# Indian Food **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 14, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486 "2012-08-14T17:20:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/21 "2012-08-15T01:20:37Z")
Every FREAKIN’ time I come back to see updates, my mouth waters! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/22 "2012-08-15T01:23:23Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The big spice is cardomom. Used in lots of dishes, and difficult to find at the regular grocery (well mine anyway). > > I made my own oven. There are plans online. It can be done with a terra cotta pot. There are a lot of recipes for using an oven to make tandoor. Not quite as good as the real thing, but still pretty good usually. There are a few other exotic spices, but plenty of common ones are used also, and plenty of substitutions can be made. Read lots of recipes, even for the same dish. You’ll start to get the idea of how things work and what you can do with the seasonings. I knew cardamom and garam masala would be on the list. I am wondering if there’s anything else missing I can get commercially that I would otherwise overlook. Yeah, I could google…but what’s the fun in that? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/23 "2012-08-15T01:30:42Z")
The cardamom is an ingredient for your garam masala. You could find a blend at an Indian market. I like to see what I get mixing up the ingredients myself. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/24 "2012-08-15T02:22:14Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > I’ve lived off Indian food for years (now just a few times a week.) As a vegetarian it has the most options bar none. French is considered the best food by most, but really Indian is where it’s at. I’m a vegetarian too, and definitely feel more at home in Indian restaurants than in many other restaurants. Eating Indian food every day sounds good to me. I never get tired of mattar paneer or some good naan. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/25 "2012-08-15T02:32:08Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > I’m a vegetarian too, and definitely feel more at home in Indian restaurants than in many other restaurants. Eating Indian food every day sounds good to me. I never get tired of mattar paneer or some good naan. 🙂 Or saag paneer, drool… Damn, I love Indian food. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/26 "2012-08-15T02:37:11Z")
I make a pretty close approximation of tikka masala awhile back. tikka masala chicken drummies butter yogurt I can tomato paste 1 onion, sliced garlic (fresh) Garlic Powder Ginger Cumin, Garam Masala milk sugar lime milk 1 bay leaf fresh parsley Marinate chicken in yougurt, cumin, ginger, red pepper, garlic pwdr & 1 t GM overnight broil in oven for 10 mins, flip then 10 more minutes Meanwhile, saute onions,1 bay leaf & garlic in butter add tomato paste & milk add about 3 quarters cup plain yogurt add 1 t sugar & lime juice add same spices used in marinade add veggies & stir in sauce. add parsley adjust ingredients for taste Let simmer & pour over chicken. Not sure how Authentic it is but it was really tasty! ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/27 "2012-08-15T02:48:56Z")
Palek paneer or saag paneer and basmati rice with fennel. Absolute yum. I very luckily had a friend from India ask if she and her child could live with me while her husband worked in another city. For two years I got to benefit from her discussions on cooking. I never knew how delicious cooked spinich could be. And for the first time in my life, I found a cauliflower dish I liked. I learned how to make my own yogurt (curds) and paneer. However, I’m still trying to source a curry-leaf tree to grow in my kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/28 "2012-08-15T03:01:36Z")
I just got an Indian slow cooker book on Amazon recently. I made keema (using ground chicken instead of lamb or beef). It was pretty rad… I sometimes buy the Patak sauces, bung in a cup of plain yogurt, sauté some chicken, potatoes, and carrots and bingo! Instant yummy Indian food. Some basmati rice in the rice cooker with a stick of cinnamon, cloves, and raisins… feels pretty authentic to me. I enjoy making Indian from scratch but it tends to be a weekend project for me, with the spice grinding and all. But I totally agree - if I ever went vegetarian, I’d eat primarily Indian food because with their dishes, it’s not like it needs a meat substitute - the veggies completely live up to their full potential. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/29 "2012-08-15T03:06:35Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > Not sure how Authentic it is but it was really tasty! Yours sounds good. And authentic. It’s got to be authentic as long as you use more than one spice. Tikka Masala just means ‘mixed spices’. I’ve heard people say a lot of things about it’s origin, and maybe it was created in a restaurant in England, but it would seem almost every variation was probably prepared by someone in India long ago. It’s kind of like adding ‘with gravy’ to a typical American dish. But what makes it more authentic is that you made it yourself instead of buying a jar of Tikka Masala sauce to dump over some chicken in a pot. Nothing wrong with that, but you were cookin’. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/30 "2012-08-15T03:52:45Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > I’ve lived off Indian food for years (now just a few times a week.) As a vegetarian it has the most options bar none. French is considered the best food by most, but really Indian is where it’s at. Yeah, if I went veggie, Indian would be the cuisine I would end up eating the most of. I work a lot of Indian events, mostly Gujarati that are often exclusively vegetarian, and I’ve never missed the meat. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you what half the stuff I ate was, because it’s not the usual Indian restaurant fare. My favorite dishes are some kind of eggplant curry type of thing, and another dish wish seems to be paneer and hot peppers. To the OP, if you’re into complexity of flavor, but not necessarily vegetarian, I would also look to Thai cuisine. Their curries are based on a different set of flavors, in general, prominently featuring lemongrass, lime leaves, shallots, galangal (something somewhat similar to ginger), and shrimp paste. If you want to ease yourself in, combining Indian and Thai flavors, go for a Massaman curry. For me, it may be my favorite curry-type dish. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/31 "2012-08-15T04:07:03Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Nice! > > Next culinary adventure: [Ethiopian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_cuisine). If you like Indian food, chances are very good that you’ll like Ethiopian. Not because they’re the same (they’re not), but because they share that complexity of flavor profile. First, yeah, Indian food is so incredibly great. I really think this is a cuisine the US is still behind on. I’ve long thought - the foodies of the US and the UK should make a pact - we’ll trade you a few great authentic taquerias; you trade us some good curry joints. Both sides of the pond win. But I am lucky enough to a) live near a suburb with lots of Indian immigrants and b) work with an older guy who is native to India, still spends at least 1 month / year there, and every time you ask him - “hey, Ramesh! (not his real name), I need a good new Indian restaurant!” he’ll give you a suggestion, and it’s always gold. That said - god, I miss East African food. I’d kill for some doro wat (sp?) right now. There was a great place on campus back when I was in school; I’m sure there’s some places in the city (Chicago) but I haven’t gotten out to any of them yet. …and now I’m hungry. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/32 "2012-08-15T04:13:44Z")
[Malai kotfa](http://www.google.com/search?q=malai+kofta)…with [rasmalai](http://www.google.com/search?q=rasa+malai) for dessert…I’ll be in my bunk. ---
**Author:** ![SomeBodyUK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@SomeBodyUK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeBodyUK)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/33 "2012-08-15T04:14:14Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > First, yeah, Indian food is so incredibly great. I really think this is a cuisine the US is still behind on. I’m a British-Indian living in Los Angeles..and the Indian food is TERRIBLE here. Even highly rated places on Yelp are crap. The only saving grace is the Indian area (Artesia). My average grade for an LA Indian restaurant is 3 or 4 our of 10. Sometimes Americans like crappy Indian food - I was taken to an Indian place with 3 non-Indian people last week from work. The food was so bad I couldn’t even recognise some of the dishes, but they loved it! BTW I might be biased because of my background, but I think north Indian, Mughlai food is the best 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/34 "2012-08-15T04:14:36Z")
While we’re on the subject, I’ve been trying to find the best technique for achieving the maximum fluffiness of rice with biryani (Bombay style). Any suggestions? Especially when making a really big batch? ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/35 "2012-08-15T04:16:00Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > When I was growing up my friends all hated their veggies. I couldn’t understand why until I started eating over their houses. Without fail their moms would serve these limp unappetizing boiled veggies with absolutely no flavor and then insist the kid eat them. I’m convinced this is why so many people don’t like veggies, because of their early exposures. > > They’d come to my house, and be afraid of the heat, but we never had much heat - “spicy” just means “full of flavor” - and be thrilled at how good the food was. > > Welcome to the club. 🙂 That’s funny…I don’t remember you coming over for dinner when I was a kid, but you must’ve been there, because you described my mother’s cooking to a T. I love Indian food. My only problem is that I can never seem to remember exactly what it was I had last time that I liked so much, so that I can order it again. So I wind up getting something different each time, then the next time I can’t remember what it was I had the last time so I can order it again… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/36 "2012-08-15T04:16:10Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > That said - god, I miss East African food. I’d kill for some doro wat (sp?) right now. There was a great place on campus back when I was in school; I’m sure there’s some places in the city (Chicago) but I haven’t gotten out to any of them yet. > > …and now I’m hungry. I had a great Ethiopian meal [here](http://ethiopiandiamondrestaurantlounge.com/) a few weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/37 "2012-08-15T04:18:29Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > That said - god, I miss East African food. I’d kill for some doro wat (sp?) right now. There was a great place on campus back when I was in school; I’m sure there’s some places in the city (Chicago) but I haven’t gotten out to any of them yet. > > …and now I’m hungry. Oh…Oh, my friend. Please do try [Ras Dashen](http://www.rasdashenchicago.com/), which is my very favorite Ethiopian place in Chicago. Make sure you order the tej. [Abyssinia](http://www.yelp.com/biz/abyssinia-ethiopian-restaurant-chicago) is also very good. [Demera](http://www.yelp.com/biz/demera-ethiopian-restaurant-chicago-2)and [Ethiopian Diamond](http://www.yelp.com/biz/ethiopian-diamond-restaurant-chicago) are oft’ recommended, and truly not bad at all, but I don’t think either one is in the same league as Ras Dashen. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/38 "2012-08-15T05:39:03Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > While we’re on the subject, I’ve been trying to find the best technique for achieving the maximum fluffiness of rice with biryani (Bombay style). Any suggestions? Especially when making a really big batch? The usual technique, as far as I’ve always seen it, is to soak and wash the rice, parboil it (cook it in a big pot of boiling water for about 5-7 minutes or so), then finish it off with the meat and sauce. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/39 "2012-08-15T05:46:35Z")
> [@SomeBodyUK](#): > > I’m a British-Indian living in Los Angeles..and the Indian food is TERRIBLE here. Even highly rated places on Yelp are crap. The only saving grace is the Indian area (Artesia). My average grade for an LA Indian restaurant is 3 or 4 our of 10. > > Sometimes Americans like crappy Indian food - I was taken to an Indian place with 3 non-Indian people last week from work. The food was so bad I couldn’t even recognise some of the dishes, but they loved it! > > BTW I might be biased because of my background, but I think north Indian, Mughlai food is the best 🙂 I’m not ashamed to admit some of the best Indian food I’ve had is from the Tikka Masala food chain, their coconut fish and chicken korma and tarka dhal YUM! Such varied flavors and spices, just delicious. Indian food that is supposedly so much more authentic and real sucks in comparison, it all seems to be in the Peshawari vein which is excessivly greasy, the flavors are all so similar(tomato and butter and curry) that you can’t even tell what you’re eating. It just sucks, and these are supposedly the real Indian places not TM which is a food court chain. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486/40 "2012-08-15T13:54:50Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > The usual technique, as far as I’ve always seen it, is to soak and wash the rice, parboil it (cook it in a big pot of boiling water for about 5-7 minutes or so), then finish it off with the meat and sauce. Right–that’s the general technique, but that doesn’t guarantee light and fluffy rice. You know what I mean? That really, really light and fluffy rice that the best biryani has? There’s a secret to either the timing or the proportion of water to rice that I still haven’t figured out yet. Or maybe it just has to do with the consistency of the sauce… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indian-food/631486.md?page=3)