November 13, 2006
Just add curryFood
Lately I’ve come across a number of recipes where desi “fusionification” occurs by just adding garam masala. Is this the culinary equivalent of a “princess costume” for Halloween?
For example, one of the regional finalists in the Build a Better Burger competition was Daljeet Singh from Coral Springs, FL. His entry was “Masala Burgers with Tangy Tamarind Sauce and Red Onion-Mint Relish” [Link]. You saw that one coming, didn’t you?
Unfortunately, he lost not because his burgers were too hot, but because his buns were too cold (who ever heard of a Punjabi with cold buns?).
The NYT coverage of the event makes it seem like Singh had some sort of unfair secret weapon, writing that the “overpoweringly spicy scent now wafting across the lawn from the Masala Burgers” [Link] did not distract the eventual winner. (?!?!)
Similarly, there are a number of versions of (ahem) Punjabi haggis out there, all of which involve garam masala. I love how this one group markets their version as healthier than either traditional haggis or traditional punjabi food:
By using an exotic blend of fresh tomatoes, green chilli and garam masala, the women of an Edinburgh community group believe their dish will appeal to Scots looking for a healthy alternative this Burns Night… They hit upon the idea of curried haggis while trying to come up with ways of making the traditionally high-fat Sikh diet healthier. [Link]Both the women who invented the Punjabi haggis believe they have lost more than two stone since switching to a healthier diet less than a year ago. [Link]
For those of you who aren’t familiar with haggis:
Haggis is a blood pudding, stuffed with minced sheep’s organs, onions, oatmeal and suet (beef fat), then sewn in a sheep’s stomach and boiled or baked. The blood from the meat soaks into the oatmeal, mixes with the beef fat and turns the inside a dark brown, richly grainy colour. [Link]
Lamb offal is healthier than dal/roti/sabzi? Riiiiiight ….
Amusingly, masala haggis didn’t emerge fully born from somebody’s brain. Instead, it was the product of evolution:
“We have tried haggis pakora and haggis curry at parties and so to make a haggis using traditional masala ingredients was the next step. People who like curry will like this…” [Link]
There’s also a desi vegetarian haggis for those of you who are feeling left out.
Why this simple fusionification? Isn’t there more to desi spices than garam masala? I’m Punjabi and it’s not even my basic masala (I follow family tradition and use dry cumin and coriander seeds, sauteed with ginger as the base for most sabzis I cook).
Here’s one chef who at least tries to desify things in a few different ways:
“I love Indian omelette. You whisk up a couple of eggs, throw in some chilli powder, some fresh green chillies and turmeric, then top with garam masala. Indian cheese toast is great. You put some cheese on the toast along with fresh green chillies, tomatoes and red chilli and maybe some nice red onion.
“Everything I have is ‘Indianfied’,” he explains. “If you cook bolognaise, go for keema mattar instead, which is Indian curry style mince and peas, and serve with your pasta. And you can’t beat a chicken tikka pizza…” [Link]
Salmon Rushdie or pan-fried masala salmon anybody?
ennis on November 13, 2006 03:23 PM in Food · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
Has anyone here successfully got non-desi friends to stop using that abomination called "curry powder" in their cooking? Sigh. I'll take anything, even a generic garam masala mix, over that. I also detest the trend of fusion-y Indian restaurants in the States that don't even have the grace to announce that they essentially serve American food with Indian flourishes or spicing, and so you have firangs raving about that great Indian swordfish sandwich with peppers and lemon that their local Indian place serves (with a sprinkling of garam masala, no doubt). And don't get me started on biryani in any of the DC desi places, especially that crappy one further up on CT Ave in Dupont.
As Indianized cheese toast goes, there's nothing better than grated Amul cheddar grilled till it's just a bit browned, with shakes of Tabasco on top.
btw - my dals are stored in empty cans of mccann's steel cut irish oatmeal - that's how much i love that stuff .
The previous residents of a flat I used to live in left behind a can of "curry powder". I never thought to use it for desi food, but it was good in Caribbean food (the recipes called for it).
Don't be forgetting the Indian Chinese...mmmm Indian Chinese...or sambusas (sold in east africa) or matoke (plaintain) nu shak (sabzi for the non-Gujus) and indian-e-fied vegetarian chillie :P
the best: my aunt makes healthy chevdo by mixing several cereals and then adding vaghar. My one friend was so horrified she exclaimed, "You people can't even leave cereal untouched!"
She then proceeded to complete my stash of tampered cereal and asks me for more all the time :P
Chicken!
My husband is SO going to be that uncle in 30 years.
Yummy .. jerk chicken is my favorite.
KD: I may have mentioned in the past but here it is again. Abhi's Mom makes the best Chevda - the kind you crave for "Ugandan" - west of the Continent Africa. May be if I remember next time we meet, to bring you a sample. By the way I am also sick and tired of hearing the word "Curry" from these "Dhoriyas". Everytime I warm up the food in the workplace microwave I hear - Oh that curry smells good -. Yep, tonight's dinner "leftover" is my tomorrow's lunch. And I am not even "Bachelor" like Arbuckle baby!!
It's funny that you just posted this regarding spice taste and smell... I just visited my parents recently and realized I hated going home b/c all my clothes end up smelling like spices. Even though of all the desi "adults" I know, my parents' house probably smells the least "spicy", it still irritates the hell out of me. Perhaps that's just the westerner in me talking...
J has cold buns? I so didn't need to know that ...
ok... i am already so! that uncle... i'm prefer to think that i'm ahead of my time.
btw- that vegie haggis is more like vegetarian shepherd's pie - tho' i've made it with a soy substitute.
Sorry, ennis, I stopped reading after that line due to fits of uncontrollable laughter.
Thanks for making me crack up at work .. haha.
Has anyone here successfully got non-desi friends to stop using that abomination called "curry powder" in their cooking?
When I was in Grad School, I knew this guy who would often bring over chicken curry for lunch. He basically cooked chicken with loads of curry powder and just absolutely loved eating that abomination. Once I tasted his chicken and I was absolutely blown away by how bad the thing tasted apart from stinking like there was no tomorrow. But he loved that shit so much that I just couldnt bring myself to say something.
P.S.:4days 23hours 34mins 32secs to the Battle Royale!
great minds stoop to concur
OK, while we're talking foody fusion, here's a fun article I read recently on the origins of Indian Chinese...you'll have to overlook the standard Bengali supercilious tone about Punjabis.
http://www.india-seminar.com/2006/566/566_sourish_bhattacharyya.htm
In South Africa the local brown newspaper (The Natal Post)holds a Curry Cup (its funny to SAfricans cos we have a Rugby Currie Cup as well mmm...GO SHARKS). Its always amusing to see what the Aunties and Uncles can devise, still have not gotten over the shark kebaab curry or the Dhal-Gosh(yip,lamb and dhal)Curry. Included as a subcategory is a wors (spicy sausage) competion and every single year a boere(white Afrikaner farmer)wins!!!
CinamonRani, please tell me there is more to Durban cooking than just "Bunny Chow" ...
Afraid so Ennis, we love our bunny chow and that's the only original creation. But if you visit Blue Lagoon Beach (Indian Central!!!)in Durban, you can try the fried corn (and buy cheap DVDs from the Pakistanis). Its fried in butter, green chilli and onions ....heaven!!! Other than that its standard brown food.
Bunny chow was OK, but the Chicken Peri Peri was tastier. Nandos is one of my favorite chains anywhere ...
I guess I had been hoping for more fusion.
Ennis, you said the magic word. NANDOES! Oh, I miss it everyday. You can actually buy the sauce online, I put it on my standard issue USA chicken burger and dream it taste the same. Peri peri rocks!
An American friend once told me that his wife hated Indian food because they "put that stinky curry into everything."
I insisted that she was an idiot because curry simply meant sauce and you could make a curry out of any number of spices.
I only just realized that curry powder actually exists and that must have been what she was talking about.
SP (#17): Great article. I think it would have been kinda cool if more Chinese people had settled in Indian cities over the centuries. I have met Chinese people in Delhi who speak Hindi fluently. It was nice.
Chinese people in Delhi and Calcutta do speak Hindi fluently. But I was pretty floored when I went to a Chinese restaurant in the DC area and the (completely Chinese looking) waiter figured out I was Indian and starting speaking to me in Hindi. Turned out he had grown up in Calcutta.
I think the author is wrong about ginger and garlic and onions and deep frying being Punjabi distortions, though, they are present in most versions of Chinese food I've eaten (in the US, Europe, Middle East - admittedly haven't been to China).
Yo Dad, I'm going to hold you to that. You are both coming to the December meetup right?
:~:~:~:~:~)
NANDOS!!!!!! I make anyone coming through the UK get me bottles and bottles of that stuff...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
That and I just discovered that they sell ceres juices at my local supermarket...
I think these filled up 1/4 of our suitcase on our last trip =)
notice how trim the dude in the pic is.
just my theory - (wo)men who know how to cook are less likely to be overveight.
The only ones I met were Tibetans. Are there many Han Chinese? Or other Chinese (the Tibetans are refugees and most definitely do not think of themselves as Chinese)
Yup got this jock at work to finally stop using the horrible Maharani curry masala I think it was called. Now I have to hook him up with stuff from Patel Brothers all the time and the dude uses 1/3 of the bottle each time he makes chicken.
Personally I'm big on Indianizing western stuff. Why not? I think it comes naturally to us. I make the Martha Stewart white wine butter turkey every year and I sprinkle red chilli pepper on top after I'm done basting. People love it. I also desify my burgers, throw in a little bit of kheema masala and chapli kabab masala along with eggs and some chana masala to hold it all together and burgers are the bomb.
I agree with Ennis, I have lived in New Delhi most of my life and I havent come across any Chinese, I have met and gone to school with Tibetans but it will be interesting to know if there are any Han Chinese in Delhi
True Ennis, most Punjabi families use garam masala only as a sort of garnishing for select sabzis/daals. and each sabzi has a specific set of masalas that go with it. eg. Cabbage demands ginger and mustard seeds. cauliflower and yellow daals (moong, masoor) demands cumin. kadhi/karhi demands cumin, coriander and fenugreek seeds, Maah di daal or Maah Chholiyan di daal needs black cumin (Syah zeera) and so on.....but as SP said i would go for Garam Masala over "curry (what) powder".......
though talking about "Curry" there is the Japanese Curry-and almost all my Japanese friends have mentioned about it to me and some even gotten me a home-made vegetarian "curry/kari" to sample. they end up asking "how similar is this to Indian curry".....
hai Rabba, hun main ki karaan :).JOAT - I can totally see a firang guy using a third of a bottle of Patel Bros. masalas at a time. With the guys who like "spicy" food in the US, it's such a macho contest - like the "ass in space" hot sauces.
Desified burgers *are* good, I must admit. Middle Eastern places also do a really good kofta-spiced burger, with grated onion and chopped parsley mixed in - so good. The Astor in Adams Morgan does those...
Of the two Chinese (not Tibetan) families I met in Delhi, one owned D. Minsen's shoe store in Connaught Place (echoing SP's article about Chinese entering the leather industry in India), and the other family owned a chinese restaurant somewhere in South Delhi (Lajpat Nagar?)
Tibetans of course are more commonplace, and many do speak Hindi too (those who were born in India which is now probably a majority of their community).
One of my Mama Ji's (Mom's brother's) best friend is a Chinese guy who owns a Chinese restaurant in Ludhiana, Punjab. He was raised in Ludhiana, his daughter was born and raised there, and he speaks pendu Punjabi and Hindi. Gotta love Peter Uncle. :)
http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/jan/23speca.htm
'Indian Chinese'
JoAT,
Patel Brothers.....i miss NYC. Artesia is too far away for me to go to Patel Brothers and there is no 7 train here in West LA:). I liked the Sabzi Mandi too because it used to have fresh desi produce which one would never find in Food Emporium or Gristede's.
me too, JoAT. i love my paneer burgers ;).Of the two Chinese (not Tibetan) families I met in Delhi, one owned D. Minsen's shoe store in Connaught Place (echoing SP's article about Chinese entering the leather industry in India), and the other family owned a chinese restaurant somewhere in South Delhi (Lajpat Nagar?)
During Mao's Great March, and even before, some Chinese fled China and settled in India. Most of them have now immigrated to USA, Australia, and mostly Canada. However, if you go to a big cosmopolitan town in India, you can still find Chinese as denstists, in addition to shoe makers (as you and SP pointed out).
I think Calcutta has a full fledged China town.
Amitabh,
My bad, I completely forgot about D'Minsens. Check this out about D'Minsens and people of Chinese origin in Shimla.
Tangra is where the Chinatown in Calcutta is.
I put finely chopped scallions, the onions and the green leaves in mine, they give a more Indian taste than Parsley which tends to give a more Italian / Mediterranean taste.
Patel Bros zindabad though. Since they've branched out elsewhere I find zero reason to go to Jaikisan Heights anymore. I go to Bellrose now where parking isn't a problem. It's much less chaotic than going to JH.
BTW you can order almost the entire line of Patel Bros masalas jars etc online.
Oh all the chinese guys that run the Indian Chinese places in NY speak Hindi. They are all from India so it's only natural for them to.
Unfortunatley, no. My non-desi mother-in-law is always making what she called "that curried chicken." And she insists on serving it with Uncle Ben's instant rice because "it's the best" she won't let me even bring my zippered sack of basmati in the house. She also won't come with me to buy spices but remains convinced that it's best to spend a billion dollar on spices at Ralph's. ug.
yup, i know someone too... it took me totally by surprise. i saw a friend of mine was talking in hinglish and there was a chinese dude in the vicinity but no one else. for the life of me i couldn't figure out to whom she was speaking in hinglish.... then the guy spoke in hindi, really good hindi... it was the first time i became aware of chinese communities in india.... they are obviously very small in comparison to the brown, but they do exist.
i got to know a few afghanis at university as well, who went to india for school/ college and are fluent in hindi and very aware of indian culture.
Curry. Is. Not. Indian.
Gasp.
Yeah, and they never get it right. Curry powder isn't the same as garam masala, but people think it is. Amreekan garam masalas have way too much cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, which take away from the warmth of the flavor, and renders it useful for only a few dishes, if any. (Minus the cumin and coriander, you could probably make a great pumpkin pie out of that stuff.) And once you use pre-made garam masala, you can never tailor the flavor to your own tastes because it's hard to gauge how much more of a single spice to put in the dish or how to offset an overpowering spice in the garam masala.
As for the actual curry powder, if you go to the desi stores, you can get curry powder that will work for a specific dish - but only THAT dish. And you can make pretty decent dishes with pre-made curry powders if you buy a separate one for each kind of dish (but how practical is that?). You can't just put the same curry powder in anything and everything, like people end up doing. Gross.
If the poor fools would bother to learn or experiment with making their own spice concoctions (which is hella fun!) they'd realize they only need two or three spices to do the trick for most dishes. It's just a matter of finding out which ones, and how much. And keep in mind regional flavors for guidance (heavy ginger in Punjabi food, sugar and coriander in Gujurati food, heavy chili and garlic in Bihari and Bengali food, asafoetida in Rajasthani food, tamarind in Southie food, etc).
Ennis - I need you to track down Mr. Daljeet's contact info - I think my husband wants to stalk him.
SP - great pointer in post #17. But I have to admit, I don't feel that Punjabi's (or Panjabi food) is being dissed. The snottiness is probably a side-effect of years of overcooked machh-jhol, watery moshur and malodorous chingri.
Post #36. Now they are Mutiny-famous!! I grew up with the Liangs. Let me tell you, the mum can cook up some phenomenal shrimp dumplings. Long hours at their home made sure I knew how to play Mah-Jong, eat with chopsticks and actually enjoy shrimp-papads.
One gratifying trend in the US is that people's tolerance for spices is improving. Here in Texas, its actually cool to be able to put away hot salsas and curries. Sadly, Dallas hasn't evolved much beyond the standard format, northie dominated buffet. Even "south-indian" restaurants can't resist the mass-appeal staples like tandoori and nan.
Yup Shruti. each and every dish demands specific flavors. thats why i make my own masala mixes from whole masalas at home rather than buying so many different masala powders. and BTW, hing (asfoetida) is used even in Southern Indian, Maharashtrian and Kashmiri cuisines.
JoAT, Jai Kisan Heights (love that name) was my only resort as that was closest and i didn't much like the Curry Hill stores. but good that you have something closer to ur place.
More about the uncle in question:
Oh I know, I'm just saying it's a crucial ingredient in Rajasthani dishes because of the nature of desert cuisine. Like cumin and coriander pretty much goes for every South Asian cuisine - Lankan, Nepali, whatever :) btw, what the hell kind of weird name is asfoetida. I should just say heeng even when I'm using English names.
As for this:
I've loved all the Tibetans I've met in India and here. Maybe it's because I've met them through SFT and ICT, and they were politically aware people who were very grateful for Indian refuge (though still bitterly critical of Nehru's response to the Chinese occupation). They've been far more approchable and friendly to me than ABDs. When I first meet Tibetans here, they ask me if I can speak Hindi, and when I tell them I can, they'll talk to me in Hindi for a bit. Where I'm from, where they're from, how we both got here, what kind of food do I like, have I ever tried Nepali-Tibetan food, etc etc. It's really nice - you know right away they're not assuming anything, just looking to connect with another human being through a common experience. It's something I wish ABDs would understand so they wouldn't get so indignant when you ask questions - none of that ABD "just because I'm desi doesn't mean I give a shit, so step off, bitch" kinda drama.
to #1 "Has anyone here successfully got non-desi friends to stop using that abomination called "curry powder" in their cooking"
---yes! I try to educate all the non-Desis that curry powder is not something Indians use in cooking! I try encourage them to use a mixture of the garam masala and haldi and other ingredients
Curry powder is a hissing and a byword. No curry powder is used in this non-desi house. My mortar and pestle were brought from Colombia eons ago and were used this very day.
Just a latino aside: asofoetida is commonly used in santeria spells. Don't ask me how I know this.
ask for it by name at desi grocery stores.
Check out Naughty Curry, goris with some serious brown!
it's so weird that i saw this here, i just went to california pizza kitchen and had their new mango tandoori chicken pizza, and it wasn't bad! they had a good fusion of flavors (at least to me) and it was a good pizza. just my two cents..
Coach Diesel,
#57 was a roundabout way of saying don't ask for it by name at desi grocery stores.
Post #1 mentioned Amul cheese. Now that is a cheese to beat. It is one cheese that just won't melt. It will brown, it will burn, but it refuses to succumb to the searing heat of an oven and start oozing all over. And I "low" it, as I do all the Indian versions of western things - Indian bacon, Indian hamburger (which can only be described as a concoction), Indian ham, Indian chicken patties (the closes thing to those are the Spanish empanadas we get in South Florida), and of course Indian beer and Indian whiskey.
Your favorite foods and your fondest memories - same thing.
Speaking of the word curry as an oversimplification, there is a brand called Turban Curry Powder that is called for in all Caribbean curries. Caribbean curries are definitely an acquired taste for the East Indian taste buds. It is a little less complex, more reminiscent of Indian village cooking, which makes sense considering the Indian heritage in the West Indies. I like it because I have been married to a Trini Indian for 34 years. Since she has been married to an East Indian for 34 years, she tends to Indianize Caribbean curries with too many Moghul touches.
Looking forward to being in the land of Turban curry powder this weekend.
Everyone should read the article abc linked to in #36...awesome!
sorry, popping by to represent the dirty south. a little known fact is that indo-fusion cuisine has been around in the south for a long time -- everything from curried mashed sweet potatoes to "spicy fried mushrooms" (convenient euphemism for gobi manchurian).
if any of you are in RTP, check out lunch at pao lim asian bistro in durham. $5.99 specials and the owner is asian-american himself -- born in hakka province, raised in kolkata, and spent his professional career in nyc and nc.
the 'punjabis with cold buns' had me rolling.
Could you guys please do a post on Paghris. Anyone who has been to a mela [rural festival] in Punjab, will tell you , how marvelous, the Sikh men look, displaying their turbans, in all their multicolored glory.
Anyone else think, that papaji's/Uncle's paghri/turban looks like a aircraft carrier's landing area, in the picture above.
correct me if i'm wrong - but isnt it like 'la vache qui rit' processed stuff - not quite the real thing - i take the kiris camping and that stuff doesnt spoil for ages. dont get me wrong - i liked amul cheese - it is quite satisfying opening the can of and seeing the soft ringed surface peek out delicately from under the torn metal - i felt like such an adult doing that.
Even "south-indian" restaurants can't resist the mass-appeal staples like tandoori and nan.
Hey SkepMod, ever been to Madras Pavilion? It's the best south-indian restaurant Dallas has. Doesn't beat my friend's mother's palappam tho ... omg :)
Also for those of you in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Seattle has a great pizza joint called Can-Am pizza that specializes in BUTTER CHICKEN PIZZA. It is almost enough to make me move.
The proprietors of "Hot Wok Village" are Indians of Chinese ancestry. I've been to their restaurant in the Chicago burbs several years back:
http://www.hotwokvillage.com/hotwok/
They have another restaurant in Atlanta
maybe we are all khan chinese.
bit of a threadjack, but:
does anyone know where/if I can get tiffin lunches in Midtown Manhattan (Eighth Ave.)? I know that other cities in the US have tiffin delivery, but I've had a hard time finding anyone doing so in New York. Really, what I'm looking for is some "sadha" (plain/simple) desi food, as opposed to the heavy Americanized stuff that most Indian restaurants serve.
thanks.
Shruti (#51):
Don't you think Tibet is a lost cause? The Chinese infiltration, penetration, and domination is just too far along now...they've (possibly)become the majority of the population, and control everything. The indigenous Tibetan culture, religion, and language are all in peril, and maybe in states of irreparable deterioration (although the Chinese Gov't denies this). The Tibetan people are completely demoralized. Sad but unfortunately, reality.
FYI: this entry mentioned at crikey.com - http://www.crikey.com.au/Media/20061114-Blogwatch.html
Don't you think Tibet is a lost cause?
Yes, and No.
First, the yes part.
I do not think in near future (or ever) Tibet is breaking free from China. China has fully integrated Tibet into their country, and put Tibet on the fast development phase. The sad part is that they are also destroying the culture in Tibet.
No part, now.
I think by keeping the awareness, culture and political activism alive in peaceful manner, they try Chinese not get away with anything (OK, they do get away with murder). Perhaps, in this way their hopes and dreams stay alive, and bargaining chip for some autonomy in 20-30 years from now.
I also think Tibetans in India should move to main stream which they tend to resist to improve their schools so that Tibetans can become engineers and doctors in Indian Universities. I did once knew Tibetan monks as PhD students in computer science @ Cornell. However, in general, they do seldom move to the middle of society in India. They have been in India for about 50 years now. I think there is a lot of discussion going among Tibetans in India to avail opportunities even if it means diluting their way of life.
Do check this powerful and heart-rendering movie, Cry of the Snow Lion.
tsering shakya's 'dragon in the land of snows' is also informative (though full of typos). if interested i can be cajoled into submitting a review.
Every now and then, I don't mind a slice of Indian Pizza from Zante's. But if anyone can tell me where I can get decent Gobi Manchurian in SF, I would be quite happy. *drool*
Bhutan is pretty much the Tibetan culture's last stand. Or maybe I am wrong with equating Tibetan culture with Vajrayana Buddhism.. My young (i.e.
Amitabh,
Read this, I do not think Tibetans have lost heart.
is there any indian-chinese food in the LA area? i've only lived here for a year and have not found any (much to my sadness)...anyone know of any places?
Hairy_d - Amul cheese is NOT the La Vache Qui Rit processed pap, though they may well make their little triangle processed stuff these days - you have to get Amul cheese in a tin and try it grilled!! Fabulous. I was so psyched to finally find a cheddar at Zabar's that tasted like Amul, though I can't for the life of me remember what it was now. I've always preferred Amul to the Kraft cheese that everyone so loved in desiland when I was growing up (probably because it was "imported" and you were showing your "refined" taste in bringing it out - I swear I still have family members who proudly bring it out with wine....)
There are lots of Chinese families (Chinese, not Tibetan) in Shimla still, and their shoe shops are still around. My mom had Chinese friends in college from there. The shoes are charmingly 1960s...and they make them to measure, and have you trace out your foot on a piece of paper.
My response is basically what Kush said. I'm actually not a part of SFT or ICT. I just know a lot of Tibetans and have been to a few demonstrations because my friend (who is now the "Global Grassroots Campaign" coordinator) was highly involved in SFT and taught me a lot when we were living together. I'd like to add that once you meet the Tibetians, hear their stories and see their resolve for freedom, you simply cannot just dismiss their struggle as a "lost cause". China may have a stranglehold on Tibet, but everywhere outside of China and Tibet the campaign has gained a lot of popularity, and they're really going to go for it come the 2008 Olympics in China. It's gonna be an all out media war.
As for their integration into mainstream Indian culture, the reason why they don't assimilate is because they consider themselves refugees, and they hope to return to Tibet someday. They know it may not happen in their lifetime - or ever - but they're extremely wary about "cultural genocide", which is probably their biggest beef with the Chinese occupation. They're ok with being "outsiders" who don't/can't assimilate because it makes them feel like they're preserving their culture and keeping the hope alive. Maybe they should be like Cubans in Miami ...on second thought, no. That's f*cking annoying.
Hey, it's salty yak butter, ok?
It's actually pretty good when you're somewhere up in the Himalayas and it's cold enough to make your tits break off. That stuff will put hair on yer teeth, mayne. Try it! Try it!
Hmm...I wonder if Indian-born and raised Tibetans, 3 to 4 generations away from Tibet (I'm talking future scenario) would relish the thought of moving back to Tibet one day (if that option ever becomes available). It's damn cold there. It's probably more fun hanging around in Mcleodganj (Himachal Pradesh) and having flings with white "Buddhist wanna-be" women.
Here is a piece on Tibetan Muslims.
I have lived in Delhi Uni area when i was young. I saw a lot of people who looked chinese and spoke perfect hindi but they were actually manipuri.
-just fresh in my head. they were playing the new don song !! at my gym the other day. i think weve arrived when leotard clad chicas are boxercising to bollywood-
btw - shru' - this is vere i live - drop in if you're in the neighborhood and we'll have some momos and tea.
Totally unrelated..but may have been triggered by all the "Chinese speaking Hindi" posts.
There is a French restaurant in Goa (near Bagha beach) owned by a white French guy who met an Indian girl in France got married to her and moved to India. Now get this. He didn't speak any English before he met her. So when he learnt English, it was Indian English complete with accent and everything. Hilarious and mildly unsettling. I wasn't sure if he was making fun of my accent or not.
I also met a white dude (perhaps American) in Mumbai who had grown up in India (gotta love those NGO kids) that had a regular Indian accent. Again a little unsettling yet amusing.
SP - Ta Tung, Hopsons and... what's the name of the third Chinese shoe store on The Mall? I think it's now shuttered.
Kush (# 73),
The Tibetans should also borrow a page from the Palestinians and Kashmiri Muslims; start killing Chinese civilians - children, women and men. Only then, maybe, will the we give a damn.
You had me at "most sabzis I cook".
And the only thing worse than curry powder is the British "Chicken Tikka Masala" that has red food colouring as its main ingredient. I once got asked if I could make it and answered by laughing and saying that it wasn't even an Indian dish! They think it's real Indian food and its so common that you can even get it at pubs! They serve it on their "curry night" where it'll be the dish of the day. Ugh.
Oh and another pet peeve while we're talking food: butter chicken made with coconut milk. It's WRONG people, don't do it! And no raisins or anything else sweet either! Make it right. I once went into a Bangladeshi-Indian store and got all the spices for butter chicken only to be asked at the check-out: "oh, and do you have the coconut milk?" I nearly had a heart attack and my (white) friend said afterwards that I looked absolutely horrified. I was.
Is that something I should include in a personal ad?
Single Sardar Serves Sabzi, Salivate!
If so, which sabzi should I showcase? My Baingan Bhartha? Gobi Aloo? My dal making skills? Should I hide the fact that I don't make my own yogurt, and that while I can make rotis at langar, I usually don't bother at home (making atta for one is a pain).
Or will all of this make me seem like a girly man, despite being 6'+ tall ?
Too much hurry, worry and curry leads to heart disease. So says Sai Baba.
Macaca #2 - I don't remember the names of the shops! I just remember the one near the coffee house on the Mall because that's the one whose maaliks are friends of my mom and aunt...But I do remember the name and location of each and every pastry shop on the Mall, yessirreee.
Ennis,
Stop worrying, mang. The laydeez love a man who can cook.
Ennis - the ladies DO love a man who can cook. It's one of the shortest ways to our hearts, believe me - it's that sensitive, nurturing thang. Cook us dinner for the third date, and we're hooked.
Hell, if you can make rotis, I may just have to dump my man for you...
At risk of you guys pelting me with your chapals, I'm going to say something that will probably ostracize me in this community forever: I've never liked Chinese food. Ever. Growing up in a heavily Asian part of the US, Chinese takeout was a common choice of dinner suggestions with my friends and family and I was constantly a source of irritation to them for being the only obstinate holdout, always vocally petitioning for Italian or Mexican; anything but the dreaded Chinese food. Beef and broccoli was the only meal I'd eat after invariably being overruled and drug to a house of hunan- I was lucky if I was able to finish it. That said, the absolute best, most delicious and memorable Chinese food I've had the fortune to ingest was in India, at the Taj Hotel in Bombay. How could this be? The only explanation had to be that the Chinese food I was subjected to in the States was a poor reproduction of the primo stuff came from where it all began, the homeland. I asked the waiter if the establishment had imported any culinary authority from mainland China; surely a could create such comestible cuisine. He simply shook his head and proudly stated that all the chefs were homegrown Indians using recipes they had created without any Indo-Chinese fusion. I sat back stunned in my chair: was it true? Was China subverting the call center strategy and outsourcing its cuisine to be prepared by high paid Indian cooks? What did this all mean? What was that funny feeling in my groin I got when I looked over at the young women sitting a few tables away from me? These questions would have to wait, another hot plate of eggrolls had arrived and I had called dibs.
Apropos of nothing, any South Bay macacas remember Mr. Chau's and it's brilliant radio jingle? "Don't call me string-bean!" Pure f'ing genius.
"That said, the absolute best, most delicious and memorable Chinese food I've had the fortune to ingest was in India, at the Taj Hotel in Bombay."
Interestingly, Chow Mein has become an Indian street food just like chaat, bhelpuri or samosas. I have seen auto rickshaw pullers in Delhi stop at the Chow Mein vendors for lunch. The low-end version is not all that great, unless you spike it with a lot of chili sauce, but restaurant quality Indian Chinese is definitely very good and different from Chinese in the US. Neither is that faithful to the original found in China, though. Goes to show - cuisine is dynamic like language. For example, Ketchup is used in some Chinese dishes in the Caribbean.
I love the desi chinese chow mein. It was an adjustment to the chinese found in the US for me. The desified chinese is spicy, tangy, and saucey. And it lacks the general sharp 'chinese-food' smell that emnates in chinese joints here... And stuff that passes for chinese at street vendors in India is even far removed from regular chinese - its all SUPER spicy - like bhel, and the only thing resembling chinese food is the noodles and cut veggies...
Floridian, I thought the street fare on chinese was pretty good, but I ate that in Mumbai...
...the old GGM cooking show skits where the Indian cook dumped garam masala on top of everything as her contribution to the fusion...
Anyone ever try coronation chicken? I know it looks gross but Pret a Manger (a UK chain, now open in Manhattan!) has a great sandwich made w/ this stuff on whole grain bread w/ toasted almonds, mixed greens, tomatoes and mango chutney. I order my sandwich w/ their moroccan lentil soup, which is sorta dal-like. Yum!