Turmeric & Spice Milk: Golden Milk

As you likely already know, heating milk can be difficult, as it often sticks or even burns, and then cleaning the pan is not the least bit fun, unless you have some sort of self-hatred complex. I probably looked at 15 recipes for this drink, and many recommended using a heavy bottomed pan, as well as stirring constantly. Some cooks suggest that you add a small amount of water to the empty heavy bottomed pan, before adding the milk, and to heat the milk over low heat.

Some suggest this milk before bedtime to help you sleep, but I drank some a little while ago and I experienced no such ... zzzz, zzzz, zzz

 

Ingredients (2 servings or 3 small servings):

 

2 cups milk (or almond milk)

2 inch piece fresh ginger, grated

1 inch piece peeled fresh turmeric, grated (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)

2 inch cinnamon stick

2 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons honey

 

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, heat all of the ingredients, except the honey and the butter, over low heat, stirring or whisking constantly. When the milk is steaming, but not boiling, remove it from the heat and cover it; let it steep for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and honey, stir until the butter is melted and the honey is dissolved, and both are distributed through the milk. Strain into cups or into heat-proof glasses. You can sprinkle a little ground cinnamon, ground cardamom or ground turmeric on top.

 

I put a little ground cardamon on top ...

WORD HISTORY:

Cue-There is more than one word in English of this spelling, but this is the noun most commonly used in acting, and meaning, "a signal by words or action by one actor that another actor is to appear or perform in some way." This word is actually a bit of a mystery, although one explanation seems to make sense; that is, it is the phonetic spelling of the letter "Q" (mid 1500s?) from the Latin adverb "quando," which means "when," as the letter "Q" was often written on the scripts of performers to indicate when they were to appear, and/or, speak. "Quando" is related to quite a number of words, like "quote" (initially a verb), a Latin word borrowed from French, but with Latin influence, and to a number of "question words" like "when," "where," "who," "what," all from the Germanic roots of English, but related to the Latin word via the Indo European root "kwi/kwo." The verb form "cue" meaning "to give someone a prompt or signal to perform" is from the 1920s. (Note: The other forms of "cue" are not related.)      

Bengali/Bangladeshi Chicken Liver Curry

Bengal is a region of the Indian Subcontinent that transcends northeastern India and western Bangladesh. The nation of Bangladesh was long a part of India, as was Pakistan, but upon independence from Britain in 1947, Pakistan was created from what were predominantly Muslim areas of northwestern and northeastern India, accompanied by a massive movement by some Muslims to these regions from what was to remain India, and by many Hindus from these areas to India. While these areas became the nation of Pakistan, they were separated by many hundreds of miles. The eastern part, called "East Pakistan," or sometimes, "Pakistani Bengal," gained independence from Pakistan as the nation of "Bangladesh" in 1971. West Bengal has remained a part of India. 

 

This is an easy dish to make. Many foods of the Indian Subcontinent are spicy hot to varying degrees, and this recipe is no exception (your taste buds will awaken), but you can tone it down considerably by using a mild chili pepper and then adding some ground red pepper AND sweet paprika. If you like "hot and spicy" foods and you live in the vicinity of an Indian/Pakistani grocery, or a supermarket with lots of ethnic food products, I hope you'll try "Indian" chili powder, which is hot and typically has a bright red color. I've made this dish several times, and the photos below are from two different times. You will need to add a little water to the dish, but you don't want this dish to be runny or with lots of sauce; so, add water by the tablespoon until you reach the desired consistency (I've suggested 3 to 5 tablespoons of water).   

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken livers, cut into bize size pieces
2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch piece ginger, minced/grated
1 to 3 green chilies (serranos or jalapeños are fine), chopped
1 heaping teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground red pepper (or 1 teaspoon red pepper and 1 teaspoon sweet paprika)

2 inch cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 to 5 tablespoons water 

1 tablespoon butter 

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Saute for 1 minute, then add the chopped onion and continue cooking until the onion begins to soften, stirring often to make sure all the onion cooks. Add the ginger, garlic and chilies and cook a further minute. Now add the ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, ground red pepper, black pepper and water; stir to mix, then add the chicken livers and stir again to mix everything together. Reduce the heat to low, cover, but lift the lid or foil to stir occasionally as the livers cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt, then stir it in. Serve with rice. 

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Fourth (Farthing)-"Farthing" was a measurement of "one fourth of a penny;" thus also, "the coin representing one fourth of a penny," which was used in England (later in the UK/Britain) until several decades ago. "Farthing" is closely related to "four" and all of its derived forms, like "forty," all of which are from the Germanic roots of English, but it is also distantly related to both "quart" and to "quarter," Latin derived words borrowed by English via French. "Farthing" traces back to Indo European "kwetwor/kwetwer," which meant "four." This gave the Old Germanic offshoot, "fetwor/petwor" (a sound shift took place, thus the uncertainty of the spelling) and this gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "feower," meaning "four." The form in Old Germanic for the ordinal number; that is, "fourth," is hard to determine, but it seems likely to have been like "feurtha" or "feurtho," with the pronunciation similar to "fe-ore-tha," and the other simply ending in "tho." This gave Old English "feorþa," meaning "fourth," and it later became "ferthe," with the ending 'e' pronounced 'eh/ah,' but don't be surprised if you look at some writings from like the 1300s and 1400s and see spellings other than "ferthe," some perhaps with a beginning 'v,' a use that gained more traction for the spelling, but not the pronunciation, of some words in German and Dutch, both continental relatives of English. Regardless of those spellings, English settled on "fourth." Relatives in the other Germanic languages: German "vierte," Low German has "foerde" and "veerte" (Low German is not a standardized language, but rather a collection of dialects; thus, there are likely other spellings), West Frisian "fjirde," Dutch "vierde," Danish "fjerde," Icelandic "fjórða" ('ð' is called an 'eth' and it is equivalent to English 'th'), Norwegian "fjerde," Swedish "fjärde." All of these forms mean "fourth." The derived English word "farthing" is simply a form of "fourth" with the common suffix "-ing," a form that has been in English for well over 1000 years. It is a common suffix in the Germanic languages (as "ing" and sometimes "ung"), and it goes back to Old Germanic "inga/unga."  

Indian/Pakistani Sweetened Fried Batter: Jalebi

A squeeze bottle is great to use for this recipe. If you don't already have such a squeeze bottle, like you often see on tables in diners or restaurants for ketchup and mustard, they are usually available in dollar stores or in the kitchen utensil section of supermarkets and department stores. You may have to cut the spout a little for a bigger opening; otherwise, the opening will be too small and the batter stream will be too thin. You could also wash out an empty plastic ketchup bottle; just be sure to get the ketchup-y, vinegary taste washed out of it. I looked at perhaps 15 Jalebi recipes and most called for using orange food coloring in the batter, while a couple gave it as optional. Food coloring is something I very rarely use, although I've always kept it in the cabinet, and I mean always ... is food coloring from 1973 still safe to use? Actually, I'm joking, because I did buy some food coloring just a couple of months ago ... so I tossed the coloring from 1973. hahaha! I didn't have orange food coloring, and from what I understand, it is not commonly sold as a separate color in the U.S., so I added like 4 drops of yellow and 2 drops of red to the batter (see photo of the batter below). Jalebi is very easy to make, although getting the hang of making the spiral forms is more difficult than you might think; at least it was for me; but then again, dotting an "i" or crossing a "t" can be challenging to me. This was my first attempt at Jalebi, so if you give the recipe a try, you'll likely get the shape down to an art form within a minute or two.   

Ingredients (multiple servings):

1 cup flour
3 tablespoons chickpea flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 drops orange food coloring, if you have it; otherwise, 4 drops of yellow and 2 of red food coloring
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/4 cup yogurt
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
oil or ghee (clarified butter) for frying

For the syrup:

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
few strands of saffron (you can substitute 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the batter: In a bowl mix together the flour, chickpea flour, baking powder, baking soda, food coloring, turmeric, ground cardamon, yogurt and 1/2 cup water. You will almost certainly need more water, but after the initial 1/2 cup, add it a tablespoon at a time, until you reach a point that the batter is fluid, but not runny; something like the consistency of thick ketchup. Cover the bowl with a towel or some plastic wrap and let it sit on your counter for about 12 hours. This time allows the batter to ferment, and some recipes call for a little shorter time, but some recipes mention to allow the batter to sit for up to 24 hours. Now, some people don't go through this extended process; and instead, they let the batter sit like 15 to 30 minutes, or even less, then they begin to cook. Whatever you choose to do, put the batter into a squeeze bottle. Add about 1/2 inch of oil to a skillet or a pan (a skillet generally gives you room to maneuver, as it is wide, but not terribly deep, and I prefer this). Heat the oil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low or medium low, depending upon your burner settings. Squeeze the batter in a continuous stream in a circular motion to form rings of batter about 2 inches in diameter. If the batter spreads out too much, you'll need to add some flour to thicken it a bit. If you have trouble squeezing the batter from the bottle, you likely need a little water to thin the batter, but I would only add a teaspoon at a time, until you are able to get a steady stream of batter. The jalebi cook quickly, so after 20 to 30 seconds, flip the jalebi over and cook the other side; this time, likely only about 15 seconds or so. Dip the cooked jalebi into the syrup, drain any excess syrup and then put the jalebi onto a plate, or onto serving plates. Serve warm.  
For the syrup: In a heavy bottomed pan, add the sugar and water, bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady gentle simmer until the syrup thickens, stirring pretty much constantly to prevent scorching. The syrup should be just thickened enough to coat the jalebi when they are dipped in, but not so thick as to set up. 

The "Jalebi" batter ...

WORD HISTORY:
Rajah (also spelled "raja")-This word for "an Indian prince or princely ruler" is related to quite a number of words, including: "reckon," "right" and "rich," all words from the Germanic roots of English, and also to "direct," "regimen," "rex" and "regulate," all Latin-derived words borrowed by English. "Rajah" goes back to Indo European "reg" which had the idea of "move in a straight line;" thus also, "direct in a proper way;" thus also, "rule." This gave Indo Aryan (a branch of the Indo Iranian language family of Indo European) "(h)raja," which meant, "ruler, king." This gave Sanskrit^ "rajan," meaning "king, prince, ruler." This gave transliterated Hindi and Urdu "raja," with the same meanings. English borrowed the word in the mid 1500s as English involvement in India intensified, although it took a little time for the word to come into more common usage in England and other parts of Britain. It is not a common word in American English, and I dare say that many Americans would not know what you were talking about if you used it here in the U.S. It "may" have better recognition in Canadian English, as Canada has maintained more of a direct connection to the United Kingdom as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, although Canada is an autonomous nation.    

^ "Sanskrit" is an ancient language from the Indo-Iranian branch of Indo European; thus, it is related to English, although much further down the family tree. It is still in use to some degree, especially in India.

Papaya Smoothie

Lots of nutrients and fiber in papayas.


Ingredients (about 4 or 5 servings):

4 cups papaya chunks
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 cup yogurt (you can use vanilla yogurt and then leave out the vanilla extract)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups low fat buttermilk

Put all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. It can be served as is, or over ice cubes or chilled in the refrigerator until ready for use. 

WORD HISTORY:
Orient-This word is closely related to "origin," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English. It goes back to Indo European "her(i)," which had the notion, "to move upward, to rise." This gave Latin the verb "oriri," meaning, "to rise, to come into view." The participle form of the verb was "oriens," and it came to be used as a noun to mean, "the rising sun, sunrise;" thus also, "region of the sunrise;" thus, "the east," but because of this general meaning, the word meant different "specifics" to different people, like: (what is now) the Middle East (including parts of North Africa, to some), Asia, Persia, southeastern Europe. This passed to Latin-based Old French as "orient," meaning, "east, Asia." The word was taken to England by the Normans and their descendants, but it was not borrowed by English until about 1400. The verb, originally meaning, "to have something face eastward," was borrowed from the French verb "orienter" (which was derived from the noun) in the first half of the 1700s. A secondary meaning in French, "to get a fix in one's mind about location or direction," has come to be the main meaning in English.  

Butternut Squash, Apple & Pear Curry

You can easily make this on the stove top or in a slow cooker. If you like some "kick," you can add some fresh chili pepper or cayenne pepper. To thicken the curry, I use some cornstarch and water. "Cornstarch" is the North American term, but in England and other parts of Britain and many former British colonies, the term used is "cornflour."

Ingredients:

3 to 4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (1 medium to large butternut squash)
1 1/2 cups chopped apple (you can leave the peel on, if you'd like)
1 1/2 cups chopped pear (should be firm, not soft, and you can leave the peel on, if you'd like)
2 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped or sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1/3 cup chopped green onions (including most of the green)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
(optional) 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and/or 1 fresh red or green chili pepper, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, mixed very well 
1 can coconut milk (about 13.5 to 14 ounces, depending upon brand)
serve with rice

Put all ingredients, except the cornstarch/water mixture and the coconut milk, into a slow cooker or a heavy bottomed pan. If using a slow cooker, set on "high" for one hour, then turn to low and let the curry cook for another three hours, or until the squash, in particular, is just about tender. You don't want the squash, apple and pear pieces falling apart mushy though, and the dish will cook a little more, so the squash will be completely tender by then. If cooking on the stove top, set the heat to low and cover the pan from the beginning; otherwise, the liquid will evaporate, but just check the curry occasionally, stir it a bit, then replace the lid. When the squash is tender, stir in the cornstarch mixture and allow the curry to thicken, then stir in the coconut milk and let the curry heat up completely again. Serve with rice.

WORD HISTORY:
Rural-This word is related through Indo European to "room," a word from the Germanic roots of English. "Rural" goes back to Indo European "reu/rew/row," with the basic notion of "open space." This gave Latin the noun "rus," meaning, "open land, countryside, farm land." Its genitive form was "ruris," which produced the Latin adjective "ruralis" and meaning, "of, or relating to, the countryside." This passed into Latin-based Old French as "rural," with the same meaning. English borrowed the word in the first quarter of the 1400s.

Bhutanese Chilies & Cheese: Ema Datshi

Bhutan, pronounced "boo-tawn," is a country located in the Himalayan Mountains. When India was a colony of Britain,* Bhutan was heavily tied to British foreign policy, but it remained independent in domestic rule. When India gained independence, which resulted in Pakistan becoming a separate country,** India assumed the same role in foreign policy with Bhutan, until Bhutan finally achieved total control of its own affairs. The people of Bhutan LOVE hot chili peppers, so don't be surprised by the amount of chilies used in this dish, which is a stew and it is one of the national dishes of Bhutan. You can certainly tone down the heat some by using fewer chilies, or by substituting bell pepper for some of the hot chilies, but to be quite honest, if you don't like much heat, this dish is not for you, and it IS SUPPOSED TO BE HOT. I use a mixture of green and red chilies. The first time I made this, while I love chilies, I thought I would likely have to call the fire department to extinguish the fire in my mouth, but it wasn't nearly as hot as I had thought it would be. Cooking chilies often reduces some of the heat, and that's what happens with this dish, but it IS HOT. When seeding and slicing hot chilies, use rubber gloves to protect your hands. In Bhutan they tend to use homemade yak cheese, but I checked with my neighbors, and nobody had a yak; so, after looking over some 20 recipes for this dish, I found that a mix of blue cheese (I like Gorgonzola piccante) and feta works well, but I've used cheddar or Muenster as the second cheese too. I'm hoping by the next time I make this dish, someone nearby will have a yak. 
  
Ingredients:

2 inch piece of ginger, chopped
2 cups hot green or red chilies (or mixed), seeded and cut into lengthwise strips
1 1/2 cups sliced onion strips 
zest of 1/2 lemon, grated
juice of 1/2 lemon  
1 teaspoon ground or crushed Sichuan peppercorns (or ground black pepper/crushed peppercorns)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (or sweet paprika for no heat)
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes, they can be juicy (or use tomato puree)
1/3 cup water (if needed, or use less than 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup mixed pieces Gorgonzola cheese and feta cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable oil + 1 tablespoon butter (or 3 tablespoons ghee/clarified butter)

Heat the oil/butter in a skillet or sauce pan, then add the ginger and the ground turmeric and saute for just a minute or so. Reduce the heat to low, then add the onion strips and saute gently for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent browning. Add the chili peppers and saute a further two or three minutes, again stirring to prevent browning of the ingredients. Add the lemon zest, peppercorns and ground cayenne pepper. Cover and cook over very low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until the chilies and onions are softened, but not mushy. Add the tomatoes, lemon juice and water (if needed). Cook another 5 minutes (still very low heat), then cover and cook 5 more minutes. Add and stir in the cheeses, cover again until the cheeses melt; stir to mix everything well. The dish should not be like soup, but rather it should just have some flavored liquid. Serve with rice. "Traditionally" this dish is served with red rice in Bhutan. You can find red rice in some supermarkets, or grocery stores with products from the Indian Subcontinent. For Clevelanders, it is available at the West Side Market (I'm sure other places have it too, and there is actually a little grocery store operated by a Bhutanese family not terribly far from me here in Cleveland). You can also use brown rice, or white rice.    

* In the times of British Colonial India, the areas comprising modern Pakistan and Bangladesh were part of India.

** Pakistan became a separate country with two separate and distinct geographical regions about a thousand miles apart comprising the nation. By the early 1970s, the eastern region became the separate nation of Bangladesh.

I had the Chilies & Cheese with red rice ... 

WORD HISTORY:
Mother-This word is distantly related, through Indo European, to "maternal," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English from French. It goes back to Indo European “mater/mehter," meaning "a female who bears offspring," and the offshoots of Indo European have given similar words to most of the modern European languages. The Old Germanic offshoot was “moder,” which then gave Anglo-Saxon “modor,” which then became "moder." The modern spelling with "th" didn’t evolve until the 1500s. The basic form is used throughout the other Germanic languages, as German has “Mutter,” Low German Saxon “Moder” (also "Mudder" in special cases), Dutch has “moeder," Danish has "mor," but also "moder," Swedish has “moder,” but also "mor," while Norwegian has “mor” (the "mor" forms are simply contracted forms) and Icelandic has "móðir" (essentially =mothir). Frisian once had "moder," which then became various forms in Frisian dialect (moer, Muur, Mooter), but modern West Frisian, the largest of the modern Frisian dialects, has "mem." Whether this is some form of the earlier "moder," or a development like English "mum" (British English), "mom" in American English (both from "mamma/mama/momma/mommy"), I don't know.  

Nepalese Spicy Potatoes: Aloo Dum

It seems the Portuguese first brought potatoes to the Indian subcontinent way back in the 1500s, but it was the British who helped spread the use of potatoes in the region.* Nepal, one of the countries of the Indian Subcontinent, is the home of Mount Everest and much of the country is within the Himalaya Mountains. The population of Nepal is somewhat above 25 million. The capital of Nepal is Kathmandu, a name I love. This dish has some variations, as the general recipe idea transcends the borders of Nepal, northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and it is also termed "Dum Aloo" and "Aloor Dum," depending upon region, and in many areas it is has much more sauce (also called 'gravy'), and small sized potatoes are often used. It actually seems to have originated in the Kashmir region of northern India (now split between India and Pakistan).    

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes (about 3 cups of cut potatoes), cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 6 green chilies, per your heat preference (serrano or jalapeño), chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 inch piece of ginger, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped (or half a 14 1/2 ounce can of chopped tomatoes, not completely drained)
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 
1 teaspoon mild chili powder (like ancho chili powder)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt     

Boil the potato pieces in some lightly salted water until just tender, NOT mushy. While the potatoes cook, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger. Saute until the onions "begin" to brown, stirring to prevent the garlic from burning. Now add the chilies and cook another 30 seconds before adding the ground fenugreek, ground turmeric, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder; mix everything well, then add the chopped tomato and cook another couple of minutes. Add the cooked, well drained potato pieces and fold them in to coat them with the sauce. (NOTE: some drain the cooked potatoes and then fry them in oil until somewhat browned; they then add them to the seasoning mixture.) Cook gently folding the potatoes for a couple of minutes. Serve with rice.

* Potatoes, tomatoes, papayas, guavas, pineapples and chilies all came from the "New World," more specifically, from Central and South America. These "goodies" were spread to other parts of the world by the Spanish and Portuguese, and then later given a further boost by the British and French (perhaps also the Dutch?).

WORD HISTORY:
Or-Technically, there is more than one word in English "or," but this is for the most common (by far!), the conjunction. For such a little word, "or" has a very complicated history, but I'll keep things simple. It goes back to Indo European "eti," which had the notion, "beyond, further;" thus also adverbially, "furthermore," "and also." This gave Old Germanic some form that is unclear to me, and some speculative forms by others have failed to convince me of a good possibility. Anyway, this Germanic form gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "oþþe"^ (=oththe), which meant, "either, or." This later became "oththr," and then "other" (not the same word as modern "other"). This gradually was contracted to just "or," but the contracted form didn't completely overtake "other" until the 1500s. Other Germanic languages have: German "oder" (originally "odo," then "oda," then "odar," then "oder," which has retained the similar form to its now contracted English cousin "other"), Low German "or" and "oder" (originally "ettho/ettha," then "eftho/eftha"),^^ Dutch "of" (contracted from "ofte"), West Frisian "of" (originally "joftha," then later, "oft"), Old Norse, the forerunner to the modern North Germanic languages, had "eða" (=etha) and "eðe" (=ethe), and Icelandic still uses the "eða" form to this day. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish have no direct relative of English "or," as all use "eller" to mean "or." "Eller" is a relative of English "else."  

^ Another form, "eþþa," also existed. Remember, no standard language in those times. 

^^ The modern Low German forms have "likely" been influenced by standard German, and also by its close cousin English. 

Indian/Pakistani Cauliflower Curry: Gobi Masala

Gobi Masala is a north Indian and Pakistani curry dish, which simply means a dish made with a sauce of various spices. Just my opinion, but cauliflower is more to the bland side; thus, it needs some help in the flavor department. When I was a kid, cauliflower with various cheese sauces was a fairly common dish, and then there was breaded and fried cauliflower, which was served with some type of dipping sauce. Whether you agree with me that cauliflower in itself is a bit bland, it IS a healthy vegetable, with lots of nutrients and fiber. This dish is vegetarian, and, as with all good dishes, there are variations. For one thing, it is not uncommon for people of the Indian Subcontinent to make some dishes with a good deal of sauce ("gravy," as they say), but they also make a "drier" dish of the same name; that is, the amount of sauce is limited, with the main ingredients coated with the seasonings, rather than swimming in "gravy." It is great with rice, with which it is often served in India and Pakistan, but it is also commonly served with chapati (roti) bread,* especially if there is a lot of sauce to be sopped up by the bread. If you don't like much "heat," use just one jalapeño pepper; on the other hand, if you like dishes that are very "hot," use 3 serrano chilies. For a little information on the spices and herbs used in the cooking of the Indian Subcontinent, here are two links: 1)   https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/12/great-spices-and-herbs-of-india.html     

2)  https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/12/great-spices-and-herbs-of-india_10.html

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green chili peppers, chopped (serrano or jalapeño chilies are great)
2 inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil (+ more, if needed, vegetable oil is fine)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
2/3 teaspoon garam masala 
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or Indian red chili powder)
1 cup diced tomato with juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Add the oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, green chilies and ginger, cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Add the turmeric, ground coriander, fenugreek, garam masala and cayenne pepper, stir to mix well, then add the tomatoes and stir further. Add the cauliflower and 1/2 cup water. Stir to mix again to make sure all of the cauliflower is coated with the seasonings, then cover the skillet with a lid or foil. Cook until the cauliflower is tender (likely about 10 to 12 minutes), remove the lid or foil, and if necessary, cook a few minutes to allow the sauce to cook down (thicken) a bit.    

* Chapati (roti) bread is an unleavened whole wheat flatbread. It is quite easy to make and this is the link: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/10/easy-flatbread-of-indian-subcontinent.html 

Click on photo to enlarge...

WORD HISTORY:

Floret-This word is not only closely related to "flower" and "flour" (both of which are really the same word, and of Latin derivation and borrowed by English from Latin-based French), but "floret" was borrowed from Old French "florete" ("little/small flower") in the late 1300s. The Old French form was the diminutive of "flor," which meant "flower." ^

^  For the history of "flour/flower;" and thus, to the base of "floret," this is the link to the article with the "Word History:" http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2016/10/egg-in-your-beer-eierbier.html

Indian/Pakistani Chickpea Curry: Channa Masala, Chole Masala

Updated just a bit 5-1-22

This curry is common in the Punjab region, which transcends the border between northwestern India and eastern Pakistan.* It is called "Chan(n)a Masala," but also, "Chole Masala." There are many recipe variations, and some variations produce a dark color in the curry. Some recipes make the chickpeas pretty dry, while other recipes, including mine below, have more of a sauce for the chickpeas, making the dish good for serving rice or chapatis** (flatbread) as an accompaniment.   

I know the list of ingredients may seem intimidating, but many recipes from the Indian Subcontinent have a long list of ingredients, although many are various wonderful spices. "Garam masala" is a spice mixture and there are a number of variations. You can easily find it in supermarkets or Indian/Pakistani grocery stores. Just a point: the people of the Indian Subcontinent aren't usually sparing in their use of spices and other seasonings in their dishes, including "hot" spices and seasonings, like hot chilies. I'm not saying you will necessarily want to mimic this, but also keep in mind, Indian/Pakistani restaurants in other countries, like in the U.S., are not likely to serve food buffet style (a somewhat common style in many Indian/Pakistani restaurants in the U.S.) with the same level of "heat" as it would have if it had been prepared in their homeland or in their homes in their adopted countries. So, with this recipe, you can make it as tame or as "hot" as you want. As for the chili powder and cayenne pepper in the recipe, when people of the Indian Subcontinent say "chili powder," it is much more like cayenne pepper, rather than the chili powder we Americans most commonly buy to make chili (aka, "chili con carne"***) in the U.S., which is almost always to the mild side on the heat level, unless it is specified as "hot." Of course, if you live near an Indian or Pakistani grocer, or order online, you can buy "chili powder" from India or Pakistan for your cooking, and it will be "hot." So for this recipe, you have a couple of options: if you aren't especially fond of "heat," you can follow the recipe I have below, and mix some American chili powder and cayenne pepper; if you like "heat," forget the American chili powder and just use all Indian chili powder or cayenne pepper. (Note: If you want to start cooking Indian/Pakistani foods at home, you will need to buy Indian chili powder. Further, you will need a second type of Indian chili powder, referred to as Kashmiri chili powder, which has great red color, but far less heat, although still more heat than typical American chili powder, and the people of the Indian Subcontinent use both types.)  

Ingredients:

2 to 3 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
4 large cloves of garlic, chopped
2 inch piece peeled ginger, chopped
1 to 3 green chilies, chopped (seeded if you don't like heat, jalapeños or serranos are great)
2 cans (14 to 15 ounce cans) chickpeas, rinsed
1 can (14 to 15 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (I used ancho chili powder)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala 
1/2 cup water, then another 3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, cook briefly, then add the garlic, ginger and green chili pepper, cook another couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chickpeas, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric and the 1/2 cup water; stir well to mix. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the diced tomatoes with juice, garam masala, salt and the 3/4 cup water. Mix well again. Cook for another 3 minutes, then reduce heat to low, add the chopped fresh coriander, stir and cook another 2 or 3 minutes (you can actually cook this over low heat until it reaches the thickness you want, but just stir it often to prevent sticking). 

* Pakistan became a separate country from India in 1947, so there was no border before that time. 

** For the easy recipe for homemade "Chapati" (also known as "Roti"), here is the link: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/10/easy-flatbread-of-indian-subcontinent.html 

*** Americans have "generally" come to spell the word as "chili," with one "l," but in British English it is most often spelled "chilli," with a double "l" ("ll") and that spelling "generally" has carried over to countries with somewhat more recent strong ties to the United Kingdom, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and others. In the U.S., however, I have seen the spelling "chile," a spelling that matches the spelling of the nation of that name in South America, but to which the spelling is coincidental, as "chile," the pepper, and "Chile," the nation, have no connection in meaning or in word origin. And, by the way, non-Spanish speaking Americans usually pronounce "chili/chile con carne," as if, "chilly con carnie/carny."  

I made chapatis to have with my Chickpea Curry...

WORD HISTORY: 
Bouillon-This word is closely related to "boil." It goes back to Indo European "bhel," which had the notion of "swell, bloat out, to bulge," which gave Latin "bulla,"^ meaning, "knob, bubble" (that is, "air filled swellings") and this produced Latin "bullire," a verb meaning, "to bubble." This passed into Latin-based Old French as "bollir" ("to bubble, to ferment, to boil"). The participle form produced the noun, "bouillon," meaning, "broth made from boiling meat or vegetables." English borrowed the word in the mid 1600s.

Note: "Bouillon" in American English generally has come to mean "powdered or crystallized soup/broth base," but in other languages and elsewhere, it means "broth." I don't hear of "bouillon cubes" as much in recent years, but when I was a kid, "bouillon cubes" were little cubes of dried, concentrated beef or chicken broth wrapped in aluminum foil, if I remember right, and sold in small jars. A cube could be dissolved in a cup of hot water to make broth, and they were especially used for people who were recovering from illness, like the flu, a cold, or stomach upset. They had a good deal of salt, and thus, they helped soothe a sore throat. Now, I believe, they are more crystallized in form.  

Indian Pancake: Cheela/Chilla

"Cheela," also spelled "chilla," are a kind of pancake made from chickpea flour in India. While they are a common item for breakfast, they are also eaten at other times of day. Some Indians make them with varying amounts of grated or finely chopped vegetables cooked into the batter, like chopped tomato, coriander (cilantro), onion or garlic, and they make the pancakes a "little" thicker. Others make them thinner, like a crepe, and then they place veggies on top and roll them or fold them over, or they simply put butter or ghee (clarified butter) on them. I've chosen to just go somewhat straightforward here so you get the idea, but the overwhelming number of recipes I've seen have fresh chili pepper as an ingredient, but if you don't like "hot" foods, these don't have to be made to make you cringe from the heat, but you can seed the chili and just use perhaps 1/2 of it. These are very easy to make. I got four 7 inch diameter and thin pancakes from the recipe below.    

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpea flour
3/4 cup water (more if batter is too thick)
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 green chili, finely chopped (jalapeño or serrano, you can seed them, or leave the seeds for heat)
oil for frying

Mix together the flour, turmeric, salt and finely chopped green chili, then slowly stir in the water to form a batter. The batter should be fairly loose, but with a little body to it, like the consistency of heavy cream. Let the batter sit for about 15 minutes, then stir again. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add about a 1/4 teaspoon of oil to the skillet and swirl the oil in the skillet to coat the bottom of the pan. Put a ladle of batter into the heated skillet and smooth it out with the underside of the ladle. When the top of the pancake is set, sprinkle a little oil (about 1/4 teaspoon) around the edges and tilt the pan so that the oil runs down the outside edges of the pancakes. This will help the edges to crisp up somewhat. Flip the pancake and cook on the other side. The pancake should be lightly browned on both sides, but if there are some darker brown spots on it, that is certainly not against the rules. Serve the pancakes warm.

I just put some butter on the chillla I fixed, and I had a couple of tomato slices and some fresh coriander (cilantro)

WORD HISTORY: 
Anomaly-Part of this word is distantly related, through Indo European, to "same," a word from the Germanic roots of English, as well as to words beginning with "homo-," like "homogenize," "homonym," "homosexual," and others, with that prefix going back to Greek. "Anomaly" goes back to the Indo European root "sem," which had the notion of "one, together, united." This gave Indo European "samos/somos"), which meant "same." This gave Ancient Greek "homo(s)," which meant, "same." This produced "homolos," meaning, "even, level." Greek also had "an," meaning, "not, not having, without," from Indo European "ne," with the general meaning "not." This was then put together in Greek as "anomalos," literally, "not even;" thus also, "irregular." This produced the Greek noun "anomalia," meaning, "(an) inequality, (an) irregularity, an unevenness." This was borrowed by Latin as "anomalia," with the same meanings, and English borrowed the word in the second half of the 1500s, but it was in the second half of the 1600s that the word solidified in the general meaning still with us today, "an irregularity, a defect, something that breaks with common practice." 

Pistachio Smoothie

Smoothies have become quite popular in many countries during the last couple of decades. This is a great one, especially if you like pistachio nuts and it's super easy to make.


Ingredients (3 to 5 servings, depending upon glass size):

1 cup roasted pistachio nuts (I buy the already shelled pistachios)
3 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 cup ice cubes or about 3/4 cup crushed ice

Put the pistachios into your blender and grind them until they finely ground. Make sure to stop the blender a couple of times and scrape the sides down to make sure all of the pistachios are ground. Add the yogurt and the turmeric, then add the water (I rinsed the measuring cup I'd used for the yogurt with the water). Add the ice and blend until everything is well mixed and there is some froth.  

WORD HISTORY:
Froth-This word has a shaky distant history, as it presumably is of Germanic origin, but its relatives are all from just North Germanic, not the broader Germanic languages, nor even more specifically West Germanic, as English is a West Germanic language. Old English had "afreoðan" ('ð' essentially equals, 'th'), which meant, "to froth," and also, Old English "freoðan." If other West Germanic languages had a form of the word, I would likely say that this Old English form was taken by the Anglo-Saxons when they left the Continent on their way to founding England, but I've not found such West Germanic forms, nor even one such form. It could be a North Germanic creation, which then was taken to England by Old Norse speakers who periodically raided along the English coast, and who then began to even settle in parts of England. Anyway, the Old English verb, with reinforcement from the Old Norse form "froða," likely spawned the modern English noun "froth" (once also spelled "frooth" and "frothe," with the ending "e" pronounced "eh/ah") by the late 1200s, which also became a verb ("frothen") by the second half of the 1300s. The word is often also used as an adjective as "frothy." Other related forms are only in North Germanic: Danish "fraade," Swedish "fradga," Icelandic "froða" ("foam").

Yogurt Drinks of the Indian Subcontinent, Part 4 of 4

Here are two more sweet lassis, including the very popular "mango lassi." 

Mango Lassi-This is a very popular sweet lassi, also called a "smoothie" in restaurants or specialty beverage shops in the U.S. There are also commercially bottled versions of mango lassi. How many brands are there? I have no idea, as I "tend" to prefer freshly made foods, but I did buy a bottled mango lassi recently at a South Asian shop. I guess it was maybe ten ounces, but it was far too sweet for me.

Ingredients for 4 servings or 2 large servings:

1 cup plain thick yogurt
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon or more honey (see below)
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup mango (fresh chopped or canned)
ice cubes

If you want to use fresh mangoes, you need well ripened mangoes. In this case too, you will likely want to add more honey, probably at least 1 tablespoon, but that's a matter of personal taste. Lately, I must admit that I've cheated... I mean, I've chosen a streamlined way; that is, canned mangoes, which usually come in a sweet syrup. If you use canned mangoes, you can reduce the amount of honey, but instead, use a little of the syrup, according to how sweet you want the lassi. You can add a little sprinkle of ground cardamom on top. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend for about 30 to 45 seconds, or until smooth.

Turmeric Lassi

Ingredients per large serving:

2/3 cup plain thick yogurt
1 banana (chilled, lightly frozen)
2/3 cup cold water
3 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
2 tablespoons honey
couple of ice cubes

The banana should be peeled and put into the freezer for about 10-12 minutes. Put all ingredients, including ice cubes, into a blender and blend for about 45 to 60 seconds, or until the banana and ice cubes are broken up and mixed in. You can sprinkle a little turmeric on top, as I've done in the photo.

WORD HISTORY: 
Mango-The ultimate origin of this word is uncertain, although it goes back to Tamil, a Dravidian language of southern Asia, especially from parts of India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. The transliterated Tamil form, "mankay" (like, "main-kay"), meaning, "fruit of the mango tree."This was borrowed into Malay, a language of the Austronesian language family (which includes Tagalog/Filipino, one of the major languages of the Philippines), as "mangga," meaning, "mango." This was then borrowed by Portuguese^ as "manga," and English borrowed the word from Portuguese in the late 1500s, although its use became more common somewhat later, as the English planted mango trees in some of their tropical possessions in the New World.

^ The Portuguese were great explorers long ago, a fact sometimes forgotten, and they controlled East Timor, then called "Portuguese Timor," from the 1500s until 1975. It then became part of Indonesia, before gaining independence in 2002.  

Indian Lamb Kebabs (Shami)

While many people likely think of "kebabs" (also spelled "kabobs" and "kababs") as being on skewers, they don't really have to be. These are delicate lamb patties with great flavor. Recipes vary somewhat, with the "bean" component sometimes being chickpeas, some type of lentil, or mung beans, with the latter being my choice for this dish. I've seen a recipe or two without any bean component. Beef is also used, but remember, practicing Hindus do not eat beef, but the substantial Muslim population of the Indian subcontinent does eat beef, and from what I understand, these kebabs are often made with beef in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where they are very popular. Since the ingredients will be put into a food processor, it is not really necessary to finely chop everything. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1 or 2 tablespoon oil or clarified butter (ghee)
1/2 cup yellow lentils or split mung/gram beans
water for cooking (about 1 1/2 cups, but whatever is needed)
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1  2 inch piece of ginger, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2/3 teaspoon turmeric
3 green chilies, chopped (jalapeño or serrano chilies are fine)
1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly torn or chopped
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (also called fresh coriander or green coriander)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (according to your preference for heat)
2 teaspoons garam masala
lime wedges, onion cut into rings, mint chutney

Soak the beans for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse. In a pan, add 1 or 2 tablespoons oil or clarified butter and heat over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stir well, then add the ground cumin, turmeric, green chilies and mint, saute about 1 minute. Add the beans or lentils, and add water to just cover. Turn down heat to medium low and cook at a gentle simmer until the beans/lentils are tender and the water is essentially gone. Let mixture cool a bit, then put it into a food processor. Add lamb, 1/4 cup cilantro, salt, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Process until all is well mixed and fine. Mix in the 2 tablespoons cilantro, but do not use the processor, so that it remains in larger pieces. Heat oven to 350 (F). Form the mixture into patties. Place patties on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake patties for 45 to 55 minutes. If you want the patties a little crisp, pour off any grease and then place them under the broiler for about 45 seconds to a minute on each side. Often served with lime wedges, raw onion rings and/or mint chutney,* but accompaniments vary, often regionally. 

* You can find mint chutney in many supermarkets, but definitely in Indian/Pakistani grocery stores, or you can make your own. Here is the link to my recipe for mint chutney, which is very easy:  http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/07/indian-mint-chutney.html

WORD HISTORY: 
-stan-This is the word forming element for geographical entities, like "Pakistan." It goes back to Indo European "sta/steh," which had the notion of "stand, set in place." It is related to a large number of both original English words from Germanic like, "stand" and "stead," as well as borrowed words like, "stay." It is related to German "Stadt," originally meaning, "place," and then "city." The Indo European root produced Indo Iranian "sthanha," which meant, "place where one stands;" thus also, "where one dwells." This passed to Persian as, "stana," and to Sanskrit as "sthana," and eventually was used in Urdu and Hindi in India well before Pakistan and India separated. The meaning came to extend more directly to "place of," "home of" or "homeland of." Exactly when the term started to be added as a suffix to form geographic descriptions is unclear to me, but such are numerous: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Baluchistan (also spelled Balochistan), Uzbekistan, Hindustan and others.

Gujarati Potato Curry (Batata nu Shaak)

While a common worldwide source of food today, potatoes came from the New World, more specifically from South America. The Spanish took them to Europe, where it took time for the potato to catch on and spread around the world, including to India (helped a lot by the Portuguese), when it still included what are now modern Pakistan and Bangladesh. This is a potato dish from Gujarat, one of India's western states. You can adjust the heat level: if you like spicy hot food, try this version before you increase the heat level, as it has plenty of heat, but if you like "some" heat, but not a lot, just use 1 dried chili and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. If you don't really like heat, just use 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne, which should just provide a bare "kick" to the dish. The people of the Indian Subcontinent tend to eat their food with a pretty high level of heat. They then balance that heat, often times, with yogurt dishes to cool down their palates. Even though potatoes are starchy, rice is often served with this curry.

Asafoetida is a powdered spice pretty common to the cooking of the Indian Subcontinent and other parts of southern Asia. It is "typically" available in a jar with an opening in the lid to dispense the spice, and there is an airtight lid that closes off the opening to contain the smell. It is also called "hing." Asafoetida is known for its bad smell, but its mellow taste when cooked. When I was a kid, some people still used what were called "asafidity bags" to protect their children from various illnesses, mainly colds and influenza. The bag was worn on a string around the neck, and it contained various foul smelling ingredients, including garlic and asafoetida, which was available from drugstores in those times. It was all superstition from the Middle Ages, and my family didn't believe in it. My people believed an eye of a newt and the toe of a frog would cure you; otherwise, your days were numbered. Ah, or was that your days were numbered because of the eye of a newt and the toe of a frog? Hm...

Tamarind (see Word History, below) is a reddish brown spice from the fruit of the tree of that name. It is another common spice on the Indian subcontinent and in southern Asia and Africa. It is usually tart in taste.     

Ingredients:

2 cups diced, peeled potatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 dried red chilies (or you can use fresh chilies, chopped)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
good pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cup (or more) water
2 teaspoon tamarind paste
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, aka coriander

Heat oil over medium heat, then add the mustard seeds. After about 30 seconds, add the dried chilies, cook a few  seconds, then add the asafoetida and turmeric, stir, and then add the cubed potatoes immediately, stir well to coat. Add the coriander, cayenne, cumin, salt, stir to mix well throughout the potatoes. Add the water, stir again. Cover and cook, removing the cover to stir to prevent sticking, and to add a little more water, if necessary. Cook until potatoes are tender. Stir in tamarind paste and brown sugar. Add the chopped cilantro. Serve with rice. 

WORD HISTORY: 
Tamarind-This is a compound word for a type of tree and its fruit used in some medicines and to flavor food and sauces. It goes back to some Semitic word which produced Arabic "tamr," meaning "date;" that is, "fruit of the date palm." The ultimate origin of the second part is unknown, but it goes back to transliterated Sanskrit "sindhu," which meant, "river, flowing water," which was picked up by Persian as transliterated "hind," which produced transliterated "Hindus" for the name of the Indus River. Greek borrowed the river name as "Indos," and called the region of the river, "India," which was borrowed by Latin. English borrowed the word (circa 1200???) as "Indea," later changed to "India." The compound form was translated by Latin in the Middle East from transliterated Arabic "tamr hindi" as "tamarindus," which was passed on to Latin-based French as "tamarinde," which was borrowed by English in the early 13th Century. The word literally means, "date of India."

Mango Chutney

For those unfamiliar with chutney, it is a type of Indian relish, or preserves. I'm using "Indian" in the broad sense, to include the people of former parts of India; namely, Pakistan and Bangladesh, although chutney is also made in the island nation of Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon). This entire area was once under British colonial rule. There are many types of chutney, made from anything like mint or coriander, to apples, to apricots to tomatoes, but mango chutney is seemingly the best known type in "western nations," especially Britain, Canada and the United States. When I've had mango chutney in Indian restaurants, it has always been less sweet than store bought brands. An Indian restaurant owner once told me the British liked the chutney to be sweeter, and that British companies naturally made it that way to cater to the taste of their own market. These British brands then spread to North America, although, just a guess, I would bet at least 3 cents, that a fairly large percentage of Americans have never tasted chutney, and that many people have no idea even what it is. Besides the sweetened and spiced mango, there is often also a little "heat" from the addition of cayenne pepper or chopped hot chili peppers. Chutney is commonly served as a condiment for meat, including ham and sausage, or as a topping for sandwiches.

Ingredients:

2 large, somewhat less than ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
1 cup brown sugar (I use dark brown)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 inch piece ginger, grated
1 jalapeño or serrano chili pepper, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon mace or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons curry powder

Bring all ingredients to a boil, stir well and lower the heat and gently simmer until the mango is just tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The chutney should be pretty thick and it will thicken further as it cools.

WORD HISTORY:
Chutney-The ultimate origin of this word is unknown. It goes back to Hindi "chatna," which had the meaning, "eat flavorful food." This then produced Hindi/Urdu, "catni/chatni," which was the name for "spiced or sweetened vegetables or fruits used to accompany other foods." It was borrowed into English in the early 1800s, although it likely was in use by British military and colonial authorities in India before that time. NOTE: Hindi and Urdu are Indo European languages from the Indo-Iranian branch of Indo European.

Gujarati Carrot Salad

This is a quick and easy salad/side dish. It is almost always served warm, but it can be chilled before serving. Gujarat is one of the states of India and it is located in western India. The state capital city is Gandhinagar, although its best known city is Ahmedabad.

Ingredients:

2 carrots, peeled and grated (medium grate)
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds * (you can use the more easily available yellow mustard seeds, but try to get the black type)
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño chili peppers
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel (aka, "rind," see Word History)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric **
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and wait until they begin to pop (a few seconds). Reduce heat to low and add the carrot and chili pepper, then add the turmeric, lemon peel, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook for just 2 to 3 minutes, as the carrot and chili pepper should still have some "crunch" to them.

* Black mustard seeds are available in some supermarkets and Asian food shops.

** Turmeric is readily available in the spice section of supermarkets. Turmeric has been touted for its heath benefits, especially its anti-inflammatory benefits, but research continues as to the total validity of turmeric's overall benefit. Many nutritionists note to use turmeric with black pepper to help its absorption rate. Remember too, moderation on herbs and spices, as just because a small amount may be good for you, that doesn't mean a lot is necessarily better, unless of course, you're talking about chocolate cream pie. Damn, I hope nutritionists don't see this!

WORD HISTORY: 
Rind-The origins of this word are unknown, and it could be a West Germanic invention. It goes back to West Germanic "rindo," which meant, "crust, outer surface." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "rinde," likely pronounced "rind (short 'i')-eh," meaning, "bark of a tree, crust;" thus also, "tough skin of fruit," later also used for "tough outer skin of bacon," and "the hardened surface of some cheeses." The spelling with the ending "e," which was pronounced "eh," lasted for centuries, but gradually "rind" took over. German has "Rinde" (tree bark, outer layer of cheese, outer part of the brain or kidney), Low German Saxon has "Rinn" (tree bark), Dutch has "run" (tree bark).