Hi Payal,
Just remembered the other author of a couple of books of authentic Indian Food I have by Mridela Baljekur. I have made a few of her recipes and they are really delicious.

Yes, I have at least 1 of her books -  was very intrigued when in the states I saw a book of hers called "best Ever Curry recipes" !!  it is quite a good book with a variety of dishes.  I have made 1 or 2 of her chicken recipes and they were pretty good.
I understand this site is after the BIR taste.  I will post a recipe for the makhani sauce from the Bombay Palace cookbook - it may be an "authentic" BIR taste!!  I use this gravy for chicken tikka, vegetables and paneer.  I will post it today under the authentic recipes just so you all can try it.  Strangely enough, it is the only recipe in the whole book which you make a base sauce for and then take some of that base sauce and cook with further with other ingredients - sounds like most of the most recipes I  see on this site.  That seems to be the BIR style.  The main taste comes from adding ginger paste into the tomato sauce rather than frying it in oil.  I gurantee is is worth a try and tastes identical to the restaurant one.  Does not even use more unusual ingredients (no rye, curry leaves).  I will do that a bit later today.
Payal

I just took a quick look at the vegetarian recipes - only looked at 2 of them and they seem pretty authentic.  I will look at some more and tell you what I think.

Not wanting to a be a spoil-sport Payal but could you perhaps outline for us just what IS worth us eating on this planet without causing serious disfigurement or to glow in the dark!!??.
Your postings only seem to point out the negative side of what most of us on this site consider a subject of enjoyment and worth pursuing.
I seem to feel if I took your advice on what was good and bad for us I would perhaps stop eating for good !!

I would still prefer you to give more positive input such as help with traditional recipes for Indian food which you have a lot of experience and sound excellent and I am sure would be great knowledge to share at. More of that would be spot on!

Regards

Ray

I was just pointing out what is important to my religion and the well-being of other indians. I never said for everyone to stop eating BIR food - it is the farthest thing from authentic indian food anyways.   I suppose those people who are not vegetarian could not understand how a vegetarian would feel if they found out there was chicken stock in their food!!  I wanted to post some recipes but have decided this site is not for me.  I imagine other people cannot imagine the shock of learning that chicken stock may be used in dishes.  I feel that is an insult to me personally.  About the MSG, I just pointed out what we are taught in the US - an advanced country in all respects.
I wish you all luck in finding that taste you are after.   I think it is strictly in the technique of cooking that can alter taste so much - not so much the ingredients even!  For example, onions cooked in various stages have very different tastes, textures and colors.
Best of luck.

payal

Curry leaves are great!!  I use them in most vegetable dishes as well as in the tarka for the dals I make.  Asda carries them..I have not seem them anyplace else - except for indian stores.  But they have rather large bags at the indian stores so I dont get them from there.  If I buy a larger amount, I wash them, and put them in the freezer in ziploc bags - they work as good as new!!!  Otherwise, they seem to go black and spoilt rather quickly.  I am not sure if anyone here in England even makes dals and the such.  if so, I could post a lentil recipe for anyone that cooks lentils.  They almost always go hand in hand with black small mustard seeds - the combination is used in south indian cooking mostly.  I plan on posting some recipes later this week.

Payal

Yes, I do have some experience with indian restaurants in the US as I have eaten in lots of them!!  I went to another indian restaurant today and did not like the food.  The indian food here is very very different from what I have eaten in the USA and also from the food I eat while in India.  But thats not to say that the food here is bad.  I personally dont like it but many people in this country are used to it and love it!!
I do mean to put some recipes up on this site - this week for sure...maybe some simple things i cook up like some paneer dishes and some dal dishes.  We eat dal every day and only occasionally eat the richer foods which have gravies ("curries").  I have some copies from the best cookbook I have even seen from my favorite restaurant - Bombay Palace.  This restaurant is in many countries and even in London.  I have yet to go to that one.  I have been to about 7 of their locations and the food is exactly the same in each one as the recipes are identical.  The cookbook actually gives all the restaurant recipes!! My dad has the cookbook in the US but I have some of my favorite recipes photocopied from it.   I will copy some of them this week and post them here.  You all might be interested in trying some other types of indian food.
By the way, my name is Payal.