anthead's Profile
Indian Mangos!!!
Puh-leez. Joe is right - the only reason Alphonso has built a reputation is because it is sturdy enough to survive the journey. In Northern India, where the Alphonso is known as Hapus, it is hardly considered in the same league as a Langra or a premium Dussehri, or even the Chausa.
Where can I find Yusheng in LA?
I had yusheng as a side dish to a stellar fish porridge/congee in a Hawker Centre in Singapore early this year. Ever since I came back, I've tried to find it in LA but don't even know where to look since there are hardly any restaurants serving Singapore Chinese food here. Perhaps a version of yusheng can be found in other Chinese restaurants?
For those who don't know, yusheng is a raw fish salad where, at least in the Singapore version, strips of fish are tossed with a number of toasty, crunchy ingredients, with a squeeze of kalamansi juice on top (limau kasturi in Malay, I think).
Here's a picture of the Singapore yusheng I ate -
http://yummydummy.blogspot.com/2007/03/zhen-zhen-porridge.html
Bangladeshi Cuisine?
Well, Aladin really is your best bet, because Jafran and Pardeshi are even sadder. Try Aladin's "tel koi" when it's freshly made and hasn't been sitting under a heat lamp for a while. They do a pretty good job with it. It does float in oil, but in this case, the floating in oil is justified because that's the nature of the dish.
However, as I said, if I want Bengali food, most of the times I make it at home.
I'm curious that you refer to Shaan's Pakistani cuisine. I know Shaan bills itself as an Indian and Pakistani restaurant, but the owners are from Hyderabad, India. It's very Hyderabadi food with baghara baingan and mirch ka salan and a very Hyderabadi haleem. Unfortunately, their execution of these dishes leave a lot to be desired.
Bangladeshi Cuisine?
Aw, too bad Aladin didn't work out for you and sorry your introduction to Bengali food was less than stellar. If you ever work up the courage to go there again, specifically avoid the parathas that are the biggest culprit of the "dripping in oil" variety.
The oiliness of Bangladeshi restaurant food totally baffles me. I'm from West Bengal in India, and both home-cooked food and what's served in restaurants has very little oil and is one of the lightest, most subtle cuisines in India.
I've had Bangladeshi home cooking which is more similar to West Bengali home cooking rather than Bangladeshi restaurant food. Something about going overboard with oil and spices in a restaurant setting I guess.
By the way, how are you with bony and fresh water fish? As Suvro told you in his excellent explanation of Bengali cuisine, the fresh water fish dominates the cuisine and we seem to have an especial fondness for fish with tiny bones.
Bangladeshi Cuisine?
Makkah Halal is run by Bangladeshis. However, they do not serve Bangladeshi/Bengali food. Their food is mostly an approximation of pan-North Indian and Pakistani food. They're not bad at what they do, but I do wish they would serve Bengali food because they seem to have some competent cooks in their kitchen.
Bangladeshi Cuisine?
A. Devi is not a Bangladeshi restaurant. When it was in business (it has since shut down), it used to serve pan-Indian food with some Western accents. The Bangladeshi restaurant in New York is Mina's. It has many admirers on Chowhound.
B. A better book on Bengali cuisine than Bharati Kirchner's (her recipes are atrocious) are Chitrita Banerjee's books on Bengali food. There isn't a better introduction to Bengali cuisine in English.
C. All Bangladeshi restaurants in LA are hit or miss, but on it's good days Aladin can churn out a pretty decent meal. That's where I end up on days when I don't feel like cooking Bengali food at home and still crave my comfort food. Like all Bangladeshi restaurants, they tend to go overboard with excess oil in the dishes, a complete contrast to Bengali home cooking which is very light and healthy.
But if you can get past the oil, the "tel koi" (oily koi), the "ilish sorshey"(shad in mustard sauce), uchhey/korola (stir fried bitter gourd), the stir fried mixed vegetables are all fine.
Chicken Tikka Burrito
This sounds like a variation on the kathi roll that was invented in India by a restaurant based in Calcutta. They are an extremely popular street food in Calcutta and now the rest of India. All kinds of kababs, including chicken tikka, goat boti kabab, seekh kabab, grilled paneer are rolled up in a bread ( in the case of the Indian version, it's a thick parantha) with chutneys, onions and tomatoes. But as someone pointed out below, the kathi roll always comes with a fried egg inside.
Oh, and there is no difference along national lines between Indian and Pakistani nan. Unlike what is served in Indian restaurants here, real Indian nan is exactly like the Pakistani version - thick, fluffy and yeasty.
Do Indian people complain about spicy food? (and other late night musings)
Where is his data coming from? Note that he says "Nine to 10 per cent patients", which makes me suspect that he's essentially calculating this proportion from the number of people who are already reporting to a doctor for suspected allergies.
I think the 16-20 per cent figure comes from similar calculations because 20 per cent is just an absurd figure.
Growing up in India I knew only one person in my extended circle who had a food allergy.
Delicious Home-style Punjabi Food
I have a feeling that we may be referring to the same thing, and the difference is in very slight degree. If they can be mashed up by the back of your karchhi, they are good enough for me. However, most Indian restaurant chholey is undercooked and packs a bite.
By the way, have you tried Ambala Dhaba in Westwood (not the Artesia branch). I know it gets a lot of mixed reports on this board, but their food is the closest to the Punjabi food I cook and ate at the homes of friends growing up in Delhi. Their cook is from Amritsar, and learnt his chops at a dhaba there.
Delicious Home-style Punjabi Food
They are literally next door to where I live. The place is run by a Punjabi family that also runs the grocery store next door. The food does taste fresh and homemade, though frankly, like something made by a moderately competent home chef, not someone with excellent culinary skills. I've definitely had far superior home-cooked Punjabi food.
I'm puzzled that you actually prefer al dente chholey. To me this is a pet peeve, a majority of LA Indian restaurants seems to undercook the garbanzo beans (chickpeas), instead of slow cooking them to the point when they are very soft but haven't disintegrated. I can't recall a single meal in India where I've ever had al dente chholey, whether at someone's home or in a dhaba/restaurant.
Terrible Indian -- Westside -- Sad
This is absurd - I can't think of a single Indian dish that would combine saffron, star anise, coriander, pepper and fenugreek. Star anise anyway is a fairly rare ingredient in the cuisine of most states of India.
India Sweets & Spices in Glendale NEVER AGAIN
Are you sure the India Sweets & Spices on Venice in Culver City is under the same management? As far as I know, the family that runs the ISS in Culver City has only one grocery store/food counter.
I went to ISS in Glendale only once and was completely put off by the hospital cafetaria like ambience and service (made even worse by a blaring television in the middle of the room). And the food wasn't good enough to trump over the indifferent service and ambience. By the way, I think ISS in Culver City is superior to the one in Glendale.
Fromberkeleytolosangeles: There is a very clear explanation for why ISS in Glendale makes mediocre dosas - the place is run by a Punjabi family, and dosa is South Indian food. If you want good dosas you should go to a South Indian speciality restuarant.
There are a few of those in LA, including Paru's (not a personal favourite, the dosas are a tad greasy), Annapurna in Culver City (pretty good dosas, though the masala filling can be bland at times), and Tirupati Bhimas in Artesia (haven't tried their dosas yet, but their thali is not bad). I personally don't like Udupi so much, and I haven't tried Woodlands yet.
Why are Indian restaurants so crummy compared with the glory of Indian cuisine?
No kidding! Tandoori roti from rural Orissa? Are you sure you were in Orissa and not in Punjab? Most folks in rural Orissa have never seen a tandoor - in fact they probably haven't even heard of one. Most probably you ate at a Punjabi run dhaba on the national highways that runs through Orissa.
Orissa's food mixes elements of Bengali and Andhra cuisine. Lots of freshwater and sea fish, rice, and seasonal vegetables. It is fantastic food, but perhaps not really what you ate. I'm curious, what part of Orissa were you based in?
Why are Indian restaurants so crummy compared with the glory of Indian cuisine?
No, we are all Bengalis period. However, there are Indian Bengalis and there are Bangladeshi Bengalis.
Mangoes from India
This Alphonso hype seems excessive to me. India has over 300 varieties of mangoes, and many would argue that some are as or more delicious than Alphonsos. As someone who's eaten plenty of Alphonsos, as well as grew up eating mangoes in northern India, I'd take a Dussehri, Langda, Chausa or the Bengali Himsagar over Alphonso any day.
Unfortunately or fortunately (for the Indian consumer), these varieties are either too delicate to transport over long distances or all the export produce is sent to the Middle-East. In fact, many a mango grower in northern India's mango belt would tell you that the Alphonso's primary advantage is that it can be shipped over long distances without much damage to the mango.
Does AYCD and AYCE Korean BBQ Exist?
Don't know about Vermont and James Wood, but there is Manna which is just a block west of Olympic and Western (on Olympic) which has a $15 AYCE deal. I've only been there once, and the food was ok, as good as an AYCE BBQ place can be expected to be. I don't know if they have an AYCD deal though. It's a huge space and very noisy.
Why doesn't LA have any good Greek restaurants??
Are you sure? When did this happen?
Indian Chinese in LA
Losfelizhound, would you know if their regular chefs who cook the Indian food also make the Indo-Chinese stuff, or do they have a special chef to make the Indo-Chinese food? Tangra Bistro was special because the entire restaurant was devoted to Indo-Chinese and the chef was Chinese from Tangra, Calcutta.
Indian Chinese in LA
That's such a pity! Too bad, because that was as good as it got as far as Indo-Chinese is concerned in LA.
Wat Thai ...Mangoes?
Hmm.....has she never used Thai mangoes? I had the sticky rice at her stall last year and I could have sworn she told me those were Thai mangoes. A fluke perhaps?
Makkah Halal (Indian) – report
Given that they advertise themselves as a halal restaurant, I must say they are being extremely generous and accomodating in allowing you to bring wine to the restaurant.
Fried rice is not biryani without the meat (at least it shouldn't be). It is an Indian version of Chinese fried rice, but with no egg, seasoned with whole cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and cassia leaves, raisins and cashews and may include vegetables like peas, carrots and green beans.
Indian Chinese in LA
Tangra Bistro in Artesia. The owner is Chinese from Calcutta - apparently speaks Bangla :). His food is classic Indian Chinese - Hakka noodles, chili chicken, chiken manchurian, the works.
Best Persian Food in San Fernando Valley
Darband is the one I've heard praised by friends, though I've never been there myself. If driving wasn't a problem then Raffi in Glendale, or Shehrzad or Sholeh in Westwood would be very good choices. Personally I love the ambience and decor in Baran on Westwood, but the food's so-so.
Wat Thai ...Mangoes?
AFAIK, the Wat Thai sticky rice sellers use Thai mangoes in their mango with sticky rice. Thai mangoes are not in season at this time of the year. I vaguely remember that there's a woman who sells Thai mangoes just outside the temple. Her mangoes are very expensive but totally worth it given the generally tasteless mangoes in markets around LA.
Ponni Veppilakkatty: Can anyone identify this Indian spice?
Veppilakatty is a kind of dry chutney powder made with coconut and other spices. It's a condiment for South Indian dishes. Here's a recipe I found:
http://www.tamilspider.com/tamil/recipes/ViewRecipe.aspx?RecipeId=268
Apparently it is also known as chammanthi podi. Here's a recipe with a picture
http://myrelish.blogspot.com/2006/07/chammanthi-podi.html
I'm curious Zeb, why did you think it would have ground neem leaves?
Bilal, mediocre Indian food near LAX
Bilal is a Pakistani restaurant, so obviously it is meat that is their strong point, not vegetables. I vaguely remember eating a meal catered by Bilal a few years ago, and it was fairly decent. Next time, try the kebabs, haleem, nihari or biryanis.
The Sultan of Chaat and Other Lucknow Chow
Damn, what was I thinking! Typo, best watermelons come during the summer not wintertime.
The Sultan of Chaat and Other Lucknow Chow
Apples imported from the US? Oh dear. Please find a good fruit vendor and set him to the task of finding Himachali apples. I'm sure you'd not be disappointed. I'm puzzled as to why the guavas are so terrible, this should not be the case. You should buy your guavas from a vendor who specializes in them.
The best watermelons come during wintertime, so you'd have to wait a couple of months for them. When they are in season, buy them from roadside vendors who sell only watermelons.
Umm...oranges have always been more popular than mousambis for consuming whole. Mousambis are used for extracting juice. And oranges are by far more popular than mousambis.
Winter is a great time for starfruit. It's an acquired taste, too sour for many, but most Indians eat it with salt and pepper so it's more like a tangy savoury snack. Most starfruit vendors also sell roasted sweet potatoes which are delicious.
Do you buy your fruits from small vendors, or at the new produce stores that have started coming up around the country? I was wondering, perhaps that makes a big difference to your experience with the fruit.
I'm sorry, didn't mean to be so critical of Bombay Cafe. I'm sure it must have been great for many years, just that for me, on multiple visits the place just didn't live up to the hype.
If you're in Calcutta now, do seek out the Singapuri bananas. Also, lots of young coconut water. Have a great trip, and please keep writing about your adventures!
The Sultan of Chaat and Other Lucknow Chow
Very detailed and interesting post. Thank you for taking the time to write up your Lucknow culinary adventures. I love Lucknow, and your post brought on a bout of nostalgia. Here's a bit of nitpicking though:
You cannot possibly be serious in saying that the Indian lime was one of the few Indian fruits superior to its American equivalent. Apart from strawberries, which are a fairly recent import, I cannot think of a single Indian fruit which is not superior to its American equivalent.
Bananas? Try the small ones sold as Singapuri kela. I'm sure you'd never want to have another American banana again.
Apples? The better varieties from Himachal are absolutely amazing.
If you stick around till summer time, you'd have a chance to try the king of all Indian fruits in its full glory. There'd be mangoes everywhere. Oranges have their origin in India, and the best oranges come from North-eastern India. Even watermelon, papaya and pineapple are better in India.
Also try some of the nuts on offer. The pistachios and walnuts in India are imported from either Afghanistan or Iran, so are the pine-nuts. Indian produces a huge amount of cashews, and they are far superior to what is sold in the US.
Also, did you actually like the food at Bombay Cafe? I've had dinners there a couple of times when Neela was still at the helm and the meals were very mediocre.
Jayakarta -- Indonesian in Berkeley!
I'm surprised that after your multiple visits to Indonesia, you would equate the role of a bowl of sambal in an Indonesian meal to that of ketchup with hamburger.
A well-made sambal is far more integral to an Indonesian, and especially a Javanese meal. But of course, it is too intense to be served in immoderate amounts, and hence the serving is adequate to balance out the flavours of the meal.
As for the raw vegetables, Sundanese cuisine, of which lalapan forms a part, is famous for its devotion to raw vegetables. I personally think that the crunch of raw green beans is fantastic and works superbly in a dish like the Thai som tam, but may not be to everyone's taste.
Also, how did you assume that places like Jayakarta are catering to orang putih and not Indonesian clients? Your average orang putih would have hardly heard of dishes like coto makassar and karedok.
Again, let me repeat, a knowledge of Malaysian food does bring familiarity with some of the same flavour notes present in Indonesian food, but does not automatically confer expertise in Indonesian cuisines as well. Otherwise you wouldn't be shocked at the raw cabbage and green beans.
