h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Your article was very helpful. I am in the embarrassing position of supplying foodstuffs and spices to East Indian restaurants while I'm still not quite sure what the h*** much of it is!

I do need some help with "papri" some sort of flat broad bean. I'm not sure what it approximates.

Interestingly, I worked very hard finding a good source for besan (gram) flour. I'd been paying dearly for it and then learned that the 'pea' for it is grown about 400 miles north of me!—they ship about 20 rail cars of the stuff to India. Then the besan is shipped back and I pay too much for it. Also, many of the dhals are grown about 400 miles west of me, on the high, dry plains of eastern Colorado.

Thank you again, and if you ever find yourself in Omaha, Nebraska. . .

Jim

PS: The 'East' Indian is due to the fact that we have thousands of the aboriginal folk here that are related to the folk that Columbus thought were Indians. He also thought that the hot, spice fruit of the capsicum (chilli) was pepper and we're also stuck with that misnomer as well. We should be thankful that he wasn't religious or political or we'd have all of that screwed up as well.