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Marathi Restaurents and Marathi food
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bdixit
Apr 26, 2002, 10:14:01 AM4/26/02
to
Here are a few of my comments:
I do not think that only Marathi (or Maharashtrian) food
preparations are diverse and complex. Food preparations from various
parts of Bengal,
Gujarat, Rajastan, Kashmir, Andhra (Hyderabad), Kerala, UP etc. can also
be quite diverse and complex to prepare. In general, in India almost
every 100 - 200 miles most food preparations change, and they are
highly regionalized. Only a few preparations such as Jelebi, gulab
jamun, a few types of burfies and preparations such masala dosa, idly,
medu wada are fairly same whether you eat them on Mount Abu, in Calcutta
or in Davangiri, Hubli, Mysore or
in London or in New York. Some of the meat preparations, such as chicken
makhani, chicken tikka, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken are also
fairly same all over India and abroad. However if one really looks
carefully, even the "Tandoori Masala" varies quite a bit from
restaurant to restaurant and from one region of India to the other. The
way of cooking chicken, or other types of meats, in a TANDOOR remains
however much the same. But if you take a preparation like biryani
(chicken or lamb) it is quite different from place to place in India.
The methods of preparation varies greatly, so is the taste. Even one
family makes the biryani differently than the other. Meat/chicken
biryani prepared in Kolhapur, or in an Iranian restaurant in Pune, or
one prepared in Hyderabad or in Delhi are quite different. Even the
method of preparation varies greatly.
I was told by a couple of Maharashtrian gentlemen, who own "good"
restaurants in US, that when they offered traditional Maharashtrian menu
there were very few customers for those preparations. But there were
may more customers for "North Indian menu" (the standard tandoori
chicken, chole, samosa, palak paneer, aloo matar, tarak dal, parathas,
nans type of menu). They said that in US, Maharashtrians, Gujaratis and
Bengalis (to a great extent) usually prefer to eat at home. The majority
of their customers are Americans, Northern Indians, Middle Easterners,
Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. The other reason why Indian restaurants
outside India almost always serve Northern India cuisine is that during
the British Raj majority of British stayed in Northern India, got used
to the Northern Indian "curries”, and when they returned to England they
were much more interested in North Indian cuisine. So now there are some
6,000 well established Indian curry houses in U.K., mostly run by Sikhs,
Punjabis, Pakistanis and people from Bangladesh. In US, chefs in several
Indian restaurants are from Bangladesh. You rarely find chefs from
Gujarat or Maharashtra. In most foreign countries Maharashtrian
immigrants are relatively few in numbers. Also celebrated chefs like
Madhur Jeffrey, Julie Sahani have been responsible in promoting "mostly"
North Indian cuisine in North America and some other Western
countries. More recently, Sanjeev Kapoor has broken that stereotype and
offers "how to prepare" lessons for many regional preparations. His
recipes are relatively simple to prepare, he gives clear directions, and
in most instances, gives "measurements" of various ingredients for
various recipes. His books are also well written. For Maharashtrian
recipes there are many books, but from my own experience the best are
(1) "RUCHIRA" by Kamalabai Ogle, (2) "Hamkhas Pak Siddhi" by Jayashree
Deshpande, and (3) "Swayampak" by Sindhutai Sathe. The first TWO are
really good, particularly the one by Jayashree Deshpande. Then there
are many many other books. Some claim that they exclusively give
recipes "Saraswat" cooking or Kolhapuri" cooking, but if you really
try those preparations they are really not much different than given in
other books. .....BND
I do not think that only Marathi (or Maharashtrian) food
preparations are diverse and complex. Food preparations from various
parts of Bengal,
Gujarat, Rajastan, Kashmir, Andhra (Hyderabad), Kerala, UP etc. can also
be quite diverse and complex to prepare. In general, in India almost
every 100 - 200 miles most food preparations change, and they are
highly regionalized. Only a few preparations such as Jelebi, gulab
jamun, a few types of burfies and preparations such masala dosa, idly,
medu wada are fairly same whether you eat them on Mount Abu, in Calcutta
or in Davangiri, Hubli, Mysore or
in London or in New York. Some of the meat preparations, such as chicken
makhani, chicken tikka, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken are also
fairly same all over India and abroad. However if one really looks
carefully, even the "Tandoori Masala" varies quite a bit from
restaurant to restaurant and from one region of India to the other. The
way of cooking chicken, or other types of meats, in a TANDOOR remains
however much the same. But if you take a preparation like biryani
(chicken or lamb) it is quite different from place to place in India.
The methods of preparation varies greatly, so is the taste. Even one
family makes the biryani differently than the other. Meat/chicken
biryani prepared in Kolhapur, or in an Iranian restaurant in Pune, or
one prepared in Hyderabad or in Delhi are quite different. Even the
method of preparation varies greatly.
I was told by a couple of Maharashtrian gentlemen, who own "good"
restaurants in US, that when they offered traditional Maharashtrian menu
there were very few customers for those preparations. But there were
may more customers for "North Indian menu" (the standard tandoori
chicken, chole, samosa, palak paneer, aloo matar, tarak dal, parathas,
nans type of menu). They said that in US, Maharashtrians, Gujaratis and
Bengalis (to a great extent) usually prefer to eat at home. The majority
of their customers are Americans, Northern Indians, Middle Easterners,
Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. The other reason why Indian restaurants
outside India almost always serve Northern India cuisine is that during
the British Raj majority of British stayed in Northern India, got used
to the Northern Indian "curries”, and when they returned to England they
were much more interested in North Indian cuisine. So now there are some
6,000 well established Indian curry houses in U.K., mostly run by Sikhs,
Punjabis, Pakistanis and people from Bangladesh. In US, chefs in several
Indian restaurants are from Bangladesh. You rarely find chefs from
Gujarat or Maharashtra. In most foreign countries Maharashtrian
immigrants are relatively few in numbers. Also celebrated chefs like
Madhur Jeffrey, Julie Sahani have been responsible in promoting "mostly"
North Indian cuisine in North America and some other Western
countries. More recently, Sanjeev Kapoor has broken that stereotype and
offers "how to prepare" lessons for many regional preparations. His
recipes are relatively simple to prepare, he gives clear directions, and
in most instances, gives "measurements" of various ingredients for
various recipes. His books are also well written. For Maharashtrian
recipes there are many books, but from my own experience the best are
(1) "RUCHIRA" by Kamalabai Ogle, (2) "Hamkhas Pak Siddhi" by Jayashree
Deshpande, and (3) "Swayampak" by Sindhutai Sathe. The first TWO are
really good, particularly the one by Jayashree Deshpande. Then there
are many many other books. Some claim that they exclusively give
recipes "Saraswat" cooking or Kolhapuri" cooking, but if you really
try those preparations they are really not much different than given in
other books. .....BND
--
Balwant N. Dixit
University of Pittsburgh
559 Salk Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Tel No:(412) 648-8582
FAX No:(412) 648-8475
imppio
Apr 26, 2002, 12:20:03 PM4/26/02
to
Thanks Prof. Dixit. Is there any source of getting the three books you
mentioned, here in North America?
mentioned, here in North America?
cheers,
imppio
"bdixit" <bdi...@pitt.edu> wrote in message
news:3CC960A9...@pitt.edu...
> Here are a few of my comments:
Nikhil Deo
Apr 26, 2002, 12:20:56 PM4/26/02
to
> Here are a few of my comments:
> highly regionalized. Only a few preparations such as Jelebi, gulab
> jamun, a few types of burfies and preparations such masala dosa, idly,
> medu wada are fairly same whether you eat them on Mount Abu, in Calcutta
> or in Davangiri, Hubli, Mysore or
> in London or in New York. Some of the meat preparations, such as chicken
> makhani, chicken tikka, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken are also
> fairly same all over India and abroad. However if one really looks
> carefully, even the "Tandoori Masala" varies quite a bit from
>
> jamun, a few types of burfies and preparations such masala dosa, idly,
> medu wada are fairly same whether you eat them on Mount Abu, in Calcutta
> or in Davangiri, Hubli, Mysore or
> in London or in New York. Some of the meat preparations, such as chicken
> makhani, chicken tikka, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken are also
> fairly same all over India and abroad. However if one really looks
> carefully, even the "Tandoori Masala" varies quite a bit from
>
you made me take an early lunch :)
bdixit
Apr 26, 2002, 2:05:56 PM4/26/02
to
You probably went to some Taj Mahal, Prince of India or Bombay Garden type
of place. I hope you had a good lunch. But it is so easy to prepare yourself
excellent "Sabudanyachi Khichadi", or "Batata Bhat", or "Dadpe Pohe", or
"Palak Paneer", or even "Penne pasta with spinach and green onions" and have
a really tasty lunch.......BND
of place. I hope you had a good lunch. But it is so easy to prepare yourself
excellent "Sabudanyachi Khichadi", or "Batata Bhat", or "Dadpe Pohe", or
"Palak Paneer", or even "Penne pasta with spinach and green onions" and have
a really tasty lunch.......BND
Nikhil Deo wrote:
--
bdixit
Apr 26, 2002, 4:45:45 PM4/26/02
to
I do not think they are available here. But I will give the details in a
couple of days, so you can get them from some of book stores in Pune. You
will have to look for them, even in Pune.........Balwant Dixit
couple of days, so you can get them from some of book stores in Pune. You
will have to look for them, even in Pune.........Balwant Dixit
imppio wrote:
--
MrBill Gates Sucks
Apr 28, 2002, 12:12:50 PM4/28/02
to
bdixit <bdi...@pitt.edu> wrote in message news:<3CC9BC79...@pitt.edu>...
> I do not think they are available here. But I will give the details in a
> couple of days, so you can get them from some of book stores in Pune. You
> will have to look for them, even in Pune.........Balwant Dixit
>
> I do not think they are available here. But I will give the details in a
> couple of days, so you can get them from some of book stores in Pune. You
> will have to look for them, even in Pune.........Balwant Dixit
>
Look in here.. I found it..
http://www.rasik.com/cgi_bin/display_book.cgi?bookId=b57261&lang=marathi
Or Search for the book name..
--bzshri
Chinta Pandit
May 10, 2002, 1:40:48 AM5/10/02
to
The best Marathi book on learning cooking from scratch (Buying
vegetables, fruits, fish, meat from stores) is "PERFECT RECIPES'" by
Pratibha Kothavale. This book is available in US by mail order. I
think they are on the web too. Published by Majestic Publications.
vegetables, fruits, fish, meat from stores) is "PERFECT RECIPES'" by
Pratibha Kothavale. This book is available in US by mail order. I
think they are on the web too. Published by Majestic Publications.
This is a very new book and already in its third edition. The best
part is that it has goan/malvani/sangmeshwari dishes and some of them
are rare to find even in Maharashtrain restaurants.
I tried Frankie from this book and it came out great.
-Chinta
bdixit <bdi...@pitt.edu> wrote in message news:<3CC960A9...@pitt.edu>...
bdixit
May 10, 2002, 9:41:41 AM5/10/02
to
The book "PERFECT RECIPES'" by Pratibha Kothavale." is available by mail order
in USA. From which source?.....Balwant Dixit
in USA. From which source?.....Balwant Dixit
Chinta Pandit wrote:
--
Chinta Pandit
May 16, 2002, 12:51:40 PM5/16/02
to
Well I am not sure which source. I purchased it on my visit to India
at Thane. I would suggest Asking somebody back in India to search for
this book. I have read Ruchira and other books till now. Even Mrs
Ogle, Deshpande and Sathe have appreciated this book being the best in
the market. I saw a TV interview of Mrs. Kothavle and realized her
recipe's are easier to understand and implement being more scientific
oriented and being a male could never understand "chavi purti mith,
sakhar va velchi ghalavi"
at Thane. I would suggest Asking somebody back in India to search for
this book. I have read Ruchira and other books till now. Even Mrs
Ogle, Deshpande and Sathe have appreciated this book being the best in
the market. I saw a TV interview of Mrs. Kothavle and realized her
recipe's are easier to understand and implement being more scientific
oriented and being a male could never understand "chavi purti mith,
sakhar va velchi ghalavi"
I was looking for Majestic web site but unfortunately they don't have
one.
bdixit <bdi...@pitt.edu> wrote in message news:<3CDBCE15...@pitt.edu>...
Chinta Pandit
May 16, 2002, 1:46:09 PM5/16/02
to
If you ever Visit to SF Bay Area. Try out Vital Kamat (Yes same Kamat
group of Bombay). Especially Sabudana Vada, Kothimbir Vadi, Vada pav,
Misal, Dahi Misal and other Maharashtian food.
group of Bombay). Especially Sabudana Vada, Kothimbir Vadi, Vada pav,
Misal, Dahi Misal and other Maharashtian food.
bdixit <bdi...@pitt.edu> wrote in message news:<3CC99704...@pitt.edu>...
bdixit
May 16, 2002, 3:02:29 PM5/16/02
to
But I can make all those things and many more myself from scratch, and probably
better than any of these commercial places. But still I am interested in getting the
cookbook of Mrs. Kothavale, because each book has information that is very useful.
Thanks for your information......Balwant Dixit
better than any of these commercial places. But still I am interested in getting the
cookbook of Mrs. Kothavale, because each book has information that is very useful.
Thanks for your information......Balwant Dixit
Chinta Pandit wrote:
--
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