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Pasanda (Would traditionally mean Fillet) (courtesy of Suvir) I have most often seen pasandas made with lamb. There is one version where the sauce has yogurt and or cream in it. The other is made with just an onion and tomato sauce. I have found the yogurt based one more authentic and also tastier. Pasandas are a classic Moghul preparation. The lamb is braised in a yogurt based sauce spiced with whole garam masala. Some recipes use almonds while others do not. Gosht Pasanda 1.5 lbs. boneless lean lamb, cut into 1/4 thick pieces that are 2 1/4 x 1 inches Spice Rub: 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon garam masala 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder juice of half a lemon 4 tablespoons oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 2 tablespoons almond, blanched and slivered 6 small cloves of garlic 1.5 inches fresh ginger root 2 tablespoons warm water 2 black cardamom seeds 1 inch cinnamon stick 2 bay leaves 6 cloves 1 cup yogurt, whisked 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup cream 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon garam masala 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper powder 1. Preheat the oven to 275¢ªF. Rub the lamb pieces in the spices for the spice rub and the juice of the lemon. Set aside for an hour to marinade at room temperature. 2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy bottom pan. Take half the chopped onions and fry them in the oil for 15 minutes until light brown. Use a few drops of water every time the onions are sticking to the base of pan. Remove from pan and set aside. 3. Add the fried onions, the remainder of the raw onions, ginger, garlic, almonds and poppy seeds into a blender with 2 tablespoons of water and blend into a smooth paste. 4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pan and to the oil add the cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cloves. Fry for a minute over med hight heat. Add the blended paste and cook for 5 minutes. Add a few drops of water if the contents stick to the pan. 5. Add yogurt to the pan a tablespoon at a time. This keeps it from curdling. Once you have added all the yogurt, continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Some of the moisture from the yogurt will get reduced. 6. Add the lamb pieces and cook for another 5 minutes. The lamb will have some color to it and some of the fat will start to separate. 7. Transfer contents into a casserole. Add the cream and water around the sides of the dish. Sprinkle the cayenne, cardamom and the garam masala over the contents of the pan. Cover tightly and cook in the oven for 10 minutes. 8. Garnish with juliennes of ginger and serve hot with naan, parathas or even pita bread.

any ideas on how to make it? fresh coconut? what is it ususally served along with? what purpose to chutney's serve? calm down spicy foods? mike

Papadam ( Papad) are round lentil-bean wafers. These are made with the flour of lentils or beans and have spices in them. These are a great "finger food" as they were called in the British style clubs. As one lounged around these clubs in the evenings, sipping Gin and Tonic, papad would be the munchie of choice. What we see in restaurants today, the service of papad with condiments, is not truly Indian. I am not certain where it began, but certainly not in India. Papads are available in most Indian stores. You get them dry in packages. Either plain or spiced. Some are large discs, other very small. Some of the very small ones are meant to be deep fried. In the North of India, we most often roast them on the stove top, or in restaurants over a grill placed atop a tandoor. They are eaten with Indian meals to add a texture and new flavor to the complex meal. The crunchiness and savory taste provided by Papad to even the most humble meals is a winning addition. Papad were traditionally made at home. It is easy but a very laborious method I am told. And also requires large hours of sunshine. The doughs made with the various choices of flours are very soft when being rolled but become brittle and dry as they are left out in the sun over muslin sheets to dry before being packaged. If you are deep frying papad, make sure you have at least 3-4 inches of oil in the deep fryer. The entire process of cooking a papad in this method takes no more than a few seconds. You must heat the oil to 375?F and then fry the papad. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. To dry roast papad, use flat tongs and hold the papad with them over the flame. Turn the papad quickly and frequently to cook them evenly. Always rememebring that there should be few if any black spots. Thus the frequent turning. As soon as the papad changes color and begins to curl at the edges, it is done. Make sure t hat the center of the papad is also cooked and has changed color. I have had reasonable success with cooking Papad in the microwave. The time it takes depends on your oven. It can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute. But it requires a lot of careful watching and errors before you figure out the best timing and way to do it.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) Fenugreek is one of the most respected spices and herbs found in India. The seeds are used as a spice. The leaves as herb and more often as a green. Indian mothers are given fudge like desserts (laddoos) with fenugreek seeds in them. It is believed that they are great for a lactating mother. And also provide healthful benefits for the child. Mothers are traditionally fed these "laddoos" for 40 days. It is an annual that grows in the milder climate Indian regions. The leaves are beautifully oval shaped. They have a prominently pronounced vein in the back. The plant has small pods that contain tiny seeds. I have often found it at Balduccis. It is an easy plant to grow. The seeds are small but pungent in a bitter and lingering way. The flavor lasts and will exude the potency of its inert oil long after the initial bite. The seeds are beige-ochre in color and have a tiny groove running across them. They are most often used in Southern Indian cooking, but have been adapted across the Indian landscape for their healthful properties. In my pantry I always keep whole seeds. For some recipes I use powdered or coarsely crushed seeds. But I do that to recipe, using my Oster spice grinder. This ensures great flavor all the time. If you cannot find fresh fenugreek leaves, you can always buy "Kasoori Methi" (even Qasoori or Kasuri) at the Indian grocery stores. These are dried fenugreek leaves. In India it is believed that Fenugreek aids in digestion and relieves flatulence. Hence it is given to lactating mothers. The anti-flatulence properties help the baby that will have flatulence easily. It works wonders. My sister's son who is now 2 years old, was lucky to have been a guinea pig with this experiment. He reacted positively and it helped my sister a lot since he cried less. The other Indian belief is that fenugreek contains a chemical that promotes lactation and helps a lactating mother express with ease. In fact Indian farmers even feed the seeds to cows for increasing the production of milk. In India fenugreek was also used as a contraceptive. But I have only heard of this procedure. Never known of anyone having used it in these times. Fenugreek seeds are an essential Pickling spice in the world of Indian cooking and pickle making. The leaves are used in several curries and vegetable stir fries.

Hi, I am looking to host a BBQ. For meat-lovers it doesnt seem all that complicated. Kebabs and Tandoori-style chicken seems to win the day. However alot of my friends also are vegetarians. This always seems to cause a big problem for me. They end up eating oven cooked Jacket potatoes ( which dont even originate from the BBQ). Paneer Masala. Again which isnt even cooked on the BBQ. The only dish I can envisage cooking is veggie kebabs ( paneer and other vegetables on skewers). There must be some other choices we ( I ) can offer these poor people. Dishes that are spicy and cookable on the BBQ Please could somebody help by giving me suggestions. I am stuck! Thanks so much Hasmi

How do you rate them? Are there winning items available through them? How do you rate their chutneys? The store-brand that is. Do you buy their packaged foods?

Hello Anybody got any ideas for my first time trying to cook indian food? any easy dishes to start with? i eat just about anything, so feel free to toss out the ideas! thanks mike

What Indian seafood recipes do you use? Where are they from? What fish do you think lend themselves best to Indian cooking?

I realise that the various spellings of dal are probably phoenetic translations from Indian languages, but is there a 'most' correct version? Is it all 'much of a muchness' or is there a difference?

Masalas (Spice Mixes) Spice blends are used extensively in Indian cooking across the different regions. They are used to add a distinct flavor to a dish. They vary in their texture, complexity and their form. Some are prepared as powders, others are simply a mélange of whole spices and yet others are pastes based on fresh ingredients such as chiles and herbs. India, Indonesia and Thailand have many different recipes for such blends, pastes and mixes. In India the blending of spices is the essence of its cookery; to become a good Indian cook you must first become a maslachi(a spice blender). The word masala means a mixture of spices but also refers to the aromatic composition of a dish, or simply a gravy. At times Masal also refers to gossip. The western concept of having a single masala or curry powder gives little if any insight into Indian cooking since there are hundreds of masalas - from different regions, for different recipes, and prepared to the taste of different chefs and homes - imparting a distinctive flavor to each dish. The most common ground blends are the garam masalas, used in northern Indian cooking, and hotter masalas or curry powders from the south. They are usually made up as required and will keep for 3-4 months in an airtight jar. These masalas change in flavor as one travels from one region of India to another. * Curry Powder (South India, all over the different states of the south) * Bottle Masala ( Maharashtra) * Sambhaar Powder (South India, used in Southern Indian cooking extensively) * Panch Phoron (From Bengal, used in lentils and vegetables) * Garam Masala (Most important spice blend of North Indian cookery) * Chaat masala (North India, used with fruit and vegetable salads, raitas and garnishes) * Green Masala (All over India, used in fish and chicken dishes for marinade) * Rassam Powder (South India, used in light very spicy soup like preparations) Basic Garam Masala Garam Masala This is a version of the most common type of garam masala used throughout northern India. * 2 cinnamon sticks * 4 bay leaves * 1 1/2 oz cumin seeds * 1 1/2 oz coriander seeds * 3/4 oz green or black cardamom seeds * 3/4 oz black peppercorns * 1/2 oz cloves * 1/2 oz mace Break the cinnamon sticks into pieces. Add the bay leaves. Heat a heavy frying pan and after 2 minutes put in the whole spices. Dry roast over a medium flame till color darkens, stirring or shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Place the contents on a cold platter to cool, then grind and blend with mace powder. Store in an airtight container.

On the lime thread, Suvir mentioned Bora Kheema, a Moslem-style ground lamb dish. It sounded very intriguing and I had some ground lamb, but Suvir wasn't logged on to ask for more directions, and I couldn't find a recipe. He had mentioned that it was cooked simply with cinnamon, cumin seed, coriander seed and red chile powder and finished with fresh lime juice. Left to my own devices, here's what I did -- First, I pan roasted the above spices plus something called penja pepper (pearl of cameroon) -- a white peppercorn, black cardamom seeds and some dried small red chiles and then ground them up. I chopped up some onion and sauteed it in a little oil until it was browning. Then I added some chopped up skinny (but bigger than Thai and not serrano) green chile peppers, garlic and ginger and sauteed that for a few minutes. I then stirred in the ground lamb, broke it up, and stirred it until it was just starting to brown, added some salt and 1/2 cup water and some of the ground up spices until it smelled right. Turned heat to very low, covered the pan, and cooked for a little over an hour until the meat was fairly dry. Turned off heat and squeezed in some lime juice. Ate with rice and some spinach. It was very enjoyable -- pretty hot from the fresh and dried peppers, but the cinnamon, cumin, peppercorns and coriander (I'd just bought some very fragrant Moroccan coriander seeds) seemed to balance the pepper heat with a darker, very aromatic taste. I'd appreciate it, Suvir or anyone else, if you'd post the authentic recipe so I could try that the next time, as well as other recipes for kheema. I find kheema truly addictive, I just want to go on eating it. Another question (this may have been addressed on another thread) is how long will dried spices stay fresh? What's the best way to store them? I buy the smallest packaged quantities possible (don't have a good source for bulk spices), but my kitchen is very hot and airless, and I always find I'm throwing spices out because they lose their fragrance.

My favorite mutton dish is Burra Kabab. Proabably because my dad used to like it so much. He is a red meat kind of guy. I do not have a good recipe for this though. And I would not even know which parts work best. Any ideas? Have a lot of people had this dish? Seems kind of scarce around here and scarcer still is a good rendition of this classic dish from north western province in Pakistan. Another related mutton dish is mutton roasted on hot stones (marble ??) that is, I think, native of the Sindh province. Lightly seasoned. Very very good. vivin.

Do you see yourself cooking more with Lamb or Goat? What recipes do you use? Where are these recipes from? What cuts of lamb do you use for these recipes? Where do you buy your meat?

Although I like Indian food very much, I have not yet participated on this board because of my admitted abject ignorance regarding Indian cuisine. In order to learn more I was hoping that Suvir or others could recommend some books that will explain the fundamentals of Indian cooking styles, methods, and technique. Also, perhaps a cookbook or two to begin practice in making some of the food myself. Generally, I am loathe to follow a recipe, but it may be a good way to grasp the intricacies of this cuisine. Specifically, I would like to know of some books that will give me an overview of the food, its regional differences, ingredients, and history, and then a seminal cookbook that contains recipes for the most important elemental dishes. Thank you.

What kind of Raita do you like most? Where do you find this recipe? Do you make it at home? Where is your recipe from? What kind of yogurt do you use?

Do you taste as you cook? Is the tradition of not tasting foods as you cook them just a part of Indian myth today? If you do not taste as you cook, how do you make sure your food is perfectly cooked and spiced? Is there a reason why you do or do not taste food as you cook?

A friend who works on a farm in Pennsylvania is coming to NY for the weekend and we were thinking of eating at Pongal's. She's lived in Mali and traveled throughout Africa and Southeast Asia so she is quite open to new foods. Also, we worked on a tomato and chile pepper farm together, so she likes spicy food a lot. However, she is a vegetarian, so I thought Pongal's would be perfect. I haven't eaten in Pongal's for some time now. Aside from the dosas and idlis, does anyone have any recommendations for other things to order there? I read through the thread on Dimples and now I'm torn about whether to go there or to Pongal's. My friend lives in a rural area with no chance of eating Indian food, and rarely has a chance to come into NY -- which restaurant would be a better choice? Also read through the thread on acquiring a taste for Indian food and was amazed all over again at the sheer complexity of the cuisine and the subcontinent itself. What a wonderful and informative -- I'm busy pulling my Indian cookbooks down from the shelf to look things up.

What brand do you use? Do you ever make it from dessicated coconut? What recipes do you use it in? Where are these recipes from?

Husband bought a little container of asafoetida the other week. Whenever he cathes a whiff of the stuff, he complains it is filling our cupboard with a smelly sock smell. (Mrs Balbir Singh says some varieties have a nauseous small.) I don't sense it this way. I don't mind the smell at all. Anyway, last night husband made some fried potatoes from Madur Jaffrey. They were quite good, I wasn't sure if I could detect the taste of the asafoetida, though. I was wondering how else it is used, Suvir? And what would you recommend?

Is there a favorite Indian Chicken Curry you have? What makes is special for you? Where do you find it? Do you cook it at home ever? Where did you get the recipe from?

I'm having people over for curry next week. The one I make is chicken, very hearty, very spicy. When I first started preparing this recipe for dinner parties (about 30 years ago) I thought that at a "proper grown-up dinner" I absolutely had to serve wine. Otherwise, the evening would be cheap and low class and everyone would know I was an inexperienced, unsophisticated ninny. About that time, on TV Graham Kerr (speaking directly to me, I know) informed me that in his opinion wine just doesn't work very well with curry. Much better, said Galloping Graham, was a heady, cold beer. And since then, that is exactly what I have served. And it's delicious. A big mouthful of spicy curry washed down with cold beer seems, to my mind, just about perfect. Of my dinner guests next week, however, one couple just does not like beer. I am at a loss. Although I have continued to experiment, even after the Kerr revelation, I have never found a wine that I think goes as well as the beer. Any suggestions?

I am planning to Tandoor some Quail and Lamb cutlets tonight and want to serve it with a fresh ( slightly spicy) salad that will not over power the flavours of the meat. I am thinking a simple dish of tomatoes, red onion, and corriander, but would like something a bit different. Any thoughts/help appreciated S

I've been cooking Indian food with great enthusiasm, and if I may say so, success, for a number of years. I had an Indian/Israeli boyfriend (born in Bombay, grew up in Israel) with whom I lived for many years, and during that time I worked very hard to get my Indian food to a certain level. We visited his relatives a lot, too, and I collected recipes from the Aunties over a long period. So here's what I'm thinking for this particular dinner: dahi batata puri (delicious and makes for a fun activity, too) shrimp with dill and ginger buttered saffron basmati rice (which I bake) sweet and sour tomato & raisin chutney (from Madhur Jaffrey - it's fantastic) raita salad - just cucumbers, tomatoes, scallion, cilantro, oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper cauliflower with onion and tomato some onion relish on the side, probably onions soaked in vinegar fruit salad or perhaps an apple clafouti with vanilla ice cream chai The only thing I'm not sure about is the cauliflower. I'm thinking a green bean dish would be better. What say you all?

Indian Ocean one of a handful of rock groups from India is playing at Nirvana tonight. They are playing to raise funds and awareness for the gross tragedy in Gujarat. Sir Ian Holm (Bilbo Baggins-Lord of The Ring and Napolean-Emperors New Clothes) as well as others will be present in support of the cause and to enjoy the restaurant fare. The group will perform from 5:30 PM until 7:30 PM. The restaurant does I believe takes reservations. If you are interested in hearing some Indian inspired music and also support in bringing relief to the families of victims and those displaced in that communal tragedy, please feel free to come. I am sorry to post this so late. If anyone wants to enjoy good views and music and some Bengali fare please feel free to visit Nirvana. If you want to help with the relief efforts, you can ask me privately and I can send you details about where to go offering funds or other help. For an article related to the tragedy, you can click below. Gujarat - Arundhati Roy The Nirvana Cocktail is a lovely Mango-Champagne cocktail that is perfect in the summer. The parathas stuffed with spinach and cheese are my favorite this time of the year with some Raita. They stuff them nicely at Nirvana. A thick layer of stuffing unlike at many Indian restaurants. The Beef kababs and tikka are nice and moist while being subtly flavored.

One of my favorite dinner party dishes is a wonderful, robust chicken curry. I like to display an array of condiments. It's really fun and rather impressive to go along the line, picking a little of this and choosing a little of that. What condiments do you usually offer?