[dogscoff]

Olives? Ugh! Can't stand em (although I luuuuurve olive oil, wierdly).

I fond bagels to be a little doughy, but tolerable with the right toppings. Soft cheese and the like would be a good start. SImilarly crumpets: That's a pretty hefty slab of bread to be chewed through, although I will partake if one is offered.

Love hot foods, although in the last few years I have developped a wierd reation to them: Anything moderately spicy (a Madras, say, or even a good pathia) will bring out a bright red "zorro mask" on my face. It's wierd to watch, but it does nothing to mar my enjoyment of the food. My wife and I both like it hot since visiting Sri Lanka (although I wouldn't ever go to a phaal, and I'm wary of vindaloos) and the curries and chillis we cook have to be carefully watered down if anyone else is going to be eating them. It helps that my father in law grows his own super-strength chillis in his greenhouse=-)

Did a really nice dahl the other night:
Finely chop an oni*n and a chilli, crush lots of garlic. Fry it all gently in curry powder, cinnamon & chilli powder. Curry leaves too if you have them , and saffron if it costs less than diamond dust where you are.
Now put some red lentils in water. When the onion is soft, drain the lentils and chuck them in the pan with some coconut milk (tinned is fine if you don't happen to live in the tropics.) The creamier the better, so avoid the "low fat" stuff. It's all good fats anyway. Probably. Add mustard powder, black pepper and, if you like, more curry powder & chilli powder. A little bit of tomato puree for colour & thickness won't hurt, as long as you don't add so much that you start to taste it.

Let is all simmer, adding more coconut milk whenever it starts to look a little dry. When the lentils are soft enough that you could eat them without teeth, it's ready!