prasad2

If I can manage to get 6 shrimp (Prawns) to a pound, wouldn't they be cosidered prawns?

Monica: Thanks for reminding me of this flavorful Kolmino Patio. It use to be on my menu a couple of years ago. Now that its fresh in my mind and I am going to try your recipe and re-introduce as a special. Do you use small shrimp or large Prawns?

Prawn Balchao. Vindaloo. Fish Curry. Rice Pudding

I think Zagats sholuld be banned or a negative campaign should be started against Zagar for general public to let know what Zagat is all about !!

Dear Mr.Sietsema Given the fact of your awareness, knowledge and appreciation for all the distinct cuisines of the world, which do you find most challenging to cook and most fascinating to eat, review and why? Thank you again....

Dear Tom To you is popularity an assurance of content? Does other reviewers influence you in your review? For example, a national food magazine or Zagats. What is your opinion on an excellent Dining room / Restaurant? Where do you start and where do you finish. When you review a restaurant how much importance do you give to the food & beverage, service and decor? How important is each one for you? How do you select which restaurant to review. Your job (which I envy ) for a living - do you still enjoy the food or do you enjoy it for the doing sake. Being a writer, travel writer and a critique what do you think about the resaturant business in general and would you ever plan or dream of opening your restaurant, and if so what kind and what rating would you want to achieve? Thank you so much for joining us at egullet, I really enjoy reading what you write.

Lreda: I am in the same boat just like you. Been in this location over three years. No mention in Zagat's yet. Have sent press kits to them evry year. Last year my manager was contacted by Zagat and I was under the impression we were going to be listed. Believe me, I was furious to see myself not mentioned there. In the mean time my customers said to me that they would like to vote for me but had no luck of finding my restaurant on Zagat's web site. I picked up the phone and was able to speak to the operator and this is what I was told. Log on to Zagat's and vote for yourself as a write in voter, and do it as many times as you could. I was amazed to find out that people vote for their own restaurants!!! Now on this same thread, Mention1 quoted " They say it is 100% a reader survey, but that really is not true. THEY decide what restaurants are on the ballot; they give you an option of a write-in, but we all know how that doesn't work, especially at the voting booth. " Mention is right, I met this person apparently who actually writes for Zagat and she told me that I should have been in the last year's book, but somehow I was misplaced!!. She thinks I will be in their next book and also thinks Zagat's is basically a mess since they went online. I am waiting .......... for Sept or whenever.........

Are you certain that this is made with ketchup on the Indian restaurant circuit? I thought the red came from the same red food coloring that tandoori chicken is colored with. In fact, several Indian restaurants I have tried serve it without the deep red color, it's more yellow or orange and usually tastes the same as the red. I always thought it was onions, vinegar, chile, and spices. I like the stuff. When restaurants bring out a plate of pappadums gratis before dinner begins, I like to think of the pappadum as the tortilla chip, and the onions as the salsa. I also like mixing it in with the rice, and even with some curries, particularly strongly flavored and heavily sauced ones. When I ask for more (as I frequently do) I ask the waiter to bring me some more onion chutney - is this a misnomer? I suppose it is more of a relish, but I have been calling it onion chutney for more than two decades. As a final effront to the Indian sensibility, I have been known to even mix it into chaat. Call me gringo, but don't call me late for chutney! Most good Indian chef's do not use red color in Tandoori Chicken. How ever your observance is excellent. the red in the onion chuney is the color. In most of the the restaurants which represent Bangladesh or the cooks from the Bangldesh, instead of going thru some pains of individual ingredients they use the ketchup and it's sparkling good.

Excellent Thought !! Let's Brainstorm on new unique Indian cocktails. Let's do some recipes, I will try it my Bar and will taste it as well.

Pan: I am certainly not a chemist, but to answer your question the research says: Synthetic Vinegar means a liquid derived from Acetic acid Synthetic Vinegar shall conform to the following standards : 1. It shall contain at least 3.75 gms of acetic acid per 100 ml. 2. It shall contain i. Sulphuric acid or any other mineral acid ii. Lead or copper iii. Arsenic in amounts exceeding 1.5 parts per million iv. Any foreign substance or colouring matter except caramel

Jackal10 Yes! Vindaloo dishes are made with vinegar, specifically I make it with malt Vinegar.

Vinegar is produced when natural yeast in the air acts on the juice of whichever fruit is being used to make the vinegar. It converts the sugar to alcohol, and then this alcohol is converted to acid. Acetic acid is the substance which gives it its tenderizing quality. The strength of acetic acid in vinegar varies depending on the fruit base. Every country uses vinegar made from locally abundant fruit. Grape and cider vinegars remain the most popular for cooking in the West. Synthetic vinegar is widely available and is often used in India.

I understand your concern on onion relish. I am not sure people enjoy this, but there is a request from some guests. No clue, where it comes from, after all it's made with ketchup and ..... I honestly do not serve, unless it's a demand. Never asked a recipe but make my own.

I would like know which of the Madhur Jaffrey's cook book has Chettinad recipe with urad dal. Cooking with Prashad has no urad dal and I am used to making following this book. Madhur Jaffrey's A Taste of India has a recipe for Chettinad Fried Chicken on p 206. Uses only 1/2 tsp urad dal so this might be the one. I am sure it could be the same one. Last year Madhur had a luncheon in her country home in upstate NY. One of the dishes she prepared was a Chettinad style salmon. The sauce was superb. The fish was barely steamed for minutes and everyone enjoyed this dish thoroughly. This was only one of many wonderful dishes. Pam Thank you. Not a big deal. Don't worry. I have the hard cover book and it's not in that. I will look into the soft cover one as well. Suvir and Skchai thanks for your help, I love chettinad cooking and I actually visited the home of Chettinad. Prasad

I would like know which of the Madhur Jaffrey's cook book has Chettinad recipe with urad dal. Cooking with Prashad has no urad dal and I am used to making following this book.

Chicken Chettinad is very very traditional, authentic and delicious more of yogurt and blackpepper base. Chicken Madras ic GolMal ( Non-traditional and made up ) more of coconut and red chilies, and there is nothing wrong with made up dishes as long as they taste good. I like bhasins different grading on heat levels of 1, 2, 3 and so on ...

Monica Bhide has published her own cook book Spice is Right, she can answer this better than I could. Please see spiceisright

Torakris That's a great start by learning from books. After taking classes by now I am sure you might have experienced the advantage of an interactive teacher. I completely understand when you say start off slow and simple and thank you so much from an insight of a new student to this food. I own a restaurant and have conducted cooking classes thru Adult continuing education. I have started this as an hobby and a promotion to the restaurant. Students have loved it and we sell out the 2nd day the brochure is sent out. I have typically started the cooking classes in the same fashion what you explained as what you would expect. The class was fun and informative and I ended up calling " Learn & Dine". The class started with the introduction of few displayed spices and then roasted to make garam masala. Students found it very interesting. Then I usually handed out a complete meal with recipes and then we practised all the dishes. Hands on! Yes, for cooking and not for chopping and cutting. This was again a lot of fun for the students since they got involved in cooking rather than watching. As a bonus with dinner our wine manager came out and spoke a couple of lines on pairing food and wine and there we go learn and dine. These classes are done on aregular basis. I have several requests for classes from our guests. I would like to start these classes with five or six minimum sessions. Name a few dishes you are interested in?

This is for every one of you. Some one who wants to learn Indian cooking, where should they start? (Answer by Gurus) Some one is a beginner, where do you wan't to start? (Answer by Beginners and Gurus) As a beginner what would you expect to learn? What is the length of time you are willing to give? If you are aware of the Indian cuisine, what food items would you want to learn?

Hi Bbhasin Chooza kabab really sounds good. From the time I have read about it, I can't stop thinking about it. Do you use breast of chicken or the dark meat? Would you mind sharing the recipe? I would love to try it. P2

Thanks Bbhasin I am amazed all these ingredients in one mix "a curry powder". My question is, is there any traditional recipe which calls for curry powder or one recipe which calls for all these ingredients together. I feel one gets handicapped by using this mix of unneccessary ingredients of curry powder if the recipe calls for only some. Also on the balancing or combination of these spices you are on the mercy of the manufacturer and we are not even talking about the quality of the raw material used here in this curry powder. Correct me if I am wrong but I feel one should have all of the ingredients in their pantry and roast, grind or blend. I can imagine an occasional cook using curry powder how disappointing he or she gets after trying a recipe and saying " I do not like curry".

Congratulations on your new Tandoor and your new venture on BBQ meats Indian Style. a) Never have to tie your chicken. b) Usually the hook is to hang your skewer after your cooking is done. Meats once pierced should never fall of the skewer. Skewer should be clean and bone dry before you pierce any meats. The only challenge any body might have is for mince kababs like seekh kabab. These minced kabab skewening needs some experience for regular skewers. You also get skewers with stoppers, so these kababs do not fall off. c) most of these Tandoors come with thermoprobe and the old tandoors never came with one. One gets better by experience. d) if you do not have kids for the top part, it is still manageble, buy a pizza round tray that should work or a you find covers of these stock pots where they have covers with handles. Down part is a problem if you don't have one. A temporary solution is bundle up silver foil and stuff it to close or open to get more heat. This should be fun experience and not traumatic at all and then we will talk about making some fresh breads like Nan, Rotis and filled Nans....

Tomato chutney sounds very good with Pesarattu. I am very tempted to try with pesarattu and also the pakodis. I am not too sure about coconut chutney. The batter doesn't have to be that coarse as long as the batter is thick with not much water. you loose that crispiness and coarseness if the batter is runny. Curry leaves sounds very good and let me know how that tastes. I have seen in the past curry leaf powder (seasoned and tempered) with ghee is used instead of ginger chutney. Bottled Gongura goes very well too. I particularly like the priya brand. BTW mom says computer cook should not work that hard making pesarattu and chutney and instead invite him over for breakfast. Most of the time she under estmates my cooking too... you know how I feel......

What are the ingredients in curry powder? Is there a special recipe for making curry powder? List of curry powder brands and made in? Anyone?

Has any one tried making Pesarattu yet! They are simple to make and delicious to eat. P2