Suvir Saran

Patiala Rice Thread The above thread had the recipe I posted. You can read the thread to see how the recipe worked for Priscilla. Maybe it will give you an idea about how you may want to alter it to your own taste.

Khare Masale Ke Chaawal (Rice With Whole Garam Masala) In India, each area or home could have their own name for this rice. In my family we call it Khare Masale Ke Chaawal (Rice with whole spices). Some call it Patiala Waale Chaawal. The Punjabis more than anyone else use whole spices more generously and leave them in the prepared dish. In Lucknow, similar rice Pilafs are made but the whole spices are removed after they have been infused into the oil, or simply tied into a muslin bag that is fried longer than the spices would be open. The bag is later removed. This rice dish is very versatile and easy to make. It goes well with most Indian meals. In fact meats and veggies both go well with it. It makes a dinner of simple daal (lentils) and a sabzi (vegetable) become a "fancy" meal. 2 medium red onions 2 garlic cloves, ground into a paste with 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/4 cup canola oil plus about 1 cup for deep frying the onion 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 8 green cardamom pods 2 1/2 to 3 inches cinnamon stick, broken in half 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, more if you like spicy 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds 3 bay leaves 3 whole dried red chilies 11/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste 2 cups basmati rice, soaked in 4 cups water for 20 minutes, drained and water reserved 1. Slice one onion into very thin slices and set aside. 2. Mince the other onion finely and set aside. 3. Heat the 1 cup oil (about 1/2 inch deep) in a small (about 6 inches in diameter), heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat to 350? F. Add the sliced onions and deep-fry them, stirring often, until they turn dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain them on paper towels and then stand until cool and crisp. Set aside to use later as garnish. Discard the oil. 4. Preheat the oven to 300?F. 5. Combine the oil, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, coriander, bay leaves and chilies in a large casserole over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, about 1 minute. 6. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 5 minutes. If the onions begin to stick, add water, about a tablespoon at a time, and stir. 7. Add the garlic paste and cook, stirring, to remove the raw flavor, about 30-45 seconds. 8. Then add the rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the reserved water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir once or twice during this time to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then turn the heat down too medium, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 10 minutes. Turn off the flame. 9. Put the pan in the oven and bake 10 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the fried onions and serve hot.

I copied the above Raita recipe from another thread. The link is shared below. There are several other Raita options... Play around and find one you find best.. for tomorrow.. I though maybe the one above is most suitable.. But choose whichever looks best to you. Raitas

Mixed Raita A delicious yogurt sauce that can accompany most all Indian meals. It works well for the novice when first indulging spicy Indian curries. 2-1/2 cups plain yogurt 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp red pepper powder 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 fresh hot green chilies, finely minced 1 tsp mint, chopped 1 small cucumber, finely chopped 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 small tomato, chopped salt (to taste) Dry roast cumin, coriander seeds and pepper till dark and aromatic. Pound and keep aside. Whisk yogurt with salt and add all the chopped items. Now add all the masalas and stir well. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Chill before serving.

Below is the link to the thread from where I copied the above recipe. Just in case anyone is interested to know more about Salads. Salads

Salad recipe from Simon Majumdar. This salad would work very well with the Matar Paneer or with most Indian meals. SALAD 4 tomatoes 1/2 Cucumber ( diced ) 1 piece Ginger ( in thin strips about 1 inch long ) 3 Red Onions ( pre-soaked in Ice water with lemon to take out the bitterness ) 1 red chillie - with seeds still in ( chopped ) 1 Bunch of Corriander(Cilantro) chopped 1 spring Mint ( chopped ) Mix all of these in a bowl DRESSING 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon fennel seeds juice of two lemons ( or better, Limes ) 1 chopped red chillie I clove garlic ( chopped ) 1 small piece ginger ( chopped ) Heat the oil and add the chilli, garlic and spices and cook until they begin to pop and let their flavour out Pour the flavoured oil into a bowl and allow to cool a little Add the lime juice and some salt and pepper and whisk until it combines. pour this over the salad and cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge. The dressing makes the onions nice and soft.

Fingers and toes crossed. Warn your friend that this is light but flavorful and fresh home cooking. The gloppy heavy sauces we are served at restaurants this is not. If you preface it as such, your mate would be more than happy to eat it... in fact, might be converted for life. Serve it with nice steamed basmati rice and a kachumbar salad. A raita would be a great addition. I will find these recipes (threads and links to them) for you.. and post them.

Bukhara Grill maks a great sarson ka saag. Mustard greens that is. It is superb. I am sure there are other restaurants that have it on their menu as well. I know Eric Asimov had reviewed a Taxi Drivers list of favorite Sub-Continental eateries... at lest one of them served Mustard greens as well. And also great Makki Ki Roti (corn meal flat bread), that is eaten with mustard greens tradtionally.

Where do you find your favorite version of Dahi Vadas? Do you ever make them at home? Have a favorite recicpe? What do you garnish the vadas with? Do you add sugar to your yogurt?

“Put those two on the table, will you?” Kabir said, gesturing towards a dish of potatoes swimming in a thin tomato sauce, and another that held stir-fried butternut squash speckled with black mustard seeds. Then he picked up a saucepan of something that looked like small doughnuts sailing in a white yogurt sauce and began plopping the “doughnuts” into a round serving dish. He poured the sauce over them, covering them completely. “Don’t put those out yet”, he said, rummaging around in the cabinet to the left of the stove. The cabinet was crammed with jars of spices. He pulled out several jars and unscrewed the lids. “What are they?” “They’re lentil dumplings. Now watch this.” He took a spoonful of a tan colored powder out of one of the jars and used the spoon to draw parallel lines of the powder over the yogurt. When he couldn’t add any more lines to the direction in which he was working, he picked up a jar of orange-red chili powder and began making parallel lines of it to cross the cumin. I sat down to watch him. He had a lot more patience than I did for this kind of tedious work. He spent the next five minutes covering the whole of the yogurt with colored geometric designs made from the cumin and chili powders, a dark brown powder that he said was garam masala, chopped cilantro, a brown tamarind-date chutney and a green mint chutney. The decoration reminded me of sand paintings of mandalas I’d seen made by Tibetan monks. “It’s not just for looks,” Kabir said, standing back to appraise the finished work. “The spices and herbs and chutneys add flavor to the dish, too.”

In Maharasthra (Western India), one finds a dish of potatoes and eggplant called Rasa Vangi. Vangi is the maharashtrian word for eggplant. The eggplant is fried and so are the potatoes. The sauce has tamarind in it. Also coconut and sugar are added to the salt.

Aloo Baingan is common fare in both Southern and Nothern India. The recipes will vary from home to home and certainly region to region. In some areas they cut the eggplant into discs that are then deep fried and later added to the sauce which has potatoes in it. In some areas the eggplant and potatoes are both cut into squares and cooked like a stir fry.

Kele Ke Parsinde 4 plaintains, unpeeled 1/4 cup canola oil, plus extra for deep frying 10-ounce package frozen green peas 1/8 teaspoon asafetida 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 2 tablespoons achaari masala 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped into large pieces 3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped and then pureed in a blender or food processor 1 cup water 1/2 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchoor) 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the plantains, unpeeled, and simmer 15 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Then peel the plantains. Cut each in half crosswise and then cut each half in half again lengthwise. Flatten as much as you can without breaking them. 2. Heat the oil for deep frying to 350 degrees F on a deep-fat thermometer in a medium wok or kadai or a large saucepan. Add as many of the plantain pieces as will fit comfortably and fry until golden brown and crisp all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and set aside. 3. Heat the 1/4 cup oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the fried plaintains and the asafetida and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Stir gently once to ensure plaintains are not sticking. 4. Add the turmeric, achaari masala and green chilies and cook for another minute. Add the tomato puree and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the oil forms a glaze on the surface, about 5 minutes. 5. Add the peas and the water and mix. Simmer until the peas are cooked and the plaintains are tender, about 15 minutes. 6. Take a few tablespoons of the sauce and mix the mango powder and the garam masala into it. Then pour into the sauce and mix well. Cover and cook over low heat 5 more minutes. 5. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with most any meal.

Achaari Masala is the name for the spice mix. I gave the recipe above for it. Achaar is the hindi word for pickle. Masala another word for mix. The spice mix had no starch. You can use it for different recipes. Meats, vegetables or poultry. Plaintains work well in these recipes. I often boil them for a while. IN their skin. Then peel them, slice them and deep fry them. They are great prepared for any sauce that way.

Achaari Masala 1 tablespoon coriander seed 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon nigella seeds 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Mix all spices together. Place in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Grind into a fine powder and store in an airtight container.

Achaari Masala 1 tablespoon coriander seed 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon nigella seeds 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Mix all spices together. Place in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Grind into a fine powder and store in an airtight container.

In the recipe above, substitute potatoes for raw banana or even yam. That would make it suitable for Jains. The sauce is made with vegetarians that do not eat onions and garlic in mind.

Potatoes and Peas Achaari Aloo Matar Potato and peas are one of the most popular north Indian dishes. Every mother, home cook and professional chef has their own version of this. I have used achaari masala (pickling spice mix) in this recipe to create a wonderfully flavorful and very light sauce. The sauce is fragrant and light and spicy and fresh. It is perfect with rice and served with some dry lentils and also a perfect match for pooris or bhaturas for a special meal. 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch squares 10-ounce package frozen green peas 1/4 canola oil 1/8 teaspoon asafetida 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 2 tablespoons achaari masala 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped into large pieces 3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped and then pureed in a blender or food processor 1 cup water 1/2 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchoor) 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro 1. Heat the 1/4 cup oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and the asafetida and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Stir gently once to ensure potatoes are not sticking. 2. Add the turmeric, achaari masala and green chilies and cook for another minute. Add the tomato puree and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the oil forms a glaze on the surface, about 5 minutes. 3. Add the peas and the water and mix. Simmer until the peas are cooked and the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. 4. Take a few tablespoons of the sauce and mix the mango powder and the garam masala into it. Then pour into the sauce and mix well. Cover and cook over low heat 5 more minutes. 5. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with most any meal.

Thanks! You are rather generous and kind. It is fun to be able to share that little which one knows. In doing so, it becomes even more fun when people such as yourself and the many other wonderful members take time and post and teach others and me their own wisdom. The collective knowledge seen at eGullet is what makes it most wonderful and special. While it would be easy and selfish to take credit, it would be most foolish if I were to forget the efforts of every member that takes time to post on this Indian forum. While we certainly do not have the many stars and glitter associated with our threads as some of the other wonderful forums and threads are privileged in having, we have done our own work to keep this board as thriving as it can be in a not so lustrous setting as the simple Indian sub-continent. How right you are about education being humbling, it is nothing but that. To be able to teach means to be able to learn. In my classes, I realize how much I learn every time I give one. I actually come home feeling guilty that I was paid for having experienced what I did. Every student, even those that are least interested in what they are learning, leave me with a great wealth of experience and educate me like no textbook ever could. I only hope that the day I stop learning as I teach, is also the day I stop teaching. What a shame it would be to teach with arrogance and thus not really teach. This was a great thread you started. Jainism is fascinating for it's unique and very worthy take on non-violence. I admire greatly all those women and men that even today, with all the hurdles set for people who observe any ritual, find it in them to continue to observe their religion even somewhat traditionally as is possible. It is no simple task and takes a great mind, great determination and will to do so. I congratulate each of them for being so strong as to be able to continue traditions, which to many of us seem vague, out of place and old.

Moon Chilke Waalee Daal 2 cups moong chilka (split green moong beans) 4 cups water 3 tablespoons canola oil 2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds 3 whole red chilies 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/8 teaspoon asafetida 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons dried mango powder (amchoor) 2 teaspoons salt 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds, red chilies and turmeric and fry, stirring, until the cumin starts crackling, about 1 minute. 2. Add the asafetida, lentils, cayenne and mango powder and stir-fry 1 minute. 3. Add the water, cover and cook until the lentils are starting to fall apart, 15 to 20 minutes.

Bhel Puri Thread I have taken the recipe above from the Bhel Puri thread. To make Bhel Puri edible for Jains, you omit the onions and add Cucumber instead. Also you must make sure your chutneys do not have any garlic or onions.

JAIN BHEL POORI Crunchy Indian Snack with Fresh Tomato, Cucumber and Potato Serves 3 to 4 This is a snack eaten by Indian kids and adults that completely astonished my American palate the first time I ate it. It’s based on a packaged snack food called bhel mix (a combination of puffed rice and chick pea noodles) that is stirred with chopped fresh tomato, onion and boiled potato, if you have it on hand, and then flavored with coriander and tamarind chutneys. The closest western association I have is a sort of crispy, spicy Indian bread salad, but that certainly doesn’t do it justice. It’s very quick to put together which is fortunate because Suvir has friends calling him from the street asking if he’ll make it for them on the spot. Homemade chutneys make this taste really spectacular but jarred chutneys are absolutely fine, too; both are available in Indian supermarkets and some specialty food stores, as is the packaged bhel mix itself. 1/2 package (400 grams) bhel stix 1 small cucumber, chopped finely 1 medium tomato, cored and chopped 1 medium boiled red potato, peeled and chopped (optional) 1 1/2 tablespoons Spicy Green Chutney 2 tablespoons Sweet and Sour Tamarind Chutney Fold everything together in a large bowl and serve immediately (the bhel mix will get soggy if you wait). Add more chutneys to taste.

Jains will not eat pickles as readily as other Indians would outside t heir homes. Jain pickles are prepared fresh and kept for no more than 2-3 days. This keeps them from becoming host organisms for any other organisms. For a similar reasons, many Jains will not eat fruits and grains with seeds till they reach maturity. They fear that the seed pod, when immature would be a nesting ground for micro-organisms.

In fact our friend Dipankar when visiting my home, always makes sure to ask me if I have used honey in any thing. Honey is banned for Jains as its production for consumption displaces bees and also many other organisations that depend on it in nature.

Even today in India, there are many practicing Shwetambari Jains (robed in all white attire), and these monks sweep the ground on which they sleep, sweet the path ahead of them as they walk to remove any living things and also cover their noses and mouth with muslin to ensure they inhale no living organism. They dispose of waste in a certain manner to ensure that in doing so, they do not bring harm to any other organisms. The idea behind all of this has been the principle of complete non-violence. It is the idea to avoid injury to any life whatsoever. Intentional or unintentional. Jains would normally never eat after sundown.