Nezbleu, I have a separate thick tawa (griddle) for dosa, a thin one cools down too fast when you spread the batter.
I got a steel circle, 5 mm thick from scrap, had the gas cutting marks from the edges removed at a friend's factory, then had it dished at another friend's factory. Normal tawa here is below 3 mm, it is not enough.
I heat it hot, spread a little oil, then the first one always sticks.
The rest are easy, it needs experience and practice.
I use a ready batter made from boiled rice, here it is about 60 cents a kilo, enough for a dozen or so dosa...
Saravanaa Bhawan is reputed, at least you got a standard dosa to eat, so you know what is on offer at least at other places.
Try at a local Iskcon temple, some have a food outlet inside the premises.
I got a steel circle, 5 mm thick from scrap, had the gas cutting marks from the edges removed at a friend's factory, then had it dished at another friend's factory. Normal tawa here is below 3 mm, it is not enough.
I heat it hot, spread a little oil, then the first one always sticks.
The rest are easy, it needs experience and practice.
I use a ready batter made from boiled rice, here it is about 60 cents a kilo, enough for a dozen or so dosa...
Saravanaa Bhawan is reputed, at least you got a standard dosa to eat, so you know what is on offer at least at other places.
Try at a local Iskcon temple, some have a food outlet inside the premises.
I went to the big Iskcon temple in Bengaluru and we had some snacks there, but not dosa. You won't find a "local ISKCON temple" where I live.
Those guys are pretty much everywhere, and are regarded as a lunatic fringe by some here. A lot of them are Westerners who have converted to Hinduism after feeling dissatisfied with their current religion, and tend to be puritanical.
But the quality of their food is mostly exemplary in purity of ingredients and authenticity of cooking style.
But it tends to be bland, as they are of the view that spices excite the passions, make you hot tempered and so on.
If you can make pancakes from batter, dosa is not so tough a progression. And many videos should be there on the net.
Or find a South Indian person to help.
But the quality of their food is mostly exemplary in purity of ingredients and authenticity of cooking style.
But it tends to be bland, as they are of the view that spices excite the passions, make you hot tempered and so on.
If you can make pancakes from batter, dosa is not so tough a progression. And many videos should be there on the net.
Or find a South Indian person to help.
Yesterday boiled black eyed peas, then made a curry base separately...onions and ginger garlic paste fried, then green chillies, cumin, asafoedita, red chillies, mango powder and garam masala added, fried till oil separated, then fine chopped tomatoes and the boiled peas added.
Later, a little cream added, boiled till slightly reduced.
Not very spicy, not bland either.
Later, a little cream added, boiled till slightly reduced.
Not very spicy, not bland either.
https://yourfoodfantasy.com/rajasthani-laal-maas-recipe/
This will suit most, the original calls for 500 gm. red chillies in 1000 gm. mutton.
This will suit most, the original calls for 500 gm. red chillies in 1000 gm. mutton.
Egg curry tonight.
British Raj and Railway favorite.
Onions, ginger garlic paste, spring onions, green chillies slow fried till onions translucent, then added cumin, Kashmir chill powder, salt, coriander powder, a little garam masala.
Two minutes later, added chopped tomatoes, cooked till tomatoes were a paste.
Added quartered boiled eggs, stirred them in, let sit a few minutes before serving.
British Raj and Railway favorite.
Onions, ginger garlic paste, spring onions, green chillies slow fried till onions translucent, then added cumin, Kashmir chill powder, salt, coriander powder, a little garam masala.
Two minutes later, added chopped tomatoes, cooked till tomatoes were a paste.
Added quartered boiled eggs, stirred them in, let sit a few minutes before serving.
When I do veggie biryani, I usually include black-eyed peas and cashews in the mix, along with corn, green beans, red bell pepper, and spring onions, sometimes shredded carrot to if I remember to get it.. I'm currently using Daawat Ultima basmati rice. I also picked up a smaller package of Royal basmati on spec. My favorite basmati so far is Falak Extreme (lovely nutty aroma right out of the bag), but it's hard to find in the SF Bay area. I use avocado oil for tempering the spices at the start. It's a bit on the pricey side, but it's healthy and has a high smoke point.
Cotton seed oil and rice bran oil also have high smoke points.
Falak is from Pakistan. They have some varieties which are famous, but hard to get. Some Indian varieties might be even more expensive.
Ask your colleagues, they might know of a source that delivers or ships to your area.
Indian Dehra Dun rice is very good, so is the low land Punjab variety.
You just might get South American long grain rice, and some is cultivated in South East Asia.
Try adding fried cashew as a garnish at the end, it enhances the aroma...
Falak is from Pakistan. They have some varieties which are famous, but hard to get. Some Indian varieties might be even more expensive.
Ask your colleagues, they might know of a source that delivers or ships to your area.
Indian Dehra Dun rice is very good, so is the low land Punjab variety.
You just might get South American long grain rice, and some is cultivated in South East Asia.
Try adding fried cashew as a garnish at the end, it enhances the aroma...
Cottonseed oil is nasty stuff that is artificially hydrogenated using nickel as a catalyst - high in trans fatty acids. Canola oil is also highly processed, but used a lot in pre-packaged foods 'cause it's cheap... When I remember, I top my chicken or veggie biryani with toasted sesame oil - very nice flavor and aroma. I have a little bit of saffron - someday I'll try saffron milk.
Here cotton seed oil is used a lot in fried snacks, they have long storage life, and it is oil, not hydrogenated trans fat.
Some people say it contains pesticide residues from cotton cultivation, it is quite popular here for domestic use also.
Canola oil is called rape seed oil here, not popular, in Dubai it comes from Canada mostly. Here rape seed oil is a minor oil, and tends to be used in the trans fats for bakery use, the different oils are blended and hydrogenated, and there was a version intended for flaky pastry, fat and agent in the same 15 liter tin.
I use sunflower or rice bran oil, peanut oil in refined quality is hard to get in my state, and the filtered peanut oil here has a taste of peanuts, which can influence the final taste.
Try saffron milk as the final ingredient in sweets,...very nice, in a normal dish the subtle flavor will be overwhelmed by the quantity of spices we use.
There is a dish called rabdi (or rabarhi), 3 liters of full fat milk, 350 grams of sugar, a few almonds, a pinch of saffron.
Cook till it is reduced to a honey like consistency, with milk solids in it. I add the saffron about 1 liter volume, some versions use saffron milk and rose water as final garnish.
Takes me at least two hours, gently stirring on a simmering heat. it sticks to the dish, so stirring and scraping are part of the process.
Some people say it contains pesticide residues from cotton cultivation, it is quite popular here for domestic use also.
Canola oil is called rape seed oil here, not popular, in Dubai it comes from Canada mostly. Here rape seed oil is a minor oil, and tends to be used in the trans fats for bakery use, the different oils are blended and hydrogenated, and there was a version intended for flaky pastry, fat and agent in the same 15 liter tin.
I use sunflower or rice bran oil, peanut oil in refined quality is hard to get in my state, and the filtered peanut oil here has a taste of peanuts, which can influence the final taste.
Try saffron milk as the final ingredient in sweets,...very nice, in a normal dish the subtle flavor will be overwhelmed by the quantity of spices we use.
There is a dish called rabdi (or rabarhi), 3 liters of full fat milk, 350 grams of sugar, a few almonds, a pinch of saffron.
Cook till it is reduced to a honey like consistency, with milk solids in it. I add the saffron about 1 liter volume, some versions use saffron milk and rose water as final garnish.
Takes me at least two hours, gently stirring on a simmering heat. it sticks to the dish, so stirring and scraping are part of the process.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabri'Nuff said...
Another version: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/rabri-recipe-rabdi-recipe/
This mentions the method I suggested:
https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/rabri-recipe-video/
Another version: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/rabri-recipe-rabdi-recipe/
This mentions the method I suggested:
https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/rabri-recipe-video/
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Chicken biryani.
Washed and soaked the rice about 5 pm.
Started at 7, half an onion fried till translucent, added chicken in pot.
One and a half onion, two small tomatoes, one tablespoon ginger garlic paste, cumin, salt, garam masala, coriander powder, all whizzed briefly in small mixer jar.
Poured over chicken, covered, slow heat with occasional stir till oil separated.
Then added rice, and water, cooked till rice done.
Came out well.
Washed and soaked the rice about 5 pm.
Started at 7, half an onion fried till translucent, added chicken in pot.
One and a half onion, two small tomatoes, one tablespoon ginger garlic paste, cumin, salt, garam masala, coriander powder, all whizzed briefly in small mixer jar.
Poured over chicken, covered, slow heat with occasional stir till oil separated.
Then added rice, and water, cooked till rice done.
Came out well.
I am sad to say, but for most of Australian history Keen's Curry powder has represented what is "Indian curry" flavour. Who needs different spice blends or recipes when this one with turmeric, coriander, salt, fenugreek, black pepper, chilli, rice flour, allspice, and celery has done it all since I was a kid!
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Ask around, Indian shops would be able to supply more authentic materials, with the Covid crisis it has become normal for food and ingredients to be delivered.
But what are rice flour and CELERY doing in curry powder?!
And what is allspice, I wonder....
Another example of local tastes and marketing influencing the product at the expense of reality.
I have mixes for chicken curry, chicken tandoori, chicken biryani, chicken tikka, and chicken gravy, all from Suhana, at home. Many other varieties are there, just for chicken, and also many brands.
We have many varieties of spices for mutton, eggs and vegetables also!
We even have varieties for snacks...chaat masala, pani puri masala, jal jeera, and a huge set of flavored drinks.
One mix for all sorts of dishes is a travesty, I pity you for not having access to the wonderful variety of Indian food.
But what are rice flour and CELERY doing in curry powder?!
And what is allspice, I wonder....
Another example of local tastes and marketing influencing the product at the expense of reality.
I have mixes for chicken curry, chicken tandoori, chicken biryani, chicken tikka, and chicken gravy, all from Suhana, at home. Many other varieties are there, just for chicken, and also many brands.
We have many varieties of spices for mutton, eggs and vegetables also!
We even have varieties for snacks...chaat masala, pani puri masala, jal jeera, and a huge set of flavored drinks.
One mix for all sorts of dishes is a travesty, I pity you for not having access to the wonderful variety of Indian food.