Suvir Saran

What is the Bhel Puri Masala? Would you care to tell us more? I have never seen it... I am sure I missed it... what are the ingredients in it? Is it a new masala mix? Nihari masala and it's use with quail sounds fascinating. I never use a masala for Nihari just as I make my own Sambhaar Powder. But it is great to know of a use for these masalas for things other than what one would think of....

Toby, I got the same book Thursday... it seems wonderful... yet to read it in detail... It seems wonderful.

Sandra, Chaat Masala is a spice powder just made for Chaat dishes. The spices that are blended for it are different. Ahmeds Chaat Masala is a great packaged Chaat Masala you can find in Indian grocery stores. For that matter even Chunky Chaat Masala is very good. This mix is used in the dishes and also sprinkled as one garnishes such foods.

Haldi is turmeric and bay leaves are essential. Thanks Oliva....

Masalas (Spice Mixes) Spice blends are used extensively in Indian cooking across the different regions. They are used to add a distinct flavor to a dish. They vary in their texture, complexity and their form. Some are prepared as powders, others are simply a mélange of whole spices and yet others are pastes based on fresh ingredients such as chiles and herbs. India, Indonesia and Thailand have many different recipes for such blends, pastes and mixes. In India the blending of spices is the essence of its cookery; to become a good Indian cook you must first become a maslachi(a spice blender). The word masala means a mixture of spices but also refers to the aromatic composition of a dish, or simply a gravy. At times Masal also refers to gossip. The western concept of having a single masala or curry powder gives little if any insight into Indian cooking since there are hundreds of masalas - from different regions, for different recipes, and prepared to the taste of different chefs and homes - imparting a distinctive flavor to each dish. The most common ground blends are the garam masalas, used in northern Indian cooking, and hotter masalas or curry powders from the south. They are usually made up as required and will keep for 3-4 months in an airtight jar. These masalas change in flavor as one travels from one region of India to another. * Curry Powder (South India, all over the different states of the south) * Bottle Masala ( Maharashtra) * Sambhaar Powder (South India, used in Southern Indian cooking extensively) * Panch Phoron (From Bengal, used in lentils and vegetables) * Garam Masala (Most important spice blend of North Indian cookery) * Chaat masala (North India, used with fruit and vegetable salads, raitas and garnishes) * Green Masala (All over India, used in fish and chicken dishes for marinade) * Rassam Powder (South India, used in light very spicy soup like preparations) Basic Garam Masala Garam Masala This is a version of the most common type of garam masala used throughout northern India. * 2 cinnamon sticks * 4 bay leaves * 1 1/2 oz cumin seeds * 1 1/2 oz coriander seeds * 3/4 oz green or black cardamom seeds * 3/4 oz black peppercorns * 1/2 oz cloves * 1/2 oz mace Break the cinnamon sticks into pieces. Add the bay leaves. Heat a heavy frying pan and after 2 minutes put in the whole spices. Dry roast over a medium flame till color darkens, stirring or shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Place the contents on a cold platter to cool, then grind and blend with mace powder. Store in an airtight container.

Toby, You did all the right things. In fact cardamom is a important ingredient of garam masala. Chicken and Lamb keema are made in Indian homes. Lamb is more traditional, but chicken keema is enjoyed by many as well. Spinach, cauliflower, potatoes and peas are all great additions to a keema. Maybe we need to start a new thread on garam masala. Would y ou want to do that? And while you are at it... you can start a thread on Patna rice ... It sounds wonderful. Speaking of Keema.. It is also successful with ground turkey. Maybe you should try that.

Toby, Your recipe for the Bora Keema sounds just right. Where do you usually eat your favorite Keema? What do you eat it with? How did you get into eating Keema? What do you like about it? Do you prefer lamb/goat or chicken keema?

Keema 2 pounds minced beef or mutton 2 large tomatoes, chopped finely 5 garlic cloves, ground into paste 2 inches fresh ginger root, grated 2 teaspoon red chili powder 1 inch cinnamon stick 4 cardamom pods 2 jalapenos, slit lenghtwise 3 tablespoons canola 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon coriander leaves, fresh 1 teaspoon garam masala 1. Marinade the minced meat in the ginger and garlic. Set aside for 30 minutes. 2. Heat the canola and fry the cardamom, cinnamon, jalapeno and red chili in it for a couple of minutes. 3. Add the meat and fry for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and fry for 8 minutes or until the sauce looks glazed. 4. Add the garam masala and salt and coriander leaves and cook another minute. Serve hot.

I wish I could explain what that reason really was. Something inside me told me so. I have made Lamb Chops often and these are very famous amongst the cognescanti in the food world in NYC, at least those in the know of Indian food and in the food scene. So, I am not afraid of lamb. But for some reason, this recipe seemed one that would seem cumbersome to some. I will sleep over the question and question my reasons and get back to you.

What makes Simon less enthusiastic? I will have to try and find this book. SOunds nice.

Oliva, Most of my lamb dishes are butterflied and hence different from what you want. But what I have done in the past is to marinade the lamb for 2-3 days in the spice rub and or yogurt mix. When ready to cook, I bring the meat to room temperature by removing from refrigerator an hour before cooking. I pour the meat and the marinade with some boiling water into a casserole that is oven proof. Over medium heat I bring the contents of the pan to a boil. I then cover the casserole with foil and bake in the oven. I usually will bake at 350?F for around an hour and a half. I lower the heat in the oven ( 230?F) and cook for another 40 minutes. I leave the meat sitting in the oven for another 45 minutes. At this point the meat is usually perfectly cooked and ready to be served. If you like the meat more browned, you can broil it in the oven after basting it with some melted butter for 5 minutes or to the color you like. If you do not want to use extra fat, you can use the contents of the casserole to baste the meat. I usually make a little extra marinade, and thus end up with a little extra liquid in the casserole. I thicken this liquid separately and serve with the roast. Another thing I have done is to fry the meat in very hot ghee or butter and then add enough water to cover it and then cook it for 30 minutes or so. I add lots of whole spices to the water and also some yogurt. I then marinade the drained meat and add some butter in the marinade and then bake the meat in the oven. Another way I play with the roasts to ensure they are moist and yet falling off the bone the way our people love it. Vivin, is there a special family trick you know??? Anil, how do you make your roast lamb dishes?? Sandra??

Burrah would literally translate as Big. So this is the recipe for those that like large kebabs. Burrah Kabab 2 lbs. Lamb, chops and leg pieces, cut large 1 tablespoon paprika 2 teaspoons cayenne 1/4 teaspoon mace powder 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 tablespoon garam masala 3 tablespoons shai zeera (royal cumin/black cumin seeds) 3 tablespoons garlic paste 3 tablespoons ginger paste 2 tablespoon green papaya paste (or use a tablespoon of tenderizer and juice of an extra lemon) 1/2 cup malt vinegar juice of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup hung yogurt 1 teaspoon oil Canola oil for basting Marinade the lamb in the above ingredients for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight in the refrigerator. If you are using meat tenderizer, marinate only for 5 hours. Skewer the pieces an inch of so apart and roast or grill on a slow fire for 15 minutes or until almost half done. Take the skewers off the fire and let them stand at room temperature for a half hour. Make sure to hang over a tray so as to prevent the moisture and fat from staining the surface. Roast or grill on the slow fire for 20 minutes or till nice and brown and cooked. Serve tossed in some lemon juice and a pinch of garam masala and chaat masala. NOTE: This is what I was taught at Bukhara. Maybe your father and his chefs have another version? Let us know if that is the case.

Miss J, I have never heard of Fresh Flavors of India. It sounds wonderful. What recipes do you like most from it? Who is the publisher? Thanks for sharing this with us.

Vivin, If I search my home well, I may have a copy for you. I have two copies. So hold off... I will find it and send it your way. I know it is here... just the effort to find it is needed. Will start looking.

I make mine with Large lamb chops and even leg pieces. My tandoor has been thrown since it had wasted away due to age... I await the arrival of the new one sometime later this summer. I use raw papaya when I can find it and malt vinegar for the marination. Did your father and his chefs use the same?

As I was planning my lamb chapter I wondered if I should have a recipe for it. But decided against it for I thought most people would not know of it or understand it. How did your dad make it? DId they make it at the restaurant? I know they make it at Bukhara and also I have had it in Bombay. Do you eat in anywhere in NYC? Maybe Keban King has it in Jackson Heights. I should check on that.

Col Klink, Your girlfriend and you seem a great match. Each winning the other with great food. There is not better way in my book. Maybe you can ask her what her magical curry mix is. It would be a great treat for all of us to get her recipe. It seems like it was wonderful enough to impress you, and so must be good enough for all of us to try and replicate when entertaining.

Lamb Koirambha (Lamb Stew) This is a basic southern Indian lamb stew. The spices are treated like they would be in southern cooking. The lamb is cut into small pieces and this makes the lamb take the flavors of the spices easily. The stew can be made thicker or thinner depending on your taste. It is traditionally eaten with plain rice and some pachadi (southern Indian raita). The coconut gives the otherwise spicy dish a sweet undertone. The urad daal (white gram beans) are used as a spice in this recipe. They are used both as a spice and as a thickener. This recipe is a great success in my classes at NYU. 2 lbs. leg of lamb, all fat removed, cut into small pieces (1 inch cubes) 2 bay leaves 2 inch cinnamon stick 1-1/2 teaspoon urad daal (white gram beans) 2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 2 teaspoon fennel seeds 12 fresh curry leaves (20 if using dried or frozen) 1 large onion, chopped finely 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely minced 1 large tomato, chopped 5 cloves garlic, minced finely or ground into paste 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1-1/2 teaspoon turmeric 2 teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper powder 1 cup water 1 cup tomato sauce 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds 2 teaspoon unsweetened coconut flakes 3 dried whole red chilies 4 tbsp canola Wash and clean lamb thoroughly, make sure you remove all fat from the meat. Cut the lamb into small pieces. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over low heat and fry the cinnamon, curry leaves and the bay leaves in it for a minute. Add the fennel, cumin and fenugreek seeds, the urad daal and fry till the daal turns a nice golden color. The daal will burn easily. Add the chopped onions, ginger and garlic. Fry for a minute or two. When the garlic aroma is clear, add the chopped tomatoes and the turmeric powder. Cook until the onions are nice and tender. Add the lamb pieces at this time and increase the flame to a medium. Stir fry the lamb till it turns a pink color, about 4-6 minutes. Add the curry powder, cayenne pepper and the freshly ground black pepper. Stir well and make sure the meat is coated with all the spices and the sauce. Add the salt, tomato sauce and mix again and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook for about an hour. stirring regularly, until the meat is tender. You may add more water as needed and to your liking. Add a few tablespoons at a time to control the consistency. When the lamb is almost done, add the cilantro greens, and let the stew cook till the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. Garnish: Grind the coconut, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and the whole chilies in a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder. Add this mix to the stew and bring the stew to a gentle boil. Or, you can fry these garnish spices in 2 tablespoons of ghee and simply pour onto the stew after you have poured it into a serving dish. This would be called a tadka.

Toby, You will find reference to Baby Goat on the link below. It was discussed in the Do you taste as you cook thread. Baby Goat

Parsi Ghost Ni Curry 1 pound lamb, cut into 1 inch cubes 2 large red onions, sliced 4 medium-sized potatoes peeled and quartered 2 large tomatoes, chopped very finely 7 dry red chiles 8 curry leaves 1" piece fresh ginger root 8 garlic cloves 1/2 cup dessicated coconut 1/2 cup tamarind water (mix 1 tablespoon Tamco in 1/2 cup water) 1 tablespoon brown sugar 4 tablespoon canola 1 teaspoon salt or to taste Spice Powder: 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon Indian poppy seeds 1 tablespoon peanuts 1. Grind the ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Set aside 2. Heat the canola and fry onions until golden brown over a medium flame for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle a little water if the onions stick to the pan. 3. Add ginger and garlic paste and saute for another two minutes. 4. Add the ground masala fry for another 2 minutes. 5. Add the coconut and cook for another 2 minutes. 6. Add the lamb, potatoes and salt, and fry for another 2 minutes. 7. Add 4 cups of water to the pan and do it carefully to ensure that the sauce is well incorporated. Bring to a boil. Simmer stirring occasionally for an hour. 8. Mix in tamarind water, brown sugar and tomatoes. Cook for another 15 minutes uncovered over a low flame 9. Serve hot.

Lamb Vindaloo This was given to me by a Parsi friend. I have never made it but have it in my notes. 1 1/4 lbs. lamb cut into 1 inch cubes 4 tablespoon canola oil 3 medium vine grown tomatoes 2 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5 inch cubes 2 medium red onion, sliced 1 cup frozen green peas salt, to taste Spice Paste: 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tablespoons of vinegar 8 dry red chiles 1/2" cinnamon stick 6 garlic cloves 1" piece fresh ginger root 4 cloves 6 green cardamom pods 6 black peppercorns 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1. Marinate lamb pieces with grounded spice paste and salt for at least 2 hours. 2. Heat oil and fry the mutton pieces for 10 minutes. 3. Add 5 cups water and bring to boil and cover and cook for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally. 4. Add the potatoes, onions, peas and tomatoes and cook till they are cooked through. 5. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes or until sauce looks glazed with fat. Serve hot.

Col Klink, thanks for the encouraging words and for sharing your Lamb/Goat interests. Baby goat is really not very gamey. IN fact it is that reason that makes it work better for most Indian palates. We find lamb far more gamey. Maybe if you can find a Pakistani family near you or a store run by someone from the Sub-Continent, you can then find their source for baby goat. You may find it fun playing with baby goat meat and seeing what you come up with. Your technique sounds wonderful. What other dishes do you make with lamb? Is there a favorite Indian lamb dish you have from restaurants in Seattle?

As usual Anil gave us the Key Answer. Jackson Heights, at the Indian stretch, there are Halal butchers that will give you all the baby goat you ever want. Great meat there. If you read the thread on Chicken Curry I think, I speak of my cooking at our Pakistani friends house and her refrigerator having colossal amounts of goat meat in it. Most friends of mine from India never use lamb. They use baby goat meat and it is Superb. I will try and get you some recipes Toby. Will PM some your way. You can test them for my book.

I have the Curried Flavors book by Maya. It is a pretty book. I have never cooked from it. I have a book on Bengali Cooking I think from Bharti Kirchner. It is with Simon Majumdar as I write this, or I would have been able to check the name of the writer. Toby, care to tell us more about this book? It sounds nice. Also thanks for your generous and kind words. They certainly are very flattering. Madhur is as eloquent a writer as any I have ever read. And even in her person, she is eloquent and charming. Her person is even more inspiring than her written work. But her written work is wonderful and certainly some of the best writing you will find on Indian cooking. She is able to open the door into the Indian world and then give recipes for the reader to play with. She is able to bring people far more deeply into the Indian realm than most any other writer I have encountered yet.

Sandra they are both authentic. I wish the answer were as easy as to say which was authentic and which not. But yes they are both authentic and both accurate with the stories that they share. Julie Sahni has given recipes that work for the most part better than Madhurs. But these are recipes that speak of an India that ceased to exist a long time ago. The recipes are way too laden in fat. Some steps are rather tedious and do not reflect the Indian home cooking of even 20 years ago. Madhur does a great jon to take the reader to an India that is both ancient and contemporary, but the recipes often do not test accurately. They are geared more for a chef that knows what they are cooking. But I tend to enjoy her books far more and have greater respect for the writer. To me Madhur is the Mother Indian cooking in America. We owe most of what we know of Indian food in the west to her charm and poise and clever wit. I think it is good to have each of their books in ones library. I wish I knew how to be pedantic and harsh in my assessments, maybe then I could give you one better option. I enjoy living with multiple options and choices and a grand variety of things. That makes me live and enjoy life. I have never been trapped in a narrow corner. I always find a way to see more than what most would find easy, what others find too much or confusing, most always has me charmed. Thus, at home, I have every book by each of these two Divas of Indian cooking. Each of these authors and their books has unique merits. And I feel any Western or Indian cook, will stand to gain a lot by reading both of their works. I know that many of the New York Public Library branches have Madhur's Books. I am sure some must also have Julie Sahnis books. It would be a good thing to borrow them and try some recipes from each and see which you prefer or rather which works better for your own understanding and then decide to buy that one.