thanx for the push, pranjal--between this and the biryani recipe, i'm just going to have to try something entirely new for us! i know that cauliflower might be a typical vegetable and went looking for other things that might go with such a meal. i saw a recipe for califlower and potatoes and peas but since i plan on the rice dish, i really didn't want to add more starch. do you have other suggestions for a vegetable side dish? thanx!

This sounds wonderful! Cutting and pasting.

I didn't see a welcome thread for you, although I have been absent a lot myself so there may have been one. Anyway I haven't welcomed you and I want to do that now. I hope you like it here. I bet we can learn a lot from you.

I had my first experence in an authentic Indian restaurant this weekend and the Chicken Biryani was wonderful. Have you posted your Chicken Biryani recipe and if so where? Thanks for this one, I'm going to try it too.

Beverly

I also seem to have missed your arrival here, Pranjal, and I want to say hello and welcome.
This recipe sounds great. Do you like it better with chicken breasts or with legs? And am I right in thinking that in Indian dishes chicken is always cooked without skin?

Thank you Beverly and Christine for the warm welcome. I've been a lurker for a long time. Bobby (Vacuumfreak)'s post on favourite way to cook rice finally made me de-lurk :) I've liked reading the posts here, and am glad that some of the posters here like/cook Indian food, I'll try my best to post T&T recipes for you all; the truth is, what I've learnt up until now is only about 10% ... My mum knows so much more (and some recipes seem so tricky that I'm scared to try them out on my own, what if I spend hours labouring over it and it turns out a flop LOL, but every time I visit Mum in India, I learn something new from her). Well I posted the biryani rice recipe (it's just flavoured rice) on Bobby's thread, it has no meat in it. I cook meat separately and then add to the flavoured rice in layers. Do try the dum murgh and biryani rice (you can make the rice while the chicken's marinating), and let me know if it turned out good. I'll post chicken biryani recipe separately.

Christine, it works well with both. And you're right, it's cooked without the skin.

Barnmom, I have many recipes put away in the kitchen drawer, must sort them out soon. How do you organise your recipes? I mean the handwritten ones, not on the PC.

San, I just thought of a veg dish that'd go well with biryani rice/plain rice (DH likes it with chapati). It's a bit spicy and there's not much gravy; the raita would be perfect with it too.

Ingredients:
- Cooking oil
- 2 big onions, sliced
- Cinnamon sticks
- Cardamom pods/ pwd
- Peppercorns
- 1t cumin pwd
- 1/4t asafoetida (optional if you find it obnoxious)
- 1/2t turmeric pwd
- 1t coriander pwd
- 1t garam masala pwd
- 1t red chilli pwd
- 1T ginger-garic paste
- 1 cup Tomato slices/paste/puree
- Around 2-3cups veggies of choice (sliced/diced into medium-sized chunks)
- Yoghurt (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Chopped cilantro/coriander leaves for garnishing

Heat oil in a heavybottomed pan, saute sliced onions until light brown, add spices, tomato, salt and fry on high heat until oil starts to separate from the sides of the mixture. Then add the veggies, cover the pan and let cook until done. (Add yoghurt if you find it too dry and cook another 5-7 mins, covered)

I add cauliflower at the very end bcoz I like it firm, not cooked thru. And I always skip the garnish, I'm just too lazy for that :)

I made this dish for the very first time when I had small quantities of veggies remaining in the produce tray in the fridge. Haven't yet named it. Any suggestions? :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Biryani rice recipe on Bobby's thread

as it so happens, i WAS planning on making the raita--i have some tomatoes that need to be used soon and also, a couple of cucumbers. thanx!

when i make a simmered dish of bits of this and that sort of as you describe, my husband refers to it as "slub gum". i have no idea why or where that came from but it's been that way the whole time we've been married. i have a feeling that your dish could end up being remembered as "fragrant slub gum". i appreciate your help!

I was also wondering about the chicken skin, because I don't think I have ever eaten chicken in an Indian restaurant with the skin left on - healthier without it anyway.

How many cardamom pods would you suggest to begin with in your vegetable dish above Pranjal?

Would this recipe work well with eggplant?

It also sounds as though it would be very good with cauliflower.

Lee

LOL san, I love a man with humor.

Lee, you'd have to fry/bake sliced eggplant (sprinkle salt, red chilli pwd) and add it at the very end (I'm assuming you intend to throw in some more veggies - capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, French beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage go well; lemme know if you need an eggplant-only recipe!), else I think it would go soft.

4-5 cardamom pods should be enough (I mostly use powder, a lil more than 1t). When I cook I set out the jars of all the spices I'd need, then go on adding - I don't measure, except for red chilli pwd and pepper pwd. I think it's just a matter of getting used to ... and you sure look like you'll get there soon, Lee! I showed DH the pics you posted and he was impressed too.

San, for authentic raita, sprinkle chaat masala on it; it's superb for flavour and garnishing. You'd find it at Indian spice markets (Badshah, Everest, Shaan are some brands).

Fragrant slub gum LOL san, please ask your DH to tell us why he calls it that! I made DH say it out loud and he said Fragrant Slug Gunk **Sigh**

It's 01:30AM here and I'm unable to sleep, Chicken Biryani and Prawn Pilaf recipes are battling it out inside my head; let's see which one makes it here Friday. I'm thinking I'll post a recipe every Friday so if you decide to make it, you could get the ingredients and be ready for it on Saturday/Sunday.

I think I'll go out and see if the tomatoes have arrived yet ... I sowed the seeds this evening LOL I'm just so excited, growing tomatoes after ages!

and now i'm laughing! what ted and i know about indian food would fit in a thimble! add to that that we live in a pretty rural area of the state of new hampshire, which has a pretty small ethnic population, and you may know why the chuckling...i dated a metalurgist from india for a few months eons ago and he fixed dinner once or twice for me. all i can remember is continually reaching for a dish of yogurt he had on the table--even the green peas he cooked in some sort of a tomato sauce were too hot for me! lol, LOL!

and thanx for prompting me to ask ted about his "terminology". we had some new friends, christine (from canada) and nassar (from kuwait) who invited us for dinner. the meat course was some sort of ground meat on a skewer and we shared a big bowl of sliced eggplant simmered with onions and a TON of fresh parsley in tomato sauce--it was delicious! either we couldn't remember or couldn't pronouce whatever nassar called it and when i told ted i was going to fix whatever his dish was, he said "oh--the slub gum dish". he said it reminded him of a chinese SUB gum dish he'd had. no, i don't really get it either but that's his story and we're sticking to it.

so i went to google and looked up the spice mix you mentioned, because unless the oriental market in portsmouth (which i know has chinese, japanese and some thai foods) has it, i'm simply out of luck on prpoperly making the raita :) fortunately, neither ted nor i would know the difference...but for others who may also be wondering, i thought this was interesting:

We are including two recipes for chaat masala, the first is quite simple and excludes asafoetieda, Asafoetieda is a pungent spice that smells of sulfur and may be too much for western noses unaccustomed to it. If you can't find black salt, leave it out. There is no substitute for this unusual, smoky tasting form of rock salt. Though it's called black salt, it actually is more of a pinkish colour when pulverized. Amchur, is dried powdered mango that adds the tartness to chaat. It's a handy ingredient for any recipe when you want to add a bit of fruity tartness without additional liquid. The second recipe shows a more extensive list of ingredients to give you some ideas on how to create your own combination. By all means play with the ingredient amounts to reach the balance of sour, salt, and piquancy that suits your personal taste.

Chaat Masala Recipe 1
For quick conversions use our pop-up conversion calculator.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon mint
1 tablespoon amchur (mango powder)
1 tablespoon black salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preparation
Toast and grind cumin and fennel seeds and combine with remaining ingredients. This mixture can be refrigerated and stored in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

Chaat Masala Recipe 2
For quick conversions use our pop-up conversion calculator.

Ingredients
4 teaspoons amchur powder
3 teaspoons roasted cumin seeds, ground
3 teaspoons ground black salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch asafetida powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon roasted coriander seeds, ground
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon roasted fennel seeds or anise seed, ground
1/2 teaspoo ajwain
1/4 teaspoon ground dried mint
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Preparation
Toast and grind cumin and fennel seeds and combine with remaining ingredients. This mixture can be refrigerated and stored in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

Cucumber & Tomato Chaat Salad
This Indian salad punches up a meal with its tart and tangy taste and its crisp, crunchy texture. It makes an ideal partner to dal, naan, raita, and curry dishes. Or serve it alongside western favorites - roast chicken, barbecued ribs, or chili con carne. It uses no oil, so it's low in fat but high in flavour.

Ingredients:
1 small cucumber
1 tomato
1/2 small red onion
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped peeled, fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chaat masala
salt
pepper

Preparation:

If the cucumber is unwaxed, use it whole; if waxed, peel before using. Slice the cucumber into quarters lengthwise, then cut across the strips into 1/4-inch pieces.

Dice the tomato. Chop the red onion.

Combine the cucumber, tomato, red onion, cilantro, ginger, and cumin seeds. At this point the salad may be covered and chilled for up to two hours until ready to serve.

About five minutes before serving, toss the salad with the chaat masala and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Toasting Cumin Seeds: To toast cumin seeds, heat a small, dry skillet on medium heat until hot. Add the seeds and shake the pan. The seeds cook almost instantly, releasing their aroma. Within a few seconds, as soon as you smell their fragrance, turn off the flame, shake the pan again, and pour the seeds out of the pan. Be careful not to overcook the seeds or they'll turn bitter (if this happens, throw them out and start again). I usually toast a teaspoon or so at a time for use in other dishes that day or week, but they do lose their flavor quickly.

pranjal, that recipe sounds really good but since we keep kosher, I can't put yogurt (or other dairy products) in a chicken dish. Is there anything you suggest that I should put in to replace the yogurt?

Would soy yogurt work?

Cloud, I'm not familiar with soy yoghurt, so used Barnmom's suggestion to google your query and found you could add soy yoghurt (for the taste and gravy consistency) and a meat tenderizer that contains papain (the lactic acid in yoghurt acts as a tenderizer) instead. Below is the link to where I found this info.

I learn new things everyday here, thanks to all of you!

Here is a link that might be useful: Soy yoghurt in meat dishes

Was half asleep when I posted a few minutes back ... San, that's a funny story ... and that eggplant dish sounds delicious! I googled it immediately LOL, and found the link I've added below. Please could you post your recipe for it?

Thanx a ton for the details on chaat masala; I really didn't know so much stuff went into it. I guess I take too much for granted :) I'm praying I never, ever have to make that masala at home! LOL

Hey you know what, I make raita without chaat masala all the time (I don't like chaat), but DH is the sort who has to have everything the correct, authentic way :D so I make him set aside a bowl of plain raita for me, and the remaining he can do with as he pleases; he sometimes also adds a dash of red curry powder on top just for it to look colourful :( I find that too spicy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nassar's Slub gum ;-)

Pranjal, I'm finally getting back to this thread. Have your tomatoes arrived yet?

I'll be watching for your next recipe on Friday and then I'll decide between the new one and the Dum Murgh which sounds very good to me. And yes, I would love a recipe that features eggplant.

In the mean time I would love it if you would jump into the What's for Dinner thread and share what you have for dinner in Abu Dhabi - Indian and other dishes. I know I'm not the only one who would really enjoy knowing more about life in the UAE.

Lee

I'm loving these recipes!

Not to hijack the thread but san, your comment about your husband's refernence to slum gub made me laugh. My gramacita used to refer to similar dishes as "slumgullion". Out of curiosity, I just looked it up, to find out it really is a word -- sort of.

slumgul·lion [sluhm-guhl-yuhn, sluhm-guhl-] noun
1. a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
2. a beverage made weak or thin, as watery tea, coffee, or the like.
3. the refuse from processing whale carcasses.
4. a reddish, muddy deposit in mining sluices.

[Origin: 1840Â50, Americanism; cf. Scots, Hiberno-E gullion quagmire, cesspool]
American Heritage Dictionary
slum·gul·lion (slÅ­m-gÅ­l'yÉn)
n. A watery meat stew.

[Perhaps slum, muddy deposit in a mining sluice + dialectal gullion, mud (perhaps from Irish Gaelic goilín, pit).]

Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
slumgullion
noun

a thin stew of meat and vegetables

well alison--perhaps my DH wasn't as far off the mark as i had assumed all these years :)

and thank you pranjal--i had meant to get back to this earlier but got lost somehwere along the line this week. i don't have a recipe for the slub gum. i tried pan-frying the thickly sliced eggplant but found i was happier with the texture if i steamed it a little bit. while it was cooling off, i'd pan fry some ground beef and onions and gave the whole pan a decent coating of fresh clopped parsley and then turned off the heat to let the mix sort of absorb some of the parsley flavor. then just add a large can of chopped tomatoes in their juice and the eggplant and salt and pepper and let it simmer for awhile. if it wasn't our main course, i didn't add beef--just used it as a side dish instead.

but i wanted to tell you how good the chicken was! i'd forgotten what a good tenderizer yogurt was and i wasn't sure how ted would like it, but it was a great change of pace for us. my cinnamon sticks were older than i thought and i didn't use all the cumin called for, but we'll be playing around with that recipe again. i had monday off and went to the oriental market i mentioned to see what things i could find and they were closed for veterans' day! but i really appreciated the push to try something new!

I love Indian food and make several lentil and garbanzo recipes in that style. I'm not sure what I'm making, but I just mix spices to taste. I found a mild curry powder that I like as well as a garam masala, but I also keep cardamom pods, fenugreek, ginger paste, coriander seeds, cumin, and many other spices on hand. I do use cinnamon as well, but I generally decrease the amount because I don't like that flavor as well, although it does need a certain amount to make it taste right. When I make curry paste, I leave the cinnamon out altogether, however. I have a very good Indian market about two miles from that is also a wholesale distributor nationwide. They even stock fresh curry leaves. They also sell brown basmati rice at a very good price.

Lars

Lee, I'm so sorry I didn't check this thread again. And I'm late in posting the Shrimp Pilaf recipe ... been jobhunting - shuttling between Abu Dhabi and Dubai - and seriously wondering if I should move back to Dubai (better jobs there and Abu Dhabi doesn't offer many opportunities). Well I'd love to jump into the WFD threads ... except I haven't had anything other than salad-sandwich meals the past few days LOL Maybe tomorrow I'll make some Indian food and post about it. Tomatoes, pansies, phlox, butterfly pea, I saw them all peeking out shyly at the world some days back :)

San, thanks for the slub gum recipe, I'll try it out soon; and thanks for the feedback too, glad you liked this dish.

Alison, Slumgullion would be even more difficult for DH to pronounce LOL I'll try that on him for sure!

Lars, I too mostly mix spices to taste; I love cinnamon sticks/pwd and cardamom (powder ONLY) in meat curries, but cumin and coriander seeds I don't fancy all that much. What is the brand name of the mild curry powder? I'll have to see if I get it here, I don't eat very spicy food.

I had chicken curry while on vacation and was surprised by the lack of heat. After working on my curry I found I prefer a more Thai style with lots of heat. The local grocers have started to carry coconut and tamarind juice in cans so that really helps.

Thanks for posting some "authentic" recipes. I live in an area that is poor and rural so we don't see anything more exotic then Mc Donald's. When hungry for something interesting and different I have to figure it out myself... with a little help from my cf friends.

: )
lyra

About 4:23 in the morning. Can't sleep and everything hurts... probably the flu coming on.