#best oil for indian cooking

[salonioil110]

Banarasi Dum Aloo Traditional Recipe

Banarasi Dum Aloo is a popular North Indian vegetarian dish that originated in the city of Banaras or Varanasi. The dish is made with baby potatoes that are cooked in a rich and creamy tomato-based gravy, flavored with a blend of aromatic spices best cooking oil for health.

The recipe for Banarasi Dum Aloo varies from region to region, but the key ingredient that gives this dish its unique flavor is the use of dried whole spices, which are roasted and ground to a fine powder. These spices include cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves best oil for indian cooking. The blend of these spices gives the gravy a warm, earthy flavor, which is perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the tomatoes and creaminess of the cashew nut paste.

To prepare Banarasi Dum Aloo, the baby potatoes are first boiled until they are just tender, then they are lightly fried until they turn golden brown. The fried potatoes are then added to a rich tomato-based gravy, which is made with onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and a mix of whole spices healthiest cooking oil. The gravy is cooked slowly until it thickens, and the potatoes are left to simmer in the gravy until they are fully cooked and infused with the flavors of the spices.

Banarasi Dum Aloo is often served as a main course dish, accompanied by hot steamed rice or freshly baked naan bread best cooking oil for heart. It is also a popular dish for special occasions, such as weddings and festivals, where it is usually served with other vegetarian dishes as part of a lavish feast.

Apart from being a delicious dish, Banarasi Dum Aloo is also known for its health benefits. The dish is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which help to boost the immune system and improve overall health healthiest oil. The use of whole spices in the recipe also adds to its medicinal properties, as these spices are known for their anti-inflammatory and digestive properties.

In conclusion, Banarasi Dum Aloo is a mouth-watering and nutritious vegetarian dish that is loved by people of all ages. Its unique blend of spices and creamy tomato-based gravy make it a popular choice for any occasion, and its health benefits make it an ideal addition to any diet best cooking oil for frying. So, the next time you're looking for a flavorful and satisfying vegetarian dish, be sure to give Banarasi Dum Aloo a try!

https://salonioil.com/banarasi-dum-aloo-%e0%a4%ac%e0%a4%a8%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%b0%e0%a4%b8%e0%a5%80-%e0%a4%ad%e0%a4%b0%e0%a4%b5%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%82-%e0%a4%a6%e0%a4%ae-%e0%a4%86%e0%a4%b2%e0%a5%82-uttar-pradesh-traditional-reci/

[solemntitty]

hey. it'll be alright. rice with chili crisp, ok?

[nutricafood]

How to Choose the Best Cooking Oil for Heart and Indian Cuisine

Choosing the right cooking oil is crucial for maintaining a healthy heart and enjoying delicious Indian cuisine. With so many options available in the market, it can be overwhelming to pick the best one for your needs. In this article, we will discuss how to choose the best cooking oil for your heart and for Indian cooking.

When it comes to selecting the best cooking oil for heart, it is essential to consider the oil's fatty acid composition. Oils that are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are known to be heart-healthy choices. These fats can help lower bad cholesterol levels in the blood, reducing the risk of heart disease.

One of the best options for heart-healthy cooking oil is olive oil. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, antioxidants1553When it comes to cooking, the type of oil you use can have a significant impact on your health, especially when it comes to heart health. With so many options available on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the best cooking oil that not only tastes great but also promotes cardiovascular health. In addition, when it comes to Indian cuisine, choosing the right cooking oil is crucial to ensuring authenticity and flavor in your dishes. In this article, we will discuss how to choose the best cooking oil for heart health and Indian cuisine.

When looking for the best cooking oil for heart health, it's important to consider the type of fats that make up the oil. Unsaturated fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are known for their heart-healthy benefits. These fats can help lower cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation, and improve overall heart health. On the other hand, saturated fats and trans fats are known to raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.

One of the best cooking oils for heart health is olive oil. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which can help reduce bad cholesterol levels and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is also high in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation in the body. When choosing olive oil, opt for extra virgin or virgin olive oil, as these types are less processed and retain more of their health benefits.

Another great option for heart-healthy cooking oil is avocado oil. Avocado oil is high in monounsaturated fats and also contains beneficial compounds like oleic acid and vitamin E. These properties can help improve heart health and reduce inflammation in the body. Avocado oil has a high smoke point, making it a great option for high-heat cooking methods like sautéing and frying.

When it comes to Indian cuisine, one of the most commonly used cooking oils is mustard oil. Mustard oil is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. It is known for its pungent flavor and is commonly used in traditional Indian dishes like curries and stir-fries. Mustard oil has a high smoke point, making it suitable for cooking at high temperatures.

Another popular cooking oil in Indian cuisine is ghee, or clarified butter. Ghee is made by heating butter to remove the milk solids, leaving behind a rich, flavorful oil. Ghee is high in saturated fats, but is also a good source of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and E. When consumed in moderation, ghee can be a flavorful and nutritious cooking oil option for Indian dishes.

If you are looking for a healthier alternative to traditional cooking oils, consider using coconut oil. Coconut oil is high in saturated fats, but contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are believed to have potential health benefits. Coconut oil has a sweet and nutty flavor that can add a delicious twist to your Indian dishes. It also has a high smoke point, making it suitable for high-heat cooking methods.

In conclusion, when choosing the best cooking oil for heart health and Indian cuisine, it's important to consider the type of fats in the oil and its smoke point. Opt for oils high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, avocado oil, and mustard oil for heart-healthy cooking. For traditional Indian dishes, consider using ghee or coconut oil for their unique flavors and cooking properties. By making informed choices about the oils you use in your cooking, you can promote heart health and enjoy delicious and authentic Indian cuisine.

[healthyfly]

What Are The Common Cooking Applications Of Sesame Oil?

Learn more about the uses of sesame oil in West Bengal, including the best pure sesame oil in the region. Take your cooking to the next level with this versatile ingredient!

[fringcoblogs]

The Top Brands of Olive Oil Recommended for Cooking

Olive oil is one of the most versatile and widely used cooking oils in the world. It is prized for its unique flavor, health benefits, and versatility in cooking. However, not all olive oils are created equal, and some brands are better than others for cooking. In this article, we will take a closer look at the top brands of olive oil recommended for cooking.

California Olive Ranch

California Olive Ranch is one of the most well-known and respected olive oil brands in the world. They offer a wide variety of high-quality olive oils, including their popular extra virgin olive oil, which is perfect for cooking. Their olive oils are made from premium olives and are cold-pressed to preserve their natural flavor and nutrients. California Olive Ranch's oils are also non-GMO verified and certified extra virgin, ensuring the highest quality and purity

2. Bertolli

Bertolli is another top brand of olive oil that is highly recommended for cooking. They offer a wide range of olive oils, including their classic extra virgin olive oil, which is perfect for sautéing and frying. Bertolli's olive oils are made from high-quality olives and are carefully crafted to preserve their natural flavor and aroma. Their oils are also certified extra virgin, ensuring that they are of the highest quality and purity.

3. Colavita

Colavita is a well-known and highly respected brand of olive oil that is ideal for cooking. They offer a wide range of olive oils, including their classic extra virgin olive oil, which is perfect for roasting, grilling, and frying. Colavita's olive oils are made from the finest olives and are carefully crafted to ensure that they retain their natural flavor and aroma. Their oils are also certified extra virgin, ensuring that they are of the highest quality and purity.

4. Pompeian

Pompeian is another top brand of olive oil that is highly recommended for cooking. They offer a wide range of olive oils, including their classic extra virgin olive oil, which is perfect for sautéing, roasting, and grilling. Pompeian's olive oils are made from high-quality olives and are carefully crafted to ensure that they retain their natural flavor and aroma. Their oils are also certified extra virgin, ensuring that they are of the highest quality and purity.

5. O-Live & Co.

O-Live & Co. is a lesser-known but highly respected brand of olive oil that is perfect for cooking. Their extra virgin olive oil is ideal for sautéing, frying, and grilling, and it is made from the highest quality olives. O-Live & Co.'s olive oils are carefully crafted to preserve their natural flavor and aroma, and they are also certified extra virgin, ensuring that they are of the highest quality and purity.

In conclusion, olive oil is a staple in most kitchens, and it is essential to use high-quality olive oil when cooking. The top brands of olive oil recommended for cooking include California Olive Ranch, Bertolli, Colavita, Pompeian, and O-Live & Co. These brands offer high-quality, certified extra virgin olive oils that are perfect for sautéing, frying, roasting, and grilling. By using these brands of olive oil in your cooking, you can ensure that your dishes are flavorful, healthy, and delicious.

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A greyish brown stew presented alongside flatbread, red pepper paste, green peppers, and carrot sticks. End ID]

سماقية / Summagiyya (Gazan stew with chard, chickpea, sumac, and 'lamb')

Summagiyya (سُمَّاقِيَّة; also translitered "sumagiyya", "sumaghiyyeh" or "sumaqiyya") is one of the signature dishes of the Gaza strip, in particular Gaza City. It consists of lamb, chard, and chickpeas in a sumac-infused broth; savor and zest is added by a dagga of dill seeds, garlic, and peppers, and nutty depth by a generous drizzle of red tahina. The resulting stew is thick, earthy, and slodgily grey (due to the green chard and red sumac)—it also has the characteristic sourness of much Gazan cuisine.

Summagiyya is most often prepared during holidays, especially Eid al-Fitr; it's an excellent make-ahead dish for these occasions, since it's even better once its flavors have had time to meld and mellow overnight. It is served cold alongside fresh vegetables, and eaten by using flatbread to scoop up each bite. This recipe provides a spiced seitan recipe to replace the lamb, but you may also use any lamb or beef substitute of your choice.

Today, summagiyya is often prepared with Israeli white tahina, as decades of punitive import laws, taxes, and restrictions have enforced Palestine's status as a consumer, rather than an producer, of food products. Israeli tariffs on, and confiscations of, Palestinian goods have forced those tahina factories that survived to import sesame seeds rather than using locally grown crops, even as they export the best of their product to Israel. The dubbing of foods such as tahina and hummus as culturally "Israeli" cuisine works to hide this exploitative relationship, and cement an Israeli national identity through the subsuming and erasure of Palestinian existence. It is for this reason that Emad Moussa writes that Palestinian cuisine has a role in "protecting against a people's very extinction."

Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) has put out an urgent call for donations to provide medical supplies to Palestinian hospitals when supply lines reopen. Also contact your representatives in the USA, UK, and Canada.

Ingredients:

For the soup:

500g (2 large bunches) chard (شلق), diced

80g Levantine sumac berries (Rhus coriaria)

1/2 cup soaked and boiled chickpeas, mostly cooked (40g dry / scant 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup red tahina

1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour

1 large yellow onion

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

2 cardamom pods (optional)

2 allspice berries (optional)

More olive oil, to fry

Sumac berries can be found in the spice section of a halal grocery store. If you're unable to locate whole berries, pre-ground will do.

For the dagga:

1 1/2 Tbsp dill seeds

5 cloves garlic

1/2 green cubanelle pepper

2-3 dried red chilis (optional)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cumin

Dill seeds may be found at a halal, south Asian, or speciality European grocery store. They are commonly used in Indian food and as a pickling spice. At a south Asian grocery store they may be labelled soyo, suva, shepu, or savaa.

For the lamb:

1 cup (120g) vital wheat gluten, aka gluten flour

1/2 Tbsp ground sumac

1/2 tsp ground caraway

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp Palestinian 7-spice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground aniseed

1/2 tsp turnermic

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp miso paste

2 cloves garlic, grated

2 tsp pomegranate molasses

1 Tbsp white or red tahina

About 1/2 cup vegetarian 'beef' stock from concentrate, or vegetable stock

Pomegranate molasses is simply pomegranate juice that has been reduced to a thick consistency. It may be found in the sauces section of a halal grocery store.

Instructions:

For the soup:

1. Soak dried chickpeas in cool water overnight, or in just-boiled water for an hour. Drain and re-cover with water, and boil for 30-45 minutes, until almost fully cooked. Drain and set aside.

2. Simmer sumac seeds in enough water to cover by a couple inches for about an hour, until the water is dark red. Blend the seeds and water together, then strain the mixture through a cheesecloth.

If you're using ground sumac, skip the blending step. Use a cheesecloth or very fine metal sieve (such as one intended for brewing tea) to remove the ground spice from the water.

3. Whisk the flour into the sumac-infused water.

For the lamb:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add wet ingredients other than stock and stir briefly. Add enough stock to produce a soft, smooth dough.

2. Knead by hand on a clean surface, or put in a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium-low, for about 5 minutes. You should see stringy strands begin to form in the dough.

3. Allow to rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes to encourage gluten formation. Knead for another 3 minutes. Do not over-knead.

4. Tear the dough into bite-sized pieces.

Stringy seitan being pulled apart into pieces.

You may also shape the dough into a slab and cube it with a sharp knife—the lamb or beef used in summagiyya is usually cubed—but I prefer the texture of torn seitan to sliced.

5. Steam the seitan pieces for 10 minutes in a bamboo steamer or using a metal steamer basket. Place the bamboo steamer in the bottom of a wok and cover its base by about 1/2" (1 cm), then raise the heat to boil the water; lower the heat to keep the water at a simmer. If using a steamer basket, place it over the opening of a pot containing a couple inches of water and bring it to a simmer. Start the timer when the water begins simmering.

6. Heat olive oil on medium-high and sear the steamed seitan pieces, turning as necessary, until deeply browned on all sides. Set aside.

Fried seitan pieces.

You can save a step here by searing the raw seitan, then returning it to the pot after you've fried the onions to simmer it rather than steaming. I found that this produced a mushier texture.

For the dagga (دقة):

1. Grind cumin and black pepper thoroughly in a mortar and pestle, then add dried red pepper and dill seed and crush coarsely. Add green sweet pepper and garlic and pound until a coarse mixture forms.

Dill seeds, green sweet pepper, garlic, and dried red chili on a cutting board, alongside dagga in a large granite mortar.

You may also use a spice mill or food processor.

To assemble:

1. Chop the onion. Wash the chard and slice it thinly in one direction; turn it ninety degrees and slice thinly again.

Diced chard, fried seitan, dagga, and sumac-infused water with flour.

2. In a large pot, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil on medium. Fry chopped onion, cardamom pods, and allspice berries for a minute until fragrant. Add half of the dagga and fry until fragrant.

3. Add chard and fry, mixing often, until wilted.

Wilted chard in a wok.

4. Add sumac mixture, chickpeas, and water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. If you didn't steam your seitan earlier, add it now.

5. Continue to stir and simmer until the stew is thick, homogenous, and greyish-brown, about 15 minutes.

Simmered stew.

6. Add the remainder of the garlic mixture, the red tahina, a pinch of ground cumin, the 1/4 cup olive oil, and salt to taste. Return the steamed and seared seitan to the pot and mix.

Serve cool with flatbread, sweet green peppers, bitter green and black olives, carrots, leafy greens, and/or pickles.

[feyburner]

a while ago you shared your rice onions bell peppers chicken recipe as your go to meal and i made it last night and it was amazing!!! tysm for sharing it. do you have any other chicken recipes that can be made in a wok/kadhai? I don’t have an oven so I was pleasantly surprised to make sth that actually tasted good and not just sth i whip up for sustenance 😅

Yeah for sure. I rarely use the oven when I’m cooking dinner, I do pretty much everything on the stovetop in a wok or frying pan. It's faster and gives me more control.

I think the best thing you can do is learn basic techniques. Once you have the basics down, you don't need a recipe to whip up a quick weekday dinner. You can just cook whatever you feel like cooking, with whatever's in your kitchen: whatever cut of meat, whatever veggies, whatever spices in your pantry.

99% of what I do is just the same basic techniques with different seasoning profiles, veggie sides, and carbs (rice, flatbread, potatoes, noodles).

Here are 4 things to do with chicken in a wok.

Dry Rub + Saute

The easiest and fastest. Simply make a spice mix, massage it into every nook and cranny of the meat (whole or chopped, either way), let it sit for a bit while you get other stuff ready and heat the pan (ideally you'd let it rest in the fridge for a few hours, but it's not necessary), then saute in oil.

The spice mix can be whatever you want (or a premade one, who cares). It's honestly hard to find a combination of random herbs and spices that doesn't taste good. After all, the basis of all cuisine is "doing stuff with whatever we have around," and I've never met a cuisine I didn't like. My go-to spice mix is 1 spoonful brown sugar plus roughly equal parts (1-2 tsp each) paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili or cayenne powder, salt, black pepper, plus 1-2 dried herbs. (Basically Cajun spice mix.)

How to saute (it's one of those things that everyone just assumes you know how to do, but maybe you don't!): First, heat wok over high/medium-high heat. You know the wok is nice and hot when you flick a couple drops of water in there and they instantly evaporate. Then, drizzle in enough oil to give the bottom of the wok a solid unbroken sheen. Swirl the pan so the oil coats the whole bottom. Watch the oil. When the surface is shimmering/trembling (should be very quick if your pan is already hot), it's ready. Carefully add your chopped meat or veggies in a single layer--don't overcrowd the pan, the meat will steam instead of brown. Let the meat sizzle untouched for like 2-3 minutes, then flip to brown the other side. You don't need to constantly stir or toss--that just lengthens your cooking time because the meat isn't touching the pan long enough to brown. That's how you get tough chicken! For chopped chicken, 6-7 minutes of pan-touching is plenty of time to cook through.

Marinate + Saute

Same thing as a dry rub, just wet. There are lots of ways to marinate chicken. The thing to remember is marinade = acid. Acid breaks down proteins, which tenderizes the chicken/meat.

Typical marinade acids: lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce, buttermilk, yogurt. Simply pick one and build the rest of the marinade around it. If you use something very acidic, like lemon juice or vinegar, you'll want to balance it with fat: roughly equal parts lemon juice and olive oil. For soy sauce, it's really salty, so you'll want to balance it with something sweet: honey, brown sugar (i.e. teriyaki). Buttermilk and yogurt are great bases for a spice mix--think US Southern buttermilk fried chicken, or Indian yogurt marinades.

Once you have a balanced base, you can add whatever herbs and spices you want. Then just make sure all the meat is coated in marinade, cover, and chill in the fridge for a few hours. Then saute as usual (though you might want to use a little bit more oil to avoid bits of marinade sticking and burning).

Curry

Very easy and delicious. There are 1 million kinds of curry. This is just me but I think of it as a spectrum from thin to thick. "Thin" would be like Japanese or Thai style, where the base is primarily broth or stock (sometimes with coconut milk/cream) thickened or flavored with roux or curry paste. "Thick" would be like certain types of Indian curry, like makhani style with the blended tomato-onion base, or yogurt base, or creamy cashew/peanut/etc. base.

The main building blocks are gonna be onion, garlic, ginger. Then spices and other seasonings, obviously depending on what kind of curry you're making: curry powder, garam masala, lemongrass paste, cumin, coriander, cardamom, chili, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, etc.

If you are making "thin" style, you might want to make a roux. A roux is just equal parts fat and flour cooked in a pan.

How to make roux: 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter. Melt butter in pan, add flour, stir constantly over medium-low heat until desired color. Light roux = cook 5 min just until blond/golden, use for white sauces like bechamel. Brown roux = cook until caramel color, use for curries and soups. Dark roux = cook until deep chocolate brown, use for gumbo or jambalaya (mostly for flavor, not thickening).

To make roux for a curry, make a light or brown roux and add curry spices near the end. Let it fry for 1 minute or so to bloom the spices. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

Another way of thickening curry is to cook chopped or diced onion until softened, then sprinkle on 2-3 Tbsp of flour + whatever spices you're using and stir for 1 minute or so to cook the flour and bloom the spices. Then add liquid.

3 basic curry methods:

Japanese style. Make curry roux. Heat oil in a wok. Add chopped onion and cook until softened. Stir in minced garlic and ginger (or ginger-garlic paste). Add chopped chicken and cook, stirring, until white on the outside. Add 4 cups chicken stock. Add chopped carrots and potatoes. Season with soy sauce, honey, etc. Simmer 15-20 minutes, uncovered, until chicken is cooked and veg is softened. Take 1 ladleful of cooking liquid and whisk into your roux until smooth. Stir that mixture back into your curry. Simmer, stirring, 5-10 minutes until thickened.

Thai style. Heat oil in a wok. Add curry paste or ginger/garlic/lemongrass paste + curry spice mix and fry 1 minute to bloom. Add 2-3 cups stock a little at a time, whisking, to avoid lumps. Add chopped chicken, onion, potato, whatever else you want, plus 1 can coconut milk/cream. Season with fish sauce, tamarind, sugar, etc. Simmer 15-20 minutes, uncovered, until chicken is cooked and veg is softened.

Indian tomato-base style. Marinate chopped chicken in yogurt marinade with curry spices for a few hours. Heat oil in a wok. Add minced garlic and ginger (or ginger-garlic paste) and curry spices. Fry 1 minute to bloom. Add chopped onion (and bell pepper if you want) and stir together. Add 1 x 28oz can tomato puree. Cook, stirring, 5 or so minutes until slightly darkened. Carefully transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer back to pan. Add 1 can coconut milk/cream or 1ish cups heavy cream. Simmer 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sear chicken on both sides just until browned and caramelized. Add to curry and cook for 10 minutes until cooked through.

All of these are very hard to fuck up, since they're so similar to soup. Pick a style, pick some spices, go for it.

Finally,

Stir Fry

Who doesn't love stir fry, the world's most versatile food. "Stir fry" as a technique is different from "saute" in that it uses a bit more oil and a slightly lower heat, so there's a slightly longer cook time. (And you're stirring more.) For stir fry, you'll want to velvet your chicken to make it super tender and juicy. Otherwise, all you're doing is making a stir fry sauce and then cooking chicken and veggies in stages.

To make a stir fry sauce: The equation is: Water + fat + balance of sweet, salt, spice, sour + thickener. My go-to is like 1/3ish cup water + 1-2 Tbsp sesame oil + brown sugar, soy sauce, hot sauce, lemon juice or rice vinegar + 1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp water to create a cornstarch slurry. Just mix everything together and set aside. Then saute your chicken first, remove from pan. Add your veg to the pan in stages depending on how long they take to cook: first something like broccoli or carrot, cook for a few minutes, then onion and pepper, then minced garlic and ginger at the very end (garlic burns easily). Add your chicken back in, give a stir, pour your sauce in, give it a stir, done.

Good god this got long. Sorry. Work was slow today so what else am I gonna do.

Anyway, hope this helps! These 4 basic things, in combination with the wide world of seasonings, can create infinite easy meals. Let me know if you try anything. Good luck!

[daydreaming-en-pointe]

birthday bomb bash!

a birthday gift for @hobiebrownismygod 💝 💗💗

Pairing: Maitreyi Jokhar (spidersona [not mine]) x Hobie Brown (romantic), Maitreyi Jokhar x Nikita Raina (spidersona [mine]) and the rest of the spider-gang (Pavitr + Gayatri, 1610!Miles, 42!Miles, Gwen, Margo) (platonic)

Type: Oneshot - Fluff

Word count: 1.4k

Warnings: translated Telugu, one cuss, less dialogue more description, mentions of eating & food, if you’re allergic to birthdays and mild chaos then this is not for you, and I didn’t even attempt Hobie’s accent this time lol

A/N: HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY ONCE AGAIN POOKS 😁 also let’s assume that Nikita and Maitreyi can understand each other when they talk in their own languages though Niki speaks Hindi and Maitreyi speaks Telugu <3

“Pavitr, stop giggling! You are a plant. Plants do not giggle.”

An unaware onlooker might have observed the scene — Nikita and Gwen struggling with neon banners and brightly-coloured streamers, Hobie trying his best to lay the table without dropping the cutlery piled up in his arms, Gayatri cursing loudly in the kitchen every time she spilled hot oil or got the recipe wrong, Miles using some sugary edible spray-paint to graffiti the cheesecake while the other Miles watched critically, and Pavitr posing as a plant with leaves in his hair and modelling Margo’s holographic wreath-like projections while she tapped away at her computer — and chalked it up to a regular day in a mental asylum.

But today was not a regular day, far from it. And they all didn’t belong in a mental asylum. Probably.

How do you tell someone you appreciate them for looking out for the entire group time after time? And yeah, she had done that, faithfully and patiently.

From small things like tucking someone into bed and helping them when they’re sick to larger instances like fighting to protect them and training with them to improve their skills so that they didn’t fall victim to a persistant villain.

Maitreyi Jokhar was no ordinary human being - though in a way, none of them were - and so she deserved a completely extraordinary birthday surprise.

The only problem? None of them knew how to plan a surprise birthday party.

Pavitr had called to wish her and almost spilled everything right then and there, only stopped by Gayatri clapping a hand over his mouth. Hobie had insisted on making his girlfriend’s favourite foods himself before realizing he had no idea how to cook Indian food (though Gayatri’s totally unintentional trash-talking might have played a role in that). Gwen tripped over the same damn low-hanging banner three times in a row somehow, and both Miles and Miles got into an argument about who should decorate the cake (Miles won).

Nikita had put herself in charge of wrapping the presents after a small mishap — turns out, none of them could be trusted with a sheet of wrapping paper and a roll of tape, because when she got back into the room she saw Pavitr and Hobie sheepishly standing next to 4 suspiciously people-shaped wrapped ‘statues’.

Gayatri bellowed another loud Hindi curse and Pavitr audibly gasped while Nikita covered her eyes. “What does that mea-” Hobie eagerly started, but Nikita cut him off with a glare. “Hobie, focus. If you break my plates I’ll break your knees.”

He turned his attention back to arranging the plates and spoons with a little bit of added caution.

Margo let out a loud whoop of satisfaction as she finally worked out the bugs in her code. She hit a button on her keyboard and strings of lights flickered around Pavitr, the little shining orbs slowly changing into little versions of them. And in the centre, mini-hologram-Maitreyi wore a neon purple crown and a bright yellow banner slung across her torso that read ‘BD@Y B!TCH’ in big block letters.

Nikita pinched the bridge of her nose to hold back a comment about the… interesting title. “Pavi! Ao aur meri madad karo please.” (Come and help me)

Since his amateur modelling job was done, he walked over and sat down cross-legged on the ground next to Niki. They both surveyed the gifts - a customisation chip that could be inserted into her wristwatch from Margo, who insisted that Maitreyi’s watch needed to look ‘classy’ and not boring, a new pair of gloves from Gwen, a set of knives varying in size from Gayatri and Pavitr, and a customised (spray-painted) suit from both Miles’.

Nikita and Hobie had schemed together for well over a month to figure out what to get Maitreyi. Of course, since they had basically inducted themselves into her found family - Hobie as her boyfriend and Nikita as somewhere in between her sister and the family pet - they wanted to make sure she would absolutely love their gifts.

So Nikita had decided on a more sentimental gift. She worked for a whole month, filling the biggest, thickest scrapbook she could find with photos of all the spider-teens (and more than just a few embarrassing texts Maitreyi had sent her in the first stages of her massive Hobie-crush) and little colourful annotations - poems, notes, references, and other random stuff.

On every photo of her, Maitreyi and Pavitr, she signed the words ‘the 3 idiots’ in the bottom corner - a reference to the movie she had convinced both of them to watch. There were more than half the pages left blank, ready to be filled in with more memories. She wrapped it up in purple wrapping paper and tied a (slightly messy) green ribbon into a bow to secure it.

Hobie had gone all out and bought Maitreyi all the clothes that she so much as looked at when they were walking along together, both in his universe and hers (and Nikita’s, on the times when she was third-wheeling with them).

“Hobie? Niki… Pavi? Where is everybody?”

Everyone’s eyes snapped towards voice that called out from behind the closed front door.

Fuck, Nikita thought, frantically glancing everywhere. Everything had been done properly — the banners were finally in place, the table had been laid with the food Gayatri had made, and the gifts had been wrapped, but they hadn’t thought far enough ahead to get to the actual reveal yet.

Everyone dived behind various objects in unison as a key turned in the lock and clicked open.

“Pavitr, ow,” Nikita hissed as he promptly sat on her toes. She moved slowly, using her stealth to sneak up on her best friend before leaping and covering her eyes from behind.

“Surprise! Happy birthd- MAITREYI! IT’S JUST ME!”

Maitreyi had spun around as she felt Niki’s hands on her eyes, grabbing her and almost swinging her into a wall before she recognised her.

“Niki? What-”

“Oh, that’s our cue,” came Hobie’s voice from behind a large potted plant. He and the others all leaped out and yelled, “Happy birthday!”

“Happy birthday, Maitreyi.” Nikita lunged forward and crushed her in a hug, drawing back to kiss her cheek affectionately. “We organised a whole surprise party for you! And got pani puri!”

“‘Ey, quit hogging her,” Hobie grinned, coming up to both of them. “Happy birthday, dove.”

“You know she loves me more than you, right?”

“Bollocks.” (for those of you who’ve never heard this word before, it’s another word for bullshit)

“But she does! Right, Maitreyi?”

They both turned expectantly to her, and she raised her eyebrows. “Nope, not getting involved in this one. Hi, Hobie.”

The lovestruck tone of her last two words made him shoot a smug smirk at Nikita as he stepped forward and enveloped her in a bone-crushing hug, planting a kiss on her forehead before making a show of having to bend down — so very much, since she was so very short — to kiss her lips.

“Worth a shot,” Nikita chuckled, pushing Maitreyi toward the table. “Look! Pani puri! And pav bhaji!”

Maitreyi’s eyes widened at the crisp mini-puris, the large containers of tamarind chutney and jaljeera pani, the neatly laid-out pav bhaji, and the large glass bottles of goli soda.

“We’re all going to have horrible stomachaches by the end of this but it’ll be so worth it.”

She turned and gave Nikita a large hug, affectionately ruffling her hair, which looked a little funny since she had to reach up a quite a bit to get to Niki’s head. “Thank you so much for all of this, I love everything and I love you for putting this all together.”

Nikita grinned at her. “Of course. And I love you too.”

“Anything for you, darlin’,” She added in an exaggeratedly suave tone, giving her a badly-executed wink.

“Stop trying to platonically rizz up your best friend in front of her boyfriend and come eat,” Pavitr interrupted, standing beside the pani puri and impatiently raising his eyebrows at all three of them. “I’m hungry. Being a plant model - which I absolutely crushed, by the way - isn’t easy, you know!”

“10 bucks that Gwen or Hobie are going to lose their shit when they try the food and realise how spicy it’ll be,” Margo murmured to Miles, who smirked slightly. “Deal. Which one?”

“Well, how about both?”

Nikita and Maitreyi shared a look and both burst into giggles.

“Meeru food order chesaaraa?” (Did you order the food?)

“Nahin. Gayatri ki sab banaiya.” (No, Gayatri made all of it)

“Appadu chaalaa kaarangaa untundi!” (Then it’ll be very spicy)

“Haan. Jab ve khaayenge to aashcharyachakit ho jaayenge!” (Yeah, they’ll be very surprised/get a nasty shock when they eat)

“Manam chaalaa cheddavaallam, kaadaa?” (We’re pretty evil, aren’t we?)

They both cackled deviously, and Nikita threw an arm around Maitreyi.

“Chalo, let’s get this party started!”

@l0starl @therealloopylupin2099

[galadhir]

My low fodmap dudes, if you're wondering how to do without garlic and onion, I have some (reasonably) good news!

I thought not being able to have onion and garlic would be the worst - and it still is, when I'm eating out, because they're in everything - but for cooking at home purposes it turns out I don't miss them at all, because I have garlic oil and asfoetida/hing.

Pretty much everyone knows about garlic infused oil, I guess. You can buy it at a regular supermarket, and it gives the garlic taste without containing the garlic fodmaps.

But for the onion taste, you can substitute asafoetida, also known in Indian spices as Hing

It's a bit stinky--it has a sulfurous, rotten egg scent--and it's very strong. I had been putting a teaspoon of it in my stews and it left a metallic taste. But now that I've discovered it only takes a pinch of the stuff to give the taste of a whole onion, it's my best friend.

Warm your garlic oil in the pan, cook the pinch of hing for thirty seconds or so, add the rest of your spices and then chuck everything else in as per usual. You won't miss onion again.

[msfbgraves]

There are whole treatises on immigrant cooking but it's so interesting to do it in real time.

I wanted some noodles with pickled eggs and immediately started the process.

They use a lot of unsweetened soy sauce. The thing is, sweetened soy sauce, as known in Indonesia, is so much cheaper here. And then there was the sesame oil. I have some sesame seeds, but they're hardly a staple, and my local supermarket did not stock sesame oil at all. And then there was the sesame paste, well, fuck it. I went with peanut butter for that. And no, they did not have white sesame seeds.

Unsweetened soy sauce, very expensive, immediately becomes a luxury, so we're doing this with sweetened soy sauce, omitting the sugar, and black sesame seeds. Also peanut butter and some Indonesian crushed pepper paste (sambal). Was it good? Yes! Did it, at this point, have anything to do with the Japanese version? I don't have money to be all authentic, crikey.

Also, Dutch national cuisine is extremely heavily influenced by not having:

Arable land

The climate to grow anything but cabbage, root vegetables or onions (few herbs). Spices are insanely expensive. We stil say that something is 'dear as pepper' (peperduur).

Do you know what we did have?

Livestock. And dairy. Plus beans and some fruits like apples, pears maybe some cherries and forest fruits.

So Dutch meals can only really be flavoured by meat! Fish is somehow a springtime and summer dish, because you need very soft baby carrots and very fresh vegetables to actually enjoy a meal of plain fish - again not even lemon - plus potatoes and some lettuce.

And oh, what if meat is unavailable?

(Not even bacon?)

There's only one thing for it, you smother it in cheese.

Now of course nowadays, you can buy herbs and spices. But still, our people are very bad at making vegetarian dishes, because if you can't flavour anything with meat or cheese what are you gonna do? Buy cumin?! Who has that kind of cash, traditionally?

So you see a lot of meats seasoned with fruits, or fruit served as a side dish. You see a lot of cabbage and kale mashed through potatoes. Why? It softens the taste; cabbage is quite harsh. You also see people basically give up on dinner, really, and inventing really tasty meat and cheesy bites. That does not a meal make, but they're really really good. It does also create a culture obsessed with desserts. If dinner is a bit of a bland affair, dessert can lift your spirits considerably.

A lot of this "White people can't season their food" comes from traditionally not having learnt non meat-based seasoning. We've tried to get by with fruits and the best cheese we could manage.

And sure. I am very eagerly brushing up on other kitchens, because now we absolutely can buy five spice and lentils and ginger. But I'm so much milder about "bad" cuisine or unauthentic foods. People are trying to do the best with what they have available and indeed what they know. Also, learning a foreign cuisine is hard and can be very expensive.

And I've decided that it's infintely easier to cook Surinamese in the Netherlands and Indian in the UK, so I'll cook Gordon Ramsay recipes when I'm there and sweet soy sauce chicken noodles when at home. Also try finding endive outside of Turkey and Holland. It's no use.

[salonioil110]

Kadai Paneer Recipe Best Mustard Oil For Hair

Kadai paneer is a popular Indian dish made with paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cooked in a tomato-based gravy with a blend of aromatic spices and capsicum (bell peppers) is mustard oil good for health. Here's a simple recipe to make Kadai paneer at home:

Ingredients:

200 grams paneer, cut into cubes

2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, cut into small cubes

1 red bell pepper, cut into small cubes

2 medium-sized tomatoes, finely chopped

2-3 green chilies, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

Instructions:

Dry roast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds until they are fragrant. Allow them to cool and then grind them into a fine powder best mustard oil.

Heat oil in a kadai or wok on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.

Add onions and sauté until they are translucent.

Add ginger and garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft and mushy best mustard oil for cooking.

Add the green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and the ground coriander and cumin powder. Mix well.

Add the cubed bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until they are slightly tender.

Add the paneer cubes and salt to taste. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and sprinkle it over the kadai paneer best oil used for cooking.

Finally, add the garam masala powder and mix well.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with naan or roti lowest calorie cooking oil.

Enjoy your delicious homemade kadai paneer!https://salonioil.com/kadai-paneer-recipe-%e0%a4%b8%e0%a5%8d%e0%a4%b5%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%a6%e0%a4%bf%e0%a4%b7%e0%a5%8d%e0%a4%9f-%e0%a4%95%e0%a4%a2%e0%a4%bc%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%88-%e0%a4%aa%e0%a4%a8%e0%a5%80%e0%a4%b0-regional-fo/

[bitter-limelight]

Another moment from an au where Marius is the one who finds Daniel

"You don't have to be here."

"Nonsense."

"How can you even look at me? Be with me?"

"How could I be anywhere else but by your side?"

Daniel sighed, pulling his bathrobe a little tighter around him. He was cold. He was always cold these days, with how thin he was growing. It fluctuated still; he'd gain a few pounds and then get sick again, the ribs showing through his pale skin once more, shadows and bruises and lesions all mixing together.

"...I want a bath." It was a difficult admission for Daniel because he knew he couldn't do it alone. Not today. Maybe a week ago when he woke up and got coffee and walked to the corner store himself, when he napped and then was awake when Marius came to him at night, when he had done a load of laundry and put it away. When he felt better. And maybe tomorrow he could do it. He never knew what tomorrow would be but today? He hurt, inside and out, literally and figuratively. Today he'd had to sit at the clinic for three hours, watching the faces of the nurses who were so suspicious and so wary of him, and watching the one who clocked out for lunch when he walked in. And this was the nice clinic at the private hospital Marius paid for!

Marius smiled gently and bent to kiss Daniel on his cheek. The vampire, already dead, unafraid to touch Daniel. "Then come, I'll run one for you."

So Daniel was carried to the bathroom, Marius setting him down on a soft padded bench as he filled the tub with warm, fragrant water. Marius, his vampiric stalker turned obsession, Daniel turning the tables and stalking him right back, to the point of planting his ass right on top of Marius' coffin when he had found it. Marius his companion and patron and lover in the ways vampires could be. He watched him test the temperature, and then turn to Daniel. With careful and confident hands he helped Daniel undress where he could not, easily breaking off the plastic ID bracelet from around his wrist. Into his arms again, and Daniel groaned audibly as he was eased down into the water.

"Feels good," he sighed, warm again. It was winter here in France, cold as hell, and he was only warm in the bath.

"As it should." Marius helped Daniel to wash, letting him do as much as he could on his own with shaking hands. The weeks worth of sweat and oil sloughed from his body, night fevers breaking and day chills making him bundle up more. As Marius ran the soft wash cloth down his side he tried his best not to look down at his own body, but Marius saw.

"Why don't I get you take out for supper. From the Indian place you like so much?" Marius kept a hired cook for Daniel, several days of meals at the ready, but sometimes when his appetite was especially fussy he would indulge him in something he knew was terrible for him; but food was food, after all. "Get a full meal in you. Maybe a light walk tomorrow if you feel up to it-

"Or you could just turn me." Ah, there it was. Over and over they came back to this, all the more regularly as Daniel's sickness advanced.

Marius was quick to recover himself though, and barely faltered. "Your numbers are good, Daniel. I've got the best doctors for you-"

"It's been over a year. Some guys don't live this long. Or much longer." It was a bitter fruit on his tongue to admit this but it was true. Something he tried to push away most waking hours as he filled his days with distraction but death was unavoidable when being courted by both immortality and the grave.

"You're on another upswing. And my blood sustains you when you are at your most sick-"

"But you don't give me enough, Marius! You always say you're afraid to just fuel my dependence and do more harm than good, but Christ, Marius, I'm dying! You know this!" When Marius said nothing, Daniel dug up his strength and pressed on, passionate. "You don't want me to become some ghoul, alright, but there's only so much longer you can push this."

"I don't want you to grow to regret it, Daniel." Marius was quiet now, his hand still on Daniel but not moving. "Do you think I delight on seeing you consumed by this? I thought it was the alcohol that would take you, young one, not this."

"None of us fucking saw this." He reached for his neck, where a purple mark laid behind his ear, but Marius tugged his hand away to kiss the inside of his wrist. Daniel sighed. "Marius…I won't let this take me," he whispered into the steam of the bath. "I'll kill myself before it does. I'll die with dignity if not with pride."

And he meant it. And Marius knew it. He was weak to Daniel, his resolve crumbling more each day he had to wake and see Daniel struggle. To swallow his own pride, could he do it again? When each time had caused so much pain for himself and the one he loved? But to bury him, that was a deeper pain, and he closed his eyes with Daniel's skin to his lips.

/You don't have to stay with me,/ he said through the mind gift, potentially one of the last times they could use it.

/How could I be anywhere else but by your side?/ Daniel asked back, before he hissed at the feel of piercing fangs.

[nutricafood]

Guide to Selecting Cooking Oil for Good Health in India

Choosing the right cooking oil is crucial for maintaining good health, especially in a diverse culinary landscape like India. With a variety of options available, finding the best cooking oil for good health can be overwhelming. This guide aims to simplify the selection process and help you identify the best cooking oil in India for your dietary needs.

Understanding Cooking Oils

Cooking oils play a vital role in our daily diets. They provide essential fatty acids and help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. However, not all oils are created equal. The best Indian cooking oil varies based on its nutritional profile, smoke point, and overall health benefits.

Key Factors to Consider

Nutritional Content: When selecting cooking oil for good health, it's important to consider its fatty acid composition. Oils high in monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids are generally better for heart health. For example, olive oil and canola oil are known for their heart-healthy fats.

Smoke Point: The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which it starts to smoke and degrade. Using oils with a high smoke point for frying and cooking at high temperatures can prevent the release of harmful compounds. Oils like sunflower and safflower oil are great choices for high-heat cooking.

Flavor Profile: The flavor of the oil can impact the taste of your dishes. For instance, coconut oil imparts a distinct flavor, making it suitable for specific recipes, while neutral oils like canola or vegetable oil are versatile for various cuisines.

Types of Cooking Oils

Olive Oil: Often hailed as one of the best cooking oils for good health, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. It has a moderate smoke point, making it ideal for sautéing and salad dressings. Extra virgin olive oil is considered the best Indian cooking oil for its unprocessed nature and superior health benefits.

Mustard Oil: Popular in Indian cuisine, mustard oil is known for its pungent flavor and high smoke point. It is rich in monounsaturated fats and has anti-inflammatory properties. Mustard oil is a good option for cooking and frying, particularly in Indian recipes.

Coconut Oil: With its high saturated fat content, coconut oil is often debated in terms of health benefits. While it's a good source of medium-chain triglycerides, its use should be moderate. It is particularly useful in Indian sweets and certain regional dishes.

Sunflower Oil: Known for its high smoke point and light flavor, sunflower oil is a versatile choice for various cooking methods. It contains a good balance of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, making it one of the best cooking oils for good health.

Canola Oil: Canola oil is a heart-healthy option with a high smoke point, suitable for frying and baking. It has a neutral flavor and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. For many, it is considered the best cooking oil in India due to its health benefits and versatility.

Choosing the Best Cooking Oil in India

When selecting the best cooking oil for good health, it's essential to consider both your dietary needs and cooking methods. Each oil has its unique benefits and ideal uses. For a balanced diet, incorporating a variety of oils can provide a range of nutrients and flavors.

Read Labels: Look for oils that are minimally processed and free from trans fats. Cold-pressed or extra virgin oils are generally better choices for their higher nutritional value.

Consider Health Goals: If you are focused on heart health, oils high in monounsaturated fats and omega-3s, such as olive and canola oil, should be prioritized. For traditional Indian cooking, oils like mustard and coconut oil may be preferred.

Storage and Freshness: Ensure that the oil is stored in a cool, dark place to maintain its freshness and prevent oxidation. Always check the expiration date to ensure you are using a fresh product.

Conclusion

Selecting the best Indian cooking oil involves understanding the nutritional benefits and cooking characteristics of different oils. By focusing on the best cooking oil in India for your health needs and culinary preferences, you can enhance your meals and support your overall well-being. Whether you opt for olive oil, mustard oil, or canola oil, choosing the right cooking oil for good health will contribute to a healthier diet and lifestyle.

[healthyfly]

The Most Common Cooking Uses Of Sesame Oil

The best sesame oil in West Bengal can be found right here! Discover how it can elevate your culinary creations effortlessly with its most common cooking uses. For more information, please visit our website.

[starlightshadowsworld]

Characters I headcanon as Pakistani because I am Pakistani.

Jason and Thalia Grace.

Beryl was on popular Pakistani Dramas in her hay day and made sure both her kids were fluent in Urdu.

Jason ended up forgetting it when he was taken by Lupa who spoke to him in Latin. And then Camp Jupiter demanded he speak English.

But then he lost his memories and could only speak his mother tongue. And only Thalia, Annabeth and Grover could understand him. Urdu was Thalia’s first language too. She knows enough English to get by and can’t be arsed learning any more.

Annabeth because she demanded Thalia teach her and began doing her own learning. And Grover because he’s Indian in the to series and I head canon speaks Hindi, which is very similar to Urdu.

Steve Harrington.

Parents tried to assimilate and outside the home just try and hide their heritage. His grandparents spoke to him in Urdu as a child but he didn’t retain much of it. Definitely had a “wish I was white” phase (and probably had fair and lovely pushed on him as child.)

As he began to grow and accept himself, he desperately tried to reach his roots. Got in touch with his grandparents again and began to heal.

Ain’t no Farah Fawcett here we be oiling that hair. Cooks recipes his grandmother used to make him (which the kids demand more of once they get a taste.) Re-learning Urdu with his grandparents and Robin.

He’s done the kurta over jeans look.

(Probably very much watched over by Lucas’s parents after they find out because he’s one of the only other people of colour in this white ass town.)

2012 Casey Jones.

Grew up in New York with an American father and Pakistani mother. Even after her mysterious death he’s still beloved by his family and goes to all the events.

He’s the cool cousin.

He’s always had a deep love for his culture and his city. And always been unapologetically himself no matter what. He has won over Splinter with karak (desi) tea. Has also definitely worn a kurta over jeans and trainers.

Bought mithai as an apology gift after bringing a footbot to the turtles lair and became Mikey’s best friend.

Blake Belladonna

Loved her culture, her home still ran off with a white man Blake tried to leave it all behind and assimilate to life in Vale. But she never felt like she belonged, but also believed she’d changed too much to belong back home.

But as she grew to accept herself and all that made her Blake Belladonna, that feeling begin to lessen. It’s still there, but maybe she can exist in two worlds instead of one. She shares stories with her friends, practices and teaches them (particularly Weiss) her mother tongue and traditions.

And they embrace her just like they always will.

Ozma

He assimilates to each new life but he’s still him under it all. It’s under lock and key, who he was but in the quiet moments he shares those little things. He’s not a fan off tea, he drinks only coffee and yet there’s a certain pink tea that he will always accept.

He and Salem smh ran off with a white woman had a grand wedding, there were no attendants but they more than made up for it. His girls all had bangles around their wrists and there was a once a time where wrapping them in his mother’s dupatta was the most magical thing of them all.

He’d leave a plate off apple slices in their rooms and smile as they happily ate them. The old men at the market would gently pat him on the head when they meet. Some of them still do, as if they know and maybe they do.

Things from the past hurt so much now, and yet he loves them.

[timetraveltasting]

MINUTAL MATIANUM (ROMAN PORK WITH APPLES, 1st c.)

It's a been a tougher week than usual - my husband broke his leg and had surgery, and I'm dealing with some dental pain - but amongst it all, I thought it would be a good idea to treat ourselves with a Tasting History dish that is especially hearty and comforting: Minutal Matianum (Roman Pork with Apples). From the quintessential Roman source by Apicius from the 1st c., De Re Coquinaria, this meat dish is made using ingredients that would have been available to Roman soldiers in Britain, near forts in the area of Hadrian's Wall. This hearty dish was probably closer to what the officers of the Roman army would have eaten rather than the foot soldiers, however. I decided to make this dish because my husband and I have enjoyed most of the Roman recipes I've made so far, and Max exclaimed this was the best Roman dish even he had made so far. We hope this dish provides us with the fortitude of a Roman soldier on the frontiers! See Max’s video on how to make the dish here or see the ingredients and process at the end of this post, sourced from his website.

My experience making it:

As usual for me with Roman recipes, I struggled to compile all of the specific listed ingredients, but I did my best! I sourced a pork shoulder from our local butcher, and for the ground meat, I used a mix of 60% beef and 40% pork (a very common mixture here in Germany). For the pork roast rub, I used oil, a bit of salt, lots of pepper, and a tablespoon and a half of linden tree blossom honey. For the meatballs, I didn't use any egg to bind them, as I didn't have any on hand. Instead of garum, I used an Asian fish sauce (which Max suggests as a substitute). For the apples, I used some sweet Pink Lady apples (which I definitely snacked on while I was cooking). Instead of the long pepper Max used, I used the tablespoon of peppercorns. I decided to omit the asafoetida completely, as I couldn't find it at 4 different supermarkets, including the bio-supermarket and the Turkish supermarket. I've recently learned that I should look instead at an Indian supermarket, so now I'm on the hunt for one! I reduced grape juice myself to make defrutum, as Saba seems a little expensive. Instead of starch/cornflour, I used regular white flour, since I think they would function fairly similarly.

First, I set out making the rub for the pork roast. Nice and simple with olive oil, salt, pepper, and honey, I loved that I could customize this part to my tastes (give me that sharp pepper taste!). Next, because I didn't have a roasting rack, I made one myself out of tin foil by taking a large sheet, rolling it into a snake shape, and curving it into a zig-zag pattern on top of a layer of tinfoil at the bottom of my pan. It fit the pork perfectly, and then I added the rub and tossed it in the oven. My pork shoulder was just over 2 pounds, so I roasted it for just over 2 hours. While it was cooking, I rolled my meatballs (sans egg), ground my spices for the sauce in the mortar and pestle (which took awhile), and chopped and portioned the ingredients for the next steps. When the pork was almost done cooking, I began cooking the meatballs in olive oil, also adding in the leeks. I added in the chicken stock and garum, stirring to get any bits from the bottom to release their flavour.

While this cooked on the stovetop, the pork roast was ready to take out of the oven. It looked wonderful and smelled delicious! I let it sit for a little bit, then chopped it into cubes and added them to the pot with the meatballs. I added in the cilantro, then a little bit more chicken stock so the pork and meatballs were 3/4 submerged and sizzling nicely in the juices. I simmered it for 15 minutes, then added the apple chunks. I simmered it further, but for less than the 20 minutes in the recipe (more like 15). I portioned the meat and apples into our serving bowls to cool a little while I prepared the quick sauce, being sure to leave some of the juices in order to provide the base to the sauce. I added the juices, defrutum, white wine vinegar, garum, and honey to a pot, added the crushed spices/herbs, and brought it to a light boil, stirring often. I made a roux with some flour by mixing a bit of water into it, then added it to my sauce to thicken it. By the looks of it, I think I ended up thickening it a decent amount more than Max did, but I like a thicker sauce, so I wasn't too upset about that. I took it off the heat once it was combined and thickened, and drizzled it over the pork, meatballs, and apples. It looked absolutely scrumptious - the sauce added a nice silky shine to the meat, the leeks added a pretty green, the peppercorns some texture, and the apples a beautiful yellow and red pop of colour. I served the Minutal Matianum with a side Greek Salad to balance the heaviness of the meat.

My experience tasting it:

I made sure my first bite was with pork, apple, and some sauce - it was very tasty! The pork was tender enough, but I might have overcooked it just a little. Luckily, the tougher, hearty texture was balanced by the crisp and light flavour of the apple and the acidity, sweetness, spice-infused, and herbed flavour of the silky gravy-like sauce. Like Max mentioned, the sauce first tastes a bit sour due to the vinegar, but it melts into a sweetness from the defrutum and honey. It is still a very 'Roman' flavour of sauce - I could taste hints of the previous Roman sauces I have made in other dishes in this one, but this one was more like a gravy, and maybe more in line with the modern palate. In terms of herbs and spices, I found that peppercorn and cilantro were the most forward in the sauce - the mint and cumin were just barely there. I decided to make my next bite a meatball with some sauce, apple and leek: an absolute winning combo! I don't always have time to make a pork roast, so I can't see myself making Minutal Matianum often in its complete form, but I will most certainly make the sauce with apples and meatballs again in the future. Like Max, my husband and I both agreed this is our favourite of the Roman dishes I've made so far. This is a great meal for late fall/early winter, and I will probably make it again as the weather gets colder this fall. If you end up making this dish, if you liked it, or if you changed anything from the original recipe, do let me know!

Links to harder-to-find ingredients:

Long Pepper

Flor de Garum

Colatura di Alici (Garum substitute)

Saba (Defrutum)

Asafoetida

Minutal Matianum (Roman Pork with Apples) original recipe (1st c.)

Sourced from De Re Coquinaria by Apicius, 1st century.

Put oil, garum, stock, chopped leek and cilantro and small ground meatballs in a pot. Chop previously cooked shoulder of pork with skin into cubes. Cook all together. Half-way through cooking add cored and diced Matian apples. While it cooks, grind pepper, cumin, cilantro and coriander seed, mint, and silphium root, pour in vinegar, honey, garum, defrutum, and some of the cooking liquid. Adjust the flavors with vinegar. Bring to a boil. Add broken tracta to thicken. Sprinkle pepper and serve. 

Modern Recipe

Based on De Re Coquinaria by Apicius (1st c.) and Max Miller’s version in his Tasting History video.

Ingredients:

Roasted Pork

Pork shoulder

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Honey

Pork and Apples

1 tbsp olive oil

3/4 lb (340g) ground pork or beef, shaped into 1” balls

1 cup chopped leek

1 cup (235ml) chicken stock, plus extra as needed

2 teaspoons garum*

Small handful chopped cilantro

1 lb (450g) roasted pork, cut into cubes

1 lb (450g) sweet apples, cored and cut into about 1” pieces

Sauce

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp chopped cilantro

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp chopped mint

4 long peppers or 1 tbsp of peppercorns

1/2 tsp asafoetida

1/4 cup (60ml) white wine vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp garum*

1/4 cup (60ml) defrutum**

1/4 cup (60ml) cooking liquid from the pork and apples

2 tsp starch or cornflour

*Garum was a fermented fish sauce that was used in a lot of ancient Roman cooking. You can buy a modern equivalent or use an Asian fish sauce.

**Defrutum was a 1/3 reduction of grape must. Today, Saba is pretty much the same thing. It can be expensive, so you can reduce some grape juice instead.

Method:

For the roasted pork: Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with foil, then place a roasting rack on top of it.

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, and honey. There should be enough to coat the pork roast. Adjust the amounts to your liking.

Brush the olive oil mixture onto the pork, then roast for 15 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 275°F (135°C) and cook for about an hour per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F (74°C).

For the pork and apples: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the meatballs and leeks and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they start to brown.

Deglaze the pot with the chicken stock and garum. Toss in the cilantro and roasted pork. Add enough additional chicken stock so that it covers the bottom of the pot.

Simmer for 15 minutes, adding more stock if necessary.

Add the apples, then cook for another 20 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked.

For the sauce: Grind the spices and herbs with a mortar and pestle, then put them in a saucepan with the liquid ingredients. Stir together and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.

Mix the starch with a little water, then add it to the sauce. Simmer for a couple of minutes until it thickens.

To serve: Dish the pork and apples into a bowl, drizzle with the sauce, and serve it forth.