Basics Of Indian Cuisine

[pahar ka gulab]

Does anyone here know about Parsi food? My beloved Bollywood cooking book has a recipe for Dhansak Dal that has lamb/mutton and vegetables in it, and they say it's traditionally served with Spice Rice and Amli Katchumber. I tried this combination and am already a fan, especially of the Amli Katchumber! But it also says they would normally serve kebabs or Bombay duck with it. This seems a bit OTT to me as there is already meat in the dal. Is that common in traditional cooking for special occasions that you do double meat? How accurate is the book here?

[Vinita]

Okay I have another question for the people in the know although I may be a little vague in my description. My husband recently got some food to takeout from a south indian restaurant in edison new jersey I forget the name. He got some kind of wrap that was crispy but soft and filled with some vegetables like potatoes. It was really tasty. He forgot the name and I won't be back in edison anytime soon so if anyone has any idea as to what that is called and a recipe I would be grateful

Depends on how much work you want to do. 

You can buy instant dosa mixes from the Indian store and it has simple instructions on the back that you can follow. 

If you have a simple dry Potato and peas recipe, you can use that for the filling.

That would probably be the simplest way to get started. 

When you are a bit more familiar with the procedure, you can do the grind-your-own-flour-and-ferment bit. 

Here's an easy step by step video about making a basic dosa, and it's variations:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp-YNd_4N04

Enjoy!

[DCgal]

That's called a Dosa.  Plain Dosa is just the crepe with no filling.  Masala Dosa is the one with the potato filling.

There are many variations of the Dosa but the above are the two most common types.

Can't help you with a recipe although you can google it for sure.

Yes it's a dosa.  Frankly this is one of those things that is far better to eat out rather than make.  I HAVE made it before, but now I either a) buy pre-made, fresh dosa batter at my Indian store or b) eat it out.  You have to soak rice and urad dal separately the grind together (and an American food processor/blender isn't good enough to get it fine enough - you need a Sumeet or similar), then let it ferment for 12-24 hours, then you can use it to make dosa pancakes.  And then you still have to make the masala filling and all the podis.  It's a hassle.

You can google a recipe if you are interested though.

[theboldandthebolly]

Yes now I recall it was a dosa place. So good!!! I will google masala dosa and see if I can replicate it at home. Thanks!

[encore]

Yes now I recall it was a dosa place. So good!!! I will google masala dosa and see if I can replicate it at home. Thanks!

I agree with DC Gal that dosa is best eaten out.  Not only is the batter really important but it takes a lot of practice to get the dosa-making technique right i.e. making it round and wafer thin.  Dosa is also made on a large griddle-like greased cooking surface so the dosas made at home are much smaller and therefore less fun, imo.

And if you go back you should try some of the other variations such as paper dosa (very thin, crispy and large) or rava dosa (made with a different batter that has more body and a different taste).  All dosas are accompanied by sambar (watery lentils) and coconut chutney.

I understand that the dosa places in the US have all sorts of other clever variations (or am I confusing dosas with desi pizzas??) to suit the western palate.  I live light years from one so just have to wait till I get to India to indulge.

Does anyone here know about Parsi food? My beloved Bollywood cooking book has a recipe for Dhansak Dal that has lamb/mutton and vegetables in it, and they say it's traditionally served with Spice Rice and Amli Katchumber. I tried this combination and am already a fan, especially of the Amli Katchumber! But it also says they would normally serve kebabs or Bombay duck with it. This seems a bit OTT to me as there is already meat in the dal. Is that common in traditional cooking for special occasions that you do double meat? How accurate is the book here?

I went to college in Poona (Pune) eons ago and used to go to a Parsi restaurant called Dorabjee for my Dhansak fix.  If I recall correctly they used to only make it on Sundays.  I recall it being served with mutton and accompanied by the rice but am certain that kababs or the Bombay duck was not part of the meal.

[theboldandthebolly]

Hopefully I will be able to get  back to Edison within the next month or so. Till then I did find a recipe on a blog that sounds fairly simple. Worth a try anyway.

http://notsohumblepie.blogspot.com/2010/01/masala-dosa.html

[DCgal]

I do make simpler versions of dosas that don't require fermenting the batter (fermenting gives it tang and lightness, and it's too cold where I am to do it really effectively).

I like these - they are more rustic than dosas, but tasty.
http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/2005/05/09/pesarattu/

And here's her dosa recipe.  I usually add a very small amount of fenugreek seed to my urad dal when soaking it (2-3 pcs only).  But, as I said, I consider this too much of a pain to do at home.
http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/2006/03/21/masala-dosa/

[Usha]

Is there a hindi word for coconut flour ( fine powder made of coconut that you can bake with, not desicated coconut or the kind you mix with water to make coconutmilk )
I tried to explain to the woman behind the desk, but she only pointed towards coconutmilk, so need a little language help here

[DCgal]

Is there a hindi word for coconut flour ( fine powder made of coconut that you can bake with, not desicated coconut or the kind you mix with water to make coconutmilk )
I tried to explain to the woman behind the desk, but she only pointed towards coconutmilk, so need a little language help here

I don't think they use this at all.  If you wanted though I'm sure you could finely grind the dessicated coconut to make a flour.  I've never seen coconut flour at an Indian store, and never seen any recipes with it.

It seems to be a trendy thing now in western, health-food kind of stores, but not sure anyone else really uses it.

[Vinita]

Is there a hindi word for coconut flour ( fine powder made of coconut that you can bake with, not desicated coconut or the kind you mix with water to make coconutmilk )
I tried to explain to the woman behind the desk, but she only pointed towards coconutmilk, so need a little language help here

Does she speak Hindi? 
Ask for "coconut powder".  In Hindi, it would be naariyal ka powder.  The coconut milk would be naariyal ka doodh.

I don't think they use this at all.  If you wanted though I'm sure you could finely grind the dessicated coconut to make a flour.  I've never seen coconut flour at an Indian store, and never seen any recipes with it.

It seems to be a trendy thing now in western, health-food kind of stores, but not sure anyone else really uses it.

Goans use coconut powder in every dish, not just in desserts but also vegetables and rice. Baingan ka bharta with coconut powder is my favourite Goan dish. 

[DCgal]

Does she speak Hindi? 
Ask for "coconut powder".  In Hindi, it would be naariyal ka powder.  The coconut milk would be naariyal ka doodh.

Goans use coconut powder in every dish, not just in desserts but also vegetables and rice. Baingan ka bharta with coconut powder is my favourite Goan dish. 

Wow!  That's interesting.  I'd never heard of the stuff until this year - and then only from my celiac friends.

[Vinita]

Wow!  That's interesting.  I'd never heard of the stuff until this year - and then only from my celiac friends.

Just because you never heard of it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.   

Coconuts are as staple as rice in most south Indian cusine. 

[DCgal]

Just because you never heard of it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.  

Coconuts are as staple as rice in most south Indian cusine.  

I cook tons of Indian and Thai food as my staple foods, and I thought I knew all there was to know about coconuts.  I cook with coconut products at least 2-3 times a week. In my house at the moment I have: two different kinds of coconut graters (including the stool kind), dried coconut, coconut chips, coconut oil, frozen grated coconut, and two different brands of coconut milk.  I cook lots of South Indian food. But I had no idea that coconut flour was used in India!  

Very interesting...I am going to seek out some of those coconut flour recipes. Thanks for all the info.

[Usha]

Does she speak Hindi?  
Ask for "coconut powder".  In Hindi, it would be naariyal ka powder.  The coconut milk would be naariyal ka doodh.

Goans use coconut powder in every dish, not just in desserts but also vegetables and rice. Baingan ka bharta with coconut powder is my favourite Goan dish.  

Thanks Vinita   I`m going shopping today so I`ll be able to ask again and yes she speaks hindi, because i`ve heard her speaking to other customers...... but I am to shy to try my own skills ( well, it`s easy to sing a BW song, or say a movie line, or using one of the sentences from my hindibook, but to try to create a conversation from my own head is difficult )


And you have to share your Baingan ka bharta recipe 

[DCgal]

And you have to share your Baingan ka bharta recipe 

yes, please!  I'd be very excited to try this one.  It sounds amazing.

[DCgal]

but I am to shy to try my own skills ( well, it`s easy to sing a BW song, or say a movie line, or using one of the sentences from my hindibook, but to try to create a conversation from my own head is difficult )

Sigh...isn't this so true.  I do talk in Hindi to my cat, but he's a sympathetic audience.  Plus I blunt the insult of telling him he's fat by also telling him he is beautiful and my darling.

[Usha]

So I went shopping today for Indian groceries, and had semi-luck. This time I asked for Nariyal ka powder, but she still pointed towards the coconutmilk powder. I bought a packet but it wasn`t what I was really looking for. And I also asked if she had Dalia  ( pre roasted chana dal, Vinita - you suggested this for me in the Okra thread when I complained about how hard chana dal was in my tempering when cooking okra )
http://www.bollywhat-forum.com/index.php?topic=14561.0

But the shoplady said that Dalia was the same as Bulgur wheat  
I already have bulgur so I didn`t buy any.

Afterwards I went into the Turkish shop, and behold : I found coconut powder ! I`ve taken a pic of my groceries so perhaps you can tell me wether I have found the right thing.
I also bought a snack dal ( roasted dal with spices ) , the closest thing I came across as Dalia. What do you think ?
I made Okra today for dinner and the snack dal was fine, but next time I`m going to put them in in the end of the cooking and not the beginning, they didn`t turn so crisp after being cooked for a while.
The other dish I made for dinner was "Kuku Paka" ( no idea from where in India that name is from ), a chickendish with coconutcream, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Very easy to make, and so delicious !

Coconutpowder


Dalia ? / Dal snack


My dinner  

I`m happy to share the recipe, if any wants it

[chinchinchu]

^Usha, the plain unroasted dry chana dal I have is the same as yellow split peas, not sure if that helps.

[Vinita]

^^Usha, Sorry for the late reply. I was traveling. 

You are right, dalia and bulgur are two different things. 

The Turkish shop coconut powder looks like the correct thing. 

The dal snack is not the dalia I was telling you about, though it would work if you added it to your dish at the very end, just to give it a crunchy texture. 

I will try to get some pictures for you, to help you see what dalia should look like. 

Re:"Kuku Paka". Is this what you made?
http://chachiskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/kuku-paka-chicken-in-coconut-sauce.html

Just make your regular baingan ka bharta recipe and add a tablespoon of coconut powder as the last step.  Delicious!

[Usha]

 
I will try to get some pictures for you, to help you see what dalia should look like. 

Thanks

Re:"Kuku Paka". Is this what you made?
http://chachiskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/kuku-paka-chicken-in-coconut-sauce.html

It`s exactly the same But I added a little more spice to mine ( some ground coriander and garam masala ). I think I`ll have to make it again pretty soon

Just make your regular baingan ka bharta recipe and add a tablespoon of coconut powder as the last step.  Delicious!

Never made one :/

^Usha, the plain unroasted dry chana dal I have is the same as yellow split peas, not sure if that helps.

I tried using that, but I thought they were too hard to bite into in the dish   

[chinchinchu]

^Usha, re. the yellow split pea, they weren't being cooked much in the dish then? Try soaking them a bit. I use them (just soaked) in Manjula's lemon rice recipe and they have just a slight crunch but they are not hard. (manjulaskitchen.com)

[Vinita]

Have any of you read/used The Indian Slow Cooker by Anupy Singla?  I found it at my local library.  I'm intrigued because I modified a chicken curry for the slow cooker on my own and I usually use my slow cooker to cook big batches of garabanzo beans, which I then freeze.  
http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Slow-Cooker-Healthy-Authentic/dp/1572841117

[Vinita]

I am looking for recommendations for an easy, vegetarian Indian cookbook for a non-desi, fairly good cook. She's a mom of five so cookbooks with simple and fast but flavourful recipes are appreciated. Thank you. 

[mainhoonemily]

I am looking for recommendations for an easy, vegetarian Indian cookbook for a non-desi, fairly good cook. She's a mom of five so cookbooks with simple and fast but flavourful recipes are appreciated. Thank you. 

It's not completely vegetarian, but there are a lot of vegetarian recipes - Entice with Spice by Shubhra Ramineni is my new go-to Indian cookbook.  Everything is explained clearly, and there's an emphasis on making things easier for people who don't have all day to cook.

[DCgal]

I am looking for recommendations for an easy, vegetarian Indian cookbook for a non-desi, fairly good cook. She's a mom of five so cookbooks with simple and fast but flavourful recipes are appreciated. Thank you.  

I quite like "Healthy South Indian Cooking" by Alamelu Vairavan and Patricia Marquardt.  It's not 100% vegetarian, but being South Indian it is a heavily vegetarian cookbook.    And - interestingly enough, in looking it over again today I found a recipe with coconut powder (!), which you had mentioned a while ago.  It's not super cheap and it's hardback though, which is a down side.
http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Indian-Cooking-Alamelu-Vairavan/dp/0781811899/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

Another one that's good, and fairly fast is Monisha Bharadwaj's "Indian Vegetarian Cooking," although it's out of print:
http://www.amazon.com/Indias-Vegetarian-Cooking-Regional-Guide/dp/1904920411/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324130953&sr=1-1-spell

And I was going to suggest "The Bombay Cafe" which has lots of veg recipes (but not all by any means), and is fast - and one of my faves - but I see it's now out of print and copies are crazy expensive. So expensive that even I wouldn't buy it.

There's are lots of specialized Indian vegetarian cookbooks I LOVE ("Dakshin"; Also "Cooking at Home With Pedatha"), but may not be best for newbies. Julie Sahni's "Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking" is also quite good, but it's a big book and isn't particularly geared to newbies or fast cooking.  I don't think I'd use any of these as my first point of entry, although they are all excellent.

Hmmm...this is turning out to be harder than I thought.