June 04, 2008

THUKPA with TS-JA, ADAS BIS SILQ with KHOUBIZ!

HUH? WHAT?! That's what you are thinking, I know! It was all "Greek" to me too until I tried these tasty dishes from Arunchal Pradesh and Lebanon! :D

(Some of you are waiting for a particular post, check out the links way below!)
Well..today I am taking you all to a culinary tour of Arunachal Pradesh as a part of RCI-North East of India, one of the lesser known states in North-east region of India, to have a delicious Noodle soup and salt Tea.
After we are done touring North-east of India, I thought I would fly you to Middle East and visit Lebanon to taste one of their soup and bread too! How does that sound? Pack your hungry tummies and let's go buddies!

Arunachal Pradesh, North East India:
North East India covers these states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
Arunachal Pradesh in one of the states in North east of India I am choosing to explore and cook from. The name Arunachal Pradesh means "land of the dawn lit mountains" in Sanskrit. It is also known as "land of the rising sun" because of it's location in the easternmost state of India.
YAKS!!
Have you ever seen one before? There are plenty in Arunachal Pradesh and the local population uses it's sweetish milk for making Tea, cheese, Butter, Yogurt etc. Aren't they beautiful?

Most of the people living in Arunachal Pradesh are either of Tibetan-Burman origin or indigenous tribal origin, speak Tibeto-Burman languages and their cuisine is very much influenced by these cultures as well as China which borders the state. Most Arunachalis belong to 19 major tribes and 85 tribes, who has a tradition which is diverse and of rich culture, language and beliefs, including immigrant Bengali, Bodo, Hajong and Chakma and immigrants from neighboring Assam, Nagaland and other parts of India. The most major tribes include the Adi, Galo, Nishi, Khamti, Monpa and Apatani. Most popular festivals are Sangken,Solung,Nyokum,Longteyalu,Khan, Dree Etc which they celebrate with dance, song and food.
OPO,
a fermented rice beer is made everyday in most homes and very much enjoyed by the people of Arunachal Pradesh!
The earliest references to Arunachal are found in the era of Mahabharata, Ramayana and other Vedic legends. Several characters, such as Princess Rukmini, King Bhismaka and Lord Parashurama, were referred to as people from this region in the Mahabharata. (Info from WIKIPEDIA.)


Thukpa with Ts-Ja are
my two dishes for "Regional Cuisine of India", a event started by Lakshmi from "veggie cuisine" and Bhags from "Crazy Curry" blog is hosting RCI event this month choosing the beautiful region of North-East India. I am choosing Arunachal Pradesh to show case.Thanks for hosting Bhags!:)


Thukpa/Gya-Thuk with Ts-Ja!
These recipes (with my own few additions) come from "The essential North-East cookbook" by the author Hoihnu Hauzel and book is available at www.indiaclub.com.
Thukpa is a popular noodle-based soup with vegetables (or meat) in this region. The Buddhist Monpa and Sherdukpa tribes are more inclined to Burmese or Chinese influenced food and their popular dishes are Momos, Chowmein and Thupka. Oil and spices are sparingly used, chillies and ginger and sometimes fermented Bamboo shoots and fish are used for flavoring the soup.
This lightly flavored Thukpa was very tasty. Even my kids liked it, similar to American Chicken Noodle soup with loads of veggies. YES! You need a fork too for the Noodles!:D

Ts-Ja is a tea made of Yak's milk or it's butter, tea leaves and salt is added instead of sugar!! DO NOT ask me how to to pronounce Ts-Ja and DO NOT ask me whether I used Yak's milk and drank this salted Tea! Ain't tellin' ya! ;P
I am just giving you the recipe exactly as the book says they make this tea in AP! Have fun making it if you can find Yak's milk! :D

To make these:

To make 2 cups of Ts-Ja:
1. Boil 2 cups of water, add 1 cup Yak's milk or 1 tsp unsalted Yak's butter and 1/2 tsp salt.
2. Bring to boil again with 2 tsp tea leaves. Take the pan off of the heat.
3. Cover the pan and let it sit for 5 mins. Strain the Tea and serve. Enjoy!:)

Delicious Thukpa:
1. Cook 1 fistful of dry Egg noodles or Spaghetti pasta in boiling water with salt and bit of oil until cooked, strain, cover and keep aside.
2. Boil 5 cups of vegetable stock or chicken stock or water, add 2 cups of mixed vegetables of your choice, 1 garlic (my addition), 1 green chilly sliced and boil for 5 mins.
(I used 1 carrot, chopped, 1/2 cup Green beans chopped, 1 can sliced Bamboo shoots, few baby Spinach, 1 small Potato cubed, 3 tbsp Green onions,1 small tomato,chopped.)
3. When veggies are almost cooked, add 1 breast of chicken, chopped (optional), cook for 2-3 mins untilcooked. Take the pan off the heat.
4. Add 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tbsp Cilantro and pepper pd, cover and let it sit for a minute. Stir the soup, add cooked Noodles and enough salt if needed and garnish with chopped green scallions. Serve hot.


I am also sending Thupka since it's a one dish meal to Archana of "Archana's Kitchen", for her event called "One D", which is one dish meal event. Enjoy hosting Archana!:)
That's it from me for Arunachal Pradesh cuisine! :)

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Adas Bis Silq with Khoubiz
from Lebanon are my contribution to "A.W.E.D.-Middle East" event which is launched by DK of "Culinary Bazaar" blog and being hosted by Siri of "Siri's corner" this month. We are visiting Middle East!! Thanks for hosting Siri, enjoy!:)



Lebanon:
Lebanon is a religiously diverse, mountainous country in the Middle East. Before the civil war, Lebanon was considered the banking capital of the Levant and was widely known as the "Switzerland of the East" due to its financial power. Lebanon also attracted large numbers of tourists to the point that the capital Beirut became widely referred to as the "Paris of Western Asia".
Gibran Khalil Gibran is known to be one of the world's famous writers, particularly known for his book "The Prophet", which has been translated into more than twenty different languages is from Lebanon.
The Lebanese Cuisine is considered to be a Mediterranean, basically Levantine Arabic delicacy consisting of a variety of fresh vegetarian recipes, salads and stews all seasoned with a flavorsome combination of herbs and spices, is considered to be a very balanced, healthy diet. "Mezze", which are appetizers and also a Lebanese parsley salad known as Tabbouleh are the most popular. (Info from WIKIPEDIA)

Adas Bis Silq with Khoubiz:
These recipes come from the author Tess mallos, with my slight changes or additions. Her comprehensive cookbook is called "The complete Middle East cookbook".
Adas Bis Silq
is basically a vegetarian lentil soup with Sliverbeets or red chard greens as we call it in US and flavored with light spices, makes a delicious soup full of protein and fiber. I added some cumin pd for taste and used a bunch of my first ever yield of baby red chards from my own veggie patch. YAY! :)
Khoubiz is a soft Lebanese flat bread similar to Italian Focaccia or a thick Naan if you make them smaller, baked plain or with spices sprinkled on it, great for dipping or mop up the Lentil soup.


To bake spiced Khoubiz:



First, let's make the Lentil soup:

1. Soak 1 cup brown lentils or whole red lentils(whole Masoor) or Egyptian lentils as they are sometimes, in water for 2 hrs, then wash and drain it.
2. Add 2 1/2 cups of water or stock or veg broth to lentils and Microwave for 10-12 mins on high or until soft but not to a mushy mess.
3. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a pan, add 1 shallot,chopped, 1 garlic chopped,fry until softened.
4. Add 1 cup of washed and chopped red chard leaves, 1 tsp Cumin powder, salt, pepper, 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, cover and boil for 3 mins.
5. Take the pan out of the heat and add 2 tsp lemon juice, mix. Serve with a slice of Khoubiz and lemon slices.



Now the Bread!
I have the cut the original recipe into half since we didn't need too many Khoubiz. Mine is almost like rustic deep dish Pizza crust with spices on it! You can sprinkle cheese on top too and eat like a snack, great for kids to munch on or with any soup.

To bake one big or 4 small round Khoubiz, you need:
3 cups flour, more or less,
1 1/4 tsp or half packet of dry active yeast,
1 cup water,
3/4 tsp salt,

1/2 tsp sugar,
1 tbsp oil.
Spice mix: if you like it spiced, sprinkle chilli flakes, Garlic pd, Sesame seeds,
Onion seeds, mixed herbs etc or Zatar mix.
How to bake:
1. Mix yeast, 1/4 cup warm water(110F), sugar and let it foam for 5 mins.
2. Add yeast mix to a mixer bowl with 3 cups of flour mixed with salt gradually , 3/4 cup water, oil. Mix and knead well for 4 mins until you get a smooth dough. Add more or less flour as you need.
3. Brush oil on the dough, cover and let it rise for an hour or until doubled.
Preheat the oven for 500F.
4. Punch down the dough. You can divide this into 4 smaller round breads or roll into one flat round about 1/2" thick like Focaccia, make dents with your fingers on top of the bread. Place them on the oiled baking pan, cover and let it rise a bit for about 10mins.
5. Sprinkle the spices if you are using. Bake in the oven for about 10 to 15 mins or until golden on the bottom and slightly golden on top. Use your judgment for exact timing but don't let it bake too long.
6. Take out and cool on the rack. Slice into wedges to serve.

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Book and Movie?
I just started to read a book called "Tamarind Woman" by Anita Rau Badami and watched "Dances with Wolves" again last Sunday.
I was too busy to finish the book, what with all the kids' last 10 days of school activities, field day, field trip, pep rally, Trisha's NHS Induction ceremony, Tushar's Guitar concert etc. School ends on the 11th. YAY!!
More work for me cooking lunch for 3 people everyday during the summer break and all but still YAY! :D

Dishes I tried last week:

Bhinda Ni Kadhi from Coffee's blog.
Dabeli Masala from Trupti's blog.
Dabeli from Rricha's blog.
Phulko Luchi ar Aloor Dom from Sandeepa's blog.
Cheesy Dal bread from Sunita's blog. Used this (spicy Butternut squash stir-fry instead of dal)
Methi Shag Bhaja from Jayashree of "spice and curry" blog.
Thank you Prajusha, Sireesha, Jayashree and JZ for your awards. I always appreciate it! Remind me if I have forgotten to mention any of you! :)
A big hug to Anamika for passing on a very beautiful
'Arte y Pico' award (photo on the sidebar)! What a beauty!! Thank you Anamika.
I am passing this beauty to "Bee", "Happy Cook" and "Sig", my dear blog buddies. Enjoy!:)



Have a great rest of the week, see you all later!:)

127 comments:

Finla said...

Hey Asha thankyou for the Artey pico award.See even that i cannot prounce so how can i pronounce this Thukpa...TS... and the rest.
Thankyou for passing it to me.

I have no idea how you make these dishes.
Not to mention the work and the reserch you do for it.
Hi hi and i am sure you didn't drink that yak butter tea.
When Hans was in Mangolia last year they gave him that, he took a sip for beeing polite and he didn't like it.
But the soup i am going to make.
I know why you wanted to see the Dancing with wolves again, you wanted to see kevin Costners Naked bud again :-) :-)

Siri said...

Guess what Ashaji, I bookmarked the Thukpa soup for Bhags event and was about to post today.. what a nice coincidence... Many Many thanks for such a lovely and yummy entry for Middle Eastern event..Trisha looks so cute. didn't u started that 'personal' blog at all!!..Off I am to read some more..:D

Hugs,
Siri

ranji said...

very very interesting tea asha :)..i am less exposed to the cuisines in the eastern part of india...i am new to all these dishes that u made today..even find it diffcult to pronounce...but both the dishes are simply awesome!!!!
khoubiz looks realllly good with the lentil soup...they compliment each other really well.Thukpa is equally delcious...
OK..i am not asking if u drank it or used yaks milk but can u plz tell what it tastes like:D....

FH said...

LOL!!! F, how many times did you watch "that butt" girl?! Yeah, he was young and fit then!;D
Enjoy the award.
I haven't even seen Yak's milk or butter at all in my life, cheated!!Haha! Recipe is from that book.
Yeah, I don't blame Hans! Salt in the tea? I think you get used to it if you are from around there.
Thukpa was great, it tastes like shn's Kerala stew with Noodles or Pasta in it!:))
Lentil soup is yummy, healthy kind.

Siri, glad you liked it. Bread/Khoubiz was great too. Thukpa has a familiar taste, so I thought I would make that instead all the strange tasting dishes!:D
I didn't want to load up this blog with all photos,so I made a temp posts at that blog.I will take some of them after some time. I don't want anonymous nasty comments again! One in particular hates her all her achievements!:P
Thanks for visiting "our 20th", happy to see your comment in an old post. Hugs!:)

Bhags said...

Thanks for the interesting entry ....the soup looks nice. I haven't yet started my search for a recipe....but is yak milk available in perfectly normal grocery stores....

kamala said...

Ashaji,i dont even know abt these dishes.And the name too!!! Like all the great pics of ur kids.Lovely post with beautiful pics!!1

FH said...

Ranji, please don't ask!! I am cheating here! ;D
Thukpa is like Kerala stew, great meal!:)

Bha, Yak's milk is sold here in the regular grocery stores? Never looked for it girl, I might buy some just to taste if I get it!:)

Kamala, check that NHS site I linked, you will see the requirements etc there. I am sure Harsh will make it too in few yrs, got to get him to do lot of volunteering!:))
Thukpa and Lentil soup is good, liked them. Salted Tea? Nah!:D

Purnima said...

Oh.. i m reeling under the tongue twister names n more than tht brain twisting recipes! Wow..u r amazing woman!! Loved the array of dishes presentd n cooked by you!! :D

Purnima said...

Asha, just back here frm Life happens..loved the honor bestowed upon ur daughter, surely makes u feel proud..n yes..though u prefer to chide ur son, me thinks he is also pretty brilliant, in music, in studies..some of them do not need to sit with a book all day long! I m very sure he will follow his sister's footsteps and both will make their hardworking mom proud..(hey is ur barn done, croceries hv migrated there :D)

bee said...

thzct izs verzyth nscfgn

bee said...

oooh anotrznz awrdzz forth mefzz

@the_whisk_affair said...

beautiful click asha, its such a pleasing picture!! but the yak's milk tea was too much for me ;-)and i am somebody who would try almost everything, yes i said ALMOST! and the khoubiz is awesome.. i took the same middle eastern cookbook for AWED! :-) shud find something interesting to make!

ChrisB said...

I do not fancy Ts-Ja but I think the soup is a winner.

Vani said...

Oh, lovely, unusual stuff- just the kind I like! The fact that they're unpronouncable - more intrigue! :) Everything looks great, Asha! Love the picture of the soup - so colorful & beautifully presented. And the lentil soup has such an Indian feel to it, doesn't it? Amazing how different cuisines have so many similarities. Hugs to you & the kids. Was Trisha surprised when you guys showed up?

Shilpa said...

Congrats to Trisha. Wow..what an achievement.

Never heard of those dishes before. They all look great.

bee said...

cnzgtrs to trizsha and tuszhar.

Sia said...

where do u find all these (cant even pronounce them) recipes???? i am amazed... that lebanese bread(plz dont ask me to write its name;) looks so good.
tushar is interested in playing guitar? very impressive:) my baby brother is also learning it and he is quite fond of it. congrats to trisha again.
and LOL at happy cook's comment abt kevin's naked butt;)

FH said...

Purnima, Middle Eastern soup was more like Indian soup than our own AP's food!:D
Thukpa was like stew,very tasty and easy to make.
Yeah, Tushar didn't speak at all until he was 4yrs old and we were thinking "UH OH"! Then because of all the Pokemon craze,games and books etc ,he started reading when he turned 5! We said "Woovee, thank you Lord(Shiva)"!:D
He is the only one in the family who asks me everyday "how is my mom? Did you eat? Are you feeling good today?" when he comes back from school, no one else asks me that ever!:)
Barn is painting primed and painted, a guy is working on it now, I will update next week.

Where is Bee Kutty? What have you done with her? Alien? YEZ, itz youz iamz azking? pleaz lezt hezc gzco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Hi JZ, how is your Beyonce`!? Hahaha!!
Yeah, salt puts me off too, might try the Yak's milk but salty Tea?
That book has some Bamboo shoot dishes like stir fry I liked and a stew with chicken too. Make something!:)

Finla said...

Asha just read the post about the kids.
You must be really proud of both the kids.
Congragulations to trish for her NHS award.
I didn't know anything aobut this award, we don't have it here.

FH said...

Chris, me too! Wonder how Yak's milk smells like!! :D
Both Soups ware great, highly recommend them.

Haha! You love experimenting Vani. Yeah, both soups taste great,lentil soup healthy too. I want to know how do they say TS-JA!
Trisha knew she was going to be inducted by other kids who spilled the beans but didn't expect us there.All 13 kids were very embarrassed to see the parents garlanding them with golden keys!
Older Kids hate showing their parents to their peers! Elementary kids get very happy! :D

Thank you Shilpa. If you work hard in America, you will be recognized and rewarded,no matter who you are and where you come from. That's what makes US of A, the greatest country in the World!:))

Mishmash ! said...

It sounded "Greek & latin" to you? Fo rme, I couldnt even properly read or pronounce it !!!! better not to right, if it is delicious? :)

Congrats to Trisha and Tushar :)

Shn

FH said...

OH OH! There u iz again Alien? Shoo and go get Miz Beez back!!:))
Thankz muczch Martian!

Sia, happy cook has eaten something special today, she went straight to his butt!! HeHe!! Yeah, I would prefer to see Brad pitt's beehind but Ms.Angelina will surely put a dagger in both of my LASIKed eyes!Hahaha!!
Soups were good. Are you baking these days? Good for you, whole house smells so good when you are baking bread!:)
Tushar has an ear for Music. He plays Guitar without any musical notes but just hearing the music, which is great. We parents can't sing or play anything to save our lives! Trisha used to play Violin, now she doesn't have time for that.
Have a great week, see you later!:))

Cham said...

Seeing the title, i thought in what languag re u posting? Oh Asha how do u pick those dish which is delectable... I remember having Lebanese food in Paris... I didn't had anything, not only me (my arabian friend too), we felt tasteless, and end up going to MC donald, he he... But your dish sounds delicious as usual...Congrats to Trish and Tushar

Kalai said...

Wow! Amazing spread with so many new ideas, Ashakka! Great job. Just took a peek at your kids' photos. Heartfelt congrats to them! :)

Jaya M said...

Asha,
These dishes looks very exotic and pretty difficult to Spell LOL ...
Great to learn new things from you ..and the research also ,lot of hard work ..I am glad you tried making methi shaag , hugs for that ..
Hugs and smiles
Jaya

Gattina Cheung said...

Asha, thanks for the wonderful tour. My warmest regards to Bri as well.
Dances with Wolves is a beautiful movie, I had watched it twice at theatre that time too.

TBC said...

I saw the title and said to myself- "What in God's name is that!?" :D

You made regular chai only! You cheated!:D
Yak's milk- does not sound good to me at all- yuck!

You must be so proud of your kids' achievements!

FH said...

Cham, I think most Arab food is lot less spicy and more sweetish flavor to them, which for us spice experts, wouldn't do. Even this lentil soup has just salt and pepper, that's it!:) Thukpa was tasty.

Thank you Kalai. Good to see Trisha is off to a good start, it's just the beginning!:))

Jaya, I didn't even try to say the names, just cooked!:D
Methi shag was great, I had some frozen Methi, made it.I bet it tastes best with fresh Methi.Thanks for the recipe!:)

Gattina, can't believe that movie was made so long ago, still so beautiful to watch. I am thinking of making some Native American food!:)
Hope we collect plenty of money for Bri.

FH said...

Hi shn, just saw you there hiding in the back!:D
Yeah, they are some difficult names to pronounce. Thukpa reminded me of your alu eshthu, really good, flavor of ginger comes thru!:)
Thanks, kids did well this year! Many more to come!:)
Did you see the TV Food network y'day? They showed Bobby Faly and New Orleans brothers' Muffuletta throw down! Loved it.

Anonymous said...

hello Asha,
I have never heard of these names.the pictures are beautiful.would like to try the bread. sounds easy.

Shalini

FH said...

I AM GUILTY!!!:D
Tbc, where do I go looking for Yak's butter or milk and then drink Tea with salt!! AHH!! Photo of TS-JA looks just like the regular Tea, so I thought...why not!!:P
Thank you, kids did well. We are proud, one more year down without any negative incident! After watching the movie Juno..yeah..we are pretty lucky!:)

Swati said...

I had Thukpa in Dehradoon and Shillong.. You really took me back to those days!!!

Nice to hear about your son and daughter...Hearty congratulations to them!!

Uma said...

what, what? All these whats are for the names of your wonderful recipes, Asha! How did you get all these? Each and everything looks delicious.

Just saw the pics of your kids. Congrats to Trisha on her wonderful achievement and Tushar on the guitar concert! You sure are a proud mom.

Arundathi said...

maybe they named these dishes while they were eating and while their mouths were full of the delicious food! that's the only explanation, huh?

sunita said...

Asha, you've picked such a beautiful state...Arunachal Pradesh is really beautiful...Dinesh has gone on treks all over it and we even went there on our honeymoon...we did lots of walking, treking and climbing (!!)..it is really beautiful with hills and bubbling brooks and some really simple and friendly people :-)

All your dishes look great...glad you liked the dal bread...your option sounds great too.

sunita said...

Just checked out Trisha and tushar...I know I've said it umpteen number of times, but i say it again...they have really done you proud(touchwood)...my best wishes are always there for both of them.

ServesYouRight said...

Oh my! Around the world in 60 seconds reading your blog! Absolutely thrilled ot bits about the kids doing so well! Cheers,

Smita

FH said...

Hi Shalini, good to see you. Bread is easy, you can add any pice mixture you have, great with any soup!:)

Swati, thanks. So you know the real thing, I liked the taste of Thupka too. It's mild and all in one meal!:)

HeHe! Uma, I thought so too of all the names,hard to believe they are Indians as well.What a difference, specially betn south Indians and them!
Yeah, kids made us proud,so far so good, fingers crossed!;D

LOL! A, that's a great explanation girl, I should put it up there!Lot of cultural difference. Good to know North East too. Otherwise, I don't think I would have tried Thupka! (I didn't really try TS-JS! Shh...!!)

FH said...

Sunita, I saw many photos of the AP state, it's really gorgeous. Lucky, you spent time there. People must be nice too, they look so peaceful! I am surprised at the lack of spices available there unlike south India. Must be too cold most of time to grow spices.
Bread had a great texture like thick paratha,beautiful recipe.
Most Indian kids work hard for their goal.I am just glad they haven't gotten into bad habits or bad group of friends! Thank you for your wishes!:)

Thank you Smita. With all your blessings, they better do well!:D
Thupka was tasty like a great stew with Noodles. I don't know about Yak butter Tea though!:D

Suganya said...

Hi Asha:
That chicken noodle soup looks so good. So colorful recipe and healthy too. So different and innovative dishes. Loved them all. I am not familiar abt the eastern part of Indian food. U are great, u rock in all types of cuisines.

delhibelle said...

Asha, from North east to Middle East, you manage it all in one go..whew!

really pretty looking thukpa there..it used to one of the most popular student meals at dilli haat, together with momos and non boozy root beer!

FH said...

Sukanya, I have never been to Delhi, not even to the airport! Hahaha!!
Most I have reached from K'taka is Mumbai, that's it. Yes, it is fun to cook and learn about others from my country. Thanks God for RCI!:)

DB, Momos and root beer sounds great. Thupka is yummy, not very spicy and a great meal. My kids ate it up!:D
It's great culinary adventure!:)

Anonymous said...

Wow! wonderful Flat Bread from Lebanon. Added to Bookmarks.

Meera said...

Congrats on your awards. You deserve them all. yak milk?? I haven't even tasted goat milk yet!!
Thupka looks great. I am going to try it. U know, for this event, I wanted to try something from every state that make North East India. But now I think it's rather ambitious plan. I just can't find anything for Mizoram. Maybe I need to search some more. Love your Khoubiz too.

Meera said...

Hey, just had a look at Trisha and Tushar's achievements. please convey my hearty contrats to them. Awesome!!Kudos to both the kids and kudos to their parents.

deepsat said...

wow!! this is my first time on Arunchal Pradesh cuisine!! Its a beautiful place though!!

Lebanese cuisines are one of the best!!

Nice mix Asha!! Thanks and have a nice week ahead!!

Take care!

KonkaniBlogger said...

All dished look great and sound so unique Asha..Love the soup especially. Congrats once again to Trisha and Tushar and to you proud parents too!! Must be all so fulfilling to see ur kids do so great :)..

Laavanya said...

Aah.. here's your post.. checked early this morning but wasn't updated yet.. :) What a killer title that is... and such exotic dishes too.. though they look good. The noodle soup and the adas bis silq especially look good.

Congratulations on Trisha's induction to the NHS!! She looks so happy (as she must) :)

Anonymous said...

Lovely big post as usual Asha, and I recognize that Lebanese lentil soup as my old neighbors used to make something very similar. Yaks are pretty animals, but yes, don't know that I will be finding any yak's milk soon ;) Happy for you cooking from your garden already! Big congrats to Trisha for NHS, and to Tushar enjoying his music -- great kids come from great parents and make us so proud. Enjoy! :)

Coffee said...

What a tongue twister for the title!! ;) I am going to try the khubzi bread...... I love these kinds of flat breads!!

Seena said...

Asha,
that was a DELICIOUS trip from Arunachalpradesh to Lebanon.. :)

Prajusha said...

asha,
soup looks nice and healthy..
thukpa,never heard abt this..:)
A big congrats to Trisha and tushar..

indosungod said...

Yak's milk, what next Asha :) but I can easily deal with the Thukpa. Congrats to the kids. yes me too looking forward to the summer break.

Red Chillies said...

Huh! I seriously thought that it was indeed some Greek cooking. But guess not! I cannot even come up with legitimate Karnataka or Konkani cooking and you go all the way to Lebonan and Arunachal Pradesh. The food looks yummy as usual. I loved the lentil soup.

SMN said...

Ashakka ur amazing wth all reginal tryouts.. love u for this.. anyways i hv decided that im landing in ur place :)....

Raaga said...

I love clear soups :-) send me a bowl please

Sig said...

Hehe, I saw the title and thought Asha was drunk when she typed this, there are some typos :D, dishes look interesting, I am completely dumb about the North East Indian cuisine.. And hey, thanks for the award! I think you will soon run out of sidebar space to display all your awards, start another blog for these... :)

Sig said...

oh and congrats to Trisha on making the honor society, just checked out your other blog, couldn't comment there... :)

Madhavi said...

Awesome soup Asha di, great new ideas , recipes, and though I was waiting for ur new post. Lovely names of ur kids.

Srivalli said...

for a moment there I thought if I have read this post or not!...lovly lovely is what I can say..you took us around the world much in short span of time...where do you get inspiration to cook all these lovely dishes..but I am not sure how you explained to your family on the names...:)..loved anu's comment!.

Congrats to Trisha and Tushar!..I felt proud reading on them...so I can imagine how you must be feeling..you have done a great job there..all inspiration for me!...:)..take care and churn us more..

btw who is this girl as bee talking something very confusing!!...hope some hacker has not posing as her!..heheh

Indranee Batabyal said...

Hello Asha,you have wonderful blogs and it was a delight visiting them. The recipes are amazing, especially the thukpa. Best of luck!

Cooking Station said...

thuka-pa, ts-ja..ebbbebbb..was wondering which cuisine it may be and found it to be our own Indian stuff. Thanks to RCI which atleast puts some light on us about our own Indian dishes. I am sure after tasting that ts-ja..I will be ready with a comic strip ahahhahaaa..but they are looking awesome in pics. lebanese bread and lentil soup look delicious. Your veggie patch on Life as it happens looks great. Happy to read about your children's achievement.

FH said...

Priya, bread in just like Foccacia, great for sandwiches too!:)

Meera, I have a North East book which includes Mizoram, I can mail you the recipes when I have time, there are very few though. Soup is tasty.
Thank you so much, I will let them know. Hugs to you!:)

Satish, AP is really gorgeous.I saw the pics, wish I lived there.People are always smiling too!:)
Lebanese food looks good in the cookbooks, might make more.
Have a great weekend.

Thank you Maya. It's pleasure to see them grow into intelligent, hard working citizens, we are proud!:))

Yeah Laavanya, Trisha was grinning form ear to ear after the shock of seeing us there wore off! ;D
Both soups were tasty, try it!:)

FH said...

Linda, I can't even handle the Goat Cheese girl, never mind the Yak's milk!:D
Yes, Trisha did very well. One more year to go, then she will be in real college, can't believe how time flies.I would miss her terribly. M is 1 yr younger than Trish I guess. You will be a empty nester shortly.
Red chards are growing like crazy, cant keep up!:)
Have a wonderful weekend.

Coffee! So good to see you. Bhindha ni kadhi was yummy, thanks for that!:))
You can make sandwiches with that bread, I made Dabeli!:D

Thank you Seena, I enjoyed cooking it too!:)

Prajusha, thank you, kids did well this year!:)
Both soups are great tasting, try it.

Thank you Indo. Thupka was like Kerala stew, same taste!:)
I am going put the kids to work on wall paper stripping etc for 2 hrs every day from next week!:D
I will be off blogging from mid July until Aug too.

FH said...

One word RC! COOKBOOKS! ;D
It's pleasure to research and come up with dishes which suits our palate. Most north east dishes are sea food based which we don't really like at home,so got to work on these! Try the soups!:))

HeHe! Sushma, start now, you will be here when we are on Summer vacation! Hugs to you, enjoy the soups!:))

Okey dokey Raaga dear! It's on it's way to you spilling all the way, you might get some dry noodles and veggies to eat! :D

LOL! Sig, it just takes one little cocktail to get me drunk like a sailor,I am so pathetic!
Thank you about Trisha. Those posts are temporary, so I didn't leave the comments open, just for looking at them so I don't clog up this blog with all those photos!:))
Enjoy your award.

FH said...

Thank you Madhavi. You know Sanjay Dutt's daughter's name is Tishala? That's where I got the idea from, but cut it short to Trisha since I am Asha. Trishala is also Lord Mahavira's mother's name, so got a beautiful history too!:)

Sri, I tell the kids the names of these dishes and they say "oh okay, whatever!" and eat them all!:P
They understand Spanish better than Hindi or Kannada, other than being best in English!:D
I feel the same way when I read about all blogger kids too, feel like I know all my life and feel happy.We will be there for each other when they grow up and leave us. Then all we have left is blogging and old cranky husbands!Hahaha!
I think Bee has been kidnapped by Aliens and her brain has been meddled with.We should all help get our lovely Bee back ASAP!:P

Thank you so much Indranee, I appreciate it. It was a pleasure to cook unfamiliar food and enjoy then too!:))

LG, when I said it's Thukpa to my son, he said "it doesn't look like Tuppa mom"!:D
He loves Tuppa/ghee with his Indian food,(Trisha won't even touch Tuppa!) he thought Thupka was Tuppa!HeHe! Soup wa yummy with a hint of ginger.
Yeah, great for comic strip, make one!:))

Aparna Inguva said...

Hey Asha,
Thukpa revived us after a trek at lower Himalayas. Thukpas and momos were our got to dishes when we went to Sikkim, Tsongo lake as well! Of course I didn't dare try the Yaks milk or tea but I enjoyed the candles in monasteries burnt with yak butter. You bought back warm memories of traveling. Thank you thank you
-A

FH said...

Aparna, thank YOU for telling me all those beautiful stories, AP sounds wonderful. Yak's butter diyas, what a grand vision! Wish I could visit there at least once in my lifetime. Got to try Momos!:))

EC said...

The yak definetely looks beautiful, and so do your dishes...you rock when it comes to giving an introduction the dishes and the study you do for each of them

FH said...

All thanks to the beautiful Internet and those web sites, EC. What would we do without it!:)
North East was very unfamiliar territory for me too, loved the Thupka. AP seems like a gorgeous state!:)

Indranee Batabyal said...

Asha, thanks for your message. I have taken the photo off the post.

Jamie said...

WOW Asha! What a post! You have been very very busy. Thanks for the great recipes!

FH said...

Indranee, thanks for that quick response sweetie, I appreciate it!:)

You are welcome Jamie. Soups taste wonderful, enjoy!:))

Anonymous said...

Hi asha,
Congrats to trisha,
I Never heard of Yak milk and tea with salt,

By the way I was watching you tube, I wathched Mark arvind, Is he Ur hubby, I got confused abt name, i thought u are shaivas

bye
Shreya

Anonymous said...

"Adas Bis Silq with Khoubiz" - is something i am trying. let me see if i can lay my hands on that book you've mentioned.

FH said...

Shreya, when we started working here in US, they couldn't figure out which is the first(Arvind) or last name(M.M.). So, they started calling him Mark Arvind!:D
South Indians have this dilemma of first names with initials, it's pretty hard for us. Yes, Dr.Mark Arvind is my hubby and we are Shaivas.HeHe!:)

Hi Laks, how are you girl? :)
Lentil soup is almost like Indian dal with lot less spices, enjoy. Bread makes agreat sandwich too!:)

Dalicia said...

hi asha...fundraiser for a good cause :) sounds good to me :)

i had butter tea before. not sure if i want to make it....

soup is something that i make. good to know the history

FH said...

Hi Dalicia, hope Bri's fundraiser makes more than what she needs!:))
Butter or salty tea doesn't sound good at all girl. I think it's a matter of getting used to it!:))

Mallika said...

It's such a sad story about Bri. I was just reading about it on Sandeepa's blog. I grew up on Momo's and thupka in Kolkata. Looks like you'll have your hands full over the summer - good luck darling! All yur blogger friends will have recipes to get you through it.

Pooja said...

those hard to pronounce dishes are looking yummy :D.
i just disappeared for few days and felt like i missed many events to be a part of :( . will check out for what is left for me now :) .
Congratulations to Trisha and Tushar . They are such good kids :).
hugs to you :) .

Recipeswap said...

I just read your post on the NHS and your kids....wow brilliant kids.
Like always your food looks great will have to try the soup.
Hey what is Uppu saar?

Anonymous said...

You, my dear, never cease to amaze me. You are one bright lady!

WokandSpoon said...

Wow - all this sounds so exotic!

Anonymous said...

Wow....great entires Asha! THe dishes look super yummy.

Viji said...

Asha asusual, your blog is like a library for everyone to look and learn the new recipes and background story about it. Appreciate your interest as usual. Nice ones. Take care. Viji

EC said...

I have some awards for u at my blog...

david santos said...

Great work, my friend, great work!
Excellent!
Happy weekend.

FH said...

Mallika, I am sure we will get her thru' Bri's desired treatment. That's the least we could do for her!
Yeah, busy summer, got to take off in July and August!:)

Pooja, enjoy your break. There are too many events these days to catch up, don't worry!:D
Great to see you and thank you. Kids school is almost done!:)

Neema, thanks!:))
Uppu saaru is cooked blackeyed peas or Horsegram broth mixed with green chillies, salt, cilantro and few raw garlic. Grams are then seasoned to serve on the side and broth is served with Ragi mudde!

Unknown said...

This Thukpa is very nice dish, i had it while travelling in Sikkim and also tried the yak tea.we all loved it.The lebanese bread looks great.

FH said...

Thank you Kristen! Even we, as Indians, didn't know these AP dishes. India is so diversified, some of us will never try regional food unless we have events like this!:))

Thank you W&S! Congratulations to you sweetheart, enjoy the baby!:))

Viji, RCI is a great event, always a pleasure to cook. I might miss 2 of the next RCIs though, got to take a break!:)
Have a fun weekend, see you om Monday.

FH said...

Thank you HC, glad you liked them. Soups are great, hope you try!:))

Thank you EC, will grab them!:))

Hi David, thank you so much buddy, good to see you. Enjoy your weekend too!:))

FH said...

Pearl, you tried the Yak Tea! That's great to hear that you liked it. I read that Yak's milk is sweetish to taste, sounds good! Salt in the tea, I can't handle that though!:))
Thupka, we loved the taste.

@the_whisk_affair said...

to a very talented newly discovered friend - there's something for u in my blog!

Daily Meals said...

Hi Asha! All the dishes are new to me...but looks yummy...Nice pictures.

Swati Raman Garg said...

should i wait till i become the 100th commentor again.. hehee...
u know what.... for once i thought you have netered some typos for the title... but then okk... :) i love the pic n that velvetty thing in the background...

and coming to trisha.... congrats ... proud mommy.. and i find tushar more interesting... wow guitar concert.... amazing.. and never seen with books .. i love those kindof kids...

Vanamala Hebbar said...

Fantastic asha :)

FH said...

HeHe!! Thank you JZ, will be there sprinting double time!:))

Thank you Vijaya. Good to see you, are you taking a break? Haven't seen your post in a while!:))

NOOO! Be the first one Mrs.Garg!;D
Yeah, have some of those "no book reading/studying" kinda kids, they will give you mini heart attacks every time there is progress report from school!Hahaha! Yeah, he does well somehow!:))
Thank you, try the soups, enjoy your weekend.

Thank you Mala. Hard to find some good dishes from there which we like to eat too, soups are great!:))

Jamie said...

Asha, there is something for you at my blog :)

FH said...

I am coming Jamie, thank you!!:)

Namratha said...

Wow Asha, that's a mouthful to say and definitely does justice to the dishes itself...hehe! I was thinking what was RCI this month, found it here :) You always make very unique dishes dear, way to go!! :)

Congrats on the awards, well deserved.

Shivapriya said...

I enjoy reading ur columns along with recipes. Did u really make Tea with YAK's milk n salt;)
I would never dare to try a recipe like that:D. Lovely pictures.

FH said...

Glad you liked them Namratha. It was hard to find to find something I like since most AP dishes involve seas food etc. Thupka was delicious. Lentil soup is like our dal, so not bad at all!:)
Enjoy your weekend.

SP, so good to see you sweetie.
NO!! Where do I look for Yak's milk or butter!! And salt in tea? Nah!!;D
Soups were great though, enjoyed it. Have a fun weekend.

Manju said...

wow...thats quite a spread as usual..i wouldve been surprised if u had settled for aything less.. :) n congrats to Trisha!!

FH said...

Hi SC, great to see you. I had to choose a few which suits our taste, glad I found these!:)
Thank you, kids did well this year, happy that we all are still in one piece! Hahaha!! Onto the next!:))
Have a wonderful weekend.

Susan said...

From what I hear, yak milk is very mild and less of an acquired taste than goat, for instance. No idea where to get it unless from a very funky health-food store that is not around the corner. Fun and informative post, Asha. ; )

FH said...

Hi Susan, that book says Yak's milk tastes sweetish too. Couldn't be that bad if whole North East India and Mangolia are drinking that!:))
I wouldn't mind tasting if I get my hands on some!:D
Enjoy your Sunday. It's 100F here, burning hot.We watered all the veggie plants y'day, expecting a bigger water bill!:D

J said...

So how do you say TS-JA ?? :D I admire that you made khoubiz/kubz/kubboos....I'd just go and buy it! We get camel milk here but didn't try it ever since our friend did and had an upset tummy all the week!! :)

FH said...

LOL @ Camel milk! Really! I guess we are not used to drinking anything other than Cow's milk! Poor girl!
We mostly get European style breads, Pita etc. Never seen Kubz here. It's like Focaccia, good for soups and sandwiches!:)

Jayashree said...

Milk and salt??? Wonder how that'd taste......
Love that first pic.....and the bread sounds delish....

FH said...

Yak's milk or butter and salt, Jaya!:D
Don't know and don't dare tasting it either.You really have to get used to the taste of salt Tea I guess,bet they love it!:)

MR said...

I am always in awe !!!!!!!
how do u come with recipes of different cuisines.

too good!!as always !!

Swati Raman Garg said...

instant haan... u r too good... achcha tell me something did u get my mail....

Shionge said...

You can feed the whole village Asha, amazing shots and makes us or rather me salivating heheheh...

krystyna said...

Hi Asha!
Ts-Ja is a tea made of Yak's milk or it's butter, tea leaves and salt is added instead of sugar.
I drunk something like your recommended tea from Russian friends. I was very young and I only remember that this tea was good.
Thanks for sharing, you do great job. Your posts are always full of interesting information.
Ps.
I did what I can for Briana. Thanks for links. I used them when I read here last time.
If you can - write few words about her/or copy/ at my commet section.

Have a wonderful time!

Miri said...

I learnt about Thukpa after coming to Delhi and simply love it - thanks for posting the recipe, now I can try it at home!

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

That's quite a mouth full. Not just the names but the food. Looks delicious.
I'm discovering a whole new world of food!

FH said...

Thank you mr. All thanks to my cookbooks really, I am not familiar with these region at all. Enjoyed cooking them!:))

Swati, last time I checked, I didn't see your mail, will check again today!:)

Shi, good for 4 people girl. Kids are not thrilled to eat Lentil soup but loved Pasta soup!:D

FH said...

Krys, I will do that. You know, you can copy Bee's post entirely and promote it too.Thanks for contributing!:)
I am sure if you live in that region or visit, you will love their food.My only connection is thru' cookbooks.We loved the food except Tea, which I didn't try!:)

Miri, we loved Thupka too, very tasty and all in one meal. Yes, you can try at home. Enjoy!:)

Aparna, that's true! Mouthful in every way!:D
That book says they can't grow much spice there, so food is simple and use lot of dried fish, fermented things etc.Can't believe they are Indians too!!:)

Kalpana said...

Hiii, how are you? It's been long time visiting... Got busy.

FH said...

I am doing well Kalpana, ready to go on Summer break. I know, it's hard to do anything these days in this hot weather!:))

Rajitha said...

that thupka looks delicious...should make it when the weathe gets to be a lil cool..btw..where did you get the yak milk from :D

Nandita Shenoy said...

Hi Asha,
Came across your blog while checking out Suma's blog. All your recipes looks so delicious.. Pics are gr8..Went through your NH blog. You do have a green thumb. Very good plants.. & great snaps.. I have recently been bitten by the blog fever & have started my food blog.Do visit me at http://www.tasteofindia.co.nr/
with your valuable inputs..

Archana Doshi said...

asha, very interesting write up. An eyeopener for sure. The Thupka would be a perfect recipe for the ONE DISH MEAL event i am hosting. Please check my site or the link below for the details http://www.archanaskitchen.com/2008/uncategorized/monthly-one-dish-event-meals/
I would love for you to participate.

FH said...

HeHe! Rajitha, told ya I ain't telling!!;D
No, didn't get Yak's milk or tasted salty tea but Thupka is great for dinner and so is Lentil soup!:)

Hi NS, good for you, will visit you today. Enjoy blogging!:))
Thank you, hope you try a few dishes too. Every Spring. we will start with some plants until Fall. it's a joy!:)

Archana, I will add and send it to you right away girl. I will on Summer break shortly, so will not be able to make any but will send this to you! Enjoy hosting!:))

Unknown said...

Hi Asha! That was a really informative post as usual :) , North-east states of India is something I dont have much knowledge of, especially their cuisine, your post gave a nice outlook about Arunachal Pradesh:) Had a nice time reading through the authenticity of the Yak's milk in your salt tea ;-)

Sumi said...

Hi Asha,
I wonder how you managed to cook so many recipes, find time for reading, and all other activities.Have always enjoyed your posts so much.Love your blog.

FH said...

Haha! Shh...!! Don't say it loud!!;D
Yeah, it was educational for me too. Loved Thupka, don't know about tasting salty Tea though!:)

Thank you Sumi, I appreciate you for saying that! Reading is the hardest for me, to sit at one place and concentrate when you have so many other things lined up to do, but cooking is something I have to do everyday anyway, I enjoy it too. Wish I could be able to read in peace, may be one day when both kids move out of home!:D