You may remember a post about "aestofida" (spelling?) relating to the smell of cooking that used to come from houses while I was growing up... a certain something that was in the air that I couldn't find, doesn't seem to exist and no matter what recipe I've seen nothing unusual pops up...

Well while seaching on here last night I spotted "mace" (which if memory serves is the husk or plant from where we get nutmeg?) in a curry (think it was Afghanistani Curry)and I wondered if this was the mysterious extra smell ...

and the answer was no...

oh well on with the search...

keep trying, you will find it one day ;-)!

Mamta

I believe that this is worth resurrecting?

I may be out of order in my use of it, but I find that it gives me a sense of the real thing.

I only lived in India for 3 years, but was hooked on the most satisfying food in the world!!

Hello Tim

I am sure we have had this discussion before somewhere. I still believe that it is the 'tarka' given to the dals with smoking hot ghee in a cast iron ladle, with cumin, asafoetida, chilli powder added and then poured over the pot of Dal. This is then covered and flavours are allowed to infuse. It has a wonderfully strong smoky aroma, that you can all over northern India around lunch time when most families are preparing their dals for lunch.

I am sure it is the same in Bihar/Patna area, where you were in India Tim, if my memory serves me right!

Mamta

The smell I remember wofting (is that a word?) from the kitchens of many families was early in the day (around mid morning) so long before anyone would be preparing a tarka for anything ?

Steve

Mamta - my apologies. My reply got lost - along with another.

I remarked that yes, Bihar, you have a good memory. And that, being 'airborne', I was able to visit some 40 other locations, including Sri Lanka.

Great food - & people.

Could it possibly be panchporan? a mix of spices (cumin, fennel, fenugreek, nigella and black mustard seeds) dry fried until they pop and then poured over the food.

Wasting your time but, after over 60 years, it's still ekdotricharpanch??

Must be good stuff!!

You have to go to North India again, all of you, to Uttar Pradesh to be specific. You can still smell it in all homes at lunch time. I am telling you, it is the 'tarka' for the dal. The whhole house smells (lovely) when it is done.

Mamta

With my much younger and less educated nose (ie at 5 years old) and the fact that "curry" wasn't anywhere as near as popular as it is today with those of white backgrounds, I used to think it was frying onions. However over time as I became more aware of food and cooking (over the next few years) I realised when my parents were frying onions for other dishes (like going with burgers !) it didn't smell the same.

Maybe its just the spice smells in the pans of a well used curry pot that taint the onions when frying ?

Steve