foodietraveler
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http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/20...POE=click-refer
Suvir Saran and his cook book make it to USA Today list of seasons best cookbooks.
Indian Home Cooking is one of 6 great book of the year.
Other books are , The Best American Recipes (Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens), Barefoot in Paris (Ina Garten), The Gourmet Cookbook (Ruth Reichl), Dessert University (Roland Mesnier), Fast Food My Way (Jacques Pepin).
Congratulations Suvir!
Your book will be big success. Your book and you are all over. Nice to be seeing Indian food and chef get so much acclaim and recognision. Thank you for sharing so much here on web also.
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Milagai and worm@work,
I'm waiting for more details, availabilty and recipes of this Panacea.
At home we make a killer Besan Mithai (slightly more roasted than any other mithaiwallh)and this may be the right antidote for my once a year binge. Binge = 1 kg in 3 days, then I feel sick and wait till next Diwali. Like all all good things in life and relationships- never get too familiar!
Episure, can you please comment on this Besan Mitthai. It sounds very nice. I love anything sweet made with besan. Do you make ladoo? Burfee? Fudge? i am so very curious. Maybe if you share recipe, we can make same mithai in US. thanks to you.
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trillium, do the leaves remain nice and green?
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Tonight I'm trying my first foray into Indian cooking. I'm making the Summer Squash. My family loves squash, and I'm excited about this dish. I've decided not to tackle several recipes at once, but am going to attempt to make one each day. Or at least every other day.
Suvir, I own several Indian cookbooks, but sad to say, have not cooked from them. Your book seems so accessible. I, too, would like a list of one or two from each chapter which are particularly recommended for newcomers to Indian cuisine.
Thank you, foodietravler, for letting us know which ones you've been successful with. Anyone else cooking from the book?
Wish you best luck in cooking. You make Indian food before? What dishes you liked before?
Summer Squash is dish that they feature in India Abroad, famous Indian paper in America.
If you want, try making orange and lamb biryani. You can make it with beef if you worry lamb is not your taste. Nice recipe and people like it.
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I finally open the newspaper to read story on Kishore Kumar and as flipping the page, I find big article on Suvir Saran. Photo from book of squash recipe, photo of Suvir and photo of book image. Big story and very nice about his chef at home.
Cooking for Panditji - Aseem Chabra
"One of New York's hottest chefs thrives on inspiration that goes way back to his childhood. Aseem Chabra gets a taste of what makes Suvir Saran sizzle."
No online version or else I give link here.
You can subscribe to India Abroad by going to www.indiaabroad.com
Monica Bhide and Suvir Saran make us proud. They are all over.
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I remember that looooong ago, the greengrocer whose shop was two along from my parents' pharmacy taught me how to make a semolina-based sweet that I remember as "soji julwa", though I don't know the correct spelling. The greengrocer and his daughter said they made it for Diwali, by frying the semolina in butter with almonds and big raisins, and adding water and spices. A type of halwa??
You remember rightly. Sooji Halwa. It is famous dessert and made for most prayer ceremony in at least North Indian home. Trick they say is in using good ghee and frying the sooji (cream of wheat/fareena) on low flame and for long time, till nice and dark but not burned. Then adding the chaashnee (sugar syrup). Nuts and raisin you can add just before adding syrup. Nuts burn very quickly and get bitter. You can add cardamom seed, whole seed, just opened, into syrup. this flavor syrup nicely. And then you can add ground cardamom seed once you finish preparing halwa. very tasty. if you want message me and I can get you portions from my mother.
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This weekend I hope and make matharee from Indian Home Cooking by Suvir Saran of egullet website.
The recipe seems like what we make at home. I never made before. It seems easy. Will also make some pickle. I think orange and green chilie pickle. Not sure, maybe eggplant instead of green chilies.
My home they prepare gujia that is made with khoya. I tried making khoya earlier but had failed attempt. Powder khoya is not same as fresh. So maybe I will make some other sweet.
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I am and have been a huge fan of Biriyaanis. I thought I was pretty good in making one.
Past Sunday I tried Suvir's recipe for Biriyaani for my Sunday Brunch. It was simple to prepare and tasted excellent. I would have never thought of adding orange zest. It was very well recieved by my Sunday fan's of the brunch. I had made it with Baby Goat.
What kind of orange you use Prasad? what you think? We were very surprised by how subtle and fragrant the biryaani was. And most good was that it was not like rose or kevra smelling that can be turn off for so many people. It was fragrant but without being too much like perfume of flowers.
What did you serve it with for your brunch?
Did you try any other recipe?
Will cook more from it coming weekend. Will share comments here.
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We recieve copy of magazine in mail Friday. Reading magazine i found Indian Home Cooking and Suvir Saran again. I miss cover mention of article.
Very nice photographs and recipes. Well written article, so Indian. Makes me homesick.
More recipes for me to try and now I have to go buy Monica Bhide in Bon Apetit magazine.
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In The Oxford companion to Food Alan Davidson writes -" Mango, one of the finest and most popular fruits, has been cultivated in India since 2000 B.C. ...From south India the mango was spread by the Portuguese, who took it to Africa in the 16th century. It reached Brazil and the West Indies in the 18th century and Hawaii, Florida and Mexico in the 19th century."
Ammini
You save me trip to Oxford Food Companion or google. I always know that mango are Indian fruit. Was worried I think of it same as tomato and potato. thank you for clearing this confusion.
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Cool! Congratulations.
Same here Monica Bhide!
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You are correct Dave. I had no input into the cover. I talked with the publisher earlier today and let them know.. they indicated the tiny rack is for illustration only, really i could not even read it. The book is going into another reprint and they will take care of it then
I thank my gf and my trade then. And I hope you are happy I was able to help you correct mistake on cover of your own book. Your publisher must be unhappy, but will be good for your book I think. My eyes are not best, I wear glasses, but i do try observe things minute enough so I can work and enjoy my life. I am sorry if I make your day busy than it can be sharing in discussions here. All is well that end well. I will enjoy your book with this cover, and I have it with some other books I have, most vintage and antique book, that have illustrations like yours. They are charming, even if wrong and out of place. And I am sad that there is no saffron salt. I felt maybe they make it in America.
Thank you Monica. And wish you success with this book. Maybe next time, your publisher will be better for the book and give you input on this part of your book. Since your name is what make them successful in first place. Author should be important and for too much more than just writing. But that is my simple thinking. You have proven success. I idly enjoy writing by those that come to this indian site.
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I'd be surprised if Monica has much, if anything, to do with the cover of her book. These things are usually handled by the publisher.
Aah! I an relate to that. As designer, not all my clients take as much interest and nor do we give much leeway to others. Some meddle too much when we give them say, others cannot find time to relate to our jobs, so we do not gain much. Better not have say, so we keep to our self. Thanks for bringing this up.
From Monica Bhide being silent, I assume this is surprise to her. Monica, look at it this way, your books cover may have a spice no one knows, but at least we all speak of it and have some nice discussion trying to figure it out. One miss out of 6 spices is not bad for publisher. If they had asked you, they would get all 6 corect one time, but that does not take from your good efforts.
I had question about cover, one more, but now I will forget I had it. Thank you.
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Stellab--I think one of the themes that comes through from reading Suvir is that there is a wealth of joy to be derived from Indian desserts, flavors and concepts--but only if you make them yourself at home. Satisfaction in this area is virtually unobtainable here in the States otherwise. Suvir and I are planning a visit to Mantra in Boston soon and we will report back as far as their treatment.
I'm with you as far as the mystery and potential that coconut, cardamom and other "Asian" flavors possess. My favorite dessert from that Indian restaurant consulting project of mine in NYC was the coconut milk panna cotta, served in a beautiful crystal candle votive, hiding a ball of rice cooked in coconut milk and coconut water with the merest hint of cardamom, covered with a thin layer of Inniskillin icewine gelee and a tiny brunoise of asian pear.
It wasn't Indian, it wasn't French, but it was elegant and that combination spoke to me, following the spicy, assertive Indian cuisine well.
At the time, I never tried it with "sticky rice" but just might do something creamy with sticky rice in the near future, so I'll try to report back to you.
And I think you've also hit on the truest way to evaluate and assess Asian desserts--in the context of an Asian meal. You could evaluate things in isolation--but the more valid critique is to assesses how a dessert fits in relation to the meal and cuisine which preceded it--whether that be Asian, French, authentic or supposed "fusion."
Steve Klc, could you share a recipe for this panna cotta? It sound tasty. If you can not share recipe, maybe you have picture to share. It sounds like very attractive dessert and also nice in taste. Just what we need for Indian food these days. This was great discussion. Thank you.
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My brother and his wife use Shaan brand for some masalas. Especially for meat and my sister in law says their chaat masala is better than Indian make.
I try making as much fresh as I can possible. But also cheat and use chaat masala from store.
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can we find neem leaves in US?
Are they fresh or dried?
I know mom puts few leaves between clothes in closet. Supposed to keep moth away.
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making me hungry for some idli... so I can enjoy these chutneys recipes. thank you for such mouthwatering food.
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monica bhide,
the cover to your book The Everything Indian Cookbook has a image of wooden spice rack. It has 6 bottles in it. Curry Powder, Turmeric, Chile Powder, Cardamom (powder I can tell by looking at it), Ginger (also powder as I can see from bottle), Saffron salt (looks like powder in photo).
And as I check the back cover, you have same spice rack on back cover too.
I am very curious about it. Would love to know where I can buy it. Seems new item. Thank you.
PS: I add this comment to help Monica know I ask her a question in this discussion about saffron salt. Thank you.
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Oooops! A bit of overlap there! By the time I typed out my long reply, there were two replies already!
Suman
rajsuman, thanks for saying what you did about curry leaf. I like you, do not like dry. prefer frozen fresh over dry. I always buy plenty for refrigerator and then 2-3 packets for freezer. By the time the leaves are changing color in freezer, I have cooked with them and bought new. You are totally right about no substitute for them. They are amazing and make all difference.
My mom cooked lot with pressure cooker. I have one futura pressure cooker. I always make daal in it. While I have not checked dal chapter of Monica, I know even if she says to cook it on stove, with dal, I will make exception and cook in cooker. It is so quick and so easy. Reluctantly, i now have no fear of cooker.
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Sweetened Yogurt (mishti doi)
Monica, this is another item I want to try. What brand of yogurt do you use? I am worried that maybe I would be using wrong kind. Please advise. I shall make this very soon.
Is it just like Mishti Doi from India or like the kulfi we all make, a close enough version?
Setting myself for having a fair reaction once I taste.
I have never made this before, I have eaten enough for a lifetime, between Calcutta and New Delhi, I have eaten more than my fair share of some of the best. I never thought it possible to make it at home. Your book gives me the recipe.
Any other secrets I should know? Thank you in advance. Maybe i make gf happy this weekend. We both miss Mishti Doi.
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cardamom cookies - Monica are these similar to nan-khatai or just the usual cardamom cookies we got in bakeries in India?
I miss the nan-khatai and cookies of India. Will try and make these soon.
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Are you boiling it enough while stirring? If it is only simmering it will take a lot longer to get to khoya.
Diffrerent milks have different compositions of fat, viscosity, etc. Could be the milk you are using would take a lot longer.
Is Whole Milk in the US that different from brand to brand? The recipe calls for bringing milk to boil, I did that. The recipe did not say how the flame should be after, but I kept it high anyways, since I was standing there stirring, and yet, it did not cook in 40 minutes not even almost an hour more later.
Maybe they sold me skim milk calling it whole milk.
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Wherever did you hear of such a thing?
Such a thing? You are funny.
I saw it on the cover of Monica Bhide's cookbook, The Everything Indian Cookbook.
The other spices on the spice rack are curry powder, turmeric, chili powder, and ginger powder.
I thought this was another rich people ingredient my family did not know of. That is why I ask. Mom knew nothing about it. Some local chef friends do not know it either. But I know there are many ingredients I learn about from Suvir and Monica here and from all that comment on this site.
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I called upon my Chinese friend / Chef to ask him about the rice pudding ala Chinese style, his quote " As far as I am aware of we Chinese do not make rice pudding"
here is a link to the Gourmet Magazine where my rice pudding was published this year in the... You asked for it coloumn.
Thank you prasad. I saw it as dessert in a menu at Chinese restaurant or a cookbook. Both gf and I were surprised. She because she never thinks of Chinese food and rice pudding, me less surprised, but still curious because Indian Chinese restaurants that I knew never had rice pudding.
I was wondering if I have missed a trend.
I know puddings, cakes, trifles, custards, parfaits, mousses and pastries have long been part of India. But this was still different to me. I did not grow up in India of these desserts. Our family was not too wealthy, had not traveled much, so we knew people ate western style desserts regularly, but ours were the tasty Indian counterparts like gulab jamun, kheer, rabri etc. I make up for it now. I enjoy all kind of dessert these day.
CHICKEN CURRY
in India: Cooking & Baking
Posted
Suzanne in India I know we enjoy sucking bone dry till all flavors is taken out. Best flavor around bones and curry gets trapped. You are thinking like Indian people.
What recipe you use for your Indian style chicken curry?
I have made some recently and enjoying the idea of going back to my roots.