114 replies to this topic

[Gautam]

Yes, go to NDTV.com Cooks videos: Khoya Chicken & Masala Bhindi episode. Excellent!

Which made me think about Suresh's excellent kitchen, Rathnaji, his experiments, and the possibility of creating another type of cooking show, out of all the ones that exist.

Kapoor: pay

NDTV: nice, too short, poor production values, compere not knowledgeable.

Here is a niche like the PBS Great Cooks series or Madeleine Kamman, or J. Pepin. I like just a few of the older ones, heavy on technique, more than talk, but with a pleasant personality as well compering the show. Not an airhead.

Take up one topic at a time, or one sub-region, to it in depth. There are enough serious people, in and out of india, plus enough sponsors, that it will work. I do remember a very old series screened on PBS that was on spices, but one which showed an actual, authentic kacchi biryani in Jaipur [or in one of Rajasthan's princely kitchens ] being done in the traditional style:  each step  carefully was recorded as it went into a huge deg. This, of course, was filmed by a foreign team.

Jim's photos of several homestyle dishes serve as an inspiration and a starting point. In fact, he would be an ideal mentor for such an effort. he knows what a foreign/US audience would need/like to see. The Indian half would know what the Indians want. There is a huge paucity of Indian food TV and a huge and growing interest in the US for the "real thing." People may not want to cook even, but they want to eat with their eyes and imaginations, travel to distant lands and cultures. This is a real business opportunity.

[jim]

I really enjoyed watching NDTV cooking shows here and there.  Suresh and I took in a couple.

The weak spot, it seems, is that "Lock, Stock and 2 Smoking Tikkas" and "Highway on my Plate" (e.g.) don't seem to use knowledgable cooks or good fact-checkers.  So there are basic mistakes and odd presentations.

Actual cooking may be beside the point, though, as you suggest.

--jim

[Gautam]

Jim,

I have access to only a very few NDTV.com Cooks, namely, Zaika India Ka [ a few episodes, Delhi, Amritsar, Varanasi, Jaipur, Mumbai] and Daavat-e-khaas, hosted by Seema Chandra.

Both have pleasant hosts, but the format is too short, and the production values, like the sound mike/quality, photography, production, an experienced producer/director, post-production editing, all need much work.

There is much they can (and should ) learn from the food TV of the US [I can only speak for this country, although I am sure Japan, UK et al. also have formidable traditions], so as not to re-invent the wheel. Even the outdoor shoots re: lightand sun angles in a subtropical land could take a pointer from the Cajun series of [I forget the name, his famous line was "I gar-ron-tee"]. Anne Willan of Look and Cook is another useful show from which to abstract hints. Natalie Dupree is a show to learn how not to do things right. Jacque Pepin, Kamman and the Great Chefs of New York, San Francisco, Chicago, all have useful hints re: photography, rewarding camera angles for viewers and chefs in a busy kitchen, nature of close -up shooting of technique etc.

Seema does this at times with Chef Suleiman at DumPukht in the Nihari Gosht episode, or with Chef Marroof Sikka with Chicken Khurchan. here lots of things really gel: expert chefs who are at ease with their subject and are born teachers IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA . Good camera angles and sound, taking the time to show the whole process: excellent!

Successes like this need to be built upon, improved. I feel that in Indian TV, not much stress is paid to food TV, because it may not be seen as a major revenue stream, so it is merely an adjunct. With time and effort and upstairs management commitment, inherent talents could be grown. India is such a treasure trove of the exciting and the regional/ethnic that enticing subject matter will not be hard to find, hence ad revenue not hard to attract.

For instance, Seema takes us to an elderly man who is the lineal descendant of Shah Jehan's cook. He demonstares his ways of doing a korma and a biryani.

There is a strong NGO movement catologuing the foodways of the Nizamuddin area women, a booklet having been published of their unique recipes. Now this could become an interesting 2 hour long series, not just food and cooking, but what that NGO is trying to achieve. Several funding streams besides advertisers might be available. These sorts of innovative approaches might usher in ways to mature food TV to a serious genre in India.

[Gautam]

Discovered a real treasure from Andhra Pradesh, just after I was crushed to learn that Pujita was already taken!!!

Sanjay Thumma, the Vah-Chef, at VahRehVah.com. The gentleman is not only a livewire but the real deal. Why? Watch his Hyderabad Mutton Biryani, the last 5 minutes, and report back your impressions. I was totally blown away by this one fact!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't normally expend so many exclamation marks without just cause, so come back and tell me about what aspect exactly  I am raving. Note that i am not overfond of Hyd. Biryani, because for me "Indian" notes like turmeric, chillies and cilantro in biryani spoil the effect, as also the lack of kewra.

Good production values, open access, very enthusiatic and personable, expert host. Very doable recipes. His aim is to help people to cook better. Shouldn't there be an invitation for him to visit GI?

[Sekhar]

Gautam, on 10 Dec.  2007, 12:48, said:

Discovered a real treasure from Andhra Pradesh, just after I was crushed to learn that Pujita was already taken!!!

Gautam da gaaru, Pujita evarandi?  

For me Bapu is the only one who can translate 100% Andhra into a painting, well, drawing:

Quote

"If there is one artist who vividly captures the telugu culture, life, ethos and charm of myriad moods of characters from epics or day to day life, it is Bapu. His works are nothing but treasure trove of telugu culture that are to be preserved for posterity". His paintings sway the hearts for generations .Since 1945 he has been doing story illustrations, cartoons, comic strips and cover designs for telugu magazines. Bapu has devoted his life to pursue his passion for creativity.

http://www.bapubomma.com



More off topic but watch a sample of Bapu's talent as a movie director:

[Gautam]

Sekhar Anna,

You have your eyes directed in the wrong plane. I was merely admiring the spirit of the lady, her personality if you will, as all readers of Playboy will adamantly aver. The spirit dwells INSIDE the heart, Anna! You should take up plant anatomy in your spare time!

And Vandanaji should question you, how come you picked that particular cartoon, out of so many in God's green earth?

And you never answered my real on-topic question: what element in the Hyderabad Mutton Biryani show impressed me very much about Sanjay Thumma?

Technically also, it was excellent and valuable, the best biryani pedagogy I have ever seen on video.

[Sekhar]

Gautam, on 10 Dec.  2007, 1:56, said:

And Vandanaji should question you, how come you picked that particular cartoon, out of so many in God's green earth?

But, who is Pujita?  

As for the cartoon, it's hot, like in Avakaya, right?  

Bland dal with only green chillies and garlic, (baghar with dry red chillies, mustard seeds, few jeera seeds - optional), steaming hot rice with a dollop of ghee on it and Avakaya = Heaven.

Cartoon or no cartoon.

Essential Andhra (not Telangana):
Curd + rice + Avakaya
Rice + Gongura pickle

[Sekhar]

Quote

And you never answered my real on-topic question: what element in the Hyderabad Mutton Biryani show impressed me very much about Sanjay Thumma?

Da, I'll watch it in a bit.

I found the show and started watching it but there seems to be a problem with the site (or perhaps my computer), the video keeps repeating every 20 seconds or so....

We (rather Vandana) made some Fish Biryani yesterday from a recipe we found on the www.

The fish was a 'Basa'.

Apparently it's a pretty important fish, vital to even trade between the countries of Vietnam and US of A, as I humbly understood from Chowhound etc. :0

There was a critical error in the 'dum' phase IMHO, we should have  done some indirect dum (place the dish in another thick bottomed  utensil - etc.) ,or finish it in the oven. The fish stuck, mildly charred to the bottom of the heavy pressure cooker that was used. Thereby rendering it unsuitable for a picture session....

Vandana made our house recipe Chepala Pulusu with the balance Basa. Superb!

I will post a picture or two in a while.

I do need to cook in Chef. Thumma(definitely an AP name)'s method and see what I like or not about it.

Luck has it that I do have some good Mutton (goat?) meat in the freezer. Will do it in a day or two.  

[Gautam]

Anna,

As to who Pujita is, I guess Suresh used his editorial discretion to remove an interesting item from Renuka Chaudhuri's biography that i had posted, wherein you would have learnt the reason behind my heavy heart. For visuals and more importantly,  on-topic about Andhra cooking, which masterji probably not object to:

ndtv cooks


Go to "COOKS": Scroll down to:

Khoya Chicken, Crispy Andhra Bhindi Published On: [May 13, 2007]

[Sekhar]

Wah-re-wah Gautam da!

I made it a point to watch his "Anda Burji". Pro he is..  

[Suresh Hinduja]

Before we get ahead of ourselves take a look at this:

Plagiarism

[Suresh Hinduja]

Plagiarism discussion moved here

[Gautam]

Jim,

First prize to you: the man actually wept after he plated the mutton biryani and had to excuse himslef to go off camera for a second. I thought that this was Sekhar's soul brother, mine too, yours as well. Someone who would actually cry, at the "incredible perfectness of being Biryani".

So hunting for natural born cooking teachers, those who are ease in front of a camera and who also know what they are doing, in a couple of days I came up with a rich haul.

The surprise was the huge potential in the amateur Andhra mother and daughter team, Renuka and Pujita (nee) Chaudhury. Not everyone can be comfortable in front of cameras and cook with some facility and communicate the joy of cooking and educate as well. This pair would wipe the floor with the competition should they ever decide to do something as declasse (for them) as teach Indian regional cuisine on TV.


The lady named Manjula has a deadpan expression but a wicked, self-deprecating sense of humor: she included a snippet of her as a young actress; hilarious, poking sly fun at herself on 2 levels at least, 1. she was tres slim and gorgeous; 2. that episode had to be one everyone else would have killed to hide, thermonuclear weapons even! Jim, youse gotta watch it.

[jim]

Quote

Jim,

First prize to you:

Do I win lessons?

--jim

[Gautam]

Watch the saag paneer show and  take a guess.

A Clackamas equivalent is yours, chagrined though you be.

[jim]

On second thought, I want a wheelbarrow full of diamonds.

--jim

[Gautam]

Take the sag, Jim, it improves with age.

[Suresh Hinduja]

Made Gutti Venkaya for lunch today. Should have added more tamarind.

[Gautam]

To the Ustad banne Nawab from H'bad

It seems there is an interesting store with the same name in Atlanta, GA, selling packaged spices. What gives?

http://www.bannenawab.com/index.php

http://www.bannenawab.com/stores.php

[Sekhar]

Who me  :0      ??    But I'm neither, Ustaad nor Nawab...  

I'll answer anyway...

Last shopping visit to Atlanta about a month ago, I picked up a pack of the Chicken Biryani and Mutton Biryani masalas each. We cooked the mutton biryani and I found that the procedure has more steps and is also very different to the other masala mixes, such as Shan, that we have used. The 'dum' is on indirect heat, placing the main dish on a thick tava/wok per the instructions. Also, they had a seperate packet of whole garam masala, to be used while semi cooking the rice....

Incidentally the cooking directions dont come in detail on the box, they have a leaflet in in the box.

I would say, the end results tasted pretty authentic.

I'm going to get a pack of their Apollo Fish next visit.