Consensus is that YourFoodLab is a good YouTube channel?

I'm exploring YouTube Indian cooking videos and I saw a reference by someone in this Sub to "YourFoodLab" (YFL) by Sanjyot Keer. I've liked the first couple videos, even though I have to read subtitles. As YouTubers go, you all think he's pretty legit, right? (Or, would you just consider it slick productions to schlep blenders, with lame recipes?)

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u/Plum_Haz_1 — 3 days ago

In what situations would you strongly resist substituting split chana dal for toor dal?

Are there certain recipes where such a substitution would be a show stopper? What about in the other direction?

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u/Plum_Haz_1 — 5 days ago

Made Sambar Tonight, Per Your Rec

Thanks for your recommendations last week regarding types of dal dishes to try cooking. One that a few of you mentioned was sambar. I made it tonight using a recipe from a person recommended numerous times in this sub-- Archana Mundhe. https://ministryofcurry.com/sambar/

She is probably targeting an Indian American audience, I realize.

It was easy and good. The vegetables popped, rather than being dull and overpowered by spices and sugar, like what I get in restaurants. I used Aachi brand sambar spice blend (good brand?), which was a little heavy on the heat, over the flavor, IMO. I'll make my own spice mix next time. I added fried mustard seeds but didn't taste much, even though they are far from expired. I used a clay-like brick of dehydrated tamarind, which was a hassle to sieve, but its flavor was good.

Everything was cooked together in the Instant Pot, so some vegetables got overcooked. Next time, I'll do it on the stove so I can delay the adding of some of the vegetables, to prevent them from becoming too mushy.

BTW, is the toor dal supposed to COMPLETELY meld into the liquid?

Does the gourd add much flavor (I couldn't tell) or nutrition? If not, I might switch it up to squash.

Is hing supposed to be obvious in the flavor profile? If so, then I didn't add enough.

Anyway, what an easy, healthy and cheap addition to this night's meal.

Thanks Again

u/Plum_Haz_1 — 9 days ago

General Inquiry re: r/IndianFood Members

Hi, If you all don't mind, I'd like to achieve a better understanding of this sub's members, so that my discourse/questions/comments will be most appropriate, and so I can enjoy better understanding you.

  1. Is most of this sub of South Asian heritage?

  2. Do most live in India? (Or maybe the USA?)

  3. Do most of you eat Indian cuisine dinners at least 3.5 days per week?

  4. For those who eat Indian dinners at least half the week, do more than 75% of your dinner entrees contain cumin/jeera? (as an American, it is uncommon to have the same spice 75%+ of the time, other than black pepper, but it seems to my NOVICE eye that a VAST majority of Indian entrees contain jeera.)

  5. What proportion of members seem to be vegetarian?

  6. Are any of you on low carb diets?

PS-- I made my first desi chana masala last night, and dang the skins/chickpeas were tough, even after soaking overnight (without salt) and simmering for five hours. Guess I should have used a pressure cooker, or added some baking soda or something.

Thank You, and Cheers.

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u/Plum_Haz_1 — 11 days ago

What are 4 to 6 very distinct categories of dal recipes?

​

I'm a White guy who lives in an Indian neighborhood in the USA. I have a big Patel Bros. grocery near me, with a good selection of ingredients. I consider myself a very seasoned home cook (Western), and I've had the great pleasure of traveling in India. I'm beginning to experiment with dal (previously I've only ever cooked it a few times).

I'd like to start with a few distinctly different categories of dal recipes (some of which likely would be from different regions). Could you fine folks please suggest to me some dal dish categories? Dal Makhani and Toor Dal Tadka might (or might not) be two example "categories?" This way, I might discover my favorite TYPE of dal, and then I can focus on better learning to cook that particular one.

I realize that categories might be flavor based, or technique based, or lentil type based, or "thick versus soupy" based or whatever. I don't know how to define categories but I'm just looking to "hit the main different types," if that's possible.

PS-- I'm on a low carb diet, so I'd also like ideas for eating dal which DON'T entail white rice.

Thank You!

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u/Plum_Haz_1 — 19 days ago

Is Will Tschetter going into the NBA Summer League, or not?

The Freep and MLive said Will signed with the Portland Trailblazers but I'm subsequently seeing no evidence of that. I'm not a web research expert. I hope I'm just missing it. I wanted to watch him play in Portland's game last night but was disappointed. Maybe still going through physicals? https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2026/07/05/michigan-basketball-will-tschetter-trail-blazer-summer-league/90813801007/

u/Plum_Haz_1 — 1 month ago

Is downtown going to be this bustling all Summer?

I hadn't been downtown (Main-Ashley, around Liberty) for a couple months. With all the street closures, it seemed to have turned into one big raucous pedestrian mall. Bill's Beer Garden was jammed. Is Summer Festival starting early or something, or is it just the vibe from having the streets pedestrianized? (not that I like street closures)

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u/Plum_Haz_1 — 2 months ago
▲ 0 r/uofm

Is downtown going to be this busy all summer?

I hadn't been downtown (Main-Ashley, around Liberty) for a couple months. With all the street closures, it's turned into a raucous pedestrian mall. Bill's Beer Garden was jammed. Is Summer Festival starting early or something, or is it just the vibe from having the streets pedestrianized?

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u/Plum_Haz_1 — 2 months ago