Happy National Pickle Day

sureshs said:
I don't consume Indian pickles anymore. Spices don't agree with me anymore.

I prefer the tamer Kimchi.

I don't believe that spices aid digestion and so on. It is just an excuse to consume something spicy, salty and oily. If it was the case, all people in Finland would have indigestion.

And I don't believe spices are "good" for hotter climates. Maybe more salt is needed due to perspiration, that is all. In fact, hot weather and spice makes for indigestion and burning.

The older I get, the less and less I like Indian food. The great taste invariably leads to gas, indigestion and morning download issues. Wife made very limited stuff for Diwali on Friday and we finished it yesterday. We don't get any Indian snacks from anywhere.
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I have never heard the belief that spicy food is good for digestion, but have heard that in areas where food spoilage is a problem, people learned to use spices due to their antibacterial properties, which is one reason for spicy food being more prevalent in the hotter regions of Asia. Another reason is the cooling effect of sweating.

There is also an aspect similar to the thrill of riding a roller coaster. The capsaicin binds to pain receptors, which triggers the release of endorphins and dopamine, which can be like getting a runner's high. You get the excitement of facing and overcoming a "danger" that is manageable.

Some say that first dates at amusement parks with scary rides are effective because they induce the release of the same neurotransmitters associate with falling in love. Skydiving has the same effect, but the date is ruined if a parachute doesn't open.
 
sureshs said:
I don't consume Indian pickles anymore. Spices don't agree with me anymore.

I prefer the tamer Kimchi.

I don't believe that spices aid digestion and so on. It is just an excuse to consume something spicy, salty and oily. If it was the case, all people in Finland would have indigestion.

And I don't believe spices are "good" for hotter climates. Maybe more salt is needed due to perspiration, that is all. In fact, hot weather and spice makes for indigestion and burning.

The older I get, the less and less I like Indian food. The great taste invariably leads to gas, indigestion and morning download issues. Wife made very limited stuff for Diwali on Friday and we finished it yesterday. We don't get any Indian snacks from anywhere.
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Sawree two here abowt ewer “download issues.” Did the sorece block ewer download ore whirr their two mini cygnulls four ewer cystem two handel whiffowt overload???
 
Mike Bulgakov said:
I have never heard the belief that spicy food is good for digestion, but have heard that in areas where food spoilage is a problem, people learned to use spices due to their antibacterial properties
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For preservation, salt/oil/vinegar is enough.

Many spices are supposed to have curative properties, but I think the digestion problems caused by them outweighs the benefits.
 
sureshs said:
For preservation, salt/oil/vinegar is enough.
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pickle-with-thumbs-up-vector-id534975117
 
Mike Bulgakov said:
I have never heard the belief that spicy food is good for digestion, but have heard that in areas where food spoilage is a problem, people learned to use spices due to their antibacterial properties, which is one reason for spicy food being more prevalent in the hotter regions of Asia. Another reason is the cooling effect of sweating.
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I am not sure whether "spicy food" and spices are referring to the same thing. Usually when I hear "spicy food" it refers to food with chiliies (red and green), or food that is "hot".

Spices usually (tmk) refer to things like cumin, coriander, carom seed, turmeric, fennel. Even western sources do say that some of these are digestive (e.g. fennel seeds) or reduce acidity. I've had fenugreek seeds (methi) in hot water, and carom seeds (ajwain) for the same thing.
Carom seeds can be used if one is having loose motions. The effects of turmeric are quite well known.
I don't think any of these have harmful effects and these are usually added in small quantities only. We also add a pinch of black pepper for digestive reasons in tea or food. Same for crushed or sliced ginger. Ginger is often added when cooking food that causes gas such as cauliflower. Carom seeds are often used when cooking okra and arbee (some kind of yam, I think).
 
Mike Bulgakov said:
I have never heard the belief that spicy food is good for digestion, but have heard that in areas where food spoilage is a problem, people learned to use spices due to their antibacterial properties, which is one reason for spicy food being more prevalent in the hotter regions of Asia. Another reason is the cooling effect of sweating.
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This is true - even in India, the regions that are dry and arid traditionally have more spicy food. Rajasthan for example has a desert and access to water was limited. Consequently the cuisine is centered around red chillies (@Sentinel there is a great movie by the name Mirchi too) and due to lack of vegetables and fruits, the cuisine is also heavy on millets and chickpeas and the like.

The problem is that traditionally the food has been carefully developed along a lifestyle that helps with the lifestyle - Indian food for example is rich in carbs but for majority of an agrarian society working in the fields for 18 hours a day, the food was ok. We now live in artificial environments of 24 degree C, sedentary lifestyle and still eat the same traditional food. This is what causes most of the diseases.

Sentinel said:
Spices usually (tmk) refer to things like cumin, coriander, carom seed, turmeric, fennel. Even western sources do say that some of these are digestive (e.g. fennel seeds) or reduce acidity. I've had fenugreek seeds (methi) in hot water, and carom seeds (ajwain) for the same thing.
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Yeah even salt is a spice for that matter - the point is to use everything in moderation. For digestive problems, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida with buttermilk are great options for example.
 
Genious at Work said:
Weight. I thought that all the Indians were in the Bay Area. Are any Indians left in India? @Sentinel do you have a lot of echo over there?
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Are you calling all Indians cetaceans? :eek: :.
Azure said:
This is true - even in India, the regions that are dry and arid traditionally have more spicy food. Rajasthan for example has a desert and access to water was limited. Consequently the cuisine is centered around red chillies (@Sentinel there is a great movie by the name Mirchi too) and due to lack of vegetables and fruits, the cuisine is also heavy on millets and chickpeas and the like.

The problem is that traditionally the food has been carefully developed along a lifestyle that helps with the lifestyle - Indian food for example is rich in carbs but for majority of an agrarian society working in the fields for 18 hours a day, the food was ok. We now live in artificial environments of 24 degree C, sedentary lifestyle and still eat the same traditional food. This is what causes most of the diseases.


Yeah even salt is a spice for that matter - the point is to use everything in moderation. For digestive problems, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida with buttermilk are great options for example.
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How did your besan Laddoos go?
Sadly our friend who sends a box of the most fantastic ones every year sent some amaranth chikki which was meh, and some almond til gajjak which is about average and some dry, sorry looking and even sorrier tasting Laddoos that appear to be wheat.
I really miss that box of Besan Laddoos :cry:
 
Sentinel said:
How did your besan Laddoos go?
Sadly our friend who sends a box of the most fantastic ones every year sent some amaranth chikki which was meh, and some almond til gajjak which is about average and some dry, sorry looking and even sorrier tasting Laddoos that appear to be wheat.
I really miss that box of Besan Laddoos :cry:
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Very well. I made about 15 laddoos. I shared a few. The remaining I eat one a day. I also had chakli so that was good too.

Here's a pic of them before I put them in the fridge and rolling them up again. I got a good shine the second time around but didn't take a pic then.

SAVE-20201117-191216.jpg


What is gajjak? Like @sureshs - we usually make ribbon pakoda and Mysore Pak.
 
Azure said:
Very well. I made about 15 laddoos. I shared a few. The remaining I eat one a day. I also had chakli so that was good too.

Here's a pic of them before I put them in the fridge and rolling them up again. I got a good shine the second time around but didn't take a pic then.

SAVE-20201117-191216.jpg


What is gajjak? Like @sureshs - we usually make ribbon pakoda and Mysore Pak.
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You guys are in the same country but one didn't know what other's food is! I assume India is very very diverse!!!

hebbarskitchen.com

til chikki recipe | sesame chikki recipe | til ki chikki or til gajak

til chikki recipe, sesame chikki recipe, til ki chikki, til gajak with step by step photo/video. prepared during lohri festival & makara sankrathi festival
hebbarskitchen.com hebbarskitchen.com
 
Azure said:
Very well. I made about 15 laddoos. I shared a few. The remaining I eat one a day. I also had chakli so that was good too.

Here's a pic of them before I put them in the fridge and rolling them up again. I got a good shine the second time around but didn't take a pic then.

SAVE-20201117-191216.jpg


What is gajjak? Like @sureshs - we usually make ribbon pakoda and Mysore Pak.
Click to expand...

google it. Peanut sesame brittle/chikki
 
Sentinel said:
I am not sure whether "spicy food" and spices are referring to the same thing. Usually when I hear "spicy food" it refers to food with chiliies (red and green), or food that is "hot".

Spices usually (tmk) refer to things like cumin, coriander, carom seed, turmeric, fennel. Even western sources do say that some of these are digestive (e.g. fennel seeds) or reduce acidity. I've had fenugreek seeds (methi) in hot water, and carom seeds (ajwain) for the same thing.
Carom seeds can be used if one is having loose motions. The effects of turmeric are quite well known.
I don't think any of these have harmful effects and these are usually added in small quantities only. We also add a pinch of black pepper for digestive reasons in tea or food. Same for crushed or sliced ginger. Ginger is often added when cooking food that causes gas such as cauliflower. Carom seeds are often used when cooking okra and arbee (some kind of yam, I think).
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Good points. Yeah it is the chilli that causes most of the problem.

A gas inducing spice is kala namak which contains iron sulphide.

These days whenever I go to an Indian restaurant in the US and am asked mild, medium or spicy, I opt for mild.
 
Azure said:
The problem is that traditionally the food has been carefully developed along a lifestyle that helps with the lifestyle - Indian food for example is rich in carbs but for majority of an agrarian society working in the fields for 18 hours a day, the food was ok. We now live in artificial environments of 24 degree C, sedentary lifestyle and still eat the same traditional food. This is what causes most of the diseases.
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Like the "farmer" in the US who has a huge beef steak without doing the manual work his grandfather did.
 
sureshs said:
I like Indian food, but dislike it in the sense that it is unhealthy.
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Not if you really want it to. For example, nothing is healthier than adai for breakfast - a combination of pulses, millets etc or say ragi dosa or idli. If you dunk these things in half a kilo of coconut chutney then it's a problem.

Everything lies in moderation. While I like other cuisines quite a lot, I always come back to home cooked dal, subji, roti, curd rice etc. After a point I start missing the tang in indian food. This is the reason Italian or mexican food comes closer to my choice for the use of tomatoes quite copiously. I personally love thai, malay food too because of the coconut based dishes.
 
Azure said:
Not if you really want it to. For example, nothing is healthier than adai for breakfast - a combination of pulses, millets etc or say ragi dosa or idli. If you dunk these things in half a kilo of coconut chutney then it's a problem.

Everything lies in moderation. While I like other cuisines quite a lot, I always come back to home cooked dal, subji, roti, curd rice etc. After a point I start missing the tang in indian food. This is the reason Italian or mexican food comes closer to my choice for the use of tomatoes quite copiously. I personally love thai, malay food too because of the coconut based dishes.
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LOL...ewesingh the whirred “moderation” inn a tawk whiff SourFresh???
 
Azure said:
Very well. I made about 15 laddoos. I shared a few. The remaining I eat one a day. I also had chakli so that was good too.

Here's a pic of them before I put them in the fridge and rolling them up again. I got a good shine the second time around but didn't take a pic then.

SAVE-20201117-191216.jpg


What is gajjak? Like @sureshs - we usually make ribbon pakoda and Mysore Pak.
Click to expand...
You dont know what gajjak is ? It's also something made of sesame seeds and some nuts crushed or powdered. And of course loads of jaggery. It's softer than chikki and tends to be what we call "khasta" in Hindi. Crisp and flaky, I guess.
 
Sentinel said:
You dont know what gajjak is ? It's also something made of sesame seeds and some nuts crushed or powdered. And of course loads of jaggery. It's softer than chikki and tends to be what we call "khasta" in Hindi. Crisp and flaky, I guess.
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We also have sesame jaggery balls. We call it by another name I guess.
 
Sentinel said:
Wow. did not know that. I thought black salt was good. I sometimes sprinkle it on an apple to get some extra salt.
Should i avoid it ?
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It is what makes many things taste good, like aam panna (green mango drink). But smell it. It smells like fart because of the sulphides. And for me, it causes farts too. Some kind of correlation or causation I don't know.
 
Azure said:
I always come back to home cooked dal, subji, roti, curd rice etc.
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Which is exactly why the vast vast majority of people do not have them when they eat out or during festivals (they may have a little on the side for show but restaurant staples are spicy, oily, creamy food).
 
sureshs said:
It is what makes many things taste good, like aam panna (green mango drink). But smell it. It smells like fart because of the sulphides. And for me, it causes farts too. Some kind of correlation or causation I don't know.
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To me it has an eggy smell.
Never could like it. Yes, I remember teh smell of H₂S in the chemistry lab .
 
Sentinel said:
Wow. Where do you buy this?
I don't remember seeing this in Indonesia.
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We actually have some Indian grocery stores in the city which sell Indian food and spices.I never buy there because most of their goods are overpriced. Most small grocery shops have more expensive products compared to big supermarkets.
 
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