Saturday December 22, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
Throughout my many years of experimenting with international foods, I have attempted various types of flatbreads with roulette-like results. I never know whether they're going to do what they're supposed to do, from forming a pita pocket, to puffing up like a balloon.
On rare occasions, it comes out perfect. But more often, it's a disappointment, if not a downright disaster. When it comes to my flatbreads, I'm reminded of a passage from Illusions, one of my favorite books by Richard Bach, in which Donald Shimoda describes the panbread Richard makes over his campfire. "It's sort of like...a fire...after a flood...in a flourmill, don't you think?" Love me...love my pan bread...
But I am pleased to say that my Puffy Bread turned out just as the recipe described: lightly crisp, with an airy cavity in the center.
The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my Shakeapeare Wallah and The Namesake film reviews.
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12:46 AM PST
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Friday December 21, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
The Coconut Rice provides the perfect complement for both the coconut in the sauce for the lamb meatballs, and for the spicy shrimp dish. Turmeric gives it a rich golden color, coconut milk gives it depth, body and balance, and cashews give it texture.
The Stuffed Poblano Peppers, on the other hand, were just overkill. I had already cooked so much food, there was barely room on the plate for them. But they were delicious nonetheless. The stuffing is mashed potatoes, seasoned with ginger, garlic and cayenne pepper. Tasty and filling.
The recipes will be posted at the end of the month along with my Shakeapeare Wallah and The Namesake film reviews.
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12:31 AM PST
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Thursday December 20, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
I did a little improv on this dish. The lamb meatballs are really simple, just ground lamb, onions, garlic, egg and a little salt and pepper. They're supposed to be fried in a chickpea batter, but that detail was labor intensive and I didn't think it enhanced the dish enough to warrant it. The meatballs are fine all on their own. And the recommended sauce is made with yogurt and Indian spices. But the yogurt separated into curds on the first attempt, so I made another batch with coconut milk instead. The results were serendipitously delicious.
The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my Shakeapeare Wallah and The Namesake film reviews.
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12:00 AM PST
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Wednesday December 19, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
This dish was fantastic, although it did push my limits with its spice. The sauce is a simple tomato, onion, garlic base, seasoned with mustard seeds, dried chili flakes, ginger root, jalapenos, corriander, turmeric, paprika, and cayenne pepper, laced with lots of fresh lemon juice just before serving.
The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my Shakeapeare Wallah and The Namesake film reviews.
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12:15 AM PST
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Tuesday December 18, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
This super-simple salad was the perfect foil for all the zesty Indian spices in the rest of the meal. It's composed of three simple ingredients: fresh tomatoes, fresh mint, and fresh lemon juice, seasoned with a little salt and pepper. Its success is in the quality of the tomatoes, which in this case, were especially big and juicy.
The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my Shakeapeare Wallah and The Namesake film reviews.
Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.
For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com
12:17 AM PST
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Monday December 17, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
These tasty tidbits make a quick and easy Indian appetizer that can be easily expanded according to your guest list. The spice rub is a simple mixture of turmeric, cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and paprika, mixed with a little vegetable oil. After marinating for about 30 minutes, they're quick-fried in very hot oil and finished in a covered baking dish in the oven. Plain yogurt makes a refreshing dip to contrast with the spicy coating on the chicken and together they make the perfect party food for a buffet or a bring-a-dish affair.
The recipe will be posted at the end of the month along with my Shakeapeare Wallah and The Namesake film reviews.
Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.
For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com
12:13 AM PST
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Sunday December 16, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
Today my son Will and I attended the annual open house at the French Laundry in Yountville. What a wonderful thing. Every year, on a Sunday in mid-December, Chef Thomas Keller opens his doors and invites one and all to celebrate his success and sample his coveted cuisine. In every corner of the restaurant, both upstairs and down, as well as in the tented courtyard outside, wine flows in abundance, and tables are set with trays of impeccable canapes and petit fours, as carolers stroll the premises bringing holiday cheer. His kitchen is laid bare to nosy voyeurs looking for a peek behind the scenes, while his staff mingles graciously about, making his guests feel welcome.
What a perfectly fitting way for the world's most renowned chef to pay it forward.
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06:10 PM PST
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Saturday December 15, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
Indian civilization is among the oldest in the world, with archaeological evidence of its existence dating back as far as the Paleolitic Era, or the Stone Age, around 9,000 B.C. Recorded civilization dates back to 7,000 B.C. Known as the Harappan Civilization, it began in the valley of the Indus River, and reached its height around 2,600 B.C. when it flourished as an urban culture based on commerce and agricultural trade. It was among the largest of the Bronze Age civilizations, and encompassed a vast territory, from Afghanistan in the west to the Ganges plains in the east; and from Pamir in the north to the Rann of Kutch in the south. The Harappan Civilization began to decline between 1900 and 1700 B.C. and around 1500 B.C., Aryan tribes invaded from the northwest and assimilated themselves into the existing indigenous people.
The next important phase of Indian history is the period known as the Shishunaga Dynasty of the Magadha Empire in the Ganges Valley of northern India in the 6th century B.C. Until that time, the Brahaman religion had dominated the culture. However, around that time, Buddhism and Jainism both grew in strength, and the many texts associated with these two religious movements provide a wealth of historical information as well.
In 322 B.C., Chandragupta Maurya overthrew the oppressive ruler of Magadh and founded his own dynasty. His successor, the most famous of the Mauryas, Ashoka the Great, who reigned from 273 to 232 B.C., extended the boundaries of his empire from Kashmir and Peshawar in the north, to Mysore in the south, and Orissa in the east. After his impressive military conquests, Ashoka renounced war and dedicated the remaining years of his life to dhamma, or righteousness.
When Ashoka died in 232 B.C., the empire began to weaken, enabling Pushyamitra Shunga, a Brahmin general, to usurp the throne. Thereafter, India was governed by a weak federal system, during which it was invaded numerous times over the next four hundred years, until sovereignty was restored by the Gupta Dynasty, most notably Samudra Gupta, who reigned from 335 to 380 A.D., and his successor, Chandra Gupta II, who reigned from 380 to 412 A.D. It was Chandra Gupta II who defeated the Sakas, and re-established a strong central government, and it was during his reign that India reached the height of prosperity, culture, art, literature and science.
However, by 600 A.D., the Gupta Empire was already in decline, with feudal administrators waging civil rebellion and declaring independence. Trade and commerce were disrupted, and with it, the peace and prosperity India had enjoyed for nearly three hundred years.
Islam was introduced to India by the Muslims around the 8th century A.D., and spread across the Indian subcontinent over the next 1000 years. During the 10th and 11th centuries, Turkish and Afghan invaders established sultanates in Delhi; and in the early 16th century, tribes descended from Genghis Khan invaded India through the Khyber Pass and established the Mughal (Mogul) Dynasty, which lasted for 200 years.
Vasco da Gama's arrival in 1498 opened the gateway to European traders by way of his newly found sea route to the Indian subcontinent. Portuguese and Dutch traders were the first to arrive, establishing colonial territories at Travancore, Goa, Daman, Diu and Bombay. The first British colonists arrived in 1619 and established an outpost at Surat on the northwestern coast of India, and later, at Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta. The French arrived soon thereafter, with large colonial establishments in southern India, including Pondicherry, Karaikal, Yanam, Mah, and Chandernagore.
British rule over India had originally been established by the East India Company, which by 1850, controlled most of the country, which at the time, also included what are now Pakistan and Bangladesh. After an uprising of Indian militants in the northern territories, the commerical governing power that had once belonged to the East India Company was transferred to the British Crown. However, toward the end of the 19th century, still under British rule, a council of Indian advisors was appointed to aid the British Viceroy with the establishment of provincial governments. And by 1920, under the leadership of Mohandas Ghandi, a resistance movement had begun to end British colonial rule.
On August 15, 1947, India gained independence and joined the Commonwealth of Nations with Jawaharlal Nehru serving as Prime Minister. This event marked the beginning of turbulent times in India, with the Muslim northwest and northeast separated into the nation of Pakistan. A violent civil war ensued with clashes between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs, followed by a two-year war between Pakistan and India over the province of Kashmir.
The Constitution of India was ratified on November 26, 1949, and India became a sovereign nation on January 26, 1950. Independent rule was carried out by the Congress Party, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, followed by his daughter Indira Ghandi, and later by his grandson, Rajiv Gandhi. Prime Minister Nehru governed the nation until his death in 1964.
In 1961 India invaded and reclaimed the Portuguese colony of Goa on the west coast, and in 1971 India, regained the province of of Sikkim. In 1962 a conflict arose with China over the border in the Himalayas, and in 1965, India and Pakistan waged war again over the province of Kashmir. In 1971 the two nations fought yet again, resulting in the independence of East Pakistan, now known as Bangladesh.
In 1966, Nehru's daughter, Indira Gandhi, began a ten-year term as Prime Minister, during which time she was faced with serious political and economic problems. She was defeated at the polls by Morarji Desai in 1977. However, two short years later, his rule was in decline, and an interim government headed by Charan Singh presided over India until Indira Gandhi's return to power in January 1980. On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated, and her son, Rajiv Gandhi, was chosen to take her place. His administration ended in 1989 due to controversy over corruption.
V.P. Singh succeded Rajiv Ghandi, followed in 1990 by Chandra Shekhar as Prime Minister. Yet another administrative collapse occurred under Chandra Shekhar's rule, calling for a national election in June 1991. Rajiv Ghandi remained active in Indian politics until he was assassinated by Sri Lankan Tamil extremists. In the elections, the Congress Party won 213 parliamentary seats and formed a coalition under the leadership of P.V. Narasimha Rao.
After many years of political upheaval, the Congress party government served a full 5-year term, during which a policy of economic reform was instituted, opening the Indian economy to global trade and investment. However, in the spring of 1996, India was once again in the throes of political upheaval due to corruption and scandal. A series of national elections were held in short succession, resulting in a procession of short-lived Prime Ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee, H.D. Deve Gowda, Inder Kumar Gujral, and Manmohan Singh.
As of July 2004, the population of India is estimated to now exceed one billion people.
The Culture of India
India is one of the world's oldest civilizations, with evidence of human culture dating back to 7000 B.C. And although the subcontinent of India is located in close proximity to China, Tibet, Nepal, Myanmar, and Thailand, its people and its culture are vastly different from those of continental Asia.
Geography
With an area of 3,287,263 square kilometers and 7,000 miles of coastline, India is the world's seventh largest country. It is bounded to the north by the lofty Himalayas, the world's tallest mountain range, and several other ranges, including the Aghil Kunlun, Mustagh Ata, and Zaskar. The southern portion of the country is surrounded by water: the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south and the Arabian Sea to the west. Its territories also include three major island groups, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the east, and the Lakshwadeep Islands to the west. The length of mainland of India measures 3214 kilometers, with the Tropic of Cancer passing through its central region, and its southern tip extending about halfway toward the equator. India is bordered to the north by China, Nepal and Bhutan, and in the northwest by Afganisthan and Pakistan. The Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Straits separate India from the island nation of Sri Lanka.
The topography of India forms four distinctive geographical regions: The Himalayas, which include Mt. Everest (8848m) , Mt. Kanchenjunga (8598m), Mt. Nanga Parbat (8126m), Mt. Nanda Devi (7817m), and Mt. Namcha Parbat (7756m); a great plain formed by the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra Rivers; an arid desert region, and a vast triangular plateau surrounded by a series of hills and ridges.
The nation of India is divided into 28 states and 7 union territories: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The capital city is New Delhi, located in the north central region.
Climate and Wildlife
The climate of India is classified as tropical monsoon, with four seasons: Winter in January and February), summer from March to May, a rainy monsoon season from June through September, and a post-monsoon season from October through December.
The tropical climate of India features lush jungles, swampy marshes and both evergreen and deciduous forests, and is conducive to a rich variety of flora and fauna. Among its indigenous animals are elephants, monkeys, tigers, leopards, panthers, rhinos, several varieties of antelopes and deer, cattle, bison and buffalo, sloths, hyenas, wild pigs, jackals, foxes, wolves and wild dogs, mongooses, and giant squirrels. Reptiles include king cobras, pythons, crocodiles, freshwater tortoises and monitor lizards. Birds include peacocks, eagles, owls, pheasants, herons, ibises, storks, cranes, flamingos and pelicans. India is also known for many colorful varieties of butterflies.
Indigenous trees include pine, spruce and silver fir, birch, junipers, oaks, laurels, maples, rhododendrons, alder, dwarf willows, bamboos and tall grasses. Unfortunately, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, extensive hunting and poaching, deforestation for agriculture, pesticide use and overcrowding have had a profound impact on India's natural environment. Only 10% of the country is still covered with natural forests, however, in an effort to protect these remaining resources and their indigenous wildlife, the government has established more than 350 parks, sanctuaries and reserves.
Agriculture and Industry
The fertile Ganga plain is a rich agricultural region that supports crops such as wheat, sugarcane and rice. The humid regions produce important commercial crops, such as spices, coffee, tea, rubber, coconut, cashews, mangoes, guava, papaya, and bananas. India's economy includes both traditional village farming and modern agriculture, the manufacture of traditional handicrafts such as pottery, textiles and metal craft, as well as a vast number of modern industries. Natural resources include iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, and the world's fourth-largest coal reserves. Since its independence in 1947, India has become self-sufficient in agricultural production and is now the tenth industrialized nation in the world. India has recently become a major player in the world of technology and engineering. A growing segment of the population is well-educated, with many people fluent in the English language, which has enabled India to become a major producer and exporter of software programs and services.
Calendar & Time Zone
India uses a bewilderingly complex calendar system, based partially on the solar calendar, partially on the lunar calendar, and partially on the Gregorian calendar. In some places, a solar calendar, similar to the Zodiac, is used. Others use a lunar calendar, with each month beginning with either the new moon or the full moon, depending on the region. Many people even use a combination of the solar and lunar calendars simultaneously, which denotes the lunar day, the lunar month, the solar day, the solar midpoint, and the positions of the sun and moon relative to each other. The Gregorian calendar, preferred throughout much of the world, is also used in India for official purposes. The government introduced an Indian National calendar in 1957, a solar calendar with 365 or 366 days, leap years like those in the Gregorian calendar, but with the new year beginning on the vernal equinox. Years are numbered from the first year of the Saka era, 78 A.D. India is 13 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Traditional Clothing
The most readily identifiable Indian woman's garment is the sari, a single length of cotton, silk or synthetic fabric, five to six yards in length, worn wrapped around the waist and shoulders. Sari styles, textures, patterns and colors vary from one region to another, and the way in which it is worn is indicative of a woman's social status, age, occupation, and religion. The sari is worn over a tightly-fitted, short-sleeved, midriff-length blouse called a choli.
Women in the province of Rajasthan wear another type of traditional garment called a ghagra or lehanga. This pleated skirt is fastened at the waist, leaving the back and midriff bare. A cotton shawl called an orhni or dupatta is worn to cover the head.
One of the most popular women's garments is the salwar-kameez, originally worn in the provinces of Kashmir and Punjab but now common to all regions of India. The salwar is a pair of pajama trousers tightly fitted at the waist and ankles. The kameez is a long and loose tunic, split at the side seams, worn over the salwar trousers. A variation of the salwar-kameez is the churidar, a tighter fitting trouser worn with a simple tunic called a kurta. The kurta, worn by both men and women is a loose-fitting, short-sleeved, knee-length tunic with a round neck, side-slits at the hem and a flared skirt. Another garment worn by both men and women is the lungi, a short length of fabric worn around the waist like a sarong.
Two traditional garments for men are dhotis and pajamas. A dhoti is a length of fabric wrapped around the hips, with an additional length of fabric pulled up between the legs and secured at the waist. The pajama-like trousers worn by men in the villages are known as lenga.
Over the last century, western clothing has gradually made its way into Indian culture, where many modern men and women now wear suits for everyday business attire.
Traditional Houses
Traditional Indian houses are multi-storied dwellings constructed of baked mud bricks, with a small central courtyard surrounded by rooms with no windows overlooking the streets and entries through adjoining alleyways. Even the earliest examples of residential architecture featured indoor plumbing with drains that flowed into covered sewers.
Language
Hindi is the national language, spoken by approximately 30% of the people. In addition, there are 14 other languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language. English is also widely spoken for national, political, and commercial communication.
Religion
India is one of the most religously diverse nations on earth. The religions of India include the indigenous Hindu religion, with its pantheon of powerful gods and goddesses. Buddhism also originated in India, with Prince Siddhartha's mission to gain understanding of human suffering and to forge a path toward enlightenment. Another ancient religion that is still practiced in India is Jainism, a sect founded as a revolt against Hinduism in the 6th century, and emphasizes asceticism, immortality and transcedence of the spirit, but does not acknowledge the existence of a supreme being. A more recently founded religion is Sikhism, which originated in the northwestern province of Punjab in the 16th century. Several non-native religions have also found their way into India, including Zoroastrianism, a Persian religion founded in the 6th century B.C.; Islam, introduced by the Muslims around the 8th century; Christianity, introduced by the apostle Thomas in the first century A.D.; and Catholicism, introduced by European colonists in the 15th century.
Education
Education has long been an integral part of Indian culture. In ancient times, scholars developed schools of philosophy, religion, medicine, literature, drama and arts, astrology, mathematics and sociology. Buddhist monastaries also provided excellent venues for higher learning, including those at Vikramshila, Takshashila, and Nalanda, which, at its height, had an enrollment of ten thousand students and teachers, including scholars from China, Sri Lanka and Korea.
Around the 11th century, Muslims established elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities in the major cities of Delhi, Lucknow and Allahabad, featuring courses in theology, philosophy, fine arts, architecture, mathematics, medicine and astronomy.
During British colonial rule, the educational system in India was further expanded, with colleges established in Calcutta, Madras and Bombay. Thereafter, western education has made steady advances, until today, where India offers 226 universities, 428 Engineering colleges and technological institutes, more than a 100 medical colleges, dozens of agricultural and other specialized institutes of higher learning. Today, India offers its citizens one of the most highly developed educational systems of any nation in the world. Indian scholars consistently contribute to the world of science and technology, the arts and humanities, and in business and agriculture.
The primary and secondary systems are modeled after western schools, with elementary grades one through six, middle school grades seven through nine, and high school grades ten through twelve. The literacy rate in India is 52.21 per cent: 64.13 for males and 39.29 for females.
Art
Much of India's art is strongly influenced by religion, with many colorful works depicting the pantheon of Hindu gods and goddesses, as well as the life of Buddha. Indian art also includes a vast array of traditional handicrafts including textile weaving, carpet making, intricate embroidery techniques, elaborate jewelry, leather work, metal crafts, painting, pottery, paper making, stone and wood carving.
The Flag of India
The national flag of India was officially adopted on July 22, 1947, when the Indian subcontinent was divided into India and Pakistan. It is composed of three horizontal stripes, orange on top, white in the center and green on the bottom. The orange represents courage and sacrifice, green stands for faith and chivalry, and white symbolizes peace and truth. A circular blue starburst design in the center of the flag represents the Buddhist chakra wheel.
Indian Mythology
According to Hindu tradition, the Universe was a single entity called Brahmin, which was later associated with the god Brahma, the creator of the Universe. A trinity of deities was formed by Brahma the Creator, Vishnu, the Protector, and Shiva, the Destroyer. India's mythology began during a period known as the Vedic Age, during the Harappan and Mohenjodaro civilizations around 2400 B.C. The Vedic Age is named for a collection of hymns called the Vedas.
The Hindu religion acknowledges the presences of a soul, called atama, which is transmigrated from one being to another. Sacrifice and penance were integral to Hindu worship. Penance in the form of isolation and deep meditation was rewarded by the Trinity in the form of protection from harm or even immortality.
Many of India's myths revolve around the ongoing conflict between the Deva gods and the Asura demons, and three of the most famous ancient texts on the subject are the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas.
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04:04 PM PST
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Friday December 14, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
The main serving dish for Indian food is called a thali, a large, straight-rimmed plate made of aluminium, stainless steel or brass, which may also serve as a lid for a pot or pan. Of a less utilitarian nature are an endless variety of richly patterned porcelains, carved hardwoods and softly shining brass. And since Indian food features such a wide variety of chutneys and other savory condiments to accompany the main dishes, it is important to stock an abundant supply of small, shallow bowls, and a large serving tray for transporting them to the table or buffet. The best and most economical sources for Indian serving dishes are Asian emporiums such as neighborhood Indian or Asian markets, or import stores such as Cost Plus World Market and Pier One. And don't forget that your local thrift shops often stock a trove of exotic cast-offs at bargain prices.
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12:22 AM PST
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Thursday December 13, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
Although the preparation of Indian food doesn't require any esoteric utensils per se, there are several traditional items that would make the experience more authentic, most notably: a hamam dasta grinding bowl and pestle for hand blended masalas, curry pastes and powders; a karhai, which is a deep, round-bottomed metal pan similar to a wok; and a tandoor clay oven [in my Technicolor dreams]. And of course, an electric rice cooker is always a blessing. But with or without these specialty items, it is still possible to prepare a classic Indian feast with whatever you've got on hand.
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12:00 AM PST
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Wednesday December 12, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
Indian cuisine includes a wide variety of both spirited and non-alcoholic beverages. Chai is a hot beverage made with black tea, milk, and sugar, spiced with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and cardamom. Lassi is a cold milk beverage, similar to buttermilk, and is sometimes mixed with the pulp of fresh mangoes. Shikanjami is fresh limeade, Kanji is a cold beverage made with fermented carrots, and Thandai is a milk beverage seasoned with various seeds and nuts.
India also produces beer, wine and whiskey. Beer was first introduced to India during the British colonial era, when a hearty variety called India Pale Ale was brought over from England in ships. Breweries were soon established all over India, with Lion Beer being its oldest commercial brand. Lion is still produced today, along with many other brands, including Kingfisher, Cobra, Guru, Indian Tiger, Kalyani, Khajuraho, and Taj Mahal. Rice beer is also produced in the northeastern regions.
Wine has been an integral part of Indian culture and cuisine for thousands of years, however, varietal wines similar to those of France, Italy, Germany and California, have not been produced in India until recently. Most wine produced in India is made from imported varietals such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with domestic grapes. The most common labels include Costa & Company, Grover Vineyards, Indage Group, Shaw Wallace, Sula Vineyards, Vinbros & Co., and Omar Khayam, a sparkling wine.
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01:02 PM PST
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Tuesday December 11, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
Chutney is defined in the dictionary as a mixture of chopped fruits cooked in vinegar and sugar with ginger and spices, which leaves it wide open to individual interpretation.
A Google search will reveal a vast list of chutney recipes, including Green Tomato Chutney, Cranberry Jalapeno Chutney, Cherry Chutney, Apple Peach Apricot Chutney, Watermelon Rind Chutney, Mint Chutney... Just to name a few. Therefore, it appears that chutney can be made with most any kind of fruit or vegetable, but it would seem that authentic chutney should be made with fruits and spices idigenous to India.
Once the ingredients are decided, making chutney is unbelievably easy. It involves nothing more than preparing and combining the ingredients in a large saucepan or kettle and simmering until the fruits are tender and the liquid is evaporated. It's as simple as that.
Here is a redux of my first attempt at making my own chutney:
"A few days ago, Rene brought home a whole watermelon, and I got inspired to make a chutney out of the rinds. I always hate to throw them away, because growing up in the South, where watermelons are sweet and plentiful, some of the ladies in the neighborhood used to make pickles out of the rinds. With watermelon rinds as my inspiration, I went online, located a couple of enticing watermelon chutney recipes and tried them both. One of them called for both the flesh and the rind, seasoned with curry powder and sweetened with brown sugar. It turned out remarkably similar to a standard mango chutney, only not quite as sticky. The other recipe wanted the rinds only and was spiced with lots of ginger and hot chilis and sweetened with regular white sugar. The result was a much spicier, syrupy chutney. Of the two, it was definitely my favorite. It was so good that after I filled a jar to the rim with it, we ate the leftovers with a spoon.
Having had such satisfying success with my first foray into making my own chutney, I went right out and bought all the ingredients to try my hand at a few more recipes. My neighbor had given me some lovely vine-ripened tomatoes, so I made a red tomato chutney spiced with cumin and coriander that turned out rather like a thick, sweet ketchup. From the other fruits I made peach chutney spiced with garam masala, apple-raisin chutney spiced with curry powder, and pineapple chutney spiced with a pinch of garam masala and lots of fresh ginger root.
As always, I improvised the recipes, and seasoned them so that each has its own unique flavor. I didn't want them to taste too similar to each other. I was going for variety, and with all the ripe flavors of the fresh fruits and the different spices in each one, I think I have quite a lovely array of condiments to serve with my Curried Lamb Stew and Chicken Vindaloo.
So, after my abounding success in making six different kinds of chutney, you can bet your ghee and garam masala that I will never again pay seven bucks at the grocery store for a five ounce jar of Major Grey's."
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02:51 PM PST
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Monday December 10, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
Gathering all my specialty ingredients for my Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake Indian menu is easy this time, as I already have many of the aromatics in my spice rack. And I already have a big jar of mango chutney that I bought online at an Indian foods website called IShopIndian.com. It was only $5.95 per one kilogram jar, with a little shipping. What a bargain. I ordered 3 jars of it on pure faith, and it's so good I've already polished off two of them,. But there's still plenty left for my Indian dinner. IShopIndian.com carries an amazing selection of Indian ingredients, and free shipping on orders over $50.
When it comes to the exotic spices (garam masala, curry powder, cardamom, turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, corriander seed, and cumin) we have a Cost Plus World Market in Napa that they carries a full selection of ethnic spices at bargain basement prices. Most of them cost less than two dollars each. What's missing from my repertoire are a couple of exotic Indian spices (nigella, ajwain, and fenugreek) and some basic curry powder.
So, with the exception of my fresh ingredients, which I will shop for later in the week, I've got almost everything I need to make an Indian feast.
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For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com
02:37 PM PST
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Sunday December 09, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
Stocking an Indian pantry can be quite an adventure, both in the rich variety of spices and other ingredients, as well as tracking them down in specialty markets. If you are fortunate enough to live in a cosmopolitan city, you may have local access to an Indian or Asian market. Other possibilities include Cost Plus World Market and Trader Joe's, both of which may carry some of the spices and condiments you seek. There is also a wonderful website called ishopindian.com that supplies an amazing number of basic ingredients at modest prices.
The most common spices used in Indian food are corriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron, mustard seed, poppy seeds, cardamom, cloves, anise, fenugreek, fennel, tamarind, chili, ginger, garlic, and asafetida, a musky, gummy paste made from a variety of plant resins. Starches include several varieties of rice such as basmati and jasmine, as well as beans, chickpeas and lentils, and nuts such as almonds, cashews and peanuts. Dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese, curds and a clarified butter called ghee play an important role in Indian cuisine, along with nearly every type of meat, poultry and seafood.
The ubiquitous chutneys that accompany traditional Indian meals may be made from nearly every type of vegetable and lush tropical fruits such as mangoes, guava, papaya, pomegranates, bananas, and coconuts. As with any cuisine, the magic is in the way the various ingredients are combined.
Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.
For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com
02:26 PM PST
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Saturday December 08, 2007
This Month's Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian
Appetizer: Lamb Meatballs
Salad: Fresh Tomato Salad
Main Course: Prawns in Spicy Sauce
Side Dishes: Coconut Rice, Stuffed Poblano Peppers, and Puffy Bread
Dessert: Fried Milk Balls
Send me a pair of chopsticks. Click here for details.
For questions, comments, or to subscribe to Chopstick Cinema's monthly menu and film review, send e-mail to cheiter at thingsasian dot com
12:00 AM PST
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