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I love the mangoes in Kauii in June (only available there as far as I know). Have you been to Hawaii and had mangoes there? Hayden's seem to be my favorite.

FYI the new Alford/Duguid book on the Subcontinent is out: Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent I just ordered my copy after I heard them on the radio (CBC) today. Has anyone picked this up yet? Any thoughts?

I've been wanting to experiment with a mango curry dish for a while, and tonight I did. I'm not sure how it turned out. Out of all my cookbooks, the only recipe I found was supposed to be a Sri Lankan sour curry. The basic ingredients were green mangoes, onions, coconut milk (I made it fresh), and Sri Lankan roasted curry powder (I made it myself). I thought I had picked up some green mangoes at the grocer but they were actually Haitian mangoes which were ripe and sweet. To compensate for this I soaked the mangoes in some water with amchoor and lemon juice hoping it would kill the sweetness. I also added a little amchoor while I was cooking. The end result was interesting, and I'm not sure if I liked it. Although the onions weren't overpowering I could definitely taste them a little in there and I don't know if it's an acquired taste or I just screwed up the dish. Any thoughts? I'm sure there are a zillion ways to use mangos, but what is a good mango curry supposed to taste like? I found one of Madhur Jaffrey's on a website that used ripe mangoes and jaggery with no onions...That sounds a little too fruity for a main dish for my taste. How are mango curries typically eaten? With what accompaniments/rice/breads? -Richie

So I heard last week on the radio about how Indian mango importation is set to begin into the US. A Pittsburgh newspaper article talked about the frenzy over the Alphonso and Kesar mangoes, so I was curious if anyone knew when these would be hitting local Indo-Pakistani groceries? I'm not opposed to taking a trip down to Oak Tree Road to make this happen.

I read the article on Indian mangoes last year in Saveur, and also read that Indian mangoes are now being imported to the US. Has anyone seen any for sale locally this season, especially the Alphonso variety?

I've been reading about the "king of mangoes" various places and am really curious to know what they're like. (Apparently the Alphonsos are way better than the Tommy Atkins/Haden varieties we're used to eating in the U.S.) Does anyone know where I can get my hands on some? I was thinking the Indian market at 42nd and Walnut would be worth a shot (though doubtful). Percy got them online at approx. $10/mango, which is a bit pricey for just satisfying my curiosity... anyways, suggestions appreciated!

So, as you may have read, Indian Mangoes are now legal to import, and the first shipment has already come into New York! Does anyone know where I can get them? I've been to Patel Bros. in Jackson Heights, but they claim to have no Indian Mangoes and no good idea about when they might get them.

Hi, I just want an Indian perspective on this topic for a couple of questions. I know that Hyderabad biryani was the most recognized biryani and I will be going to Indian really soon. Here a Video that I found on YouTube about Hyderabad biryani https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhajwFlquPk Questions: 1. Why did they put so many ingredients in the process of making it? 2. Why did they put curd in the biryani? 3. Why did they put in white rice on top and not mixed? 4. Why did they pour hot water in the chicken?

the translation of tej patta into english as bay leaf may cause confusion for some cooks. the bay leaf most americans/europeans are familiar with is the mediterranean Laurus nobilis. (i didn't find an indian language name for this herb; my understanding is that it isn't used much??) the bay leaf of india (hindi tej patta) is Cinnamomum tamala. the herbs are related and similar, but different enough (to me at least) to warrant drawing the distinction (in situations where this confusion might arise.) camellia panjabi, for instance, calls for tej patta, and not the mediterranean laurel leaf, in her 50 great curries cookbook. do you think it matters? do you use the mediterranean bay leaf in your indian cooking?

When was it? Where was it (restaurant, home or other)? How did it come about? What did you think of it? What did you like most? What did you not enjoy at all? Was it love or hate that first time? How did it change your eating habbits, or has it? Have you ever cooked it at home? Have you introduced it to other non-Indians? What have their first reactions been? What dishes do you think ought to be used for the first introduction to this complex and varied cuisine?

This is my take on a Lamb Bhuna, initially inspired by an Anjum Anand recipe, with some amendments to the ingredients and a couple more steps to the cooking process in line with other Bhuna recipes I have cooked over the years. If you prefer a milder curry remove or reduce the chillies from the initial paste. I tend to drastically reduce the sauce at the end until it is very thick, but if you prefer more sauce do not reduce as much. Lamb Bhuna by Tempest63 Ingredients 2 large tomatoes, quartered 30g ginger, peeled, roughly chopped 8 large garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped 2-4 green chillies 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 1kg diced boneless lamb shoulder 20 black peppercorns 2 Tej Patta (Indian bay leaves) 5 cloves 2” stick cinnamon 4 green cardamom pods 2 black cardamom pods 2 large onions, roughly chopped 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tbs ground coriander 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 250 ml stock (lamb or beef) home made is best if available Juice of half a lemon 1 cup coriander leaves Method Put tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chillies in a blender with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and process to a smooth paste. In a non-stick pan heat half the oil over a high heat and brown the lamb, in batches, for 4-5 minutes, getting a good colour on all sides. Remove the lamb from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Heat the remaining oil over a medium heat add the whole spices and onions. Cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the onion is well browned. Return the lamb and any collected juices to the pan with the ground spices and stir until the spices lose their raw aroma, add the tomato/ginger/garlic/chilli paste, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer stirring regularly for 15-20 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Increase heat to high and stir fry until all the excess moisture has evaporated. This really intensifies the flavours. Add the stock, bring to the boil and cover with a lid. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 20-30 minutes, or until the lamb is tender. Uncover and raise the heat until the sauce has thickened and coats the meat. Add the lemon juice and season to taste. Serve topped with the chopped coriander.

Julie Sahni has a recipe for "Lentils with Garlic Butter" that appears all over the 'net (sometimes credited to other authors). It calls for 1.5 cups of pink or yellow lentils simmered in 5 cups of water -- with added turmeric -- until tender, and then pureed in the pot. The recipe continues from there. I just finished doing this, and I'm greatly confused. I ended up with nearly 6 cups -- almost all water, of course. The lentils are certainly cooked through, but rather than a lentil dish, this is like an extremely thin soup. Is this the way the dish is supposed to be? It seems unservable, but it's such a simple recipe and I can't imagine where I might've gone wrong.

I'm looking for a superb Chicken Korma recipe. I've looked around the 'net and so many recipes seem to be met with the criticism "too bland." I'm not looking for 100,000 Scoville Units, but I would like a dish with impact...unless Chicken Korma's just not supposed to have impact. None of my go-to books and sources seem to have this recipe. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Dear All Diwali is just couple of months away. I need suggestions about menu for Diwali party. I would be expecting around 60-70 guests and its not a formal dinner. It is more like open house where people can come in the evening at their convenient time. I need to serve plenty of snacks like items which are tradional as well as can kind of substitute for dinner. Would greatly appreciate suggestions.....

Hello. I'm very new to Indian cooking and I'm trying to wrap my head around all these different "masalas" that I see in different recipes. I'm aware that a masala is going to differ from household to household, but surely there are some general rules that apply? Garam Masala Sambar Masala Chole masala Chat Masala Chana Masala ... The list goes on... Are there any guidelines to what typically goes in these? Or when to use which mix? Are "curry powder" and "garam masala" generally used interchangeably? I'm very enthusiastic about making my own masalas but I'm a bit overwhelmed and don't know where to begin. Thank you.

Over the weekend, I picked up a bag of idli rava (rice semolina). I had no specific plans for it, but I do love my starch, and wheat and potatoes are problems for me, so I enthusiastically seize any fresh iteration of rice. Even if I have no idea of what to do with it. I doubt I'll be making idli, since I haven't seen anything that looks like it will work as an idli pan, let alone the real thing (the wells in an æbleskiver pan seem too small and deep), but I'd love to find other things to do with this stuff. I could experiment, but I'm using someone else's kitchen, which restricts my more flamboyant efforts just a bit. I took a peek online, and there seem to be a quite a few of confident-sounding recipes, but honestly, I'd much rather hear about what you've tried, and how it worked out.

Hi There are a couple of products I need to purchase including a kaldie, pressure cooker, idli pot. These items are not available where I am, so I'd like to import them. When I do a search I'm swamped with hits. I'm hoping someone can tell me a company they've used, a popular company, or one they know to have a good reputation. Thank you much, Steven

For the holiday, I took my camera for an evening stroll across Shinjuku and back, to my favourite Indian restaurant. Some sights along the way, from Shinjuku 1-chome and across Kabukicho: The head chef and branch manager - all the staff are Nepali: Being a bit of a girly, I ordered the lady's set. First plate: This guy was working the tandoor station: For my free choice of 2 curries, I chose my eternal favourite, dal mutton masala, which arrived with a nicely steaming plate of rice: My second choice was anda panir dopiaza, or Egg, cheese and onion curry, and the naan came along with it: This is the soirt of casual, relaxed place that you can bring your pack of tabs and a book along to, and turn up in your house clothes: Finally, this rather handsome mango lassi was included in the set, which was enough to feed two normal appetites, and came in at the astounding price of 1,580yen, or just under 13 dollars US, if my mental arithmetic isn't too far gone. I'm happy to introduce you to this place - feel free to send me a PM if you are interested.. The road home:

I am doing an eGullet food blog over here and would love some input on using mustard seeds with cauliflower. I want to keep things simple and was thinking of tossing the sliced cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and mustard seeds (black, white?)- would they need to be toasted first? I plan on a hot 425F oven. I know this is not a standard Indian prep but I thought cooks familiar with Indian preps would be the most knowledgeable about mustard.

In a few weeks I will be hosting an outdoor/indoor "party" (for lack of a better word). It will consist of 14 families from India staying here for a few years (they have been here for about a year) and the local families of the people professionally involved with the Indian group... Kids of all ages will also be coming. What should I serve? I thought about a BarBQ, for those that do eat chicken/meat, but what about those who do not? Should I have some Indian style dishes? Which ones can I make having not too much experience cooking this style of food? Should I go with what I normally would make? Any ideas and recipes? What would YOU do/want? Whenever the group gets taken out to a restaurant, they request to go to "Taj Mahal" restaurant... Thanks in advance!

I'm a huge fan of Panjabi style karahi dishes I've had at various Pakistani restaurants run by Lahoris in the US and Dubai. I've had reasonable luck replicating the chicken dishes, in which ginger, garlic and green chile are fried, followed by chicken, followed by crushed tomatoes and the masala. Apart from the taste, I like it because it cooks so quickly, not containing any onions. A few questions - is this a specialty of Lahore only, hence why I see it only at Pakistani restaurants, but rarely see it at Indian ones? Is my method for making the chicken more or less correct? I've seen extremely variable recipes online. Also, how is lamb/goat karahi done? I don't see any way to cook the lamb thoroughly enough in the 15-20 minutes it takes to cook the dish. Is the meat boiled first?

What are the traditional dishes of Mughlai cuisine? What ingredients are typical?

I've eaten enough bhel puri to feed a village, but I haven't prepared it in something like seven years and even then I did so under close supervision. Now I find myself needing to make it for a party. Can we get a bhel puri crash course here?

http://i.imgur.com/lyitw.jpg ^^^That is the newspaper announcement the gentleman provided for me so I can tell you all about this place. Its called Super Bazaar, its on Main Street Its right up the road in Jeffersonville from the Golf club and the 7-11 Its huge, clean, and the rice and ice cream selection is humungous! Literally 30 different Indian flavors of ice cream! They have everything.

What's the best non-buffet Indian restaurant in Iselin? We're staying for two days and a EG search came up with the repeated recommendation that pretty much all the Indian places were worthwhile. Oak Tree Rd, was mentioned as a mecca but I'd like specific places. thanks