I Like To Cook Indian Food. Are Ingredients Hard To Find?

[Grover]

The main thing I want to cook is Dahl, wondering if the ingredients are hard to find.

[jayenram]

The ingredients for the dahl I cook are all available with one exception, Garam Masala

Yellow split peas

Turmeric

Ginger

Cumin seeds

Coriander seeds

Garlic

Chili powder

Fresh coriander

[Grover]

The ingredients for the dahl I cook are all available with one exception, Garam Masala

Yellow split peas

Turmeric

Ginger

Cumin seeds

Coriander seeds

Garlic

Chili powder

Fresh coriander

Thanks for that. Is it the type of thing sold in the fresh food market? or would I have to find an Indian specialty shop?

[jingjingna]

All the abaove ingrediants can be found at Tops supermarket. As for the Garam masala, you can make your own using this basic recipe:

1 tsp Cloves

1 tsp Cardamom

2 one inch Cinnamon sticks

1 tsp Black pepper

Dry roast all the ingrediants seperately and grind. Store in an air tight container.

[Grover]

All the abaove ingrediants can be found at Tops supermarket. As for the Garam masala, you can make your own using this basic recipe:

1 tsp Cloves

1 tsp Cardamom

2 one inch Cinnamon sticks

1 tsp Black pepper

Dry roast all the ingrediants seperately and grind. Store in an air tight container.

Thats great news, thanks for that

[jayenram]

All the abaove ingrediants can be found at Tops supermarket. As for the Garam masala, you can make your own using this basic recipe:

1 tsp Cloves

1 tsp Cardamom

2 one inch Cinnamon sticks

1 tsp Black pepper

Dry roast all the ingrediants seperately and grind. Store in an air tight container.

I use the black cardamom seeds, discarding the outer skin. However, it's very difficult to find the black ones here. I have mine brought from UK.

I also use cumin seed (black if possible) 1/2 tsp and some grated nutmeg.

[tigerbeer]

The ingredients for the dahl I cook are all available with one exception, Garam Masala

Yellow split peas

Turmeric

Ginger

Cumin seeds

Coriander seeds

Garlic

Chili powder

Fresh coriander

Thanks for that. Is it the type of thing sold in the fresh food market? or would I have to find an Indian specialty shop?

you can find all sorts of indian spices at Phahurat if you live in Bangkok. there is a huge bazaar there around the sikh temple. many indian grocery stores. If in Chiang Mai, there is a shop within Warorot market selling indian spices etc etc. good luck cooking.

[Dolphin]

one exception, Garam Masala

I recently found garam masala at the supermarket on the ground floor of Paragon. Very expensive - about 250 baht for a jar, but it was a huge jar and will last for years probably!

[jayenram]

I recently found garam masala at the supermarket on the ground floor of Paragon. Very expensive - about 250 baht for a jar, but it was a huge jar and will last for years probably!

Problem is with all pre-ground spices that they lose their flavour very quickly even if kept in the dark in airtight containers. If I make garam masala, I usually make only about 2 or 3 tablespoons at a time.

Edited October 24, 2006 by jayenram

[spicehouse1016]

hi where can you find basmati rice here in thailand?

[Hawke]

hi where can you find basmati rice here in thailand?

I hope someone responds soon...having some people over this weekend, and would love to try some recipes I've found.

[bkkjames]

hi where can you find basmati rice here in thailand?

I hope someone responds soon...having some people over this weekend, and would love to try some recipes I've found.

Most places Tops, Carrefour, Foodland, Villa etc have it.

[PoorSucker]

Where are you planning to stay?

Post in the local forums if you're planning to stay out of BKK, Chiang Mai.

[Nampeung]

Would any of you guys share your Dahl recipe with me please - there seem to be so many versions !

[Mr Jones]

Dhal is the main protean for the Indian vegetarians and the poor very cheap to make and tastes awful

[yogi]

well yes all of them you can get in tops,for garam malsala and basmati rice you can go to phaurat or soi puthao sot,near silom.

i m indian and love to eat basmati rice,but price in bangkok are very very expencive

[Nampeung]

Jayenram, Jingjing... recipies please? Or is it a secret kah

[just_Elaine]

Jayenram, Jingjing... recipies please? Or is it a secret kah

Here is a recipe from a man from Sri Lanka. This was modified to take out ghee (clarified butter). It is delicious and we find that it is better than most restaurants.

Dal

2 cups dal (we use the orange ones; I think you can substitute the yellow ones, but they might take longer to cook)

3 1/4 cup water

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons curry powder (I usually use a madras curry powder in a green colored tin)

11/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Kadugu (black seeds - mustard seed; these are reddish brown/black; I have seen them in a small Thailand shop in Pai, but I haven't looked for them)

3 pieces fresh chili peppers sliced into small circles

1 small onion chopped

6 pieces garlic peeled and sliced

1 wedge lemon or lime

Sort through dal & pick out any stones or black items. Wash/rinse several times--knead dal while washing. Water will be soapy-like at first, but this will lessen with every wash. When water is clear, add water. The height of the water should be about twice as high as the dal. Put on stove and bring to a boil. Add cumin, tumeric, salt and curry powder. Stir dal occasionally. Cook at med-high heat.

In a separate non-stick frying pan, add olive oil. Heat and add kadugu. Stir and wait a moment then add peppers and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and onions. Cook until onions are brown.

Watch the dal. When water level of the dal is a little lower than dal, then it is time to add the onions. If you are not quite ready, lower heat and cover and then add onion mixture.... To add onion mixture, add a little dal into the onion mixture. Stir and pour all of the onion mixture into the dal. Stir add the juice of the lime/lemon. Cover, turn off heat and let dal sit for a few minutes.

----------------

Enjoy! I've made the above recipe often...

I've had other versions of dahl from Pakistani people that were delicious, but I never got recipes. Some had ginger others had coriander; some with white dahl, some with black dahl. It would be nice to see some of these recipes....

[Nampeung]

Thanks just_elaine !!! Wonderfully explained recipe!!! I will let you know when I try it next week after buying the ingredients

[Nampeung]

Hi again, just found this easy to follow recipe for Kicherie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oLXpSebcyM

[southerndown]

one exception, Garam Masala

I recently found garam masala at the supermarket on the ground floor of Paragon. Very expensive - about 250 baht for a jar, but it was a huge jar and will last for years probably!

doesn't help if you are in bangkok but carrefour have it in chiangmai 40 baht

[Nampeung]

Try the recipes here at this fantastic site - the guy is a star

[MiG16]

a variation on the recipe posted by just-elaine would be:

add tomatoes to the onion mixture

and no lime

same procedure....

[maxjay]

I seem to have a faint recollection of a number of Indian food/ingredients stores in Bangkok. They were all located in a neighborhood close to a very large Sikh Temple. In fact I think the neighborhood was even dubbed "Little India". But, it has been well over fifteen years.

[Nampeung]

I made Just_Elaine's Dahl and the flavour was really good but I messed up big time with the lentils - I used the thicker yellow ones and they took AGES to cook so my Dahl was kind of weak in the end. Will try orange lentils next...

[just_Elaine]

Nampeung -- Thanks for mentioning this. I've only just recently seen the orange ones at Rimping Market here in Chiang Mai.

[tigerbeer]

the orange lentils are actually used to make Sambar Dahl. A bit more sour on the taste when its done. The spices used are different from the yellow, black, red and green lentils.

[Nampeung]

Any recipes Tiger Beer ?

[tigerbeer]

Any recipes Tiger Beer ?

easy, try to find the MDH Sambar masala at your favorite indian grocery store. May i suggest Phahurat area in BKK. If you are not in BKK, i can always give u a number you can call and order your stuff to be sent anywhere in Thailand.

Saute, onions, garlic, cumin, tomatos with the masala. boil the dahl seperately. Also adding Potatos in sambar dahl is a norm. Together with Long beans. Oh don't forget mustard seeds too while you saute the onions/masala. When masala mix is fragrant, add it with the dahl. Also some tamarind juice to sour it. Sambar Dahl is normally eaten with rice. Not chapatti.

Happy cooking!

[Nampeung]

THANKS TigerBeer will try it soon