Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[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 weren’t 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 don’t think I’ll 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, I’ve 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

[leaning conservative]

Also down here in Mississippi they are offered as one of the veggies on a meat & 3 plate lunch.

[mylife]

I could murder some deviled eggs

[txhurl]

Wonder where Yaelle is...

[mylife]

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

[leaning conservative]

Screamed like Stanley Kowalski........”YAAAAAAAAAEEEEEELLLLLEEEEE!”

[SaveFerris]

I could go for just the chickpeas made like that with the rice, jalapeno and slice of lime. Looks delicious.

[leaning conservative]

We have not been to the Indian restaurant in tow. Think we’ll go tomorrow. I want some of those onion bites!

[leaning conservative]

Town

[Bull Snipe]

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.

[Liz]

Really does look delicious.....spice up the chickpeas, shower w/ fresh lime.........and eat.

[Liz]

A prized recipe from Eleven Madison Park in NYC----they serve it w/ roasted cauliflower.

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.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

This week: Indian Food – or your personal favorite exotic recipe!

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.

[txhurl]

Somebody brought up tamales.

What, you don’t love tamales?

[txhurl]

Somebody brought up tamales.

What, you don’t love tamales?

[Jamestown1630]

LOL! This weekly thread is always a ‘free-for-all’ - and you’re absolutely right about Chile!

[ROCKLOBSTER]

I’ve never had Indian tamales. But I have had Indian tacos.

[txhurl]

Now you got me wondering if there’s and Indian analogue to masa harina.

[Jamestown1630]

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.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

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)

[Jamestown1630]

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