Conference turris::cooks

Two places that I can think of are:

Concord Spice & Grain, Thoreau St, Concord Ma.

???(Asian?, SE Asian?) Grocery, Lamplighter Sq., DW Highway, Nashua NH.

??? (Indian Grocer), ???, Belmont Center, Ma.

	-JP

    "Very hot" or even "more than very hot" would be great.  "Volcanic"
    sounds like it's out of my range.  I don't remember it being
    unbearably spicy.
    
    On second thought, my friend from cajun country is always interested in
    volcanic food.  How 'bought one very hot and one volcanic.
    
    Thanks.
    Nancy

    
    OK, here's an authentic one in the 'hot' category, taken from 'Indian
    Cookery' by Dharamjit Singh:
    
    Garam Nimboo Achar (Spiced Lime Pickle in Oil)
    ----------------------------------------------
    
    16 limes (or lemons)
    4 Tbsps Salt
    2 Tbsps crushed dried chillies (leave seeds in for hot, out for
    milder)
    1 Tbsp black pepper
    2 Tbsps minced garlic
    1 tsp powdered ginger
    2 Tbsp roasted yellow mustard seed
    1 tsp roasted and finely ground fenugreek seed
    About 30 fl oz good oil ( I used sunflower - worked well)
    1 Tbsp coarsely broken cumin seed
    
    Wash and dry limes. Cut into quarters (or narrow wedges). Spread
    on large platter and dust wit salt, garlic, ginger, mustard and
    fenugreek. Heat oil until it begins to 'smoke' then keep warm over
    very low heat for 10 mins. Allow to cool. Put the limes with the
    seasonings into a large pickle jar, add cumin and cover with oil.
    Leave for 6 days or so in a warm dry place. Stir once or twice every
    day. Cover with a muslin cloth during the day; put the lid on at
    night. Can be used after a week, better after a fortnight or longer.

    
    
    Here's a hotter one, from the Curry Club's 'Indian Restaurant
    Cookbook', probably less authentic, but likely to be similar to
    what you got in London...
    
    Lime, Lemon, or Aubergine Pickle
    --------------------------------
    
    10 limes (or 5 large lemons or 4 aubergines)
    1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (not if using aubergines)
    30 fl oz vinegar
    1 tsp salt
    1 Tbsp sugar ( can vary to taste)
    2 minced cloves garlic
    15 fl oz cooking oil
    4 oz fresh green chillies
    1 tsp turmeric
    1 tsp cumin, ground
    1 tsp cayenne pepper (or more)
    1 tsp garam masala
    2 tsp paprika
    
    Day 1
    -----
    
    Pierce fruit at stalk end once. Put into pan of boiling water, add
    bicarb (not for aubergines) and simmer slowly for 30 mins.
    Test if skins are tender; cook a little longer if not. Drain, cool
    and cut into small pieces ( eighths for limes). Put 20 oz of vinegar,
    the salt and sugar into a pan and bring to boil, stir well, add
    fruit and cook for 10 mins. Put into non-metalic bowl and leave
    to stand overnight.
    
    Day 2
    -----
    
    Mix the garlic, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, garam masala and paprika
    into a paste with some of the remaining vinegar. Boil 10 fl oz of
    the oil. Remove from heat for 3 mins, then add spice paste. Stir
    over medium heat till vinegar dries out and oil separates ( this
    stage is known as the 'Bhoona' and is fundamental to Indian cookery
    - it allows the aromatics from the spices to infuse into the oil.)
    Add fruit, chillies and rest of vinegar, and cook gently till the
    vinegar once again bolis away and the oil comes to the top. Remove
    from heat and allow to cool slightly.
    
    Boil remaining oil. Warm screw-top jars in oven to ensure that they
    are dry. Fill jars with pickle, pouring some of the hot oil on top
    to seal. Cover with greaseproof paper and put on tops. Leave for
    at least one month. Keeps indefinitely!
    
    
    

    
    
    If you don't want make them you can buy all kinds of Indian pickles in
    any Indian grocery store.  The one in Shrewsbury, MA called India Foods
    has lemon,lime,mango,vegetables, whole mangos(tiny) pickles and
    different varieties of chutneys.  Most of them are very good and very 
    spicy.  The store in Shrewsbury is located next to Tom's Tiles further
    down from Spags on the right side going towards Westboro on Route 9.
    
    
    Regards,
    Geetha
    

      Thanks for all the above. I have just moved to this note file
    and can see that I will spend alot of time learning, hard-copying
    and cooking.
      I knew about cooking curries till the oil or ghee seperates but
    did not know it was called Bhoona (sorry if I have spelt it wrong).
    I have learnt something already.
      Buy the way I am from London (England) but living in Reading 40
    miles from the Capital. We have a large friendly Asian community
    and many thriving restaurants, luckily.
      I can see from the curry recipies that you lot the other side
    of the pond take your Indian cuisine sreiously like the best of
    us.:-)
      If you grind your own spicies you cannot be that bad.
    
      best wishes and thanks
                  
             Martin
                   
    

Annapurna restaurant in Worcester, MA sells their hot lemon pickle in jars,
or at least they did the last time I was there.

--PSW