Summer Coolers in Egypt

The last few recipes posted below were published by me in an article in the Oasis magazine in Egypt.

Here is what it looked like in print.



Appeared in Summer 2008 Issue.

Summer Coolers

Karishma Pais (Kim)

Now that the temperatures are regularly crossing 40C, maybe most of you like me are more interested in consuming cooling liquids and eating light salads.

While the aerated beverages are easy and seem convenient, they are most definitely not the best thing for your family’s health. There are the easy options available like the fresh orange juice sold at Metro (clean & healthy) and the many bottled fruit juices from Isis. I find the Isis juices a little strong and like to dilute them a bit with water.

Options with a little work involved are milkshakes with Nesquick or Vitrac’s flavored syrups. The almond one is especially yum.

But if you don’t mind putting in a little effort, then there is a vast mouth watering and thirst quenching range of drinks that you can prepare by yourself at home, with ingredients easily available in Egypt. The advantage is that you know that you have prepared them from healthy ingredients without any additives, artificial colors or preservatives. You can easily substitute the sugar in any of these recipes with Stevia or Splenda. Please note that the quantities mentioned are indicative. You can adjust them to your own taste.

Fresh Lime Juice/Lemonade

Squeeze the juice of 5-8 lemons (depending on size) into a pitcher. Discard the seeds. Add sugar and salt to taste. Fill with water. This can be kept chilling in the fridge and consumed over a 24 hour period.

Fresh Orange Juice

Squeeze 2 oranges and strain the juice. Add sugar to taste. Cool in the refrigerator before serving. If you want to drink it really fresh – store the oranges in the refrigerator before squeezing.

Almond Sherbet

Blanch half a kilo of almonds and skin them. Make a thin puree of the nuts in a blender/liquidizer adding a little water if necessary. (You can do this in multiple lots depending on the capacity of your blender)

Make a syrup with quarter kilo sugar (1.25 cups) and one liter water, cooking till it reaches single thread consistency.

Pour the almond puree into the syrup and cook till thickened, taking care to keep stirring.

The syrup should be thick but of pouring consistency.

You can add a teaspoon of rose water at this stage if you like.

Cool and fill into bottles.

It can be refrigerated for 2 weeks.

Serve diluted with water or milk and crushed ice.

Tamarind Juice

Very refreshing in the summers.

Clean 1/4 kg of tamarind, cover it with water (about 1.5 liters) and boil for 5 minutes. Then let it soak in that water for at least 6 hours.

Strain the liquid of any solid pieces. Add 2 cups of sugar.

Bottle & refrigerate.

Dilute with chilled water when you want to drink it.

Home made Karkadih

Rinse ¼ kg dried karkadih. Add one liter water and boil for 5 minutes.

Let it soak in that water for at least 1 hour.

Strain and sweeten with 1 cup sugar.

Bottle and refrigerate.

Dilute with chilled water when you want to drink it.

Lassi

This is a staple in most Indian households during the hot summer months. It cools down the body completely and can be had in sweet or salty versions. There are so many flavors that you can add to the basic lassi. Below are a few versions to get you started.

Whisk together 450ml yoghurt (plain) with 300ml cold water. The consistency should be that of full cream milk. This is your basic lassi.

Flavor with a pinch of ginger or 1 sliced green chilli or cumin powder or a teaspoon of shredded mint or a teaspoon of chopped cilantro. Stir well. You can add salt to taste.

For a sweet version, add sugar to taste (about 1 teaspoon) to the yoghurt and water blend. You can flavor it with a dash of rose essence or orange blossom water.

For a really fancy lassi, garnish the sweet version with a tablespoon of crushed almonds or pistachios.

For a healthy lassi, whisk the mixture with 2 tablespoons of pureed fruit.

Amar al Din- Apricot juice

Get those pressed Apricot sheets from the grocery store (they are normally sold in yellow cellophane paper and are widely available during Ramadan, but even now you can find them)

Cut the Apricot sheets into thin strips and cover with cold water. Soak them until the strips dissolve.

Strain away the solid pieces and sweeten the juice to taste.

Bottle and refrigerate.

Dilute with chilled water when you want to drink it.

Watermelon Cocktail

Cut watermelon into small cubes and deseed.

Sprinkle some lemon juice and sugar on top.

Add a few shredded mint leaves.

Cover and chill.

Serve in cocktail glasses as is or after pureeing the mix.

Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Fresh Juices

There are a wide variety of fruits available in the market. You can prepare fresh juices by pureeing the flesh of these fruits, adding sugar to taste and diluting with water or milk.

Remember : Citrus fruits don’t go very well with milk.

Try out some combinations on your own and maybe next year, you could be writing your recipes for the Oasis J

Kim has a background in HR and freelances as an Intercultural Trainer, Writer and HR Consultant. Currently she is a trailing wife in Egypt and uses her training, counseling and empathy skills to help other expats adjust to the move. She blogs about Egypt at http://whazzupegypt.blogspot.com

Fresh Juices

There are a wide variety of fruits available in the market at any given time.

You can prepare fresh juices by pureeing the flesh of these fruits, adding sugar to taste and diluting with water or milk.

Remember :
Citrus fruits don’t go very well with milk.
Apples taste better with milk.
Watermelon goes with water and milk.
Bananas go better with milk.
Dry fruits go great with milk. Garnish with sliced nuts for a fancy drink

Recipe : Watermelon Cocktail

Cut watermelon into small cubes and deseed.

Sprinkle some lemon juice and sugar on top.

Add a few shredded mint leaves.

Cover and chill.

Serve in cocktail glasses as is or after pureeing the mix.

Garnish with a sprig of mint.

It can even be blended with crushed ice for Watermelon Granitas.

Hit the drink or cocktail pieces with a dash of Vodka for a fancy appetiser/cocktail

Recipe : Amar al Din- Apricot juice

Get pressed Apricot sheets from the grocery store (they are normally sold in yellow cellophane paper in Egypt and are widely available during Ramadan, but you can find them in small quantities throughout the year) Texture and look is very similar to the Indian Aamsaat - but this isn't as sour.

The same recipe can be used for making juice from Aamsaat too.

Cut the Apricot sheets into thin strips and cover with cold water. Soak them until the strips dissolve.

Strain away the solid pieces and sweeten the juice to taste.

Bottle and refrigerate.

Dilute with chilled water when you want to drink it.

Recipe : Lassi - Indian Yoghurt Drink

This is a staple in most Indian households during the hot summer months. It cools down the body completely and can be had in sweet or salty versions. There are so many flavors that you can add to the basic lassi. Below are a few versions to get you started.

Whisk together 450ml yoghurt (plain) with 300ml cold water. The consistency should be that of full cream milk. This is your basic lassi. Very similar in fact to the Turkish - Ayran - but in my opinion, the lassi is more flavourful.

Flavor with a pinch of ginger or 1 sliced green chilli or cumin powder or a teaspoon of shredded mint or a teaspoon of chopped cilantro. Stir well. You can add salt to taste.

For a sweet version, add sugar to taste (about 1 teaspoon) to the yoghurt and water blend. You can flavor it with a dash of rose essence or orange blossom water.

For a really fancy lassi, garnish the sweet version with a tablespoon of crushed almonds or pistachios.

For a healthy and sweet lassi, whisk the mixture with 2 tablespoons of pureed fruit.

The best lassis are served in the Sindh/Punjab area of India. The version of lassi that you will be served here will also be very high on malai (the cream that forms on the top when boiling milk) When I request the malai to be removed from my lassi in the Punjab area my glass turns half empty! Thats how much cream is added to the drink!

More interesting stories about lassi: When Washing machines were first introduced in the Punjab region they weren't selling too well, as the tough Punjabi women did not think that a machine could give the clothes the beating and scrubbing required to turn them clean.

An enterprising salesman then sold the top loading machines as lassi churners and showed the women how to use the spin cycle to churn up some really frothy lassis!

Recipe : Karkadih - Hibiscus Drink

This is an Egyptian Specialty. The dried Hibiscus flowers are easily available in the markets of Egypt.

This drink is drunk hot in the winter (as a herbal tea) and cold in the summer as a juice.

It has been medically proven to
be high in Vitamin C (good for building immunity)
soothes colds & coughs
calms the nerves
detoxifies the system
lowers blood pressure

Rinse 1/4kg dried karkadih.
Add one liter water and boil for 5 minutes.
Let it soak in that water for at least 1 hour.
Strain and sweeten with 1 cup sugar.
Bottle and refrigerate.

A few sticks of cinnamon can also be used when boiling the karkadih.

Dilute with chilled water when you want to drink it cold.
Dilute with boiling water when you want to drink it hot.

The taste is similar to kokum juice or birinda juice (consumed in the konkan regions of India)

Recipe : Tamarind Juice

Very refreshing in the summers.

Clean 1/4 kg of tamarind, cover it with water (about 1.5 liters) and boil for 5 minutes. Then let it soak in that water for at least 6 hours.

Strain the liquid of any solid pieces. Add 2 cups of sugar.

Bottle & refrigerate.
Dilute with chilled water when you want to drink it.

Recipe : Almond Sherbet

Blanch half a kilo of almonds and skin them. Make a thin puree of the nuts in a blender/liquidizer adding a little water if necessary. (You can do this in multiple lots depending on the capacity of your blender)

Make a syrup with quarter kilo sugar (1.25 cups) and one liter water, cooking till it reaches single thread consistency.

Pour the almond puree into the syrup and cook till thickened, taking care to keep stirring.

The syrup should be thick but of pouring consistency.

You can add a teaspoon of rose water at this stage if you like.

Cool and fill into bottles.
It can be refrigerated for 2 weeks.

Serve diluted with water or milk and crushed ice.

Recipe : Fresh Orange Juice

Squeeze 2 oranges and strain the juice. Add sugar to taste. Cool in the refrigerator before serving. If you want to drink it really fresh – store the oranges in the refrigerator before squeezing.

Recipe : Fresh Lime Juice/Lemonade

Squeeze the juice of 5-8 lemons (depending on size) into a pitcher. Discard the seeds. Add sugar and salt to taste. Fill with water. This can be kept chilling in the fridge and consumed over a 24 hour period.

Recipe : Perizaad Zorabian's mothers recipe for Prawn Pilaf (Pulao)

Found this recipe floating in cyberspace and tried it out, it was quite good.

1kg basmati rice
pinch of saffron
1/2 tsp red color
juice of 1 lemon
8 tbsp oil
3 large onions
8 cloves
8 flakes garlic
1 tsp jeera powder
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp corriander+ jeera powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 green chillies
1 kg prawns shelled
3 large tomatoes
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp brown vinegar
salt to taste
4 tbsp ghee
a handful of freshly chopped corriander for garnish
4 halved hard boiled eggs, halved
onion slices to serve

Parboil the rice in salted water, drain and set aside.
Add saffron, colour and lemon juice to the rice.
Heat oil in a large pan.
Grind the cloves and garlic to a paste.
Add chopped onion, cloves garlic paste, jeera, chilli powder, dhania-jeera powder, turmeric powder and sliced green chillies. Fry till cooked.
Add washed and lightly squeezed prawns and fry for 5 minutes
Add chopped tomato, sugar, vinegar and salt and simmer till prawns are cooked.

To assemble the pilau, grease a degchi (broad based heavy pan) with the ghee.
Add a layer of rice, a layer of the prawn mix and another layer of rice on top.
Melt the remaining ghee and pour over the rice.
Cover the degchi and let the pilau cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Garnish with chopped corriander and boiled eggs.
Serve with sliced onions.

Recipe : Mulberry Cobbler

A recipe given to me by a friend. Very simple and easy to make, with no eggs. So pure vegetarian. Plus a lot of the sweetness comes form the fruit that you use and you can decide to cut down on the sugar if you prefer.

Mix together
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
till smooth and no lumps.
(the recipe did not call for it, but I added a pinch of baking powder and a bit of vanilla essence)

Melt a bit of butter (about half a stick) to coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan and then some.

Pour the flour batter over the butter. Pour fruit over the flour mixture. Do not stir.

Bake at 350 for about an hour.

Any fruit with its juice can be used for eg:
a can of peaches
blackberries, blueberries or nectarines.
Any bakeable fruit - fresh or tinned.

If you are using fresh fruit, depending on the sweetness of the fruit, you may want to toss it in some powdered sugar.

I used mulberries that were a bit tart, so I did sprinkle powdered sugar over the fruit before adding them to the flour mixture.


I apologise that the pictures haven't come out too well. husband has taken the cameras on his trip and I had to take these with the camera phone which doesn't have the best resolution or flash.

Serve hot cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (so as not to overpower the flavour of the fruit)

Spice : Thyme

Latin Name: Thymus vulgaris

Alternate Names: Garden Thyme, Wild Thyme

Family: LAMIACEAE

Parts Used: Above ground portion.

Properties: Antibacterial, Anthelmintic, Antifungal, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antitussive, Aromatic, Astringent, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Immune Stimulant, Rejuvenative, Rubefacient, Sedative, Stimulant, Tonic, Vermifuge, Vulnerary.

Internal Uses: Alcoholism, Appetite Loss, Asthma, Bronchitis, Catarrh, Colds, Colic, Cough, Depression, Diarrhea, Dysmenorrhea, Dyspepsia, Flatulence, Flu, Gastritis, Hangovers, Hay Fever, Headache, Herpes, Hysteria, Indigestion, Laryngitis, Pleurisy, Shingles, Sinusitis, Sore Throat, Stomachache, Tetanus, Tuberculosis, Whooping Cough, Worms

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules.

Small amounts are a sedative whereas larger amounts are a stimulant. It is used against hookworm, roundworms, and threadworms. Thyme warms and stimulates the lungs, expels mucus and relieves congestion. It also helps deter bacterial, fungal and viral infections. Both thymol and carvacrol have a relaxing effect upon the gastrointestinal tract's smooth muscles.

Topical Uses: Acne, Arthritis, Asthma, Athlete's Foot, Blemishes, Bronchitis, Bruises, Burns, Candida, Colds, Crabs, Dandruff, Dental Decay, Depression, Eye Soreness, Flu, Fungal Infection, Halitosis, Insect Bites, Insect Stings, Laryngitis, Lice, Mastitis, Mouth Sores, Muscle Soreness, Parasites, Plaque, Rheumatism, Ringworm, Scabies, Sciatica, Sore Throat, Thrush, Tonsillitis, Warts, Wounds

Topical Applications: Gargle and mouthwash for dental decay, laryngitis, mouth sores, plaque formation, sore throat, thrush, tonsillitis, and bad breath. Compress for lung congestion such as asthma, bronchitis, colds and flu. Poultice for wounds, mastitis, insect bites and stings. Wash for fungal infections such as athlete's foot and ringworm, and use against parasites such as crabs, lice and scabies. Douche for Candida. Compress for bruises. Use as an eyewash for sore eyes and as a hair rinse for dandruff. Use a salve on acne, blemishes, burns and wounds. Use as a bath herb for sore muscles, arthritis, and colds. Essential oil is added to soaps and antidepressant inhalations. Added to massage oils for sore muscles, rheumatism and sciatica, and applied directly to warts. Used as a strewing herb in Middle Ages.

Culinary uses: Added to soups, stews, vegetables, chicken, jams, fruit salads, bouquets garni, gumbos, and Benedictine liqueur. Aids in the digestion of high fat foods. Used to preserve meat. Thyme honey, made when bees collect pollen from thyme flowers, is excellent.

Energetics: Pungent, Bitter, Warm, Dry.

Chemical Constituents: Essential oil (borneol, carvacrol, cymol, linalool, thymol), bitter principle, tannin, flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin), saponins, triterpenic acids.

Contraindications: Avoid therapeutic doses during pregnancy. As with most essential oils, it must be diluted before applying to the skin.

Comments: The genus name Thymus may be derived from the Greek word thymon meaning 'courage' as it was once used as a bath herb by Roman soldiers to help them be more courageous. It also helps people to speak up more courageously. Or perhaps it was from the Greek thymon, 'to fumigate', as it has been used as an incense. The species name serpyllum for Wild Thyme may be due to the plant's creeping snakelike appearance and in reference to the ancient treatment of snakebites and the bites of poisonous sea creatures with Thyme. The plant was burned in ancient Roman times to deter scorpions.

It is still used for embalming. Oil of Thyme was used during World War I to treat infection and to help relieve pain. On Midsummer Night's Eve, fairies are said to dance on beds of Thyme.

Its energetic is mildly bitter.

The common name Thyme includes the species Thymus serpyllum (Wild Thyme), which is used interchangeably with Thymus vulgaris (Garden Thyme).

Spice : Basil

Latin Name: Ocimum basilicum

Alternate Names: Sweet Basil, Garden Basil, Tulsi (Ayurvedic), Lui Le (Chinese), Tulsi (Sanskrit And Hindi)

Family: LAMIACEAE

Parts Used: Above ground portion.

Properties: Antibacterial, Antidepressant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Carminative, Circulatory Stimulant, Diaphoretic, Digestive Tonic, Expectorant, Febrifuge, Galactagogue, Immune Stimulant, Nervine, Parturient, Sedative.

Internal Uses: Alcoholism, Anxiety, Bronchitis, Colds, Cough, Depression, Drug Overdose, Drug Withdrawal, Exhaustion, Fever, Flatulence, Headache, Marijuana Overdose, Mental Fogginess, Nausea, Placenta Delivery, Rheumatism, Sinus Congestion, Stomachache, Vomiting

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules.

Topical Uses: Acne, Eye Fatigue, Fatigue, Fungal Infection, Insect Bites, Insect Repellent, Muscle Soreness, Ringworm, Thrush

Topical Applications: Poultice or salve for insect bites, acne and ringworm. Gargle or mouthwash for thrush. Bath herb for energy. Eyewash for tired eyes. Smell essential oil to gain a second wind when fatigued. Essential oil added to massage oils for sore muscles. Burn dried herb as an antiseptic incense. Having a pot of Basil on the table helps to repel flies and mosquitoes. Juice is applied to fungal infections.

Culinary uses: Dips, dressings, eggs, fish, meats, salads, tomato sauces, pesto, Soupe au Pistou. Chartreuse.

Energetics: Pungent, Warm, Dry.

Chemical Constituents: Essential oil (estragol, eugenol, lineol, linalol), caffeic acid, tannins, beta carotene, vitamin C.

Contraindications: Pregnant women should avoid therapeutic doses.

Comments: The name originates from the Greek, basilikon phuton, meaning 'kingly or royal herb.' In India, Basil was held in such high esteem that it was used in courts to swear upon, and next to the Lotus it was considered one of the most sacred plants. Was used as an embalming herb in Ancient Egypt. In some parts of Mexico, Basil is carried in one's pocket to attract money and keep a lover faithful.

Spice : Rosemary

Latin Name: Rosmarinus officinalis

Alternate Names: Sea Dew, Our Lady's Rose, Rosemarine

Family: LAMIACEAE

Parts Used: Above ground portion.

Properties: Anodyne, Antibacterial, Antidepressant, Antifungal, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Aromatic, Astringent, Cardiotonic, Carminative, Cholagogue, Circulatory Stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Digestive Tonic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Hypertensive, Nervine, Rejuvenative, Stimulant, Stomach Tonic, Tonic.

Internal Uses: Anxiety, Asthma, Debility, Depression, Dyspepsia, Epilepsy, Fatigue, Flatulence, Food Poisoning, Headache, Rheumatism, Stress, Vertigo

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules.

A study done at Rutgers State University found that Rosemary had preservative qualities more powerful and safer than the common food additives BHA and BHT. It helps prevent food poisoning.

Topical Uses: Balding, Canker Sores, Capillary Weakness, Dandruff, Gingivitis, Gray Hair, Headache, Insect Repellent, Muscle Soreness, Neuralgia, Sciatica, Sore Throat

Topical Applications: Skin toner as a rejuvenative. Important ingredient in Queen of Hungary water, a popular beauty tonic. When used on the skin it helps to strengthen the capillaries. Sachets of dried Rosemary are placed in a pillowcase to stimulate dreams. Bath herb acts as a rejuvenative and helps sore muscles. Gargle for sore throat, gum ailments, canker sores and breath freshener. Eyewash. Used in shampoos and conditioners for dandruff, dark hair premature graying and hair loss. It is a potpourri ingredient that repels moths. Essential oil is used in perfume, toothpaste, insect repellants and massage oil, as well as a liniment for neuralgia, sciatica and sore muscles. Add a few drops of Rosemary oil to a freshly washed hairbrush for delightfully aromatic hair.

Culinary uses: Add to vegetables, soups, breads, biscuits and jellies . Used to flavor tofu, eggs, seafood and meat dishes. Cooking with Rosemary aids the digestion of fats and starches.

Energetics: Pungent, Bitter, Warm, Dry.

Chemical Constituents: Essential oil (borneol, camphor, cineole, linalol, verbenol), tannins, flavonoids (apigenin, diosmin, luteolin), rosmarinic acid, rosmaricine, heterosides, triterpene (ursolic acid, oleanic acid), resin.

Contraindications: Avoid excessively large doses which can cause miscarriage, convulsions and -- if one really pushes it - death.

Comments: The genus and common name are derived from the Latin ros marinus, meaning 'dew of the sea' as the plant grows profusely near the Mediterranean sea coast and sea foam sprays upon it. Rosemary has long been considered a symbol of friendship and loyalty -- 'Rosemary is for remembrance'. Ancient Greek scholars would wear laurels of Rosemary on their heads to help them when taking examinations. In weddings, brides would wear a wreath of Rosemary and carry it in their bridal bouquets so that they would remember their families and their marriage vows. It was also used at funerals and religious ceremonies as protection from evil and to remember the dead. It was often buried with the dead as well. Indeed its antiseptic aroma could help prevent the spread of infection. During the sixteenth century, Europeans carried pouches of Rosemary to ward off the plague. The branches were strewn in legal courts to prevent the spread of typhus. It has been burned in sick rooms and placed in books to deter moths.

Spice : Oregano

Latin Name: Origanum vulgare

Alternate Names: Wild Marjoram

Family: LAMIACEAE

Parts Used: Above ground portion.

Properties: Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Aromatic, Carminative, Cholagogue, Diaphoretic, Digestive Tonic, Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Stimulant, Stomach Tonic, Tonic.

Internal Uses: Amenorrhea, Bronchitis, Colic, Cough, Dysmenorrhea, Dyspepsia, Fever, Flatulence, Headache, Indigestion, Measles, Motion Sickness, Mumps, Nausea, Neuralgia, Pleurisy, Rheumatism, Tonsillitis

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules.

It helps headaches due to nerves.

Topical Uses: Bruises, Colds, Congestion, Flu, Headache, Joint Pain, Sinus Congestion, Sprains, Swellings, Toothache

Topical Applications: Use as a liniment, poultice or compress for bruises, sprains, swellings, headache and painful joints. Bath herb for colds and flu. Inhalations of tea to clear congested lungs and sinuses. Hair rinse. Chew on leaves or apply diluted oil for toothaches. Perfume.

Culinary uses: Used to season vegetables and sauces in German, Greek, Italian, Mexican and Spanish cooking. Use to season pizza, chili, meat dishes, beans, eggs, relishes, dips and salad dressing. Used in bouquets, garnishes, beer, bitters and vermouth. Energetics: Pungent, Warm.

Chemical Constituents: Essential oil (carvacrol, thymol), terpenes (borneol, terpinene, terpineol), flavonoids, tannins, bitters.

Contraindications: Avoid large medicinal dosages during pregnancy.

Comments: The genus name, Origanum is from the Greek words oros and ganos, meaning 'joy of the mountain' in reference to the plant's beauty when growing on mountainsides. Romans made wreaths of Oregano to crown young couples.

Spice : Bayleaf

Greek name and pronunciation: Daphni, pronounced THAHF-nee (hard th sound)

At the market: Dried bay leaves, either crushed or whole, are readily available in disposable containers. It is also sold at herb farms for a kitchen herb garden.

Physical characterisitcs: Usually encountered in dried form, bay leaves are 1 1/2 - 3 inches long and are elliptical or lance shaped. Leaves are greenish-tan, and look leathery and slightly waxy, with a natural wave pattern around the edges. Leaves have a central fibrous channel (stem extension) with pronounced branching channels.

Usage: In cooking, bay leaves are used to flavor soups, stews, meat and fish dishes. They are excellent used in tomato-rich recipes. Olive oil and apple cider vinegar seasoned with bay leaves may be used to further enrich a fresh garden salad.

Bay leaves are used to add a woodsy taste during cooking, and are generally removed from the dish before serving.

Substitutes: Indian bay leaves, boldo leaves (use less, this has a stronger flavor), juniper berries (for meats)

Origin, History, and Mythology: Bay laurel trees are indigenous to the Mediterranean and parts of India and Africa. Used primarily as a flavoring herb in Greek cooking, bay leaves are used by Bedouins in parts of Saharan Africa to flavor their coffees.

It has been cultivated as a shrub and tree since the time of Homer, the ancient Greek writer and philosopher. Homer's "Odyssey" mentions bay laurel as an herb and medicine used by Ulysses.

Greeks of antiquity considered the bay laurel a sacred tree because of folklore associating the tree with both Apollo and Zeus. Pythia, Apollo's priestess and Oracle of Delphi, is said to have chewed bay leaves as part of the oracular process. In an earlier era at Delphi, Apollo is said to have made a wreath or crown from laurel to signify his victory over, slaying of, the dragon Python - the original "crown of victory," which was later (in history) bestowed upon winning atheletes at the Pythian games (at Delphi) and at the Olympian games of Greek antiquity.

Greek mythology also gave the herb its Greek name. Daphne, a beautiful nymph and daughter of the river god Peneios (Lathonas) and earth goddes Ge, was transformed by her parents into a bay laurel tree in order to retain her virginity and to escape Apollo's lustful pursuit. Hence, bay laurel is associated with purity and acts of purification.

Spice : Sage

Latin Name: Salvia officinalis

Alternate Names: Garden Sage, Red Sage, Shu-wei-tsao (Chinese), Dalmation Sage

Family: LAMIACEAE

Parts Used: Above ground portion.

Properties: Anaphrodisiac, Antifungal, Antigalactagogue, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antisudorific, Aromatic, Astringent, Cerebral Tonic, Carminative, Choleretic, Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Diaphoretic, Hypoglycemic, Nervine, Phytoestrogenic, Rejuvenative, Tonic, Vermifuge.

Internal Uses: Anxiety, Blood Clots, Candida, Colds, Congestion, Cystitis, Depression, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Dysmenorrhea, Dyspepsia, Fever, Flatulence, Flu, Hot Flashes, Indigestion, Insomnia, Laryngitis, Lymphatic Congestion, Memory Loss, Menopause, Migraine, Night Sweats, Profuse Perspiration, Rheumatism, Spermatorrhea, Staphylococcus, Worms

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture,Capsules.

Sage tends to have a drying effect and has even been used for excessive saliva production in those with Parkinson's Disease. It also helps women who have excessive menses.

Topical Uses: Asthma, Dandruff, Eczema, Gingivitis, Gray Hair, Insect Bites, Laryngitis, Leukorrhea, Mouth Sores, Oily Scalp, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Psoriasis, Sore Throat, Tonsillitis, Wounds

Topical Applications: Poultice of fresh leaves for insect bites and wounds. Gargle for mouth sores, laryngitis, sore throat, sore gums and tonsillitis. Wash for eczema, poison ivy or oak and psoriasis. Hair rinse for dandruff and oily scalp, and to darken gray hair. Douche for leukorrhea. Facial steam, breath freshening toothpaste ingredient. Fresh leaves are rubbed on teeth as a whitening agent. Used in deodorants as an antiperspirant. Dried herb is burned for purification of negative energy. Leaves have traditionally been smoked to relieve asthma. It helps promote mental alertness just by smelling the leaves and has long been used by students cramming for tests.

Culinary uses: Improves the digestion of fatty foods and acts as a natural preservative. Add Sage leaves sparingly to salads, beans, breads, stuffing, soups, stews, cheese dishes, fish and meat dishes. One can make Sage vinegar, Sage butter and Sage wine. Leaves and flowers can be candied.

Energetics: Pungent, Warm, Dry.

Chemical Constituents: Essential oil (thujone, borneol, cineol, camphor, pinene), bitter principle (picrosalvine), flavonoids, tannin, phenolic acid (rosmarinic, caffeic, labiatic), phytoestrogens, resin.

Contraindications: Avoid large doses during pregnancy or for extended periods. Nursing mothers should avoid large doses as it can dry up breast milk. Those with epilepsy may be adversely affected by the thujone content and should avoid large doses of Sage.

Comments: The name Sage is derived from the Latin salvere, meaning 'to be in good health'. An ancient proverb is 'Cur moriatur homo cui Salvia cresit in horto?' translated as 'Why should a man die who has Sage in his garden?' Growing Sage in the Medieval garden was a sign of prosperity. It was also a sign that if the plant flourished, the woman ruled the house.

Spice : Cinnamon Powder

Latin Name: Cinnamomum zeylanicum

Alternate Names: Cassia, Sweet Wood, Gui Zhi

Family: LAURACEAE

Parts Used: Inner bark, twigs.

Properties: Antibacterial, Antifungal, Aphrodisiac, Carminative, Digestive Tonic, Diuretic, Stimulant

Internal Uses: Arthritis, Bedwetting, Colds, Colic, Cough, Diarrhea, Dysentery, Dysmenorrhea, Flatulence, Flu, Headache, Indigestion, Nausea, Vomiting

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules

When making a tea, do not boil for more than a few minutes or the taste will become bitter.

Cinnamon is a delicious herb, used to improve circulation. Its prolonged use is known to beautify the skin and promote a rosy complexion. It helps to dry dampness in the body. Use for people who are always cold and have poor circulation. Inhale on a hollow stick of cinnamon if trying to quit smoking.

Topical Uses: Athlete's Foot, Cigarette Addiction, Fungal Infection

Topical Applications: Use as a hair rinse for dark hair, or as a toothpaste flavoring to freshen breath. As a wash, it prevents and cures fungal infections such as athletes foot. Use in massage oil for lovers. Place Cinnamon in sachets to repel moths.

Culinary uses: Apple dishes, baked goods, chocolate, coffee, curries, French toast, egg nog, teas, pickles, puddings, rice dishes, wine.

Energetics: Sweet, Pungent, Hot, Dry.

Chemical Constituents: Cinnamaldehyde, gum, tannin, mannitol, coumarins, essential oils (aldehydes, eugenol, pinene).

Contraindications: Avoid during hot, feverish conditions. Not for hemorrhoids, dry stools or blood in the urine. Avoid large amounts during pregnancy.

Comments: Cinnamon was used in ancient Egypt for embalming. In ancient times it was added to food to prevent spoiling. During the Bubonic Plague, sponges were soaked in cinnamon and cloves and placed in sick rooms. It was the most sought after spice during explorations of the 15th and 16th centuries. It has also been burned as an incense. The smell of Cinnamon is pleasant, stimulates the senses, yet calms the nerves. Its smell is reputed to attract customers to a place of business.

The common name Cinnamon encompasses many varieties, including Cinnamomum cassia and Cinamomum saigonicum, which are used interchangeably with Cinnamomum zeylanicum.

Spice : Fennel

Latin Name: Foeniculum vulgare
Alternate Names: Hinojo, Xiao Hue Xiang (Chinese), Finocchio, Carosella
Family: APICEAE

Parts Used: Seeds (most medicinal), leaves.

Properties: Antispasmodic, Aromatic, Carminative, Diuretic, Expectorant, Galactagogue, Laxative, Sedative, Stimulant, Stomach Tonic.

Internal Uses: Bladder Irritation, Colic, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Fever, Flatulence, Gout, Hiccups, Indigestion, Jaundice, Kidney Stones, Laryngitis, Nausea, Obesity, Rheumatism, Stomachache, Teething, Wheezing

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules.

The seeds are used as an appetite suppressant. It also helps to disperse congestion in the liver. It is a naturally sweet flavor that stabilizes blood sugar levels. Fennel is believed to relax the smooth muscles in the digestive tract.

Topical Uses: Eye Strain, Laryngitis, Wrinkles

Topical Applications: Tea of seeds is used as an eyewash for eyestrain. Poultice herb is used in facial steams, anti-wrinkle creams, perfume, toothpaste and soup. Oil and liniment used for muscular toning. Gargle for hoarseness.

Culinary uses: Leaves are cooked as a vegetable, added to soups or eaten raw in salads. Seeds can flavor fish, pastries, pickles, sauerkraut and tomato sauces. Chewing the seeds after a meal freshens the breath. Used in liqueurs.

Energetics: Pungent, Sweet, Warm, Dry.

Chemical Constituents: Essential Oil (anethole, estragol, fenchone, pinene, limonene), phenolic ether, flavonoids, coumarins, stigmasterol, vitamin C, beta carotene, calcium, potassium, phosphorus.

Contraindications: Excess use can over-stimulate the nervous system.

Comments: The name fennel is derived from the Latin, foenum, meaning 'hay' due to the finely divided leaves of the fennel plant. Ancient Greek athletes ate Fennel seed so they would gain strength, but not weight. During the Middle Ages the seeds would be chewed to stave off hunger during fasts and during long church sermons. Eating the leaves is a traditional eye, brain and memory tonic.

Grand Snacks and Sweets, Chennai

Totally inspired by the masala (blend of spices) given to us by our Tamilian friends Lux & Moorthy, I sent a shopping list to my mom who was visiting Madras for her visa. The parcel has just reached me. YIPPEE!

Karakuzhambu paste, onion thokku, pepper rasam masala, and that tamarind thing - is it Pulikachal?

Also she has sent me a bit of sambhar and rasam powder of theirs to try out.

I don't need to cook anything other than rice for the next one month. Hahahahaha

I'm so kicked with myself. Already tasted all of them. They are awesome!

If you want to buy some yourself or get it shipped to you, the address is:
#24
2nd Main Road,
Gandhi Nagar
Adyar
Chennai - 600020

Phone: 044-24914213

Read more about Grand Snacks & Sweets in The Hindu

Recipe : Sheera / Sweet Upma

For sweet upma,
roast 1 cup semolina in a little ghee.
Before the semolina burns, add 2 cups of hot milk then add a cup of sugar.
As the sugar is melting, you can add some cashewnuts and raisins.
Cook till the milk is all absorbed.

You can either serve it a little wet as a halwa (in a bowl with a spoon) or you can dry it out a bit, smoothen it in a greased plate and cut with cookie cutters.

In my hometown (Mangalore) this is called sheera.

A version of this is also made with pineapple. Put little chunks of pineapple with the cashewnuts and raisins.
If you are using tinned pineapples adjust the sugar to accommodate the syrup of the pineapples. You can lessen the sugar if you feel it is too sweet.

Variations:
If you want to make it lighter, you can use skimmed milk or even water.

You can dust cinnamon powder or cardamom powder or nutmeg powder for flavouring when adding the milk.






Picture taken from food for Thought's Blog

Look at her site for a recipe for singhade atta ka sheera - perfect for fasting

Recipe : Rava Idlis

Idlis are pretty simple to make. They are ground rice fermented overnight and steamed.

But given the constraints of finding the right kind of rice in Egypt, I prefer to make something called rawa idlis (rawa=semolina - the stuff used to make basbousa)

This one is pretty simple:
2 cups semolina dry roast it a bit
Once it has cooled down back to room temperature, add 2 cups of yoghurt and mix thoroughly with a little salt to taste.
Add enough water to turn it to a consistency similar to griddle cakes.


Let it sit for 20 minutes, then you steam them in little containers.

In the microwave, I steam it for 3 minutes in a container that looks similar to this

I think over the stove it needs to be steamed for 15 minutes in a container that looks like this the idlis are shaped in this
I don't know what you would use as a substitute for this but if you look closely you will realise that the circular crevices in which you put the batter have little holes at their base to allow the steam to cook the batter.

Variations:
I prefer to substitute 2 cups semolina with 1 cup semolina and 1 cup powdered oats.
This gives a lot more fibre content and slow breakdown of carbohydrates in the body, so keeps you feeling full for longer.

Above is the recipe for the basic batter.

You can add the following items to the batter
A few frozen peas
Some grated carrot
Chopped cilantro
Chopped chillies
A few chopped cashewnuts to make it fancy
Any herbs and spices you particularly like

If you want the idlis really puffy and light, you can add a pinch of Eno fruit Salt (unflavoured) - a mix of Sodium bicarbonate and citric acid - just before the steaming process.


Rava Idlis should turn out looking like this


Idlis can be eaten plain, with chutney, with any gravy item. The traditional accompaniments are coconut chutney and sambhar.
You can even enjoy them with a dollop of ghee on top and some chutney pudi if you have access to that.

Locavore : Oxford Word Of The Year

This information was forwarded to me by a friend - Antoine.

Oxford Word Of The Year: Locavore
It's that time of the year again. It is finally starting to get cold (if you are worried about the global warming maybe you should become
carbon-neutral) and the New Oxford American Dictionary is preparing for the holidays by making its biggest announcement of the year. The 2007 Word of the Year is (drum-roll please) locavore.

The past year saw the popularization of a trend in using locally grown ingredients, taking advantage of seasonally available foodstuffs that can be bought and prepared without the need for extra preservatives.

The "locavore" movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers' markets or even to grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locavores also shun supermarket offerings as an environmentally friendly measure, since shipping food over long distances often requires more fuel for transportation.

"The word `locavore' shows how food-lovers can enjoy what they eat while still appreciating the impact they have on the environment," said Ben Zimmer, editor for American dictionaries at Oxford University Press. "It's significant in that it brings together eating and ecology in a new way."

"Locavore" was coined two years ago by a group of four women in San Francisco who proposed that local residents should try to eat only food grown or produced within a 100-mile radius. Other regional movements have emerged since then, though some groups refer to themselves as "localvores" rather than "locavores." However it's spelled, it's a word to watch.

India using "ghost chili" to repel killer elephants

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/20/content_7114878.htm

www.chinaview.cn 2007-11-20 16:54:12

BEIJING, Nov. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Indian wildlife experts are using ghost chili -- the world's hottest -- to ward off marauding elephants that have been killing people in villages, and destroying homes and crops in a remote northeast region of the country. Conservationists working on the experimental project in Assam state said they have put up jute fences smeared with automobile grease and bhut jolokia -- certified as the world's hottest chili by the Guinness Book of World Records -- and were using smoke bombs made from the spicy fruit to keep elephants out. "We fill straw nests with pungent dry chili and attach them to sticks before burning it. The fire ball emits a strong pungent smell that succeeds in driving away elephants," Nandita Hazarika of the Assam Haathi (Elephant) Project told The Associated Press on Monday. The animals are not expected to eat the chili -- Hazarika said the smell would be enough to repel them and emphasized the measures would not harm the elephants. Northeast India accounts for the world's largest concentration of wild Asiatic elephants; 5,000 are estimated living in Assam alone. Conservationists say wild elephants increasingly attack human settlements that encroach on their natural habitat. Satellite imagery by India's National Remote Sensing Agency shows that up to 691,880 acres (280,000 hectares) of Assam's forests were cleared from 1996 to 2000. More than 600 people have been killed by wild elephants in Assam in the past 16 years and villagers have reacted with an anger that has shocked conservationists. In 2001, in Sonitpur district, 180 kilometers (112 miles) north of the state capital of Gauhati, villagers poisoned 19 wild elephants to death after they feasted on crops and trampled houses. At 1,000,000 Scoville units -- the scientific measurement of a chili's spiciness -- the bhut jolokia topped the Red Savina habanero, whose spiciness measured around 580,000 Scoville units. (Agencies)

Wall Street Journal on Bisi Bele Bath

The Dish: Bisi Bele Bath

A Lot Goes Into Bangalore's Favorite Meal

By MARGOT COHEN
October 26, 2007

Comfort food gets a characteristically spicy Indian touch in Bangalore in the form of bisi bele bath, a hearty dish of moist rice and lentils that features a tamarind tang and a slow chili afterburn. Devotees praise it as an all-in-one meal, nutritious but rather heavy thanks to generous helpings of ghee (clarified butter). A typical portion is also studded with carrots, beans, green peas and onions. With more than 30 ingredients, this slow-cooked, aromatic dish is nonetheless routinely described as easy to make. "I started cooking it when I was 8 years old. At that age, it was tough," says Vijayalakshmi Reddy, now a 61-year-old television chef whose Bangalore cooking classes attract the wives of cricketers, actors and politicians. They find bisi bele bath a breeze, Ms. Reddy says.

No other dish from India's southern state of Karnataka can rival the fame of bisi bele bath. Much of the credit goes to the Bangalore-based MTR Foods Ltd. (recently acquired by Orkla ASA of Norway), which began producing both a ready-to-microwave version and a spice mix six years ago; the company now sells 60 tons of each a year. But mass-market uniformity hasn't wiped out generations of homemade creative tweaking. "I can't keep track of what is authentic. Each home claims the more 'original' version," says Praveen Anand, executive chef of Dakshin restaurant in Chennai, in the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu.

The History

Surprisingly, vegetable-heavy bisi bele bath began life vegetable-free. The name literally means "hot rice cooked in sauce" in the local language, Kannada. The late K.T. Achaya, author of "A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food," maintained in the book that the dish is a modern version of a 10th-century preparation called kattogara that combined rice with ghee, salt and garlic. But that theory doesn't convince Venkatesh Bhat, chef at Bangalore's South Indies restaurant, who spent three years in the mid-1990s researching South Indian specialties. Mr. Bhat and others argue that the dish was dreamed up 300 years ago in Mysore Palace, 140 kilometers southwest of Bangalore. It was a lunch item, they say, enlivened with cashew nuts, tamarind, dried coconut, mustard seeds, cloves, cinnamon and turmeric. No vegetables were necessary because the royals who lived in the palace had their pick of many vegetable-based side dishes.

At some stage, though, bisi bele bath escaped the palace walls and found its way to the famed vegetarian eateries of Udupi in western Karnataka. From there, a vegetable-laden version spread throughout the state and bisi bele bath turned into a hearty farmer's meal, consumed mid-morning after a stint in the fields.

The Setting

Today, bisi bele bath appears on the table for late breakfast, lunch and even dinner, although late-night consumption of such a rich dish carries the risk of indigestion. At Bangalore's inexpensive vegetarian joints, customers eat it at top speed, often standing up.

Families trot out their special version of bisi bele bath for visiting relatives until they simply can't eat any more. It's also a popular picnic food.

The Judgment

Inevitably with such a popular dish, no one can quite agree on the correct recipe. Some eateries sprinkle tiny balls of fried chickpea flour, known as boondi, on the dish in order to satisfy the Indian penchant for something crunchy. Others deliver the crunch with a side dish of raita, which offers nuggets of raw onion swimming in yogurt, although bisi bele bath is most commonly eaten on its own. The problem, say some, is that these additions and condiments, along with an overdose of green peas, beans and carrots, can overpower the more delicate spices (in addition to mustard seeds, cloves, cinnamon and turmeric, the dish typically includes curry leaves, coriander leaves and fenugreek seeds). "The flavor of the dish is killed if you add boondi," grumbles Mr. Bhat of South Indies restaurant, who finds green peas equally objectionable. His version emphasizes the soft texture of the dish, and the delayed heat produced by Mangalore chilies. The chef says he only deviates slightly from the palace recipe by adding a few slivers of carrots and beans to make it "a tad nutritious."

The Sources

South Indies

With high ceilings, fresh flowers, and Indian classical music gently rippling in the background, this classy venue caters to corporate diners and their foreign guests. Mr. Bhat's palace version of bisi bele bath is available a la carte and sometimes included in the plentiful lunch buffet.

840/A, 100 Foot Rd., Indiranagar. 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. 91-80-4163-6363. Bisi bele bath $2.30, lunch buffet $9.

Hallimane

Plunge into Bangalore's lively old neighborhood of Malleshwaram, where the local Brahmins (the priestly caste) take their vegetarian food very seriously. Fight your way to the cash register, pay in advance and bring the chit to the South Indian counter: You'll be rewarded with a steel plate filled to the brim, and expected to leave within 20 minutes. This version boasts lots of vegetables, and boondi on the side, but no extra ghee, in deference to the "Health is Wealth" sign out front.

3rd Cross, Sampige Road, Malleshwaram. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 91-80-4127-9754. 25 cents.

Mavalli Tiffin Rooms

Going strong since 1924, this Bangalore institution sells about 150 plates of bisi bele bath a day. Customers must cool their heels in the Waiting Hall after giving their names to a barefoot man with a clipboard. Never mind the red plastic chairs, dingy walls and lackadaisical service: Revel in the family hubbub and marvel at the quantities of food ingested here.

14 Lalbagh Rd. 12:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., but often sold out by 5 p.m. 91-80-2222-0022. 55 cents.

--Margot Cohen is a Bangalore-based writer.

Write to Margot Cohen at margot.cohen[at]awsj.com

Pune's finger-licking Maharashtrian cuisine

From Rediff

Pune's finger-licking Maharashtrian cuisine
Archana Pande
October 18, 2007

Pune City can well be considered a foodies' paradise. Gastronomic offerings range from top-of-the-line cuisine to street fare and everything in between, both desi and videsi, vegetarian and non-vegetarian.

A visit to Pune simply must include a typical Maharashtrian meal. Food is always served in a 'thali' -- restaurants have a preset menu that is changed every week. A thali usually includes two vegetables, a dal, salad, rotis, rice, papad and vadas. Some offer more preparations of each type along with a range of steamed or fried farsans. Food is usually eaten by hand (unless you insist on a spoon) and most eateries have special menus on festivals or special occasions, which are advertised in local newspapers.

My tip -- make sure to skip breakfast to do full justice at a Maharashtrian restaurant, even if your dietician advises against it! On the positive side, lunch is available from 11:30 am onwards, so your stomach fire need not burn too long!

I decided to shut my kitchen for the day and check out what some of the popular vegetarian eateries have to offer.

Durvankur, located on Tilak Road attracts the eye from afar with huge hoardings. Negotiating your way through Tilak Road is tricky enough, but trying to find a spot and then park can test one's patience to the extreme. I choose the stairs over the lift to reach the restuarant and reached the second floor out of breath! We luckily secured a table by the large windows, which give you a panoramic view of the city. Tables laden with plates and katori sets await hungry mortals. Once you are seated, be prepared for an attack from a veritable army of waiters, all eager to serve you. Tangy chutneys form colourful palettes that zing the palate. Sweets can be ordered at an extra charge on weekdays. Do try the sitafal rabdi -- thickened milk, sweet with luscious pieces of custard apple.

Shabari Restaurant at Hotel Parichay is another eatery worth its salt. The interior greets you with huge pots and floating flower arrangements. There is a separate air-conditioned hall as well as some open-air seating that is screened off from prying eyes with bamboo curtains. The Sunday lunch menu usually includes 'aloo chee bhajee'. Folks, that's not aloo as in potato but the Marathi term for colococia. Its leaves are used to prepare a delightful broth with groundnuts and fresh coconut -- a tasty preparation to get reluctant kids hooked onto leafy vegetables! Shabari serves jwaree and bajree bhakrees (made from milo/jawar and millet respectively). Both need absolutely no fat when cooking and are the staple diet of interior regions within the state. Packed with nutritious elements and fibre, they are best eaten hot off the griddle with roughly crushed onions and garlic chutney; the crowing glory is a dollop of homemade butter!

Another Maharashtrian food haven, Krishna Dining Hall is prominently located on Law College Road, flanked by Barista caf�, Kobe Sizzlers and Caf� Coffee Day on three sides -- just goes to prove my point of culture fusion in this tradition rich city! Krishna, however, seats fewer people so I had to wait my turn and idled my time under a canopy of old trees watching traffic on this busy road. A short flight of stairs takes us to the hall, which doesn'tt afford you too much space to manoeuvre. There was no elevator, so those with any problems climbing stairs, please take note. The staff is well dressed and polite and the promptly-served food satisfies both the eye and the palate! On this particular day, I was lucky to enjoy the traditional 'walachee usal'. Pulses are an important part of Marathi meals and waal (field beans) is a delicacy. De-skinning waal is tricky but the final bittersweet dish, heavily garnished with coriander and coconut, is worth a mouthful. With a constant stream of incredibly thin and soft fulkas, I just lost count of how many I ate! The best part was unlimited 'taak' or buttermilk. The sumptuous spread was well worth the wait.

Hotel Shreyas, tucked away in a quite bylane of Apte Road, offers some creature comforts like air conditioning along with delectable fare. As I had reached early, the place was relatively empty and peaceful so I could enjoy the piped music. Eight pairs of eyes kept a sharp eye on my plate, keen to refill it at a moment's notice! Typical 'amti' (sweet-sour tur dal preparation) are best enjoyed here, accompanied by both 'puri' and 'poli'. Ghee is generously served with rice, so be sure to indicate your preference well in time or scrap your calorie counter for the day! They offer 'modak' every day for lunch (chargeable extra of course) and at dinnertime only on 'Sankashti chaturthi' -- the fourth day after the full moon each month. This steamed sweet is said to be the favourite of Lord Ganesha and needs great skill in preparation. The fresh fig-shaped modak has a soft covering made of rice flour. Split it and drench the coconut-jaggery stuffing with ghee before devouring it. Don't be ashamed if you are tempted to lick your fingers as you scrape the last bits off your plate. Shreyas also hosts a two-day Marathi food fest during Ganeshotsav each year, which features rare recipes from the interior regions. A beautifully packed 'masala paan' (betel nut leaf) completes the meal as we drag ourselves out.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Roads like JM Road and FC Road have several streetside vendors and restaurants at every step. Roadside eateries spring up every morning in student or office areas selling homemade Maharashtrian snacks. The kande pohe pohe (pressed rice snack with onion) and misal-pav (a spicy sprouted pulse curry with local buns) here are God-sent, especially for those in a hurry. Khichadi made from sago is especially delicious and widely available on Thursdays from these vendors.

This is just a snapshot of some excellent Maharashtrian cuisine available in Pune and it's a good way to familiarise yourself with our beautiful city!

Details:

Asha Dining Hall on Apte Road: Simple homely fare that does not burn a hole in the wallet.

Rate: Rs 45 per head, sweets charged extra.
Phone: 25532424

Shabari:

Rate: Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday Rs100,

Thursday/Saturday & Sunday: Rs110 with unlimited sweets

Phone: 25531511

Durvankur on Tilak Road:

Rate: Rs 70 on weekdays (sweets charged extra)
Rs 100 on Sundays (inclusive of sweets)
Phone: 24435980

Shreyas on Apte Road:

Rate: Rs 100 (sweets charged extra)

Phone: 25532023

Valet parking available.

Krishna Dining Hall, Law College Road:

Rate: Rs 110 (sweet charged extra)

(Rates and phone numbers as of October 2007).

Top 10 Food Movies

From Epilog

Top 10 Food Movies

by James Oliver Cury

on 10/08/07 at 07:06 PM

It's been a weird year for food movies. Ratatouille was universally praised, No Reservations globally ignored, and now I hear about a Zen chef from fellow blogger Amy Sherman. Here are some of my favorites...and I'm assuming that wine movies like Sideways and Mondovino don't count.

Top 10 Food Movies
(in random order)

1) Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
2) Delicatessen
3) Like Water for Chocolate
4) My Dinner with Andre
5) Babette's Feast
6) Tampopo
7) The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover
8) Big Night
9) Chocolat
10) Eat Drink Man Woman

Click below for #11 and #12...did I forget any classics?

11) Fried Green Tomatoes
12) Ratatouille

My favourite : Penelope Cruz's "Woman on Top"

Kerala Beef Chilli Fry

Kerala Beef Chilli Fry and methi nu dhal today.

Half kg meat - Tweaked the recipe a bit (as usual) - was polished off in under 10 minutes by 2 people

For those who have been following my cribs about lack of ingredients in Egypt..... I have found a small shop (1.5 hours drive away) selling Thai birds eye chillies. The chilli fry was a celebration of the spice that has re-entered our life

Changes :
I skipped the tomatoes.
Substituted coconut flakes (dessicated) for fresh which isn't available here right now.
Cooked the veal with the masala rather than pre cooking. I felt it absorbed the flavour better.

Railway mutton and vindaloo

From The Hindu Business Line

The distinct flavours of Anglo-Indian food, which is amongst the earliest instances of fusion food.

---

The Railway mutton curry is a direct throwback to the British Raj, when travelling by train was considered aristocratic.

---

Bridget Kumar

Nina Varghese

There is a growing interest in fusion food, both Indian and global. The average desi is increasingly travelling overseas and discovering other cultures and food.

People are eating out more often and willing to experiment with different cuisines ranging from pan Asian to Balti and Cajun to Anglo-Indian. Strangely enough, Anglo-Indian food, which has been around for a long time, has not got its due as a forerunn er of all fusion foods.

In recent years, with the influx of more foreigners who crave food which is less spicy, there has been a revival of sorts. Five-star hotels have some of these specialities on their menu and once in a while there is also a food festival to celebrate Anglo-Indian cuisine. Of course, many favourite dishes have always been available at clubs, those relics of the colonial age, across the country.

Unusual blend

Anglo-Indian food is an amalgamation of western and Indian cuisine and perhaps the first example of fusion food in the world, says Bridget Kumar, author of five cookbooks on Anglo-Indian cuisine. What sets it apart is the unusual blend of western and Indian tastes. The food is mostly prepared using milder spices like pepper, bay leaves, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and so on. Condiments like chillies, cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger and garlic are also used but in moderation. Yoghurt and milk are used in some dishes to offset the extra pungency, she says.

“This cuisine evolved over many years as a result of reinterpreting western cuisine by using ingredients and cooking techniques from all over the Indian sub-continent. Thus a completely new cuisine came into existence making it truly “Anglo” and “Indian” in nature, which was neither too bland nor too spicy, but with a distinctive flavour of its own and comfortably straddling both cultures,” explains Bridget.

The cuisine was also a direct reflection of the multi-cultural and hybrid heritage of this community, she says. Its carte du jour includes, with élan, a spicy Indian curry on one hand and a turkey roast on the other.

The Anglo-Indian community was known for its sense of humour and fun. Bridget says many of the dishes have rhyming, alliterative names like Doldol, Kalkal, Ding-ding and Posthole to mention a few. The food is a true reflection of both worlds where the curry is given as much importance as the cutlet.

Interesting history

Taste of Anglo-India: Mince ball curry with devil chutney

The history behind these dishes is also interesting. She says that the very popular vindaloo is derived from the Portuguese word Vinha De Alhos, from the two main ingredients, Vinho meaning wine or wine vinegar and Alhos or garlic. Originally a vinegar-and-garlic based watery stew made with pork or meat in Portugal, the addition of spices and chillies however soon turned it into one of the spiciest and most popular curry dish es the world over.

Grandma’s Country Captain Chicken was a very popular dish since colonial times as it was very easy to prepare. In those days, free range poultry was used and it would take at least two hours to cook over a firewood oven.

Similarly, the Railway Mutton Curry is a direct throwback to the days of the British Raj, when travelling by train was considered aristocratic. This very popular and slightly spicy dish was served in railway refreshment rooms and on long-distance trains with bread or dinner rolls. The curry was not too spicy, keeping in mind delicate British palates and was also popular with the Railway staff. The vinegar or tamarind juice used in its preparation would ensure that the curry would keep for a few days.

The Dak Bungalow Curry was another famous dish during colonial times. The recipe varied with each cook at the different dak bungalows depending on the local availability of ingredients during wartime.

The Mulligatawny Soup today bears little resemblance to the original meligu thani or pepper water in Tamil.

When the British introduced vegetables like cabbage, beetroot, carrot and beans, this too was adapted for Indian palates. In many places in India these vegetables are still called English vegetables. Anglo-Indian cuisine also includes a range of wines, sweets, pastries, jams and chutneys. It has also been marginally influenced by different regions. For instance, in Kerala, a little more coconut is added while in West Bengal mustard oil would be used. However, by and large the actual cuisine has remained the same over several generations. The methods of cooking and the ingredients have been handed down from generation to generation through practice and word of mouth.