Golden Papaya Chip Chutney
I was introduced to this dish at a lavish Bengali feast in the suburban Calcutta estate of Mr. Tarun Kunti Ghosh, the publisher of Amrita Patrika Bazaar, Calcutta’s largest newspaper. The memorable prasadam repast contained some of the finest Bengali cuisine I have ever tasted, made with great care in a newly constructed kitchen equipped with freshly made clay stoves, by a fleet of Brahman cooks decked out in new clothes,...
Mung Dal Soup with Tomatoes
Dals are perhaps the most popular and the most economical foods in Vedic cuisine. They are relished by everyone, rich and poor, and are part of almost every Vedic lunch. A bouquet of delicate flavors in this creamy dal soup comes from the species, seasonings, tomatoes and sweetener added in the final stages of cooking. The recipe comes from the skilled hands of a great devotee of Krishna from West Bengal, Srila...
Homemade Butter
In Indian homes, butter is churned today much as it has been for thousands of years. A large earthen pot called a ghee is half-filled with several days worth of ripened cream. By using a system of interconnected sticks and ropes, hand-agitation makes a wooden paddle whirl butter flecks into butter blobs. Our modern wonder the food processor has more than simplified the procedure. Depending on the size of your work bowl, you can...
Cumin-Flavored Ghee
The use of seasoned ghee is perhaps the subject way to introduce flavor to simple steamed, baked of raw foods. If you have ever tasted the brownish sesame oil used in Oriental cooking, you can get an idea of how even a few teaspoons of cumin ghee can lend flavor and aroma to unseasoned dishes. Because this ghee is not as strong as the thick sesame oil, you can use it both as a cooking oil and for subtle flavoring. Prepare this ghee...
Stove-Top Ghee
Because the procedure is the same for making 1 pound (455 g) or 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of ghee, the equipment will be the same. Only pan size, heat regulation and storing containers vary. For safety, allow at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) of empty pan above the surface of the melted butter, no matter how much you make at one time. For example, to turn 5 pounds (2 kg) of butter into ghee, you will need a 5-quart/liter heavy...