Search the Community

Masalas (Spice Mixes) Spice blends are used extensively in Indian cooking across the different regions. They are used to add a distinct flavor to a dish. They vary in their texture, complexity and their form. Some are prepared as powders, others are simply a mélange of whole spices and yet others are pastes based on fresh ingredients such as chiles and herbs. India, Indonesia and Thailand have many different recipes for such blends, pastes and mixes. In India the blending of spices is the essence of its cookery; to become a good Indian cook you must first become a maslachi(a spice blender). The word masala means a mixture of spices but also refers to the aromatic composition of a dish, or simply a gravy. At times Masal also refers to gossip. The western concept of having a single masala or curry powder gives little if any insight into Indian cooking since there are hundreds of masalas - from different regions, for different recipes, and prepared to the taste of different chefs and homes - imparting a distinctive flavor to each dish. The most common ground blends are the garam masalas, used in northern Indian cooking, and hotter masalas or curry powders from the south. They are usually made up as required and will keep for 3-4 months in an airtight jar. These masalas change in flavor as one travels from one region of India to another. * Curry Powder (South India, all over the different states of the south) * Bottle Masala ( Maharashtra) * Sambhaar Powder (South India, used in Southern Indian cooking extensively) * Panch Phoron (From Bengal, used in lentils and vegetables) * Garam Masala (Most important spice blend of North Indian cookery) * Chaat masala (North India, used with fruit and vegetable salads, raitas and garnishes) * Green Masala (All over India, used in fish and chicken dishes for marinade) * Rassam Powder (South India, used in light very spicy soup like preparations) Basic Garam Masala Garam Masala This is a version of the most common type of garam masala used throughout northern India. * 2 cinnamon sticks * 4 bay leaves * 1 1/2 oz cumin seeds * 1 1/2 oz coriander seeds * 3/4 oz green or black cardamom seeds * 3/4 oz black peppercorns * 1/2 oz cloves * 1/2 oz mace Break the cinnamon sticks into pieces. Add the bay leaves. Heat a heavy frying pan and after 2 minutes put in the whole spices. Dry roast over a medium flame till color darkens, stirring or shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Place the contents on a cold platter to cool, then grind and blend with mace powder. Store in an airtight container.

My favorite mutton dish is Burra Kabab. Proabably because my dad used to like it so much. He is a red meat kind of guy. I do not have a good recipe for this though. And I would not even know which parts work best. Any ideas? Have a lot of people had this dish? Seems kind of scarce around here and scarcer still is a good rendition of this classic dish from north western province in Pakistan. Another related mutton dish is mutton roasted on hot stones (marble ??) that is, I think, native of the Sindh province. Lightly seasoned. Very very good. vivin.

On the lime thread, Suvir mentioned Bora Kheema, a Moslem-style ground lamb dish. It sounded very intriguing and I had some ground lamb, but Suvir wasn't logged on to ask for more directions, and I couldn't find a recipe. He had mentioned that it was cooked simply with cinnamon, cumin seed, coriander seed and red chile powder and finished with fresh lime juice. Left to my own devices, here's what I did -- First, I pan roasted the above spices plus something called penja pepper (pearl of cameroon) -- a white peppercorn, black cardamom seeds and some dried small red chiles and then ground them up. I chopped up some onion and sauteed it in a little oil until it was browning. Then I added some chopped up skinny (but bigger than Thai and not serrano) green chile peppers, garlic and ginger and sauteed that for a few minutes. I then stirred in the ground lamb, broke it up, and stirred it until it was just starting to brown, added some salt and 1/2 cup water and some of the ground up spices until it smelled right. Turned heat to very low, covered the pan, and cooked for a little over an hour until the meat was fairly dry. Turned off heat and squeezed in some lime juice. Ate with rice and some spinach. It was very enjoyable -- pretty hot from the fresh and dried peppers, but the cinnamon, cumin, peppercorns and coriander (I'd just bought some very fragrant Moroccan coriander seeds) seemed to balance the pepper heat with a darker, very aromatic taste. I'd appreciate it, Suvir or anyone else, if you'd post the authentic recipe so I could try that the next time, as well as other recipes for kheema. I find kheema truly addictive, I just want to go on eating it. Another question (this may have been addressed on another thread) is how long will dried spices stay fresh? What's the best way to store them? I buy the smallest packaged quantities possible (don't have a good source for bulk spices), but my kitchen is very hot and airless, and I always find I'm throwing spices out because they lose their fragrance.

Pasanda (Would traditionally mean Fillet) (courtesy of Suvir) I have most often seen pasandas made with lamb. There is one version where the sauce has yogurt and or cream in it. The other is made with just an onion and tomato sauce. I have found the yogurt based one more authentic and also tastier. Pasandas are a classic Moghul preparation. The lamb is braised in a yogurt based sauce spiced with whole garam masala. Some recipes use almonds while others do not. Gosht Pasanda 1.5 lbs. boneless lean lamb, cut into 1/4 thick pieces that are 2 1/4 x 1 inches Spice Rub: 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon garam masala 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder juice of half a lemon 4 tablespoons oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 2 tablespoons almond, blanched and slivered 6 small cloves of garlic 1.5 inches fresh ginger root 2 tablespoons warm water 2 black cardamom seeds 1 inch cinnamon stick 2 bay leaves 6 cloves 1 cup yogurt, whisked 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup cream 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon garam masala 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper powder 1. Preheat the oven to 275¢ªF. Rub the lamb pieces in the spices for the spice rub and the juice of the lemon. Set aside for an hour to marinade at room temperature. 2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy bottom pan. Take half the chopped onions and fry them in the oil for 15 minutes until light brown. Use a few drops of water every time the onions are sticking to the base of pan. Remove from pan and set aside. 3. Add the fried onions, the remainder of the raw onions, ginger, garlic, almonds and poppy seeds into a blender with 2 tablespoons of water and blend into a smooth paste. 4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pan and to the oil add the cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cloves. Fry for a minute over med hight heat. Add the blended paste and cook for 5 minutes. Add a few drops of water if the contents stick to the pan. 5. Add yogurt to the pan a tablespoon at a time. This keeps it from curdling. Once you have added all the yogurt, continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Some of the moisture from the yogurt will get reduced. 6. Add the lamb pieces and cook for another 5 minutes. The lamb will have some color to it and some of the fat will start to separate. 7. Transfer contents into a casserole. Add the cream and water around the sides of the dish. Sprinkle the cayenne, cardamom and the garam masala over the contents of the pan. Cover tightly and cook in the oven for 10 minutes. 8. Garnish with juliennes of ginger and serve hot with naan, parathas or even pita bread.

What Indian seafood recipes do you use? Where are they from? What fish do you think lend themselves best to Indian cooking?

any ideas on how to make it? fresh coconut? what is it ususally served along with? what purpose to chutney's serve? calm down spicy foods? mike

Papadam ( Papad) are round lentil-bean wafers. These are made with the flour of lentils or beans and have spices in them. These are a great "finger food" as they were called in the British style clubs. As one lounged around these clubs in the evenings, sipping Gin and Tonic, papad would be the munchie of choice. What we see in restaurants today, the service of papad with condiments, is not truly Indian. I am not certain where it began, but certainly not in India. Papads are available in most Indian stores. You get them dry in packages. Either plain or spiced. Some are large discs, other very small. Some of the very small ones are meant to be deep fried. In the North of India, we most often roast them on the stove top, or in restaurants over a grill placed atop a tandoor. They are eaten with Indian meals to add a texture and new flavor to the complex meal. The crunchiness and savory taste provided by Papad to even the most humble meals is a winning addition. Papad were traditionally made at home. It is easy but a very laborious method I am told. And also requires large hours of sunshine. The doughs made with the various choices of flours are very soft when being rolled but become brittle and dry as they are left out in the sun over muslin sheets to dry before being packaged. If you are deep frying papad, make sure you have at least 3-4 inches of oil in the deep fryer. The entire process of cooking a papad in this method takes no more than a few seconds. You must heat the oil to 375?F and then fry the papad. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. To dry roast papad, use flat tongs and hold the papad with them over the flame. Turn the papad quickly and frequently to cook them evenly. Always rememebring that there should be few if any black spots. Thus the frequent turning. As soon as the papad changes color and begins to curl at the edges, it is done. Make sure t hat the center of the papad is also cooked and has changed color. I have had reasonable success with cooking Papad in the microwave. The time it takes depends on your oven. It can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute. But it requires a lot of careful watching and errors before you figure out the best timing and way to do it.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) Fenugreek is one of the most respected spices and herbs found in India. The seeds are used as a spice. The leaves as herb and more often as a green. Indian mothers are given fudge like desserts (laddoos) with fenugreek seeds in them. It is believed that they are great for a lactating mother. And also provide healthful benefits for the child. Mothers are traditionally fed these "laddoos" for 40 days. It is an annual that grows in the milder climate Indian regions. The leaves are beautifully oval shaped. They have a prominently pronounced vein in the back. The plant has small pods that contain tiny seeds. I have often found it at Balduccis. It is an easy plant to grow. The seeds are small but pungent in a bitter and lingering way. The flavor lasts and will exude the potency of its inert oil long after the initial bite. The seeds are beige-ochre in color and have a tiny groove running across them. They are most often used in Southern Indian cooking, but have been adapted across the Indian landscape for their healthful properties. In my pantry I always keep whole seeds. For some recipes I use powdered or coarsely crushed seeds. But I do that to recipe, using my Oster spice grinder. This ensures great flavor all the time. If you cannot find fresh fenugreek leaves, you can always buy "Kasoori Methi" (even Qasoori or Kasuri) at the Indian grocery stores. These are dried fenugreek leaves. In India it is believed that Fenugreek aids in digestion and relieves flatulence. Hence it is given to lactating mothers. The anti-flatulence properties help the baby that will have flatulence easily. It works wonders. My sister's son who is now 2 years old, was lucky to have been a guinea pig with this experiment. He reacted positively and it helped my sister a lot since he cried less. The other Indian belief is that fenugreek contains a chemical that promotes lactation and helps a lactating mother express with ease. In fact Indian farmers even feed the seeds to cows for increasing the production of milk. In India fenugreek was also used as a contraceptive. But I have only heard of this procedure. Never known of anyone having used it in these times. Fenugreek seeds are an essential Pickling spice in the world of Indian cooking and pickle making. The leaves are used in several curries and vegetable stir fries.

Hi does anyone have experience of dining in one of London's modern indian restaurant in a group, probably around 16 people for a 30th bday? any recommendations? what about the private rooms? Thanks sarah x p.s that is meant to say "somewhere not someone" in the description sorry

We have invited some friends for dinner over the weekend, I asked them what they would like to try... answer "Lobster, Indian style". Okay now I am stumped.. any recipes? cooking insights? anything? Help!!!!!

First it was Nirvana (Shamsher Wadud as owner and Julie Sahni as consultant, recieved more stars than any Indian restaurant ever. Opened in 1972 I believe.. could be 1971 or 1973) then Dawat (Sushil Malhotra as owner and Madhur Jaffrey as consulting chef), then came Pondicherry (first of the "Fusion-Confusion" types, Chakor Doshi as owner, Jean Luc and Vijay Bhargava as chefs, and Ismail Merchant as consultant) then came Tabla (Danny Meyer as owner and Floyd Cardoz as chef and Michael Romano as some believe to be as its soul) and then Tamarind (Awatar Walia, formerly a partner at Dawat as owner, Raji Jalepillai Reiss, Hemant Mathur and Peter Beck as chefs) and then Diwan (Bobby Chikara as owner and Hemant Mathur as chef).......... These are some of the more famous names in the Indian restaurant scenes... several others have come and gone... many have stayed and served numerous good and some great meals... not always with great applause or media attention, but with continuity. What is it that one should expect next? What do you think is the next logical step in the world of Indian restaurants in NYC? Are there trends we ought to be ready to embrace? Is the so called, and mostly scoffed at "fusion-confusion" cuisine a thing of the past? Will it be able to find a new meaning or direction? Will it inspire some new chefs and new trends that could come alive in the future? Any idea what these might be? Are we in for a new and serious focus into the world of inspired and largely authentic but Indian food of the 21st century? What defines such food? Who are the players we ought to look for? What dishes do you think would find place at the tables of these restaurants? What are some critical points (at least in your mind) you feel you would like to share with those owning and cooking at restaurants and the future restaurateurs. What are some things you feel you want to see in the new defining restaurant serving Indian food in a NYC that is poised to be a key city in the US where Indian food will play a pivotal role. Are there things you feel should be an absolute for this Indian restaurant of the new millennium? Are there things the restaurant should absolutely not touch?? Are there recipes, trends, regional biases and influences that this restaurant should really embrace and champion? What role would you find yourself playing in the life of this new millennium Indian restaurant? What parts of Manhattan do you feel this restaurant ought to be situated in? Do you think a restaurant such as this could be one that could be taken around the country? Could it travel the country and still be fine dining? How difficult do you think it would be for a fine dining cutting edge Indian restaurant to clone itself? Would it be remotely possible? Can it still maintain its integrity and original focus as it reinvents itself in different cities? Or do you think it is not something a fine dining establishment ought to do?

I am trying to make a collection of spices etc. that would have been used historically in European cooking. I have just found out that one of these spices "long pepper", while un-known in Europe for hundreds of years, is still used in some Indian cooking. In hindi it is known as "Pipli". Would there be any chance of getting this spice in the UK (from an Indian food store) or via the web do you think?

Indiagirl, Would you share some information about Bottle Masala??? I have always wanted to learn more about it from a Maharashtrian.... I lived in Nagpur as a kid for 3 years.. and I have always had very fond memories of that city and Maharashtra. I would be grateful for any light you can shed on this spice mix. Thanks for your help.

I made aloo paratha this weekend, using a recipe from Mark Bittman's "How To Cook Everything" In the intro, Mr. Bittman mentions that the recipe is originally from Julie Sahni, and that he has really only changed it by using cumin instead of ajwain to season the dough. he describes ajwain as "a thyme-like spice" and suggests that the two can be used interchangeably. is this off the mark at all? i have a very small knowledge base concerning Indain spices (I am learning more every day, thanks to eGullet!) so it surprised me to see that thyme and ajwain could be so similar. are there other instances of this? or, is ajwain simply just another name for thyme? thanks in advance for any help! my apologies if this has already been covered in a previous thread, but i seem to be very inept at using the "search" function...

My brother who has come from India for the duration of my parents stay here in Denver, has cucumber raita with each meal. I make it daily. I dice the cucumbers very finely. My mother chops them into medium dice. Panditji in India would always grate the cucumber. When in NYC, I also grate it... but often simply dice it very very fine. I like it each way... they all have their own charm... but I know some friends and family members that are very picky about how the cucumber must be handled. What does your recipe entail? While we are discussing cucumber raita, do you have any special recipes for it? Special tricks?

I have been asked by a company to come up with some yoghurt based dips that once sealed and refrigerated can have a 2 week shelf life. I immediately thought of raita. Does anyone have any interesting twists on raita that I could try out? thanks Helen

I tried my hand at a Basmati rice dish last night, using Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Cooking. The dish called for the rice to be prepared by 1/2 hour of steeping, then some frying (until translucent) and then about 20 minutes of cooking at various temperatures with the reserved water from steeping. The ratio of water to rice was 2:1. When finished, the rice had a watery taste to me, not the rice-y taste that I associate with Basmati. What did I do wrong?

There's a lot that can be done with Ghee's and oils when preparing to cook indian cuisine. Conversely, you need do nothing to them prior to use, but we take the trouble because of the eternal search for flavour, flavour and some more flavour. In answer to your first question about Vegetable Ghee and why I use it, Suvir, I have the following information; 1. It's largely made from an extraction of palm oil. The better varieties use only natural colourings and flavourings. I use Khyber brand which I have found to be very good indeed. It has a natural appearance, a gentle aroma and is very versatile in the cooking of Indian dishes. This one also has a very high smoking point which adds to it's versatility. Some, however, are truly awful. I'll name one to avoid if it's permissable. 2. Vegetable Ghee, due to the absence of dairy produce, is perfect for vegans as well as vegetarians. For me this is a simple solution/answer to questions from customers about the oils we use for vegetarians. 3. Vegetable Ghee's can be completely free of cholesterol. Khyber certainly is 4. It's is far, far cheaper than butter Ghee. I can buy a 2Kg tub of butter Ghee for £19.95, but for the same money I can buy nearly 30Kg of vegetable Ghee. No way is butter ghee 15 times better. It's simply different, but not so radically different as to have a negative impact on flavour. The price point is important to me because of the market I serve. 5. The production of Vegetable Ghee is a worrying economic consideration in parts of India. Many farmers agriculturaly prioritise land to produce oils desirable for Vegetable Ghee production leading to problems with land for the feeding of cows. 6. Vegetable Ghee lends itself perfectly to gentle seasonings to add to it's flavour prior to use. Point 6 is where this all kicked off in another thread so I'll add more as this thread develops. I'd love to hear about others uses and manipulations of Ghee.

Indian music unlike most any other art form, is brilliantly gifted and evolved to deal with every subtle nuance that is external but can make great difference in the rendering, understanding and enjoyment of it. Do you think Indian food is similar? How deeply evolved is Indian cooking in regards to a seasonal approach?

Having just returned from a trip to India - I thought I'd list things I ate at home, or Gymkhana, and dhabas that I would not expect to see in indian restaurants in India or elsewhere - 1. Allo Arbi (Colocasia (sp?) and potatos) 2. Shalgam (turnip) 3. Shreaded Mooli ( White Radish) 4. Kerela Masala (Stuffed bitter groud) 5. Drumstick & Potato Curry (North Indian Style) 6. Fried Hilsa with Jhol ( A bony fish with thin gravy - Bengali or Lakshadeep style) Many of these are quite staple in many households in Northern India, and the last a mainstay in Bengali and Lakshadweep. Having four meals a day while I was in India, took some getting used to Starting with breakfast in the morning and ending with dinner at around 10:30-11:00 PM ( There was cricket fever sweeping the country...still is ) really took a toll on my waistline

Mallugu Podi (Pepper Powder) is a commonly found condiment in restaurants serving South Indian foods like Dosai and Idlis. Do you make this powder at home? Do you make it with ghee or oil? Where do you buy it? What brand is best? And how would you spell mallugu podi? What tales or stories do you know about it?

What fillings would you use? Do you ever make these at home? Where do you get your recipes/inspiration?

I previously posted this on the cooking board, but just was scrolling down and found there is a whole board to discuss Indian food! Wow (and duh on my part). I'm getting bored with my garam masala mixes, which usually I grind from a variation of the following: whole anise, whole cloves, whole cardamon, whole cinnamon and black peppercorns and sometimes some cumin and corriander. I can't seem to find a mixture that I like that has a lot of flavor, but tastes pretty balanced when mixed into a curry or a yogurt marinade for meat. Hubby (he's Indian), likes really flavorful, spicy blends like the ones his mom makes. I like aromatic and flavorful blends, but not necessarily really spicy (I'm a wuss). I'd love it if some of you could give me their recipe with their ingredients and ratios of spices for a nice, aromatic garam masala blend that can really make a curry or a marinade pop. Or, if you've got links to good Indian cooking sites, bring 'em on.

I have a 3 lb bag that was used for onion bhajia batter. What else would it be good for?

Bombay Clay Oven 165 Steele Street Cherry Creek North 303-377-4454 An imposing facade leaves a lasting impression on most that will drive by this important street. In fact that is exactly what made us go back to it for dinner. The visual impact of the free standing restaurant was enough to leave us wanting to come back to try the restaurant. More attractive than the other Indian restaurants we have visited, Bombay Clay Oven has the best food yet of the restaurants we have visited. I most enjoyed the food coming out in ceramic bowls (nice white ones) instead of the usual (unfortunately all of their charm has died because of the over use in the Sub-Continental restaurants from India in the US and other countries) copper and stainless ones. I would have painted the room in another color, but it certainly was a nice change from the far uglier spaces I have seen. The manager/hostess Sony (Sp?) was most gracious. Krishna the chef is from a town near Udipi. Udipi is most famous for producing some of the most revered Southern Indian chefs. In fact Krishna had been the personal chef to an Ex-Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. He has lived in the US for 27 years. The food was really the best we have found thus far in Denver. It was interesting that this Southerner cooked us better Northern food than the others whose food we have eaten who hail from the North. He picked up Northern cooking after coming to the US. He has worked in many kitchens including the India Curry House in DC. He also learned how to speak Hindi by working in these kitchens. All in all this was a nice experience. The only thing that was lacking was the quality of the Tandoori breads. Today for their buffet they had a great Southern Indian buffet and a limited Northern Indian one. We opted to order from the menu. I think we would have been just as happy eating the Southern Buffet. I told the chef I will be back to sample the fare from his native area. The Baingan Bharta (eggplant sautéed with onions and tomatoes, a tasty amount of garlic and spices) was exceptional. The Dal Makhani (creamy/velvety black beans) was also very very good. The Bhindi (Okra) was good but they were using frozen okra and one could detect that. The Paneer Makhani (Indian cheese in velvet sauce) was very good. Just as it ought to be. For those of you who know Chicken Tikka Masala, it is a dish and flavor that you know well. The Rose Lassi and the Plain Sweet Lassi were exceptional. Made from home made yogurt, they had the perfect taste of yogurt and the sourness that comes from good home made yogurt. It was better than most Lassi I have had anywhere in the world. I would hope they could improve the quality of their breads and the rice. If these two could be improved, Bombay Clay Oven could be one of the better Indian restaurants in the US.