Quote from: Nessa on August 20, 2005, 09:23 PM

Quote from: paast10 on August 20, 2005, 06:47 PM

Quote from: Mark J on August 20, 2005, 04:40 PM
Have you got links to those studies?

I dont mean to knock british culture but things are not so hygenic here and people are not so careful with raw meat, eggs, etc.

I don't mean to be argumentative or anything but I was born and raised originally in Canada, and large chunks of my family live there and in various parts of the US - and we think the opposite!

I guess it varies from person to person!  It is difficult to generalize about a population.  I just made that comment based on what I have seen so far - I have been here only 2 months.  perhaps we american people might be a bit too paranoid about sterilization and the such.  But it doesnt hurt to be careful!!

My feeling is that MSG may be a flavor enhancer but in all those chinese restaurants in the US, the food tastes great!!  And there is no MSG!!  It is kind of like in indian cooking, the people who dont use onions and garlic - their food still tastes great in a different way.  it is hard to explain.....some spices are like substitutes for those 2 items.  Please dont ask me to explain how, I dont know!  I havent made the effort to learn that because onions and garlic are both very good for the health.  At least fo rnow they are until they come up with a study that shows otherwise - like the whole butter/margarine debacle

Quote from: Mark J on August 20, 2005, 04:40 PM
Have you got links to those studies?

Sorry, no links....I do believe what is written in US papers though...thats what I grew up reading.  I did research myself for graduate school and although it wasnt on MSG (it was alzheimer's disease), I do know how studies work and if it is published, it has to be backed up.  So i dont question the studies.  Overcooked food does not cause cancer but those items grilled  do.  I think this is due to is a difference in american and british culture.  I dont mean to knock british culture but things are not so hygenic here and people are not so careful with raw meat, eggs, etc.

I have to comment about MSG.  In the US, studies have found it to cause cancer in lab studies.  I mean - big studies - it is a confirmed fact!!!  The big push there is to privide food without it. I am very alarmed to see in the UK people dont care about that or just dont know about it.  I always read all the packages and make sure that nothing i buy has MSG in it!!  I ate at one chinese place here and after eating, had terrible symptoms - dizziness, giddiness and just felt terrible - symptoms from too much MSG!! I will not have any type of chinese food in the Uk anymore because none of them say their food is MSG free - in the US, all the restaurants advertise that they are 100% MSG free.

I tried the lidl frozen package this past week...i had the balti chicken one and was not impressed.  It was ok, not great. I have tried the Birdseye frozen chicken ones and found those to be terrible.  The sauce was ok but the chicken was not edible!  The best ones I have had are the Sharwoods ones I buy from Farmfoods - the frozen food store.  Their chicken tickka masala is great!!!!

Quote from: raygraham on August 18, 2005, 07:11 PM
Yes, a few traditional recipes would be great. While you cook traditional Indian food can you cast some light on what Basaar Mix is used in? I bought some from my local Asian supermarket on recommendation as most Asians use it in home cooking. It smells awesome and is sold from plastic dustbins with a scoop so I reckon it's an important spice mix for some folk.

I have never heard of that mix - thats a new one to me!!  i dont think it is genuine to be honest.  Maybe a certain part of india uses it but not the north.  Have you tried searching online for it?  I will try that just to be sure.

No meat!  Most people are still vegetarians - at least everyone i know is.  there are no such things as "curries".  The liquidy type of dishes have either tomato or even yogurt  as a base.  Plus, we dont eat "curry" type things often...we eat lentils each day and once in a while, there is special dish like a Kofta curry (made with veggies) or paneer makhani or something like that.  I do use onion and garlic not just for taste, but for the health benefits....but i can easily do without them too.  I will look into posting a recipe or 2 from the official Bombay palace cookbook.

I dont know how many people are indians on this site but I am and  we dont use the dried methi very much.  A certain few dishes have it - but otherwise, we always grind the seeds ourselves to use - I have not even bothered looking for the powder in a supermarket because the quantity used is so little, it is better to grind the seeds fresh each time.  But maybe here in the UK for the "currys" the leaves may be used - I am new to the UK and we dont really have "currys" in India - most of the restaurants dont even use onions or garlic in their cooking!!!  But the food is very very tasty anyways.  My parents never saw an onion or garlic clove growing up because they never ate it!  It seems the indian food in the UK is totally different from what is found in india - I have not found any restaurant to my liking here in the UK.  I am from the US and the food is more authentic there than here!

I always grind my own methi seeds to a powder!  I roast them slightly - I was told it makes them a little less hard.  Then I grind it to a powder and use it much more than the dried methi leaves (known as kasoori methi). If you are supposed to use the leaves, it is written as kasoori methi.  Pinch of methi refers to the ground powder.  Also, the methi seed does not dissolve at all - I always prefer to use the powder because of that.  All the tomato based sauces - like the makhani sauces use the methi powder to give it a very distinct flavor.  I also use it in some of my dals (in the tarka).