Food & Drinks 2013

[david antony]

Interesting shots Yildiz, very good phone cam you have. That is a huge chunk of mystery meat. I think the long knife would give him more controll Greg. Image doing it with a penknife. Only seen one in Vancouver. The guy who took over the American Hotel a bikers bar. It became a success as the patrons enjoyed it. That was twenty years ago. probably have many places serving it up now.

[aster]

Thanks for those Yildiz, good action shots. That style of cooking is at one of the café’s in one of the large shopping centres here (so I’ve been informed), I don’t know if they call it by its proper name though. I think I know why they use such a long knife, maybe to keep the hand out of the heat a bit better perhaps.
I see the tray with the yellow peppers there, I was wondering how you know before hand how hot something like that would be, or you know from past experience that those particular ones are very mild, at a glance, without having to ask?
Greg
Ps Actually I don’t mind a bit of warm/hot spicy, (I was pulling your leg) my tolerance is a lot higher than some here, but not nearly up to yours or Sury’s standard most likely.

Hi Greg,

I wish I or anyone for that matter, could tell if any type of peppers were or hot or mild just by looking at it, noone can, Greg.
But there's a special kind which is red and very small in size that actually spells out trouble; It grows on a small plant and is small itself which is only bearable by those who are really immune to hot spices of various kinds. I personally can't handle that kind but in Eastern Turkey people eat it in one go almost as if it was candy.

Here you can see the plant and fruit and how it's lined to dry out on a long string. It is sold like that too. (not my photos)




.

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Interesting shots Yildiz, very good phone cam you have. That is a huge chunk of mystery meat. I think the long knife would give him more controll Greg. Image doing it with a penknife. Only seen one in Vancouver. The guy who took over the American Hotel a bikers bar. It became a success as the patrons enjoyed it. That was twenty years ago. probably have many places serving it up now.

Thanks, David Antony. : )

You're right, David, the long blade is more stable and as Greg already mentioned protects from the heat of the fire or the meat. The blade slides down better too. I believe a shorter knife would not present a control on how thin you'd want the shavings to be and just produce chunks of meat with different size or thickness. Patrons always want really thin sheets of shavings, almost like a rolling piece of paper. That requires some skill though..


Yildiz

[Greg Beetham]

Ah that’s interesting Yildiz, that small red one looks like the so called Birdseye Chili we have here, it springs up around the yard quite often, it is very very hot, the flesh of the Chili is ok-ish but the seeds aren’t, if someone was to actually chew one and munch it up in the mouth before swallowing they would be in serious trouble, the only way to eat one is as you say swallow it whole without chewing.
I suppose the action of cooking sort of quietens them down perhaps, but even then one would have to careful about the seeds I think.
The bird that spreads it around the yard here does that, it picks it off the plant and its down the hatch whole. I don’t know what happens at the other end though, you’d think it would treat them with a lot more respect afterwards, but no, it doesn’t ever appear to be bothered. Maybe the bird has a digestive system that breaks it down to a more harmless level before having ‘to go’…it’s hard to say what the score is in that regard.
Greg

PS Yep a penknife would be out of the question DA, a bit of a length difference there alright.

[aster]

I don't know how the digestive system of birds respond to the Birdseye Chili, Greg.

They certainly are very different after the swallowing is done by comparision to humanbeings. Maybe they don't even feel the strain of the toxic matter at all. Maybe the hot seeds just pass through and get dropped on soil somewhere, like they do in your garden.

Yildiz

[sury]

Thanks for the kind comments, Sury. : )

Those flaked are a kind of red chili pepper. We have powdered type also but I also like the large flakey type which stands out in the dish rather than just colouring the dish red, especially in soups. A few swimming flakes look nice.
This type that I had sprinkled on the Döner Kebab shavings is also called Cayenne Pepper but the hot type. We have many dishes where the flakey type is used.

Yildiz

I am familiar with Cayenne pepper. I was introduced to it, when I came to states. Green chillies, red chillies (whole, flakes, powder) are very typical ingredients in South Indian cuisine and the region I come from is known for having hottest chillies
in India.

I see Greg's travel plans changing dramatically, now both Andhra Pradesh (my state) and South India in general are off the list. May be he will even skip the whole country just to be safe.

Sury

[sury]

Capsaicin is the component that causes the "burning" sensation. There were studies
that found that only "antidote" to Capsaicin is a dairy product. If anytime you find yourself
in "hot water" with chilli peppers, have some milk yoghurt, or cheese to "cool" you down.
That is one of the reasons most of the South Indian diet has "ghee" or clarified butter as
an ingredient. We mix rice with spicy dishes and add a drop or two or three of the melted "ghee".
Almost all South Indian meals end with rice plus yoghurt/buttermilk mixture.

Sury

Just to cool you down Greg...Shaved Ice with various flavors in Kauai. Shaved Ice has become a
popular "snack" on Hawaiian Islands, I noticed.

[david antony]

Very nice shot sury. Looks a delicious treat, are they as good as they look?

[Greg Beetham]

Thanks for looking out for my welfare Sury, I'm not sure I'd skip an entire country just because of a few chilies though.
I'm not sure about the shaved ice thingies either, maybe the flavouring is strong enough to get it into the acceptable range, I haven't tried one so I don't know, I remember they used to sell those icicle things when I went to school which were pretty much the same kind of thing frozen water and flavouring, they were cheaper than any of the ice cream/chocolate types that's for sure.
Greg

[Cogito]

Java and lava - a few of my favourite things.....

[aster]

Hi,

Sury, Greg will be fine in our countries, don't worry. : )) Nowadays there's all sorts of spicing and seasonings for everyone. The world culinary habits are iirrecoverably going 'global taste', I'm afraid. There's tourism to consider and all native dishes changed face or flavour to please the majority.

Thanks for the tip on how to milden the after effects of eating hot chili or similar spices. I'll definitely put the advice to use. : )
I remember flavoured ice from childhood. I used to like it especailly when made with cocoa and chocolate pieces. Later learning that most of the coloured ones were all artificially flavoured and coloured somehow put me off. But yhe one that the lady makes may be more rich with natural flavours though I wouldn't know. : )

Thanks for sharing.

Cogito, I suppose you mean Coffee and the lava lamp but we see that there are more spirits to keep you in spirit and high on that counter. : )
A good coffee gets the mind working for sure, only at times that is.

Thanks for sharing.


Today, I have a cluster of cauliflower fried in an eggs+flour coating which later is dipped into lemon juice seasoned with garlic paste. Tomato sauce on the side which is a mixture of tomato, finely-grated onion+garlic, parsely and some olive oil, all cooked in a pan. I added a couple of mushrooms to the mixture and later let it cool down and served. It's a cold dish and is great tasting for vegetarians out there.

Well, here goes nothing. Not fattening either....

Yildiz

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[Greg Beetham]

That does look yummy Yildiz, I bet it smells wonderful as well. As I’m more your carnivorous type, I think I’d like some chicken or fish mixed in as well but I could certainly survive for sure, you have some egg in there anyway, you have knack for making an inviting meal whatever it might be. Are those black objects dates or prunes or are they the mushrooms? They look very dark for mushies that's why I'm thinking dates.
Greg

[aster]

That does look yummy Yildiz, I bet it smells wonderful as well. As I’m more your carnivorous type, I think I’d like some chicken or fish mixed in as well but I could certainly survive for sure, you have some egg in there anyway, you have knack for making an inviting meal whatever it might be. ....

Thank you, Greg. : ) Very kind of you.

The same meal can be made with fried fillets of some of the big fish as well. I remember my mother frying large fish fillets in sunflower oil, just like I did with the cauliflower and then dippping them in the lemon juice+pasted garlic mixture until the fish soaks it up. I might make some with the fresh autumn fish showing in the markets noawadays. Tastes better with oily fish. I don't know any meat dish made in the same way though I believe cooking is an adventure and as long as the ingredients work together there are no limits to creative approaches.

Are those black objects dates or prunes or are they the mushrooms? They look very dark for mushies that's why I'm thinking dates.
Greg

Those are small black olives with pits, Greg, not dates. They are pretty dried out and that's why they look like prunes but once they soak up the juices of the salad thay fill up. I love olives and olive oil and any type of salad I make I make sure that I incooperate olives in the making, green, red or black, any type will do for me. The mushrooms are hidden in the tomatoe sauce; the swellings that look suspicious are the mushrooms the size of buttons. : )

My guess is that you would like the dish because it does taste more than just a vegetable after the treatment it goes through. It also makes a delicious sandwich witht the right bread. : ))

Yildiz

[Birma]

That does look delicious Yildiz (and I'll have mine without any added meat ). My mouth is watering, and it is still some hours until the evening meal !

[sury]

Thanks for the recipe Yildiz. My wife is a vegetarian and when I showed her the photo,
she has decided to try the recipe. I suspect she will make it spicier, a double whammy for
Greg. No meat and spicier. Will let you know how it turned out when she tries.
Your food photography is Michelin rated with *****.

Sury

[aster]

Thank you, Andy.

Maybe I should postpone such shots until it's evening hours for UK. It's a cold dish, so I had to let it soak up the lemon sauce anyway.


Thank you, Sury.

I would recommend such treatment for many of the vegetables. They do taste delicious this way and after your wife introduces some of the hotter sauces, I'm pretty sure it'll be extraordinary. I love it and I'm pretty sure so will she. : )


Yildiz