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    • March 3, 2013 5:12 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.

    • March 3, 2013 5:10 PM CST
    • Veggie Cucumber recipe

      Ingredients:

      • Cucumbers 2 medium
      • Green chillies 3
      • Tomato 1 small chopped finely
      • Tamarind paste 1/2 tsp
      • Coriander 1 tbsp finely chopped
      • Plain flour 1/2 tsp
      • Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
      • Red chilli powder 3/4 tsp
      • Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
      • Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
      • Asafoetida 3-4 pinches
      • Turmeric powder 1/5 tsp
      • Curryleaves 1 sprig
      • Oil 1 tbsp
      • Water 1/2 cup
      • Sugar 1/4 tsp
      • Salt to taste


      Procedure:

      • Dissolve tamarind paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric, sugar and salt in the water. Set aside.
      • Cut cucumbers lengthwise in 1/2" wide strips
      • Chop these strips into 1/2" pieces.
      • Chop tomatoes and slit green chillies.
      • Heat oil in a heavy pan. Add seeds, allow to splutter. Add asafoetida.
      • Add chillies, curry leaves and tomatoes. Stir, add cucumber pieces.
      • Stir, add tamarind paste+powders mixture prepared above, mix well.
      • Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
      • Add plain flour, stir and simmer covered for 1 minute.
      • Sprinkle chopped coriander and serve hot with chapaati, phulka or paratha.

    • March 3, 2013 5:08 PM CST
    • Mughlai Paalak (Cooked Spinach)

      Ingredients:

      • Fresh Paalak(Spinach) 3 lb
      • Butter 4 tbsp
      • Vegetable oil 4 tbsp
      • Onions 3 chopped into fine half rings
      • Ginger 2" piece
      • Fennel(Saunf) seeds 1/4 tsp crushed
      • Green Cardamon pods 4 whole
      • Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp
      • Garam masala 1 tsp
      • Salt to taste


      Procedure:

      • Clean the Paalak, chop and set it aside.
      • Cut the ginger into fine julienne strips.
      • Cook the oil and butter in a large pan over a medium high flame.
      • Lower the heat and add the crushed fennel seeds and cardamon pods.
      • Stir once then add the onions and ginger.
      • Stir and fry until the onions turn a rich brown colour.
      • Add the paalak. Cover and allow it to wilt completely, stirring every now and then.
      • Turn heat to medium then add the salt and chilli powder. Cover and cook for 20-25 mins.
      • Remove the lid and add the garam masala.
      • Stir and cook uncovered for a further 5 mins or until all the liquid has evaporated from the pan.
      • Serve hot with naans, parathas, chapaatis or just plain steamed white rice.

    • March 3, 2013 5:03 PM CST
    • Indian Tomato Soup 

      Ingredients:

      • Ripe red tomatoes 1½ lb chopped
      • Ginger 2 " piece peeled & chopped
      • Coriander leaves 1 tbsp chopped
      • Curry leaves 3-4
      • Cumin seeds 1 tsp roasted and ground
      • Black pepper powder 1/4 tsp
      • Red Chilli Powder 1/4 tsp
      • Lemon juice 2 tsp
      • Water 1/2 cup
      • Single cream 1/2 cup
      • Milk 1 cup
      • Sugar 1/4 tsp
      • Salt to taste


      Procedure:

      • Take the chopped tomatoes, curry leaves,ginger, salt and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
      • Uncover, increase the heat and simmer more rapidly for another 15 minutes.
      • Puree in a blender, then sieve.
      • Add the cream, milk, cumin seed, black pepper, red chilli powder, salt, sugar and the lemon juice.
      • Stir together well and reheat gently without boiling.
      • Serve hot garnished with freshly chopped coriander.

    • March 3, 2013 5:02 PM CST
    • Indian Tomato Soup 

      Ingredients:

      • Ripe red tomatoes 1½ lb chopped
      • Ginger 2 " piece peeled & chopped
      • Coriander leaves 1 tbsp chopped
      • Curry leaves 3-4
      • Cumin seeds 1 tsp roasted and ground
      • Black pepper powder 1/4 tsp
      • Red Chilli Powder 1/4 tsp
      • Lemon juice 2 tsp
      • Water 1/2 cup
      • Single cream 1/2 cup
      • Milk 1 cup
      • Sugar 1/4 tsp
      • Salt to taste


      Procedure:

      • Take the chopped tomatoes, curry leaves,ginger, salt and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
      • Uncover, increase the heat and simmer more rapidly for another 15 minutes.
      • Puree in a blender, then sieve.
      • Add the cream, milk, cumin seed, black pepper, red chilli powder, salt, sugar and the lemon juice.
      • Stir together well and reheat gently without boiling.
      • Serve hot garnished with freshly chopped coriander.

    • March 3, 2013 3:37 PM CST
    • Sauerkraut soup with cheese

      2 cups dry white wine (Riesling) or pilsner beer
      2 cups water
      4 vegetable stock cubes
      1 lb 2 oz. sauerkraut, drained
      8 long shallots or 2 medium-size leeks
      3 tbsp cornstarch
      3/4 cup cream
      11 oz. aged Gouda
      2 tbsp parsley

      Put wine (or beer) with the water in a pot and boil. Let the stock cubes dissolve. Chop or cut the sauerkraut, thinly slice the shallots or leeks and add to the stock. Gently boil for five minutes. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and stir well. Add the cream and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for another five minutes, stirring regularly.

      Cut, grate or chop the cheese into smallest pieces.

      Pour the soup into a heated bowl, fold in the cheese and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. Serve with oven-toasted wholewheat buns or baguette.

    • March 3, 2013 3:35 PM CST
    • Mustard soup from Ameland

      1 liter / 1 quart water
      1 large onion
      2 beef bouillon cubes
      6 tbsp butter
      6 tbsp flour
      3 heaping tbsp mustard
      6 tbsp light cream
      4 tsp capers or chopped pickle
      vinegar
      pepper
      1/16 leek, in thinnest rings

      Finely chop the onion. Heat the margarine in a large skillet and sautée the onions. Mix in the sifted flour and heat thoroughly. Bit by bit add the water and stir often. Add the crumbled bouillon cubes at the same time and stir until the mix is smooth.

      Put the mustard in a bowl, add the cream and stir well. Add to the soup and mix in the capers. Pour in a dash of vinegar and add fresh pepper to taste. Just before serving, add the leek rings.

    • March 3, 2013 4:03 PM CST
    • Agreed! I'm glad you put this up. I always just thought (by way of short bios in the back of the HPL books I have) that he was just some socially incompetent weirdo living with his mother all his life. I knew his father died, but I didn't know it was of syphilis (pretty common) and that his father went on about all the same exact weirdness that HP writes about. That's pretty fascinating. Well, I'm glad he managed to make some $ and at least mild recognition and peer respect in his own lifetime, very reassuring.

    • March 3, 2013 3:51 PM CST
    • Chicory with cheese

      8 heads of chicory
      1 tbsp lemon juice
      100 ml stock
      1.5 kilograms potatoes
      30 grams butter
      30 grams flour
      125 grams grated cheese
      grated nutmeg, salt

      Cut a slice off the bottom of the chicory and scoop out the 1/2 inch white bitter part from the centre. Boil water, add the lemon juice and drop the chicory heads in it. Again bring to a boil and cook the chicory for 5-6 minutes. Drain the heads, but keep 200 ml of the juices. Peel, boil and mash the potatoes. Melt the butter in a pan, mix in the flour and gradually add the juices. Mix in 100 grams of grated cheese, add nutmeg.

      Place chicory heads in a greased deep oven dish. Pour in the meat stock and on top of it half of the cheese sauce. Cover it with the mashed potatoes, sprinkle with nutmeg and add the rest of the cheese sauce.

      Top off with the remainder of the grated cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 225 C (440 F) for about fifteen minutes.

    • March 3, 2013 3:47 PM CST
    • Red cabbage Twente-style

      1 kilogram red cabbage
      100 grams bacon (optional)
      1 onion
      salt and pepper
      2 cloves
      1 glass red wine
      1 tbsp currants
      250 grams red currant jam

      Dice the bacon and slowly brown (or put a shot of olive oil in skillet if vegetarian). Peel and dice the onion, add it to the bacon and sautee. Grate or chop the cabbage and add it to the pan, mixing well. Add salt and pepper to taste, put in the cloves, currants and jam. Pour in the wine. Turn down the heat and let the cabbage simmer until ‘al dente’. Serve with your choice of meat, mashed potatoes and garnish with fried slices of apple.

    • March 3, 2013 3:43 PM CST
    • Leek with peanut sauce

      2.2 lbs cleaned leek
      ½ head iceberg lettuce
      4 tbsp peanut butter
      2/3 tsp sambal badjak (mild)
      2/3 tsp lime or lemon juice
      2/3 tsp brown sugar
      1½ tsp sweet thick soy sauce (ketjap manis)
      1 banana
      2 hard-boiled eggs
      3 tbsp roasted shredded coconut with peanuts

      Only use the white and light-green parts of the leek. Cut into 4 centimetre / 1½” pieces. Boil the leek in plenty of water to which salt is added. Cook for ten minutes on low heat and drain in a colander. Keep the stock.

      Cut the lettuce into small strips, wash and dry well.

      Pour eight tbsp of the stock through a sieve into a small saucepan and boil. Mix in the peanut butter and bring to a boil. Stir until the sauce is thick. Keep on low heat and add sambal, lime juice, sugar and soy sauce.

      Slice the banana and eggs. Put the lettuce strips on individual plates, place the leek pieces on top and pour the hot sauce over them. Sprinkle with nuts/coconut and frame with slices of banana and egg. Serve with rice.

    • March 3, 2013 3:24 PM CST
    • Garlic and Mustard Roasted Brussel Sprouts

      1 lb Brussels sprout, trimmed (try to get all about the same size)
      1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
      1/4 cup agave nectar (or honey)
      2 tablespoons prepared stone ground mustard
      2 tablespoons minced garlic
      1 lemon, juice of (optional)

      Directions:


      Preheat oven to 350°F.

      Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.

      In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, agave, mustard and garlic.

      Put brussel sprouts in bowl and toss to coat.

      Spread evenly on baking sheet in a single layer.

      Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until tender.

      Squeeze lemon juice over to taste, if desired.

    • March 2, 2013 3:51 PM CST
    • Leek & Morel Strata

      A strata is a savory bread pudding. If you can’t fine morels, substitute porcini or another mushroom.Serves six to eight.


      1-1/2 oz. dried morels (about 2-1/2 cups) 
      1 oz. dried shiitakes (about 3/4 cup) 
      6 cups cubed (3/4-inch) baguette 
      2 Tbs. unsalted butter; more for the baking dish 
      2 large or 3 medium leeks (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced into half moons (about 3 cups) and washed and drained well 
      Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
      12 large eggs 
      2-1/2 cups whole milk 
      3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 
      (you can play around with different varieties of 'shrooms, and cut down on them, too, if you're on a budget.)

      Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x13-inch baking dish with butter. Put the morels in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour in 2 cups boiling water and weight down the morels with a small plate so they are submerged. Soak until they're plumped and softened, about 20 min.

      While the mushrooms soak, toast the bread cubes on a baking sheet in the oven until dry and crisp but not necessarily golden, 5 to 10 min. Set aside to cool and turn off the oven. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mushrooms to a cutting board, squeezing any excess liquid from the mushrooms back into the soaking liquid. Let cool. Remove and discard any tough stems. Coarsely chop the morels. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or paper towel set in a sieve and reserve 1/2 cup (save the remainder for another use).

      Heat the 2 Tbs. butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown. Add the leeks and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp. each). Cook, stirring, until the leeks are translucent, soft, and browned in places, 8 to 10 min. Stir in the mushrooms and the reserved 1/2 cup mushroom liquid, raise the heat to medium high, and cook until the liquid almost completely evaporates, 1 to 2 min. Remove from the heat.

      Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, Parmigiano, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few generous grinds of pepper. Arrange half of the bread cubes evenly over the bottom of the buttered baking dish. Scatter half of the mushroom-leek mixture over the bread. Pour over half of the egg mixture. Top with the remaining bread, and then the remaining mushroom-leek mixture. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the strata. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

      Heat the oven to 350°F. Let the strata sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Uncover and bake until the egg sets and the top browns in places, about 45 min. Let rest for 10 min. before serving.

    • March 3, 2013 3:12 AM CST
    • By Dave Brock (Hawkwind):)!!

    • March 3, 2013 2:44 AM CST
    • 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 2, 2013 8:25 PM CST
    • My particular favorite tokusatsu by Honda Ishiro (please look forward to) Matango and/or Attack of the Mushroom People or best title yet......: Fungus of Terror!!!! ahhhh..

      O what....another Ishiro film, The Human Vapor: The Human Vapor

    • March 2, 2013 6:47 PM CST
    • I AGREE , THE  TWO DO , OR CAN , BLEND TOGETHER NICELY.... I GREW UP SEEING SOME OF THESE MOVIES ON TV , AND , SOME TIME BACK , SCORED SOME VHS COPIES OF SEVERAL OF THESE FILMS  (Don't know which ones are presently available on DVD), AND , AS I SAY , I LIKED THAT THEY DID'NT DUMB THEM DOWN FOR YOUNGER AUDIENCES.

      BUT , THAT'S NOT AN ANTI - KID SENTIMENT ON MY PART. I EVEN KNEW HOW FAKE A LOT OF GODZILLA MOVIES I WATCHED AS  A KID WERE , BUT , IT'S THE SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF......IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE , THOUGH , HOW SOME DIRECTORS AND PRODUCTION COMPANIES (INC. TOHO , THE HOUSE GODZILLA BUILT , THEN BURNED DOWN.) WENT AGAINST THE GRAIN , NOW AND THEM.
       
      Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

      Never heard that before but after reading the entry, it sounds like adult stuff kind of has to share with the slightly more juvenile shows and movies but even so, it all blends in rather nicely.

    • March 2, 2013 6:39 PM CST
    • That's an interesting essay....There might be some movies that would fall under that heading , within the genre I'm thinking of , if it even exists , but , it has less to do with giant monsters , and probably nothing  to do with (usually) giant superheroes....Dogora is a giant monster, but , because it's a jellyfish , it's almost formless , and , sometimes , not even shown when it's doing it's dirt.......It bears no  resemblance to Ghidorah , Rodan , Mothra , etc. The only way it's outlining is even shown is that it glows green in the dark , like a classic monster model. Manda is a giant monster, but , he only figures  so much  into the story of "Atragon". One gets the impression they incorporated the monster for box office appeal. Much like the American version of "Curse (Night) of The Demon" added on a giant monster , but , it's one of the scariest fucking movie monsters , ever....and DOES bear a Japanese influence , but , by that , I mean it closely resembles some of teh demons in Japanese mythology.  'Dogora " and "Atragon"  have a fantastic design sense , when compared to the better - known Japanese monster films (Which , as I say , I still enjoy.).

      "Dogora " also has an appealing subplot about two rival diamond smuggling rings , very James Bond cooliah.
       
      kopper said:

    • March 2, 2013 6:24 PM CST
    • Good call. No , I was'nt aware of that...I've seen "X" and "Goke"....Sounds like a good set . I've heard of The Living Skeleton....I've never picked up "Lake of Dracula" (Which at least did'nt make him 200 feet tall!!!), either , that was a bit later....But I like to see how different cultures interpret well known Horror legends....

    • March 2, 2013 5:20 PM CST
    • Have you picked up Criterion Collection's Eclipse Series #37 "when Horror Came To Shochiku"?  It's a 4 movie box set with THE X FROM OUTER SPACE (UCHU DAIKAIJU GIRARA), GOKE, BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL (KYUKETSUKI GOKEMIDORO), THE LIVING SKELTON (KYUKETSU DOKURO SEN), and Genocide (KONCHU DAISENSO).  So far the only one I have watched with X FROM OUTER SPACE.  That one is very much in the tradition of Godzilla/Gamera.  Good fun.  I can't comment on the rest yet.

    • March 2, 2013 4:10 PM CST
    • Never heard that before but after reading the entry, it sounds like adult stuff kind of has to share with the slightly more juvenile shows and movies but even so, it all blends in rather nicely.

    • March 2, 2013 4:47 PM CST
    • HEY!! Be the first kid on *your* block to read Cory Doctorow's HOMELAND, it's the sequel to Little Brother. Don't say I never did nothin' for ya  ;)

      Here's the PDF

    • March 2, 2013 3:40 PM CST
    • Amba (A Spicy and Savory Mango Condiment)

      Ingredients:

      10 green mangoes
      5 tablespoons salt
      2 tablespoons corn oil
      250 g mustard seeds
      1/2 cup cumin seed (whole, not ground)
      1/4 cup dried red pepper (about 10 tiny ones)
      2 tablespoons ground fenugreek
      1/4 cup hot paprika
      2 tablespoons turmeric
      2 heads garlic, peeled and finely chopped (yes, two HEADS, not cloves)
      1 cup corn oil (more or less, for finishing)

      Directions:

      Wash the mangoes well and cut them up (including the peel) into slices the size of your pinky finger.

      Salt well and place the slices into a large jar. Close the jar and place it in a sunny spot for 4 to 5 days to release all the liquid in the fruit. At the end of this time the mangoes should be a very light, yellow color.

      Drain, saving the liquid.

      Allow the mango slices to dry, preferably in the sun, for 3 to 4 hours.

      Heat the 2 tablespoons of corn oil in a pot, and add all the ingredients up to (and not including) the garlic. Cook and constantly stir for a few seconds, until the spices begin to pop and make tiny explosive noises.

      Boil the mango liquid (you did remember to save it, didn't you?) and add this to the heated spice mixture.

      Add the mango and the chopped garlic.

      Stir, and continue cooking for 5 minutes on a low flame. Make sure the mixture does not dry out too much.

      Remove from the flame and let cool completely.

      Divide the mixture among 4 one-cup jars (which have been sterilized).

      Cover with the corn oil and seal.

    • March 2, 2013 3:39 PM CST
    • Amba (A Spicy and Savory Mango Condiment)

      Ingredients:

      10 green mangoes
      5 tablespoons salt
      2 tablespoons corn oil
      250 g mustard seeds
      1/2 cup cumin seed (whole, not ground)
      1/4 cup dried red pepper (about 10 tiny ones)
      2 tablespoons ground fenugreek
      1/4 cup hot paprika
      2 tablespoons turmeric
      2 heads garlic, peeled and finely chopped (yes, two HEADS, not cloves)
      1 cup corn oil (more or less, for finishing)

      Directions:

      Wash the mangoes well and cut them up (including the peel) into slices the size of your pinky finger.

      Salt well and place the slices into a large jar. Close the jar and place it in a sunny spot for 4 to 5 days to release all the liquid in the fruit. At the end of this time the mangoes should be a very light, yellow color.

      Drain, saving the liquid.

      Allow the mango slices to dry, preferably in the sun, for 3 to 4 hours.

      Heat the 2 tablespoons of corn oil in a pot, and add all the ingredients up to (and not including) the garlic. Cook and constantly stir for a few seconds, until the spices begin to pop and make tiny explosive noises.

      Boil the mango liquid (you did remember to save it, didn't you?) and add this to the heated spice mixture.

      Add the mango and the chopped garlic.

      Stir, and continue cooking for 5 minutes on a low flame. Make sure the mixture does not dry out too much.

      Remove from the flame and let cool completely.

      Divide the mixture among 4 one-cup jars (which have been sterilized).

      Cover with the corn oil and seal.