Suvir Saran

Aged basmati works better in any and all preparations. It is heaven in every grain when simply steamed. It is perfectly separated long grains of rice with very little starch when cooked into pilafs and biryaanis. As far as I remember rice was simply placed into large Boras ( bags made out of gunny sacs - recycled jute ) and stored in the Kaali Kothris (dark rooms). I often will throw in a few bay leaves with my rice as I age it. But in my little NYC home... there is little room to age large quantities and the revolving door of house guests and diners make it impossible for me to ever have too much of anything.

That is all I can come up with at this moment... Will keep thinking. I am sure the others will have many more things to share. What do you use citrus for Jinmyo?

Jinmyo as far as I know.. and I could well be wrong here.. so I am looking to others for information here... Limes are from South Asia and Lemons also are tropical and sub-tropical. We have had citrus in India for a very long time. I have seen refrences made to their usage in cooking over many periods in Indian history. They have been used in savory and sweet recipes. In fact I make lemon, lime, meyer lemon, blood orange and tangerine marmalade when I find organic fruit in season. I love citrus marmalades. And they go into many desserts I make. Small quantities of home made marmalades give a nice kick to many baked confections. I bake savory dishes that will be revealed in my cook book that use citrus. Nimboo Paani was my Coke growing up. We were not allowed to drink aerated soft drinks. Only fresh fruit juices, milk and water. Nimboo Paani (lime or lemon sweetened water) was our favorite summer time soft drink of choice. During the long summer vacation we drank several glasses of these. I now look back at our consumption and wonder how Panditji (our family chef of many decades) was able to keep squeezing the juice. He has never enjoyed using any tools for taking out the juice. He presses with his palm and fingers and uses his fingers as a sieve to keep the seeds from going into the glass. A lot of the street foods have lemon or lime juice added into them. In the chutneys and also as a finishing garnish. There are many lime and lemon pickles. Other pickles are made in which lime or lemon juice is added for souring. In fact in India lemon and lime juice were used to add acid to recipes where today we use tomatoes. Since tomatoes came to India only very recently. Lemon and Limes are used to keep people safe from heat stroke and given to those that have been struck by it. lemons and limes with chilies are formed into garlands that are fabled to keep evil away. Lemon or lime juice is rubbed onto grilled corn that has been spiced with a blend of masalas (spices). Many Indian vegetable stir fries use lemon or lime juice as a finishing garnish. It cuts the grease and gives the stir fry a very fresh bite. Southerin Indian clear soups (Rassams) often have lime or lemon juice in them. IN fact you can get Lemon Rassam in certain southern Indian homes. Lemon rice is a common rice recipe.

Jinmyo then asks: What place does lime and other citrus have in Indian cuisine? Howrecent? How traditional?

I understood what you were doing Cabrales. Oh.. sorry I meant Jinmyo. I was simply teasing you. No biggies. The turmeric and asafoetida are added to the Tahiree just after the whole spices have been fried in the oil for a couple of minutes. As the cinnamon stick begins to unfurl. Asafoetida can burn quickly. Basmati ages brilliantly. Certainly the rice t hey are selling you is not Basmati. And you are right in guessing so. Real basmati rice ages very well. In fact people pay more for old Basmati. I always save a bag so I can bring it out for special parties. A few food writers have spoken with me about doing a story on aged rice and how rice can be treated like wine in many Indian homes. Good batches of Basmati are hidden in dark rooms (Kaali Kothris) for ageing. And brought out for special holidays or even weddings. And I like you do not like Texmati at all. It certainly has the long grain but is very waxy.

Jinmyo I make a pickle of limes, ginger and green chilies that goes very well with this. It is a great pickle for the summer. Lots of lime juice and some sugar and red chili powder and crushed carom seeds are the spices.

Jinmyo I have attached link for one recipe for Corn. Corn is quite commonly used in India. Also it is loved in India. My sister loves a corn curry I make. In that I use mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger and red chilies. I cook the curry with buttermilk and add the kernels alone. We eat that with plain rice. I add a lot of chilies and the sweetness of the corn is perfect with the heat of extra chili powder. This last trip to India I ate a few versions of baby corn. One was simply steamed baby corn rubbed with lemon and some chili powder. Another a pan fried version of baby corn with red chili powder and lime juice and third a deep fried version where the baby corn had been dipped in a batter of rice flour and chaat masala and then fried. Each version was sensational. Made for great finger foods.

In the summer I remember coming back from school and waiting anxiously for the sun to get ready to set and my father to come back from work. As his car was turning around the corner from our street Baba (My grandfathers Man-Friday who my mon called her father-in-law, since after my grandfathers demise, Baba was the eldest male in the house. And since he was my Grandfathers jeev, he felt he could boss any and everyone at home) and I would be choosing 4 ears of corn that we would then get roasted on coal and rubbed with a spice powder and lemon juice. By the time we came back home.. a few minutes after my father, he was changed into his jammies and he and I would enjoy our two ears of corn each. Spice roasted corn on the cob is delicious, simple and rustic. In San Francisco I have had it at some Mexican restaurants. The Indian version has an addition of chaat masala to the Mexican mix of chili powder and salt and pepper with lemon juice. I remember our lips getting all numb with the heat and intensity of the spices but our greed for the corn would not cease. I make this quick corn recipe all through the summer and it is a huge success. People love the fact that there is very little preparation and it can be made on the stove top over the flame. We call corn Bhutta in hindi. It is also called Makai. Recipe Sabut Bhutta (Corn On The Cob) Corn can be made into many different curries and all kinds of curry sauces go very well with Corn. We cook the corn on the cobs whole in the sauces or just the kernels. Depending on the mood of the chef and also the kind of party. People make pilafs with corn on the cobs. Very tasty as well.

But Jinmyo you are missing Cabrales and trying to be her and now I am missing Jinmyo. What do we do about that? Waxy... what Basmati rice have you been buying. I have never had waxy Basmati rice... wow.... we have been eating very different Basmati rice. I have to understand better what you are reffering to when you say waxy. I just finished eating dinner. We ate no rice. I am happy eating flat bread with curries. We ate daal (Sabut Masoor Kee daal - Whole black masoor lentils) and Bhutta Masala (corn on the con curry) and haree mirchi kaa achaar (hot green chili pickle). As for Tahiree spices....cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, very tiny pinch of coriander seeds, whole red chilies and black peppercorns. Asafoetida and turmeric are added. Ginger and garlic are optional.

Where do you get Patna rice? What is different about it in comparison to Basmati? I love pilafs on their own as well. We make something called Tahiree which is a pilaf made with peas and potatoes and rice and whole spices. In our home it would be served on nights we wanted to give our appetites a break. Nothing like having tahiree with raita (yogurt sauce) and some papad (lentil crisps) and some achaar (pickles). In the winter months.. Tahiree would be made with cauliflower and peas. Since cauliflower was in season. Also a great pilaf.

And what makes it interesting to you Jinmyo? I love your posts... Why does this seem of interest to you? Do you like corn? Do you use it in other ways ( I mean non Indian)... what are they?

What is your favorite way of using corn? Are there any particular recipe you use? Where is it from?

and any other feedback?

Yes it is... that is where they are. Have you been? What did you think?

I was there yesterday.. they were packed. Does anyone know of them? What do you think?

I use Ratna Mango Pulp you can find at most all Indian grocery stores. Add the pulp with some yogurt and ice cubes and blend it into a lassi. The proportions depend on how sweet you would like your lassi. Play with it.. you will love it made at home. Very simple, very nice.

Peter is a very good chef. But nope not the one I spoke about. And yes you thinks right Steven.. the publicist is very well connected and NYC starving for Indian food. Anil is right.. time will tell.. I wish I could believe all Bob lape said. Certainly when it comes to Indian food... I have to now begin to doubt him... Tamarind has many good things happening for it. Unfortunately today their food is not what one will sing praises about. A very close friend went their this last week. I am somewhat afraid of going there... worried my food will be poisoned... maybe I am being to severe... so I asked this friend to order as I would have. The food was mediocre. Service spotty. But the friend said they expected that from an Indian restaurant in America. But should we be expecting something like that from a 2 Star restaurant??? Do the Bob Lapes and William Grimes of food criticism have double standards when dining at ethnic restaurants? Is that fair? Should all 2 Star restaurants not give a diner the same level of service? Is that wrong of me to expect? I remember asking a veteran and well revered and respected food writer from NYC why they had not reviewed Tamarind... and their answer.. frank and brutally honest was that they ate an uninspired meal at a pretty restaurant with poor service and even worse reservation system. While that food critic went running to eat there and more than once, the food left much to be desired, even though they were being hounded by me to eat there and the service did not match anything a restaurant as beautiful as Tamarind deserves. This writer decided to not say anything bad... but simply be quiet. What is better? Two stars earned for being ethnic and so having a lower level of service.. or no reveiw earned for not being at par with other restaurants? Tamarind still reminds me of Kama Sutra the film. From the Indian perspective the film was poor at best. To the western mind not aware of the intricacies of this foreign culture, Kama Sutra was wonderful. It was largely a failure. But certainly a movie with at least 5 minutes of magical cinematography. I certainly felt in the first 5 minutes that I had never seen another movie so beautiful and sensuous.. but then... as the movie played on.. it was a downward spiral where the director was playing to the peanut gallery. Tamarind opened wonderfully... and I was smitten, charmed and hooked. But Alas.. like Kama Sutra it did not last long. But what would the world have thought if this was not an ethnic restaurant? Would it still have gotten 2 Stars??? Would it still be open?

I can live on Mango lassi. As a drink to go with Indian food.. as a dessert at times.. or just as my substitute for a small simple meal. I love the mango lassis made with Ratnagiri mangoes. There is something very wonderful about the mango flavor that is in the essence of those mangoes. Even though the pulp is from a tin.. I seem to not care. What do others think? DO you have a favorite Lassi? Where do you get it?

In India... many people love Khurchan... it is the crispy crust formed at the base and the sides of the pan in which pilafs are cooked. In fact at Chotiwaala restaurant in Haridwar they sell the Khurchan for a little more money. The flavors of the rice and veggies and the essential oils from the whole spices are rather intense in this crust. It is delicious and it has that tooth that is perfect to bite into. Goes great with raita.

I am looking forward to hearing more from you Liza. What do you think of keffir? How did the dough come out?

Pilafs/Pulao are different from biryaanis in that they are cooked in one pan. Biryaanis are traditionally rice dishes which are layered. I have so many favorites. The Iranians do wonders with rice and pilafs. And Indians have them to thank for much of their rice genius. What are the favorite rice dishes of others here???

I am guessing rice has lost favor with most people.. no one seems to have said anything about this topic... hmmmmmm

Paneer can stay together when added in sauces. Yogurt cheese will melt through. That is the main difference. We in India make great dips with hung yogurt and also Srikhand a lovely dessert.

Jinmyo you are right about the bacteria and gut part. That is exactly why we eat it in India. IN fact we do not necessarily have yogurt with stuff in it (raita) but often it is eaten plain with a sprinkling of sugar and that is the end to most meals. For the reason you highlight, to ensure healthy bacteria in the stomach to aid in digestion. For substituting yogurt in cream sauces, we do it in a clever way.. adding it few tablespoons at a time and letting the liquid evaporate before adding more.. and doing that, you avoid the risk of curdling. I often also hang yogurt and that gets rid of a lot of the extra moisture that can curdle the sauce. There is another trick or two to avoid the curdling and in the end it is a much lighter sauce than cream. In India we pasteurize at a lower temprature I am told. And in many smaller villages and communities, you may end up having milk and yogurt and paneer (indian cheese) that is made with milk that is non pasteurised. But I am no expert on this topic. Maybe someone else here can tell us about the many details that make dairy products so different in different countries.

Robert you write so well. Thanks for the post. Very informative. And Anil there still are so many aspect of Dimple that say Korean BBQ. But you also say it as it is by saying it is good but not all things are top notch. Perfectly put. I like it for many reasons. Top being convenience.