Yes, I do. I'm from here but my dh is from India (southern,) so I have done a fair amount of Indian cooking. If you have an Indian grocery store nearby, they sell the ingredients for less than you'd find in the a regular grocery store. Can I help you with anything?

My kids were raised on what I called "ethnic peasant food." I was always cooking dishes from other countries--often vegetarian, as we had the tofu business. I was exposed to Indian food at an early age, as my parents loved to make curries. And of course ethnic restaurants abound in NYC.

Where I live now, the local health food store sells Indian spices. I'm frugal, but I'm having a hard time imagining how a 39-cent purchase could be considered expensive for anything. LOL

Alisande, it wasn't the 39 cents that I found expensive, although it was, in comparison to the 9 cents for the same amount of another spice.

It was the $56.67 per kilogram (2.2 lb) that the 39 cent cardomom translated into!!

Sjerin, I'm planning on making Chicken Biryani. I have most of the spices, but some I'm leaving out, e.g. saffron. I'm going to use powdered cinnamon vs cinnamon sticks (the bulk store didn't have sticks).

Do you make Biryani, and can pass on your recipe? Either here or via email. I know there are 2 versions depending on the region. I like the Pakistani version because the chicken and rice are cooked partway separately, then finished together, vs the other style where the chicken is cooked raw with the rice in layers.

Hi again jasdip,

You'll have to get some earth in a pot ...

... and grow your own!

ole joyful

P.S. Heck - get a dozen pots ... sell the surplus to the Bulk Barn!

Oh, right - you haven't been inspected.

o j

Hmm, biryani, huh? Not my strong suit as only the vegetarian version is made in the south. Are you using basamati rice? If so, try to soak it for at least 1/2 an hour and then drain before you cook it (easy on the water,) as the grains will come out more separate that way. Yes, I've also only cooked the two parts separately, then combined towards the end which I think makes the rice come out better. I believe the chicken portion will come out a little bit soupy but that's good, because it will meld better with the rice and the rice will absorb the liquid as it stands. Since I know you're a really good cook, I'm sure you know to go easy on the cinnamon; it can be overpowering. Are you using the cardomom in their pods or breaking them open and crushing the seeds? The former will give a much more subtle flavor. Can I ask which other spices you will be using? I wish I had a t&t recipe I can give you, but I have only used recipes for meat dishes out of books and haven't even made the vegetarian version that often--too lazy!

You've got mail, sjerin

My email is almost the same, but ends in: att.net (instead of earthlink.net). I forgot about the change and will correct it now.

VahChef makes wonderful Briyani and you can find recipes at VahRehVah.com or check out his youtube videos.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chicken Briyani

Ruthie, have you got a T&T one?
I've copied about 3 recipes and am going to muddle among them and kind of tweak them to suit me.

I'm not going to layer the chicken and rice and cook it that way, but cook them separate and then combine at the end. The Pakistani way.

That's my project for tomorrow.

Sjerin, your email is missing from your members page.....

I love mild curries. Yummmm.

Jasdip--Hopefully, you've got mail.

I make mine just like he does........I learned to cook Indian food just by watching youtube videos and reading at a couple of websites. There were lots of Indian people in our area of MA and wonderful spice shops. I wasn't sure how many spices I would find in TX so I brought $40 worth of my favorite.

Have you tried any of the flat bread....easy and good.

Be prepared to have your apartment smell like Indian Spices for at least a day.