Bhukhhad

Bharlela Mirchya Bhaaji Posting without pictures about some of the Mirchi dishes I make. Bholar Mirch is the local name for a fat long chili pepper that is dark green like an ancho chili. It is available for about a month in between summer and monsoon in Gujarat and Maharashtra. And that is the time when we usually make this dish. It is called BHARLELA MIRCHYA BHAJI in Maharashtra, and BHARELA BHOLAR MARCHANU SHAAK in gujarat. I use either Ancho Chiles, or Banana peppers or Poblano here in the USA. If the peppers are soft and pliable, then those are good for this dish. We don't really want to make them limp by roasting them on the stove flame as in poblanos for Chile Rellenos, if I understand correctly. Here is my recipe (I don't have exact measurements because I did not write those down. I will start getting into a habit of doing that: About ten good sized chilies, either Bholar, or Ancho or Banana Peppers 1 cup garbanzo bean flour 1/2 cup peanut oil divided Salt, Asafoetida, and Turmeric to taste, 1 tspn sugar 1/4 tspn lemon juice Pinch of soda by carb Crushed fresh green chilies and ginger Mustard seeds, Whole Methi (Fenugreek) seeds Mix the garbanzo bean flour in about two tablespoons of peanut oil. Place in a microwave safe dish and microwave for one minute. Stir completely and put back for 30 seconds each time, till you get a roasted aroma. Be careful, it can burn. Alternatively add the same amount of oil, roast slowly by stirring constantly on a pan. Let the flour cool. Add salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder, grushed green chilies, crushed ginger root, and a pinch of soda bi carb. Wash and wipe each chile. Do no de-stem or de-seed. Slit them from tip to end but not all the way through. This is done to make a pocket. Stuff the chili pocket with this garbanzo and spice mixture. Lightly stuff as the flour will expand. In a cast iron frying pan, heat the remaining peanut oil on a medium flame. Once warmed not smoking, add mustard seeds and methi seeds. Immediately turn off the heat. Arrange all the stuffed chilies in a single layer over the oil, mustard and methi. Set the flame to medium LOW. Cover the pan with a wide container that can hold about a cup of water, like a stainless steel thali. Cook the Mirchi slowly and they condensation from the water in the thali will keep the mirchis cooking and steaming in their own juice. Try not to stir more than once or twice. It does not take long to cook, since the garbanzo flour was already roasted. As soon as you see the chilies wilt, stir gently so that they turn, but not break. Don't let any of the filling fall out. Pretty soon, a little caramelization will begin on the chili skins. Don't let it burn. Turn off the heat, cover and keep aside to cool. Plate when cool and garnish with lemon juice. You can serve this at room temperature. If you live in a cold climate and this dish has turned very cold, you can reheat for one minute at a time in a microwave. The skin of the chilies is not thick, and the flour inside cooks easily. So don't overcook. Bhukhhad

Bharlela Mirchya Bhaaji Bholar Mirch is the local name for a fat long chili pepper that is dark green like an ancho chili. It is available for about a month in between summer and monsoon in Gujarat and Maharashtra. And that is the time when we usually make this dish. It is called BHARLELA MIRCHYA BHAJI in Maharashtra, and BHARELA BHOLAR MARCHANU SHAAK in gujarat. I use either Ancho Chiles, or Banana peppers or Poblano here in the USA. If the peppers are soft and pliable, then those are good for this dish. We don't really want to make them limp by roasting them on the stove flame as in poblanos for Chile Rellenos, if I understand correctly. Here is my recipe (I don't have exact measurements because I did not write those down. I will start getting into a habit of doing that: About ten good sized chilies, either Bholar, or Ancho or Banana Peppers 1 cup garbanzo bean flour 1/2 cup peanut oil divided Salt, Asafoetida, and Turmeric to taste, 1 tspn sugar 1/4 tspn lemon juice Pinch of soda by carb Crushed fresh green chilies and ginger Mustard seeds, Whole Methi (Fenugreek) seeds Mix the garbanzo bean flour in about two tablespoons of peanut oil. Place in a microwave safe dish and microwave for one minute. Stir completely and put back for 30 seconds each time, till you get a roasted aroma. Be careful, it can burn. Alternatively add the same amount of oil, roast slowly by stirring constantly on a pan. Let the flour cool. Add salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder, grushed green chilies, crushed ginger root, and a pinch of soda bi carb. Wash and wipe each chile. Do no de-stem or de-seed. Slit them from tip to end but not all the way through. This is done to make a pocket. Stuff the chili pocket with this garbanzo and spice mixture. Lightly stuff as the flour will expand. In a cast iron frying pan, heat the remaining peanut oil on a medium flame. Once warmed not smoking, add mustard seeds and methi seeds. Immediately turn off the heat. Arrange all the stuffed chilies in a single layer over the oil, mustard and methi. Set the flame to medium LOW. Cover the pan with a wide container that can hold about a cup of water, like a stainless steel thali. Cook the Mirchi slowly and they condensation from the water in the thali will keep the mirchis cooking and steaming in their own juice. Try not to stir more than once or twice. It does not take long to cook, since the garbanzo flour was already roasted. As soon as you see the chilies wilt, stir gently so that they turn, but not break. Don't let any of the filling fall out. Pretty soon, a little caramelization will begin on the chili skins. Don't let it burn. Turn off the heat, cover and keep aside to cool. Plate when cool and garnish with lemon juice. You can serve this at room temperature. If you live in a cold climate and this dish has turned very cold, you can reheat for one minute at a time in a microwave. The skin of the chilies is not thick, and the flour inside cooks easily. So don't overcook. Posting Again. Please bear with me as I learn how to post. Bhukhhad

Hello all, I am just going to add quickly to this discussion. A. Dudhi/Lauki/Opo Squash same thing, different names. Dudhi in Gujarat, Maharashtra regions, Lauki in punjab and northern regions where hindi is spoken. Opo in Asia. I make dudhi halwa rarely although it is delicious. I use it more in soup, daal or as a vegetable. Some of the names of dishes I would associate with it are Dudhi Chana Daal shaak, Dudhi Muthiya, Dudhi Thepla, Dudhi wali daal or sambhar, Dudhi in Morkhlambho, Dudhi Avial. Dudhi Channa Daal Shaak: Peel and slice Dudhi into bite sized pieces Soak channa daal in water for about an hour, drain and set aside In a pressure cooker, heat a couple of tablespoons of peanut or sesame oil. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and smashed garlic pods. In a few seconds add the channa daal and dudhi. Add salt, turmeric powder and water with a little bicarbonate of soda. Add crushed green chilies and ginger. Stir well. Cook in the pressure cooker on high for two whistles and then reduce the heat for one more whistle. When cool, open the pressure cooker, stir, add cilantro leaves and lemon juice. I have a picture of my own cooking for this dish. Let me upload it here. B. Turiya/Torai/Ridge Gourd This is Not the luffa. The vegetable you have shown in the picture is a Ridge gourd. A luffa is smooth skinned and we call it a Galku/Gilki. So again Turiy in Gujarat and Torai in Punjab. Some of the dishes associated with the ridge gourd are: Turiya mag ni daal shaak, Turiya patra shaak, Torai tamatar, Torai lobiya, and Ridge Gourd peel chutney 3. Karela/Bitter Melon The only way I eat bitter melon is if I peel the skin, de seed it and salt the whole vegetable till the bitter juices run off. Then I slice the karela thinly and squeeze out the juices. A stirfry with onions, salt, red chili powder. When the bitter gourd is cooked we add jaggary and amchoor powder. Sprinkle some grated fresh coconut. Enjoy with chapatti. Bhukhhad

Dear Thanks for the Crepes, I am from India, but unlike some of the other folks on this forum, I am not a chef nor a well known book author. But I am a foodie heheheh! And I love cooking and eating and reading all about them too!! I will certainly look into the thread you mention. But before I start posting stuff about, I need to learn properly about posting pictures. And I am finding that just like you are friendly, others on this group are also being kind to me and helping me to learn. So let me perfect the art of reference first...... Then I will plunge with my ladle into the thread!!

Aha, I just noticed that the Bharlela Mirchya Bhaji picture that I uploaded from the internet, has cumin seeds on it. I never add cumin seeds to this dish. Cumin seeds are added to one variety of stuffed Mirchya Bhaji, that is one of the potato stuffed Bhaji's. That one does not have a tempering of mustard seeds. And the garbanzo stuffed Mirchya Bhaji does not have a tempering of cumin in my recipe. Another note, you may see the words Mirchi, Marcha, Marchu, Mirchee, Mirchya, all stand for the same thing..Green Chili Peppers. We have regional names for each vegetable, and slight differences in the way we refer to ingredients. Thats just more fun.

Radish and Daikon pods when tender and snap easily, can be used in place of baby radish in salads

A very nice topic indeed, and very old discussion. Sorry I am about to enter this now. May I? It is WONDERFUL to live in America and cook Indian food. Truly! Because we have such beautiful ingredients from all over the world, and available all around the year!! What a lark! Here is what I use as far as Chilies are concerned. 1. While I used to make simple Indian Capsicum (Small Bell Peppers) sabji in India, I now use three colored bell peppers in my sabji. 2. I used to make a potato stuffed Capsicum, now I make the same dish a little spicier but with colorful small sweet peppers! 3. Garbanzo flour (besan) stuffed BHOLAR MIRCH sabji in India, I use Banana Peppers, Ancho Chile Peppers, and Poblano Peppers to make this sabji. 4. Mirchi Ka Saalan in India was again made with Haiderabadi Mirchi, I now use a mixture of deseeded serrano and jalapeno peppers with bell peppers. 5. Mirchi Zunka is now made with two colored bell peppers to make it even prettier 6. And I use those sweet italian peppers to just stir fry and salt and serve with my dhoklas because they don't water up as much as bell peppers. 7. Pepperoncini peppers make great Sirkewali Mirchi...!

Big Names on this forum! It makes me feel a little intimidated to post when I see restauranteurs and cookbook authors and many experienced people here. So with the caveat I know very little, and the request that you will forgive my mistakes, and accept the fact that I know all of you already know all that I am adding, I would like to add my say to this excellent discussion: The many colors of foods from India, mimic the multi hued produce that is sold fresh from the farm to the market in every nook and corner of India. And it always has been sold in this manner. From villages through cities. The best and freshest ingredients straight from the farm, set out on a mat, or on a simple wheeled cart, pooled with other small sellers at a local open-air market. And all the produce from that day's harvest must be sold by night time, else it will all perish without any refrigeration methods. Grain and Pulses are all sold in adjacent enclosed shops, but even there the produce, though less perishable than the fresh goods, is still relatively less shelf-stored than our generation of supermarkets has ever seen. The grains and pulses of THIS SEASON are stored for just this season. At the most, staples like wheat, rice and daal will be stored for a whole year, but they will be bought fresh from the latest harvest. So the goods that are bought from Indian markets in India, have almost no preservatives, additives for growing, pesticides, or methods added to increase shelf life. Everything is fresh. And therein is the main answer to the question we all have on this forum: Why and When did the coloring in Indian foods begin? Undocumented as it is, there is some information on the internet and in our beloved books. Food coloring for Egyptian wine making and wine storage seems to be the oldest mention over the wiki and other searches on my first pass at the internet. "The addition of colorants to foods is thought to have occurred in Egyptian cities as early as 1500 BC, when candy makers added natural extracts and wine to improve the products' appearance. Meggos, H. (1995). "Food colours: an international perspective". The Manufacturing Confectioner. pp. 59–65." Furthermore, the addition of natural substances like Beetroot, Carrot, Red pepper, Turmeric, Cockscomb Flower, Onion Skin, Cilantro and Spinach, and of course Saffron are all listed on responses on this forum. They are all ingredients that exist in their completeness as they are. To these I would add metals like Gold and Silver in their beaten thin-leaf form for the addition of color and pizzaz. As cuisines became more complicated, the addition of enhancements and additives from the naturally occuring food produces and edible products, was a natural progression. I would humbly like to submit the addition of FRAGRANCE and TASTE additives to this discussion. The world of spices, added as they were for their initial use to preserve, certainly continued their value and enhanced their desirability by their taste. Clove, Tellicherry Pepper, Sichuan Pepper, Red and Green Chillies, Cinnamon, Mace, Nutmeg, Star Anise, Cardamom, Fennel, Cumin, Mustard, Caraway, Carom, Dill, Nigella, Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic, Onion, Shallot, and the umami addition of Haritaki (chebulic myrobalan) and Awala (gooseberry) and Fenugreek were all flavoring enhancers of the fruit or seed or root variety. There were also resin compounds like Asafoetida that did the same two things. And Honey...oh the first taste enhancer of all...sweet and satisfying. And yet, there is more. From India as from Persia too, we have the "ITTAR" the essences that came with the understanding of distillation. Musk, Henna, Amber, Vetiver, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Jasmine, and many more fragrances define dishes. I know and love the flavor of the original Rose essence in Falooda/Faloodeh. What would Phirni be without the Vetiver essence? Why would I even have Sheera without Cardamom powder or Kesari without Saffron? And the list goes on... To come to the point, I merely wanted to add that all throughout history, enhancers have been used to add to food: to flavor, to color, to add appeal and to preserve. And just as we used methods to increase shelf life and make products last longer, we used cheaper and more easily available methods to enhance the appeal of foods. This will always be there, always exist. Because there is a demand that exists for it. The more informed one gets, the more one gets selective. Both options will exist, unless one becomes known to be toxic. So aloo-bukhara chutney will still be colored with beetroot since plums lose their color upon cooking. And scallions will still be used in cilantro chutney because they are cheaper than cilantro and add bulk. But to agree with Suvir Saran and others here, the negative aspects of using a chemical dye in a food coloring agent should become known, and we would then prefer a vegetable dye unless we are going for the economy of scale. But we would still use some form of enhancement, because we eat with our eyes and noses first. I am just realising that I missed out on all the nuts and seeds as additions to taste, and the one and only vanilla bean. Oh well, my work is still in progress and I have much to learn. Thank you for letting me add here. I feel so good right now, just as if I'd had a big glass of 'badam-pista-kesar-elaichi milk' that was warmed on a small coal stove out among the fields under the stars......

Is this work still on? I have huge needs, literally. And a big collection of researched recipes. Could you connect?

Wow, If you are the person I think you are, I have a smaller number of cookbooks (but not by much) and the Indian ones include your 'Modern Spice'. Its actually wonderful to find someone with a familiar name.

Excellent answer Jenni. I would like to add a few words. If you make Roti as in roasted and puffed roti like a chapati, you can used a whole wheat flour that has been sifted for chaff. But finely milled, so that it can be used to make the chapati. However, living in the USA, I much prefer a mixed blend of whole and white flours sold premixed as Chapatty Flour or Chakki Aata. Next if you try to make roti or chapatty from jowar bajri jau, channa or bajra, you have to mix a little whole wheat flour into them so that you develop the gluten from the whole wheat to make the remaining flour pliable. In case you want to use those flours for their gluten free property, you can roast and use the flour for some other cooking, not roti. Channa Daal flour can be added to wheat or bajra or jau/jowar to make paratha, or theplas. Makki flour can be combined with either wheat or rice flours. It will still not become soft like roti or smooth like a chapatty. You have to flatten it between your palms and fry it on a hot griddle. I do not have experience with ragi flour.

Hi folks, I enjoyed reading this thread. I'd like to offer some really grass-roots suggestions. And since I am new here, if there are chefs or cookbook authors here, do forgive me. I am a really good cook, even if just my friends and family say so, and my experience tells me to suggest these two scenarios: 1. The smokey flavor in the tea was from burnt milk. This could happen in two ways. If the milk was heated in a separate vessel to cook and thicken it, and reboiled in the same vessel every time new tea was going to be prepared, the second or third time the milk was poured, it would have picked up a slight burnt flavor. Another way is if the tea was already prepared and reheated in the tea vessel again and again to pour more cups...that would result in a burnt flavor too. 2. The smokey flavor in the curry without a campfire around could be the use of a traditional cooking method called 'BHUNA'. If you want to impart a smokey flavor into a small amount of curry, you can take a whole onion, cut it in half horizontally, pull out some of the central rings, put in a piece of hot charcoal (heated on the gas stove till red hot) and a dollop of ghee (clarified butter) added on top after the charcoal has been placed on the onion. As soon as the smoke starts to emanate from the charcoal and ghee, you place the onion with the charcoal into a metal bowl inside the curry vessel. You can raise the bowl on an inverted cup or something, so that the charcoal does not touch the food. Cover the curry vessel with a tightly fitting lid. Wait for a few minutes. Then open the cover, and remove the onion, charcoal and the metal bowl it is in. Serve the curry. It will have a smokey flavor. In India we use this technique for a few specific dishes, but one can always enjoy improvising. 3. Now for the elusive wasabi flavor: I wonder, since the 'spinach' salad had wilted greens that had been squeezed out, could they be mustard greens instead? Or at least some of them? That would immediately impart the WASABI taste to whatever bean you had in there. Just some thoughts outside the box. Hope you consider them.

Well whoever is reading, I found the movie: It is called TODAY'S SPECIAL starring Madhur Jaffrey, Naseeruddin Shah, and Asif Mandvi. Its is really fun. I'm watching it right now.

Milagai, do you have any resources for finding this play? Do send them here if you can. I'd love to read or if I get a chance, to watch it.

Gingerly, did you find these films? with subtitles?

Vikram, this is an interesting writeup, and since I am new here, I haven't read your previous pieces. Will remedy that sometime. However, I think beyond the fact that Indian cinema might follow the covert rules of society and not display the eroticism behind creating food, or savoring food, the same is not quite true for showing eroticism in the cinema. Plenty of voyeuristic pleasures shown there: Ganv ki gori with the short cholis and the pani ka matka all the way to unimaginable gyrations in the dance routines... But I'm no expert there. The point I wanted to make is that though bollywood makes a smattering of food related film scenes here and there, perhaps that is changing. 1. I remember a movie I saw back in India starring Shahrukh Khan in a double role called Judwa? Some thing about him being a chef and cooking a japanese feast, only to have his mom put a punjabi tadka into everything? 2. Then there was a more recent film called Cheeni Kum which showed the hyderabadi biryani with saffron. 3. Someone mentioned the aloo gobhi in Bend it like Beckham 4. There was a recent film with Madhur Jaffrey and Asif Mandvi that I am trying to locate. It is about a chef and has won some awards. Can anyone find a name?

I'm looking for the exact sequence in a hindi movie where a waiter rattles off a string of menu items with a smile on his face. I can see a quote here, but does anyone remember the scene and the movie? I know there were more than one. Thanks Bhukhhad