#india sweet and spices

[storiesfromthegrave]

Rish Shah in India Sweet and Spices (2021)

[crazyrichxplainr]

Rish Shah for GQ Hype (ph: Sophie Ozera)

[fieriframes]

[AMIT PAUL: All the spices come from India. Do you have enough? You only have, like, 80 over there.]

[smilewidritz]

ASIAN RECIPE

Asian recipes are renowned for their diverse flavors, vibrant colors, and rich cultural heritage. From the fragrant curries of India to the delicate sushi of Japan, Asian cuisine offers a delightful array of tastes that captivate the senses. The use of fresh herbs, spices, and a harmonious blend of sweet, sour, salty, and umami flavors defines the essence of Asian cooking. Each region boasts its unique culinary traditions, with staple ingredients like rice, noodles, and tofu taking center stage in many dishes.

[shree-1r]

[deepkiasharni]

Tadka Rava Idli Recipe | Instant Rava Idli | Soft and Fluffy Rava Idli

नमस्ते 🙏🏻, आज हम आपके लिए लेकर आए हैं झटपट बनने वाली रवा इडली रेसिपी। रवा इडली बच्चों के लिए बहुत पोष्टिक होती है । इसे आप किसी भी टाइम बना सकते है , बच्चों के टिफीन में या नाश्ते या लंच या डिनर में। बहुत टेस्टी लगती है। इस रवा इडली को हमने और पौष्टिक बनने के लिए चना दाल, काजू और करी पत्ता डाला है वो भी तिल के तेल में पका कर। आशा है आपको पसंद आएगी।

[smallgodseries]

People assume she’s a newcomer, a fad, a frivolous flash in the pan.  But she was there when the first pumpkin pies were being baked; she was there when the first colonist cookbook was published, in 1769.  She was there when the British raided the rest of the world for flavors they could steal, and while her appearance may be sweet and adorable, her hooves are soaked in the blood of empire, for without conquest, she could never have been born.

But people, unwilling to consider the structure beneath the surface, look at her and see only big eyes, a flowing mane, a coat as soft as silk and as dark as midnight, and they mock her adherents, call them “basic” as if anything could be considered truly basic when it had been built through so many crimes.

Every piece of her was stolen.  Every pinch and particle was the subject of a terrible war.  The price of cinnamon is slaughter.  The fee for nutmeg is subjugation.  And now we serve her sacraments with whipped cream and sugar sprinkles, as if both those things had not also been stolen at some point, as if a foamy cloud could somehow clean the blood from those long lashes.

In these modern days, her most common manifestation is blended with sweet cream and coffee—a drink that has many gods of its own, that has sparked even more wars than her cinnamon pungency.  But for most of her time, she has been carried in the pie.

Pumpkin pie.  The ultimate jewel in the crown of colonialism.  Cooking techniques from Europe, spices stolen from India, Asia, and the Middle East, and a vegetable crown taken from the Americas, sliced and mashed and mixed until its wildness is lost, subsumed into custardy blandness, become one with the melting pot.

She’s not a newcomer.  And she’s not nice, either, and so few of those who worship her understand, anymore, that she’s not a god of whimsy or basic delights.

She is, now and always, a god of war.

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

i explain india but i'm drunk.

Hello maggots of mine you're all such babygirls and bastards just like Aziraphale and Crowley. I'm so proud of you all for existing. Yes i'm a wholesome drunk you now know this about me. The wine tastes like rotten grapes and smells of battery acid and cost 245 rupees INR. Speaking of INR, thanks to a maggot's ask, I'm here to explain India. I've never set foot outside of this country. But I'm also very very shit at general knowledge.

To any non-Indians reading this, this is a totally legit 1000% everything covered all-inclusive summary. To any Indians reading this, I'm so so fucking sorry.

India, explained.

So there's south india and there's north india and there's north east india. north india is very racist about south india and they're both very racist about north east india. Most of these people are also probably racist either to other countries or they have internalised racism. It's a wild trip.

There are. A lot of languages here. And a LOT of scripts. I can read two scripts, understand four Indian languages and speak in two of them (badly), and those two are not my native tongues. I cannot speak in my native tongues. It's basically English at this point. These aren't dialects, those are separate. Picture like, Europe, but more, in terms of how many languages.

Everyone hates each other which is valid for the entire planet honestly.

In south india we have a lot of coconuts. Like a lot. There are so many coconuts you have no fucking idea guys you cannot escape the coconuts. I was nearly killed by a shower of coconuts when I was 5 I escaped by one second.

There are also cows. People will tell you that you are being racist when you say India has cows everywhere. But it's true. Two weeks ago I had the pleasure to be stuck in a traffic jam. Next to the street barrier thing (what divides a street im too drunk for this) I saw a huge bull fucking HUMPING a cow. The vehicles just had to move around them. They were having sex right there.

If you're a middle class Indian kid, your career options are: doctor, engineer, scientist, CA, lawyer, government official or family disappointment.

Needless to say, I was going to be doctor and am now instead family disappointment. I'm babygirling so hard it's insane. The prodigal son.

It's very ace-friendly and heterophobic in the sense that you are not supposed to be exhibiting any sexuality whatever in a respectable household. Just shut up and give virgin birth already. But be married. That's crucial.

Oh yeah gay marriage isn't legal trans people are constantly othered by society and/or given no respect whatsover and we're just all vibing here this is totally not why I'm finishing a small bottle of cheap wine on a thursday past midnight alone in my room.

Foreigners are like a zoo species you see them you're instantly concerned like what are they doing outside the TV screens and then either people are normal (rarely), they run up and take photos or try to slip into conversation (more often than you'd think, even I've been guilty of the conversation thing as a kid) OR they start talking about how 'this western culture is ruining our culture'. Which is fair but honestly both the 'cultures' these people are talking about usually involve incredible amounts of bigotry and are more similar than they think.

I think the lesson here is that humans just suck as a species. Except for you maggots. I love you all and I will defend you with my life.

THE CHAAT. THE CHAAT IS INSANELY AMAZING. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CHAAT. I HAVE NO SPICE TOLERANCE SO I HAVE TO BEG ON MY KNEES FOR THE SPICES TO BE REDUCED BUT STILL. THE CHAAT. THE CHAAT, YOU GUYS. YOU NEED IT.

Sorry yes I'm normal. ALSO THE STREET DOGS. THE INDIES. THEY'RE SO LOVELY AND SWEET AND CHAOTIC AND I KEEP TALKING TO THEM. Once when I was crying I made the dog distress while and like five dogs that I didn't know came running to me and comforted me and licked me.

INDIAN DANCE MUSIC. I FUCKING LOVE IT IT'S INSANE. My family were elitist as fuck so I never got to listen to Bollywood music as a kid but it's AMAZING I'm so glad it exists. Bhangra too.

Beaches very very pretty hills very very pretty honestly the nature is fucking beautiful if you can just quickly pretend humans don't exist, which again is true of this entire planet. Yeah. Okay I'm so fucking drunk.

Yeah lots of diversity which is very nice when the humans aren't screaming at each other about it but the rest of the time it's very nice

The garbage and sewer stories? yeah they're all true im sorry

Traffic rules more like traffic suggestions amirite

Well, we still have far better healthcare access than america. so. there is that.

If you speak English well you'll be mocked and isolated. If you speak English poorly you'll be mocked and isolated. Honestly, just be rich. That'll fix it all.

All the conservatives hate each other and don't realise they're the exact same but in like different flavours.

Oh yeah we have auto rickshaws. Look them up. They're so much better than cars I don't get motion sick as easily in them. But the drivers all hate you and never want to take you anywhere.

Eyyyyyyyyyy it's so fucking fun here *drinsk more alcohol* I am so fucking not looking forward to college.

Please someone crowdfund me out of here let's all go chill in Alpha Centauri I've heard it's nice this time of the year.

I will, however, miss the casual live cow pornos. A true highlight.

[I got this peer-reviewed by my friend in India's top law school, just in case, because I'm too drunk and generally dumb. They say I will not be killed. And they've been on Twitter so.]

Irrefutable legal proof y'all. I don't mean to offend anyone except bigots. Fuck you, bigots, if you're not offended then I've disappointed my community.

[the-forest-library]

November 2024 Reads

In Memoriam - Alice Winn

A Sorceress Comes to Call - T. Kingfisher

Graveyard Shift - M.L. Rio

Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen

A Curious Beginning - Deanna Raybourn

The Empress of Salt and Fortune - Nghi Vo

Bride - Ali Hazelwood

The Fifth Elephant - Terry Pratchett

Pony Confidential - Christina Lynch

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love - India Holton

Here We Go Again - Alison Cochrun

One Last Shot - Betty Cayouette

Under Your Spell - Laura Wood

The Love of My Afterlife - Kristy Greenwood

This Summer Will Be Different - Carley Fortune

Savor It - Tarah DeWitt

Kiss Me at Christmas - Jenny Bayliss

Christmas Is All Around - Martha Waters

XOXO - Axie Oh

Killing November - Adriana Mather

Miracles on Maple Hill - Virginia Sorensen

The Miraculous Life of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo

Because of Winn Dixie - Kate DiCamillo

Thunder Pug - Kim Norman

Stringbean's Trip to the Shining Sea - Vera B. Williams

Dr Seuss's Sleep Book - Dr Seuss

Leap - Simina Popescu

Uprooted - Ruth Chan

Taxi Ghost - Sophie Escabasse

They Called Us Enemy - George Takei

I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together - Maurice Vellekoop

Adulthood is a Gift - Sarah Andersen

Joyful Recollections of Trauma - Paul Scheer

The Deaf Girl - Abigail Heringer

True Gretch - Gretchen Whitmer

Growing Up Urkel - Jaleel White

How to Know a Person - David Brooks

The Expectation Effect - David Robson

Glory Days - L. Ron Wertheim

Democracy Awakening - Heather Cox Richardson

The Sleeping Beauties - Suzanne O'Sullivan

What It Takes to Heal - Prentis Hemphill

Vanishing Treasures - Katherine Rundell

Noodles, Rice, and Everything Spice - Christina De Witte and Mallika Kauppinen

Appetites - Anthony Bourdain

Bold = Highly Recommend

Italics = Worth It

Crossed Out = Nope

Thoughts: Please read In Memoriam if you haven't yet. It's sweeping and sad and sweet and very satisfying. The audiobook is lovely and does some interesting things with the narration.

Goodreads Goal: 414/400 

2017 Reads | 2018 Reads | 2019 Reads | 2020 Reads | 2021 Reads| 2022 Reads | 2023 Reads | 2024 Reads

[storiesfromthegrave]

Sophia Ali and Rish Shah in India Sweet and Spices (2021)

[najia-cooks]

Cranberry chutney

Sweet, tart, jammy cranberries evolve into the subtle aromatics of cumin, mustard, and bay leaf before rounding off into a smooth, even chili heat in this Anglo-Indian-style chutney. It's excellent in place of cranberry sauce on all kinds of roasts, meat pies, flatbreads, sandwiches, and charcuterie boards.

The cooked fruit-and-vinegar chutneys made by English cooks during the British colonization of India were inspired by the fresh and pickled Indian condiments that English traders and soldiers—including those in the East India Company's military arm—had acquired a taste for, but substituted locally familiar produce and cooking methods for Indian ones. "Indian" recipes began appearing in English cookbooks in the mid-18th century, inspiring and fulfilling a desire for the exotic and, effectively, advertising colonial goods. The domestic kitchen thus became a productive site for the creation and negotiation of colonial ideology: the average English housekeeper could feel a sense of ownership over India and its cultural and material products, and a sense of connection to the colonial endeavor desite physical distance.

This sauce, centered around a tart fruit that is simmered with sugar and savory aromatics and spices, is similar in composition to an Anglo-Indian chutney, but some Indian pantry staples that British recipes tend to substitute or remove (such as jaggery, bay leaf, and mustard oil) have been imported back in. The result is a pungent, spicy, deeply sweet, slightly sour topping that's good at cutting through rich, fatty, or starchy foods.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried cranberries (krainaberee), or 1 cup fresh or frozen

5 curry leaves (kari patta), or 1 Indian bay leaf (tej patta)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds (rai)

3 Tbsp jaggery (gur / gud)

1-3 small red chili peppers (kali mirch), to taste

1/2” chunk (5g) ginger (adarakh), peeled

1 clove garlic (lahsun)

1/2 red onion (pyaaj) or 1 shallot

1 Tbsp mustard oil (sarson ke tel)

1/3 cup (80 mL) water

Pinch black salt (kala namak)

Curry leaves can be purchased fresh at a South Asian grocery store. If you can't find any, Indian bay leaves can be used as a substitute (the flavor isn't per se similar, but it would also be appropriate in this dish). Indian bay leaves are distinct from Turkish or California laurel bay leaves and have a different taste and fragrance. They will be labelled “tej patta” in an Asian or halaal grocery store, and have three vertical lines running along them from root to tip, rather than radiating out diagonally from a central vein.

Instructions:

1. Pound onion, garlic, ginger, and chili to a paste in a mortar and pestle; or, use a food processor.

2. In a thick-bottomed pot, heat mustard oil on medium. Add curry leaves or tej patta and fry until fragrant.

3. Add cumin and mustard seed and fry another 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant and popping.

4. Lower heat to low. Add aromatic paste and fry, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

5. Add cranberries, jaggery, black salt, and water. Raise heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring often, until thick and jammy. Remove from heat a bit before it reaches your desired consistency, since it will continue to thicken as it cools.

Store in a jar in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

[whencyclopedia]

Portuguese Brazil

With a wealth of natural resources, Brazil was by far the most important colony in the Portuguese empire and was, at one time or another, the world’s leading producer of sugar, diamonds, and tobacco. Colonised from the 1530s, most settlements were coastal towns until the interior was exploited bringing further conflict with the Amerindians.

Importing a massive number of slaves from Africa, Brazilian society became multicultural but remained dominated by white Europeans. The colony was repeatedly threatened militarily and commercially by the French, Dutch, and British, but Portugal held on to its jewel in the colonial crown until Brazil achieved independence in 1822.

Europe Discovers Brazil

Vasco da Gama (c. 1469-1524) famously sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and on to India in 1497-1499, giving the Portuguese access to the spice trade of the East. The Portuguese followed this up by creating an empire of trading ports that went from East Africa to Japan. One of the by-products of da Gama’s epic voyage was significant for Brazil on the other side of the world. Da Gama had pioneered a new route to sail down the Atlantic Ocean to gain favourable winds. It was a risky strategy that involved sailing far out into the mid-Atlantic. When Pedro Álvares Cabral set off to repeat da Gama’s feat in March 1500, he sailed too far west and accidentally 'discovered' Brazil (although the visit may have been planned by the ever-secretive Portuguese). Cabral stayed eight days at Baia Cabrália where he met Amerindians. A Spanish sailor, Vicente Yáñez Pinzón had perhaps been the first European to sight the Brazilian coast the year before, but it is not clear where exactly he went. In any case, it was the Portuguese who claimed Brazil for their own because, as had been agreed with Spain in the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas, it was within their sphere of influence. A second Portuguese expedition, led by Gonçalo Coelho, explored the Brazilian coast in more detail in 1501. Another famous explorer, the Florentine Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512), visited in 1502, and he gives the following description:

This land is very delightful, and covered with an infinite number of green trees and very big ones which never lose their foliage, and through the year yield the sweetest aromatic perfumes and produce an infinite variety of fruit, gratifying to the taste and healthful to the body…and the fields produce herbs and flowers and many sweet and good roots, which are so marvelous…that I fancied myself to be near the terrestrial paradise.

(98)

The name Brazil, which first appears on maps from 1511, may derive from 'Bresel wood' which was a popular hardwood of reddish colour exported from India to Europe in the Middle Ages. A similar type of wood was common in the forests of Brazil. Alternatively, the source may be brasa, the Portuguese name for this dark redwood and its dye which means 'glowing coal'. One of the early successful exports from Brazil was these hardwoods, used in everything from ships to violins. This timber attracted private Portuguese traders to Brazil from 1502 who established the first trading station (feitoria) north of Rio de Janeiro.

In 1511 the Portuguese Crown, wary of interest from Spain, made an official but secretive move on Brazil. João de Lisboa and Estêvão Froes commanded two caravel ships which explored the Brazilian coast. Spain sent a fleet to do the same in 1515. Both nations were looking for a route around the southern tip of the Americas and access to Asia. The Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (c. 1480-1521), in the service of Spain, was the first to achieve that feat on his 1519-22 expedition that circumnavigated the globe. Spain may have gained access to the Pacific Ocean, but it was Portugal that got to work on colonizing Brazil.

Continue reading...

[madnessatdawn]

Choose a Candy with AVENGEANCE!

A few months back I did a poll and all it said was choose a candy. I decided today I would remake this poll with a brief description and where it orginates from and also prove to the people from the last poll that no I didn't MAKE UP any of these damn candies.

YOU THOUGHT I WAS DONE NO!

CANDY BE UPON YE!!!!!

[deepkiasharni]

6 easy diwali snacks recipe || Diwali recipes || Diwali snacks || Diwali sweets

6 easy recipes you can prepare still on Diwali day using less ingredients and within few minutes.

[easybrainrot34]

✈️ Colin Bridgerton Headcanons ✈️

This was requested by this lovely anon!! This is my first request so thank you for writing in! It would’ve come out sooner, but i currently have a mean tooth infection, nevertheless, the show must go on! Heads up, third one is a hint of spice. Hope u enjoy☺️

Characters mentioned : Gregory, Anthony, Benedict, Daphne, Edmund, Violet, Penelope, Debling, and Eloise

🎻= regency era

🧳= modern au

🧳🎻= either

Ps my request r open :)

🧳🎻 I think he has a very realistic view on his brothers. I think he use to blindly look up to them just bc they were his older brothers, but as time has passed he definitely sees and recognizes that they both have some decent flaws. However, he really wants Gregory to look up to him the most. I don’t think he would ever admit it to anyone, but i feel like he could think a little higher of himself (not in a bad way at all) therefor he thinks he’s led the best example for how a man should be to Gregory.

🧳🎻 He gives off shy kid vibes. Like between the ages of 4-10 he was pretty shy only having like two friends. I feel like Ben specifically found this a little concerning bc he didn’t want him to have issues in school and life in general, so together they worked really hard on getting him to not only have more confidence in himself but actually practiced having convos. I also feel like once he got to the “interested in dating people” age Daphne and Ben tried their best to tech him to talk aka flirt with people.

🧳 (Lil spicy) Had a hoe phase in college. People are always shocked about how high his body count is (20+) but he was never a douche bag to anyone he’s hooked up with. I feel like when Anthony and Benedict found out on one of the weekly boys nights they have, Ben was proud and Anthony was a little shook. Anthony made him swear up and down he always wore a condom and then congratulated him lol.

🧳 Staying on the college root, he definitely gives off world history major vibes. He def was a foreign exchange student in high school (secondary school for the brit’s out there lol) and studied a couple semesters abroad in college. Specifically went to France in high school, then America, Italy, Spain, and India in college. He also makes it a point to travel every summer. I feel like he would definitely end up as a teacher of some sort tho. Like he’s definitely the cool history teacher everyone loves. Also hes definitely that teacher that gets side tracked easily if u ask him about his time abroad.

🧳 Definitely has more girl friends than guy friends, but not super imbalanced. He just gives was invited to the girls night out vibes. (I have a headcanon that i already wrote that i would definitely add Colin too). He definitely has his Boyz™️ that he hangs with all the time, but he knows they can be a little much, so i feel like when he wants to be social but have a relaxed time he hangs with the girlies. Idk colin just gives friends with everyone vibes.

🧳 I think Colin has diagnosed anxiety, and once he learned that he became more educated and aware of mental health. I feel like he started getting panic attacks shortly after Edmund died (he was 12 yrs old if i did my math right lol) but didn’t want anyone to worry about him so he just kinda dealt with it and kinda got to a point where he thought it was normal. It came up randomly in a convo with Daphne, Ben, and Violet that he gets them but at this point he didn’t get what the big deal was. I feel like these 3 took it seriously and once he got diagnosed he put work into researching how to understand mental health issues more.

🧳🎻 He LOVES to plan dates. His go to is always dinner at a nice restaurant then a show of some kind. Play, musical, movie out, doesn’t really matter to him. He enjoys a night in, sure, but what he really loves is showing you off. He’s proud to have you as his (not in a possessive creepy way, in a sweet way) and wants to show you off.

🧳 Colin is a little bit of a jealous type. We see it in the show when Pen is being courted by Debling. However, i feel like when he’s in a relationship, he completely trust his partner. If he sees someone flirting with you he will let them flirt but he will definitely swoop in with a little hey babe and a forehead kiss lol. If someone try’s to flirt with him tho, he will just start gushing about his amazing partner. I’m talking putting out the Lock Screen and going “ya look how cute WE are”. Once y’all are married tho he NEVER takes off the wedding ring.

🧳 I feel like he has a decent following on Insta and TikTok 😂😂😂. Not like influencer numbers but like 6k on instagram and 9k on TikTok. He definitely post all his travel stuff on Insta and does like little OOTDs on TikTok. Colin gives very much “gives a fuck about how he looks” vibes so i feel like he knows the fashion trends on TikTok. His “aesthetic” is like hipster mixed with old money (bc he is in fact, old money lol). Also yes, he recognizes he gets thirst comments and will play into just a little, but once hes taken he would comment “ my partner thinks so too :)”

🧳 Colin has secret tattoos. Like his friends know but he didn’t tell his family for a minute bc he knows it would become a thing lol. They r all small and in places he can cover up (shoulder, thigh, and one on his wrist he covers up with his watch) but one day he got a little careless at the beach and let them show. I feel like Violet had a “what did u do to your beautiful body??!!” mom moment, Anthony was pissed bc he didn’t tell him, Ben laughed his ass off, and Eloise congratulated him on doing something “actually risky” for once. I feel like after the initial shock everyone really likes them and he goes out and gets more in public places.

! Bonus One !

He still sleeps with his childhood stuffed animal lmfao like it’s a cute little elephant his mom and dad got him. He has had to do many repairs on it over the years lol