Suvir Saran

I understand what you say. In fact, Cabrales, if I were wanting to be fastidious or tedious, I would never relive those experiences, but I am happy enjoying new ones and different ones. The beans cooked in Bandhavgarh will never be the same... But they will be different and certainly they may leave me with a unique and lasting impression. And I know I will be back, if not for the beans, most certainly to be with those friends that host their friends and family more graciously than anyone I have known across continents. But my eyes or my tongue will never be glazed to forget the magic of the beans from the experiences, nor shall they be deprived of lives beauty to share new magical moments each breath we take.

Agree with you totally. Nothing tastes worse than canned baked beans, sorry I take it back, paatra (an Indian snack of rolled up colocasia leaves cooked with spices and cut into slices) tastes just as bad. I loved baked beans as a child, my aunt made the best.. and now she says she cannot find those dry white beans that she used in her recipe. She looked all over India for them.. no luck.. she even looked in several cities in the US.. and no luck... she cannot remember the name of the beans she used to use.. and the store she bought them from in Delhi closed. So, now I have memories of my favorit baked beans.. and no one to cook them.. not even my aunt. And nothing I have tasted... canned or prepared from dried beans has ever come close. But canned are simply horrible. While I do not taste tin.. I certainly taste horrible when I have tried even a very small bite.

Tommy, I am glad it worked out for you. Sorry about the confusion in the recipe. I shall note that for the future. Thanks. I shall now look at the picture you posted. Thanks!

If there is enough chutney in the mix to keep it moist and together, it should not fall apart after being unmolded. And the ring does not need to be greased. I have never done that..and I know Hemant Mathur at Diwan does not do it either.

200 Grams. Half the package. I am glad it turned out well. Did you take pictures Tommy?

Leave out the asafetida Tommy. No big deal. And as for the garam masala, you can use what you have. Pre ground. Or you can find the recipe for making you own on this Indian forum. But either way, do what is convenient to you.

Suvir, I bought a Bhelpuri mix in Glasgow to have a go at your recipe. The man in the store assured me all I needed was in the pack. Well, now I have opened it I not it has no chutney inside at all. It does have a packet of dried herbs/spices that it advises I soak for five minutes before adding to the rice mixture along with chopped coriander, onion, potato and green chillies. Should I wait until I can make or buy the chutney's you suggest or would you know if this would still provide a good result? The brand is Haldiram's and is made in New Delhi. Curiously, they are a member of the Snack Food Association of Virginia? Someone shrank the world when I wasn't looking P.S. Bhel Poori or Bhelpuri? Are these spelling variations simply a regional difference due to India's vastness? You can go ahead and follow the instructions in the package and make it as they say. I ate this at a cousins house. It was quite passable, in fact I ate lots of it. Next time you go shopping, you can also buy some tamarind date chutney and some coriander or mint chutney. Mix these into the bhel mix and see what you think. The taste will be just slightly different and fresher. I am not quite the snob about foods like these. Whatever is convenient and will ensure you to make it at home, is what you ought to go with. Does that make sense? Bhel Puri is how it is called. It is two words since it is written as such by vendors in Bombay where the recipe comes from. But either of the two ways is acceptable. It does vary not only from region to region, but also from block to block. Most people that buy this dish from street side vendors are ill-literate and so it hardly matters to the vendor what has been written on his stand. IN fact the vendors are often ill-literate as well. Sad but true. And things are changing... Let us know how the Bhel experience goes for you.

Swad (good for cilantro and mint chutneys) is a good brand... and also Deep (for tamarind-date chutney). But they are all good. On Lexington Ave, I like going to Foods Of India. They are the store south of Kalutsyans. Let us know what happens... And yes Ellen is a professioanl photographer, and soon becoming a great name in food photography. Her photographs are brilliant.

You stole my recipe I do the same as you.. and actually this is one way I am able to enjoy ricotta. I have only found it tasty at Lupa where I loved it and it may have been because of the company. I have often added mushrooms and sweet peppers into the deeply cooked tomato sauce.

Thanks for the links

Ed and I tried Baked Ziti at DiFara's on Monday. It was made well, but certainly not the best either one of us had ever eaten. As usual the sauce was delicious. The cheese was good, but we both missed the ricotta that some add to Ziti. The Ziti (pasta) was cooked perfectly and was excellent. How do you make your Ziti? Do you add ricotta? Do you have a favorite place where you get Baked Ziti? Have a favorite recipe for it?

Yes, including Irish Whisky - I have never refused a chota-peg with my dinner Chota would translate as small.

What does a good roaster cost Fat Guy? And $120.00 is not bad at all if one can get the quality of coffee I have enjoyed from what you shared. It is worth every penny invested. When can I come back for more? Would you ever consider packaging your brand and selling it? I know at least a few people that would have regular orders.

Most Indians think so. Whisky and Single Malts are hugely popular with Indians.

Firstly, Suvir, is there another name I could use for drink? I mentioned my attempts at this dish to my friend Asif this afternoon, and he told me it wasn't a complimentary way to refer to someone drinking. Is it more of a putdown? Or even a reference to a drunk? Secondly, the resulting taste of adding whisky to the curry was quite odd. I tried with Glen Moray (single malt aged in chardonay casks) and whilst it was ok, I didn't think it great. I'm going to try again using a good blend with a fuller flavour, perhaps the Antiquary. Whilst it didn't go well first time, I did think it warranted at least another few tries with different whisky as there seems to be potential for a good result. Sharaabi is the word for someone that drinks. And yet it does have the connotation of ascribing a drinking habit to the one addressed as such. You should explain what you want to do here. If you are naming a dish sharabi, I would not worry, that should have no negative connotation. But if you are wanting to call a person sharabi, that could be taken as a slanderous attack on another character. If you can explain what you want to do with the word, I can try and find another that would be better. Keep us posted with your experiment with whisky and curries.

We do make a Banana Chutney in India. But it is prepared very differently than the above. Your jam recipe sounds wonderful Sandra. Thanks for sharing.

Chefette, I am not a pastry chef, but in my catering Indian dinners and events, I find myself doing just what you say you found possible with pastry being your outlet. I can be a craftsman around food, I can be a culinary artist if I want to. Similarly I can be a craftsman doing brilliantly executed serigraphs or I can be an artist who does most moving serigraphs that leave a lasting visual impression. Food, music, painting, sculpture, photography, pottery etc all have possibilities that make some indulging in them become craftsman while others pursuing them are artists. I think the heart of this debate lies in the capabilities of the person indulging in them. It is upto us to be craftsman or artitsts or both. The best of us can do both. It is a perfect marriage when the artist in us leaves a meaningful and compelling impression and the craftsman in us ensures that what we express is sound in its basics.

And I think it is still the same Anil. One hardly ever sees alcohol in Indian cooking. Chefs that are making fusion food and french food and other western dishes use them with great aplomb, but only bewdas are likely to use them for Indian cooking.

Pray tell me where did you get Feni in dC ? Or for that matter in the US ? I would like a bottle or two, not for cooking mind you I got some from Goa.

I make Chaat Papri with tortillas. It is an Indian street food dish. Traditionally we would use whole wheat crisps (similar to tortilla chips). These are tossed with cooked chickpeas, cubes of boiled potatoes, salted and flavored yogurt (I add finely minced mint leaves, toasted cumin seed powder, cayenne, salt and some black salt and very finely minced green chili). These are than garnished with generous sums of tamarind chutney and cilantro/mint chutneys (recipes are in the TDG piece on Bhel Puri), chopped cilantro leaves and juliennes of ginger. Lucknowi Chaat Crispy whole wheat wafers combined in a cool and tangy spiced yogurt sauce, tamarind-date chutney topped with chickpeas, potatoes and ginger. * 1 small package of whole-wheat tortillas (flour ones do just as well) * 1 16oz. can of chickpeas, nicely drained to wash away the canning juices * 3 large red potatoes, boiled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes * 32oz. Container of homestyle Plain Yogurt * 2 inch piece of ginger root, julienned finely * Tamarind-Date Chutney * Black Salt to taste * Salt to taste * 1 tsp Sugar * 2 tsp Chaat Masala * 4 tsp toasted cumin powder * 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Optional * 4 green chillies, chopped finely, optional * 1 cup of chopped fresh Cilantro * Sprouted mung beans or French lentils, optional * Lemon juice, only if using sprouts * Canola oil for deep frying Serves: 6 In a deep frying pan or wok pour enough oil to fill it to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Using a long sharp knife cut the tortillas into 1/2 inch squares or bite sized diamonds and set aside. When the oil is hot (375 degrees F), drop a handful or two of the tortillas into the oil. Fry till golden brown in color and drain on paper towels. Do the same with remaining tortillas and when done let cool till the wafers are crisp. In a mixing bowl whisk the yogurt, black salt, sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, chaat masala, 2 tsp. toasted cumin and a quarter cup of the cilantro greens. The yogurt mix should feel like a light pancake batter consistency. Dilute with milk if needed. Set aside. In a serving platter or individual salad plates arrange the wafers, chickpeas and potatoes as you feel like. I often like to dip some of the wafers into the yogurt mix and arrange them loosely around the plate or platter. When you have used all the wafers, potatoes and chick peas, divide the yogurt mix equally over each plate or over the platter. Sprinkle the top of each plate or the platter with generous splatters of the Tamarind-Date chutney. Sprinkle the cumin powder on this and garnish with the ginger and cilantro. If using the sprouts, toss them with a little salt and lemon juice. You can arrange these on the rim of the plate or on the sides of the platter. Note: Chaat Masala, Tamarind-Date chutney and the Black Salt are easily available in Indian Stores nationwide.

In my search for new items to add to this years menu for my takeaway I spoke today to my friend Kayani from Glasgow (he's going to have a look at egullet after our discussion) and he suggested a dish they have called Sharabi. Apparently the word itself means drink and the dish is created by adding a glass of whisky to the finished curry. I don't know how much but I aim to experiment with varying amounts this evening. I'll let you know how it turned out if you are interested. Sharabi is the Hindi word for someone who partakes in drinking alcohol. And there are kebabs that I have heard of people making with the initial marinating being in alcohol in addition to the yogurt and spices. And then a final immersion in whisky and then a flambé. It would be great to hear more about those sharabi curries you experiment with. Keep us posted.

I confess I have had the same problems... And unlike Ed, I have had to sit with FG and Mrs. FG at Ed's home and travel in Fat Mobile and their generous selves gave me more coffee to take home even though unlike Ed, I was not cooking for them. The coffee is very very very good. And makes me want to drink coffee. And like Ed, I too shall invest in the apparatus.

What's all this then? What does one use it for, Suvir? Jinmyo, amchoor is used in many Indian dishes to add sourness to the item being prepared. It is great in those occasions when you want sour flavor but have no lemons, limes or tomatoes available.

Jinmyo, I share your feelings about couscous. I cook it for friends and family, but hardly ever get any pleasure from eating it. I do prefer Israeli couscous as well. But it is also just blah... Do you ever prepare it for others? How do you do that?

Lahsun/lasan/lassan/lassun are all Hindi words for garlic. They change in pronunciation from region to another and dialect to another. You can go with lasan, lahsun, lassun or whatever. Lahusini is the way you would use Lahsun to describe a dish flavored with garlic. Similarly, Lassuni would be the way you would describe the same dish using lassun (garlic). And lasani would be the way to describe a dish with lasan. Was I of any help? So again, Lahsun, Lasan. Lassan, Lassun are all words that mean garlic. When you use this word to describe a dish you add the "ani" part... So when you add "ani" to lahsun, it become lahsuni. I hope I make some sense. If you need help to ensure the words you choose are grammatically accurate, you can feel free to email me and I can give your menu a look over. If that helps, I volunteer my services. All the best to you.