[Sca-cooks] OOP - curries

[Terry Decker]

If I have the measures right, a pala = 2.3 ounces (based on copper coinage
so the measure is probably troy), a prastha = 16 pala or about 3 pounds
troy, a kumbha (probably your kuduba) is a vessel (also the Indian
astrological equivalent of Aquarius) that has been translated as 20 dronas
or 2 dronas which may represent a variation between dry and wet measure.  20
dronas = 3 bushels 3 gal. = 30.9 gal or 1.54 gal/drona.  In this instance I
would use 3 gal for a kumbha and probably vary it to match the recipe.

Dharana, I haven't been able to work out, but it is a small apothecary
measure.  If the 10:1 ration between dharanas and pala is correct then you
are talking .23 troy ounces.
2 yavas (barley grain) = 1 gunja (berry)
2 gunja = 1 valla (wheat grain)
8 valla = 1 dharana (rice grain)

Be careful using these measures, because I am uncertain of the accuracy of
the translators.

You are using the little red berry-like Szechuan pepper (Zanthoxylum
simulans) rather than the small elongated pepper (which is actually a New
World capsicum?  I'm curious rather than captious.

Also, I'm unfamiliar with Kautilya, so a little historical reference would
be appreciated.

Bear


>Oops, I didn't mean the vegetable, but sechuan pepper (sorry, I had a
>translation issue between 'poivre' and 'piment' or 'poivron'). It's a bit
>of a stretch, but given the considerable commercial excahnges between China
>and India (starting 1st century B.C., introducing the pear and peach in
>India, it seems) I decided to add it to the mix.
>
>I had actually forgot that red pepper was also a vegetable (haven't cooked
>anything with it in a while!).
>
>The recipe is described by Kautilya (the date is uncertain, between 300 B.C
>and 100. A.D., so it's a bit pre-period actually) and calls for:
>
>20 palas of flesh
>1 pala of salt
>2 dharanas of pungent spices (10 dharanas = 1 pala)
>
>1/2 prastha of curds
>1/2 kuduba of oil (unspecified) (roughly 4 to 3 curd to oil ratio)
>
>The mode of preparation is unspecified; it might also be a dressing applied
>on meat cooked on a spit.
>
>This entails a 5 to 1 salt to spices ratio, which I roughly followed. I'm
>not that experienced yet that I want to cook with curds; I substituted sour
>cream (someone also suggested drained cottage cheese). I didn't have a
>scale, but I'd say I used 1/2 the quantity of spices suggested, which was
>quite acceptable to occidental stomach (especially the stomach of my
>pregnant lady, whom I have to consider now while cooking the spicy stuff)
>
>I mixed sour cream and safflower oil until I had a smooth (although not too
>liquid) consistency, and added the salt and spices (pepper, pepper, cumin,
>turmeric, cardamom). Then I fried the chicken, which I had previously cut
>in bit sized pieces. (This I must admit is mostly speculation; I do not
>have an exact account of the way this meat was served. However, my goal for
>this was to test my spice mix. I have a year to research the actual
>presentation). I cooked the fried chicken in the curry, served with white
>rice (that, however, is very period).
>
>Tha main obstacles faced where due to a lack of knowledge of Indian
>measure. Given that I started out a week and a half ago, I'm not stressing
>too much about this yet... I do not know the exact relation between liquid
>measures (prastha, kuduba) and weight measures. So my sauce might have been
>too diluted. Or not enough. I'm inclined to think the former assumption is
>closer to reality. The sechuan pepper and the presentations where two other
>guess on my part.
>
>This said, however, the actual taste was quite pleasing. Now, if they have
>ginger roots and betel leaves at the grocery store, I might have a few more
>anecdotes for you later tonight.
>
>Petru