tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post925787185165441532..comments2023-09-16T09:00:31.715-04:00Comments on Telecommuter Talk: The Not So Wonderful Indian Cookery BookEmily Bartonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13971084813206845680noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-9077596985666444522008-05-21T17:35:00.000-04:002008-05-21T17:35:00.000-04:00Mandarine, "vague impression of helplessness and n...Mandarine, "vague impression of helplessness and nice pictures." I know the feeling! Actually, you'll see in my most recent post, though, that I fared better than I thought once I got going.<BR/><BR/>Litlove, and looking at the pictures and throwing a few ingredients together was just the sort of technique I ended up using.Emily Bartonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13971084813206845680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-50937307892843992712008-05-18T12:24:00.000-04:002008-05-18T12:24:00.000-04:00I just love the fact that, in a book that clearly ...I just love the fact that, in a book that clearly intends to tie the poor beleaguered cook to the oven forever, one of the recipes is missing. What a Freudian slip! It's like saying, oh for heaven's sake, just look at the picture and throw a few ingredients together in a way that appeals to you. Wonderful post, Emily. Only you could make an impenetrable cookbook such good fun reading.litlovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10952927245186474480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-5967022233746393482008-05-18T09:15:00.000-04:002008-05-18T09:15:00.000-04:00On your advice, I read the Shirley Jackson, and I'...On your advice, I read the Shirley Jackson, and I've posted my really long thoughts, lol. I even did some spoilery stuff, because I want to talk about w/ others who have read it!Evahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06703372903532502944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-56522292009893684982008-05-18T00:10:00.000-04:002008-05-18T00:10:00.000-04:00At least when it's an Indian cookery blog you can ...At least when it's an Indian cookery <EM>blog</EM> you can wikipedia ingredients on the spot.<BR/><BR/>I hate those cookbooks which do not seem to take the least care of what ingredients are available near where I live. The best example for me are vegetarian cookbooks translated from English (there are probably no French vegetarian cookbook authors). I am sure they have all those fine vegetarian, Indian or Chinese shops in London, but around here, Italian ingredients is as far as it gets. Sometimes, even the quantities are not converted: I even read one book where the quantity 'cup' (240 ml) was translated by 'tasse' (any cup-like holder, French cups being notoriously smaller than English ones, as they are used for black coffee instead of tea), which proves that the translator did not even have a notion of what he/she was writing about. So I am only left with a vague impression of helplessness and nice pictures.mandarinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18413240094728405118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-20765318572341260072008-05-17T17:22:00.000-04:002008-05-17T17:22:00.000-04:00Eva, now to figure out where one can possibly buy ...Eva, now to figure out where one can possibly buy paneer in these parts...<BR/><BR/>Stef, well if asafoetida comes from a species of giant fennel, then it must be delicious. I'll have to see if I can find some somewhere.<BR/><BR/>Raych, yes, absolutely!<BR/><BR/>ZM, I used to think as you do: eating Indian food = going out to dinner. Alas, good Indian restaurants don't seem to be a dime a dozen in these parts, so I'm stuck trying to make stuff that at least somewhat resembles it in my own kitchen.<BR/><BR/>Cam, doesn't stop me, either. After all, I've gotten quite a few ideas from reading this book, even if I can't make any of the recipes authentically.<BR/><BR/>Ms. Make Tea, oh thank you! I'll have to give that one a try.<BR/><BR/>Court, oh good. Now I have a simple version of coconut rice to accompany whatever I manage to find to cook from this book (maybe I'll even fry a few peanuts to throw in it).Emily Bartonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13971084813206845680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-6504632628950924732008-05-17T16:33:00.000-04:002008-05-17T16:33:00.000-04:00Oh good lord. I mean, Nigella has recipes I toss o...Oh good lord. I mean, Nigella has recipes I toss out of hand for being too complicated - this one certainly wouldn't be one I could use. And coconut rice...while I've made more complicated versions of it with peppers and shrimp, quite frankly it's fine if you (a.) make rice and (b.) pour in some coconut milk.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-82672498275823338882008-05-17T16:05:00.000-04:002008-05-17T16:05:00.000-04:00It sounds to me like the book you need is is "Indi...It sounds to me like the book you need is is "Indian Vegetarian Cooking at Your House" http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Vegetarian-Cooking-Healthy-Cuisine/dp/1570670048<BR/><BR/>I found it a very gentle accessible introduction to Indian cookingAmandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04797661728002935006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-62280364407984629222008-05-17T15:04:00.000-04:002008-05-17T15:04:00.000-04:00And I second what eva said: 'cottage cheese' is p...And I second what eva said: 'cottage cheese' is paneer. It is yummy.Anne Camillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12419931136194330529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-78746146880581392362008-05-17T15:03:00.000-04:002008-05-17T15:03:00.000-04:00I haven't read this cookbook, but I've read plenty...I haven't read this cookbook, but I've read plenty like it -- ones that on every page I say to myself "can't make this recipe". Doesn't stop me from buying new cookbooks though.Anne Camillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12419931136194330529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-48161200399931409192008-05-17T13:09:00.000-04:002008-05-17T13:09:00.000-04:00I admire your spirit in even trying to figure out ...I admire your spirit in even trying to figure out these recipes. I would choose the Calculus myself. To me Indian food is definitely one of those things that can only be had out at a restaurant. Of course, most non-basic food falls in that category for me these days so I'm no standard.ZoesMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13279493011192565601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-58383580137313033722008-05-17T11:31:00.000-04:002008-05-17T11:31:00.000-04:00HA! This sounds more like the 'Cookbook for Peopl...HA! This sounds more like the 'Cookbook for People Who Are Probably In India Or At Least In Little India And Who Have A Bag Of Daal In Their Kitchen Corner Next To Their Coconut Scraper.'<BR/><BR/>Best of luck.raychhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321213376462899047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-43198409803453858672008-05-17T09:11:00.000-04:002008-05-17T09:11:00.000-04:00I think I might have a copy of this cookbook! I do...I think I might have a copy of this cookbook! I don't remember. I read it once and and showed a few recipes that sounded yummy to my husband and he laughed at me and, well, we've not made a single one of them.<BR/><BR/>We do have some asafoetida in the cupboard though and have used it in Americanized Indian dishes. It's pretty tasty. What is it? It comes from a species of giant fennel. We haven't used curry leaves before, but I do know there are lots and lots of different kinds of curry but since we are too lazy to go to a speciality shop, we usually just end up the hot medium or mild one that our food co-op stocks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28169009.post-29702732112436237802008-05-17T09:06:00.000-04:002008-05-17T09:06:00.000-04:00Sounds very intimidating! I bet by cottage cheese...Sounds very intimidating! I bet by cottage cheese she means paneer: one of my favourite Indian things ever. :D It's a soft white cheese, and you can definitely cube it.Evahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06703372903532502944noreply@blogger.com