Tailoring Textures

[Robt]

The reactions I read here make things make sense regarding the groupings of foods we traditionally eat. Why do people gravitate to a steak with mashed potatoes and gravy and an iceberg salad or fried fish and frys [potatoes] with chowder ...? There are surely many similar examples in our various regional cultural foods, a few have been illustrated above.

I have to admit, Goodweed, you have caused me to think about pairing in what to me is a new light. Thank you for a really great thread.

edit: bad spelling skills, hope I caught them all.

 

[Claire]

I tend to prefer MORE texure in food, my husband loves things like pureed vegetables. Given a choice, I'll always choose veggies that are barely sauteed, meats that are just cooked (yes, I love steak tartare). This works for us, we split the difference (he likes rare and sometimes raw meat, too, it's just the veggies that he likes baby-fooded). But yes, sometimes you want "rags" or "strings" in meat for certain dishes. 99% of the time, though, I like my veggies on the firm side, and my pasta definitely al dente.

 

[Yakuta]

Hi Claire great topic. In addition to texture I like to look for a balance in flavor (creamy, sweet, spicy, sour and fragrant). For the second part of your question. Here is what I would pair for an all vegetarian Indian fare:

Dahl - Lentils that are cooked yet along with creamy they are whole as well(so you can feel little bean bursts in your mouth)
Basmati Rice - That's fluffy and nutty with a touch of pure ghee (clarified butter). It not only appeals to my mouth but my nose as well
Papadums - Crunchy and normally we eat it as a wafer on the side with the beans and rice (I don't fry mine but roast mine in the microwave or open stove)
Pickle - Sweet and Spicy (lemon or mango)to balance out the meal
I will sometimes stir up a salad to go with this meal that is made of chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumber a splash of vinegar, salt, pepper and some freshly chopped cilantro and mint. It adds crunch to the meal and the strong bite of onions somehow goes so well with dahl and rice.

 

[Robt]

I do hope you can keep this thread going because I think many of us are looking at texture in a new light while Yakuta has introduced a new 'flavor' to texture. Her unique approach really does emphasize texture or perhaps, we should use other words that someone else can say better IE, mouth feel, I can't think of any others now.

 

[Claire]

I want Yakuta to move next door! I sometimes cheat and make dahl with yellow split peas so I get that texture AND a great color (those orange lentils when I can get to Dubuque's Asian grocery store, but yellow split peas otherwise). I love Patak's hot lime pickle. Definitely overdue for a trip to the Asian grocer! I haven't seen papadams in years, and they are a big favorite of mine. Love that crunch and peppery flavor. Love this line, there is so much here that I go back and pick up more of it. Unfortunatly I don't make Indian food often enough to make it all that often (besides the generic "curry" I make and keep in the freezer at all times. It tends to be "kitchen sink". Oh, and the basmati rice -- always a bag of that or jasmine or both in the pantry. That's definitely a texture thing. A lot of people around here don't eat much rice, so don't "get" that we want different kinds! They do taste different (jasmine, basmati, pearl, etc) but mostly it is a texture thing. And risoto is definitely a texture thing. It took me ages to realize it is SUPPOSED to be a little firm in the middle!

 

[foodaholic]

I believe there's nothing new as far as combinations of
foods are concerned,only the fact that I haven't experienced them all yet.Most people experience/eat the same foods all their lives.Today is a good day as any to expand our palates.