[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by abk

... i do not get goat meat in this part of the world

I bet you never asked anyone! Ask at the first grocery shop run by a Sri Lankan / Pakistani / Turkish person. If they don't have it, they will tell you where you can get it. If you haven't found one of those, ask at that cinema theatre near the Central Station (in front of those funny astral statues; runs Bollywood movies all the time) where you can find such a store.
Do you find the lamb (NZ/Aus) in supermarkets there unpalatable?

Originally Posted by vikram18

... A south Indian dish without CURRY LEAVES NO WAY! ...

Yes way! Not all South Indians use curry leaves, and it still tastes delicious. Curry leaves *enhance* the taste - but impart very little flavor of their own.

[vikram18]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Yes way! Not all South Indians use curry leaves, and it still tastes delicious. Curry leaves *enhance* the taste - but impart very little flavor of their own.

Look at the LOL smiley at the end. Curry leaves do not *enhance* any taste but add a very typical flavor, which can even be overpowering if used in large quantities (a la chicken 65). There are practically no other spices used in making the typical upma. It's just sooji, onions, curry leaves, mustard seeds, oil, green/red chillies, salt, and water (a little urad dal is optional). Try cooking sambhar without them and the difference is very very obvious

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by vikram18

Look at the LOL smiley at the end. ... Try cooking sambhar without them and the difference is very very obvious

You should go around 'South India' - you will know the difference.

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by vikram18

A few pics from the New Year's Eve barbecue at my place....

Hi Vikram,

Does this barbecue setup smoke a lot ?
Cause I live in an apartment and the balcony is not very big. wanted to check if its possible to use the barbecue in an apartment.

Second question is, where do you get the coal from ?

-Fillmore

[cnaganathan]

I saw this thread only today.

Originally Posted by vikram18

Correctly stated! the water has to reach a boil before adding the sooji.

Vikram, not quite true. You can add the water to Sooji as well. This is the alternate method I do when I am pressed for time.

1. Heat oil / ghee in a thick bootomed pan and let the mustards sputter.
2. Add urid and channa dhall and let them turn brown.
3. Add the green chillies, curry leaves and then the onions and grated ginger if desired. Let the onions turn transparent.
4. Add other finely chopped veggies (carrot, cabbage, tomatoes, cauliflower) if you prefer and let them cook.
5. Add salt and then add sooji. Stir the dry mix till the onions / veggies and the sooji are well mixed and you smell raosted sooji.
While you allow the veggies to cook, measure required water into a vessel and bring it to boil.
6. at the end of step 5, reduce flame to simmer and transfer the boiling water. Take care, the water will sputter when you transfer it!!
7. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the uppuma to simmer till fully done (may take 2-3 mins) Stir a few times in between

[vikram18]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Hi Vikram,

Does this barbecue setup smoke a lot ?
Cause I live in an apartment and the balcony is not very big. wanted to check if its possible to use the barbecue in an apartment.

Second question is, where do you get the coal from ?

-Fillmore

I wouldn't advise using it inside. Other than the smoke, you'll have the smell to contend with for days. There are coal vendors in Pune and I'm sure there'll be some everywhere.

An option that you could consider is an electric barbecue. Philips makes one. Could be an expensive (power hungry) proposition though.

Originally Posted by cnaganathan

Vikram, not quite true. You can add the water to Sooji as well.

Yup. Nothing technically wrong with that. I guess adding sooji is simply more *traditional*

[Torqy]

I once cooked an RX engine..if that counts.

[netchef]

Originally Posted by Torqy

I once cooked an RX engine..if that counts.

Torqy: ha ha, Sir. Had me in splits!

[spawnofsatan]

So I like making hot sauces since I like spicy food. I come up with my own recipes for these and now I want to make a super hot sauce. I am looking for Habanero chilis or Bhut Jolokia chilis. Bhut Jolokia is the world's hottest chili reaching over a million scoville and is found in Assam, Manipur and its surroundings. I am located in Bombay, can anyone help me find these?

[Nitin]

I was told that most upscale grocers stock spices & ingredients from all around the world.
It would be quite an experience to go through 400,000 scoville units on your tongue! And naga jolokia rates at anywhere from 800,000-1,200,000 units! Godo way to clear the sinuses!
Wouldn't it be easier to get some locally grown chillies, and then try to concentrate the flavor? There are quite a few ways to do that,as far as I know. Habaneros or Bolivian chillies would be quite expensive in India.

[kaushik_s]

Originally Posted by spawnofsatan

So I like making hot sauces since I like spicy food. I come up with my own recipes for these and now I want to make a super hot sauce. I am looking for Habanero chilis or Bhut Jolokia chilis. Bhut Jolokia is the world's hottest chili reaching over a million scoville and is found in Assam, Manipur and its surroundings. I am located in Bombay, can anyone help me find these?

Hmmm, if you really want them then I can try to get some for you when I'm going home. But be warned, that damn thing is just too hot to handle. Only once I tried and that too a pickle made out of Bhot Jolokia and oh man, fire in the mouth and tears rolled down non stop . Will never ever try it again.

[spawnofsatan]

Originally Posted by Nitin

I was told that most upscale grocers stock spices & ingredients from all around the world.
It would be quite an experience to go through 400,000 scoville units on your tongue! And naga jolokia rates at anywhere from 800,000-1,200,000 units! Godo way to clear the sinuses!
Wouldn't it be easier to get some locally grown chillies, and then try to concentrate the flavor? There are quite a few ways to do that,as far as I know. Habaneros or Bolivian chillies would be quite expensive in India.

Its not about easy, its about the flavour, you wouldn't weld together a 100 maruti 800's to get the bhp of a murcielago right?

Expensive is also not an issue, I just want the right flavour, I used make habanero sauces in the US all the time and they would turn out great.

Originally Posted by kaushik_s

Hmmm, if you really want them then I can try to get some for you when I'm going home. But be warned, that damn thing is just too hot to handle. Only once I tried and that too a pickle made out of Bhot Jolokia and oh man, fire in the mouth and tears rolled down non stop . Will never ever try it again.

I would greatly appreciate it. Heck I'll send you a box of my awesome sauce when its done !!

[kaushik_s]

Originally Posted by spawnofsatan

I would greatly appreciate it. Heck I'll send you a box of my awesome sauce when its done !!

Ha ha you want to kill me or what? I wouldn't dare to touch anything made of that Jolokia. Once bitten, twice shy. But jokes apart, how much would you need?

[Nitin]

[quote=spawnofsatan;1219424]Its not about easy, its about the flavour, you wouldn't weld together a 100 maruti 800's to get the bhp of a murcielago right?

Expensive is also not an issue, I just want the right flavour, I used make habanero sauces in the US all the time and they would turn out great.
quote]

I wasn't trying to dissuade you from doing what you want.If you like the pepper,its your taste. I totally understand the value of the spice,since I love to cook too.

Well,if cost isn't a factor,you might as well have some shipped to you directly. Of if anyone's going to visit Mumbai,they could get some bottled habaneros.No point getting the fresh ones,and they may not pack the punch if not preserved well.
Nice of Kaushik to offer his assistance.

You could try to sow the seeds from the peppers too. make sure you sun dry the seeds,and then plant them in good soft soil.Then you'd have your own peppers to use in your sauce.

[spawnofsatan]

@ Nitin - Well the sauce will be spicy but its not JUST the peppers, there are many other ingredients that go in it. Its the flavour. When you take a bite of food dipped in the sauce it will nice and sweet in the beginning and then will deliver a good dose of sting, nothing too crazy where the fun of the sauce is ruined. Even with Jolokias it will be spicy, quite spicy but not where you are crying your eyes out, well unless you eat a lot.

@Kaushik - Yes very nice of you to help, I greatly appreciate it.

If anyone wants a bottle do let me know, will be glad to share. I am also making my green hot sauce as we speak, its a lengthy process, but then thats where the fun lies!!!