Search the Community

This is a general question to the readers to think and discuss why there aren't many Indian chefs pursuing the field of food writing whereas international chefs are releasing best sellers almost every year. Also if any change can be brought about by understanding the factors which are acting as barriers and obstacles for Indian chefs to pursue food writing alongside their primary careers. when we think of Indian chefs who have released books, there may be many, but only few come to mind, such as, Sanjeev Kapoor, Vikas Khanna, Madhur Jaffery etc. Again what I wish to know is that why is the awareness level low in India as far as our own chefs are concerned? with such advancements happening in this field, why is it that many chefs find food writing a challenge?

Sour Tomatillo Achar Made this one up from a recipe for lemons. It really works for tomatilloes. A unique spice mix, and really sour for a 'different' type of pickle, or achar. It is based on a Marwari recipe - from the arid north-western part of India. Tomatilloes are not used in India (or at least not much) but are quite productive plants in my garden while lemons or other sour fruits are not possible to grow here. No vinegar or lemon juice is used, because tomatilloes are very acidic and don't need any extra. Ingredients 3 lbs tomatilloes husks removed and quartered 1/4 cup salt 1 Tbs black mustard seeds 2 star anise buds 10 dried chilies (I used very hot yellow peppers) 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 2 inch ginger (ground to a paste) 2 TBL dark brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 1. In a large bowl, put the tomatilloes and sprinkle salt over them. Cover it and leave for a day, mixing occasionally. 2. Next day drain the tomatilloes. 3. Dry roast the star anise (put in first as these take longer, the black mustard, and the chilie pods (add last and barely brown in places). Cool. 4. Grind the roasted spices with the fenugreek and put aside. 5. Add tomatilloes, ginger, sugars, and everything else to a large pan and heat to boiling. 6. Cook till fully hot and boiling. 7. Fill half-pint jars and seal.

Sweet Eggplant Pickle This is an Indian pickle, some would call a chutney, that I made up from several sources and my own tastes. It is based it on my favorite sweet brinjal (eggplant here in the US) pickle available commercially. It has onion and garlic, which are often omitted in some recipes due to dietary restrictions of some religious orders. It also has dates which I added on my own based on another pickle I love. I also used olive oil as mustard oil is not available and I like it's taste in these pickles. Use other oils if you like. This has more spices than the commercial type - and I think it's superior. I avoided black mustard seed, fenugreek, and cumin because almost all other pickles use these and they start to taste the same. One recipe from Andhra Pradesh used neither and I followed it a little. It's wonderful with all sorts of Indian foods - and also used for many other dishes, especially appetizers. SPICE MIX (Masala) 4 Tbs coriander seeds 3 hot chilies (I used a very hot Habanero type, so use more if you use others) 18 cardamom pods 2 inches cinnamon 24 cloves 1 1/2 Tbs peppercorns MAIN INGREDIENTS 1 cups olive oil 4 inches fresh ginger, minced fine, about 1/2 cup 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 large onion finely chopped 3 lb eggplant, diced, 1/4 inch cubes 1/2 lb chopped dates 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 2 cups rice vinegar (4.3 percent acidity or more) 2 cups brown sugar 2 Tbs salt 2 tsp citric acid Spice Mix (Masala) 1. Dry roast half the coriander seeds in a pan till they begin to brown slightly and become fragrant - do not burn. Cool. 2. Put roasted and raw coriander seeds and all the other spices in a spice mill and grind till quite fine, or use a mortar and pestle. Put aside. Main Pickle 1. Heat half the oil and fry ginger till slightly browned, slowly. 2. Add garlic, onion, and half the salt and fry slowly till these begin to brown a bit too. 3. Add eggplant, turmeric, and spice mix (Masala) and combine well. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 4. Add rest of ingredients, including rest of the salt and olive oil and heat slowly to a boil. 5. Boil for about 5 minutes. Add a little water if too thick - it should be nearly covered with liquid, but not quite - it will thin upon cooking so wait to add the water till heated through. 6. Bottle in sterilized jars and seal according to your local pickling instructions. This recipe will be sufficiently acidic.

Hi all, been away for a while, but the pressures of Christmas have brought me back. I'm married to an Indian and as the family chef, have been tasked with cooking for all the in-laws yet again! Thing is, they always claim that they want a 'traditional' English Xmas dinner - which I do believe they love. However, last year, I made an Indian alternative chicken dish - pieces marinated in garlic and ginger and roasted with spices - and it suddenly became the winner. So, I think I'll go full-blown Indian this year, except with the constituent ingredients of the traditional feast. Something along the lines of: Starter: spicy prawn cocktail starter Main meal: Whole Tandoori roast Cockeral (what I need is to get that red-roasted effect with the tinge of marinade going well into the breast meat) Sage and onion stuffing South Indian stuffing (curry leaves, split urad daal, chillies, mustard seed etc - a crunchy stuffing) Spicy roasted potatoes (Jeera etc) Minted peas Carrots with jeera/thania (coriander) Brussel sprouts with caremalised onions, chillies and ginger A gravy made in the traditional way, but with some curry leaves, imli (tamarind) and chillie (I may also use a little pre-prepared Gitt's sambhal powder) Dessert: Flambeed Christmas Pudding (already spicy enough!) with brandy butter Any ideas? Advice? Cries of "Don't do it!"? Suggestions? Come on e Gullet - don't let me down!

We had an early lunch at a little Indian/Nepalese place last week. I satisfied my craving for poori, potato masala, and a cup of chai, and my husband had some kind of Nepalese vegetable curry, and a Nepalese spinach salad with roasted soybeans. Now I have questions. 1) The spinach salad was like cooked spinach wrung very dry, with (according to the menu) roasted chopped soybeans on top. To me these tasted almost exactly like wasabi peas, except not as pungent and not lurid green (they were regular tan soybean color). Definitely a horseradish type of flavor. What was it, and is this common in Nepalese food? 2) Both my chai and my husband's curry had a delicious, elusive smoky flavor. And please note that I have a horror of most smoke flavors added to food. These things tasted like they were prepared over a high-mountain campfire, but this restaurant was tiny and in a basement and I'm very sure that the only flames in there were from a gas range. And anyway, how would that flavor get into chai or a curry in which nothing was roasted? It had to be some ingredient they were using. I bought some Tao of Tea "Pine Smoked Black" tea and added it to chai in an effort to recreate the flavor, and it's similar, but very crude in comparison to the delicate smoke flavor at the restaurant. Yes I am kicking myself for not asking while I was there . . . I could call but thought I'd ask you guys first.

I am looking for recommendations for a gift. I want to give a cookbook on Indian food to someone who is a relatively sophisticated cook but knows very little about Indian cooking. He works full time (not as a chef) and cooks mostly for his family. Thus, he is not going to want recipes that take a long time to prepare. Suggestions?

My 10 year log enjoyed wonderful Indian food on a visit to Chicago & now insists we must find something good here in Settle. I warned him this might not be possible since I've never heard of good Indian food here. Let me know if you've found anything you like here other than Poppy which we know & love. It's a bit pricey for an entire family.

I have been successfully making idli for a few years but have had problems lately that I don't fully understand. My recipe uses 64g of urad gota (decorticated whole black matpe beans), 192g of parboiled rice, 1-1/4t salt, and 1/4t guar gum (as a tasteless, colorless substitute for the methi seeds which according to a researcher at University of Mumbai act only as a thixotropic agent). The beans and rice are soaked separately for 6 hrs (the rice is washed the urad not) in RO filtered water (no chlorine, mineral content< 10ppm). The soaked beans are then ground (with water to make a total dry beans + water weight of 256g) plus salt and guar gum for 5 min in a stone grinder, producing a very smooth paste. The soaked rice (dry rice plus water to make 550 gm) is added and ground for 11 min until the particle size is like coarse sand or idli rava. The batter is then covered with plastic and fermented at 30°C (86°F) until it at least doubles in volume. When it works, it works fine, taking about 13 to 15 hrs to double. The batter is then steamed in greased idli pans for 13-15 min, cooled slightly and served or cooled fully and frozen. The problem I have been seeing is that the batter does not ferment (after 48 hrs it just picks up a pink bacterial growth on the top surface that stinks but does not get foamy or rise). I have an active hypothesis that the beans I have bought were treated with heat or radiation to kill insects before they were imported and that the process also killed off the leuconostoc mesenteroides bacteria that is the active agent for the fermentation. Does anybody have any insights that support or refute the hypotheses? Or is there something I don't yet fully grasp that is essential to the making of these wonderful fluffy little steamed dumplings?

Here's a link to an amusing article in the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/200...in_my_vindaloo/

does in indian food in the u.s have its analogue for orange chicken yet or even chinese chicken salad? or even for balti food? has anyone come across any indian dish that has hybridized or adapted to meet local tastes in the u.s, in the process becoming different while still recognizable in a geographically homogeneous way? i use "indian-american" to describe what i'm talking about not to suggest food eaten/cooked by indian-americans (though i would also be interested to know if the food of second generation indian-americans is qualitatively different from those of first generationers and that of the home country) but to suggest a similar hyphenated identity for food that we use for all the various hyphenated immigrant american identities. in other words, how has indian food in the u.s changed (if it has) over the decades that it has been here? has the change been only in terms of adapting to the tastes of more recent waves of indian immigrants (thus giving them more of what they were used to in indian restaurants in india) or has it also been (if only in a few areas) to completely local non-indian tastes? it would be too depressing only if it turns out the cookie-cutter north-indian menus have held out largely unchanged since the sixties.

Here's a link to my review of the pleasures and circus thrills of South Indian Coffee. Enjoy!

Can anyone recommend an Indian caterer or private chef for a lunch that we'll be hosting in mid-September? Thanks in advance.

I drive through Newark Avenue often and notice all of the Indian restaurants and stores. I have not gone to any of them in years, and need some help. Are there any standouts? Thanks, Joana

Looking for good non-Americanised Indian along the Main Line for a birthday lunch for a favorite aunt this weekend. Any suggestions?

Back in the Winnipeg News topic, Dejah asked about Indian food in YWG, so I decided to make it one of projects this summer. We were going to do a review of Indian buffets around town, but I prefer to focus on a couple of dishes because...well...I like to eat things I really like.This year, the focus is on palak paneer and samosas. Last night, as is our tradition, we went to a restaurant straight from the airport. I just wanted to go home, but my mother seemed disappointed, so I obliged. First stop, India Palace. I have always wondered how they managed to stay in business. When they were half of Bombay Snack House, the restaurant was in the more "happening" part of Ellice, but now it's further down, located in the space where they used to hold banquets. They've been in this location for quite some time, but I haven't dined there in a very long time. They're still quite busy, though. Not so much with diners (at least not on a Thursday night), but they were doing a lot of take-out orders. We ordered bhujia, samosas, palak paneer, chappati and mango lassi. Bhujia is often referred to as pakora (I've been to Indian restaurants where I've asked about bhujia, and I've been told, "It's the same as pakora."), but in my experience, pakora are more like tempura--vegetables dipped in batter and fried. At India Palace (and its predecessor), it's different. It has always been a mash of things, including chickpea flour, that has been fried. I've only had it at India Palace (and BSH), and have never even seen it on the menu of other restaurants. I love it. But not any more... The patties we had last night were thick (about 1 cm, possibly more) and dry. They used to be thinner, and fried up much darker and crisper. They also used to have more cumin in them, and that's one of the things I loved about them. The current version is not bad, and if I had never had the previous version, I might have enjoyed them more, but still, I was disappointed. And even greater disappointment was the tamarind sauce. I think they're using tamarind concentrate to make it! It used to be made with real tamarind! It's much sweeter and more syrupy now. Samosas came next--again, not nearly as good as they used to be. The pastry is much thicker, though is still crispy. The innards were an even bigger disappointment. I didn't see a single piece of whole coriander in the thing! Or taste it! It's still spicy, but perhaps they add some sort of powder now, because I didn't discern any chile flakes (as there used to be). Palak paneer (spinach and paneer) is one of my favourite dishes. This version tasted a little watery, to me. It was still thick, as I think palak paneer should be, but perhaps they didn't strain the spinach enough, or perhaps they don't use as much spice in it...I don't know. But it didn't have the depth of flavour (or even much flavour at all) I'm used to. The chappati were thin and delicate, and loaded with ghee. They didn't stand up well to being used to eat the palak paneer, but on their own they were fine. We were also served rice, which was moist (I don't think it was basmati) and tinged with tumeric. It was fine. Mango lassi could have used more mango, but was good. I was talking to my mother about my disappointment, and she mentioned they now hire others to make the food, whereas they used to make everything themselves. I think it's great they're doing so well that they can hire staff. But I miss the old food. I think what they serve is probably still good, but I probably won't go there again. Unless the other places in Winnipeg turn out to be worse, that is. We also took out two gulab jamun. I wanted jilebi, too, but they were out. I haven't tried them, yet, but will report when I do.

Hi, Has anyone made the Indian dessert Barfi? If so and it was successful could you let me have the recipe? Cheers! Richard

I am trying to find a recipe for what i have had described in indian restaurants as a "kati roll." it is a paratha bread wrap with cubed grilled chicken with tandoor or tandoor like seasonings, sauteed onions, lime juice, chilli paste... thats basically my best guess. ive tried to make it and the result is ok but im definitely mising something. If anyone knows what im referring to and has ideas for the recipe id really appreciate it!!! thanks.

I've been wondering why there have been so few Alphonso mangoes available this season. An article in The Times explains why. Proof indeed, if it was ever needed, that climate change is a bad thing. What's it like where you live? We still have lots and lots of the Pakistani "Honey" mangoes (Sindhri & Chaunsa) but the Indian ones are almost non-existent. I've seen one box of old Alphonso and i saw a Kessar once at Sainbury's (rare beast indeed).

This is a really unique cuisine that I don't think many people know about, from the community that I come from. There is only 1 recipe book, used amongst members of my community ('South African Indian Delights'), and most recipes are taught in families. You haven't eaten it if you haven't been to someone's home. I've often wondered about starting a blog with some of the recipes, because the food really is exceptional. Does anyone here have any experience with it? Our food takes its inspiration from Indian food, but is very different - it has a lot of Portuguese, African, Dutch and even Middle Eastern influence. For example, our samosas are much smaller and lighter, usually bite-sized, and made of a very light pastry. They usually contain minced beef or chicken that is far plainer but more fragrant - using lots of coriander. We have an amazing thing called popta which are little balls of fried dough, again with minced beef (and egg) inside, but the way they're made kind of creates a pocket so that the filling doesn't touch the dough - there's a little gap of air around them. Our curries aren't as rich as Indian curries, our food is usually drier and more rice-based, and the spices much more delicate. The puri is like golden pillows, to die for, and actually all our breads are really amazing. Our naan is not a flatbread but a bread roll, kind of like challah, but with a different slightly different flavour. I'm sorry for being so eager about this, but it really is an undiscovered cuisine. I want people t know about it - it's so good - and I wish I had gone home for 6 months to learn to cook from my grandmother before she died (she was the best). I should perhaps do that with my other relatives, and then share what I learn with you all

I want to try a recipe which requires mustard oil. I went to a couple of Indian/Bangladeshi supermarkets in Brick Lane, London. They had 5l cans of 'Blended Edible' mustard oil, which I would never use all of. All the smaller bottles had 'External use only' printed on them. The shop assistant I asked said there was no difference and that they were labelled differently for import tax purposes. Is this true? Can I use the 'External Only' version for cooking?

A native of India has opened a small greengrocers close to my house. He is about to start carrying fish. He had a small sign up today, and darned if I can remember what they were except king fish, sardines, and anchovies. I gather he's actually importing them from India. What kinds of fish are commonly eaten in India?

I picked up a couple of packages of Shan brand spice mixes for a friend to experiment with. The instructions call for so-many "glasses" of water. How many ounces might that be? Is there some standard? Thanks, BB

On a whim I bought some goraka because I have a weakness for buying things I don't know how to use. So what is the best way to use it? I understand it is a souring ingredient and particularly useful with fish but other then basic recipes, I haven't been able to find much other info. Can it be used as a substitute for tamarind?

I just went to an Indian party and eat the best lamb patties ever with a great mint sauce , I am dying to make them myself any good recipes??? the patties were spicy and the sauce had yogurt I think ...Thanks

So I've been living here in unincorporated Auburn (half way between Auburn and Fed-Way) and have not found a decent Indian restaurant yet! (Not that I've been trying very hard lately since my finicky toddler dislikes Indian food.) I really miss Taste of India up in the U-District. Anyone have any good suggestions for this area of WA? TIA!