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The food thread!
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimish wrote:
And "Kachories" of all things?

Jeh wrote:
curd rice

Completely off-topic, but if there is some food-related discussion, can the resident glutton stay out? Certainly not.
Kachori: Jaipur is better known for the `Raj Kachori' supposedly `invented' by the famous house of Rawat. (Something a bit pan-Indian here, since Rawats are typically from Garhwal and adjoinig areas in the current Uttaranchal, not Rajasthanis). Jodhpur is best known for the stuffed large chillies, dipped in batter, and deep-fried, not exactly for Kachoris. Curd-rice, `mosaranna' to the Kannadiga, and `thayirsadam' to the Tamilian may be counted as something basic, but a culinary reason (a minor one, of course, given other glaring points that have been pointed out, above) is that curd-rice is not simply mixing curd and rice. To get something which will be satisfying, both the curd, as well as the rice will need to have a certain consistency (long-grained well-made Basmati will not do, for instance), the curd should not be too thick, nor have too much whey (some will advocate adding a bit of milk if the preparation is to stay for a while, and not release the greenish pungent whey), there should be a bit of lightly tossed `raee' (the smaller mustard seeds), along with some kadhi-patta. Lightly fried dry fruits are more than welcome. Mmm...am I not hungry?
Cheers, Sumantra.
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abhijith16
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

^^
Always count on Mr.Sumantra sir to make us feel hungry!!

I love these little nuggets of information!
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

abhijith16 wrote:
I love these little nuggets of information!

Thanks, Abhijith Very Happy
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The_Goat
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sumantra wrote:
Jodhpur is best known for the stuffed large chillies, dipped in batter, and deep-fried, not exactly for Kachoris.

Interesting, Hyderabad is famous for a variant of this as well. It is called Mirchi Bajji, and the best ones can be got only at roadside stalls. Never order the stuff in any organized restaurant.

sumantra wrote:

(long-grained well-made Basmati will not do, for instance),
Cheers, Sumantra.


Actually long grained basmati lends itself very well not only to curd rice, but to other south Indian preparations as well. I learned this quite by chance after coming to the EU. Not finding regular South Indian rice anywhere, I had to make do with the ubiquitous basmati rice and the results have been very good. Now we use basmati for everything. Try it sometime.

Sorry for the diversion, mods Wink
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Moderators: sorry, one food/fog-related diversion could lead to another Smile

The_Goat wrote:
sumantra wrote:
Jodhpur is best known for the stuffed large chillies, dipped in batter, and deep-fried, not exactly for Kachoris.

Interesting, Hyderabad is famous for a variant of this as well. It is called Mirchi Bajji
The spices are a bit different, and the large green chillies are found elsewhere, too, along with the fried version, including Delhi.

The_Goat wrote:
Actually long grained basmati lends itself very well not only to curd rice
You tried Basmati since you did not get some nice Kollam rice, or some other variety, such as a short-grained one from Tamil Nadu's rice bowl, Tirunelveli/Tanjavur. In a similar situation, my friend tried idlis too, out of Basmati rice. My personal opinion is that the Basmati aroma is a bit overwhelming for curd-rice (or idlis, for that matter). There are some `modern' variants of curd-rice such as one with pomegranate mixed in to lend it a sweet taste, or one of my friend's suggestion to sprinkle a very minute quantity of finely chopped (not smashed in a mortar-and-pestle, or as a paste, or in dried-and-powdered form) ginger into thayirsadam/mosaranna, to give it a subtle but not overwhelming flavour.

All in my personal opinion, of course:-)
Cheers, Sumantra.
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The "food" diversion has a safe landing in Non-av - enjoy the meal Smile
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Biryanis in Koramangala, Bangalore - my perspective:

Background - I love food, and have a weak corner for Biryanis. Ever since my work place shifted to Koramangala, I've devoted every lunch to trying out the local food options - and Koramangala is flooded with all sorts of food places. So here's a recap of the biryani scene in this neighbourhood.


  • "Boneless" Biryani - a local creation - the first time I had this was at the "Mecca" - aka - Meghana biryani. Essentially spicy Biryani rice layered with boneless chicken chunks in a bright red and spicy coating. Now popularly seen across different joints in Bangalore, but I still think Meghana is the best.

  • Hyderabadi Dum Biryani - Too many variants/ options to count here. Some notable mentions are Meghana, Manis but my favorite is "Hyderabad House" - on the main Hosur road (about 200m South from the forum)

  • Ambur Biryani - Suddenly seems to have become the craze in Bangalore - can be pretty cheap (Rs. 50 for a plate at the roadside places). Typically red colored (not sure if that's coloring or tomato) with lots of garlic and spices. Don't actually have a favorite option in this genre.

  • Mughlai Biryani - quite rare, but you get an excellent one at Dalma - the Oriya Restaurant in Bangalore, and a pretty decent one at Arsalan (Which is more lucknowi in my opinion).

  • Kerala style Biryani - not had this here - I would imagine Empire has some variant of this biryani. Typically white colored rice and served with pickle.

  • Traditional Andhra Biryani - of course - Nagarjuna. Yellowish colored, super greasy and super spicy, but quite a satisfying meal.

  • Donne Biryani - a local Karnataka style - greenish colored - not found it here in Koramangala, but you get some great ones across Bangalore


Any other styles you can think of that I might have missed?
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimish, that is some compilation of Biriyanis around Bengaluru! My nose has led me to some great Hyderabadi biriyani at a small joint near Thubrahalli, I forget the name. The portions are wonderful, so is the taste.
Cheers, Sumantra.
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TKMCE wrote:
Hey Sumantara, even I love writing about food...

Please do, Sir! I look forward to it Smile

TKMCE wrote:
To be fair the crew who made the noodles did a far better job of it than an earlier experience aboard one of the aircraft of their counterparts of Mumbai Dyeing fame where my order (that time, of my own free will and choice) ended up as luke warm noodle soup instead!!!


Experiences of `My family, and other Animals' (with apologies to Gerald Durrell), suggest that Spicejet serves a decent fare now-a-days. Go Air has been quite bad, ditto for Indigo. My personal experience with Kingfisher Red wasn't fantastic, when I tried this first:
31. AI strike(,) PAT in the back: Patna, Jan'12
http://www.airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/airlinersindia-ftopic12781.html

Rajeev, sorry - I guess my post needed to be moved to the Food thread, under the `Non-Aviation' section, being more apt there.
Cheers, Sumantra.
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TKMCE
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The term Kerala Biriyani is misleading...

Kerala is a state with three distinct culinary influences. The Moslem influence is strong in the northern part of Kerala (the Malabar belt) and consequently you have the Malabar Biriyani, Thalasserry (a town north of Calicut) Biriyani etc. This is the stuff mostly found in Kerala restaurants in Bangalore as many hoteliers are from the north of Kerala.
The central Kerala belt south of Trichur extending all the way to Kottayam and beyond (with COK somewhere roughly in the middle) has a strong Christian influence, Here some of the biriyani has Chicken (or even fish) which is fried first and then mixed with spices and the rice.. Biriyani is not the main item in many hotels here, it is mostly the wonderful variety you get in fish and meat both as curried and fried preparations. In fact you get fish curry made of fried fish and fried coconut piieces!!! Not for the health conscious but deliciious never the less. Not too many outlets in Bangalore serving this style of biriyani but there was one bakery near Shivaji Nagar BMTC bus stand which used to serve the stuff but last heard I think they are no longer doing so. There is also Kaayal at JB Nagar/Thippasandra which prepares food in this style and now may be a few others as well. In Chennai, this central Kerala cooking has been a big hit with a number of restaurants like Kalpaka near the Music Academy (the pioneer of central kerala restaurants in Chennai) , Kumarakam, Kaayal etc, the last two at multiple locations etc having a lot of selection from this wonderful cuisine.

In the deep south of Kerala wheere Trivandrum is , cooking is traditionally Hindu vegetarian cooking. Trivandrum is just 30 Km from the Tamil Nadu border . The non veg biriyani is mostly the watered down variety of the stuff you get in North Kerala. It is vegetarian stuff which is the star here. In fact "Vegetable Biriyani" is standard fare and popular in most veg outlets in this part of Kerala. However being a coastal state, you get lovely fish preparations in the southern part of the state as well (Alleppy/Quilon belt) along the backwaters.

The other point to note are the "breads" used. " Parotta" is mostly in the north, while "appams" is in the central kerala belt and the south is of course Idli/Dosa territory.

To simplify geography - CCJ- Gateway to North/ COK - Gateway to Central Kerala and TRV- Gateway to South.

Of course these are purely my views.Others might have their own opinions which will be great to hear.


Last edited by TKMCE on Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:19 am; edited 2 times in total
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 6:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

^^ Interesting - thanks for that clarification on the 3 regions within Kerala. I think that's obvious now that I think of it - most of the biryani I've had "kerala" style was in Kerala Muslim joints - probably from the Malabar belt (is it also called the Mopla belt?). Is that the one served with pickle

I don't think I've ever had the central-Kerala biryani - don't recall eating biryani with fried meat in it.

Coincidentally, today I found another authentic Karnataka biryani joint close by, new place called "Biryani Paradise" - serves the typical Karnataka style biryani (distinct from Donne) - very nice and kick ass spicy.
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TKMCE wrote:
Kerala is a state with three distinct culinary influences
What a superb tutorial on Kerala biriyani and the cuisine, thank you, Rajeev! Not to nitpick, but I have seen two distinct types of the `parotta'/`barota', one a large preparation done in two halves stuck together with the filling inside, and the other, something close to what the Delhi'ite/Punjabi refers to as `lacchha parantha' - the layered one without any filling (this is tremendously filling, by the way Very Happy )
Talking about Mallu joints in Delhi, I am extremely saddened after Abraham's failed ventures in the 1990s, one was the `Keraleeyam' in South Delhi. Very fresh good food, and very reasonably priced. The Wife and I set out to explore the Mallu joints once, we came upon just three in South Delhi - one (ominously) close to the Escorts Hospital (where we were disappointed not to find Vadameen curry, which is what we set out looking for, one in Mehrauli which was a bit difficult to locate, so we abandoned our search, and the third was in a by-lane in Munirka, where we were a bit put off by the dust from the construction around. Mumbai had a `Mallu mess' in Powai, a site which surreptiously served Keralite beef curries. Delhi is a bit disappointing that way. There is no good Chettinadu joint, either. Andhra options are limited to the Hyderabad House canteen. Most common are the Udupi-style joints, some Mangalorean ones, and quite a few Tamilian joints.
Cheers, Sumantra.
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TKMCE
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you Nimish and Sumantra

I love the Bangalore foodie options. So many good places and so many options although I have never been in the Koramangala belt...

If you are going towards Thippasandra, HAL side try out "Kaayal". It is on the Thippasandra main road towards Jeeven Bheema Nagar... Once there ask any one and they will direct you .. Although they have Biriyani , ask for the Central Kerala meat and fish specialities....

Since Bangalore has so many food options form other states as well , I never have checked out other Kerala joints there .... I used to love Bheemas in Church street for the Andhra stuff and Albek in RT Nagarr for the varieties of Chicken. Hotel Chandrika at the Cunningham Road-Millers Road juntion had good veg stuff as well.

Sumantra... Let me check with some of my friends about Kerala options in Delhi and revert to you. Is Nirulas still around??? Before McDonald came along they were quite big in Delhi and I used to frequent the outlet near Priya cinena in Vasanth Vihar at one point of time when my work took me frequently to Delhi. I believe one of the first McDonald outllets in India also came up there.
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

TKMCE wrote:
Sumantra... Let me check with some of my friends about Kerala options in Delhi and revert to you. Is Nirulas still around?

Thank you-that will be a big help, for it will also please The Wife, and help me in my gluttonous ventures, since I will have her support, albeit not for long, but...you get the point Smile
And yes, if you come to know some good Andhra-style joints too, that will help. The Andhra Bhavan canteen is the only one I know of. The thali is quite good, and for non-vegetarians, there is the Andhra coastal-style (typically around Vizag) fried fish and dry chicken curry, with a nice combination of spices.
Yes, Nirula's is still there, almost all around the place. They were good for continental food (more so, fast food) in the 1980s, but now they serve some hideously oily North Indian platter too, which completely puts me off. They are quite neat and clean, and the ambiance is still quite nice.
Cheers, Sumantra.
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

TKMCE wrote:
try out "Kaayal".

OK - must try - it's very close to home and we're in that part of town almost every weekend for our weekly shopping.

TKMCE wrote:
Hotel Chandrika at the Cunningham Road-Millers Road juntion had good veg stuff as well.
Their dahi-vada is amazing - a class apart - a different breed altogether! Love their other stuff as well, but I go back there (or do a takeaway) just for their dahi-vada.
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ameya
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Had tried some good south indian food, not just idly dosa, at Delhi Haat near INA a year ago or so. The andhra one was really nice and so was the stall from TN. Not sure if I spotted Kerala there
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ameya wrote:
Had tried some good south indian food, not just idly dosa, at Delhi Haat near INA a year ago or so. The andhra one was really nice and so was the stall from TN. Not sure if I spotted Kerala there
My personal opinion: most of the cuisine at Delhi Haat is a bit tuned to Delhi'ite tastes, much like many other joints in Delhi in general, though it has been quite a while since I last visited the place (I don't like it much, read on, for the reason), and I haven't tried the Andhra stall. I've tried the TN, Sikkim, Bong and Rajasthani ones. The entry fee is high, and most items are served in small quantities, and a bit overpriced, or there is some compromise on quality (cooking medium, quality of spices, and the like). The Tamil Nadu Bhavan near Chanakyapuri is quite bad - hardly representative of the numerous cuisines in the state. Chettinuad(u) cuisine is completely absent. `Chicken 65' does not quite make the cut as an authentic Tamil non-veg dish.
Cheers, Sumantra.
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sumantra wrote:
`Chicken 65' does not quite make the cut as an authentic Tamil non-veg dish.


This is as authentic a Tam NV dish as one can get, the story is that it was "invented" by the Buhaari hotels in Chennai!
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TKMCE
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Sumantra

Looks like I found the place you are looking for. The reviews are a little dated, but since Kerala house is still around, its staff canteen which is what we are talking about should be around as well. The Kerala House dining room is only open for residents and the well connected from the state and their guests, but staff canteen is apparently open for everyone. Looks like it is closed on Sundays and open for Breakfast and Lunch only. And strictly walkin -eat-go place . My Dad who has stayed at Kerala House many a time used to vouch for th genuineness of taste of the food at Kerala House and the few reviews of the staff canteen in the internet whose links I have given are equally complimentary. "The Hindu" correspondent is at his diplomatic best but still gives you enough hint of his favorite dish while the other two reviews leave no trace of ambiguity!!!




Place is off Jantar Manatar road . If you are trying it out, do post your review here. Reminds me of the Indian YMCA at London which used to serve the best VFM Desi Khana in a similar atmosphere for decades!!!!

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/08/06/stories/2007080651110200.htm
[url][/url]

http://timescity.com/delhi/jantar-mantar-road/kerala-cuisine-restaurant-staff-canteen/62366


http://samilm.blogspot.com/2008/08/bhawans-diet-kerala-house.html


And by the way I know Delhi is TOI and HT territory, but the foodie corrspondent from The Hindu who did the Kerala House canteen review posted above 5 years ago still seems to be around and apparently loves Kerala food. Here is a much newer review of another place near the INA market. Ad I forgot to add , our "diplomatic" foodie correspondent's favorite Kerala dish remains the same as you will see!!!



http://www.hindu.com/mp/2011/04/18/stories/2011041850510200.htm


Happy reading and (hopefully) happy dining!!!
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeh wrote:
curd rice
sumantra wrote:
curd rice


Oh dear God! The mere mention of that food brings back painful yet hilarious memories.

Many years ago, I moved to Chicago for about 18 months for work. I must have been there a few weeks when I got a call from Kevin, a colleague and newly-made friend:

Kevin - Dude you got to come meet this kid.
Me - What... Who... Why?
Kevin - Manny something.... I can't pronounce it. But you gotta meet him now... He's fresh man!

So I went to see what all the excitement was all about. And there, with Kevin, was Mani. Introductions were made.

First question - Where are you from?
Me - Bombay
Second question - Are you married?
Me - ^$&ungh$#@%* (I nearly faint from bewilderment and desperately attempting yet failing to burst into laughter)

After I regained my composure, I decided to ask him the same questions;
- Where are you from?
- Zegundrabad, but actually my family is from <insert any place here because I couldn't understand>

Next question was:
Mani - Do you know anywhere I can get curd rice in Chicago?
Me - Sorry, I don't (I didn't even know what curd rice was at that point)

A couple of days later, I bumped into him in the lift.

Again the curd rice question!

Then he asked where I was living because he needed to find a place and and also wanted to share the cost so could I recommend a roommate? Perhaps myself, if I were interested.

Except, he had certain criteria:

The roommate had to be a Hindu, vegetarian, Andhra boy. One who loves curd rice too I presume!

Fortunately I met none of the criteria : I wasn't Hindu, not vegetarian, not from Andhra and I thought of myself as a man, not a boy.

I barely ran into him after that, but I got the odd update from Kevin and others. And they said he brought his own lunch from home every day. And it was always this "weird rice-puddingey stuff."
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jasepl wrote:

First question - Where are you from?
Me - Bombay
Second question - Are you married?
Me - ^$&ungh$#@%* (I nearly faint from bewilderment and desperately attempting yet failing to burst into laughter)



Hehe, typical Andhra kid .

The next question would have probably been as to whether your home was your own or if you had rented it.

Actually, a Brazilian friend of mine who normally eats nothing other than the reddest of meats, visited Bangalore on business a few years ago. When I asked him what foodstuff liked the most he told me that there was this "nice dish made out of rice mixed with yoghurt, and tiny bits of vegetables and chillies' which he fell in love with. In fact, he ate the same thing everyday during his stay in India and even asked me for the recipe!

Curd Rice can have the most unlikely of fans!
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Till the time I moved to BLR in 2005, I thought Curd rice was boiled rice served with curd.
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sumantra wrote:
The Wife and I set out to explore the Mallu joints once, we came upon just three in South Delhi - one (ominously) close to the Escorts Hospital (where we were disappointed not to find Vadameen curry, which is what we set out looking for.


Sumantraji ..Apologies in advance for my apprent ignorance but can you shed some light on this "vadameen curry". I am a big fan of coastal cuisine but mostly of sea fish and I understand the particular variety you are talking about is a river fish delicacy. But some more details will be most useful.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

TKMCE wrote:
Looks like I found the place you are looking for. The reviews are a little dated, but since Kerala house is still around, its staff canteen which is what we are talking about should be around as well.

Rajeev, I guess I am a bit late to this thread, and my God - it has whetted up my appetite at around midnight! I showed your post and the associated links to The Wife too, who is all to excited about a trip to the Kerala House canteen. What an irony - it was she who had been there (incidentally, 5 years back) when we were planning travel in Kerala, to book a good package), and both of us are quite surprised that she missed it. Yes, we will definitely try it! And yes, I know of the spicy and sinful Pothu curry Smile This is something that is usually not on the menu, or even if on the menu, is usually printed in Malayalam, and spoken of in hushed tones, or referred to as `big mutton' (or its chaste vernacular-of-the-region transliteration) for obvious reasons! Thanks a lot for this pointer!

TKMCE wrote:
vadameen curry

Rajeev, sincere apall-ogies for my apalling description. I showed your post to a Keralite-Tamilian friend (he comes from Palghat), who was equally perplexed. While he is a vegetarian, he knows a bit about the fishes of the region, and showed me some pages on the Internet with pictures, and descriptions. What we had had, was possibly either Vaala-meen, or Valai-meen. He cited some other names, which seemed to have the term `vala' in them, but got somewhat exasperated with my insufficient descriptions. We were close to the Kochi coastline, having just seen the Chinese fishing nets. We were advised to try the fresh catch, but a roadside stall did not quite appeal to me, though The Wife was all for it. As a compromise, we went to a joint close-by. No, I did not see the fish itself, but the taste was a bit like a sea fish, rather than a fresh-water one. Our brief trip to `God's Own Country' was simply incredible, as we spent a lot of time on the road in a few days, to cover Kochi/Ernakulam up to Alapuzha on one end, and Kovalum to even past the TN border to Kanniyakumari, on the other, before coming back. Food-wise too, it was simply out of the world!
Cheers, Sumantra.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jasepl wrote:
"weird rice-puddingey stuff."

The_Goat wrote:
Curd Rice can have the most unlikely of fans!

Jason and The_Goat, I really enjoyed bot the original incident, and the comment. Yes, it may seem odd, but it can result in a craving! It is supposed to be a nice cooler for hot and humid climes, and a good aid to digestion. For those like me who like it, the above reasons may not suffice enough, and I may still go in for it like Jason's friend in the freezing American mid-west winter!
Cheers, Sumantra.
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimish wrote:
sumantra wrote:
`Chicken 65' does not quite make the cut as an authentic Tamil non-veg dish.

This is as authentic a Tam NV dish as one can get, the story is that it was "invented" by the Buhaari hotels in Chennai!

Thanks for the pointer, Nimish - I did not know about this, the origin of the Chicken 65 recipe. Frankly, I would still contend that it is not quite an original traditional `Tam NV' dish, since I have seen `Paneer 65' (not something a hard-core Tamilian would like, for instance) in Delhi even many, many years back - which on asking around, I learnt that the `65' indeed came from the 1965 Indo-Pak war - the spice combination and general method of preparation for a dish at that time (1965) resulted in the `65' getting in (and not the other options in the Wikipaedia entry, for instance). The funny-yet-interesting Tamil movie `Anniyan' had the hero dipping the corrupt official Chockalingam in the `65' combination of spices, and <gasp> throwing him into a vat of boiling oil, `Chocka-65', as he termed it.
Cheers, Sumantra.
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The_Goat
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My favourite Kerala food is the typical vegetarian Onam Sadhiya. It is also the kind of food that is served in our family functions .

I adore those kootus, poduthuval's (fried vegtables with coconut and green chilli garnish), aviyals, olans, sambars and molaguttals served with steamy hot rice, poppadams and all those spicy chutneys. And to end it all there are those ever delicious payasams. Usually there is one made out of milk and another made out of jaggery. There is also another made out of coconut milk and jackfruit which is one of my favourites. Heaven!


http://foodnightlifeblog.buzzintown.com/files/2012/08/onam-sadhya-food.jpg
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The_Goat wrote:
ever delicious payasams. Usually there is one made out of milk and another made out of jaggery. There is also another made out of coconut milk and jackfruit which is one of my favourites. Heaven!

I didn't get this one...in the jaggery-based one, what is the liquid medium, if not milk/coconut milk?

The_Goat wrote:
http://foodnightlifeblog.buzzintown.com/files/2012/08/onam-sadhya-food.jpg
Really enticing! One of my other favourite Mallu snacks happens to be the iddi-appam with the simple potato stew. Mmm... Smile
Cheers, Sumantra.


Last edited by sumantra on Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:28 am; edited 1 time in total
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TKMCE
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

All the wonderful discussions here is making me badly home(food) sick! Crying or Very sad
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

sumantra wrote:
The_Goat wrote:
ever delicious payasams. Usually there is one made out of milk and another made out of jaggery. There is also another made out of coconut milk and jackfruit which is one of my favourites. Heaven!

I didn't get this one...in the jaggery-based one, what is the liquid medium, if not milk/coconut milk?


Payasam is typically with milk and some cereal - and a sweetener - either white sugar or jaggery. It sounds like there's a variant where the payasam is made from coconut milk instead of the standard dairy product.

My favorite payasam of all is the ada-pradamam (not sure of spelling), red/boiled rice cooked and then beaten into a paste, and then further cut into pieces and cooked with milk + jaggery.
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

sumantra wrote:
Thanks for the pointer, Nimish - I did not know about this, the origin of the Chicken 65 recipe. Frankly, I would still contend that it is not quite an original traditional `Tam NV' dish, since I have seen `Paneer 65' (not something a hard-core Tamilian would like, for instance) in Delhi even many, many years back - which on asking around, I learnt that the `65' indeed came from the 1965 Indo-Pak war - the spice combination and general method of preparation for a dish at that time (1965) resulted in the `65' getting in


I guess one can never be sure, but I stick by the "Buhari's hotel invented this" story Smile. It's still on their menu along with their other variants like chicken 90.

http://www.zomato.com/chennai/buhari-hotel-t-nagar/menu#tabtop

Also - http://www.goergo.in/?p=4507
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The wife and I spent the day at Hauz Khas village. I never knew that it offered such a large variety of gastronomic delights. Had two lunches, one at a Pizzeria called Rosso's and the other at a Kashmiri joint called Cashmere.

Definitely worth a visit. Plus some of the roof top joints offer an excellent view of the lake. If you are in the right place you can even watch the a/c approach on both 27 and 28.
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The_Goat
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimish wrote:



My favorite payasam of all is the ada-pradamam (not sure of spelling), red/boiled rice cooked and then beaten into a paste, and then further cut into pieces and cooked with milk + jaggery.


Quite right Nimish. The ada-pradamam was what I was referring to as payasam with jaggery.

The payasam with coconut milk is called 'idichu pizhinja payasam'. Yummy stuff but better to stay away if you are on a diet, as it is very rich. Here is the recipe. There is one variant of this which has jackfruit in it as well.

http://www.pachakam.com/recipe.asp?id=1414&RecipeName=Idichu%20Pizhinja%20Payasam
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sumantra
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimish wrote:
sumantra wrote:
Frankly, I would still contend that it is not quite an original traditional `Tam NV' dish
I guess one can never be sure, but I stick by the "Buhari's hotel invented this" story

Sorry Nimish, I think you missed the point. `Traditional' was the key!
I never contested that Buhari's hotel invented the dish. My point was the following: something which was invented less than half-a-century back can hardly be considered `traditional'. Of course, I will not contest my complete ignorance of the Buhari's origin - I had no idea about this origin.
I will give two other examples of food which I do not consider `traditional', primarily due to the time period involved.
1. I was aghast when on a TV show, Kunal Vijaykar referred to the `pav bhaji' as a traditional Maharashtrian dish. What? First, the dish is about a century and a half old, coming from the days of the textile mills in Bombay. It is simply `bambaiyya' fast food. `pav' is a leavened bread - Indian breads have traditionally been unleavened. (A notable exception could be the Punjabi `kulcha', but I strongly suspect this sinful delicacy to have originated after the British came in). There are some interesting stories about the origin of the `pav', and the term itself. I can elaborate if there is enough interest in the same.
2. Kulfi: while legend links the dish to the Mughals, the origin of refrigeration would have given a major fillip to this dish.
Cheers, Sumantra.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimish wrote:
ada pradamam

The_Goat wrote:
ada pradamam
What a fantastic thread this is turning out to be! Nimish and The_Goat - you have made me start salivating with the discussion on this dish. Payasam/Kheer/payesh/...is a dish that is made almost everywhere in the country in some form, right from the Kashmiri firni (Air India's version is one of the best examples of the dish), to the myriad types of Bong payesh, to the heavenly coconut milk-based ones.
Sheer bliss!
Cheers, Sumantra.
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

himmat01 wrote:
...Hauz Khas village. I never knew that it offered such a large variety of gastronomic delights. Had two lunches...
Two lunches! Himmat, I really wish I could have such a slim and trim figure at this age, and still manage to down two lunches. I have not explored this area much (apart from Naivedyam and Park Baluchi), in part owing to the high price list of some of the speciality cuisine outlets in the region. Given your recommendation, I guess I can try to be a bit bolder now!
Cheers, Sumantra.
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Nimish
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sumantra wrote:
Nimish wrote:
sumantra wrote:
Frankly, I would still contend that it is not quite an original traditional `Tam NV' dish
I guess one can never be sure, but I stick by the "Buhari's hotel invented this" story

Sorry Nimish, I think you missed the point. `Traditional' was the key!


Ah yes - in that case I did miss the point. I agree - it's not a "traditional" Tamil dish...
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The_Goat
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sumantra wrote:

1. I was aghast when on a TV show, Kunal Vijaykar referred to the `pav bhaji' as a traditional Maharashtrian dish. What? First, the dish is about a century and a half old, coming from the days of the textile mills in Bombay. It is simply `bambaiyya' fast food. `pav' is a leavened bread - Indian breads have traditionally been unleavened. (A notable exception could be the Punjabi `kulcha', but I strongly suspect this sinful delicacy to have originated after the British came in). There are some interesting stories about the origin of the `pav', and the term itself. I can elaborate if there is enough interest in the same.

Cheers, Sumantra.


'Pav' or 'Pao' is Portugeese for 'bread'. Pao Bhaji and Vada Pao are actually fusion dishes having the Maharashrtian bhaji or vada combined with the Portugeese 'Pao' or 'bread'.

The Mumbai catholics of Goanese origin, most of whom have mixed Portugese-Indian ancestry, are also called 'Maka Paos'.


I think forum member HAWK21M is a resident Maka Pao! There must be more too! Wink
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nimish wrote:
Ah yes - in that case I did miss the point. I agree - it's not a "traditional" Tamil dish...
However, I must express my sincere thanks to you, I now have a new TODO list item on my Chennai jaunts! Very Happy
Cheers, Sumantra.
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TKMCE
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
My favourite Kerala food is the typical vegetarian Onam Sadhiya. It is also the kind of food that is served in our family functions


Ofcourse.. With the ."sarkaravaratty" and the "nentrakkaya upperi" not to forget the payasams. Anything less than 3 varieties of the latter is a BIG NO. .Quite a few restaurants outside Kerala as well do offer these Sadhyas during Onam time, esp in Bangalore and Chennai, served in plantain leaves the traditional way. Although it unforgivable in my opinion to see some of these places advertising these Sadhyas with NV dishes as well. Not for the Onam Sadhiya .... please.!!! Sad
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