Cumin, Curry, Indian Food: What's Making Fence Ill? [Archive]

Fencesitter

09-14-2005, 01:40 AM

I really love Middle Eastern spices. Seriously. How great are mint, anise and cumin?

Not sure, but I think cumin might give me a tummyache. When I eat Indian food, my stomach often gets upset. I think it's the cumin, but I'm not sure.

Fence

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 01:55 AM

That's a damn shame. How are you with hummus?

Fencesitter

09-14-2005, 05:10 AM

That's a damn shame. How are you with hummus?

Love hummus. Does hummus have cumin in it?

Fence

D. Scarlatti

09-14-2005, 05:16 AM

No but a hummer has cummin' in it.

viscousmemories

09-14-2005, 05:33 AM

No but a hummer has cummin' in it.
:laugh:

Anyway Fence, I think the curry's a more likely culprit than the cumin.

Fencesitter

09-14-2005, 05:58 AM

Anyway Fence, I think the curry's a more likely culprit than the cumin.

I don't think curry can be the thing that gives me the stomach problems because I eat curry just about every night, from Thai curry to Chinese curry to Japanese curry. Yes, they're all different. I haven't eaten Indian curry in a while, but do you think that Indian curry has cumin in it while the others don't? Possible, I guess. I'll have to check that out.

Fence

viscousmemories

09-14-2005, 06:30 AM

Yeah I dunno. It just seemed to me that being more spicy than cumin, curry would be the more likely culprit. It hadn't even occurred to me until you responded and I Googled that cumin is in fact a key ingredient in curry powder. At least according to McCormick (http://www.mccormick.com/content.cfm?id=8203).

pescifish

09-14-2005, 06:40 AM

Love hummus. Does hummus have cumin in it?The kind I learned to make does.

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 12:47 PM

Clearly this cumin issue requires its own thread. Sit tight, please.

And done. This thread was split from here (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=108270#post108270). :)

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 01:02 PM

Love hummus. Does hummus have cumin in it?

All the hummus I've encountered does indeed have cumin in it. That's why I thought it would make a good test case. I have no idea what all spices are in an Indian curry. Dozens, probably. Maybe it's not just one that makes you queasy but a combination.

We need RevDahlia and lisarea to weigh in on this because they're always making weird shit.

curses

09-14-2005, 02:41 PM

Cumin is a wonder spice! It should be its own food group. I like to make a mix of cumin, paprika, red chili powder, garlic and ginger (fresh if I can be assed, otherwise a paste), and kosher salt. It's a good mix for pork. Anise I could do without. I don't like the licorice taste. Same with coriander :bleh:

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 02:49 PM

Oh man, that sounds like a great combo, minus. Have you ever toasted whole cumin seeds? I think it may well be the most delicious scent ever.

I'll forgive you for not liking anise because I too hate coriander (cilantro). ;)

curses

09-14-2005, 04:41 PM

The combo is a derivative of soul food seasoning (basically just adding cumin and ginger.) It's good on baked barbeque chicken. It also works well when added to the flour that you batter fried chicken in.

Never tried toasting them. Hell, I've never seen them. I'm sure my local Whole Foods carries them. Do you toast them like you do sesame seeds?

lisarea

09-14-2005, 04:57 PM

We need RevDahlia and lisarea to weigh in on this because they're always making weird shit.

No, I do not. All of my shit is perfectly normal.

Anyways, here (http://www.lionsgrip.com/curingredients.html) is a thing on curry ingredients. I don't think I've ever seen a curry powder that didn't have cumin in it. I could be wrong, but I thought that was pretty standard.

It seems to me that Indian curry powder is more likely to have curry leaves (http://www.asiafood.org/glossary_2.cfm?wordid=3260) in it, for one thing. But they're all different. I'm not sure what all is unique to Indian curries.

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 05:42 PM

It also works well when added to the flour that you batter fried chicken in.

Excellent idea that. I don't fry chicken very often (okay, ever :giggle: ), but I bet it would make a great addition to the flour for chicken cutlets as well. Oh, and chicken fingers too.

Never tried toasting them. Hell, I've never seen them. I'm sure my local Whole Foods carries them. Do you toast them like you do sesame seeds?

I've never toasted sesame seeds. :chuckle: You just heat up ye old cast iron skillet, toss the cumin seeds in and stir/flip/toss until they're evenly browned. It takes almost no time at all and the fragrance that hovers in your kitchen for hours afterwards is indescribably good.

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 05:45 PM

No, I do not. All of my shit is perfectly normal.

That's not what yo mama says.

Anyways, here (http://www.lionsgrip.com/curingredients.html) is a thing on curry ingredients.

Damn... I knew there was a lot of shit in there, but that's seriously a lot of shit. What's Cassia, do you know? I used to live on the Cassia Antica, but that was more about one of the dudes who stabbed Caesar than about spices.

lisarea

09-14-2005, 05:58 PM

Damn... I knew there was a lot of shit in there, but that's seriously a lot of shit. What's Cassia, do you know? I used to live on the Cassia Antica, but that was more about one of the dudes who stabbed Caesar than about spices.

Only because I just looked it up.

Cassia (http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/cassia.html)

This reminds me of the time my brother described someone as "the poor man's Jerry Lewis," but apparently, it's considered the poor man's cinnamon.

Man.

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 06:21 PM

I'll have you know I love both cinammon and Jerry Lewis.

Fencesitter

09-14-2005, 06:38 PM

Anyways, here (http://www.lionsgrip.com/curingredients.html) is a thing on curry ingredients. I don't think I've ever seen a curry powder that didn't have cumin in it. I could be wrong, but I thought that was pretty standard.

It seems to me that Indian curry powder is more likely to have curry leaves (http://www.asiafood.org/glossary_2.cfm?wordid=3260) in it, for one thing. But they're all different. I'm not sure what all is unique to Indian curries.

After reading all of this, I'm beginning to think that it's not the cumin. It must be something else in Indian Curry. . . . maybe the lentils?

livius, why did you post your OP in that other thread? It seemed a little non-sequiter to me. Did I miss something?

Fence

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 06:47 PM

After reading all of this, I'm beginning to think that it's not the cumin. It must be something else in Indian Curry. . . . maybe the lentils?

Lentils are pretty neutral, I think. I would think it's more likely to be one of the multitude of other spices in the curry. You never know, though.

livius, why did you post your OP in that other thread? It seemed a little non-sequiter to me. Did I miss something?

It was BDS posting (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=108102#post108102) about "For ye pay the tithe of mint and anise and cummin" which inspired my OP. I think it's just been too long since I had lunch at my favorite Lebanese buffet. :hungry:

Fencesitter

09-14-2005, 07:02 PM

After reading all of this, I'm beginning to think that it's not the cumin. It must be something else in Indian Curry. . . . maybe the lentils?

Lentils are pretty neutral, I think. I would think it's more likely to be one of the multitude of other spices in the curry. You never know, though.

OK, sounds right. But I think I've had all those spices in something or other before.

livius, why did you post your OP in that other thread? It seemed a little non-sequiter to me. Did I miss something?

It was BDS posting (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=108102#post108102) about "For ye pay the tithe of mint and anise and cummin" which inspired my OP. I think it's just been too long since I had lunch at my favorite Lebanese buffet. :hungry:

Ah. I've never had Lebanese food before. What's it like?

Fence

Dingfod

09-14-2005, 07:11 PM

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 07:12 PM

I've never had Lebanese food before. What's it like?

Deliciously wonderful, marvelous and dreamy. It's probably my favorite non-Italian ethnic food. My favorite dishes are hummus (of course), this meat between grilled pita thingies I can never remember the name of, cabbage salad, and a two layer cake with a dates in the middle that my Lebanese friend Houda's mom used to make that I can't find anywhere.

:homdrool:

lisarea

09-14-2005, 07:53 PM

I'll have you know I love both cinammon and Jerry Lewis.

I can't think of an effective segue here, so let me just say, apropos of almost nothing:

The Clown Who Cried

JoeP

09-14-2005, 07:56 PM

Random thoughts. Lentils: like any pulse, can give you gas. Fence, what kind of tummyache are you talking about - cramps, nausea, other? Cumin: I worship cumin. I refuse to believe it could cause an upset (and I've never heard of this). Fenugreek, on the other hand - I love the stuff, but it does have a peculiar thing about it sometimes. Coriander: liv, do you really hate coriander seed as much as the leaf? To me, the two are so different they could come from different plants.

Fenugreek's not widely used in other cuisines afaik. Is turmeric? Turmeric can have that soapy taste going on if you're not in the mood. I sometimes find some curry formulations have far too much.

So Fence, you need to go on a regime of controlled-recipe curries for the next month or so. Eliminate the prime suspects, then reintroduce them.

And meanwhile, we'll refer to you as Bogsitter. :rofl:

livius drusus

09-14-2005, 08:09 PM

I can't think of an effective segue here, so let me just say, apropos of almost nothing:

The Clown Who Cried

Very well, then. I am compelled to counter with an apropros of something LINK OF DOOM (http://www.deviantart.com/view/20258688/).

Fencesitter

09-14-2005, 08:25 PM

It might be the chilies. I really enjoy spicy foods including curry, but there better be a bathroom available about 20 to 40 minutes afterward or I'm in serious distress. There is something in it that I'm allergic to, but I'm not sure what. Why do I regularly put myself through that? I love to eat and love to eat well, screw the consequences.

Well, it might be a certain kind of chilies, but I eat Thai curry which can be pretty spicy at least twice a week without the problem you mention above.

I also like hot sauce, jalapenos and wasabi and hot mustard, so I don't think it's just the heat either.

Fence

godfry n. glad

09-15-2005, 02:37 AM

I've never had Lebanese food before. What's it like?

Deliciously wonderful, marvelous and dreamy. It's probably my favorite non-Italian ethnic food. My favorite dishes are hummus (of course), this meat between grilled pita thingies I can never remember the name of..., :homdrool:

Would that be shwarma? The Greek equivalent is a gyros.

Then there's baba ganoush and falafel....mmmmm-mmmm.

livius drusus

09-15-2005, 02:48 AM

Would that be shwarma?

Yes! That's totally it. I have to bookmark this post now for the next time I forget the name. :bgirl:

Then there's baba ganoush and falafel....mmmmm-mmmm.

Oh hells yes, particularly falafel. Chickpeas: is there anything they can't do?

Fencesitter

09-15-2005, 03:48 AM

Random thoughts. Lentils: like any pulse, can give you gas. Fence, what kind of tummyache are you talking about - cramps, nausea, other?

JoeP,

Thanks for the wonderful post. But this is waaaay TMI for me. :P

I was going to comment that Warren's post was already TMI for me, but I deleted that part at the last moment so as not to be offensive. :innocent:

Heck, I only answered liv's original post because I thought she was trying to run interference on that other thread, and I thought I would play along. Who knew she was actually on-topic? :woopsie:

So Fence, you need to go on a regime of controlled-recipe curries for the next month or so. Eliminate the prime suspects, then reintroduce them.

I have a policy. If it doesn't work for me, don't keep doing it. I used to eat cottage cheese every night and was sick every day for months. But I never figured it out. By the time I figured out I was lactose intolerant, I had been sick way too long. So my new policy is that if something makes me feel sick, it goes.

And meanwhile, we'll refer to you as Bogsitter. :rofl:

I thought you did this already. :wink:

Fence