Posted on 04/13/2017 3:33:47 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
I fell in love with Indian food by encountering it in little hole-in-the-wall places first at the eatery at Union Station in D.C., and again at a surprisingly wonderful strip-mall restaurant near my home.
I was very happy when my local grocery chain started selling packaged, boil-in-bag versions of various Dal, Chana Masala, and other items. They werent like restaurant fare, just pretty good when I needed a fast Indian Flavor Fix. But they are so expensive! so I recently decided to strike out on my own and try to make some of these things at home.
My first attempt was a Chickpea dish (Chana Masala) which turned out really good much better than the packaged stuff, and even fresher and brighter than the hole-in-wall offering. I used this recipe, and the only change I made was to cut down the garlic a little bit next time, I dont think Ill cut it down. I used a fat Jalapeno for the pepper:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/236564/chana-masala-savory-indian-chick-peas/
Garam Masala, a traditional and widely-used spice mixture, is best when you roast the herbs and grind them, as you make each dish. But for convenience, Ive bought a bottled one. If you want to make your own from prepared spices, here is a recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/142967/easy-garam-masala/
Another item that my local restaurant makes is a little onion fritter Onion Bhaji and I would go there just for this! There are lots of recipes for Onion Bhaji; here is a simple one:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/onionbhaji_85976
But what makes the Onion Bhaji really special is the sauce served with it a mint/cilantro chutney:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cilantro-mint-chutney-238020
-JT
Also down here in Mississippi they are offered as one of the veggies on a meat & 3 plate lunch.
I could murder some deviled eggs
Wonder where Yaelle is...
Off topic, but following deviled eggs..
Halve an avocado and stuff it with a shrimp seafood salad (tuna fish will do) squeeze lemon or lime in that, sprinkle with sea salt.
Yow
Screamed like Stanley Kowalski........”YAAAAAAAAAEEEEEELLLLLEEEEE!”
I could go for just the chickpeas made like that with the rice, jalapeno and slice of lime. Looks delicious.
We have not been to the Indian restaurant in tow. Think we’ll go tomorrow. I want some of those onion bites!
Town
Thanks for the tip. Will give one a try the next time I get ambitious. Looks like it would save some time. Always used my hands in the past.
Really does look delicious.....spice up the chickpeas, shower w/ fresh lime.........and eat.
Curry Oil
ING 2 cups canola oil 1/2 cup thinly sliced Granny Smith apple 1/3 cup thinly sliced white onion 1/2 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons Madras curry powder 1 kaffir lime leaf
METHOD Heat cup oil over low heat. Add the apple, onion and lemongrass, sweating til translucent, without caramelizing, about 5 min. Add curry powder, and lightly toast with the vegetables for 2 min. Add the remaining oil and the kaffir lime leaf and heat the oil to 160 degrees.
FINAL Remove from the heat, cover and steep for 20 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter. Makes 2 cups.
I don't know how the hell this morphed into a Mexican cooking discussion, but I submit that in this world, there are a million curries....and that Mexican/Texas Chile is one of them.
Somebody brought up tamales.
What, you don’t love tamales?
Somebody brought up tamales.
What, you don’t love tamales?
LOL! This weekly thread is always a ‘free-for-all’ - and you’re absolutely right about Chile!
I’ve never had Indian tamales. But I have had Indian tacos.
Now you got me wondering if there’s and Indian analogue to masa harina.
They’re wonderful. So is the Naan bread. Most places also serve a chicken dish - Tikka Masala, or Butter Chicken; those aren’t too spicy, as an introduction.
But do try the Dals - a spiced pulse, either lentils or some kind of bean.
Most times, I don’t even eat the meats. Our local has a buffet everyday, and I like the bread and little sides.
They usually have some kind of bread pudding for dessert, too.
Actually I had them at a pow-wow in South Dakota.
They’re like soft-shell tacos, only they use “fry-bread” instead of tortillas. The meat could be venison or buffalo.
(or something else)
There are Samosas - a little stuffed dumpling-like thing. They’re very nice, but I don’t think there’s any kind of corn flour in them. The only Mexican thing they might compare with is the empanada.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samosa
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