prasad2
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Posts posted by prasad2
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(Kolmino Patio)
Serves 4
If you thought one dish could not marry sweet, sour, hot, salty, tangy, spicy and tarty; you have not tried this dish yet.
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?
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Prawn Balchao.
Vindaloo.
Fish Curry.
Rice Pudding
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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 !!
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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....
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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.
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This is getting ridiculous for me. I haven't been able to get in Zagat's despite the fact I've been open for almost 9 years. I'm at a loss to figure this out as :
1. My customers actually started a grass roots campaign to get me in and sent emails to the Zagat's website with the proper form.
2. Granted, perhaps I should have hired a PR firm during this time, I see restaurants that have been open only a short time get in Zagat's.
3. I have been fortunate enough to have received favorable reviews on this website( and anyone that knows food in NJ posts or lurks here).
4. While I know some folks here don't give much credence to NJ Monthly readers Pool, The Grill has won awards the past few years and no, I don't think it has to do with advertising as I only advertise 3-5 months out of the year.
Just curious and blowing off some f***ing steam
Lou
Now back to the wine
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.........
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No clue, where it comes from, after all it's made with ketchup and .....
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.
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I have a couple of additional thoughts.
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.
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Prasad:
What do you mean by "synthetic vinegar"? What is it made from and what makes it "synthetic"?
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
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I thought Vindaloo dishes were cooked with vinegar
Jackal10
Yes! Vindaloo dishes are made with vinegar, specifically I make it with malt Vinegar.
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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.
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I find myself wondering what people think of the onion relish you often are served in many Indian restaurants in the US.
Do people enjoy this relish?
Where does it come from?
What version of it does your local Indian restaurant serve?
Have you ever asked for a recipe?
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.
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Suvir:
You'd be interested to know that my father cooks a Madhur Jaffrey Chettinad Chicken recipe, except that he quadruples the amount of urad dal, and it's very popular among my immediate family and their friends (mine, too, when they've been to my folks' for dinner). More recently, he found another recipe (I forget by who) of a different Chettinad Chicken that is even better.
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
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Suvir:
You'd be interested to know that my father cooks a Madhur Jaffrey Chettinad Chicken recipe, except that he quadruples the amount of urad dal, and it's very popular among my immediate family and their friends (mine, too, when they've been to my folks' for dinner). More recently, he found another recipe (I forget by who) of a different Chettinad Chicken that is even better.
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.
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Thanks Bhasin! That was informative.
I make a chicken dish that is very popular. It is Chicken Chettinad. Traditionally this is a very fragrant chicken and the heat comes from a generous use of peppercorns. It is really a delicious chicken dish from the South and has become somewhat known in NYC in the last few years. I believe Pondicherry and Bay Leaf were the first to serve it. Madras Chicken could be a similar version I guess.
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 ...
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prasad2, I would also like to add something to your question. If people have any recommendations for indian cookbooks for beginners, I would appreciate it.
Monica Bhide has published her own cook book Spice is Right, she can answer this better than I could.
Please see spiceisright
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Most of my Indian cooking comes from books (I had Indian food for the first time at age 25!) I have taken two classes though, one just last week. These are my observations from the other people who attended the class who had never really prepared it before.
They need to to start off slow and simple, don't assume they know anything, most of them probably think everything is seasoned with curry powder!
The first couple dishes should use as few spices as possible and explain, talk about the spices, where they come from how they are used, etc to make the people more familiar with them. New spices can be scary.
DO NOT use spices that are difficult to attain, my last class the instructor used black cardamon, which I have never been able to locate in Japan, when I asked him about his source he says he brings it back with him when he returns to Indian, how are we to replicate the dish? He also used kasuri methi (which I started a thread about) and I agree it is a good spice to know, but should have come in a later class. The students don't want to go out and spend a fortune on stocking a spice cabinet that are not sure they will use too much of.
Cook a complete meal for each lesson, a rice or bread, a main dish or two, a relish, chutney or salad, a dessert or drink. This is easier fort eh students to prepare at home they can just repeat the entire menu instead of searching for something to go with a single dish.
Have them do as much hands on as possible, at my class we watched the instructor prepare the dishes then we all went to our stations (in groups of 3) and prepared them while the instructor walked around helping. Actually preparing rather then just watching can make a big difference in them trying it again at home.
Try to make at least on or two of the dishes something they maybe familiar with, something commonly on Indian restaurant menus, familiarity always works well well you are new to cooking a different cuisine.
3 hours is usually a good amount of time, including making it, eatingit, and cleaning up (if necessary)
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?
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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?
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Chooza Kabab is one of our popular entrees. The patrons love it. Is it Indian? Is this fusion?
you figure.
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
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Prasad,
The ingredients vary slightly, most contain
corriander seeds
cumin seeds
mustard seeds
turmuric
fenugreek seeds
dried whole red chillies
in the variations some add one or more of the following
cloves
dried curry leaves
hing or asfoteda
peppercorns
rice powder
and even lemon grass
there are numerous versions like Indian, Chinese, Thai, Malasian and African etc. And each has variations in themselves.
If you plan to use curry powder I would recomend Indian and you will have to research and experiment to arrive at what suits your needs best. It is a good idea to stick to a good reputable brand as that will ensure consistancy.
I may have forgotten an ingredient or two but you get the general picture. The whole spices are roasted and then ground to a powder.
Bhasin
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".
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Now the questions:
a) If you use full chicken - do you tie it (the legs).
b) how do you keep the meat from falling down either on the coal (if the pointed edge down) or stack on the hook (if the hook is down)?
c)without a thermoprobe(?) - what is the way to know if the heat is sufficient?
d) I don't have lids (not for the down part and for the top part) - what should I use, when should I use it?
I think this is enough with the sharing of a traumatic experience.
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....
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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......
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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?
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Has any one tried making Pesarattu yet!
They are simple to make and delicious to eat.
P2
Chicken Patia
in India: Cooking & Baking
Posted
If I can manage to get 6 shrimp (Prawns) to a pound, wouldn't they be cosidered prawns?