Ylang Ylang - can anyone explain the smell?

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Warning to Susie: Since you live in Texas now... when you order a chuy-changa at Chuy's, ask for no cilantro. :) I'm one of the few people that can taste the soapiness in cilantro and actually like it. Those chuy-changas have too much even for me.

As far as ylang-ylang goes, blech. It's everything I hate about floral scents combined with everything I hate about diesel engine fumes.
 
Not_ally- I would be honored to have your green chutney recipe. :) We have an Indian food restaurant that I absolutely love to go to (I always make my hubby take me there on my birthday... not that he complains, mind you because he loves it just as much as me), and in much the same way that Mexican restaurants bring out the chips and salsa as soon as you sit down, they bring out the papadum with a green chutney that I just can't seem to get enough of. It is so delicious. My hubby, son and I love, love, love all the flavors of Indian food and we often try to see if we can duplicate some of our favorite dishes from the restaurant at home. Thankfully, we live right down the street from a huge Asian market filled with food staples from all over the world, including India (my favorite aisle), which makes things easier.


IrishLass :)
 
I perceive that as smell of mold, I simply hate it, and just remember even skunk does not smell that bad as this essential oil:))
Irishlass you are very lucky that your hubby takes you to Indian restaurant, I have no one who would go with me there. My hubby is very conservative about foods, my daughter and granchild will go with me for sushi only, and my friend for the thai food. No one like the Indian cookery, except me. I even cook some meals to eat it:))
 
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An Indian food recipes thread is in order I guess:), for Dahila and others who miss out on our wonderful food just because no one joins them. I know most vegetarian recipes and if I don't, I can certainly direct you to a good source, so feel free to ask.
 
OMG, O I wish I lived near you. Obviously I am biased. But it really is one of those singular cuisines, espec. w/vegetarian food. I am a committed carnivore, but have been staying w/my mom for a couple of weeks, she cooks mostly vegetarian. I had forgotten how good vegetables could taste.
 
Funny B, that's what my carnivore guest said about vegetables. She almost exclusively ate vegetarian while she was here. Seriously Obsidian and Dahila, you need to locate your nearest Indian grocers and start making some of the most flavorful food in the world. And no, I'm not talking about chili heat as flavor but you do need to be able to take some heat and if I remember correctly O, you do like hot peppers. OK, I guess me and NA successfully derailed this thread, didn't really mean to :).
 
Okay, since we've digressed... I had something ages ago that I think was an Indian dessert. It was vaguely nutty with a crumbly, grainy, pasty texture. The Hare Krishnas brought it to a potluck (long story), but I never caught the name and have been trying to figure it out ever since. Any ideas?
 
Okay, since we've digressed... I had something ages ago that I think was an Indian dessert. It was vaguely nutty with a crumbly, grainy, pasty texture. The Hare Krishnas brought it to a potluck (long story), but I never caught the name and have been trying to figure it out ever since. Any ideas?

Badam Halwa ( almond ? Soufflé), or just semolina halwa. I like the first one better and make it all the time.
 
That is going to be a tough one, Snappyl Most Indian deserts are too sweet for white people, I am glad that you liked it. I think historically Indians could not afford to over-indulge in rich sweets, so when we do we *really* do.

But the description sort of fits a lot of them (it was a little bar, v. rich, mostly milky/creamy/nutty/rich/sweet? ) I would guess maybe something called Mysore Pak, although it could be many others. Honestly, I don't even know most of the time, when I go to my local Indian store I just point at things and say can "can I try a teeny bit of that please?"

ETA: I was so wrong! And yet so happy that I was and that V. got it. That is a good result :)
 
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Hmmm... I think we Indians indulge more in ghee sweets just looking at all the thousands of 'sweets' , different varieties in different states and even parts of different states. And since I try to make anything hubby liked, from scratch, I could tell you that weight wise the usage rate of sweetener/ amount of flour or rice or whatever is similar to the cakes I used to bake. But most are supposed to be enjoyed in small amounts, the in built serving sizes of all those sweets.
I don't really eat much of sweet stuff even when I find it yummy. Some kind of self defense I guess.
 
I'm another weirdo that doesn't much care for ylang ylang but loves cilantro. Even weirder is the fact that both of my parents think cilantro tastes like soap! I don't necessarily get the cat pee smell but more of a sickeningly sweet rotting smell . . .
 
I was born in a part of the UK which has a huge population of Indian people so there are more Indian restaurants than any other cuisine. You can't beat a fresh naan especially keema naan. And I love a Dhansak or a dopiaza. I have always wanted to try making my own paneer too.
 
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