Suvir Saran

I am now a member of the Secretary of Defense's (Donald Rumsfeld) advisory board. We are looking for new office bearers... Thanks for joining me and the Secretary.

I agree Steve. I would not be happy having any bad memories connected to an event I have any role in. Not good karma. I think it may be best to have a pre-determined price and I can work with the restaurant to include free coke and other sodas. How would that be? BYOB would be the best and as you correctly say, it gives everyone the freedom to enjoy what they are comfortable with and share as they choose to. It would make the tab a quick one to deal with. No surprises.. no drama... just good food, fun conversations... and fond memories.

Not really.. But that could be part of my negotiations with the owners and chefs... Is that better than getting a deal with the restaurant that includes alcohol?

i wouldn't want it any other way. And shall I be gullible and believe you? Thanks for your confidence in me. I will think of a place shortly... May I ask for a 10 day period in which to work with chefs and come up with a price. I think we should include drinks in the final tab. It would make the evening more memorable for what went right.. than what did not. Do we think something like $50 - $60 would work for those that drink? Of course the restaurant may want a ceiling on how much they will serve for that amount... and I can get a price from them for those that may not want alcoholic beverages, but would enjoy a lassi or coke or whatever... How is that?

Absolutely! That is a perfect range. Does this include beverages?? not for *me* it doesn't. How have beverages been handled in the past? Does the restaurant give individual tabs to each guest? Or is there another way you all have found that works better?

Would you be able to share the Indian names for these dishes you made? That would give us an idea of what exact recipes you are mentioning..... Even more fun for our vicarious pleasures. Thanks!

Absolutely! That is a perfect range. Does this include beverages??

Tonight, I used about 1 1/2 C. flour to 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup ghee, flour to knead. My top oven actually reached 620 degrees. I achieved a much better browning, but a rather dry product. Tomorrow I will use similar proportions, properly heat my stone on the element then move it (faced time constraints tonight), and ghee half the product slightly before I put it on the stone. You are one determined cook. But in the tandoor, no ghee is necessary... It is that what makes Tandoori cooking so brilliant.. that things get cooked, browned and crips without ever really needing any fat. Of course many recipes have some fat added in the marinade... but that is not necessary. Again, meerly ignorant. Nope... merely a person of good taste. Many of us from India, love ghee on our flatbreads. I love ghee on rotis, chapatis, parathas, naans and kulchas.

Arabian Nights - Sheikh my boo? ( I have been infected by the George Bush mis-spelling virus). Help!

Tonight, I used about 1 1/2 C. flour to 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup ghee, flour to knead. My top oven actually reached 620 degrees. I achieved a much better browning, but a rather dry product. Tomorrow I will use similar proportions, properly heat my stone on the element then move it (faced time constraints tonight), and ghee half the product slightly before I put it on the stone. You are one determined cook. But in the tandoor, no ghee is necessary... It is that what makes Tandoori cooking so brilliant.. that things get cooked, browned and crips without ever really needing any fat. Of course many recipes have some fat added in the marinade... but that is not necessary.

Baking & Pastry - Lesley Chesterman & Bertrand Bazin

I am impressed by your confidence and your drive. And I was pulled back into this thread for the 3rd time.. and am really very impressed by your experience and feel honored to have been a part of it through eGullet. Thanks! That menu you chose if far from simple and basic... But it seems you fared very well and have tackled Indian foods at a level that even most Indians would not be comfortable at without much effort. Kudos to you. In all sincerity.

I like mine crispy and crunchy.

Now how much do we want to spend? Is it Chaat that we want to eat? Are we married to Dimple? Or can I use whatever clout (and that of others) to find another location.. Where I can work with the chef to arrange for a Chaat tasting and some other stuff that would be authentic (maybe even more so than Dimple) even though the restaurant may not be a chaat place. Is there any other Indian food you are interested in? When are we thinking? Dimple can be tricky in that they are always just staffed enough to do what they do.. And anything extra becomes tedious for them to handle and deliver well. I have now been at several big events there, and the chaos can be quite challenging. It is with that in mind... that I ask all of you these questions... And I thank you all for your encouraging words.. And for considering an Indian eGullet event a possibility.

May I get some starter from you Ajay? What a lucky set of family and friends you must have. I brought my last starter from my grandmother in SF... and now I need a new one.

i remember you recommending them. i've never been, but have ordered take-away from mela. i think samosas might lose something in the journey. i'll be sure to mention your name if i go...and, of course, i'll be prepared to duck. Smart boy you are.

you and i? i don't recall. as with most things, i'm thinking that there *must* be a way. however, i'm not experienced at all in baking, so i can't even offer half-way intelligent commentary...as opposed to my usual half-informed nonsense that i spout here on a daily if not hourly basis. i'll just order from mela and call it a day. I loved the Samosas at Mela... In fact I loved them so much that Gael Greene shared a limo with me and some friends and decided to make the Samosa pilgrimage to that sweet little town. How is Mela these days? Is Bali still the owner? If you are ever at Mela.. ask for Bali.. and tell him I said hello. Well, the heat that a tandoor provides is unique not only in the high temperatures that it can reach, but also in the way it provides it. Go request Bali to show you a tandoor and try working around it for an hour.. you will understand more about a Tandoor after that. There are many home techniques in India that are made as attempts to replicate what a tandoor does without having to own one, and each of these is only an attempt yet and nothing more. But I am still ready to meet a person that can make Naan in a home conventional oven that has the same texture, taste and browning like it would have being cooked in a tandoor.

And we are ever so lucky that you chose to share them here. Many thanks! I have enjoyed reading your post immensely. And now that you have lost your virginity, you should be ready for a great adventure. Post as often or whatever you want on this forum, I am sure all of us will pitch in as and when we can.. and share what we know.. and also learn from your adventures. You are at a very exciting place. Nothing like home cooked Indian food. If you need any recipes in particular, please PM me and tell me what ingredient you are most wanting to experiment with, and I shall send you some recipes for you to play with. I am excited for you.. and also feel greatly gifted to have you sharing your experiences on here. It is wonderful.

Yes I do Tommy. I think we have chatted about this before. I have yet to be served a Naan made outside of a Tandoor that is even half way decent. But I am ready to be proven wrong.

Golden words!

Thanks! Coming from a chef, your words are encouraging.

My new book of interest in the art of baking and pastry is the one written by our very own Lesley Chesterman. Simple, detailed, illustrated perfectly and interesting and classic without being boring. Baking & Pastry - Lesley Chesterman & Bertrand Bazin (Macmillan, Canada) It has 72 recipes of pastry and breads, helpful tips on technique and over 390 colour pictures. What more could one ask for? A signed copy by the authors perhaps... Maybe the publisher ought to do a US book signing... I am impressed by the books size. It is small enough to carry even as one travels for a weekend in the country, and yet detailed enough to never make you feel lost as you try a classic for the first time.

And I third.

Where do you live Frankj? I was gifted my curry leaf plant from a friend in LA. I was able to bring it to NYC and it has been with me for over 6 years now. I have it out in the summer, and in fact, brought it in just today. Now it will winter in and back out in the spring. They are a treat to have. I have been told that there are sites you can find on the internet that sell curry leaf plants and that they ship around the country. Maybe you can do a google search? I will try and get the url for the site as well.

Thanks!