! Thought it does not come through in the picture, this egg packed quite a punch and adds some depth to the flavor.

Shortribs with Demi Glace on Mushroom Polenta

A few days ago - Short ribs w/Egyptian lentils Yesterday - Chili from Johnny Rocket's Bilrus, that salmon looks delicious.

Hmmm.... I guess "Indian sweets" could be called mithai, but not all sweet things (e.g. sugar) are mithai ... does that make sense?

Episure, all I know is that my Aunt got this from a "special" place and this mithai was unlike any other I have ever had. I will try to get more info from her. The Malido is from a small parsi community store that makes these in small batches (per orders they recieve), so its close to home made. I will post a recipe for Malido if you are interested. In the meantime, here is a pic of some Kaju Katri

Soft-scrambled eggs are my favorite...I would have them every day if I had time to cook breakfast or if the breakfast cook in the cafe at work knew the meaning of soft (apparently it is not "cooked" if he can't slice it with a knife) . Ling, try adding some truffle butter on your scrambled eggs. Octaveman, congratz on the weight loss.

Susan, That Etouffe looks excellent....when should I expect my care-package of Etouffe?

That's why I have 5 TVs and a DVR

Hmmm... L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Paris StudioKitchen, Philadelphia Lacroix, Philadelphia Nana, Dallas Daniel, NYC The Fountain, Philadelphia Victor's, New Orleans The Grill, Philadelphia Galatoire's, New Orleans Gilmore's, West Chester (PA that is) Pasion, Philadelphia Django, Philadelphia Dilworthtown Inn, West Chester (PA again) Burger King (just kidding ) Hoping to add Per Se, Gardon Ramsey and El Bulli to my 2005 list....wish me luck edited to add a few restaurants I had forgotten about...probably still missing a few good ones.

Bisquit XO cognac Has an amazingly full nose and depth of flavor. Strong toffee and nut flavor with an extra long finish.

Pruschutto, spinach, baby bella mushrooms and taleggio omelette.

The December issue of Wine Spectator also had a good article on Ferran Adria and El Bulli (I have not seen the Food & Wine article yet). The article is making me think of visiting Spain in spring....

I have tried the ones from Trader Joes and while not comparable to the fresh ones you get in a restaurant, I happen to live 70 miles from a good Dim Sum place. Also, at least I know they will be hot, vs some of the cold limp Dim Sum I have been served at some restaurants.

Here is another delightful box of mithai someone visiting India brought for me. This was from a special place and it was unlike any other mithai I have ever had. I will be posting more detail on this later. Shanta, I might have a few recipes, which I will dig up and post.

Having cleared about 7 inches of snow, I wanted some hearty, warm food.... Butternut squash soup with Pancetta and Argan Oil: The brown things are croutons I made out of a multigrain bagel. The oil droplets are Argan oil, which has a deep nutty flavor and the red stuff on top is some pancetta. Duck Confit on bed of lentils The inspiration for this dish came from Balthazar cookbook. Wine was a Guigal 2001 Cotes du Rhone, which had a nice bite to take the edge of the lentils and the duck. Now I am ready for tomorrow's snow Chufi, Behemoth, do you mind sharing your recipe for the lemon surprise pudding (you can PM me if you prefer). Thanks Percy

This is a parsi mithai called Hagan Nu Ladoo, which is distributed to guests after a cerenomy marking the 7th month of an unborn child. Tastes sort of like a Gudi Ladoo, but has a denser flavor and seems to have more nuts (cashews and pistachios). This one is also topped with thin edible silver foil. Another Parsi sweet called Malido. This is a typical offerings during prayers. It consists of (wheat?) flour, butter, sugar, nuts and golden rasins.