# Indian Cuisine



## tootstl (Feb 20, 2005)

If you were allowed to own only ONE cooking reference on Indian cuisine, what would it be?  Warm regards,

Lori


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## Darkstream (Feb 22, 2005)

Verry, verry tricky.

But, on consideration:

Indian Cookery by Dharamjit Singh, pub. Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, M*I*D*D*L*E*S*E*X (we are going to have to have words about this Elf), ENGLAND 

Also, if you are of the alternative disposition, at 40 West 23rd Street New York, New York 100010 (USA).

Unlikely to be in print, or that the addresses are right. If you have no luck at all and wish to continue, PM me.

Regards,


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## GB (Feb 22, 2005)

Moved to Ethnic Foods


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## mudbug (Feb 22, 2005)

I would consult Yakuta.  She's enough for me.


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## Ishbel (Feb 22, 2005)

Madhur Jaffrey - any of her books!


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## AllenOK (Feb 22, 2005)

Anytime I'm looking for for an out-of-print book, I always go to www.abebooks.com and run a search.  The website acts as broker, sort of like eBay, but there aren't any auctions.  You can even register a free account with them, and when the book you're looking for becomes available, you'll receive email notification.  You can also keep a "want", as they call it, based on subject, or author, as well as by title.

If I've violated the TOS by posting a link to this website, please delete my post.


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## kitchenelf (Feb 22, 2005)

LOL Darkstream - there's nothing I can do about that - you were very creative though.


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## buckytom (Feb 23, 2005)

how about middlenookie?


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## Darkstream (Feb 23, 2005)

Nice one Bucky .


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## Yakuta (Feb 23, 2005)

There are two that I would recommend:

Charmaine Solomon - Complete Asian Cookbook.  It covers all the Asian cuisines and the Indian section is quite elaborate.  I love that book.  

Sanjeev Kapoor - Khana Khazana a clebration of Indian Cookery - He is a chef that hosts numerous Indian cooking shows for Indian audiences (so you know his recipes are authentic).  

I like Madhur Jaffrey's writing style and recipes but she is not as good as the first two I suggested.  

Thank you Mudbug  for your faith in using me as a resource.  Personally I use my grandmother and mother as my resource  but then I have been exposed to that cooking all my life and for me the best food is one that is cooked with lots of love and labor.


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## Claire (Feb 25, 2005)

I'm with Mudbug!  I do have a quite old Indian cookbook that I use for reference (The Bengal Lancers Indian Cookbook by Mohan Chablani and Brahm Dixit), and have almost given up on Indian from Scratch (especially if you use the recommendation that you toss any spice over 3 mos old, if you don't cook Indian at least weekly you'll find yourself throwing spices in the trash constantly).  So I use a lot of blends and jarred sauces, chutneys and pickles from Pataks line, then zip it up with one good dish or spice that Yakuta comes up with.  I've found that those black mustard seeds really add a different dimension in texture that I just love!


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## Yakuta (Feb 25, 2005)

Hi Claire to tell you the truth even though I do cook Indian food quite a bit I prefer not to buy any of the spice powders (the only one I buy is turmeric and paprika).  I like to buy whole spices because they last so much longer. 

The list of spices for Indian can be quite elaborate/daunting as you know but here are a few basic ones you can keep and they will last  you for a year if not more. 

Cinnamon sticks
Cardamom pods
Black Peppercorns (you may already have these)
Dried Red Arabol chillies (available quite readily)
Whole Cumin Seeds
Whole Corrainder Seeds
Whole black mustard seeds (I am hooked on these and I can't imagine cooking many things without them.  I actually have a chicken curry recipe that uses these and it is Oh soo good)
Curry Leaves (buy them and store them in the freezer).  They turn black but the unique flavor will stay.  I would never use dried ones.  I actually have a small plant of this that stays on my kitchen counter
Whole fenugreek seeds (if you find them or else skip them)

These ingredients will do.  You normally dry roast and grind them for most of the Indian recipes.  It's how you mix them that changes the flavor of the dish.  

Boy am I glad I have a large walk in pantry.  You should see the number of spices I have.  Since I cook so many different kinds of things my pantry is overflowing with various ingredients but on the positive side  in an emergency I seldom run out to buy something.


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## Darkstream (Feb 26, 2005)

Yakuta.

Are you saying that you use FRESH black mustard seed, picked from a plant?

How difficult was it to grow? Where did you get the seed?

I cook curry ( or some middle eastern dish) three times a week. Running out is normally of more concern re spices.

I have an Indian grocer not too fay away, so I can get yard beans, egg plant ( the white, egg shaped ones), bitter gourd, yams, 4 or 5 diferent kinds of chillies, all the spices ( except cellery seed), Indian pre packaged food, etc.

He also caters for an African community.


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## Yakuta (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi Darkstream, no I was talking about fresh curry leaves.  I have a plant that I ordered from a greenhouse in Pennsylvania.  It is called Murraya Koeniji - botanical name. 

The black mustard seeds are something you just buy in the store but what I was saying is that it adds that complex flavor to a dish that cannot be paralleled.  It's best to temper them in hot oil with fresh curry leaves before you add any other ingredients.  For example I cook spicy poatotes where I first heat oil until it's really hot.  Then I add the black mustard seeds, curry leaves and some dried red chillies.  Then I reduce the heat and then add other ingredients.  The flavor the mustard seeds add to the oil is very unique.


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## Darkstream (Feb 27, 2005)

Very VERY interesting.

I certainly know about using whole mustard seed. In fact obtaining black mustard seed is virtually impossible today (because unlike white or brown it has to be hand harvested, therefore expensive). The stuff that is sold "as" black mustard is in fact the brown, which has a coarser flavour.

But as regards curry leaves, I buy them fresh from said grocer, and freeze them.

BUT, I wonder, if I could find a fresh sprig, would it root?

Grow on a window sill?

I have recently bought a bay tree. What a diference in flavour.


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## Yakuta (Feb 27, 2005)

Darkstream you are right - my bad the mustard seeds are dark brown but most Indians will call them black.  

As far as curry plant goes it's best to get a rooted plant.  I have tried to plant it many times and it never takes root.  I have a small pot right close to the window (my window has no sill).  It is a rather slow growing plant but it's a good thing to have if you cook Indian food.


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## jennyema (Feb 28, 2005)

Ishbel said:
			
		

> Madhur Jaffrey - any of her books!




I agree


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## tootstl (Mar 2, 2005)

Thank you to all who have posted replies.  I am a great experimentor when it comes to cuisine and love to hear from those of  the same ilk.  Keep up the replies, and Darkstream, I am on the search for the publication you recommended...please explain the extended version of Middlesex publishing?  Warm regards to all!  Lori


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## Darkstream (Mar 2, 2005)

It is the name of an English county lying slightly to the west of London. It is part of the publisher's address. Just remove the * to get the spelling.

It is printed in that format because English counties like E*S*S*E*X, M*I*D*D*L*E*S*E*X, S*U*S*S*E*X, W*E*S*S*E*X are rendered as:

Middlesex, Sussex, Essex, Wessex by the idiot savant that runs this forum.

I hope that the extinction of this excessive and uneccessary prurience will be one of the benefits that Andy R will be delivering.

People should try and understand that the English were Anglo Saxons before they became french. Most of them still are or are Viking.


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## Ishbel (Mar 2, 2005)

Just to correct - there is no current county of W E ss EX....   Like a lot of the old counties such as Westmoreland, it is no more....  However, the area of the SW that it covered is still referred to as Wessex in some books and publications.  If it confuses the natives, what chance foreigners?


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## Darkstream (Mar 2, 2005)

Yes, I know that. But county names and various boundaries have been manipulated in the recent past. I was trying to keep it simple and make the point.

We ss ex is still what it allways was, an identifiable geographical area constituting the ancient realm of the West Saxons.

Just like South Saxons, Midddle Saxons and East Saxons.


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## waaza (Mar 9, 2005)

the Saxons were French, from Saxony, in France. 

I still live in Westmoreland, d'oh 

Waaza


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## Ishbel (Mar 9, 2005)

Whoops, sorry.....   I thought your county was a bit like Bristol no longer being Somerset, but in the 'made-up' county of Avon! 

Didn't mean to wipe you off the map.  Put it down to Scottish ignorance!


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## tootstl (Mar 9, 2005)

Thank you for the explanation Darkstream!  I must say, all of this nookie banter is quite exciting


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## waaza (Mar 9, 2005)

no worries, Ishbel,  and you would think I could spell the darn place correctly, it's Westmorland, well it is at the top of the newspaper I'm reading. I think most (if not all) the old counties still exist, for some gerrymandering reason, but who really cares:p . The pub across the road still thinks we're in Lancashire!!! they are flying the red rose as I speak.

respect to the Scots, it's the Welsh I have problems with,  
cheers
Wazza


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## Ishbel (Mar 9, 2005)

Thanks for clearning that up!

What have the poor Welsh ever done to you?


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## mudbug (Mar 11, 2005)

The only thing the Welsh have done that annoys me is that all their place names are spelled with about 32 consonants and only 2 or 3 vowels.


Other than that, I am sure they are fine people.  After all, they did share Richard Burton with the rest of us.


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## Ishbel (Mar 11, 2005)

I know what you mean, Mudbug, but you'd have to go some way to beat their town called


*LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH* which is supposed to mean (have to take their word for it as I don't read Welsh!) "St. Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the rapid whirlpool of Llantysilio of the red cave" or "St. Mary's (Church) by the white aspen over the whirlpool, and St. Tysilio's (Church) by the red cave" in Welsh.



However, I recall reading that the the 'real', and official, name of the place is Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, which is how it appears on maps and road signs. It's also referred to as Llanfair PG! 

 And who could blame anyone for shortening the name?!


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## mudbug (Mar 11, 2005)

Thanks, Ishbel.  I knew of that town in Wales (said to be the longest word anywhere), but of course had no clue how to spell it.


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## Ishbel (Mar 11, 2005)

Just don't ask me to pronounce it, that's all


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## Alix (Mar 11, 2005)

You've got to be kidding me. Do you have to take a breath in the middle of that word?


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## buckytom (Mar 11, 2005)

mudbug said:
			
		

> Other than that, I am sure they are fine people. After all, they did share Richard Burton with the rest of us.


 
and catherine zeta jones-douglas!!!


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## drichard (Apr 7, 2005)

Darkstream mentions the book Indian Cookery by Dharamjit Singh. In his book Mr .Singh
mentions an"aromatic scale" between "pungency and fragrance". I am interested in this idea - perhaps to construct an aromatic wheel similiar to a colour wheel. Does anyone know of further reading on the subject or have any ideas of their own?

bons appetit


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## jpinmaryland (Apr 7, 2005)

here is one they are trying to sell you but at least they list the aromas so you can pretty well figure it out:

http://www.eblong.com/zarf/flavorwheel.html


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## jpinmaryland (Apr 7, 2005)

this one has a red wine and a white wine aroma wheel:

http://www.thewinebuyer.com/wine_tasting.html


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## jpinmaryland (Apr 7, 2005)

another one for wine;

http://www.winenet.com/aromawheel.htm


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