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Punjabi Chatpate Choley
All,
I picked up can of this made by Ashoka in an Indian grocery the other day and it was pretty good for a premade product. I'm looking for an actual recipe for this and google only provided links to the product itself, so that I can make it myself from fresh ingredients in the future. Here is the info and ingredients from the label of the can: Punjabi Chatpate Choley-- (Combining the French and English) White Chick Peas and "Grands"(Fr.) in a richly spiced hot curry sumptuously "pimentee(Fr. with peppers--picante" The list of ingredients from the label (surprisingly the spices are listed individually) Vegetables: Chick Peas (44%) Tomatos Onions Green Chilli Garlic Spices: Salt Ginger Red chilli powder Jaggery (Raw sugar) Tamarind Black Pepper Cumin Coriander Clove powder Cinnamon Cardamom Basically garamasala + salt + sugar + chilli powder + tamarind and tumeric. This mixture is easy enough to figure out individually--a lot that and a little of the others in proportion to one's own taste. I can certainly stew the veggies in proper proportions. My question is how much of this spice mixture should be added to dish itself? Personally, I always go overboard with the garamasla with horrible results. I'm looking for a rule of thumb here. Can anyone on this list offer any insight? |
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In article >,
Gregor Samsa > wrote: > All, > I picked up can of this made by Ashoka in an Indian grocery the > other day and it was pretty good for a premade product. I'm looking > for an actual recipe for this and google only provided links to the > product itself, so that I can make it myself from fresh ingredients in > the future. > Here is the info and ingredients from the label of the can: > > Punjabi Chatpate Choley-- > (Combining the French and English) White Chick Peas and "Grands"(Fr.) > in a richly spiced hot curry sumptuously "pimentee(Fr. with > peppers--picante" > ... > Basically garamasala + salt + sugar + chilli powder + tamarind > and tumeric. This mixture is easy enough to figure out > individually--a lot that and a little of the others in proportion to > one's own taste. > > I can certainly stew the veggies in proper proportions. My question > is how much of this spice mixture should be added to dish itself? > Personally, I always go overboard with the garamasla with horrible > results. > I'm looking for a rule of thumb here. Can anyone on this list offer > any insight? I've never made anything like this, but it sounds tasty. In one of my Indian recipe books, there is something similar. This link might be useful to you: http://www.recipedelights.com/recipe...hanaMasala.htm -- Jack |
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Jack B wrote:
> In article >, > Gregor Samsa > wrote: > >> All, >> I picked up can of this made by Ashoka in an Indian grocery the >> other day and it was pretty good for a premade product. I'm >> looking >> for an actual recipe for this and google only provided links to the >> product itself, so that I can make it myself from fresh ingredients >> in the future. >> Here is the info and ingredients from the label of the can: >> >> Punjabi Chatpate Choley-- >> (Combining the French and English) White Chick Peas and >> "Grands"(Fr.) >> in a richly spiced hot curry sumptuously "pimentee(Fr. with >> peppers--picante" >> ... > >> Basically garamasala + salt + sugar + chilli powder + tamarind >> and tumeric. This mixture is easy enough to figure out >> individually--a lot that and a little of the others in proportion >> to >> one's own taste. >> >> I can certainly stew the veggies in proper proportions. My >> question is how much of this spice mixture should be added to dish >> itself? Personally, I always go overboard with the garamasla with >> horrible results. >> I'm looking for a rule of thumb here. Can anyone on this list >> offer any insight? > > I've never made anything like this, but it sounds tasty. In one of > my > Indian recipe books, there is something similar. > > This link might be useful to you: > > http://www.recipedelights.com/recipe...hanaMasala.htm As usual, Google gives some responses but, in this case, no recipe. However, it does appear to be curried chickpeas for which there are numerous recipes. -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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Gregor Samsa > wrote in news:4pkd01dse0mjoblnjdrpj526bc941ouvkg@
4ax.com: sounds tasty! I saw on one site (can't remember which, though, that "Chatpati" referred to the fact that you can't tell if it is sweet or sour? Hmm. I believe it's street/snack food (chaat?)... try this site: http://food.sify.com/recipe.php?id=13268614&cid= the recipe is called "Punjabi chole" There are a couple other chole recipes, if you do a keyword search. I thought it interesting that some of them have tea leaves as an ingredient... |
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Jack,
Thanks for the link! It has been bookmarked. I've recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol and have been trying to switch protein consumption from meat to dhals (legumes). While I really don't like "naked" beans and vegetables, I love them in spicy Indian dishes. So I'm trying to create "heart healthy" versions--little oil, fat, and salt of Indian food at home. I managed to pull off a decent version of "Shahi Rajma" last night. Shahi Rajma is basically an Indian version of vegetarian chile sin carne with the addition of garam masala to the traditional Tex-Mex recipe. The added spices actually made it into a clone of Cincinnati Chili, minus the beef, that I grew up with in Southwestern Ohio. Shahi Rajma is the "Skyline Chile" of my youth! Is their any connection? I doubt it. Color it parallel development. An Indian peasant dish from the Punjab and a staple in an US mid-western city. Isn't life strange? On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 21:28:52 -0600, Jack B > wrote: >In article >, >I've never made anything like this, but it sounds tasty. In one of my >Indian recipe books, there is something similar. > >This link might be useful to you: > >http://www.recipedelights.com/recipe...hanaMasala.htm |
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Salut/Hi Gregor Samsa,
le/on Mon, 14 Feb 2005 03:15:00 GMT, tu disais/you said:- >Jack, > Thanks for the link! It has been bookmarked. > I've recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol and have been >trying to switch protein consumption from meat to dhals (legumes). Ask your doctor about the use of Statins. They control cholesterols irrespective of your diet. Remember also that 95% of blood cholesterol is _manufactured_ in your body, and does not come from cholesterol in your diet. I'm not saying that you should make no effort over diet, but if you're one of the people for whom Statins work without adverse side effects, (I am) then you will probably be able to greatly reduce any risk of heart attack. However, you would need to have your blood cholesterol AND especially your liver function checked regularly. Statins can cause strain to the liver. Of course it costs the NHS less to get you to change your diet than it does for you to be prescribed Statins for the rest of your life. -- All the Best Ian Hoare http://www.souvigne.com mailbox full to avoid spam. try me at website |
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"Gregor Samsa" > wrote in message ... > All, > I picked up can of this made by Ashoka in an Indian grocery the > other day and it was pretty good for a premade product. I'm looking > for an actual recipe for this and google only provided links to the > product itself, so that I can make it myself from fresh ingredients in > the future. > Here is the info and ingredients from the label of the can: > > Punjabi Chatpate Choley-- > (Combining the French and English) White Chick Peas and "Grands"(Fr.) > in a richly spiced hot curry sumptuously "pimentee(Fr. with > peppers--picante" Be aware that there are two (at least) kinds of chickpeas. The ones found in Western/Mid eastern cooking, and those in Indian cooking. The ones generally used in Indian cooking are smaller, and said to have a 'meaty' taste. The others (much larger and a different taste altogether) are those used to make humus. Try this recipe with chana dhal (the Indian chickpea, and from which 'chickpea flour' is (or should be ) made). Unless the recipe stipulates 'Kabuli channa' (ie channa from Kabul in Afghanistan) I would suggest the originator of the recipe implies channa dhal. > The list of ingredients from the label (surprisingly the spices are > listed individually) > > Vegetables: > Chick Peas (44%) > Tomatos > Onions > Green Chilli > Garlic > > Spices: > Salt > Ginger > Red chilli powder > Jaggery (Raw sugar) > Tamarind > Black Pepper > Cumin > Coriander > Clove powder > Cinnamon > Cardamom > > Basically garamasala + salt + sugar + chilli powder + tamarind > and tumeric. This mixture is easy enough to figure out > individually--a lot that and a little of the others in proportion to > one's own taste. > > I can certainly stew the veggies in proper proportions. My question > is how much of this spice mixture should be added to dish itself? > Personally, I always go overboard with the garamasla with horrible > results. Most (if not all) bought garam masala is made using cheap spices to dilute the cost of their product, and thus dilute the flavour of this spice mix. In essence, this mix should only contain some or all of the following only: cassia, cloves, cardamom and mace, substitute cinnamom and nutmeg if you don't have cassia/mace. Black pepper is often added as well, but I think it is better added separately. Make your own, it is much much better. To use, add at the oil stage in a dish, that is before any water-based ingredients are used. You may be surprised how little you need to give a deep flavour. In the recipe above, I would fry the onion gently until golden, (about 15 - 20 minutes on medium heat), add the chopped chilli and garlic and fry for 1 minute, then add the black pepper and garam masala (about half a teaspoon for 4 people of the home-made stuff) and fry for 2 minutes. I would add fresh root ginger at this stage rather than the dry ground spice implied in the recipe. Now add the cumin and coriander seed and fry for 30 seconds, ensuring they do not burn. Now added the chilli powder, stir once and add the tomatoes. Stir, add the tamarind, sugar (if needed, the onions, if properly cooked should add all the sweetness you need) and simmer til cooked out. Add the tinned chickpeas (or cooked channa if you wish and I recommend) and heat through. Taste, and add salt if needed. <snip> and relax. cheers Wazza |
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Fareedhs Oppal wrote:
> > My Mum says ;o) (shes a Punjabi whose lived in London for 45 years!) > > Whenever you add spices add a pinch at a time! A pinch of everything, <snip> Hummmm, my ex MIL who lived in the Panjab until she was 30, said that garam masala should go in when making the masala, as the "roasting" effect of cooking the onions and tomaters, etc until "the return of the oil", changed the taste of the g.m. I, too, find g.m. added at the end tastes "raw" to me. blacksalt |
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"kalanamak" > wrote in message ... > Fareedhs Oppal wrote: > > > > My Mum says ;o) (shes a Punjabi whose lived in London for 45 years!) > > > > Whenever you add spices add a pinch at a time! A pinch of everything, > <snip> > > Hummmm, my ex MIL who lived in the Panjab until she was 30, said that > garam masala should go in when making the masala, as the "roasting" > effect of cooking the onions and tomaters, etc until "the return of the > oil", changed the taste of the g.m. I, too, find g.m. added at the end > tastes "raw" to me. > blacksalt The idea of adding gm at the end of cooking is a relatively new thing, and man purists would not agree with it, especially if the gm is of inferior quality and contains cheaper spices such as coriander, which needs cooking out to get rid of the 'raw' taste you (and I) have found. If the gm only contains cardamom, cassia, cloves and mace, then the rawness is less noticeable. The gm should be added at the oil stage, to extract the flavours that are in the spices. Water based ingredients will not do this, or to a much lesser degree. Your MIL was right in this respect. cheers Wazza |
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the following chole is fantastic because it has NO fat or oil AT ALL; salt
is to taste. all ingredients, unless you live in a little town in the middle of nowhere, seem to be available at the local grocery store. ********************************** I Can't Wait for Chole 2 medium onions, chopped 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 bay leaf 1/2 inch cinnamon sticks 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric salt 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 (15 ounces) cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 1/2-1 teaspoon garam masala 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 4 servings In large saucepan over medium heat, heat cumin seeds, bay leaf and cinnamon until very fragrant, swirling around to prevent burning. Add ginger and garlic, cooking until the smell of those fills the air, then add onions. Saute onions, stirring frequently, and adding drops of water to prevent sticking, until they are translucent. Add the tomatoes, coriander, turmeric, salt, and cayenne. Check for seasoning, adding more as you prefer. Bring to a boil. Add garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cover, and reduce heat. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. Stir in garam masala and lemon juice just before serving. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro if you desire. Serve with rice, or Indian breads or pitas (breads are best warmed on a hot griddle). > From: Gregor Samsa > > Organization: From under your 'fridge > Newsgroups: alt.food.asian > Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 03:15:00 GMT > Subject: Punjabi Chatpate Choley > > Jack, > Thanks for the link! It has been bookmarked. > I've recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol and have been > trying to switch protein consumption from meat to dhals (legumes). > While I really don't like "naked" beans and vegetables, I love them > in spicy Indian dishes. So I'm trying to create "heart healthy" > versions--little oil, fat, and salt of Indian food at home. |
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I have done a fair amount of experimentation and Googling but I have
yet to find a recipe for a chickpea curry that I like enough to keep. Perhaps I should buy a can of the stuff and see if I like even that! I wonder if part of the problem is that a lot of recipes call for "green chillis" and don't specify what type. Even my local supermarket has at least four varieties with heat levels ranging from almost as low as sweet peppers to dangerous! Is there a particular variety that is most common in Indian cooking? -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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James Silverton wrote:
> > I have done a fair amount of experimentation and Googling but I have > yet to find a recipe for a chickpea curry that I like enough to keep. > Perhaps I should buy a can of the stuff and see if I like even that! I > wonder if part of the problem is that a lot of recipes call for "green > chillis" and don't specify what type. Even my local supermarket has at > least four varieties with heat levels ranging from almost as low as > sweet peppers to dangerous! Is there a particular variety that is most > common in Indian cooking? > Here in the US my ex IL used serranos. When they had a chance, they'd use the thai chilis |
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On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 18:31:22 -0800, kalanamak >
wrote: >James Silverton wrote: >> > > >Here in the US my ex IL used serranos. When they had a chance, they'd >use the thai chilis The indian stores here in New York City carry several types of chilis. Jalapenos Serranos Thai Bird (red and green, big and small) And two types of green chilis simply called "medium" and "hot" green chilis. I'm not sure of their actual name, so I'll provide a description since both of them look the same. Maybe a chili expert here can match the description to the name. 1)They are very dark green (a little darker than a jalapeno like a poblano) 2) They are shaped like a long "wind sock" 3) They are about the length of a small hand and taper from about the diamenter of a thumb 4) generally curl up and back at the ends (not perfectly straight) in a "J" shape 5) are not smooth but more like /---\_/---\ in ever smaller diameters 6) Heatwise, the hot variety is similar to serranos, but the taste is quite different. In my opinion they seem a little sweeter. These peppers are also found here in quite a few east asian stores as well. |
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Orlando Fiol wrote:
> wrote: >> I have done a fair amount of experimentation and Googling but >> I have >> yet to find a recipe for a chickpea curry that I like enough >> to keep. >> Perhaps I should buy a can of the stuff and see if I like >> even that! >> I wonder if part of the problem is that a lot of recipes call >> for >> "green chillis" and don't specify what type. Even my local >> supermarket has at least four varieties with heat levels >> ranging >> from almost as low as sweet peppers to dangerous! Is there a >> particular variety that is most common in Indian cooking? > > In curries, the hotter green chiles are used. Sweeter ones > are > stuffed with chopped boiled egg and either fried or made with > gravy. > > Orlando Thanks! It's an old subject but I can't understand why authors of recipes can't specify the type of chilli to be used? After all, practically no-one just says "mustard seed" or "poppy seed" without the color. I did manage to make an acceptable chickpea curry by comparing a can of "Chatpate Choley" with the results of a recipe and then adjusting the latter to taste. However, to tell the truth, I am not very enthusiastic about either! -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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Orlando Fiol wrote:
> wrote: >> I have done a fair amount of experimentation and Googling but >> I have >> yet to find a recipe for a chickpea curry that I like enough >> to keep. >> Perhaps I should buy a can of the stuff and see if I like >> even that! >> I wonder if part of the problem is that a lot of recipes call >> for >> "green chillis" and don't specify what type. Even my local >> supermarket has at least four varieties with heat levels >> ranging >> from almost as low as sweet peppers to dangerous! Is there a >> particular variety that is most common in Indian cooking? > > In curries, the hotter green chiles are used. Sweeter ones > are > stuffed with chopped boiled egg and either fried or made with > gravy. > > Orlando Thanks! It's an old subject but I can't understand why authors of recipes can't specify the type of chilli to be used? After all, practically no-one just says "mustard seed" or "poppy seed" without the color. I did manage to make an acceptable chickpea curry by comparing a can of "Chatpate Choley" with the results of a recipe and then adjusting the latter to taste. However, to tell the truth, I am not very enthusiastic about either! -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 08:58:01 -0500, "James Silverton"
> wrote: >Thanks! It's an old subject but I can't understand why authors >of recipes can't specify the type of chilli to be used? After >all, practically no-one just says "mustard seed" or "poppy seed" >without the color. I did manage to make an acceptable chickpea >curry by comparing a can of "Chatpate Choley" with the results >of a recipe and then adjusting the latter to taste. However, to >tell the truth, I am not very enthusiastic about either! For Indian recipes, the reason can be found by going to a street market in India. (Vegetables are bought from street markets, 'grocery' stores are there for canned goods, dry goods, and refridgerated products.) There just aren't a lot of choices, period. While I have never inquired of the variety, and I doubt the farmer/hawker selling them would know, the only one to be seen is basically one that looks just like cayenne. |
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Robert Klute wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 08:58:01 -0500, "James Silverton" > > wrote: > >> Thanks! It's an old subject but I can't understand why >> authors >> of recipes can't specify the type of chilli to be used? After >> all, practically no-one just says "mustard seed" or "poppy >> seed" >> without the color. I did manage to make an acceptable >> chickpea >> curry by comparing a can of "Chatpate Choley" with the >> results >> of a recipe and then adjusting the latter to taste. However, >> to >> tell the truth, I am not very enthusiastic about either! > > For Indian recipes, the reason can be found by going to a > street > market in India. (Vegetables are bought from street markets, > 'grocery' stores are there for canned goods, dry goods, and > refridgerated products.) There just aren't a lot of choices, > period. > While I have never inquired of the variety, and I doubt the > farmer/hawker selling them would know, the only one to be seen > is > basically one that looks just like cayenne. True enough but I was referring to cook books and recipes posted for Western readers. A quick trip to an Indian street market is not practical for most of us (g). A local Indian small supermarket had at least three different sorts of green chillies as well as standard green sweet peppers all of which were being bought by people who looked of Indian subcontinental provenance. -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 12:50:36 -0500, "James Silverton"
> wrote: >True enough but I was referring to cook books and recipes posted >for Western readers. A quick trip to an Indian street market is >not practical for most of us (g). A local Indian small >supermarket had at least three different sorts of green chillies >as well as standard green sweet peppers all of which were being >bought by people who looked of Indian subcontinental provenance. Ah, but it is worth the trip. The colors, the smells, the noise, the crowds, the tastes - it is a sensory overload of epic proportion.  In a more pratical vein, my wife (who was born in Bombay), will buy a couple of good looking varieties (whether it is cayenne, serrano, jalapeno, bird's beak, etc. as long as they look fresh picked and provide some promise of heat). Depending on how she feels that day, she will adjust the heat of the dish. Some dishes she actually wants lots of chile flavor and bits, as opposed to just heat, so she will use a a lot milder one instead of a small amount of a hotter chile. Also, she is never sure how hot a particular chili (or batch) will be at any given time, so by buying two varieties she gets a better chance of getting a hot one. Lastly, she will serve the smaller variety (jalapeno or serrano) whole for guests who belief raw chiles are a palate cleanser. So, I guess the best advice is look at the amount of chile to be added, relative to the total quantity, and adjust the heat of the chile to match your tolerance. BTW, I like my dishes much hotter than my wife does. |
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Robert Klute wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 12:50:36 -0500, "James Silverton" > > wrote: > > >> True enough but I was referring to cook books and recipes >> posted >> for Western readers. > Ah, but it is worth the trip. The colors, the smells, the > noise, the > crowds, the tastes - it is a sensory overload of epic > proportion. > > In a more pratical vein, my wife (who was born in Bombay), > will buy a > couple of good looking varieties (whether it is cayenne, > serrano, > jalapeno, bird's beak, etc. as long as they look fresh picked > and > provide some promise of heat). Depending on how she feels > that day, > she will adjust the heat of the dish. Some dishes she > actually wants > lots of chile flavor and bits, as opposed to just heat, so she > will > use a a lot milder one instead of a small amount of a hotter > chile. > Also, she is never sure how hot a particular chili (or batch) > will be > at any given time, so by buying two varieties she gets a > better > chance of getting a hot one. Lastly, she will serve the > smaller > variety (jalapeno or serrano) whole for guests who belief raw > chiles > are a palate cleanser. > > So, I guess the best advice is look at the amount of chile to > be > added, relative to the total quantity, and adjust the heat of > the > chile to match your tolerance. > > BTW, I like my dishes much hotter than my wife does. I'm sure that's the way to go but people like me sometimes see an interesting recipe and want to try it with some hope of the result being satisfactory :-) Experimentation comes on the second try! Jalapenos generally seem pretty consistent in hotness (IMHO, almost edible raw if you avoid the seeds) as bought in Western and Eastern supermarkets but I would not dare substitute serranos without careful testing. Cubanelles (big light green chillies), on the other hand, seem almost as mild as sweet peppers. Jim. |
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On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 15:56:13 -0500, "James Silverton"
> wrote: > >I'm sure that's the way to go but people like me sometimes see >an interesting recipe and want to try it with some hope of the >result being satisfactory :-) Experimentation comes on the >second try! Jalapenos generally seem pretty consistent in >hotness (IMHO, almost edible raw if you avoid the seeds) as >bought in Western and Eastern supermarkets but I would not dare >substitute serranos without careful testing. Cubanelles (big >light green chillies), on the other hand, seem almost as mild as >sweet peppers. The standard green chili in my mother-in-law's house is 5 - 10 cm in length, and looks very much like a green cayenne. The green cayenne is rated at 30,000 to 40,000 scovilles. So serranos, at 10-23K, and jalapenos, at 2-5K, can be freely substituted. |
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"James Silverton" > wrote in message ... > Orlando Fiol wrote: > > wrote: > >> I have done a fair amount of experimentation and Googling but > >> I have > >> yet to find a recipe for a chickpea curry that I like enough > >> to keep. > >> Perhaps I should buy a can of the stuff and see if I like > >> even that! > >> I wonder if part of the problem is that a lot of recipes call > >> for > >> "green chillis" and don't specify what type. Even my local > >> supermarket has at least four varieties with heat levels > >> ranging > >> from almost as low as sweet peppers to dangerous! Is there a > >> particular variety that is most common in Indian cooking? > > > > In curries, the hotter green chiles are used. Sweeter ones > > are > > stuffed with chopped boiled egg and either fried or made with > > gravy. > > > > Orlando > > Thanks! It's an old subject but I can't understand why authors > of recipes can't specify the type of chilli to be used? After > all, practically no-one just says "mustard seed" or "poppy seed" > without the color. I did manage to make an acceptable chickpea > curry by comparing a can of "Chatpate Choley" with the results > of a recipe and then adjusting the latter to taste. However, to > tell the truth, I am not very enthusiastic about either! > > you bring up an interesting point, James. But I think the answer is one of supply. Mustard seed in India is always brown/black, and poppy seed always white/tan. As for chillies, I have noticed chillies in India are named after the region in which they are grown. As they are so cheap, they do not generally get transported around Indian, so the chillies for sale are 'local' varieties, which, by inference, go into 'local dishes'. I wonder if the chillies available in India bare much resemblance to their ancestors anymore, anyway, I don't think I could describe any Indian ones in terms of their proper Mexican original names. Have you any ideas? cheers Wazza |
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"James Silverton" > wrote in message ... > Orlando Fiol wrote: > > wrote: > >> I have done a fair amount of experimentation and Googling but > >> I have > >> yet to find a recipe for a chickpea curry that I like enough > >> to keep. > >> Perhaps I should buy a can of the stuff and see if I like > >> even that! > >> I wonder if part of the problem is that a lot of recipes call > >> for > >> "green chillis" and don't specify what type. Even my local > >> supermarket has at least four varieties with heat levels > >> ranging > >> from almost as low as sweet peppers to dangerous! Is there a > >> particular variety that is most common in Indian cooking? > > > > In curries, the hotter green chiles are used. Sweeter ones > > are > > stuffed with chopped boiled egg and either fried or made with > > gravy. > > > > Orlando > > Thanks! It's an old subject but I can't understand why authors > of recipes can't specify the type of chilli to be used? After > all, practically no-one just says "mustard seed" or "poppy seed" > without the color. I did manage to make an acceptable chickpea > curry by comparing a can of "Chatpate Choley" with the results > of a recipe and then adjusting the latter to taste. However, to > tell the truth, I am not very enthusiastic about either! > > you bring up an interesting point, James. But I think the answer is one of supply. Mustard seed in India is always brown/black, and poppy seed always white/tan. As for chillies, I have noticed chillies in India are named after the region in which they are grown. As they are so cheap, they do not generally get transported around Indian, so the chillies for sale are 'local' varieties, which, by inference, go into 'local dishes'. I wonder if the chillies available in India bare much resemblance to their ancestors anymore, anyway, I don't think I could describe any Indian ones in terms of their proper Mexican original names. Have you any ideas? cheers Wazza |
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Wazza wrote:
> "James Silverton" > wrote in > message >> >> Thanks! It's an old subject but I can't understand why >> authors >> of recipes can't specify the type of chilli to be used? After >> all, practically no-one just says "mustard seed" or "poppy >> seed" >> without the color. I did manage to make an acceptable >> chickpea >> curry by comparing a can of "Chatpate Choley" with the >> results >> of a recipe and then adjusting the latter to taste. However, >> to >> tell the truth, I am not very enthusiastic about either! >> >> > you bring up an interesting point, James. But I think the > answer is > one of supply. Mustard seed in India is always brown/black, > and poppy > seed always white/tan. As for chillies, I have noticed > chillies in > India are named after the region in which they are grown. As > they are > so cheap, they do not generally get transported around Indian, > so the > chillies for sale are 'local' varieties, which, by inference, > go into > 'local dishes'. I wonder if the chillies available in India > bare much > resemblance to their ancestors anymore, anyway, I don't think > I could > describe any Indian ones in terms of their proper Mexican > original > names. Have you any ideas? That is really interesting and goes a long way in explaining the lack of specific chilli names in Indian cookbooks. My small collection of books are old friends but only one of them, Julie Sahni's "Classic Indian Cooking", even acknowledges that there is a range of hotness in "green chillies" and refers to what she calls Hari Mirch as the "young pod of the pepper plant Capsicum". This seems to show that she is unaware that there are many different *species* of Capsicum but I don't have the latest edition of her book to see if she has modified her views. I guess red chillies, especially dried, are more common in Indian cooking than green but I wonder if she is thinking of what the Mexicans would call serranos? I have found that my most successful technique is to use jalapenos where "green peppers" are called for. With a new recipe, the result is usually pretty good and not too hot. If the dish is not hot enough, you can add more green jalapeno or powdered red chilli. There is a minor advantage in that jalapenos always seem to cost less than other peppers except for green sweet peppers. -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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Wazza wrote:
> "James Silverton" > wrote in > message >> >> Thanks! It's an old subject but I can't understand why >> authors >> of recipes can't specify the type of chilli to be used? After >> all, practically no-one just says "mustard seed" or "poppy >> seed" >> without the color. I did manage to make an acceptable >> chickpea >> curry by comparing a can of "Chatpate Choley" with the >> results >> of a recipe and then adjusting the latter to taste. However, >> to >> tell the truth, I am not very enthusiastic about either! >> >> > you bring up an interesting point, James. But I think the > answer is > one of supply. Mustard seed in India is always brown/black, > and poppy > seed always white/tan. As for chillies, I have noticed > chillies in > India are named after the region in which they are grown. As > they are > so cheap, they do not generally get transported around Indian, > so the > chillies for sale are 'local' varieties, which, by inference, > go into > 'local dishes'. I wonder if the chillies available in India > bare much > resemblance to their ancestors anymore, anyway, I don't think > I could > describe any Indian ones in terms of their proper Mexican > original > names. Have you any ideas? That is really interesting and goes a long way in explaining the lack of specific chilli names in Indian cookbooks. My small collection of books are old friends but only one of them, Julie Sahni's "Classic Indian Cooking", even acknowledges that there is a range of hotness in "green chillies" and refers to what she calls Hari Mirch as the "young pod of the pepper plant Capsicum". This seems to show that she is unaware that there are many different *species* of Capsicum but I don't have the latest edition of her book to see if she has modified her views. I guess red chillies, especially dried, are more common in Indian cooking than green but I wonder if she is thinking of what the Mexicans would call serranos? I have found that my most successful technique is to use jalapenos where "green peppers" are called for. With a new recipe, the result is usually pretty good and not too hot. If the dish is not hot enough, you can add more green jalapeno or powdered red chilli. There is a minor advantage in that jalapenos always seem to cost less than other peppers except for green sweet peppers. -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 08:45:27 -0500, "James Silverton"
> wrote: >... My small >collection of books are old friends but only one of them, Julie >Sahni's "Classic Indian Cooking", even acknowledges that there >is a range of hotness in "green chillies" and refers to what she >calls Hari Mirch as the "young pod of the pepper plant >Capsicum". This seems to show that she is unaware that there are >many different *species* of Capsicum but I don't have the latest >edition of her book to see if she has modified her views. I >guess red chillies, especially dried, are more common in Indian >cooking than green but I wonder if she is thinking of what the >Mexicans would call serranos? There are just two basic Indian terms for fresh chilies: lal mirch and hari mirch, or, literally, red chile and green chile. |
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On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 08:45:27 -0500, "James Silverton"
> wrote: >... My small >collection of books are old friends but only one of them, Julie >Sahni's "Classic Indian Cooking", even acknowledges that there >is a range of hotness in "green chillies" and refers to what she >calls Hari Mirch as the "young pod of the pepper plant >Capsicum". This seems to show that she is unaware that there are >many different *species* of Capsicum but I don't have the latest >edition of her book to see if she has modified her views. I >guess red chillies, especially dried, are more common in Indian >cooking than green but I wonder if she is thinking of what the >Mexicans would call serranos? There are just two basic Indian terms for fresh chilies: lal mirch and hari mirch, or, literally, red chile and green chile. |
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Robert Klute wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 08:45:27 -0500, "James Silverton" > > wrote: > >> ... My small >> collection of books are old friends but only one of them, >> Julie >> Sahni's "Classic Indian Cooking", even acknowledges that >> there >> is a range of hotness in "green chillies" and refers to what >> she >> calls Hari Mirch as the "young pod of the pepper plant >> Capsicum". >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Snipping<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< > There are just two basic Indian terms for fresh chilies: lal > mirch and > hari mirch, or, literally, red chile and green chile. It looks like there is a rather parochial attitude towards chillies in India (g) since the different chillies are well known further east. Serranos are used in Thailand and, I think Szechuan too, and an inevitable accompaniment of Vietnamese pho soup is sliced jalapenos. I've never been to India but I'm told there is considerable enthusiasm for Chinese food so people may find out. -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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Robert Klute wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 08:45:27 -0500, "James Silverton" > > wrote: > >> ... My small >> collection of books are old friends but only one of them, >> Julie >> Sahni's "Classic Indian Cooking", even acknowledges that >> there >> is a range of hotness in "green chillies" and refers to what >> she >> calls Hari Mirch as the "young pod of the pepper plant >> Capsicum". >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Snipping<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< > There are just two basic Indian terms for fresh chilies: lal > mirch and > hari mirch, or, literally, red chile and green chile. It looks like there is a rather parochial attitude towards chillies in India (g) since the different chillies are well known further east. Serranos are used in Thailand and, I think Szechuan too, and an inevitable accompaniment of Vietnamese pho soup is sliced jalapenos. I've never been to India but I'm told there is considerable enthusiasm for Chinese food so people may find out. -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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James Silverton wrote:
> It looks like there is a rather parochial attitude towards chillies in > India (g) since the different chillies are well known further east. > Serranos are used in Thailand and, I think Szechuan too, and an > inevitable accompaniment of Vietnamese pho soup is sliced jalapenos. > I've never been to India but I'm told there is considerable enthusiasm > for Chinese food so people may find out. Any good chili user gets a "feel" for heat. When I was a chili novice my ex FIL (a Panjabi) could cut one, sniff it, and rank it instantly. Yes there is quite the Chinese food craze in India and Indian communities in N. America. Of course, these are Chinese restaurants with Indian cooks. blacksalt who had Indian food in France and it was UNMISTAKABLY French. |
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James Silverton wrote:
> It looks like there is a rather parochial attitude towards chillies in > India (g) since the different chillies are well known further east. > Serranos are used in Thailand and, I think Szechuan too, and an > inevitable accompaniment of Vietnamese pho soup is sliced jalapenos. > I've never been to India but I'm told there is considerable enthusiasm > for Chinese food so people may find out. Any good chili user gets a "feel" for heat. When I was a chili novice my ex FIL (a Panjabi) could cut one, sniff it, and rank it instantly. Yes there is quite the Chinese food craze in India and Indian communities in N. America. Of course, these are Chinese restaurants with Indian cooks. blacksalt who had Indian food in France and it was UNMISTAKABLY French. |
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kalanamak wrote:
> James Silverton wrote: > >> It looks like there is a rather parochial attitude towards >> chillies >> in India (g) since the different chillies are well known >> further >> east. Serranos are used in Thailand and, I think Szechuan >> too, and an >> inevitable accompaniment of Vietnamese pho soup is sliced >> jalapenos. >> I've never been to India but I'm told there is considerable >> enthusiasm for Chinese food so people may find out. > > Any good chili user gets a "feel" for heat. When I was a chili > novice > my ex FIL (a Panjabi) could cut one, sniff it, and rank it > instantly. > Yes there is quite the Chinese food craze in India and Indian > communities in N. America. Of course, these are Chinese > restaurants > with Indian cooks. > blacksalt > who had Indian food in France and it was UNMISTAKABLY French. So! -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 20:20:19 -0400, "James Silverton"
> wrote: >kalanamak wrote: > >> Yes there is quite the Chinese food craze in India and Indian >> communities in N. America. Of course, these are Chinese >> restaurants with Indian cooks. >> blacksalt >> who had Indian food in France and it was UNMISTAKABLY French. > >So! Ah, but Indian Chinese food is VERY adapted to the Indian palate. Every visit to Bombay, eating at one of the local chinese restaurants is a must, right after the visits to eat pav bhaji and dosas. Here is Silicon Valley there are even restaurants that advertise that they server Desi Chinese. I have yet to try them, but soon. |
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Robert Klute wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 20:20:19 -0400, "James Silverton" > > wrote: > >> kalanamak wrote: >> >>> Yes there is quite the Chinese food craze in India and >>> Indian >>> communities in N. America. Of course, these are Chinese >>> restaurants with Indian cooks. >>> blacksalt >>> who had Indian food in France and it was UNMISTAKABLY >>> French. >> >> So! > > Ah, but Indian Chinese food is VERY adapted to the Indian > palate. > Every visit to Bombay, eating at one of the local chinese > restaurants > is a must, right after the visits to eat pav bhaji and dosas. > > Here is Silicon Valley there are even restaurants that > advertise that > they server Desi Chinese. I have yet to try them, but soon. To return the compliment, there are Chinese and Japanese curries! So much so that my local Chinese supermarket has packaged instant curries from Japan! I even have a Chinese chicken curry recipe that I have tried and it's quite good even if does taste just a little different and is improved by boosting the chilli content! -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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Robert Klute wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 20:20:19 -0400, "James Silverton" > > wrote: > >> kalanamak wrote: >> >>> Yes there is quite the Chinese food craze in India and >>> Indian >>> communities in N. America. Of course, these are Chinese >>> restaurants with Indian cooks. >>> blacksalt >>> who had Indian food in France and it was UNMISTAKABLY >>> French. >> >> So! > > Ah, but Indian Chinese food is VERY adapted to the Indian > palate. > Every visit to Bombay, eating at one of the local chinese > restaurants > is a must, right after the visits to eat pav bhaji and dosas. > > Here is Silicon Valley there are even restaurants that > advertise that > they server Desi Chinese. I have yet to try them, but soon. To return the compliment, there are Chinese and Japanese curries! So much so that my local Chinese supermarket has packaged instant curries from Japan! I even have a Chinese chicken curry recipe that I have tried and it's quite good even if does taste just a little different and is improved by boosting the chilli content! -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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Robert Klute wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 20:20:19 -0400, "James Silverton" > > wrote: > >> kalanamak wrote: >> >>> Yes there is quite the Chinese food craze in India and >>> Indian >>> communities in N. America. Of course, these are Chinese >>> restaurants with Indian cooks. >>> blacksalt >>> who had Indian food in France and it was UNMISTAKABLY >>> French. >> >> So! > > Ah, but Indian Chinese food is VERY adapted to the Indian > palate. > Every visit to Bombay, eating at one of the local chinese > restaurants > is a must, right after the visits to eat pav bhaji and dosas. > > Here is Silicon Valley there are even restaurants that > advertise that > they server Desi Chinese. I have yet to try them, but soon. To return the compliment, there are Chinese and Japanese curries! So much so that my local Chinese supermarket has packaged instant curries from Japan! I even have a Chinese chicken curry recipe that I have tried and it's quite good even if does taste just a little different and is improved by boosting the chilli content! -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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James Silverton wrote:
> Robert Klute wrote: >> On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 20:20:19 -0400, "James Silverton" >> > wrote: >> >>> kalanamak wrote: >>> >>>> Yes there is quite the Chinese food craze in India and >>>> Indian >>>>>>>>>>>>clipping<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >> Here is Silicon Valley there are even restaurants that >> advertise that >> they server Desi Chinese. I have yet to try them, but soon. > > To return the compliment, there are Chinese and Japanese > curries! So much so that my local Chinese supermarket has > packaged instant curries from Japan! I even have a Chinese > chicken curry recipe that I have tried and it's quite good > even > if does taste just a little different and is improved by > boosting the chilli content! Just to add another: http://www.contactpakistan.com/chinafood/chckchili.htm If you look at it you will see that one of the ingredients is "Chinese Salt" (MSG). -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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James Silverton wrote:
> Robert Klute wrote: >> On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 20:20:19 -0400, "James Silverton" >> > wrote: >> >>> kalanamak wrote: >>> >>>> Yes there is quite the Chinese food craze in India and >>>> Indian >>>>>>>>>>>>clipping<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >> Here is Silicon Valley there are even restaurants that >> advertise that >> they server Desi Chinese. I have yet to try them, but soon. > > To return the compliment, there are Chinese and Japanese > curries! So much so that my local Chinese supermarket has > packaged instant curries from Japan! I even have a Chinese > chicken curry recipe that I have tried and it's quite good > even > if does taste just a little different and is improved by > boosting the chilli content! Just to add another: http://www.contactpakistan.com/chinafood/chckchili.htm If you look at it you will see that one of the ingredients is "Chinese Salt" (MSG). -- James V. Silverton Potomac, Maryland, USA |
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