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Hi, A new grocery store just opened outside our house and I got so excited on my very first visit to the store tht I ended up buying a bunch of unusual vegetables that I never really use in my daily cooking :(. So now I need help - If anyone knows any Indian recipes for these veggies, please help! I basically bought some taro root (does anyone know if this is the same a chepankazhangu in tamizh?). I also ended up buying a bunch of different varieties of squash (I figured I could use them the way my mom used basic yellow and white pumpkin in sambhars and such). Any ideas will be much much appreciated since I suddenly feel very sad and inadequate about the range of vegetables I use in my cooking :(. -worm@work

I've just discovered this stuff. So wonderful on hot, hot days. I found a recipe that involved stirring some yogurt into cooked rice, tipping a little bit of spices (mustard seed, chili) cooked in oil, and scattering green herbs (chili, coriander) on top. Any other ideas? Dishes that go well with curd rice?

Hello Everyone, I got inspired by a can of blackeyed peas in my cupboard and a bunch of dill sitting in my fridge. Here is what I came up with. This recipe isn't officially written or tested, but its simple so it should work out fine. It turned out delicious. Gujarati-Style Blackeyed Peas with Dill (Lobhia aur Suwa) 3 tablespoons ghee or oil or a mixture 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 cup peeled and diced fresh tomato 1 teaspoon Gujarati or Marathi-style garam masala, divided 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) 1 (15.5 ounce) can blackeyed peas, with liquid 3/4 cup coarsely choppped fresh dill Water as needed Salt to taste In a medium saucepan heat the ghee or oil over medium-high heat. When hot toss in the mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to splutter and pop add the cumin and fenugreek seeds. Cook until the cumin darkens a few shades. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to turn golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute more. Add the tomato to the pan and cook, stirring, until it begins to turn to pulpy sauce, about 3 minutes. Toss in half of the garam masala and all of the paprika, red chili powder, turmeric and the sugar if using. Stir once or twice. Now stir in the blackeyed peas with their liquid and the dill. Add enough water until you get the consistency you want, up to 1 1/2 cups. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes. Stir in salt to taste, the remaining garam masala and 2-3 tablespoons more chopped dill before serving. I ate it with plain basmati rice and a raita, but if you make it on the drier side it would go great with rotli. Try this and let me know what you think. If you don't have Gujarati or Marathi-style garam masala, the regular kind will work fine. Though I would avoid a pure Moghul garam masala, it is too cardamomy for this. You can make an approximate version by adding a little fennel seeds, ajwain, sesame seed, dried red chili and a star anise to your regular garam masala recipe.

Do you guys have any experience using these "Roti Maker"s? So far, using Google, I have found a "Revel" brand Roti Maker and a "ChefMaster" branc Chappathi maker. Any experience using these or any others? Here's the Revel Roti Maker, Model #360: Here's the Chefmaster Chappathi Maker, Model CM01:

In last couple of years number of new South Indian restaurants has opened in New Jersey. I also saw couple of old restaurants which earlier use to serve North Indian food have converted to South Indian menu. There is a new South Indian restaurant under construction in theTheatre complex near our place which claims it will be the first genuine south Indian place in town. While talking to some old timers who have been in USA for more than 25 years, they have also noticed the same thing. One interesting thing about this phenomenon is that many of these are vegetarian restaurants. Couple of weeks ago, we were in one of this South Indian restaurant and an American walked in asking for Chicken Tikka and the owner told him they only serve vegetarian, he looked at the menu and said but I thought you were an Indian restaurant. Is this a trend in rest of the USA?

Welcome Monika, Are you from a Marwari family? What is the Indian grocery situation like in Finland-are you able to get all the essentials or is it difficult to find things, like....besan for instance?

Hello Good People of the India and Indian Cuisine Forum, I know very little about Indian cuisine except that I love it! Anyway... A friend of mine told me about a dish one of his co-workers prepared for an office pot-luck. The woman who prepared the dish said it was a popular Indian dish, which she called "butter chicken." My friend said it was absolutely delicious. Everyone at the potluck agreed that it was the best dish and that if the pot-luck had been a competition, the woman with the butter chicken would surely have won. I have tried searching for this dish by the name given, but I can't seem to locate a recipe. Please help! Thank you.

Pray tell more about this, I am very curious. And welcome to the forum....

I picked up a jar of some type of sugar while in NY not too long ago. It is labeled as TAL MISHREE. It looks like a yellowish rock candy and has a very strange smell. Almost alchoholic. All the shopkeeper had to say was "good for stomach". It doesn't taste too bad. Sort of like fermented sugar mixed with car exhaust Does anyone know what this is and where to use it? Edward

I love papaya - green and ripe. Do you use it in the Indian kitchen.. do you cook with it? (other than as a tenderizer) Please do share your experiences with this delightful fruit For my hubbys bday I made a papaya mango soup that was so refreshing.. so come on do share.....

So when you cook with chickpea flour - do you roast it before you use it? Why? Why not? How do you know when to roast versus not roast? Comeon and share your expert tips with us Inquiring minds want to know

Do you cook any dishes where the onion is the focal point? Ofcourse I am speaking in the context of Indian or Indian inspired cuisine.... Onion pakodas, onion raita, sirke wale pyaz ( onions in vinegar)--- do share.. what type of onion do you select for this dish? Why? Do you use baby onions or pearl onions? Inquiring minds want to know

So do you cook with green tomatoes? I have a favorite dish I will post in a few... Wanted to see if other people use them? Do you like the flavors? Do they go well with certain types of spices? What is the secret to cooking them well??

Hi folks, I have been dying to eat nice home made mutton curry but haven't found a good shop so far. Recently located to Northern Virginia (Reston area) and was wondering if anyone knows of a good butcher shop. Halaal, non halaal doesn't matter. Though I do suspect that I'll have to go to a Halaal shop. I am sure that this topic has come up before and I scoured the forums but was unable to find any relevant post. BTW, this is an amazing forum and, after having lurked around for a few days, I am already in awe of almost all the members here. S edit: Got mixed up with my Virginias :)

Has anyone tried this? I am curious to know what you think.... Tandoori Oysters -- From Cooking Light 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt,divided 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeño pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 teaspoons mustard seeds 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper 24 shucked oysters 2 cups hot cooked basmati rice Cilantro sprigs (optional) Combine 1/4 cup yogurt, chopped cilantro, jalapeño, and salt in a blender; process until smooth. Add 3/4 cup yogurt; process until just blended. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and next 4 ingredients (mustard seeds through red pepper); sauté for 1 minute. Stir in oysters; sauté 4 minutes or until edges of oysters curl. Remove from heat; stir in the yogurt sauce. Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 6 oysters, 1/4 cup sauce, and 1/2 cup rice) Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2001

There's probably an obvious answer to this, but here goes. In Indian restaurants which do buffets, I've noticed their quantity cooked pappadums are always perfectly flat. Sometimes whole, sometimes cut in half, but still flat and very easy to stack or lean against each other. How is this accomplished? Whenever I do mine, it's either fried or cut in half with each half placed in a toaster, all the while keeping an eye on them in order to rotate the halves before they scorch. But they always come out wavy and not at all flat and stackable this way. Doesn't bother me in the least, but it would be easier to transport flat ones. Pat

From this thread here I am aware that there are a few ways of coloring tandoori chicken. These include: Red/yellow food coloring Kashmiri Mirch Deghi Mirch Beetroot powder cochineal dye Maval (cockscomb flowers) I'm looking for something that will give me the reddish orange I'm accustomed to eating but won't be potentially bad for my health. Thus I'd like to avoid the red/yellow food coloring. Besides the chilis/food coloring, are any of these available at my local Indian grocer? Should I ask for a particular brand? Is there anything else that's safe/natural and can be added to this list? And I know the color provides no flavor but there is a psychological aspect involved. I'm sure that eventually I will graduate out of the need for color, but these first few times, I'd like the familiar hue.

hi suncoupons-if Suman can't find one, i came across a recipe in my south canara cookery book for 'buns' and 'mangalore buns'and will be happy to post them-just need a little time to take care of things that are piling up!

I was reading Italian Food by Elizabeth David when I came across a recipe where you first fry onions in oil, then add the lentils, fry some more, add water and cook until the lentils are done. That made me wonder if such a practice exists in Indian cooking. Does it? Any advantages of doing this? Suman

Here's what's in mine: - Fully prepared maa ki daal and masoor dal - so I'm never more than 10 minutes away from eating them when the urge strikes - I know I can pressure-cook it just as quickly, but I really prefer the slow-cooked dals, especially the two mentioned. - Ready-made makki ki roti and methi thepla. These I bought to try out recently. The thepla is really nice, even if it glosses over a bit with the amount of oil in it. I'm waiting to try the makki ki roti with some saag (no sarson unfortunately, palak will have to do). - A packet of fresh (as in not dried) green chana that I spotted with the rotis mentioned above. My mom used to make this curry with this potatoes that I can still almost taste. - Dosa batter - Grated coconut - Ground coconut masalas for Konkani dishes - Onion, garlic, ginger, tomato masala for north Indian dishes - Indian sweets - ladoo, burfi etc., : better in the freezer than in the fridge - I'm less tempted to eat them that way. - Shami kabab, chapli kabab - Other stuff I'd rather not own up to in public Suman

speaking of things available in the local grocery that i wouldn't know the first thing to do with. what is horse gram and what can i make with it?

somewhere in my recently ended blog i posted pictures from a trip to the local indian grocery here in boulder. they carry a large range of vegetables that are used more in south indian and gujarati cooking than in bengali or punjabi cooking (to the best of my knowledge) . since this stuff is available i might as well learn how to use it. so, let's have it. hit me with recipes for tindora, gongura leaves, dosakai, guvar, torai etc. etc.

While surfing on the net i fished a very unsual recipe.Either i do not know my Maccher Jhol or the shark is really a bengali.Would the Doctor or Bong investigate? Bengali Shark Kebabs Ingredients 450g (1lb) shark steaks 2 cloves garlic 1/2 inch piece root ginger 1 small onion, peeled 1 red chilli 150g (5oz) natural yoghurt salt to taste 1 teaspoon turmeric 2 teaspoons garam masala Method Cut the fish into 2.5cm (1 inch) cubes. Wash, drain and dry them. Liquidize all the remaining ingredients, to form a marinade paste. Marinade the cubes for approximately 2 hours. Thread the fish on to 4 skewers, and grill for ten minutes. Serve on a bed of salad. Serves 4.

I'm not saying together, at the same time. But do you like strongly flavoured foods? Do you also like subtley flavoured foods also? I do. But, as we all know, it's all about you. So?

Is there a favorite wood for tandoori cooking? And, if so, what is it?