Nepalese again today

[Tab]

Damn, that was good.

Shrimp Tarkari $10
Seasoned pieces of shrimp in a tomato based sauce and mixed with fresh fruit, herbs, and vegetables.

Doesn't sound like much, but I took a close friend and certified foodie with me. She actually graduated from CIA, but in pastry, still...

We couldn't quite figure out what exactly was in the stuff but it was delicious. We guessed cilantro, coriander, tamarind, probably as the main flavors.

Also had calamari and momos (kind of like dumplings).

Even if you ask for the shit as mild, it'll burn the roof off of your mouth. I've had it medium. I don't dare order it "spicy".

[hippywife]

1. I have yet to try Nepalese food

and I'm not holding my breath in hopes of finding any in Tulsa. :eyes:

Although I am curious to try this one soon:
http://www.ekoingdrum.com/

Doesn't seem too authentic, tho, does it? Maybe some of it as you get further down the menu list.

[Tab]

2. Yeah, I don't think Tulsa's the place

although you'd think New Hampshire wouldn't be either, but at least it's colder here.

Nepal sits on top of India, and next to China, but most of the influences seem to be, I think, Indian, and yet it's nothing like it. I mean, it's closer to Indian food than it is to Chinese, but it's its own thing. Very interesting stuff.

That African cuisine looks mighty interesting. I've only had food from that continent a few times, forgetting when I was in Morocco (top of Africa). You might be surprised to find that it's probably closer to Nepalese than one would think.

I had an absolutely wonderful dinner (and yes, I know it's not African) at an Afghani restaurant that was near where I worked. I walked by it every day, and one day got curious and looked it up - it's a totally nondescript building, and at the time we were at war with Afghanistan, which probaby didn't help things any, but god damn... that was some good stuff.

The best was this baby pumpkin creation thing with meat sauce. You have to understand that I detest smushy texture foods. Don't ask me why, but I have never been able to eat things like squash, mashed potatoes, etc. Still, I take the position that if you're at a really good restaurant (and I mean REALLY good), you should try stuff you wouldn't normally eat. That's how I got to eat the one serving of mashed potatoes in my adult life (at a different place) and here, for whatever reason, the baby pumpkin kaddo seemed intriguing. Actually I ordered it for my wife (she likes that stuff) and really figured I'd just try a bite, but damn - it was like candy.

I've made it at home too, and they actually published the recipe. I've posted it before, but I'll toss it in here anyway. And, frankly, if you forget the meat sauce (which I've never made, seemed like too much trouble), the rest is wicked easy - slice, brown, cover in sugar, bake. Nothing to it, and it tastes great.

Oh, and to be fair, this is their website: http://www.helmandrestaurantcambridge.com/home5.htm

Check out the appetizers in particular... http://www.helmandrestaurantcambridge.com/app5.htm

Kaddo browrani

2 pounds small eating pumpkins
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water

Set the oven at 350 degrees.

Cut the pumpkin into chunks. Remove the seeds and strings, peel the skin, then slice the flesh into 2-inch pieces.

In medium skillet, heat the oil and brown pumpkin pieces, turning frequently, for 5 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Transfer the pumpkin to a roasting pan. Sprinkle it with sugar and cinnamon. Cover with foil and bake the pumpkin for 30 minutes or until it is tender.

For the yogurt sauce: In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, 1 clove of the garlic, and salt. Set the sauce aside.

For the meat sauce: In a skillet, heat the oil and cook the onions until lightly browned. Add the beef, the remaining clove of garlic, salt, and pepper and stir well. Add the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes or until it cooks down to a thick sauce.

To serve: Spoon yogurt sauce onto each of 4 dinner plates. Add a wedge of pumpkin and ladle the meat sauce on top. Serves 4.

[hippywife]

3. That does sound really good.

Remind me of that recipe this fall when the small pie pumpkins are available again.

I agree that if you go to a really good restaurant and don't eat what they are known for, their signature dishes, and get a bad meal, well you pretty much asked for it, ya know?

We probably will try the African place sometime. We just don't go out often and forget that it's even there and not far from where I work. But I am gonna have to draw the line at the tripe. I used to hang out with a whole little enclave of West Africans when I was in my thirties. Food and house parties every weekend! I did manage to avoid the tripe soup.

[Tab]

4. I learned that in college

soooo many decades ago.

I never like tomatoes, or onions, or things like that as a kid (which is not unusual).

Well, in college I was helping a friend with his computer project. As a thank you, he invited me to his frat house for dinner. I'm thinking, jeez - but I wanted to be polite, and Jim (I think his name was) was a good friend, so I went.

One of the best meals in my LIFE.

This was at Hartwick College, in Oneonta, NY, in the early 1980's.

Apparently this frat house was advertising for a cook, and what they got was - and, unfortunately I forget his name, but this mid-60's+ German chef who was the former head chef at the Waldorf Astoria. He retired, and moved to Oneonta, and he just liked to cook for people. He didn't want to run a restaurant, but he liked sharing his food. So somehow, this frat snagged him.

We had prime rib, onion soup (which I previously wanted nothing to do with, but now love), some other things. I was able to hang out in the kitchen while he was putting it together, and although I was into cooking at that point, I wasn't really advanced enough yet to really take advantage of the opportunity.

Still, he had me eating things I wouldn't normally go near. Since then I've made a point that if I'm at a REALLY good restaurant, to get whatever they are offering, because it's probably nothing like I've ever had prepared for me before.

And, yes, that might even include creamed corn and "vegetable medley", but it'd have to be a hell of a restaurant.

- t

[hippywife]

5. And as far as eating back to back at the same

restaurant frequently goes, I was like that when I first tried Thai food and found a really good place when I lived up north. I bet I went there three times that first week. Then I probably went there weekly and dragged different people with me each time for the most part. The owner really loved me! LOL