Teach Me the Basics of Indian Cooking

Ahem! That was Clary in the picture!

Yes, Clary, well spotted. We were on an Indian tour together.

That is the restaurant I had masala tea with my friend Shadi.

Vinsan also met us there, and we had a nice, albeit brief, time with him.

Ahem, the shrimp curry becomes chicken curry....smartie :wink:

If anyone is in London, they should try the cafe/restaurant Mokssh, started by an Indian friend of my son's. They have very good tapas type food, not curry-house specials. And lovely cocktails, one of which contains paan!

Hi

Er...
I wouldn't normally ask half a dozen questions without introducing myself - but its an emergancy. If you feel like coming back with something - that'd be great - if not, no worries.

* Can anyone recommend an Indian vegetarian dish, with lots of coriander?

* I once ate some homemade sweet dumplings (rose flavoured and served with a sweet syrup) -
Does anyone know what they were and maybe have a recipe?

* I was wondering what you like to drink when you're eating Indian food.
Personally, I like water with lemon.
But I do remember one night, getting through a bottle of red wine per person while eating Indian food at a freind's.

* Does anyone have any interesting ideas for a soup of some kind? Like something mild but aromatic? Something brightly coloured or unusual in another way? (Something that would go with a coriander favoured main dish)

Sorry to ask so much in one go...
I've cooked Indian food before (Better than pataks sauces - not as good as my local take-away).
Thanks anyone who has any ideas on any of this.

Endy

Well, Endy, I can't answer any of your questions. I just want to say "Please to meet you." I'm sure one or more of the fine folks can come to your rescue. I have had those sweet dumplings you mentioned, but I don't know what they are called.

Hi, Endy. I posted a thread on wine with takeout recently that mentioned what went with Indian food... I'll go look and come back and post.

Oh, well, not sure this is any help at all -
Wine with TakeOutFood article

I can't answer the other questions.. maybe The Prince will show up, or Vinsan, or Sakhi, or SpiderGirl.

Hi Endy
Last time I was in an Indian restaurant...it was Nepalese...I had Gurkha Beer. Also, Cobra beer is quite widely available now. Not specially Indian I suppose, but it's different.

For recipes, you could check this site, Route 79, the link for which I also posted earlier:

http://www.route79.org/journal/

Hi Endymion,



Hmm..I'm thinking you're referrring to coriander leaves and not coriander seeds.
Coriander leaves are used in a lot of Indian dishes as a garnish or as part of the masala. I can think of two with coriander as the principal ingredient - coriander rice and coriander parathas..Here is the recipe for coriander rice (for the main course).

Coriander rice/pulao
---------------------

2 cups rice
1 bunch of coriander leaves (after you cut out the roots and chop them, they should fill up at least 2 cups.)
5 green chillies
ginger 1 inch
garlic 2 pieces
bay leaf - 1
cinnamon - 1 inch
clove - 1
sunflower oil - 2 tsp
cumin seeds - 1 sp
curry leaves - 7 leaves
Salt to taste

1) Grind 1/2 cup of coriander leaves, green chillies, ginger, and garlic (with very little water) in a blender. Keep this "masala" mixture aside. This mixture should not be watery (dont add much water while grinding)) - you should make a thick paste.
2) Cook rice and keep aside. Rice should not be sticky and shouldnt form lumps when you try to mix it. (I usually use 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice and cook in a pressure cooker. )
3) Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. Once they splatter add the curry leaves. Add rice, salt, and the mixture you have ground. Mix well.
4) Add the finely chopped coriander and mix with the rice.




Gulab Jamun. Here's a recipe:

http://dessert.allrecipes.com/az/72467.asp


Sweet lassi is a popular choice: http://www.ivcooking.com/p269_48.php
So's Jal jeera(you might enjoy this, since you like lemonade: http://www.food-india.com/recipe/R051_R75/R063.htm



I don't make any Indian soups....
Jal jeera is kinda like a clear soup and it would go well with coriander rice or coriander parathas.

Wow - thank you all so much.

You came back so fast; I've still got a week to prepare!

I'm going to test run the Gulab Jamun and the coriander rice - thank you sakhi.
I'm quite good at making Dalls - do you think Dall Tarka would be a suitable accompaniment?

McTag - that Ghurkha beer is very appropriate! Thanks

ossobuco - I'm with you mate. I need wine near me when I'm cooking - even if it only goes in my glass!

Swimpy - thanks for coming back so quickly - and nice to meet you, too.

*************************************

There is one more thing - and I might take some stick for this - but it's important.

I'm cooking for eight people (including me)

The table I'll use is a big old farmhouse kitchen table and normally its only me eating off it so I've never bothered really with table linen.
I've got a few cloth napkins I brought in habitat - but that's it.

Anyway, it's a special occasion and I'm wondering about the table and what I can do (if I should do anything) about making it look - well - 'special' or whatever. One of the women, who is Indian, is westernised - but very shy. She's coming with her father (who I greatly admire). I want them both to feel welcome and relaxed.

I don't want the table looking typically 'English' - you know - silver service - I want it to look earthy and colourful. I thought a few candles - (tea lights inside glass type idea, maybe some small bunches of flowers?
Does anyone have any tips? Ideas?

I also know I'm going to be ultra nervous. I have to have music. I thought something quietly playing in the background - I've got a lot of Middle Eastern music of example. Like Mukhtar And Al-Saadi. Save the Pogues for later!

Am I thinking along the right lines?

I have cooked for thirty people before - so the practicalities aren't a problem - it's the 'balance' between formal dinner party and friendly get together that I want to get right. Respectful but relaxed.

Thanks for any advice
(You can stop laughing now)

Peace,
Endy

You need SuperG to help with this, with suggestions for decorations and such. Wonder where he is this month?

Why not just go out into your garden an bring in some branches. Lay them down the length of the table in the center. Nestle candle in among the leaves. I think that is an elegant look.

Endymion - sounds like a brilliant meal you're planning.

It's nice to read about someone being happy and nervous about putting on a special meal.

I think Swimpy's onto something in terms of nestling the candles in natural, woodsy settings on the table.

Definitely ice cold beer and lemonade, as well as the makings of a good chai for beverages.

In terms of music, I'd be cautious about the middle eastern selection. Are your prospective guests Hindi, Buddhist, Muslim .... ..... ? Sometimes the lines cross easily, others not quite so. If you're not sure, perhaps go to some simple European baroque stuff or perhaps medieval Spanish/Portuguese music - same kind of mood, but not as distinguishable.

My inner Martha manifesting.

I will change the music - thanks so much for pointing that out.

The three Indian guests are Hindu - but quite westernised. I know that the head of their family listens to a lot of Jazz. So I've got Miles Davis standing by for later!

As for the table decoration - I thought yes, I could think along the lines of pagan harvest - cheers for that

I'm a bit tied up writing at the moment - but as soon as I make the Gulab Jamun (practise run), I'll let you know how it went.

Thanks again, everyone.
Endy

Note to Msolga - I found that I do have Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking. I had bought it from a used book store just before I left California, and only unpacked that box of books this last week.

Hooray, osso, you're on your way!

Endy, I was once given a book called 'entertaining Asian style' for just such an occasion as yours; I don't use it, if you give me yr address I'll post it to you!

I'm having trouble finding a Dum Aloo recipe that my local Handi restaurant makes and wonder if any of you experts knows how to make it.

First of all, the potatoes are stuffed with minced onion, nuts, and a fruit (maybe a few raisins)...

Then they're cooked in a cashew curry sauce.

I was wondering if they'd cook the potatoes part way, then open and hollow them out and then glue them back together.

Does anyone know? I'd love to serve these.

Thanks in advance.