kurma News

Much More Than Just a Pinch of Salt

Kurma — Sat, 17 May 2008 00:16:36 GMT

Archana from Lucknow UP, India writes:

"I want to know what is difference between rack salt and black salt (kala namak)?"

My reply:

"You mean rock salt, not rack salt, yes? Rock salt is mined from the earth as opposed to sea salt which comes from the sea. Black salt, kala namak is a variety of rock salt mined in Bihar Province from volcanic deposits, hence the sulphur flavour.

For more on black salt....

And if you care for a little more than just black salt...

Nachni

Kurma — Fri, 16 May 2008 22:25:04 GMT

Gesundheit!

Seriously....

N from Panchkula, India writes:

"What is the common name of cereal Nachni? I had read somewhere that it is added to wheat flour to make it more nutritious."

My reply:

"Nachni is also commonly known as Ragi, a popular Maharashtrian cereal.

English name: Finger millet
Botanical name: Eleusine coracana
Sanskrit: Madhuli
Hindi name: Madua or mangal
Tamil name: Ragi

In many households, the flour of sprouted ragi is introduced as the first semi solid food for babies.

100 grams of ragi has 328 kilo calories of energy.

A gram of ragi has 72% carbohydrate, 3.6% fibre, and 7.3 grams of protein, vitamin B and a good combination of minerals, especially iron, calcium and phosphorus.

More importantly, ragi contains methionine, an essential alpha amino acid that is not present in other cereals like polished rice or maize. Deficiency of methionine causes impaired growth."

Herbal Life

Kurma — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:09:39 GMT

I've been planting a few culinary herbs over the last month. The ground has become cooler, the heat of summer is over. Along with Sydney's ample rain, all have contributed to perfect growing conditions.

My father's patio is a bricked area, so I've once again started to plant in pots. I'm quite comfortable with this method.

The Australian coriander seeds (above) took a while to sprout, but they all appear very healthy. I'll thin them out soon. Thinning out means pulling out plants that are growing too close to other ones, by the way.

And talking of thinning out...!!! Those mustard sprouts (above) are rather congested. I just sprinkled in seed, knowing full well that almost every single mustard seed always sprouts.

Actually I will just shave off the greens when they get a little bigger, use them in salad or soup, and then dig the rest back into the soil. Great, nitrogen-rich fertiliser for my next planting.

Fresh fenugreek, known as methi, is wonderful in Indian breads. Or I could put it into salads. I was just experimenting with it, but it's a healthy crop.

The seeds for these herbs were in my spice cupboard - I use them in my cooking. I wanted to start off my growing season with sure-fire sprouters. Nothing worse than seeds that never pop their heads up.

Plus also, I planted them all at the correct phase of the moon. I find that very significant and important. Moon phase planting is a well-known and ancient art. Farmer's Almanacs have all the information.

For me, growing herbs and cooking are powerful ways of keeping the mind peaceful; and in the case of gardening, getting in touch with Mother Earth, even in a plant pot, is both grounding and uplifting.

Dinner with Kurma

Kurma — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:29:42 GMT

In one of my blogs earlier this week I excused myself for a paucity of entries, suggesting that I felt it was better to remain silent than simply publish small-talk, like telling what I had for breakfast.

On the contrary, opined my revered God-brother Kripamoya. He reasoned that my breakfasts would probably be an interesting topic. I told him what I had, and he was impressed.

So in the spirit of freedom of information, here is what I cooked today, on the Holy day of Sri Ekadasi.

The menu: Chat potatoes and butternut squash, roasted in Greek rigani-pepper-and-nutmeg-infused olive oil, with a salad of baby cos lettuce, cottage cheese, oven roasted red peppers, cashews, pan-toasted haloumi cheese, avocado, pomegranate, tomato wedges, garden-fresh parsley & Vietnamese mint in a lime and extra-virgin olive oil dressing.

Sourdough Days

Kurma — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:16:38 GMT

Yesterday I recommenced my sourdough breadmaking for the first time since packing away my tins and baking my final Western Australian loaf last September.

Yoke, my Perth-based baking guru and friend, first introduced me to the wonders of sourdough in one of her fabulous breadmaking classes. She kindly gave me a small container of ancient sourdough starter which I lovingly looked after and fed daily.

Before packing up in Perth, I gave away portions of culture to other bread fans, and kept a small container for myself. When I flew to Sydney early this year, I brought with me (in my hand luggage) that small packet of frozen starter, the magic ingredient that yields all sourdough desires.

The man on the x-ray machine did a second check on his screen, but didn't bother to ask me what it was; not that it's illegal to carry frozen bread culture, I am sure. I would have been quite happy to show him, though it was wrapped in multi layers of paper to avoid it growing and taking over the whole plane ['flight deck to ground control, we have a problem...']

It lay asleep in my freezer until a few weeks ago when I transferred it to a larger container and thawed it out, giving it a big feed of flour and water after its long hibernation. Boy, was it hungry!

That's a bit of history. Anyway, here's some step-by-step photos of my breadmaking adventure yesterday. The photos are actually from my Perth breadmaking days, but since the steps were the same, and the results looked identical, there was no need to shoot more pics.

That delectable-looking brown substance above is my sourdough starter. It has a rich, fragrant, sour aroma, and will now sit submissively in my fridge between bakes.

I combined flour, starter and water. I left the dough (above) in a plastic sealed container for 10 hours until doubled in size in a cool place.

Nice big holes in the spongy risen dough are a sign that all is well in sourdough land.

These are great bread tins, by the way. They have an actual tin lining.

I divided the dough (since I always make enough for two loaves) without expressing too much air. No punching down with sourdough bread!

The dough was lowered into the tins. Some air was naturally expressed in the transfer, so I waited another 6 hours for the dough to double again.

And so it sat, while I did other things. I forgot to photograph the dough just before I baked it, but it was well-doubled, and approached the top of the tins.

I baked the bread, then I turned off the oven but left the tins in for another 10 minutes.

And here's the result. I tapped the bottom of the loaves, and enjoyed that reassuring hollow sound that only fully-baked breads make.

Look at those lovely holes! The bread was wonderfully moist, with a complex, appetizing depth of flavour, and that bouncy, slightly chewy texture that classic sourdough bread offers. And just four ingredients: flour, water, starter and salt. No oil, no chemicals, no yeast, no preservatives, no raising agents - nothing. Just loads of love, and patience.

My father, a bit of a bread connoisseur, was hooked on it after one bite. And I just can't get enough of it. Once you taste good homemade sourdough bread, you can never go back to eating the yeasted variety again. Long live sourdough!

Kurma in Hollywood

Kurma — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:51:54 GMT

BdL from Texas writes:

"I have your DVD set. Are the recipes from these shows written or published somewhere on your website, or can they be found in your books?"

My reply:

"There are two series of shows featured on my cooking VIDEOS/DVD's. The earlier 26 episodes have recipes from various sources, mainly Yamuna Devi, and if I recall the recipes appear on screen at the end of each segment. I had not written any books when we filmed the first series in a small studio in Culver City, Los Angeles in 1987, right opposite what is now Sony Studios.

By the way, that opening sequence of me wandering amongst rows of sun-drenched fruits and vegetables and biting on that rogue chili were filmed in the Hollywood Farmer's Markets. That was day #1 of my TV career.

The second series of 26 shows, also seen on the DVD series, were filmed in the early 90's ( also in LA) and are lifted from my first cookbook. There are no written recipes on screen for that selection.

I can't recall exactly how many of the 52 episodes are on the full DVD set. Probably all of them. Some of those recipes are on my website, and all of them are in 'Great Vegetarian Dishes'.

I did a third series of 26 shows (filmed in Melbourne, and based on my second cookbook, 'Cooking with Kurma') in the late 90's but they were not transferred to DVD. It's a pity, because in my opinion they were my best shows, and were very popular on Australian television.

A full listing of all recipes from all my books (titles of recipes only) are on my website in the BOOKS section. On the RECIPES page, scroll down for a total list and links to recipes published on my blog and website."

(Dear readers: To obtain my cookery DVD's, simply comment on this blog and I'll give you all the details.)

Homemade Ghee

Kurma — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:09:59 GMT

KR from Texas asks:

"How does one make Indian-style ghee to ensure that the casein is completely removed? ... Thanks for your help and your great website."

My reply:

Thanks for your letter, and encouraging words. Ghee-making should be done slowly. Best that the butter is left on the stovetop or oven for a number of hours for the full clarification.

Click here for some general information:

And here's some more detailed ghee-making information:

Ghee, clarified butter, is the preferred cooking medium for many dishes. Most commonly used in traditional Indian cuisine, ghee is also popular in Middle Eastern cooking. Whilst olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, and coconut oil are popular, ghee has many advantages.

When butter is melted and slowly heated, all the moisture is evaporated, and the milk solids are separated from the clear butterfat. This residual, golden-coloured liquid, called ghee, is excellent for sauteeing and frying, as it can be heated to 190°C/375°F before reaching its smoking point.

Ghee will not turn rancid and will keep for months unrefrigerated; it will keep for over 6 months in the refrigerator and for over a year when frozen.

Ghee has a delightful, slightly nutty flavour and is preferred for all traditional fried Indian sweets and savouries. Ghee can be purchased at most gourmet stores, Indian and Middle Eastern grocers, and some well-stocked supermarkets. Homemade ghee, however, is much more economical. Ghee can be prepared either on the top of the stove or in the oven. If you are making a large quantity of ghee, it is best to use the oven method. Unsalted butter makes the best ghee.

Stove-top Ghee

1/2 - 2 kg (1 - 5 pounds) unsalted butter

Cut the butter into large chunks and melt it over moderate heat in a large heavy-based saucepan, stirring to ensure that it melts slowly and does not brown. Still stirring, bring the melted butter to a boil. When the butter becomes frothy, reduce the heat to very low.

Simmer uncovered and undisturbed for the required time until the solids have settled on the bottom, a thin crust appears on the top, and the ghee is clear and golden.

Skim off the surface crust with a fine-mesh wire sieve and set it aside in a bowl.

Turn off the heat source and remove the ghee with a ladle without disturbing the solids on the bottom. Pour the ghee through a sieve lined with paper towels. When you have removed all the ghee that you can without disturbing the solids, allow the ghee to cool and store in a suitable covered storage container.

The remaining ghee and solids can be mixed with the crust from the top of the ghee in the small bowl and used for vegetables, soups, or sandwich spread. It will keep 3 - 4 days refrigerated

Oven-Made Ghee

This method for making ghee is suitable if you want to produce a larger quantity of ghee. It is practically effortless and can be conducted in basically the same way as the stove-top method, except that instead of placing the butter on top of the stove, heat it for the required time in a preheated 150°C/300°F oven. Skim and store in the same way as for the stove-top method.

The following is a chart indicating how long it takes to make a batch of ghee and what the approximate yield will be.

Quantity of Butter--Cooking Time (stove/oven)--Approx.Yield of Ghee

500g butter (17½ ounces) --1¼ hrs / 1½-1 3/4 hrs --1 3/4 cups (435 ml)
1kg butter (2 lbs 3 oz) --1 3/4 hrs / 2 - 2½ hrs --3¼ cups (1.4 litres)
1.5kg butter (3 lbs 5 oz) --2 hrs / 2 3/4 - 3¼ hrs --5½ cups (1.4 litres)
3kg butter (6 lbs 10 oz) --3¼-3½ / 3 3/4 - 4¼ hrs --12 cups (3 litres)
5kg butter (11 lbs) --5½-6 hrs / 6 3/4 - 7¼ hrs --19 cups (4.75 litres)

Vegetarianism and World Religions

Kurma — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:42:55 GMT

Ravinarayan from Shimoga, Karnataka, India, has again written with an enquiry:

"Is vegetarianism an important aspect in all religion? Can you give importance of it with reference to different religion?"

My reply:

"This is a very large topic, almost beyond the realm of this letter. In a nutshell: yes."

Prof. Gene Sager of Palomar College writes: "Vegetarianism has been a common thread among the major world religions, even if only a minority have adopted the diet as an expression of their faith. For many people of faith, vegetarianism reflects the Golden Rule:

Christianity – “So, whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them” (Matthew 7:12);

Judaism – “Do not do unto others what you would not wish to be done to yourself – that is the entire Torah, the rest is commentary” (Babylonian Talmud);

Islam – “No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself”;

Baha’i Faith – “Blessed is he that preferreth his brother to himself”;

Taoism – “Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss”;

Hinduism – “This is the sum of duty: do naught to others that which if done to thee would cause pain”;

Jainism – “A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated”;

Buddhism – “Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.” "

One of my favourite authors, Steven Rosen (Satyaraja Dasa) has written two very useful books in this connection: Diet for Transcendence:Vegetarianism and the World Religions” & "Holy Cow:The Hare Krishna Contribution to Vegetarianism and Animal Rights”.

For an overview of this entire topic, in more detail, click here.

And finally, here's a list of some representative books:

Keith Akers: “The Lost Religion of Jesus”
Rynn Berry: “Food for the Gods:Vegetarianism & the World's Religions”
Philip Kapleau: “To Cherish All Life”
Stephen R. Kaufman and Nathan Braun: “Good News for All Creation”
Andrew Linzey: “Animal Gospel”
Al-Hafiz B.A. Masri: “Animals in Islam”
Vasu Murti: “They Shall Not Hurt or Destroy”
Norm Phelps: “The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights”
Lewis G. Regenstein: “Replenish the Earth”
Steven Rosen: “Diet for Transcendence:Vegetarianism and the World Religions”
Steven Rosen: “Holy Cow:The Hare Krishna Contribution to Vegetarianism and Animal Rights”
Richard H. Schwartz: “Judaism and Vegetarianism”
David Sears:” A Vision of Eden: Animal Rights and Vegetarianism in Jewish Law and Mysticism”
Michael Tobias: “Life Force:The World of Jainism”
Paul Waldau: “The Specter of Speciesism: Buddhist and Christian Views of Animals”
Kerry Walters and Lisa Portmess (eds): “Religious Vegetarianism: From Hesiod to the Dalai Lama”

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Kurma — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:29:38 GMT

I'm right here. The week was not very blogworthy, so I decided to remain silent rather than share with you the details of what I had for breakfast.

Yesterday I presided over a cookery course at Govinda's in Darlinghurst, one of the very best places in Sydney to enjoy delicious vegetarian food and lots of cultural events like yoga and kirtan.

If you're kicking yourself for missing out on this fun-filled cookery event, fear not. There's more Govinda's classes coming up. June is booked out, but there's still a few vacancies left for the August course. Hurry, book now...

Living Graves

Kurma — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:35:28 GMT

C Santhanam Gopalakrishnan from India wrote me a few days ago:

"...you people are doing a great job by advocating vegetarianism. May your tribe increase."

Santhanam attached to his letter a truly horrifying video. In an unnamed Asian restaurant kitchen, a smiling chef takes a very large live fish from a tank, and scales it while the fish is still living. The fish is threshing wildly as his skin is being flayed, and slips off the bench a couple of times in his writhing agony.

The chef, while holding the fish firmly by the tail, then quickly dips the whole struggling fish in batter and lowers him face first into smoking hot oil. After only a few seconds in the oil, (so he does not die yet) the fish is lifted, still grasped firmly by the tail, and placed on a plate of vegetables, quickly slit down it's backbone with a sharp knife, and rushed to the table of hungry, smilingly expectant diners.

The camera pans in for a closer view: The fish's lips are clearly opening and closing. He is still alive. 'This is what the diner's came here for', gushes the CBS reporter. It's the restaurant's specialty: The freshest fish.

Later I turned to the concluding moments of The News Hour with Jim Lehrer on a delayed broadcast from PBS Network in USA and observed their nightly ritual: the latest list of US servicemen killed in Iraq, with their photos and rank scrolling down the screen in respectful silence. A dozen more slaughtered young men and women, many younger than some of my children.

Again I am reminded of the inexorable connection between violence to our non-human brothers, and war. It ceases to amaze me how so many people just do not see (as my mother used to say) 'the bleedin' obvious'.

A few, like famous vegetarian playright George Bernard Shaw, did see it. Here is his poem "Living Graves" which is as relevant today as it was in 1951.

We are the living graves of murdered beasts,
Slaughtered to satisfy our appetites.
We never pause to wonder at our feasts,
If animals, like men, can possibly have rights.
We pray on Sundays that we may have light,
To guide our footsteps on the path we tread.
We're sick of war, we do not want to fight -
The thought of it now fills our hearts with dread,
And yet - we gorge ourselves upon the dead.

Like carrion crows, we live and feed on meat,
Regardless of the suffering and pain
We cause by doing so, if thus we treat
Defenceless animals for sport or gain,
How can we hope in this world to attain
The PEACE we say we are so anxious for.
We pray for it, o'er hecatombs of slain,
To God, while outraging the moral law
Thus cruelty begets its offspring - WAR.

Bites and Bytes

Kurma — Sat, 03 May 2008 20:42:57 GMT

Here's a few food-related tidbits from recent email correspondence:

Sarah Beauvent from Winston, Salem USA asks:

"I would like to bake the Ekadasi cake and I need potato flour. Is it the same as potato starch? Thank you for your prompt reply!"

My reply:

Yes! It is the same thing. Happy baking...

S from Sydney writes:

"Can you please give me some recipes using butternut pumpkin. I have never used this pumpkin before."

My reply:

Use it like any other pumpkin. Go to my blog home page. See the search box, top right? Key in the word 'pumpkin'. Quite a few recipe ideas there. (note: It is known as butternut squash in the US.)

Anup writes:

"Haribol! I was just wondering what possible snacks or dishes I could make out of buckwheat flour since I am partially gluten intolerant."

I reply:

"Pakoras with buckwheat flour batter 60% and arrowroot flour 40% plus salt spices and baking soda are delicious for grain-free ekadasi days.

Buckwheat poories or chapatis with mashed potato as the moistener are very tasty. They take a little care to make since the dough does not contain any bread-rolling-friendly gluten.

You can buy buckwheat pasta also. Finally, buckwheat pancakes, savouries or sweet are hearty!"

Elizabeth from UK enquires:

"Do you have recipes for home-made soya milk or tofu, my sister-in-law is from China and would love to make these but is not 100% sure how to go about it."

My reply:

I don't have exact recipes at my fingertips, no, sorry. It is rather straightforward though.

Soak whole dried soybeans in fresh water overnight, in a cool place.

Crush the whole mix, water and beans until completely processed (a food processor could work).

Boil the mixture.

Strain and squeeze out the liguid - this is the soy milk.

Add a coagulant - nigari (magnesium chloride) is used in Japan for this. Or you could use gypsum (calcium sulphate). The mix will curdle.

Strain the bean curds. Press. Cut.

Detailed description of tofu-making: Here.

Pita the Great

Kurma — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:01:36 GMT

Sunitha from South Africa wrote, asking for stuffings for flat Middle Eastern-style pita breads.

I sent these recipes:

Chickpea Dip (Hoummos)

1¼ cups cooked chickpeas
½ cup tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon yellow asafetida powder
little water if needed
1 tablespoon olive oil for garnish
¼ teaspoon paprika for garnish
1 teaspoon chopped parsley for garnish

Combine in food processor.

.....................................

Moroccan Broad Bean Puree

500g (1 pound) frozen broad beans, or 1kg (2 pounds) fresh broad beans, weighed before removing from their long pods and steamed till soft
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon yellow asafetida powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 small green chili, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
olives and salad greens to serve (optional)

Combine in food processor. Olives and greens served separately.

.....................................

Cumin-flavoured Cheesy Stuffing

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, dry roasted in a pan until aromatic
50g (1½ ounces) baby spinach leaves
60g (2 ounces) Gruyere or other Swiss cheese, shredded
30g Parmesan cheese, shredded
60g (2 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled or chopped finely
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine. Spread on open pita bread and place under the griller.

.....................................

Herbed Gorgonzola Spread

125g (4 ounces) cream cheese
60g (2 ounces) gorgonzola dolcelatte, or blue cheese of your choice
little milk or cream
chopped chervil leaves, and additional sprigs for garnish, or any fresh herb
freshly ground black pepper
2 ripe pears, thinly sliced

Toast the open pita bread, layer with ripe pears and the cheese spread.

Satvic Foods

Kurma — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:09:17 GMT

Ravinarayan from Shimoga, Karnataka, India writes:

"My query is regarding the use of cooked food for long time or till what time the cooked food maintains its nutrition and it is satvic?"

My reply:

"It depends completely on the type of food. Soups, dals and rice, vegetable dishes and salads and generally most fresh cooked foods that are served hot would only be satvic for a brief few hours before they start to deteriorate. Reheating these foods is tamasic.

Other things like pickles and chutneys and jams and syrups and other things like long-life sweets and breads would be in a different category.

Foods that have been sanctified, called prasadam have a special effect on the human organism; sometimes even old prasadam is appreciated and relished. The ability to do this depends on one's level of spiritual development.

But for optimum daily health, fresh is best. In many ancient traditional cultures such as India and China etc, the ladies shop 2 or 3 times a day and buy fresh, cook, and do not keep anything leftover in the fridge or freezer; these are all nasty tamasic habits.

According to our lifestyle though, we may not be able to fully apply this at all times. But the bottom line is this: Refrigerators, despite their great convenience and ability to counter growth of pathogens, are indirectly the cause of many modern diseases; we have grown lazy and eat many, many unfresh, pre-cooked items - all rather hard on the digestion, according to Ayurveda. And compromised digestion is 'the mother of all disease'. Hope this helps."

Which Old Witch?

Kurma — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:26:59 GMT

“A pinch and a punch for the first of the month, no returns”. Perhaps only Anglo-Saxons would have heard this quaint saying.

Apparently it originated in old England when people thought that witches existed. Well, they do, of course, but that's the topic for another blog, another day.

Anyway, people thought that salt would make a witch weak, so the 'pinch' part of the saying refers to pinching of the salt, and the 'punch' part was to banish the witch. The witch would be weak from the salt so the punch was to banish her. Then - no more witch.

The 'no returns' part is a disclaimer to avoid getting pinched and punched back when you start pummeling all your friends. So here's to a witch-free month, ok.

But I digress from the original plan for today's posting. See those interesting items below? They're nothing to do with witches, but rather they are part of an ongoing cyber discussion spawned from an old essay of mine published on my website.

Left-to-right, there's: slivered raw almonds, rock sugar, cassia leaf (Indian 'bay leaf') green cardamom pods, golden raisins, pure edible camphor crystals, milk, and rice.

How did all this come up?

I embarked on that most contemporary of self-indulgent acts this morning: I googled 'Kurma Dasa', and found 63,700 links to choose from.

After a bit of a cyber-stroll, up popped this very interesting website.

A Paucity of Posts

Kurma — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:11:37 GMT

A number of you have written expressing disappointment at the paucity of posts, and wanting the old Kurma back; you know, the chatty, talkative Kurma that publishes a blog daily.

Well, let me tell you, this is the driest month ever since I first started blogging almost 3 years ago.

It's been over three months since I arrived in Sydney and I have been very busy looking after my father: A great deal of medical stuff, seeing lots of specialists. Plus cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing, and shopping.

I've recommenced baking bread; the sourdough culture has awoken from it's sleep in the freezer and is slowly on the road to full recovery.

The end of stoned fruit season has seen me stewing fruits of all varieties - my Dad enjoys old Anglo-Saxon fare. In the fridge at present: a big jar of cardamom and lemon-scented crimson quinces, cassia-laced stewed apples, and whole poached baby late-season plums.

Also on the menu: sago puddings, fresh juices every morning (pomegranate, mandarin, pineapple, etc) plus a variety of biscuits (Anzacs and Orange Shortbreads are the latest in the cookie jar).

My real favourite is jam-making. There's a big jar of strawberry conserve in the pantry. And the cold wet snap here in Sydney has reminded me to start planting herbs; coriander, mint, marjoram, fenugreek and mustard are all doing well.

My Dad is a great fan of soups, so I have 3 or four varieties in the freezer at any one time, in single serve portions. At present there's homemade tomato, cream of corn, and minestrone; Oh and also a whole variety of cooked beans ready to thaw and use - Great Northern, Puy Lentils, Cannelini and Borlotti beans, and Chickpeas. There's even some homemade baked beans (the world's most efficient cough cure.)

So yes, I have been a busy boy.

Plus.... I have been inspired to begin four new writing projects. That's right, four. They are all going well, especially one which has been on the back burner for 20 years.

Ancient wisdom dictates that a gentleman does not disclose his plans lest they be spoiled, so I will not reveal what these writing projects are. When it's time to share the details, you'll be the first to know. Yes you. Suffice to say they are exciting projects. That's all I can tell you for now.

Anyway, here I am, chatting away like the old days. I've also been fortunate over the last 10 days or so to be able to catch up with 3 sets of old friends; I went and spent an evening with my old comrade Madhudvisa (pictured, below) last week at a special kirtan, discourse and dinner evening at the home of Rupa and Krishna Rupa in Merrylands. It was lots of fun.

Bhagavat and his good wife Sarva dropped in for an Epicurian Breakfast on their way from Brisbane to country NSW. That's him in the picture below taken in the Melbourne Hare Krishna Temple Kitchen last year.

Don't have a picture of Sarva. And I visited Govinda's Kirtan night with my down-to-earth buddy Parama, sung my heart out and then went upstairs for the famous all-you-can-eat buffet. So no shortage of friendly adventures.

So there we have it. I can't promise a complete revival of the 'blog-a-day' Kurma, but I'll give it my best shot.

Must go, it's time to cook dinner.

Cooking with Kurma in Tamworth

Kurma — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:53:11 GMT

There's only a little over 2 weeks to go for my cookery weekend in Tamworth.

There's still vacancies, so hurry to book.

As well as enjoying a cookery class and feast or two, you'll have the opportunity to stay the weekend and enjoy exquisite 5-star B&B facilities.

And also, you'll get to meet your host Peter who is a Kurma twin. Pretty scary. People mistake him for me wherever he goes. So you'll get two Kurma's for the price of one.

And you can chill out in their wonderful garden.

Here's some details. Hope to see you at a class or two.

The Retreat at Froog-Moore Park
Tamworth's most sumptuous Bed and Breakfast
www.froogmoorepark.com.au
Weekend Cookery Workshops
Saturday, Sunday 17, 18 May 2008
Bookings and enquiries, phone Sandy 02 6766 3353

Jellies, Jams & Preserves

Kurma — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:28:09 GMT

Devadeva Mirel runs a wonderful mail-order organic jam and preserves company.

If I was living in the USA I would definitely order some in. I might still try to get some.

Here's just a few of the delights from her kitchen:

Golden Crabapple Jelly, Rose Petal Jam, Quince Jelly, Anise Plum Jam, Elderberry Syrup, Saffron Cardamom Peach Jam, Vanilla Bean Peach Butter, Gooseberry Jam, and Hot & Sweet BBQ Glaze.

Way to Go!

Kurma — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:59:52 GMT

"When I die, I want to die like my grandfather, who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming, like all the passengers in his car."

- Author unknown, but I'm sure he was Jewish. Like the man behind the wheel above. And gosh, he really looks like my 84 year old father who still drives...

If Life were Fair...

Kurma — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:59:32 GMT

"If life were fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead."
- Johnny Carson

Mc Kurma's

Kurma — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:40:44 GMT

Seems like we're on a fast food theme this week.

Bravenan Varathanathan from Southampton, U.K. asks:

Could you tell me how to make veggie burgers? Bravenan.

My reply:

Here's a recipe from my book 'Quick Vegetarian Dishes':

Vegie Burgers "With the Lot"

I was searching far and wide for a quick vegie burger recipe, and found a great one, quite by chance, on an Internet cooking seminar for kids. Here it is, slightly improved, courtesy of Jayasri Devi of Crescent City, California. Makes 16 burgers.

2 cups fine oatmeal
2 teaspoons Italian mixed herbs
1 teaspoon yellow asafetida powder
1½ cups boiling water
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup very well-cooked chickpeas, mashed
2 cups dry breadcrumbs
5 tablespoons quality tamari or soy sauce
1½ teaspoon salt
½ cup very finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
oil for pan-frying
burger buns and all the trimmings of your choice

Mix together the oatmeal, herbs and asafetida in a bowl and pour on the boiling water. Mix well and set aside for 5 minutes.

Fold in all the other ingredients thoroughly, and knead the mixture until very well amalgamated.

Scoop up quantities of mix using a ½-cup measuring cup, pack and press the ½ cup full, then shake or tap the cup to remove the thick burger patty. Gently press and form it into a larger, smooth burger patty, and proceed on with the rest of the mixture. Heat oil in a frying pan.

Pan fry the burgers, a batch at a time, until dark golden brown on each side. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Serve on buns with all your favourite 'fixins'.