The h Bar

Yeah. I've been sick and also procrastinating quite a bit. But I'm almost completely OK now. It's only a matter of "GET BACK ON THE HORSE, you IDIOT!"

user228700

But I've had a few excellent meals these past few days!

John Rennie

I wouldn't beat yourself up. It can be hard to get going again after you've been ill. Especially if you're not really enjoying the work.

user228700

...yes, I'm trying to tell myself not to freak out about everything--that never did anybody any good :-P

John Rennie

Maybe have a look at what you have left to do and see if there's anything there you find interesting and start with that.

You could buy a laptop - that always cheers me up :-)

user228700

@JohnRennie That's excellent advice, and I will do exactly that but I need to first finish a few chapters in the next few days. Having a time deadline is good, I guess.

John Rennie

7:46 AM

> That's excellent advice

Yes, buying laptops is good ;-)

user228700

:-)

user228700

Dyou know about maggi?

John Rennie

@Kaumudi.H The food company?

user228700

Yep.

user228700

Specifically this:

user228700

7:48 AM

user228700

I know how to make excellent maggi :-D

John Rennie

Ah, noodles. Many students live on those :-)

user228700

Yep yep!

user228700

Many are of the opinion that anybody can make maggi.

John Rennie

I guess you start with what's in the pack and add extra ingredients?

user228700

7:50 AM

...which is sort of true.

user228700

But yes, I add extra ingredients.

user228700

One day, I made some for myself and my two sisters (who are twins BTW, did I tell you that?).

user228700

It tasted so good that when my parents tasted some, they almost screamed at me for not having made them any.

John Rennie

:-)

I haven't eaten instant noodles for ages. I used to buy them a lot but got out of the habit.

user228700

...yeah, you can get tired of it pretty quickly.

John Rennie

7:52 AM

I don't think the masala noodles are available in the UK, or at least I haven't seen them.

user228700

Ooh, last year, they banned maggi here, did u know?

user228700

Here in India, I mean.

John Rennie

No. Why?

user228700

After testing, they found that it contains toxic amounts of MSG.

John Rennie

MSG isn't toxic. You could eat spoonfuls of the stuff.

In fact the Chinese do :-)

You're quoting a blog?

That most reliable of peer reviewed information sources?

user228700

7:54 AM

Sorry, my mistake :-P There, that's BBC news.

John Rennie

Ah, lead levels.

user228700

Argh.

user228700

Gimme a minute to find a credible website.

John Rennie

Yes, lead is exceedingly toxic if it's in the form of organolead compounds.

user228700

But there was also talk about MSG.

user228700

7:55 AM

"Lead" and "MSG" were the buzzwords hereabouts for awhile after the ban.

user228700

I didn't care about it enough to do any research at the time but I see now that indeed, no real evidence suggests that MSG is harmful.

John Rennie

MSG is not toxic unless you eat so much that it upsets your electrolyte balance, which even salt will do.

And MSG does make food taste better because it stimulates taste sensors on your tongue.

user228700

...I see. Now I pity some of my friends who ventured to do a project about the harmful effects of MSG.

Secret

Do MSG makes you thirsty?

John Rennie

I sometimes add MSG to my risottos, though as it happens I've run out at the moment. That reminds me I must buy some more.

user228700

7:59 AM

Oh. We don't use it at home. In fact, I wasn't even aware that we can buy it in packets.

John Rennie

@Secret Only in the same way that salt does. If you increase the electrolyte levels in your blood you need to drink water to return them to normal.

Secret

Ah I see

John Rennie

Any electrolyte will do that, whether it's salt or MSG.

user228700

Are u a fan of Nutella, BTW?

John Rennie

@Kaumudi.H Adding a small amount of MSG to food makes it taste, well, it's hard to put into words but somehow it's a fuller taste.

I find Nutella too gooey.

user228700

8:00 AM

@JohnRennie Oh, OK...

Secret

Yeah I sometimes get confused because in east asian countries, we often said that MSG food makes you thirsty. However a search on the FDA and other gov sources find evidence contradictory to the saying, that it does not makes you thirsty in some highly specific way.

John Rennie

@Kaumudi.H I liked it when I was younger, but I think you go off the gooey sweet end of the scale as you get old and boring :-)

user228700

@JohnRennie What?! I cannot be friends with a person who doesn't like Nutella! :-o

John Rennie

I like chocolate and I like hazelnuts

And I like hazelnut chocolate. But Nutella is very sweet and sticky.

Someone recently mailed my a video showing how to make Nutella pancakes.

user228700

Hmm. In relation to this banning, I wanted to tell that Nutella is banned in the country in which it is made. Which is it? Switzerland?

user228700

8:03 AM

@JohnRennie I dunno what pancakes taste like :-(

Secret

Meanwhile I am doing the vinegar egg experiment. However after 3 days and using more than 50 mL of white vinegar, there is no sign of the eggshell disappearing, though it does seemed to get thinner as it crumbles easily

I guess my brand of white vinegar has too little acetic acid in it

user228700

Brb.

John Rennie

@Kaumudi.H Link here but note that it's on Facebook

user228700

8:25 AM

Sorry for the timeout, my mum was oiling my hair.

user228700

@JohnRennie Thanks! I'll try it after my exams, if I can find a substitute for eggs.

John Rennie

I thought you were OK with eggs as an ingredient?

user228700

Yes, but only when I buy the product ready-made. Purchasing and handling eggs would not be a pleasant affair.

John Rennie

Ah, yes I can see that.

You can buy pancake mix that you just need to add milk to. At least, you can buy it in the UK.

I would guess it uses powdered egg.

user228700

I'm not sure if I'll be able to buy the mix here but I'll be on the lookout for it, thanks!

John Rennie

8:37 AM

Can you buy powdered egg in India?

Ramanujan

@JohnRennie no,only desi items :D

John Rennie

amazon.in/Wise-Foods-Servings-Powdered-Bucket/dp/B00VF2DAZ4

Ramanujan

@JohnRennie that's British trying to week us :/

user228700

@JohnRennie WTF?!

user228700

TWENTY ONE THOUSAND RUPEES?!

John Rennie

8:42 AM

That does seem ridiculously expensuve

thought for food

:O

user228700

Yes, that is way too expensive.

John Rennie

That was the first thing I got when I searched Amazon.in. I'm guessing that if you can buy it there you can also buying from regular suppluiers.

user228700

The first thing I got was this:

user228700

amazon.in/Powdered-Eggs-Novel-Charles-Simmons-ebook/dp/…

user228700

8:43 AM

Lol x'D

John Rennie

Yes :-)

user228700

Maybe I can. I'll definitely try after my exams.

user228700

I made an excellent chocolate smoothie one time!

John Rennie

Chocolate smoothie? How is that different from a regular chocolate drink?

user228700

It contained coffee, milk, a pastry (sort of), and some melted chocolate. I mixed them in the mixer and it was divine.

John Rennie

8:46 AM

You put pastry in a blender with milk?

user228700

This one:

user228700

@JohnRennie Let's not forget the coffee and chocolate too!

John Rennie

That sounds absolutely disgusting :-)

user228700

:-) It was so good.

John Rennie

8:47 AM

Biscuits and milk ina blender!!

user228700

Biscuits?!

John Rennie

Those look like biscuits to me

user228700

NO! It's a chocolate pie of sorts. It's very soft and creamy.

user228700

It really was divine.

John Rennie

I used to like chocolate Nesquik

user228700

8:48 AM

I don't think I've tasted that.

John Rennie

And I still like hot chocolate, made with melted chocolate or with cocoa powder. But I wouldn't put chocolate cake/biscuit in with it.

@Kaumudi.H nesquik.com/products

user228700

How dyou make hot chocolate?

user228700

> DISCOVER HAPPINESS

user228700

Sounds promising :-)

John Rennie

Loads of good recipes here

user228700

8:50 AM

Well of course, I can Google it, but how do you make it?

John Rennie

I use a ready made mixture :-)

Just mix with milk and heat ina pan or microwave.

user228700

Oh. Cowardice!

John Rennie

Well it tastes fine and it's easy :-)

BTW I had a completely vegetarian lunch yesterday ...

user228700

@JohnRennie OK..?

John Rennie

Pierogi made with spinach, cheese and garlic, with a cheese sauce

Plus extra butter because, well, extra butter is always good :-)

user228700

8:53 AM

Oh, I've been around when you've had those before.

user228700

@JohnRennie Extra butter makes me a bit nauseous, to tell you the truth.

John Rennie

Ah yes, I think I posted a picture last time.

user228700

Yours looked remarkably similar to the picture on the Wiki page.

John Rennie

@Kaumudi.H I put the butter in the cheese sauce so it wasn't greasy. It's basically similar to adding cream.

user228700

So you are an excellent cook? :-)

user228700

8:54 AM

@JohnRennie Ohh, OK...

John Rennie

@Kaumudi.H No, the pierogi were ready made out of a pack. You just heat them in water.

user228700

Cowardice!

John Rennie

Even I can heat something in water

user228700

The shape looks delicate. I didn't think it would be enough to heat it in water.

John Rennie

@Kaumudi.H the ready made pierogi taste really good. I'm not sure I could improve on them if I tried to make them from scratch.

user228700

8:56 AM

:-) OK. We don't buy much read-made food. My mother cooks everything from scratch. I hope to continue this even after I move out. It will be a challenge but I will try my best :-P

John Rennie

I never buy ready meals i.e. the whole meal already prepared, but I also rarely make things from scratch.

Most of the things I like can be bought at least partly ready made and are very good.

user228700

Ah, OK...

John Rennie

Some things i do make. For example I'm very fond of Stilton cheese and make a cracking Stilton sauce from scratch.

user228700

U know how to make cheese from scratch?! Wow.

John Rennie

:-) I make the sauce from scratch.

user228700

9:00 AM

Ah, I missed that :-P

user228700

What's for lunch today?

John Rennie

@Kaumudi.H Pizza with ham

Partly ready made. I buy ready made cheese pizzas then add ham, chillies etc to my own taste.

user228700

Damn, that sounds good. The usual for me--sambar and rice. Ooh, some avial too, but I don't particularly like it.

John Rennie

Vegetarian apart from the dead pig :-)

user228700

Oh, you'd go running from avial.

user228700

9:02 AM

John Rennie

Vegetables with coconut milk? That sounds nice.

user228700

Yeah, sort of.

John Rennie

The nearest in the UK would be cauliflower cheese though you can make it with any vegetables.

user228700

Too many veggies for you, don't u think? I thought u'd be intimidated :-P

John Rennie

:-) I'm not a rabid carnivore. My only requirement is that food tastes nice.

For example the pierogi were delicious - really good! - even though they were entirely vegetarian.

user228700

9:05 AM

Holy crap, this cauliflower cheese thing sounds delicious! :-o

John Rennie

And you'll remember the vegetable risotto with chole

user228700

Yes yes, I do :-)

John Rennie

I'm not sure how the cauliflower cheese would work with paneer

We make it with a stronger matured cheese - usually cheddar.

user228700

Hey, we get cheddar around here!

John Rennie

In that case go for it! You can use any veg and it's really delicious.

user228700

9:08 AM

Awesome! Please keep sharing these vegetarian recipes from time to time :-)

John Rennie

I probably ought to get back to work for an hour or so ...

user228700

Same here :-|

John Rennie

Cool, we're encouraging each other to get to work :-)

Right, back later!

jyoungs

9:45 AM

Well, hello.

thought for food

hi

anonymous

hi guys

@thoughtforfood Did you change your name from "Pissed Off layman" ?

i couldn't recognize you

yo @DHMO

In mood for more integrals ? :P

DHMO

@anonymous definitely

anonymous

Okay :D Wait!

Lets try this one

DHMO

sure

anonymous

9:58 AM

I solved it but my method was tooooo long

I hope you can find a shorter one :)

DHMO

me too

anonymous

you solved it ?

how?

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