Monica Bhide

Hmm.. I love papaya chutney, pineapple chutney... my mom makes these really well. I also like the Maharastrian dry garlic chutney and ofcourse the standard tamarind chutney. The favorite in our house is the cilantro chutney... Saute some onions, add your favorite fillet of white fish, cook, add tablespoons of chutney to it.. cover and simmer for a few minutes.. serve with white rice.... leftover chutney recipe ala monica

Yes Bhasin thanks for those suggestions. We are going to come up wth an authentic menu featuring some well known and lesser known street foods.

First let me apologize for the pics.. not sure why they are not clear. I wanted to share with you two of my favorite cauliflower dishes...The first one is a simple stir fry and the second one is the much loved deep fried cauliflower.. Indian chinese style.. how do you like to prepare yours? What are some favorites? Do share....? Pic 1 Cauliflower subzi.. simple as can be.. Pic 2 Indian Chinese style Cauliflower

canola oil

I have tried it with the store bought khoya... its okay.. hard to knead sometimes.. not too bad.

I actually did.. used splenda for one syrup and sugar for the other.. no guesses on which one tasted better

They are quite good actually. Very moist and soft.. I am eating one now and sipping hot tea. To hell with diets....

Ammini - I have recently tried GITs. I rarely make them... when I did it was with powdered milk and all purpose flour.. and cream to knead instead of milk. It works great but is loaded with calories. this one i could not resist.. what can I say.. its been a HARD week

yes that is exactly why I have long nails... to cut garlic with ... yep exactly right... and while I am at it I also use it to extract that last bit of peanut butter out of the jar

as you know I am not a professional chef and dont have to "work" in a kitchen. i only cook in my own kitchen for family and occasionally for courses I teach

Tell that to Mongo Jones and Deliad.. they are the troublemakers who started talking about this on another thread.. I finally could not take it anymore and had to go make some.. yummmyy.

Here are my 2 cents: GITS Step 1: Make the dough Step 2 --roll into balls step 3: deep fry on a low flame step 4: drain step 5: Soak in sugar syrup ( which I forgot to take a picture of as I was making it ) Step 6: Eat.. enjoy.. love life and be happy step 7: Find Deliad and feed him all this so I am not alone in gaining 10 pounds

Yes ofcourse... I would like to get as many folks as possible so we are looking for dates in June right now..more to come

I miss Bombay

a man after my own heart.. these are the reason I put on weight .. not my lack of will power mind you!

This is such an interesting discussion. With all the claims that tofu is so healthy for you.. I am still not a tofu kind of gal... Paneer has just a delightfull taste and is good for you.. why mess with perfection. I admit I do suggest tofu as an alternate in my recipes for people to make sure the recipes are adaptable to individual lifestyles and tastes.

My mom actually makes this dish with ground lamb and macaroni that is delicious. i am sure its not authentic Indian but we have been eating it for years. If anyone would like I can post the recipe here

Ammini.. me too.. as you know I love your work! Good luck my friend

Okay - here is where we are. I talked to CHef Sudhir Seth of Passage to India in Bethesda and he has agreed to host this event for us.. yippee!! (Sudhir has co authored classes on the eGCI with me. He is an excellent chef.. this should be fun) Give us a bit to come up with a few suggested dates and menus.. A question.. street food is served with, what else, street drinks which do not include alcohol.. fyi.. (ofcourse you can order any drinks you want it just wont be part of the deal... we will have green mango juice with rocksalt, lassi's, limeade... etc)

i was kidding..although it did occur to me that he looked like he was in pain

mhberk - I guess you dont want to come

mango

I did this piece a while ago.. hope you will enjoy it Indian Soul Food I have to admit, as much as I love the holiday season, I get just as depressed when its over. I get terribly homesick. During the holidays, our family is busy with all the social obligations. Regifting, I mean gifting, and partying, eating and drinking. I never know where the time goes. Its like being on stage 24 hours a day for the whole week. Then comes the quiet time. The last champagne has been drunk, the last gift has been opened and finally the last dish has been rinsed. As I sit in my kitchen, on the morning of January 2nd, I am overcome by sadness. I feel homesick. I miss my family, I miss my mom and my dad. All of a sudden, this place seems too far away. The snow makes the land look alien, I grew up in the dessert. I call my father. His kind and reassuring voice on the phone, brings a smile back to my face. I talk to my mom, recovering from a major illness. "You sound sad", she says, "make yourself some khichri, it will make you feel better". They are on the speakerphone. My dad adds, "Yes, yes, eat Khichri and don t forget her chaar yaar ( chaar - 4, yaar - friends)." Ah yes!! Khichri and her chaar yaar . they bring back memories of a time that seems so long gone. Growing up, this was my soul food. In India, there is nothing that ails you, apparently, that cannot get cured by eating khichri. Add my dad s four friends, Achaar (pickle), Dahi (yogurt), Papad (Lentil wafers) and a teaspoon of warmed ghee as sides to each serving and you have the perfect meal. So I went about preparing Khichri and set the table for lunch. My son, my husband and I were ready to eat. As I sat down, my husband looked at me and said, "my family had five friends for the Khichri, the fifth one is shredded coconut." So we added coconut. My preschooler, was watching and listening very carefully. "Mom," he said, " we forgot to add my friend." Well we did, to each his own. Now I serve my Khichri with 6 friends Pickle, yogurt, papad, ghee, coconut and Tomato Ketchup! I present you my mothers recipe of Ghar Ki Khichri or Home made Khichri.. enjoy! "kedgeree, kitchery, s. Hind. khichri, a mixtures of rice, cooked with butter and dal (lentils) and flavored with a little spice, shredded onion, and the like; a common dish all over India, and often served at Indian breakfast tables" Ghar Ki Khichri serves 4 4 Tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee Pinch of ground asafetida 1 tsp. whole cumin seeds 1 small onion, peeled, cut in half length wise, then sliced into fine half rounds 1 inch piece fresh ginger 2 black cardamoms 2 cloves Pinch of Garam masala 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 cup whole mung beans, picked over, washed, and drained 1/2 cup long grain rice, washed and drained Salt to taste About 5 cups of water Heat oil or ghee in heavy bottomed casserole on medium flame. Make sure your casserole dish is large enough to hold the rice and dal, as quantity will close to double when it is cooked. Add asafetida, add whole cumin seeds. As soon as you smell the fragrance of the cumin seeds, add the onions and ginger. Stir fry until onion begins to turn brown at edges. Add black cardamom, cloves, turmeric and garam masala. Stir and fry for 1 minute. Add the mung and rice. Sauté for about a minute or two. Add salt. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook gently for 1/2 hour, stirring now and then to prevent sticking. Uncover and check to ensure that the rice and lentils have cooked completely. They should be soft to touch and mash easily. The finished dish should have the consistency of a thick porridge. (TIP: Add more or less water depending on the consistency you desire) Serve with the four yaar or as many as you please!

okay point noted. thanks for the feedback -- it should have said something like.. forget the familiar and try the XYZ

bbq4meanytime is in