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    • March 5, 2013 4:55 PM CST
    • Goat Cheese Dressing:

      4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
      2 tablespoons buttermilk
      1 teaspoon honey
      1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
      2 tablespoons olive oil
      1/4 teaspoon white pepper
      Pinch salt
      1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

      For a bit of heat, sprinkle cayenne pepper into it.

    • March 5, 2013 2:39 PM CST
    • Chickpea, Potato, and Cabbage Curry
      from Madhur Jaffrey

      1 cup dried garbanzo beans
      1 cup chunked onion
      4 garlic cloves
      1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/4 fresh habaneros or 1/4 fresh scotch bonnet pepper, to taste
      2 tablespoons oil
      1 tablespoon hot curry powder (to taste)
      1 teaspoon dry roasted and ground cumin or 1 teaspoon just cumin powder
      1 lb potato, peel and cube
      1 -2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
      4 1/2 cups cabbage, chunks

      Directions:

      Soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover. Drain, recover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until very tender. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. Add enough water to the reserved cooking liquid to equal 2 1/2 cups.

      Put the onion, garlic, peppers and 1/4 cup of water in a blender and process until smooth. You can always add more pepper in the end, but you can't take it away.

      Heat the oil over a medium high heat. Put in the onion paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

      Reduce the heat to medium low, then cover and continue cooking the paste. for another 2-3 minutes. Stir it frequently just to prevent sticking, and keep it covered between stirs.

      Add the curry powder and the cumin, stir.

      Add the chickpeas, potatoes, the lesser amount of salt, and the reserved chickpea cooking liquid.

      Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cover. Cook gently, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are done to your tastes, 20 - 25 minutes.

      Add in the cabbage and an additional 1/2 - 1 cup of hot water. Bring back to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes, or until the cabbage is just softened. Do not over cook the cabbage.

    • March 5, 2013 2:24 PM CST
    • Parveen Haroon's Black eyed Beans with Spinach and Dill
      From Pakistan

      From Madhur Jaffrey's "From Curries to Kebabs: Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail." Clarkson Potter 2003.

      1 cup dried black-eyed peas
      1 3/4 teaspoons salt
      3 Tablespoons corn or peanut oil
      1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
      1 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
      4 cloves garlic, chopped
      15-20 fresh curry leaves, if available (I used 8 or so dried)
      1 pound spinach, washed, finely chopped, and left to drain in a colander (I used one bunch, probably half a pound)
      7-8 Tablespoons very finely chopped fresh dill
      6 Tablespoons plain yoghurt (I used about 4 Tablespoons milk)

      1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons coarsely ground, pure chili powder (gochu karu!)
      1 dried lime or 1 fresh lime or 1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

      Cover the beans generously with water and leave to soak overnight. Drain them the next day, put in a pan with 4 cups of fresh water, and bring to a simmer. Partially cover with a lid, and cook for 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender (mine took 2 hours). Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt.

      Pour the oil into a large pan or wok and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the garlic and curry leaves. Stir once, then add the spinach and dill. Stir and cook until most of the liquid in the spinach is absorbed. Reduce the heat to low and add 1 1/2 cups of water, the chili powder, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir. If using a dried lime, crack the lime and take out the dried black pulp. Remove any seeds and crush the pulp. Add it to the spinach. Now pour the contents of the spinach pan into the pan containing the beans. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Serve with tomato-garlic rice (separate recipe).

    • March 5, 2013 2:21 PM CST
    • Cilantro Curry

      Feel free to add some plain yogurt.

      Ingredients:

      1 big bunch of chopped Cilantro (green coriander)
      3 green chopped chilies
      3 tablespoons of lemon juice
      1/2 inch ginger
      1 1/2 teaspoon salt
      1 teaspoon cumin seeds
      1 teaspoon oil
      1 teaspoon sugar
      Pinch of asafetida (hing)

      Method:

      Blend all ingredients, except the cilantro, into a paste.
      Add the cilantro, a little at a time, and blend. If needed, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. The water will help in blending.
      Blend well and add more salt, green chilies, or lemon juice to taste.

    • March 5, 2013 2:14 PM CST
    • Hyderabadi Minced Lamb with Orange

      - Madhur Jaffrey, The Ultimate Curry Bible

      Ingredients:

      1 large orange
      1 tsp ground turmeric
      1 tsp salt
      3 tbsp corn or peanut oil
      2 medium onions, peeled & sliced into fine half rings
      2 tsp ground cumin
      1 tbsp ground coriander
      4 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
      2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated
      4 tbsp natural yoghurt
      900g minced lamb
      0.5 tsp ground turmeric
      0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
      250 ml fresh orange juice
      1.5 tsp salt
      1-3 fresh hot green chillies, sliced into very fine rounds
      30 g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
      30 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
      1 tsp garam masala

      Peel off the orange rind, making sure to leave the white pith behind. Cut the rind into very fine 1-inch long julienne strips.

      Combine the turmeric and salt with 1.5 litres of water in a pan and bring to the boil. Pour half into a measuring jug and reserve. Add the rind to the boiling liquid in the pan and boil rapidly for 1 minute. Empty the pan through a sieve and set over the sink. Pour the reserved turmeric water back into the pan and bring back to the boil. Put the rind back into the pan and boil again for a minute, then again strain through the sieve set over the sink. Rinse the rind under cold running water and set aside.

      Pour the oil into a large non-stick lidded pan set over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, stir in the onions and fry for 6-7 minutes or until reddish-brown.

      Add the cumin and coriander and stir for 30 seconds.

      Add the ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for a minute.

      Add the yoghurt, a tablespoon at a time, and stir it in, making sure it absorbed before adding more.

      Put in the meat, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking up all the lumps in the meat. Add the orange juice, orange rind and salt. Stir and bring to a simmer.

      Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 40 minutes. Add the chillies, coriander, mint and garam masala. Stir to mix. Cover and continue to cook gently for a further 10 minutes.

    • March 5, 2013 2:10 PM CST
    • Manjula Gokal's Gujarati Mango Soup

      Ingredients

      2 tablespoons chickpea flour (see note)
      1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
      3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
      3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
      1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
      3 cups canned Alphonso mango pulp (sweetened), preferably Ratna brand
      1 1/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
      1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
      2 bird's-eye chilies, with small slits
      2 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
      Generous pinch ground asafetida
      1/2 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
      1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
      2 whole hot dried red chilies
      1/8 teaspoon whole fenugreek seeds
      10 to 15 fresh curry leaves, if available

      Preparation

      Put the chickpea flour, turmeric, cumin and coriander in a bowl. Very slowly stir in 1/2 cup water until no lumps are left. Whisk in the yogurt, mango and 2 cups water. Add the salt, sugar and bird's-eye chilies. Mix well.

      Pour the oil into a heavy, medium pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the asafetida and then, in quick succession, the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried chilies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Remove from heat and stir in the mango mixture. Place over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

      Stir the soup and reheat it gently. Strain through a coarse strainer. Spoon out some of the smaller seeds from the strainer and stir them back into the soup.

    • March 3, 2013 5:21 PM CST
    • Shahi Paneer (Cheese) recipe

      Ingredients:

      • Paneer 250 gms (cut into small cubes) see note below to make
      • Ghee or butter 2 tbsp
      • Onion 1 chopped into strips
      • Ginger 1/2" piece
      • Green chillis 3 finely cut
      • Tomatoes 2 chopped
      • Cardamoms 2
      • Curd 1/4 cup beaten
      • Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
      • Garam masala 1/2 tsp
      • Milk 1/2 cup
      • Tomato sauce 1 tsp
      • Coriander finely chopped
      • Salt to taste.


      Procedure:

      • Fry Paneer cubes till golden brown and keep aside.
      • Heat ghee, add onion, ginger, green chilli and cardamom and fry for 3-4 min.
      • Add tomatoes and cook for 7-8 min covered.
      • Add curd and cook for few min more,then add 1/2 cup water and allow it to cool.
      • Blend this mixture till smooth.
      • Boil to get a thick gravy.
      • Just before serving,heat gravy,add milk and paneer and boil for 3-4 min.
      • Garnish with coriander.

      -----------------------------------------

      How to make paneer (cheese)

      Preparation Time: 2 mins
      Preparation Time:  few
      Cooking Time:  10 min.
      Makes 0.5 cup


      Ingredients

      2 1/2 cups (500 ml) full fat milk
      1 tsp lemon juice

      Method

      1. Put the milk to boil. When it starts boiling, switch off the gas and wait for a while.
      2. Add the lemon juice and when it curdles, strain using a muslin cloth.
      3. If you want solid paneer, put some weight on the drained paneer and leave it on for some time.
      4. Use as required.

    • March 5, 2013 2:38 PM CST
    • Just watched "Dracula Vs. Frankenstein" for the umpteenth time.  I know we spoke of it , earlier ,  somewhere around here...... If you think it's hard to follow , you have'nt seen the celebrated back catalogue of AL Adamson . Barring "Satan's Sadists" (Which this movie was intended as a sequel to , without any monsters , an idea that cost Russ Tamblyn's appearance , one of his last on film ,to being reduced to not much more than a cameo.), it IS one of Adamson's most coherent features.  It also did'nt help that the movie was released at least three times ,with titles such as "Blood of Frankenstein" and Even "Teenage Dracula". It was marketed as a "Sex" picture (There is very moderate nudity.)and even as a Musical ! (There are two songs in the film, barring soundtrack music borrowed from Universal Horror films.)......The real source of confusion , though , was that two , unrelated , movies , were released under the same name , at roughly the same time  - The Paul Naschy/Michael Rennie Sci Fi - Monster Mash (aka "The Man Who Came From Ummo") - Dracula and Frankenstein's monster don't even meet ! and Jesse (Jesus) Franco's Monster Bash . "Dracula , Prisoner of Frankenstein".

      But , if you see Al Adamson's magnum opus of schlock , several times (As I suggest.) , the seemingly unrelated subplots and teh herky - jerky editing will all make sense.

    • March 5, 2013 2:22 PM CST
    • You might see if there's a site for Gangster pics that might be able to steer you right. I only got around to seeing Pacino's "Scarface" recently , after seeing a million T-shirts and jackets. I would'nt call it a remake of the original , so much as a reinterpretation of the story , set in modern times , with a totally different set of circumstances. Mind you , I liked it. 
       
      B.B. Fultz said:

      Holy mother of fuck ... how could I forget about Frogs? Last time I saw that was maybe 17 years ago. Coolest scene was probably the lizards dumping the poison gas on that guy in the greenhouse and then splitting, with the last lizard closing the door with its tail on its way out. 

      In other news I have a B-movie conundrum maybe someone can solve ... a long (LONG) time ago, I saw a cheap black-&-white gangster movie with my dad at the drive-in. We're talking mid-70s but I think the picture itself was made way earlier. I keep wanting to say it was called The Farmer, but a thousand online searches for that title have turned up nothing so it must've been called something else. It did INVOLVE a farmer, coming back from WWII. I remember he beat someone up on a train for making fun of some child star (probably Shirley Temple). After that he pulls a mob boss from a car crash and they become close friends. But then the mob guy's underworld rivals show up and abduct and torture the mob guy, and because the farmer is harboring him, they wreak havoc on his family, mostly through this mobster named "Weasel" who kills his elderly grandfather or uncle or whoever, beats and rapes his girl, and then burns down the farmhouse. So naturally, the farmer goes on a rampage against the mob and whacks them all out. The reason I remember it so well is because it's probably the single most violent crime movie I've ever seen (and I saw it at like 11) with torture victims getting acid poured on their faces, old guys getting beat to death and set on fire, and blood and guts galore (it was in black & white but if you've ever noticed, black blood is more gruesome looking than red blood). Plus awesome gun stunts like the farmer hiding under his car and shooting mobsters in the shins when they walk up, then blasting them in the face when they hit the pavement. As graphic as it was, I'm kind of surprised it didn't get an X-rating back then. It made the Pacino remake of Scarface look a little like On Golden Pond by comparison. Anyway if anybody else is familiar with this movie and remembers the title, by all means let me know. I'd like to see it again sometime.  

    • March 5, 2013 2:38 PM CST
    • Chickpea, Potato, and Cabbage Curry
      from Madhur Jaffrey

      1 cup dried garbanzo beans
      1 cup chunked onion
      4 garlic cloves
      1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/4 fresh habaneros or 1/4 fresh scotch bonnet pepper, to taste
      2 tablespoons oil
      1 tablespoon hot curry powder (to taste)
      1 teaspoon dry roasted and ground cumin or 1 teaspoon just cumin powder
      1 lb potato, peel and cube
      1 -2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
      4 1/2 cups cabbage, chunks

      Directions:


      Soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover. Drain, recover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until very tender. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. Add enough water to the reserved cooking liquid to equal 2 1/2 cups.

      Put the onion, garlic, peppers and 1/4 cup of water in a blender and process until smooth. You can always add more pepper in the end, but you can't take it away.

      Heat the oil over a medium high heat. Put in the onion paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

      Reduce the heat to medium low, then cover and continue cooking the paste. for another 2-3 minutes. Stir it frequently just to prevent sticking, and keep it covered between stirs.

      Add the curry powder and the cumin, stir.

      Add the chickpeas, potatoes, the lesser amount of salt, and the reserved chickpea cooking liquid.

      Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cover. Cook gently, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are done to your tastes, 20 - 25 minutes.

      Add in the cabbage and an additional 1/2 - 1 cup of hot water. Bring back to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes, or until the cabbage is just softened. Do not over cook the cabbage.

    • March 5, 2013 2:34 PM CST
    • Natal Red Kidney Bean Curry

      Ingredients:

      255g dried red kidney beans
      3tbsp vegetable oil
      3 whole, dried, hot red chillies
      ½tsp whole brown mustard seeds
      ½tsp whole cumin seeds
      A generous pinch of ground Asafetida
      15 fresh curry leaves, if available
      3 medium tomatoes, grated on the coarsest part of the grater
      ¼tsp ground turmeric
      1tsp ground coriander
      1tsp ground cumin
      2 fresh, hot green chillies, finely chopped
      1clove garlic, peeled and crushed
      1tsp peeled fresh ginger grated to a pulp
      1tsp sugar
      1½tsp salt

      Method:

      1. Cover the beans generously in water and leave to soak overnight.
      2. Drain the next day, put in a medium-large pan, add 1½ltr/2½pts water, and bring to the boil. 3. Partially cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently for 2-2½ hours or until the beans are tender.
      4. Meanwhile, pour the oil into a medium pan and set over a medium-high heat.
      5. When the oil is hot, put in the red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida.
      6. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the curry leaves and tomatoes.
      7. Stir once, then add the turmeric, coriander, cumin, green chillies, garlic, ginger, sugar and salt.
      8. Stir and bring to the boil.
      9. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
      10. When the beans are tender, pour the spiced tomato mixture into the pan with the beans.
      11. Bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, on a very low heat, for 20 minutes.

    • March 5, 2013 2:25 PM CST
    • Parveen Haroon's Black eyed Beans with Spinach and Dill
      From Pakistan

      From Madhur Jaffrey's "From Curries to Kebabs: Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail." Clarkson Potter 2003.

      1 cup dried black-eyed peas
      1 3/4 teaspoons salt
      3 Tablespoons corn or peanut oil
      1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
      1 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
      4 cloves garlic, chopped
      15-20 fresh curry leaves, if available (I used 8 or so dried)
      1 pound spinach, washed, finely chopped, and left to drain in a colander (I used one bunch, probably half a pound)
      7-8 Tablespoons very finely chopped fresh dill
      6 Tablespoons plain yoghurt (I used about 4 Tablespoons milk)

      1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons coarsely ground, pure chili powder (gochu karu!)
      1 dried lime or 1 fresh lime or 1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

      Cover the beans generously with water and leave to soak overnight. Drain them the next day, put in a pan with 4 cups of fresh water, and bring to a simmer. Partially cover with a lid, and cook for 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender (mine took 2 hours). Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt.

      Pour the oil into a large pan or wok and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the garlic and curry leaves. Stir once, then add the spinach and dill. Stir and cook until most of the liquid in the spinach is absorbed. Reduce the heat to low and add 1 1/2 cups of water, the chili powder, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir. If using a dried lime, crack the lime and take out the dried black pulp. Remove any seeds and crush the pulp. Add it to the spinach. Now pour the contents of the spinach pan into the pan containing the beans. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Serve with tomato-garlic rice (separate recipe).

    • March 5, 2013 2:16 PM CST
    • Sliced Blood Oranges Sprinkled With Black Pepper

      Duh.

    • March 5, 2013 2:21 PM CST
    • Cilantro Curry

      Feel free to add some plain yogurt.

      Ingredients:

      1 big bunch of chopped Cilantro (green coriander)
      3 green chopped chilies
      3 tablespoons of lemon juice
      1/2 inch ginger
      1 1/2 teaspoon salt
      1 teaspoon cumin seeds
      1 teaspoon oil
      1 teaspoon sugar
      Pinch of asafetida (hing)

      Method:

      Blend all ingredients, except the cilantro, into a paste.
      Add the cilantro, a little at a time, and blend. If needed, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. The water will help in blending.
      Blend well and add more salt, green chilies, or lemon juice to taste.

    • March 5, 2013 2:15 PM CST
    • Hyderabadi Minced Lamb with Orange

      - Madhur Jaffrey, The Ultimate Curry Bible

      Ingredients:

      1 large orange
      1 tsp ground turmeric
      1 tsp salt
      3 tbsp corn or peanut oil
      2 medium onions, peeled & sliced into fine half rings
      2 tsp ground cumin
      1 tbsp ground coriander
      4 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
      2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated
      4 tbsp natural yoghurt
      900g minced lamb
      0.5 tsp ground turmeric
      0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
      250 ml fresh orange juice
      1.5 tsp salt
      1-3 fresh hot green chillies, sliced into very fine rounds
      30 g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
      30 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
      1 tsp garam masala

      Peel off the orange rind, making sure to leave the white pith behind. Cut the rind into very fine 1-inch long julienne strips.

      Combine the turmeric and salt with 1.5 litres of water in a pan and bring to the boil. Pour half into a measuring jug and reserve. Add the rind to the boiling liquid in the pan and boil rapidly for 1 minute. Empty the pan through a sieve and set over the sink. Pour the reserved turmeric water back into the pan and bring back to the boil. Put the rind back into the pan and boil again for a minute, then again strain through the sieve set over the sink. Rinse the rind under cold running water and set aside.

      Pour the oil into a large non-stick lidded pan set over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, stir in the onions and fry for 6-7 minutes or until reddish-brown.

      Add the cumin and coriander and stir for 30 seconds.

      Add the ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for a minute.

      Add the yoghurt, a tablespoon at a time, and stir it in, making sure it absorbed before adding more.

      Put in the meat, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking up all the lumps in the meat. Add the orange juice, orange rind and salt. Stir and bring to a simmer.

      Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 40 minutes. Add the chillies, coriander, mint and garam masala. Stir to mix. Cover and continue to cook gently for a further 10 minutes.

    • March 5, 2013 2:09 PM CST
    • Manjula Gokal's Gujarati Mango Soup

      Ingredients

      2 tablespoons chickpea flour (see note)
      1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
      3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
      3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
      1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
      3 cups canned Alphonso mango pulp (sweetened), preferably Ratna brand
      1 1/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
      1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
      2 bird's-eye chilies, with small slits
      2 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
      Generous pinch ground asafetida
      1/2 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
      1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
      2 whole hot dried red chilies
      1/8 teaspoon whole fenugreek seeds
      10 to 15 fresh curry leaves, if available

      Preparation


      Put the chickpea flour, turmeric, cumin and coriander in a bowl. Very slowly stir in 1/2 cup water until no lumps are left. Whisk in the yogurt, mango and 2 cups water. Add the salt, sugar and bird's-eye chilies. Mix well.

      Pour the oil into a heavy, medium pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the asafetida and then, in quick succession, the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried chilies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Remove from heat and stir in the mango mixture. Place over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

      Stir the soup and reheat it gently. Strain through a coarse strainer. Spoon out some of the smaller seeds from the strainer and stir them back into the soup.

    • March 4, 2013 7:27 PM CST
    • "Dogora :Space Monster" , as I said elsewhere , is a Japanese Sci Fi/Giant Monster pic , but , VERY psychedelic.

    • March 4, 2013 3:51 PM CST
    • That's what I was referring to , the great Trash-Rock classic , though , I doubt the record got around too much in Japan.....But , who knows? Still , there could be an in-joke in there , somewhere. Sometimes , monsters with a human side are scarier than giant bugs , lizards or insects , but , as you know , that was the norm , here , as well as in Japan , in The 50's , when the horriffic possibilities (And impossibilities) of the Atomic Bomb were being considered.

      The original Gojira may not have been frightening to adults , but , it was still a far more convincing monster than the versions that would follow , a manifestation of the horrors
      of the Atomic Age .....as opposed to a giant monster that does'nt MEAN to cause devastation , and , has a capacity for good , defeating , generally , more destructive (If not always as powerful.) monsters.  Everyone should see both versions of Gojira/Godzilla to see how much they differ. Some monsters are probably more creepy than actually scary to adults. Some Horror movies build a mood that even adults find scary , or , at least , suspenseful , while others are just fun to watch.  But , as adults , we can still appreciate the scare - appeal of the better films......

      Hmmmmm......."Scream ! Scream for your lives !!!" - Vincent Price.

      'SCREAM REAL LOUD !!"   -  Pee Wee Herman (WHO , YOU'LL NOTE , ONCE MET GODZILLA AND KING GHIDORAH.).

      Lutz Vipinderwoman said:

      I thought There Was a Fungus Among Us was a song by Hugh Barrett and the Victors;-) So you have to wonder if Honda had a few inside jokes with these titles, hmmm...I really have to wonder.  I believe The Human Vapor must have been sort of a biography. I've never heard of The Manster. That's funny. All the monster flicks of the past century. Why were people so fascinated with large flocks of animals or oversized insects and monsters, etc. Seems so ridiculous now. I know Gojira was, of course, about Hiroshima and/or Nagasaki A-bomb and its evils (rightly so), but do monsters really scare anyone but children? I haven't seen one yet. If I do, I'm just going to make the safe assumption it wants to eat me and run and just make a fool of myself while doing it...AND not take any practical preventions to conceal myself by screaming loudly. I've learned this much.

      John Battles said:

      How about "There Was a Fungus Among Us"......I thought it was Ishiro Honda , who also did a lot of Godzilla movies.......The Human Vapor , that's one I was thinking about , but could'nt remember the title. Honest. Then , there's The Manster , which is junk , but GREAT junk , about a man who grows an eyeball on his shoulder , which soon grows to a FULL head. His inner monster soon breaks free and wreaks havoc. Not REAL serious stuff , but , period Japanese Horror that did'nt involve giant monsters.

    • March 4, 2013 3:32 PM CST
    • Yeah , you see what I mean? It was only nine years after the Hiroshima /Nagasaki attacks , and there was still VERY strong anti - American sentiment in Japan. That much , they whittled out of the U.S. release. But , the movie seems to be more of a statement against the emerging Cold War , as was "The Day The Earth Stood Still".  
       
      MikeL said:

      John, I saw the original version of "Godzilla" at a local indie theater that specializes in such oddities, and yes, you're right, that first movie is very dark and grim. A far cry from all the campiness that permeated the later films.

    • March 4, 2013 2:55 PM CST
    • John, I saw the original version of "Godzilla" at a local indie theater that specializes in such oddities, and yes, you're right, that first movie is very dark and grim. A far cry from all the campiness that permeated the later films.

    • March 3, 2013 11:33 PM CST
    • I thought There Was a Fungus Among Us was a song by Hugh Barrett and the Victors;-) So you have to wonder if Honda had a few inside jokes with these titles, hmmm...I really have to wonder.  I believe The Human Vapor must have been sort of a biography. I've never heard of The Manster. That's funny. All the monster flicks of the past century. Why were people so fascinated with large flocks of animals or oversized insects and monsters, etc. Seems so ridiculous now. I know Gojira was, of course, about Hiroshima and/or Nagasaki A-bomb and its evils (rightly so), but do monsters really scare anyone but children? I haven't seen one yet. If I do, I'm just going to make the safe assumption it wants to eat me and run and just make a fool of myself while doing it...AND not take any practical preventions to conceal myself by screaming loudly. I've learned this much.

      John Battles said:

      How about "There Was a Fungus Among Us"......I thought it was Ishiro Honda , who also did a lot of Godzilla movies.......The Human Vapor , that's one I was thinking about , but could'nt remember the title. Honest. Then , there's The Manster , which is junk , but GREAT junk , about a man who grows an eyeball on his shoulder , which soon grows to a FULL head. His inner monster soon breaks free and wreaks havoc. Not REAL serious stuff , but , period Japanese Horror that did'nt involve giant monsters.

    • March 3, 2013 9:44 PM CST
    • How about "There Was a Fungus Among Us"......I thought it was Ishiro Honda , who also did a lot of Godzilla movies.......The Human Vapor , that's one I was thinking about , but could'nt remember the title. Honest. Then , there's The Manster , which is junk , but GREAT junk , about a man who grows an eyeball on his shoulder , which soon grows to a FULL head. His inner monster soon breaks free and wreaks havoc. Not REAL serious stuff , but , period Japanese Horror that did'nt involve giant monsters.

    • March 3, 2013 5:22 PM CST
    • Glad you enjoyed it!..

    • March 3, 2013 5:13 PM CST
    • Mango Rice 

      Ingredients:

      • Rice 1 cup uncooked
      • Raw mango 1 medium peeled and grated
      • Green chillies 3 cut into long strips
      • Sesame seeds 1 1/2 tbsp roasted and powdered
      • Urad daal 2 tsp
      • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
      • Chana daal 2 tsp
      • Peanuts 2 tsp roasted
      • Cashew nuts 2 tsp roasted
      • Curry leaves 5 - 6
      • Dry red chillies 4
      • Asafoetida 2 pinches
      • Turmeric 1/2 tsp
      • Oil 2 tbsp
      • Salt to taste


      Procedure:

      • Cook the rice so that the grains stay seperated. Set to cool.
      • Now mix in salt, turmeric, grated mango to the cooled rice.
      • When the seeds start to splutter, add in the sesame seeds powder.
      • Mix well and remove from heat.
      • Cool it and then add this seasoning to the rice + mango mixture.
      • Mix well adding the salt to taste.
      • Place the pan again on heat. cook covered for a couple of minutes.
      • Serve hot with Chutney Pudi or any pickle.