Inventing Indian names for dishes

[A Scottish Chef]

I'm in the process of creating my 2003 menu for my Indian Takeaway and need some new dishes. All the usual UK takeaway suspects are there, the Bhuna, Dopiaza, Madras, Patia, Karahi etc and a few I made up. One of them I called Lasan which I understand means garlic. Anyway, it turned out to be very popular and I'd like to extend the choices with slight variations on the dish.

Aside from the ginger garlic paste and extra crushed garlic I use in Lasan, I have tried adding some garlic and black pepper butter just as the suace is finished to enrich the end result. It's worked rather well although the garlic flavour is pronounced to say the least. No matter, some customers like that so I'm fine with it. Would it be accurate to call the dish Dolasan? I'm under the impression that Dopiaza just means double onions so would pre-fixing Lasan with Do be accurate?

One of my Indian friends suggested I simply call it Chicken Garlic but I'm not convinced it sounds as attractive as Chicken Dolasan.

[anil]

......  Would it be accurate to call the dish Dolasan? I'm under the impression that Dopiaza just means double onions so would pre-fixing Lasan with Do be accurate?

One of my Indian friends suggested I simply call it Chicken Garlic but I'm not convinced it sounds as attractive as Chicken Dolasan.

I doubt adding Do as in two will add anything much Dopiazas were very poular in WB, less so in NewDelhi, I guess Simon can invent a few good names....

Describe a few of the dishes and someone might take a shot-at-it.

[Suvir Saran]

Lahsuni Murgh (murgh meaning chicken)

or Lahsuni Chicken (lahsun/lassan meaning garlic)

[Suzanne F]

A couple of online resources for glossaries of Indian food term are: Cuisinecuisine.com and Bawarchi.com. Is there any one language that most of your customers speak?

[A Scottish Chef]

Is there any one language that most of your customers speak?

English. Our local asian/black/chinese community curently totals a big fat zero.

We do have an ever growing band of Americans and folks from downtown Canada though.

[Jinmyo]

Downtown Canada?

[Anna N]

Downtown Canada?

That should be downtown Canada, eh?

[A Scottish Chef]

Downtown Canada?

Just a wee joke I picked up from Southpark.

Not a joke, I should add, that one particular Canadian customer was impressed with. Can't please everyone, eh?

[A Scottish Chef]

Lahsuni Murgh (murgh meaning chicken)

or Lahsuni Chicken (lahsun/lassan meaning garlic)

I'm going with the Lahsuni suggestion, Suvir. It's distinct enough from Lasan to indicate a difference but similar enough to draw attention to a dish I intend to generate further interest in from those already keen on Lasan. I have the menu set out so each curry dish get's it's own heading then I have a small space to describe the curry.

For example, the current Lasan is set out as follows -

Lasan

Medium hot dish with ground almonds, grond coconut, cream, extra garlic and fresh coriander leaves.

Thank you for your help

All I need to do now is figure out a way to indicate the similarity of Lahsuni to Lasan but with garlic and black pepper butter...

Edited January 4, 2003 by A Scottish Chef (log)

[Jinmyo]

Downtown Canada?

Just a wee joke I picked up from Southpark.

Not a joke, I should add, that one particular Canadian customer was impressed with. Can't please everyone, eh?

Oh. Southpark, eh? That's a U.S. show. That's down south there that, eh?

We only get U.S. shows here when the television lines thaw out for two weeks in August. But we're all so busy clubbing baby seals to preserve in bottles for feeding the sled dogs most of us just miss 'em, eh?

Quite comfy you've got it in Scotland. Quite comfy to be watching the telly and all.

[A Scottish Chef]

We only get U.S. shows here when the television lines thaw out for two weeks in August. But we're all so busy clubbing baby seals to preserve in bottles for feeding the sled dogs most of us just miss 'em, eh?

I know the feeling. I barely know how I find the time for TV after a hard day hunting haggis in my kilt whilst wildly drunk on whisky with my bagpipes catching in my raucous red hair.

Cliche's, eh? Doncha luv 'em?

[Suvir Saran]

All I need to do now is figure out a way to indicate the similarity of Lahsuni to Lasan but with garlic and black pepper butter...

Lahsun/lasan/lassan/lassun are all Hindi words for garlic. They change in pronunciation from region to another and dialect to another.

You can go with lasan, lahsun, lassun or whatever.

Lahusini is the way you would use Lahsun to describe a dish flavored with garlic.

Similarly, Lassuni would be the way you would describe the same dish using lassun (garlic).

And lasani would be the way to describe a dish with lasan.

Was I of any help?

So again, Lahsun, Lasan. Lassan, Lassun are all words that mean garlic. When you use this word to describe a dish you add the "ani" part... So when you add "ani" to lahsun, it become lahsuni. I hope I make some sense.

If you need help to ensure the words you choose are grammatically accurate, you can feel free to email me and I can give your menu a look over. If that helps, I volunteer my services. All the best to you.