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rks

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Everything posted by rks

  1. The UK definitely has its share of celebrity chefs and upcoming chefs. Vikram, I agree with your choice. Cyrus Todiwala definitely fits the bill. His experience with Thai and Singapore cuisine subtly and perfectly influences his recipes. He also works behind the scenes developing some products for Marks and Spencer which sell very well. I also add Vineet Bhatia. Garnering the Michelin Star gave him instant noteriety. He's harnessed that fame to continue to do great work and to influence many chefs. On a smaller scale, Floyd Cardoz made a name for himself while at the famed French restaurant Lespinasse. Using his classical French training, he successfully created a French-Indian fusion concept. Many groups rate Tabla as the best restaurant in NYC. He also has quite a few engagements educating the public on Indian cuisine. I'll add the late Raji Jailepalli-Reiss. She fits into the same category as Floyd. Her cookbook and restaurant in Memphis set a standard. Do we put Suvir into the category? I'm sure his cookbook will place him on a grander stage. I'm curious to hear of who some of the up-and-comers may be.
  2. I wouldn't consider her as Indian cuisine chef. In my opinion, she's an intelligent, well-traveled Indian, who uses her physique and her profession as a model to promote healthy cooking mainly through Mediterranean fare. By no means am I trying to marginalize her talent or knowledge. I just haven't seen her do anything noteworthy with Indian cuisine.
  3. The past few years the Food Network, a US based cable channel, and recently "The Restaurant," a reality show chronicling the opening of Roccos 22nd Street, have popularized the concept of "celebrity chef." There are celebrity chefs and prominent personalities representing most cuisines. A few examples: Ming Tsai, Emeril Lagasse, Bobby Flay, Nobu Matsuhisha, Jamie Oliver...the list goes on. Who would you nominate as a prominent Indian cuisine chef/personality in the US, UK, India? What characteristics/skills/achievements garner an Indian chef noteriety of any level?
  4. Among many "blue collar" Indians, tea is the preferred choice over a cold, refreshing beverage. Do they drink tea because it's rooted in their culture or because it's refreshing? I haven't been able to figure it out. Some of my family who run one of the largest tea distributor and wholesalers in north India try to convince me tea is refreshing. Agree or disagree?
  5. In the midst of the muggy New York summers, I always enjoy a refreshing beverage, whether it's alcoholic or not. What unique drinks would you serve as an afternoon refreshment, at a party, before dinner, after dinner? Recipes, new ideas? Are there beverages that are distinct to certain regions of India?
  6. This is a link to an article written by Namita and Camellia Panjabi for the Guardian. She's given what sounds like a great recipe for "baked banana in spiced orange caramel." The Guardian: The Grup of the Green, May 10, 2003 (the recipe appears at the end of the article) You can also find the link in the Weekend Update on egullet's home page.
  7. A friend of mine who's well-known in the ice cream/sorbet world makes an amazing watermelon sorbet. The flavor profile and texture is the best I've had. His ice creams are critically acclaimed across the US. He'll be making the ice creams for my upcoming project.
  8. I don't know if this answer your question completely Tommy, but the construction of Indian meals and its history revolves around the principles of Ayurveda. The approach suggests a particular sequence in consuming food so that digestion is easier for the body and the benefits are maximized. According to Ayurvedic principles the environment influences the body as much as what we consume. The changing of the seasons increases the chances of acquiring some sort of illness (there are six seasons in the vedic system). To assist in balancing this threat, the Ayurvedic school of thought suggests modifying one's diet to suite the climate. Even though you find a lot of spicy or "heating" elements in the summer, there are just as many "cooling" elements (raitas, rice, honey) incorporated in the snack or meal to balance. I'm sure other egulleters more knowledgeable about the history can offer a better explanation.
  9. I've always enjoyed eating aloo tikkis dressed in mint and tamarind chutneys, a sprinke of hari mirch, chole, and fresh, crispy onions. It's a evening snack in the summertime giving a perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavors.
  10. A lot of fond memories come from staying at my paternal grandparents koti in the heart of the old city section of Amritsar. To give an idea of how old the area is, the Golden Temple (a 500+ yr old temple) is only a stone throw away. Each early morning we wake up to the sikh holy scriptures sung over the loud speakers. The streets in the area are narrow and the houses tower at least four stories above the streets or "gullees" as they call them. All the tiny food stores in that area continue to use traditional methods in place well before the partition. The faces behind the huge karahi and are even the same, at least for the past 25 yrs I've been going back. It's almost as if everything is frozen in time. At least once a week for breakfast, my grandfather would take my cousins and me to eat poori aloo a couple of gullees over from our house. Before we walked to the picinc style tables in the back, I made my grandfather stand with me and watch the cook make the pooris at the edge of the open store. Every few seconds you would hear the chef's hands clapping as he flattens the atta (dough). Then he would drop the atta in the karahi and instruct his assistant to scoop oil on top of the atta to perfectly create the hollow cavity in the middle. Eating the pooris fresh out of the oil gave them an added crunchiness that's rare to eat anywhere else. My grandfather would also bring back gajar (carrot) ka halwa made with raisins and topped with sliced almonds. The halwa was a perfect hue of deep orange and was wet from the excess ghee. I think the best part for us kids was eating out of perfectly shapes bowls made from leaves. The bowls soaked up all the excess ghee wonderfully! It's almost as euphoric as the prasad one receives at the Golden Temple as Suvir mentioned. Besides tasting the wonderful food found in the old city walking around the old city is a treat in itself. All the food establishments are open areas on the first floor as in most old sections of Indian cities. Usually, the big karahi or the freshly baked goods sit on the steet side of the store allowing the aromas to waft out in the open. So when you breath, you inhale the aromas of everything at once. It's a smell very hard to forget. In the winter time my uncle would bring another one of my favorite Amritsari dishes, bhuja kulcha. This is a kulcha that has a little more yeast than normal making it thicker and spongier. It's then soaked in the chana for a few minutes. Once the kulcha absorbs some of the liquid, it's put on a plate and smothered in chana, green and red chutneys, ginger, hari mirch (green pepper) and onions. The combination is a great juxtaposition of textures from the soft kulcha to the crispy toppings. After one of these early afternoon snacks we would be stuffed. I think it's interesting to point out how big each meal is for an typical Amritsari family. Traditionally, everyone eats a heavy breakfast around 9am that would consist of a stuffed paratha (my choice is cauliflower or daikon radish) followed by a few mangoes or mango milk, if in season. Lunch, just as heavy, around 4, followed by fruits and dinner around 10. Eating sweets is a whole other story...
  11. I thought I would add Amritsar to the list. It's not a large city by Indian standards, yet I think it's one of the most unique foods cities in Northern India. The kulcha chole is absolutely to die for. I have yet to taste a freshly baked kulcha that compares. The lassi in from one particular vendor in the old city is a must taste if your stomach can handle it. Not once have I escaped without a stomach ache, but the satisfaction well outweighs the consequences. I would also add the jalebis.
  12. Vikram- thanks for the wonderful list! Most of the fish are available here in the US. I know there are many ways to prepare fish "Goan" style. Are there certain fish someone would use more often in a home setting? What fish would be best used for poaching?
  13. Vikram- thanks for the insight. The breadth of Portuguese's influence on world cuisine is very unrecognized. I think they rival the French to an extent. I'll have to try to get my hands on a serving of bebinca. It's a very unique sweet dish. I can taste the rich flavors already! Given that Goa is a coastal state, sea and freshwater fish are abundant. Are mackerel and prawns the most common fish/crustacean used in Goan cooking? Are there other types of fish commonly used? What are some good preparations? It's been a long time since I've visited Goa, but I think a trip to the state is long overdue or at least to a good Goan restaurant in Mumbai.
  14. Thanks for the offer Monica! What's the restaurant in your neck of the woods that has great Goan food?
  15. rks

    Seafood

    There are a handful of different types of salmon chefs use: pink, king, coho and atlantic. Each type has pros and cons in terms of cooking. The most common on the east coast is Atlantic. On the west coast there is more King and Coho. What type of salmon is best for Indian cooking? What are some interesting salmon preparations?
  16. The Portuguese influence on Goan cuisine fascinates me. The use of meats and unique flavors in Goan cooking could be very appetizing to the US diner, providing a great mix of east and west. However, the average Indian restaurant has few Goan influenced dishes on the menu. Why don't we see more Goan dishes? In one of the food magazines a writer wrote about her travels through India and the food she never managed to taste. (I'll have to find the author's name). I am unfamiliar with two very Portuguese-sounding Goan meat dishes she mentions in the article: bebhinca and goshtaba. How are these prepared? What are some other unique dishes? What are ingredients characteristic to Goan cooking? rks
  17. rks

    Indian Restaurants

    The review of a Benares in London. I like Atul's concept of a limited menu. Times Online-Benares
  18. For someone interested in learning about ingredients common to Indian cooking, I highly recommend Linda Bladholm's book, The Indian Grocery Store Demystified. She categorizes breads into four groups:griddle-cooked, pan fried, deep fried, and oven baked A few for each group: griddle-cooked: chapati phulka roti (many variations depending on the flour used) pan-fried: paratha (variations with stuffings. Some common to north India are aloo and mooli.) deep-fried: puri bhatura oven-baked: naan kulcha
  19. Great thoughts, Jsibley. I think a restaurant, though not Indian, that does what you've mentioned well is Tao in New York. The lounge and the dining areas are two separate spaces and attracts two distinct crowds: the cocktail and dining. Neither the bar nor the dining area overpowers the other. If one can balance the atmosphere/space and drink list properly, a restaurant of the sort can work. Needless to say, the food in the dining area must be delectable. I haven't been to an Indian concept that has achieved that balance as well as Tao has. Tabla has good signature drinks, most notably the tablatini, but I think Danny Meyer intended to focus more on attracting diners to the Bread Bar than drinkers. Maybe there are Indian restaurants in London that have achieved this balance?
  20. Suvir- there is a website; however, it doesn't offer a glimpse into print issues of the magazine: Masala Magazine The magazine is on average 50 pages per issue with a lot of advertisments. The article doesn't mention an author so I assume the editors Peter Grove or Colleen Grove wrote it. I'd prefer to PM you the 2 page article since it will take me some time to post the numbers. I think it's the best way to do it. I'm happy to send the article to whomever is interested. Some of the interesting numbers: US figures -approx 1000 Indian restaurants. (From my study I think 1100 is a more accurate number.) -Indian restaurants per capital in NY 1 restaurant for every 105,618 persons; in CA 1 for every 265,393 -approx 170 restaurant in NY UK figures -approx 8700 Indian restaurants -approx 1200 in London alone -Indian restaurants per capita in London 1 restaurant for every 5,976 persons; in UK total 6,757 to 1
  21. In this months Masala Magazine, a UK magazine covering the Indian restaurant scene in the UK, the editors conducted a study on the potential successes for British restauranteurs interested in expanding their Indian restaurant empires in the US. Titled "America: The Indian Restaurant Scene in the USA 2002", the article delineates the huge disparity between the number of Indian restaurants in the UK and the US per capita. They indicate some of the best markets to enter, NY, Las Vegas, and Orlando. All of their conclusions are based on demographic and competitve analyses of the most populated and the biggest tourist states in the US. They also extrapolate that in NY, the most innovative scene in the US, Indian restaurants are fifteen years behind their UK counterparts in terms of menu development and innovation. (A very bold statement on their part. I'm curious how they figured fifteen years.) The article contains a lot of detailed numbers to support: the # of Indian restaurants in the US by state; # of restaurants per capita in US and UK; # of visitors to US by state, etc. I'm happy to pass them along to anyone interested. Prior to reading this article, I did my own study and came up with suprisingly close figures. Sorry, the post is a bit academic, but I thought the article cements some of the thoughts previously posted in the thread.
  22. P2- Otto has a no reservation policy. They are very accomodating in their bar area. 212.995.9559 66- I recommend a reservation 212.925.0202 (241 Church St.) Taj Lounge- 48 W 21st (b/t 5th and 6th) 212.620.3033. They have a lot of private functions. I would check before I head over there.
  23. Just to add to your education comment BBhasin. I think one the best training investments for the kitchen staff an owner can make is to ensure everyone takes a sanitation course (the NRA offers a great course). In the long run it saves an operation a good sum of money and motivates the staff to maintain high quality.
  24. thanks for the informative link torakris. It resembles a Korean barbecue style restaurant plus the fanfare. Has anyone visited this style restaurant in New York if there are any?
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