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Joined: July 23rd, 2012


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October 24th, 2020

Popover Pizza Casserole from Betty Crocker

We enjoyed this, it gets a smiley face. Filling, but could use a can of mushrooms or something thrown in. read more >


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tignor's Reviews


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6 recipe(s) reviewed. Showing 1 to 6Sort by: Title | Date | Rating

660 Curries

By Raghavan Iyer
Workman Publishing - 2008

24th November 2012

Tea and Ginger Simmered Chickpeas : page 331

Our favorite recipe in this entire book. We make this a few times monthly, using 1 serrano pepper and leaving out the cilantro and lime juice. It's so fast, yummy as hell, and really filling. We serve with ready-to-eat rice from MTE or Kohinar and naan. Delicious.

useful (1)  


The recipe says "A quick glance at the ingredients here might make you wonder if the chilies and garlic are overpowering. However, a mouthful of this curry will squelch that initial doubt." We made this with reconstituted coconut and serrano chilies. This was too hot for us, and I can take some heat! We've decided to half or at least use less chilies than called for, or even use jalapenos instead of serranos (which is the only of the 3 they usually list - serrano, red Thai, cayenne - that I can redily find in my city) to reduce the heat. It took several minutes for our lips and mouths to stop tingling.

The recipe was ok, and we liked it, but won't make it again. I have some other favorites in this book and keep returning to it.

useful (3)  


I really wanted to like this but all there was was HEAT. Very spicy, flavors didn't really melt. Better the second day and with more salt, but I should have known better than to use 4 Serrano chilies. I usually cut them down by half at least in recipes I've tried before from this book, but I was trying to use everything the recipe called for since this was my first attempt at this recipe. I don't think I'll make it again.

Got the hardest, greenest Mango I could find. It was ripe and not unripe. Not sure if this would affect the taste. Also used 1 tsp. ground cardamom instead of the 6 pods as I can't find them in my small city.

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9th April 2014

Jairam's Potatoes and Eggplant : page 568

YUM! This made an excellent side, nice flavor, would make again. Used yellow summer squash for eggplant (book recommends this as a substitute) because it only calls for half a pound and the eggplants were freaking huge at the store. Nice heat and not spicy for the sake of being spicy. Served with naan, basmati rice and pork (I know, I'm not Hindu though!) with bottled Rogan Josh sauce.

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3rd February 2013

Five-Spiced Whole Pigeon Peas : page 424

Well, this didn't work. First, the owner of the Indian grocery where I went told me that nigella seeds were black sesame seeds (they aren't) and that I could use white sesame seeds in their place (you can, but since nigella seeds are different it didn't work). This grocery also didn't sell whole peas, only split, and he said you could easily substitute. Split are quick cooking and won't give the same texture as called for in the recipe, plus the cooking method is different. I cooked them as called for in Pigeon Peas with Chiles and Jaggery on page 426, and went with this recipe to finish. It ended up being a starchy, pasty mess with hardly any flavor.

I know messing with recipes shouldn't be reviewed, but I had no choice since I went off the advice of a well-meaning man who didn't speak much English, but if you are going to make this know that even though I did change one tiny spice and a different way of cooking the peas, it probably will taste very similar, which is not at all.

useful (1)  


hmmm. Well, this was an idea. Not terribly flavorful but I will admit that I used McCormick Madras Curry Powder instead of the recipe in the book. I even used the hot kind -- and still, just corn and tomatos. It was ok. Served with my beloved chickpeas (page 331 and the best recipe in the entire book) and basmati rice, along with Naan.

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