Almonds and their use in the Indian kitchen

[Monica Bhide]

Hello hello.. sorry I have been mia for a bit.. its been crazy busy with the new cooking school and writing assignments..

so tell me a bit about almonds in your kitchen - halwa? phirni? others....

[whippy]

the new cooking school?

[Milagai]

so tell me a bit about almonds in your kitchen - halwa? phirni? others....

my question too: cooking classes morphing into cooking school?

do tell?

re almonds: garnish in various kheers.

grind up and use in korma gravy.

badaam milk to fatten up skinny kids.

(alas kids stay rail thin, amma is growing positively stout.)

milagai

[Monica Bhide]

sorry for the confusion - this is my own live cooking school - unrelated to eG cooking classes

[deliad]

Apart from garnishing, almonds are also used as a tonic in many Indian homes. As Per Indian motherly and grandmotherly wisdom, Almonds are very good for the development of brain. I beleive that Ayurveda also mentions that in its scriptures.

Few current and past uses in our home:

- Crush 1 cup almonds carefully in a mixer, so that they are crushed tiny but do not become a paste. Mix 1 to 2 Tbsp crushed sugar and eat 1 to 2 tsp as a tonic each day.

- Soak about 10 almonds overnight. In the morning, peel the skin and eat the almonds with 1 tsp of pure honey.

- and this one for pregnant women. Take one Tbsp of pure almond oil every morning in a glass of milk, only in the 8th/9th month. Helps in developing the brain of the child and easy delivery for mom. I remember my wife's face every morning when she had to drink that...Yucky!!! but it did work.

There are many more similar uses that cure some ailment or the other.

[Episure]

Perhaps you all have forgotten Hindi movies and the mandatory badam dhood(Almond milk) on suhaag raat(wedding night).

Edited October 6, 2004 by Episure (log)

[deliad]

Good one episure!!

We forgot because we stopped taking the "badaam doodh" after suhaag raat.

More recently though, hindi movies are showing taking "Viagra doodh" for suhaag raat.

Perhaps you all have forgotten Hindi movies and the mandatory badam dhood(Almond milk) on suhaag raat(wedding night).

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[Peppertrail]

Hello hello.. sorry  I have been mia for a bit.. its been crazy busy with the new cooking school and writing assignments.. 

so tell me a  bit about almonds in your kitchen - halwa? phirni? others....

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Welcome back Monica!

Back in Kerala almonds were rare (at least when I was there). We preferred cahsews and raisins for garnishing sweets. I have tasted them is in badaam gheer and badaam halva, mostly served at restaurants along the Kerala Tamil Nadu border. In my American kitchen I use almonds to make spicy chutney. Yes, when left to a south Indian even almonds end up in hot chutneys.

Ammini

[Monica Bhide]

Almond Chutney?

Do share please

[Geetha]

Almonds monica are of creamy taste when fresh, I've noted it down for future use. I used to wonder why do people mix milk with almonds and I make badam kheer also with it..

So when I found yester!!day that they are of a creamy taste like milk with out the milk's smell to them I was overjoyed with my discovery.. did you also think of almonds yesterday.. hmm great minds of our world work together isn't it :)

[Monica Bhide]

[Peppertrail]

Almond Chutney?

Do share please

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I was amazed when I discovered that almonds are a good substitute for fresh coconut in coconut chutney. I admit it’s not authentic; however, the taste is incredibly similar. For making the chutney with almonds, grind a cup of almonds with 6 to 8 dried red chili peppers (more if you want to make it hotter) 1/4 cup of curry leaves and salt to taste. In a skillet, heat the oil and add mustard seeds and urad dal. When the dal changes color to a golden brown and the mustard seeds start spluttering, add curry leaves and dried red chili pepper for the seasoning. Add the ground almond paste to this and stir well. Serve a room temperature. This chutney stays fresh in the refrigerator for four to five days.

Ammini

[FaustianBargain]

the recipe is french..its called pommes amandine...basically, you mash potatoes, add one egg yolk, butter and nutmeg+salt+pepper. you coat it first with flour and then dip it into beaten egg mixture and then into almond flakes. deep fry!

i know its french..but potatoes and almonds belong in the indian kitchen too..so why not! maybe one can even add an indian twist to it by adding chillies and ginger to the mash...it might be weird..but considering its potatoes, one cannot go wrong..it will probably turn out great in all likelihood...

[Edward]

I also think that almonds make an interesting substitue for white poppy seeds...of course their flavor is not the same. I have made an aloo posto with ground almond paste instead of poppy seeds and it was very good.

Had the Badaam pasanda at Karims in Old Delhi yesterday.....God that is good! I love how it has whole chunks of almonds along with the ground ingredients.

[Episure]

Had the Badaam pasanda at Karims in Old Delhi yesterday.....God that is good! I love how it has whole chunks of almonds along with the ground ingredients.

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Badaam pasanda at Karims Good going Edward!

[Edward]

Badaam pasanda at Karims  Good going Edward!

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Almonds and keora....a match made in heaven...

Will be back in Delhi in the last part of my trip and will have to return there a couple more times. Its great they give half portions...that way you can try more stuff at once.