Comments on: The knives come out http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/ All that flavorful brownness in one savory packet Sat, 30 Nov 2013 11:11:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Amy Jones http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-289507 Amy Jones Mon, 07 May 2012 13:26:44 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-289507 <p>Well, I too don't like cooking but 3 cheers to Top Chef..!! Love it..</p> Well, I too don’t like cooking but 3 cheers to Top Chef..!! Love it..

]]> By: SP http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-116622 SP Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:44:58 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-116622 <p>Root beer = Iodex - YES! But there's more to wings than Tabasco. There's Frank's hot sauce, vinegar, celery salt and garlic powder too. For some reason me and every desi I know who went to the US is a wings FANATIC. My amriki friends said they never ate so much bar food before meeting me...</p> <p>MTR rassam and sambhar powders are v.g.</p> <p>You do need a small small food processor for masala pastes (esp with coconut) and Thai pastes. Braun makes one that has various attachments including an in-the-pot blender extension, and it works best for masalas, IMO. Mini-Cuisinart sucks.</p> Root beer = Iodex – YES! But there’s more to wings than Tabasco. There’s Frank’s hot sauce, vinegar, celery salt and garlic powder too. For some reason me and every desi I know who went to the US is a wings FANATIC. My amriki friends said they never ate so much bar food before meeting me…

MTR rassam and sambhar powders are v.g.

You do need a small small food processor for masala pastes (esp with coconut) and Thai pastes. Braun makes one that has various attachments including an in-the-pot blender extension, and it works best for masalas, IMO. Mini-Cuisinart sucks.

]]> By: Raja http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-116618 Raja Tue, 06 Feb 2007 08:24:01 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-116618 <p>I've met her in real life. She's related to my relatives (i.e. not my blood relatives.</p> <p>She can't cook to save her life. Made some watery chicken curry and then proceeded to stick whole baby carrots in it...</p> <p>trust me, its a pretty bad combo.</p> <p>She was dating a much better looking Italian guy (don't check out dudes, but any fool could see he was a complete 180 from Salman) at the time of the curry incident who oddly really wanted to play football in the backyard.</p> I’ve met her in real life. She’s related to my relatives (i.e. not my blood relatives.

She can’t cook to save her life. Made some watery chicken curry and then proceeded to stick whole baby carrots in it…

trust me, its a pretty bad combo.

She was dating a much better looking Italian guy (don’t check out dudes, but any fool could see he was a complete 180 from Salman) at the time of the curry incident who oddly really wanted to play football in the backyard.

]]> By: UberMetroMallu http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-116433 UberMetroMallu Mon, 05 Feb 2007 08:06:53 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-116433 <blockquote>Root Beer = Iodex.</blockquote> <p>Spot on:D</p> Root Beer = Iodex.

Spot on:D

]]> By: Kurma http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-116430 Kurma Mon, 05 Feb 2007 06:58:02 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-116430 <blockquote>cuz they are dunked in tabasco sauce, which is basically vinegar with some red coloring thrown in. </blockquote> <p>What! really? Now that I try to remember (I haven't eaten them in years), they did taste like Tabasco. Yup, yup. Wings=Tabasco and Root Beer = Iodex.</p> <p>I love me the MTR too. What is sacrilege? Ease is sacrilege? Remember your culture and practice INDOlence (hat-tip to the master). 'Scratch' and 'authentic' are over-rated, I say. Taste is what counts in my book (and being healthy), regardless of how invented-yesterday it is or how easy it is to make.</p> cuz they are dunked in tabasco sauce, which is basically vinegar with some red coloring thrown in.

What! really? Now that I try to remember (I haven’t eaten them in years), they did taste like Tabasco. Yup, yup. Wings=Tabasco and Root Beer = Iodex.

I love me the MTR too. What is sacrilege? Ease is sacrilege? Remember your culture and practice INDOlence (hat-tip to the master). ‘Scratch’ and ‘authentic’ are over-rated, I say. Taste is what counts in my book (and being healthy), regardless of how invented-yesterday it is or how easy it is to make.

]]> By: desishiksa http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-116383 desishiksa Sun, 04 Feb 2007 20:20:32 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-116383 <p>grinding spices: you can use a coffee grinder (just make sure you never use it for coffee unless you like your lattes haldi spiced) or if you have an osterizer blender they make a small jar that fits over the regular blade that you can use to grind dry ingredients. Maybe other blender companies make the same thing too?</p> <p>You didn't use 2 cups of tamarind paste did you? (I think the recipe said 1tsp in 2 cups of water).</p> <blockquote> i am really tempted to call you bob... as in desishishka-bob... but you'll probably skewer me ;-)</blockquote> <p>hahaha...puns and food, my two favorites.</p> <p>and finally: I don't bother with making my own sambar powder...I use MTR brand. It's probably sacrilege but it tastes quite good.</p> grinding spices: you can use a coffee grinder (just make sure you never use it for coffee unless you like your lattes haldi spiced) or if you have an osterizer blender they make a small jar that fits over the regular blade that you can use to grind dry ingredients. Maybe other blender companies make the same thing too?

You didn’t use 2 cups of tamarind paste did you? (I think the recipe said 1tsp in 2 cups of water).

i am really tempted to call you bob… as in desishishka-bob… but you’ll probably skewer me ;-)

hahaha…puns and food, my two favorites.

and finally: I don’t bother with making my own sambar powder…I use MTR brand. It’s probably sacrilege but it tastes quite good.

]]> By: Kurma http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-116372 Kurma Sun, 04 Feb 2007 19:38:03 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-116372 <p>Speaking of sambHar, Trader Joe's has this written on their bottle (pretty healthy stuff for a good price).</p> <blockquote>Sambhar, an area in southern India, is known for its classic lentil soup and namesake spice blend (<i>cilantro, cumin, mustard seed, turmeric and curry powder</i>). Trader Joe's has taken this traditional lentil soup and added its own twist. It's loaded full of potatoes, carrots, okra and a little kick of jalapeno pepper for heat. Just heat in a microwave or in a pot on the stove until hot. <i>Fit for a King!</i></blockquote> <p>Then there are pictures of a raja's crown and an Indian flag. Kewl! Any rajas/ranis/princes in the house from the Sambhar region where curry powder is the real emperor?</p> Speaking of sambHar, Trader Joe’s has this written on their bottle (pretty healthy stuff for a good price).

Sambhar, an area in southern India, is known for its classic lentil soup and namesake spice blend (cilantro, cumin, mustard seed, turmeric and curry powder). Trader Joe’s has taken this traditional lentil soup and added its own twist. It’s loaded full of potatoes, carrots, okra and a little kick of jalapeno pepper for heat. Just heat in a microwave or in a pot on the stove until hot. Fit for a King!

Then there are pictures of a raja’s crown and an Indian flag. Kewl! Any rajas/ranis/princes in the house from the Sambhar region where curry powder is the real emperor?

]]> By: hairy_d http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-116360 hairy_d Sun, 04 Feb 2007 17:14:49 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-116360 <p>hey desishiksha... (i am really tempted to call you bob... as in desishishka-bob... but you'll probably skewer me ;-)</p> <p>thanks for the tip. i didnt realize the tamarind paste was so potent. the thing just swirled and inked up the whole pot. my place smells very masala-ee right now btw - but in a good way.</p> <p>some learnings - <li>the eggplant and okra was a wonderful addition. must do more of the same. <li>skipped curry leaves and added oregano (i decided not to go to the local tiger joint) and went to the local healthfood store which had asafetida and tamarind paste but no curry leaves. jury's still out. <li>skipped turmeric (see above reason) and maybe that effected the color. i dont hink it adds much to taste. <li>used desiccated coconut instead of grated coconut. it worked out fine and there's a delicious undertone of coconut in every sip. <li>need to figure out a way to grind spices better. i just used my old mortar and pestle. there is the odd husk of the coriander seed that sticks. <li>need to go easy on tamarind paste for sure. it is tasty and kurma will probably love it but it is somewhat overpowering.</p> hey desishiksha… (i am really tempted to call you bob… as in desishishka-bob… but you’ll probably skewer me ;-)

thanks for the tip. i didnt realize the tamarind paste was so potent. the thing just swirled and inked up the whole pot. my place smells very masala-ee right now btw – but in a good way.

some learnings –

  • the eggplant and okra was a wonderful addition. must do more of the same.
  • skipped curry leaves and added oregano (i decided not to go to the local tiger joint) and went to the local healthfood store which had asafetida and tamarind paste but no curry leaves. jury’s still out.
  • skipped turmeric (see above reason) and maybe that effected the color. i dont hink it adds much to taste.
  • used desiccated coconut instead of grated coconut. it worked out fine and there’s a delicious undertone of coconut in every sip.
  • need to figure out a way to grind spices better. i just used my old mortar and pestle. there is the odd husk of the coriander seed that sticks.
  • need to go easy on tamarind paste for sure. it is tasty and kurma will probably love it but it is somewhat overpowering.

    • ]]>         By: desishiksa http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-116359 desishiksa Sun, 04 Feb 2007 17:03:04 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-116359 <p>cuz they are dunked in tabasco sauce, which is basically vinegar with some red coloring thrown in. Anyone notice how desis like sour things as much as sweets?</p> cuz they are dunked in tabasco sauce, which is basically vinegar with some red coloring thrown in. Anyone notice how desis like sour things as much as sweets?

    ]]>         By: Kurma http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/01/30/the_knives_come/comment-page-2/#comment-116340 Kurma Sun, 04 Feb 2007 08:41:35 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4151#comment-116340 <p>I like it extra sour. I think of that also as "spicy". Btw, have you guys noticed that buffalo wings are more sour than hot?</p> I like it extra sour. I think of that also as “spicy”. Btw, have you guys noticed that buffalo wings are more sour than hot?

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