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Do you know those games where there's a picture and then next to it there are a bunch of other pictures that look exactly the same except they have something missing, and the point is to figure out what's missing? That's what I felt like this morning when I walked outside of my … [Read more...] about A Eulogy for Potted Plants

I hate this name. It's not mine. Curry is a horrible name. It seems so degrading to me. Anything remotely spicy and Southeast Asian is considered curry. You show me the curry leaves in the recipe before I'll let you away with calling something a curry, and even then I have a … [Read more...] about Thai Calamari Curry

I realize the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, which is kind of how I feel about my repeated efforts to make baigan bhartha. I feel somewhat justified in the fact that I keep trying different recipes, but does … [Read more...] about My Favourite Vegetarian Indian Dish: Baigan Bhartha (Eggplant)

Just like garam masala, chaat masala is just a simple blend of spices ("masala" = spice blend, but "chaat" masala is intended specifically for use in "chaat" dishes). These snack bowls are sold at roadside stalls in India, and usually consist of deep-fried bread, dried yellow … [Read more...] about Chaat Masala

Apparently Garam Masala just means "hot and spicy". Like "curry", it's just a blend of different spices, roasted and then ground. The base of it is usually cinnamon, coriander and cloves but other spices drift in and out of recipes. So every Indian cook has their own blend, or … [Read more...] about Garam Masala Recipe

Spice is what you need when it's hot. The heat makes your body work to cool itself down. It's like turning your interior freezer to 'ON'. Indian food is the perfect balance of heat and less heat. Cool yogurt, fresh cucumbers, cooked beans and spices. Every spice for a different … [Read more...] about Masala Puri

Can you see the red chili pieces? My blender got a good work-out on all these masalas and chutneys. The green would have been a better colour if my cilantro and mint had been fresh and not frozen, but how often do I really use a whole bunch of mint? There are only so many juleps … [Read more...] about Mint Chutney

I wanted to use my pomegranate seeds. I've had an air-tight box of pomegranate seeds sitting in my cupboard for a few months now, waiting to be made into a delicious Indian meal, along with my mango powder. Unfortunately, Madhur Jaffrey doesn't have a single recipe in her "Indian … [Read more...] about So Many Spices…

It's funny, I took all these pictures are at different points in the cooking process and they all look exactly the same...I don't know if that's good because the beans never got to the point where they looked over-cooked, or if that's bad because there's some freakish genetic … [Read more...] about Indian Spicy Green Beans (Masaledar Sem): Madhur Jaffrey’s “Indian Cooking”

Not the best Indian recipe ever, but it was probably my corn's fault. That or my tomatoes. This could be a very acidic dish or a very sweet one, so it's worth another shot in corn season. I'd also really appreciate someone else trying it and letting me know how it goes. I love a … [Read more...] about Corn and Potatoes With Mustard Seeds and Mint (Bhutta aur Aloo ke Mazedar Tarkari)