Kurma

The import of today's blog title becomes clear when I tell you that I fly to Melbourne late morning, then catch a train east to Lilydale, and a car to the beautiful Yarra Valley, home to such picturesque-sounding places as Woori Yallock, Mount Donna Buang and Launching Place.

I think it's going to be a chilly weekend for a cookery class. It was -1 degrees C this morning in the region. There's snow on top of Donna Buang, and in the indiginous Wurundjeri language, Woori Yallock means 'cold, wet and windy'. Yeah, that would be right; so I'm packing my new hemp trackkies and some extra socks.

My trusty Canon accompanies me, so I can share with you, yet again, some 'Kodak moments'.

The topic of curries is on my mind, since I've just planned a class menu based on the topic. But in actual fact, the word 'curry' is a misnomer, popularised and perpetuated by the British. There is no historical precedence to that name in classic Indian culinary culture before the 18th century. There's a great deal of speculation and guess work as to how the name 'curry' was first introduced.

Some sources explain: "The term curry could be possibly derived from 'koora' in the Telugu language, which means stew or gravy of any vegetable."

Also: Curry leaves - (Murraya koenigii) are known as 'Karuvapillai', in the Tamil language, 'karibevu' in the Kannada, and 'kariveppila' in Malayalam.

Another theory: the root word for curry is 'Kadhi', which derives from the term 'Kadhna' meaning 'to simmer' or 'Karahi' denoting the cooking vessel used in Indian kitchens.

It's my guess that definitely the Brits just Anglicized words they heard and these words 'morphed' into new words.

Here's a well-known example: The British witnessed the awesomely massive wooden chariots of Jagannath rolling down the main road in the seaside Temple festival at Puri, and upon asking about them from locals, invented the word 'Juggernaut' to approximate how they heard the word 'Jagannath'. (Read this fascinating disambiguation).

And another: the classic rice and lentil stew 'Khicheri' was enjoyed by the British during their sojourn during the Raj period. After the recipe returned to England, the Brits added fish, and it became 'Kedgeree'. There's many more examples.

Anyway, I'm meandering. Here's our Curry Class menu, to be held in Canberra in September.

"Vegetarian Curries of the Subcontinent"

"India still surpasses as the vegetarian capital of the world. Kurma Dasa is back to share some of the most inspirational 'curries' of the Subcontinent. His generous class includes Simple & Sublime Gujarati Pumpkin Curry, Creamy Maharashtran Mixed Vegetable Karhi with flaky Paratha Breads, Karachi Masoor & Potato Dal-fry with Fresh Lime Wedges & flame-toasted Pappadams, Cashew-Studded Sooji Upma with Sourdough Toast, Fresh Yogurt and Chutney, and Bengali Chickpea, Panir and Cauliflower Tarkari. Come hungry!"

And the class details:

Cooking Co-ordinates Cookery School
Belconnen, Canberra ACT
Morning Cookery Workshop, Saturday 13 September
Bookings call 02 6253 5133

Hope to see you there!

Gitte from Copenhagen, Denmark asks: "Hello! Do you have a recipe for Sri Kand, which we tried while in India last year. Delicious!"

My reply: Yes indeed, here's my new revised version, complete with a fragrant, thick saffron syrup on top."

Creamy Cardamom-infused Condensed Yogurt Dessert with Pistachios and Saffron Syrup (Shrikhand)

This popular Indian sweet from India's Maharashtra State is simple to prepare. Yogurt is hung in a cloth to remove the excess liquid. The solid residue, called yogurt cheese or dehin, is sweetened, flavoured with saffron, pistachio nuts, cardamom, and rosewater, beaten until silky-smooth, and served ice-cold in little cups.

Shrikhand is ideal to prepare in large quantities. Remember the simple sugar to yogurt ratio: good quality yogurt should yield up to 50% liquid (whey) when hung. Add sugar to the final yogurt cheese in the ratio of one to four: in other words, the sugar content of shrikhand is one-eighth part the original quantity of yogurt.

You may wish to reserve the liquid that drips out of the yogurt. It’s a first-class curdling agent for making your own homemade curd cheese, panir. Shrikhand is delicious served with slices of fresh mango and puffed plain flour pooris sprinkled with sugar (called Loochis in Bengal). Makes enough for 8–10 persons.

1 kg whole-milk yogurt
¼ teaspoon ground saffron threads
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon rosewater
2 tablespoons blanched raw slivered pistachios
½ cup powdered sugar

Place a triple thickness of cheesecloth in a colander. Spoon in the yogurt, gather up the corners of the cloth, tie it into a bundle, and hang it, either in the refrigerator or in a cool spot for at least 12 to 16 hours, or a day or two if you like. Catch the drips in a bowl.

Combine ¼ cup sugar of the sugar with a little of the saffron infusion and reduce in a small saucepan to make a fairly thick syrup.

When you are ready to prepare the dessert, combine the ground saffron threads with the rosewater for 5 or 10 minutes to allow the saffron to steep and release its flavour and colour. After the required hanging time, the residue of yogurt cheese should have reduced to half the original quantity.

Transfer the cheese to a bowl, add the ground saffron and rosewater infusion, ground cardamom seeds, pistachio nuts and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, and serve in small bowls. Alternatively, do not add the nuts to the mixture, pipe out the dessert from a piping bag with a fairly large nozzle, and sprinkle the pistachio nuts on top. Drizzle with saffron sugar syrup.

"The clown who starred as Ronald McDonald in McDonald's telly ads has quit to lead a crusade against burgers. Actor Geoffrey Giuliano - famous world-wide as the burger-loving clown - revealed he is a vegetarian!

He has pledged to rescue animals from the slaughterhouse "as my way of saying sorry for selling out to concerns who make millions out of murdering them." Giuliano, 38, has bought ten calves who wander free on his "Cow Protection Estate" in New York State."

This is not exactly breaking news, but interesting nevertheless.
Loads more info....

bit of a whisk-y business

Renee from Christchurch, New Zealand, writes:
"How do you make a pikelet mixture with three men multi-tasking and time to spare in less than 30 minutes? And what does the third guy do?

Kurma replies:
"One man can hold the bowl, one man can tip in the flour, milk and egg-replacement, and the third man can do the whisking. There you have it - the Public Service Trio."

Last night I was woken by cats who were moaning like human babies outside my window - rather spooky. I'm sure you've heard such things.

Anyway, cats were on my mind when I awoke, and I remembered publishing an article about a very special cat, almost a year ago. Here it is again - a very good read.

If we observe nature, we will see that different creatures are endowed with different special gifts, known in sanskrit as vibutis, in the shape of developed sensory powers.

For example, fish and other sea-dwelling creatures have an extremely developed sense of taste, dogs have very acute hearing, and some birds like the vulture can see objects many kilometres away.

And cats...or shall we say Oscar the cat...? Oscar has an unearthly ability to predict when residents of the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island are about to die.

Read this very interesting article from the New England Journal of Medicine.

And here's some readers' comments:

"I read this the other day. Fascinating for sure but it doesn't surprise me. I have a couple of cats of my own and while they're no death predictors they "know" things sometimes. (And isn't he a handsome kitty?) Amy.

"Wow .. Reminds me how much is going on around us that we are completely unaware of. Last week my friend went to visit his father's grave after an abscence of many years and he took his dog, Murray, for the first time. There were more rows than last time he was there so he let his dog off the lead to have a run around and started to try to find his fathers grave. Shortly afterwards he looked up to see Murray sitting three rows behind and not budging when he called him, so he wandered over to put him back on his lead and found he was sitting on his father's grave. They are definitely tuned into the universe on a different frequency than us." Radha.

"Having had many cats as members of our family over the years, i know them to be highly intelligent and perceptive beings. Each of our cats had starkly differing personalities. Little humans in fur is what I call them. When my cat Madhu was dying of nose cancer and half her nose was eaten away, we had to put her down (something I still find hard to deal with). Normally she would fuss and fight if she was taken in the basket to the vet. But not on that fateful day. She was quiet and accepting, weird as it may seem, she knew her day had come." Sudika

"I work at this nursing home and know Oscar. I just saw him do this last week. He is such a sweet cat. this particular web site and the people who post on it, make more sense than most who have given their opinons on Oscar. Thank you." Terbobun

'American food'? Sort of like saying 'Australian Culture'. But before I get myself into trouble, I'll shut up and leave you with this link. You have been warned.

Reggie from New York asks:

"Hey Kurma, I wanna make some vegan curry puffs for a birthday party. Any recipe on hand?"

My reply:

"Sure, here's my recipe. If you find a dairy-free puff pastry or shortcrust pastry, sautee the filling in a little vegetable oil, and either bake them or fry them in vegetable oil, you've hit the jackpot. Hope the party goes well. Send me some pics."

Malaysian Curry Puffs

Great finger food! Makes about 45 bite-sized puffs.

1 cup sweet potato, diced very small
1 cup carrot, diced very small
1 cup potato, diced very small
1 cup peas
2 tablespoons oil
fresh curry leaves from 3 large sprigs, torn
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon yellow asafetida powder
2 tablespoons Malaysian hot curry powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 sheets ready made puff or shortcrust pastry
oil for deep frying

The filling:
Steam the vegetables separately until tender. Drain.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat. When the oil is hot, drop in the curry leaves and fry until they crackle, then sprinkle in the ginger, fry for 1 minute or until aromatic, then add the yellow asafetida powder and fry momentarily.

Stir in the curry powder, all the cooked vegetables, the sugar and the salt. Fry together for 1 or 2 minutes then remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool.

The puffs:
Cut the sheets of puff pastry into 9 squares.

Place 2 teaspoons of cooled filling in the centre of each square. Fold into triangles and seal, leaving the edge plain, pressed with fork tines, or with a decorative pinched and fluted edge.

Heat the oil for deep-frying in a wok or deep frying pan over moderate heat until fairly hot.

Fry the puffs in batches for 2 or 3 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot, warm or cold with an accompanying tamarind chutney, or sweet chili sauce.

Dear Kurma Blog readers,

Greetings! I would like some feedback from you. Can you help? Please answer these questions and send them via the comments button below. You may wish to cut and paste the questions and answer them directly on the comments page.

1. How often do you read my blog?

2. When did you start reading it?

3. Do you access the blog via the Website Home Page or the blog address? Or by feeds like Planet Iskcon? Or by any other method?

4. What do you like about the blog?

5. What do you dislike about the blog?

6. Can you suggest any improvements?

7. How often do you find the blog unable to be accessed due to technical difficulties my end?

Please take a few minutes to answer these questions. Your comments are important to me.

How well do you know your modern political geography? Can you identify countries on a map? My results were less than perfect.

Test your skills...

Shivkumar from Mamlakat al-Bahrayn writes:

Kurma, thanks for your blog. It provide me with great pleasure. How to find archives at easy reach of all past postings?

My reply: Easy. Go to my website home page, go to left of page and click on Articles of Interest.
Easier still, click here. Happy reading!

Losing Private Dwyer

New York Times Editorial Observer By LAWRENCE DOWNES
Published: July 15, 2008

The photo below captures everything that Americans wanted to believe about the Iraq war in the earliest days of the invasion in 2003. Pfc. Joseph Dwyer, an Army medic whose unit was fighting its way up the Euphrates to Baghdad, cradles a wounded boy. The child is half-naked and helpless, but trusting. Private Dwyer’s face is strained but calm.

If there are better images of the strength and selflessness of the American soldier, I can’t think of any. It is easy to understand why newspapers and magazines around the country ran the photo big, making Private Dwyer an instant hero, back when the war was a triumphal tale of Iraqi liberation.

That story turned bitter years ago, of course. And the mountain of sorrows keeps growing: Mr. Dwyer died last month in North Carolina. He was 31 and very sick. For years he had been in and out of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction. He was seized by fearful delusions and fits of violence and rage. His wife left him to save herself and their young daughter. When the police were called to Mr. Dwyer’s apartment on June 28, he was alone. They broke down the door and found him dying among pill bottles and cans of cleaning solvent that friends said he sniffed to deaden his pain.

He had been heading for a disastrous end ever since he came home.

Two of his best friends were Angela Minor and Dionne Knapp, fellow medics at Fort Bliss, near El Paso, Tex. For a while, they were part of a small, inseparable group that worked together, ate out, went to movies and called one another by their first names, which is not the military habit.

Joseph was a rock, Ms. Minor said, a guy who would change your oil and check your tires unasked and pick you up by your broken-down car at 3 a.m. Ms. Knapp said he was like an uncle to her son, Justin, who was having trouble in kindergarten and brightened whenever Mr. Dwyer went there to check on him.

Ms. Knapp was called up to Iraq, but Mr. Dwyer insisted on taking her place, because she was a single mom. He had no children at the time, and besides, he had enlisted right after 9/11 just for this. He went and stunned everybody by getting his picture all over the newspapers and TV.

A few months later, he was home. He was shy about his celebrity. He was also skinny and haunted. Ms. Minor said he was afraid. Ms. Knapp said paranoid was more like it.

It didn’t help that El Paso looked a lot like Iraq. Once he totaled his car. He said had seen a box in the road and thought it was a bomb. He couldn’t go to the movies anymore: too many people. In restaurants, he sat with his back to the wall.

He said that Iraqis were coming to get him. He would call Angela and Dionne at all hours, to talk vaguely about the “demons” that followed him all day and in his dreams. He became a Baptist, doggedly searching Scripture on his lunch hour — for solace. His friends knew he was also getting high with spray cans bought at computer stores.

“He would call me in the middle of the day,” Ms. Minor said. “I’d be like: ‘Why are you at Best Buy? Why aren’t you at work?’ I could tell he’d been drinking and huffing again.”

His friends tried an intervention, showing up at his door in October 2005 and demanding his guns and cans of solvent. He refused to give them up.

Hours later, gripped by delusions, he shot up his apartment. He was glad when the SWAT team arrived, Ms. Knapp said, because then he could tell them where the Iraqis were. He was arrested and discharged, and later moved to Pinehurst, N.C. His parents tried to get him help, but nothing worked. “He just couldn’t get over the war,” his mother, Maureen, told a reporter. “Joseph never came home.”

It’s not clear what therapy and medication could have saved Mr. Dwyer. He admitted lying on a post-deployment questionnaire about what he had seen and suffered because he just wanted to get back to his family. Ms. Minor said he sometimes skipped therapy appointments in El Paso. One thing that did seem to help, Ms. Knapp and Ms. Minor said, was peer counseling from a fellow veteran, a man who had been ambushed in Iraq and knew about fear and death. But that was too little, too late, and both women say they are frustrated with the military for letting Mr. Dwyer slip away.

Private Dwyer, who survived rocket-propelled grenades and shocking violence, made his way back to his family and friends. But part of him was also stuck forever on a road in Iraq, helpless and terrified, with nobody to carry him to safety.

Kurma's comment:

Despite this sad tale, there is hope and solace, thanks to some wonderful spiritual counceling and outreach in Iraq by a Sergeant First Class in the US Army presently stationed in Iraq, Partha-sarathi dasa. Click here to read more.

Do you have sudden food cravings? I am sure you do, even if you're not pregnant. Today, even though it's way before dawn, I feel like Birchermuesli.

Perhaps it was because I fasted from all grains yesterday in observance of the holy Ekadasi day. Or it could have something to do with the fact that I published the recipe on my Recipe of the Week over the weekend. Somehow thoughts of it got lodged in my memory hard drive and have now reappeared, demanding gratification. Desires are like that. Well it's too bad, Kurma. You didn't soak your rolled oats last night. In fact I don't have any. Only steel-cut, which are way too serious for eating raw.

Birchermuesli is named after its creator, Dr. Bircher Benner, who was ousted from the Swiss medical profession in 1900 for his heretical claims that grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables had more nutritional value than did meats. Wash your mouth out, Doctor!!

In formulating the muesli, Benner had in mind his many patients from wealthy families who were suffering the effects of a diet too high in protein.

Although it was not originally intended as a breakfast food, it certainly fills that niche deliciously. Here's the recipe. It serves 4 very modest eaters. I could eat the whole thing on a big day.

2/3 cup rolled oats (not instant) soaked in 1 cup of water overnight
juice of 1½ lemons
4 unwaxed apples
4 tablespoons each of freshly ground almonds and hazelnuts
2/3 cup yogurt
4 tablespoons honey
fresh seasonal fruits like peaches, apricots, bananas, melons or mango, sliced or chopped, to taste
fresh seasonal berries like raspberries, strawberries or blueberries, to taste

Place the soaked oats and whatever residual water remains with them in a large bowl along with the lemon juice.

Grate the un-peeled apples, and mix them into the oats and lemon to avoid discolouration.

Add the nuts, yogurt and honey and combine. Carefully fold in the sliced or chopped fruit.

Serve: transfer to serving bowls and decorate with berries.

Note: the muesli will keep for 24 hours in the refrigerator. The apple might discolour but this should not affect the taste.

"I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details."
- Albert Einstein

Bhanu from UK writes: 'How to make potato chips at home that are crisp on the outside?'

My reply: Here's the step-by-step process:

Step One Begin by choosing the right kind of potatoes. This is the most important step. In different countries the ideal chip potato has different names. The best potato for chips should be neither too watery nor too high in sugar, which respectively give it a crispy texture and a light golden colour. In Australia, many feel Bintjes are the best, in UK it's King Edward. Not sure about USA. You get the picture. Whatever the name, choose a floury potato.

Step Two Peel the potatoes, slice, and cut the slices into even batons. In different countries, the preferred chips can be thin or thick. Again, it's a matter of taste.

Step Three Once you have cut the chips you should rinse them thoroughly to remove the excess starch. Pat them dry with a clean tea towel or paper towel. Some even soak them in water first, before rinsing. Either way, they must be completely dried.

Step Four This step is called blanching; the chips are fried at 160°C (some prefer 170°C) for 4-6 minutes and lifted out just as they start to colour. Make sure you use clean oil to fry in (sunflower is good as it has a high smoking point). Personally, I like ghee. It has an even higher smoking point, and tastes divine. Not cheap, but the very, very best, taste-wise. To assure the correct oil temperature: if you do not have a mini deep-fryer at home it's worth investing in a thermometer to take out the guesswork.

Step Five So we're frying the chips in batches, allowing the oil to recover its heat before submerging the next batch. Don't overcrowd. The chips will be cooked on the inside but not crisp. Crisping comes next.

Step Seven After the initial batches of chips are all fried and set aside, increase the oil temperature to 180-190°C.

Step Eight Cook the chips a second time, again in batches, allowing the oil to recover its heat in between batches.

Step Nine Continue to fry until the chips have a nice crispy golden exterior.

Step Ten Drain on some paper towel, lightly season with sea salt and serve immediately.

Today my old Nokia clunker of a mobile phone (US readers: read 'cellphone') gave up it's vital functions. It was time to get a new one, quick smart.

I went to the Vodaphone shop at the cavernous Westfield complex in Bondi Junction and was confronted with a strange scene: masses of people all squeezed in to the tiny store, and dozens of staff members all with matching t-shirts. How odd, I thought - all these staff tending to all these people who were all getting a new phone on the same day, and with such, well, gusto.

It turned out that today was the world launch (outside of USA) of the new iPhone. Thousands had lined up all night outside Apple stores to get one. These people were doing the same thing.

Finally I was able to attract the attention of a staff member who was very helpful. And I walked away with - not an iPhone, but a new Nokia. Fine. I can't watch TV on it, nor can I read my emails. But it's a phone, and that's good enough for me.

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour

God Appears & God is Light
To those poor Souls who dwell in Night
But does a Human Form Display
To those who Dwell in Realms of day

-beginning and ending lines of “Auguries of Innocence”, by William Blake

Jacqueline from Los Angeles writes: Haribol! I am looking for a recipe for Rita - it's made with cucumber and yogurt.

My reply: That's Raita :) Here's a nice recipe:

Cucumber Raita

This is is usually served in small servings in little bowls as an accompaniment to bold-flavoured main courses.

1 large Lebanese cucumber
1 cup thick natural yogurt (I like Greek-style)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (dry roast seeds first in frying pan until fragrant)
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
Salt to taste

Cut cucumber in half and with a teaspoon scrape out seeds.

Grate coarsely.

Squeeze out the excess liquid using your hand.

Combine cucumber flesh with yogurt, cumin, mint and salt in a medium bowl; stir well to combine. Check seasoning. Serve as a cool accompaniment.

M from USA writes:

'Can you post a recipe for a good creamy salad dressing, as opposed to a thin oily one. Maybe something with honey and mustard. I'm basically looking for something sweet but with a slight tang to it.'

My reply:

'Let me see....my creamy favourite would be 1 part freshly-squeezed lemon juice, 3 parts extra-virgin olive oil, 1/8 - 1/4 part honey or maple syrup, 1 part thick greek full-fat yogurt, a sprinkle asafetida, a few flakes sea salt, a good grinding of black peppercorns, ground and soaked mustard seeds or bought mustard to taste. Put in a jar and shake, or whisk if thick.'

M replies:

'Thanks so much, tried it out and was just what I was looking for :)'

Lee from Melbourne writes:

'Hi Kurma, I would really appreciate some advice on how to prevent my falafels disintegrating to almost nothing when I deep-fry them. The same thing happens to my chickpea cutlets.'

My reply:

'Hi Lee, The answer is quite simple and you will kick yourself when you hear why: You are using cooked chickpeas, maybe from a can.

Falafel are made from RAW chickpeas. Cooked chickpeas will always make your falafel disintegrate.

You must not buy cooked ones, or cook raw ones. You must buy raw, dry chickpeas from a grocer, soak them, drain them, grind them, then proceed with the salt and herbs and spices, roll into balls and deep-fry.

Same with the chickpea cutlets. You can make chickpea cutlets from cooked chickpeas, but if you do that you must pan-fry them in a little oil, not deep-fry them. Hope this sheds light. Best wishes, Kurma'

Lee replies:

'Yes I have been using organic canned chick peas. One kick for me. Thank you so much for such a prompt reply. Warm regards, Lee.'