Gobindavog Rice is long grain white rice that is very small in size. It is very aromatic, and considered a special rice for holidays, special guests at feasts and festivals. It is grown in Bengal, India and in Bangladesh. Cooking Tips 10 minutes cooking time. Equivalents ¼ cup = 2 oz = 50g Language Notes…
Indian Food
Goda Masala
A spice mixture made in the Bombay area of India. The mixture includes coconut, sesame seeds and white poppy seeds.
Halvah
Israeli Halvah © Denzil Green So you think you know from Halvah? There are many versions of Halvah: Greek, Indian, Iranian, Israeli, Pakistanian, Turkish, etc. Every country thinks their version of Halvah is the best, or that it is original to them. The nougat-like version that uses crushed sesame seeds, tahini and honey is just…
Holy Basil
Holy Basil is a variety of basil. It is spicier than most other basils, and has an almost peppery taste when fresh. The plant grows 1 ½ to 2 feet (45 to 60 cm) tall. The coarse leaves are ½ inch (1 cm) long, with jagged edges. In the tropics, Holy Basil is treated as…
Jaggery
Jaggery is an unrefined sugar made in India that is not purified or filtered. It can be made from either sugar canes or palm tree sap. There is no clear, universal distinction made across all the regions in India between Jaggery from sugar cane and Jaggery from palm trees, though sometimes you will see someone…
Kasundi
Kasundi is an Indian relish or chutney, typically made in Bengal, India. There are many different kinds; some are quite hot. Depending on the kind, Kasundi can be used as a side condiment, dipping sauces, etc. Eggplant Kasundi (Brinjal Kasundi) Eggplant Kasundi is made from eggplant, pepper, cumin, black sesame seed, mustard seed, curry leaves,…
Kokum
Kokum is the dried skin of a fruit related to mangosteens. It is both tart and astringent in taste. In the southern states of India, it is used to sour food, as vinegar or lemon juice would be elsewhere. It gives dishes a pinky purple colour. When the skins are used in a dish, they…
Kuzhi Appam
Kuzhi Appam is a type of sweet pancake made in India. It is small flat cakes baked in a pan. Raw rice is soaked 2 to 3 hours, then ground. An equal amount of jaggery sugar is then added, and an equal amount of grated coconut. Finally plantain or banana, and cardamom and salt are…
Madhur Jaffrey: Television Cook and Food Writer
Madhur Jaffrey © From “Foolproof Indian Cookery” (2001) Life and Times Madhur Jaffrey is a TV food personality and cookbook writer who demystifies Indian cooking for English-speakers. On her programmes, she frequently dons the dress of the particular region of India featured in that episode. She came to cooking late in life. This enables her…
Mango Powder
Mango Powder is made from unripened wild green mangos, that even when ripe would be too tart to sell as fruit. These are dried, then ground into powder. The mango pieces have traditionally been dried in the sun but now more efficient and hygienic means are being tested. The powder will be light beige or…
Mishti Doi
Mishti Doi is a thickened, reddish-coloured yoghurt sweetened with jaggery used as a snack or dessert in India. It is not usually made at home, it is usually bought. It is sold in small, unglazed clay pots. The unglazed pots absorb any excess water that comes out after the dessert has set. The yoghurt gets…
Mung Beans
Mung Beans © Denzil Green The Mung Bean plant is an annual plant that grows upright, as opposed to climbing as do many other bean plants. The bean pods grow near the top of the plant. The pods are ready to harvest in 75 to 90 days after planting the seed; each pod will contain…
Mustard Oil
Mustard Oil is made from brown or black mustard seeds by steaming them and distilling the oil in the steam. The oil inherits their hot, sharp taste. It becomes mellower and milder when heated. It is not legal to sell Mustard Oil in the US for food use because it contains 20 to 40% Erucic…
Nigella
Nigella seeds are used as a spice. The plant is a member of the buttercup family. It grows about 2 feet (60 cm) tall, with wispy, greyish-green leaves. It blossoms with white flowers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. The flowers produce a seed capsule with 5 sections to it. When the capsule is dried,…
Panch Phoron
Panch Phoron is a spice mix made in West Bengal and in Bangladesh. It is used in vegetable and fish dishes.“Panch” is Bengali for Five; “Phoron” means spice. It is a mild tasting mix of whole seeds (not ground) that is definitely not spicy; the predominant taste is anise / liquorice. It is made from…
Paneer
Paneer is a soft, fresh white cheese made in India. It does not melt, but rather will brown when cooked. It has a bland flavour but it absorbs other flavours well.
Paniyaram pans
A paniyaram pan is a stove-top pan that has somewhat the functionality of a muffin tin. It is used for making kuzhi appam.
Pappadams
Pappadams are round, crispy Indian flat bread made either with lentil flour (mostly in the south of India), chickpea flour, rice flour, tapioca or potato flour. Often seasoned with crushed peppercorns or other spices. The flour is mixed with water and kneaded. Sometimes baking soda is added. The dough is then made into flat discs…
Poppy Seeds
Poppy Seeds © Denzil Green Poppy Seeds are the black things that get stuck in your front teeth when you have a bagel. They are really teeny, black or dark-blue seeds from the poppy plant. When cooked or toasted, they have a bit of a nut-like flavour. Europeans tend to prefer black Poppy Seeds, and…
Raita
Raita is an Indian yoghurt-based sauce with vegetable or fruit in it. It serves as a table condiment, acting as a contrast on the plate to hot spices. It can be served chilled or room temperature. There are many varied recipes for Raita. It can be a thick or thin sauce, and be used as…
Red Lentils
Red Lentils © Denzil Green Red lentils are actually more orange in colour. With their skins on, they actually wouldn’t look either orange, or red. They are sold to us “hulled”, meaning with the skins removed. Some Red Lentils are the same lentils as brown ones are, but with the skins removed. Canada, the largest…
Sambar Masala
A spice mixture made in the south of India in which red chiles and mustard seeds are dominant.
Sambar Podi
Sambar Podi is a spice mixture used in southern India. To make it, a small amount of lentils is toasted and ground, then mixed with toasted spices such as black pepper, coriander seed, cumin and fenugreek (optional: mustard seed, chile.) Some versions add asafetida. It is used to flavour curries, particularly lentil and vegetable curries….
Shallot
Shallot © Denzil Green In North America, the UK and Europe, Shallots are small onions with a pear-shaped bulb. They are commonly used in French cooking owing to their delicate flavour when cooked, but they are much hotter when eaten raw. In each bulb there are 2 to 3 cloves, with each clove covered in…