Push Karo 123

That used to be my good friend's desktop password which I have began to use. Ideating, envisioning & strategizing a project like Bleecker's Street saps away one's energy down the drain. That's precisely i keep waking up when i login to my desktop and the password rightly reminds me to do so.

Well the project is coming well amidst multitude of challenges ranging from cost overruns to delay. We are almost there.

Keeping my fingers crossed to get the place up and running by mid Dec.

Push Karo!!

Bonnie & Clyde

Revisiting Vindaloo

Today's lunch happened to be some Rosemary chicken and Risotto rice. Whipped up my favourite quick"Fire" Vindaloo sauce garnished with fresh onions and parsley. Yummy and now it is time for siesta.

For this Vindaloo sauce recipe, check my blog QuickFire Vindaloo

Palinka: More punch than Hugarian grand prix

2 travellers from Hungary, I got acquainted to a few days back were fondly trying to get everybody drink some liquor they had made back home. I obliged switching from my Peroni Can to a small shot of this curious drink that was as clear as water. The similarities end there. A sip of the drink was enough to roast my intestines. It was more of a shock as I was not expecting what was in store. Another sip led me to enjoy it better. It had subtle apricot flavour and the alcohol strength was well over 60 %.

Palinka is a double distilled Hungarian fruit brandy made typically with Apricots, Plums, Pears. Some use apples, cherries.

It is not very difficult to make Palinka at home. Good quality Palinka can be obtained if there is access to ripe Apricots and a decent distillation kit. This blog is more from a educational stand point. I would not advise anybody to start making their alcohol at home if it is against the law.

A small distillation unit can resemble something like the picture on top. The best bet for home unit would a Pressure Cooker. Construct a Spiral metallic tube connecting to the Pressure nozzle and end in a condenser (could be a spot where cold water keeps flowing across to cool the steam. Let the liquid drip down on the other end in a vessel which is the alcohol.

This pure alcohol should go through a 2nd round of distillation to get a clean, crisp liquor.

Palinka Recipe

Ripe apricots - 10 Kilogram (Choose the ones which are very ripe. Cut and damaged ones would be good. But make sure it is not rotten)

Sugar - 300 gm

Mix the Apricot and the Sugar in a large Jar and cover the Jar with a lid and leave it in your back yard (good if there is sunlight).

Leave it to ferment for 1 month

Then go through the above mentioned distillation process to make the Palinka.

Time for my next shot of Palinka. Ciao.

IDLI.DOSA - THE RISE OF THE BATTER

I came in late for dinner and ended up sitting in the table shared by 2 gentlemen from England. One by name Chris was a landscape artist and the other one whose name I forgot happens to be a teacher. After exchanging pleasantries, the conversation shifted to "Oh.. Aur u frum Indiaa? Can you make Dosa?". That caught me off guard. I was sick and tired of hearing Naan, Tandoori Chicken and Chicken Kabaaba from every other traveller who I meet often in Italy. This was a pleasant shocker sending me wandering down the memory lanes.

Born in Madurai (small city in TamilNadu), I have been fed and sometimes force fed on a staple diet of Dosa, Idli along with Molaga Podi (spicy crunchy powder made with Chilli, Pepper and legumes) and Chutney very much like the way the Geese in France get fed before getting washed down one day as Foie Gras. History says they may have originated along Udupi region in Karnataka. But these dishes are quite popular in Tamil Nadu who have perfected it to suit their palate. Personally I prefer the Idli, Dosa in Tamil Nadu.

Though India isn't fond of fermenting food unlike many other countries, We do have the practice of briefly fermenting batters made of grains and legumes to make pancakes referred as Dosa and steamed puff cakes referred to as Idlis. Soaked medium grained rice and black gram (Urad Dal) are ground to a batter like consistency and then left to ferment overnight. It is the Lactic acid (the ones that acidifies the milk to Yogurt by digesting Lactose) and Yeasts that do the magic overnight to deliver that perfect batter for Dosa Or Idli. They feed on the sugars acidifying the batter and produce a wonderful aroma, carbon dioxide and make the batter more viscous and starchy for them to hold together well. The dosages of Rice and Urad Dal varies slightly for Idli and Dosa.

The key differences in the way Dosa and Idli are made in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka happens to be

a. Karnataka ones have more fenugreek added essentially increasing the fermentation. (Fenugreek are excellent in attracting Yeast from air)

b. Karnataka ones have less Urad Dal than their Tamil brethren ones.

c. Karnataka Idlis do have traces of Rava added to give a coarse texture

d. Most of the Tamilians cook their Dosa using Gingelly Oil (oil from sesame seeds) which imparts a delicious aroma and flavour to the cooked dosa.

Make sure the Rice used is always a medium grain rice, for it has the much needed % of the starch Amylopectin. This is the starch that gives the much needed thickness. For example, the Japanese Sushi uses short grained white rice which is more glutinous giving the stickiness needed.

Perfecting the Idli is a fine art in the temple town of Madurai that it draws comparison to the soft petals of the Jasmine flower. Let me share the recipe for great Idlis though it can be no match for the ones that are sold for less than a Rupee in bylanes of the temple town.

Recipe for Idli

Medium grained rice: 2 parts

Black Urad Dal: 1 part

Salt as per your need

1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds each tied into 2 bunches using muslin cloth like a bouquet garni for improving the fermentation (Fenugreek attract Yeasts. I'm advising a bouquet garni approach as I do not want the Fenugreek flavour to pervade the Idli)

- Rinse the rice and Urad Dal separately and soak them in water separately for 4 - 6 hours

- Remove the 2 muslin cloth bunch holding the fenugreek seeds and throw them away.

- Then peel off the Urad dal skins. Do not discard the water which was used for soaking Urad dal.

We will use it while grinding both the rice and Urad Dal. (Urad Dal water is rich in Yeasts and can aid fermentation)

Grind the Rice and Urad Dal separately. Feed them with the Urad Dal water while grinding. Grind Urad Dal to a fine paste.

Grind the rice to a slightly coarser texture.

Mix the Rice and Urad Dal batter and leave it to ferment overnight for a fluffy Idlis the next day. Pour them in the Idli maker plates and steam them and enjoy with Molagapodi and Chutney

Dosa Recipe

Same as the Idli recipe except for the following points:

- Rice to Urad Dal ratio should be 3 is to 1

- Rice should be ground to a fine paste unlike the case of Idli

Note: There are few other delicacies I would like to discuss in future. These include Dhoklas (a Gujarathi delicacy)and Pappadums (Pan India with each region specific variations) which are again ground legumes fermented and then cooked.

Vinha d' Alhos... Coincidence Or Need

Vindaloo always lights my taste buds. After Mughal influence simmered, it was time for something different. Then the Portuguese came with the assortment of ingredients Indians had never tasted before. (Chili, Tomato, Corn and more). Perfect fusion of East and West. Portugesian milder version "Carne di Vinha d' Alhos' was embraced with open arms by Konkans to create the Vindaloo. It simply means Wine (Vinho) and Garlic (Alho). The Konkan's repertoire in fusing new ingredients to create the Vindaloo added a lot of British fans who took back the cooks to churn them out in England. Believe me, the song named "Vindaloo" is English football team's unofficial anthem.

Why are we talking about Vindaloo here? Other day, I was craving for some spice to go along with my Arborio. Looked around and managed to collect the following ingredients

Onions, Garlic, Tomato, Cumin powder, Cayenne pepper powder, Paprika, Ginger powder (took some time to figure that Zenzero was Ginger), Annato seed powder for the color, English mustard powder, Cinnamon powder, Aniseed powder, black pepper powder, Lots of white wine, Vinegar and 1 table spoon of brown sugar

(I was very surprised to get all these spices)

Large Onions - 2 or 3

Large Garlic pod - 1

Tomato - 4

Olive Oil

Butter

Cayene Chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Cumin Powder - 1 tbsp

Ginger Powder - 1/2 tbsp

English mustard powder - 1/2 tbsp

Annato seed powder - 1 tsp

Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp

Aniseed powder - 1 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1 tsp

Vinegar (Aceto) - 1/4 cup

White wine - 1/4 cup

brown sugar - 1 tbsp

Salt - as you wish

Parsley leaves - for Garnish

1 sweet white Onion - for Garnish

- Chop the Onion into small dices (brunoise). Chop the Garlic fine as well as the Tomatoes

In a heavy bottomed pan well heated, add some Oilve Oil and Butter (so that butter does not clarify). To that add 1/2 tbsp chilli powder, 1/2 tbsp Cumin powder. Before they start burning, add the Onion and half of the Garlic. (Keep the rest for later)

- Let Onion turn golden and then add the tomato followed by ginger powder, mustard powder, annato seed powder, cinnamon powder, aniseed powder, black pepper powder.

- Now let this keep cooking till all the water is gone. Now pour Vinegar and Wine, brown sugar, 2 tsp salt (as u like) and continue cooking. After 5 minutes add the remaining chili powder, cumin powder and garlic and cook till they become a thick sauce. (might take at least 20 minutes more)

- Finally chop some fresh parsley leaves and sweet white onions (to brunoise)

- Mix the chopped fresh raw onion into the sauce and and garnish with chopped parsley.

Believe me, it is tongue numbing with layers of spices playing interludes. Sweet, Salt, Sour, Hot, Bitter and .... Mix with your rice Or have it as a dip for your croquettes, Samosas Or even as a pasta sauce. It is wonderful.

I did not add MSG. But would like to try next time (Check my blog on Ajinomoto dated Sep 2) http://venkish.blogspot.com/2009/09/perils-of-ajinomoto-are-we-going.html

Time to burp.. Ciao

Wondering what is the flavour? Dissecting Gelato

Couldn't resist posting this picture I took in Sorrento, Napoli. A popular gelateria called "Primavera" had this picture on top of their Dark Chocolate Vanilla and Caramel. Sex indeed sells. Heard somebody say in Napoli, “Gelato is not ice cream". Time for some research and hands on experiment righto?

One thing I experience in Gelato is the better, sharper flavour and texture persisting as it makes it way down the throat unlike the icecreams. If you disagree, i bet you were stoned and listening to Floyd while binging on the Ice cream. (on a lighter note)

For the misinformed, Gelato has nothing to do with Gelatin which chases away vegetarians. Gelato just means 'Frozen' in Italian. American tradition of Ice cream depends on Cream, whereas the French on the Egg Custard, But the Italian Gelato is Milk based making it lighter in term of Fat, but denser as it has less Air (Also referred to as 'Overruns').

Let's dissect why Gelato is Gelato and Not Ice Cream.....Gelato is made with Whole Milk. Whole / Skim milk contains less fat and hence Gelato's fat content tends to be much lower that Cream based Ice creams. Gelato machine churns at a rate much slower than an Ice cream machine and hence the less Overrun. Less air means a dense, creamier texture though it has lesser fat (no use of cream). Gelato's have to be made in smaller quantities as storing them in freezers for longer time changes their texture. It is the semi frozen consistency that Gelato experience. Gelato's dense nature needs them to be stored at a higher temperature than ice cream as it's dense texture requires a serving temperature that preserves the firmness without letting it become very hard. They are stored in special freezing trays ranging from -12 to -14 deg C instead of -25 deg C.

Wouldn't it be interesting to check out how the Gelato vendors in Bangalore get it done? Hope you do it the next time.

It's afternoon and I want some spicy food. May be some Dosa and Chutney.. You don't get it here where I live. That's a tragedy isn't it?. But it does not stop me from writing about Dosa soon. Till then.. Ciao.

Perils of Ajinomoto. Are we going overboard?

Well, we all like to go overboard on topics about which we know zilch.. Sorry not everybody, but definitely me. Ajinomoto as I used to refer is one of those topics. Finally I ended up keeping my knives asides and do some serious reading..

Ajinomoto is the Japanese company that owns the patent for the Mono Sodium Glucamate (MSG). This is ignorantly referred to as Ajinomoto which is the name of the company that happens to sell many different food products under various brand names. So let's call it MSG henceforth. MSG is indeed an amazing additive which I believe everybody should have in their cup boards. (Are you serious? Isn't it supposed to be bad for your health? Hmm.. Read on)

MSG occurs naturally in Seaweed (Kelp Or Kombu in Japanese), in legumes (Dhal in India), Tomatoes & Mushrooms giving them a very unique taste. The MSG is made naturally by fermenting carbohydrates using special yeasts. Well very safe isn't it? It is even safe for pregnant ladies if used in moderation. The only reason it needs to be consumed in moderation is because of the high sodium content. This glutamate are also produced by us as a part of our daily metabolism process. Enuf of the science and facts.

What does MSG do to your food?

MSG brings out the complete natural taste of the ingredients which our palates do not feel, as the food we eat is completely not ripened during cooking. MSG takes care of the ripening in a natural way to bring out the full flavor (also called Umami) of the ingredients.

Umami is supposed to be the Sixth taste sense, other 5 being spicy, sweet, sour, bitter, salty.

Is MSG suited only for Japanese, Chinese food?

No. Use them in all the cuisines and experiment. It is a white crystalline powder that does not have any flavour of it's own but brings out the flavours that we do not get to taste in a typical meal.

Well next time, try using them in when you make your favorite Indian, French Or the special stew from Papua New Guinea (usually a pinch of MSG would suffice). Taste your food as you cook and you will know what you have been missing.. :)

Note: Buy only the MSG manufactured by Ajinomoto Corporation.