Kitchen King Masala?

[Sleepy_Dragon]

I noticed in Rushina's eggplant recipe that she specified Kitchen King Masala. A web search threw up several brands available. Are they all equally good?

Also, is this masala based on something? I'm just wondering about its origins, as well as the possibility of making it from scratch, or is it a ubiquitous product like oyster sauce or nam pla?

Pat

[bague25]

Pat

Kitchen King masala is a "new" commercial masala.

If I'm not mistaken, it was first made by MDH masalas and now others companiess have got on the band wagon.

I'm not aware of any recipe (though I'd love it if someone can share one). All boxes list ingredients but of course end with the ambigious etc...

[Monica Bhide]

I dont believe I had tried this one yet.. sorry. Now I might to see how it works

[Rushina]

Funnily enough I discovered the Kitchen King masalla when I was putting together an "Indian Pantry hamper for a client. I picked up a pack for myself and now I buy a succeeding packet before the current one is finished.

I did not have a chance to reply to this one earier but here are just a few things I use KKM for.

masalla bhaat, egg curry, vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower,

I have even been known to throw a little into fried rice.

if you want your family/guests to drool sprinkle a bit into the food just before you serve. It always works to get the mouth watering!

(My husband's first question when he walks through the door on a day I have used it is what smells so good?)

Rushina

[deliad]

Rushina,

Since you have mentioned Kitchen King Masala many a times, can you share which brand have you used??

There is MDH, Everest, Badshah and maybe a few others?? MDH usually has good quality spices.

I'd appreciate your recommendation.

Thanks

[easyguru]

Badhshah has a line of spices called Kitchen King Masala more like a sub brand.

I just found a old packet of Everest Kitchen king masala, it basicaly says Kitchen king is a milder blend with coriander and turmeric as base idealy suitable for vegetable curries.

"this classic blend that gives vegetable curries a lordly taste and a mild, subdued flavour. Being coriander and turmeric based, the blend gives curry an appetising golden hue."

Edited July 27, 2004 by easyguru (log)

[tryska]

rushina - what makes kitchen king different?

[Rushina]

I do not have any brand I favour really. the one I am using at the moment is MDH. I think it is a little spicier than the others.

tryska -

"this classic blend that gives vegetable curries a lordly taste and a mild, subdued flavour. Being coriander and turmeric based, the blend gives curry an appetising golden hue."

this says it all. however I usually add a bit of turmeric with it for added color and red chilli powder as well. I find the red chili powder accentuates the spicyness of the masalla.

I think though the main thing that it has going for it is the aroma that is released when u add ot to food.

Has anyone tried it yet?

Rushina

[Bhukhhad]

Kitchen King Masala

Hello everyone, 

This is an old thread, but I dont see any big responses so I feel like jumping in! Bigwigs on this forum, you are all indeed very kind that you allow newbies to opine on topics touched by people who know lots on these issues.... 

Be that as it may, here I go with no reference materials researched, just my opinion and traditional information:

There was a time when 'masala' meant a very particular spice blend that was unique to Each Individual Dish and specific to Each Individual Family Kitchen! There would be ways to cook that were passed down from Grandmother to Daughter and Daughter-in-law so that this blend remained a secret. At that time, only the whole dry spices and the raw perishable produce like ginger and chilies were used. You would store the dry who ingredients and buy the fresh perishable ones for every dish!!

 

Then with the progress of urbanization, pre-made spice mixes became prevalent. These were not available in my childhood, or if they were, most Mom's would frown that they were stale... and so I had not seen them. Anyway the combinations available at that time would be Dhania Jeera powder, Sambhar Masala, Rasam Masala, Pudi Chutney among very few. 

 

Around mid 1980's I started noticing varieties of masalas coming into the market in the Indian stores based in the USA, or UK. These were Lonche or Pickle masala, Pathak's bottled pastes for Vindaloo, Korma, Jalfraizi; and Chhole Masala among others. At the same time some powdered ingredients like Amchoor powder, Kasoori Methi, Lukhnavi Saunf, Ahmed Pickles, Pachranga Tinned Punjabi pickles, Panchphoran etc started to be seen. It was awesome to find them in stores and have your tastebuds tickled back into childhood memories. 

 

This trend caught on like fire. By mid 1990's we had multiple brands making multiple products with the Same Names! So Shaan made Chhole Masala, MTR made Chhole Masala, Everest Made Chhole Masala. If you were as much of a nut as I am, you would of course buy all three to see if they were different. And YES they were!!! Essentially, each masala still worked best for the geographic region it was originally catered for. So MTR's Chhole Masala had a larger amount of coriander powder than the others. Everest had a larger amount of Amchoor than the rest. Shaan used to have far more anardana than the others and I preferred it for my chhole. Again, I would really have liked to document these correctly and reference what I am saying with facts. But at this point I have no way of going back and giving factual references or pictures. So these are the memories off of my palatte. 

Now to answer the Kitchen King Masala question. I do believe that a few of the larger masala giants like Everest made a really smart move in the late 1990's. They introduced a 'Master Blend' of sorts that had most of what spice mixtures needed and could be used interchangeably. Thus was born the Kitchen King. I like and prefer the Everest brand of Kitchen King Masala. What it has for me is one or two little touches that I would add to my own set of spices. That touch of a couple of special ingredients makes my dish have the 'aha' experience that I am looking for. 

Everest has in it, besides coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder, some garam masala spices, is some Black Salt and Amchoor. That briney tasting salt which has a tangy taste. I love the added sourness of amchoor powder. So this is my go-to masala for most tawa fry sabji, or a quick stirfry or a quick chhole even. However if I want to make particular gujarati or maharashtrian dishes I would not use this spice. It is more of a north indian master mix, so I could use it on a tadka daal, or quick pulav biryani, or rajma, even a simple aloo mutter. 

Since the famous egulleteers only wrote on this topic back in 2004, I am sure they must have passed along tons of information through their own food writings by now. But I am so happy to have added my understanding to the grand scheme of things here! I would like to take up this topic to research and rewrite with references. That would be a lot of fun and great to learn about. 

Do write back. It makes me feel so good that someone took the time to read and respond, whenever I get a reply.

Sincerely

Bhukhhad 

(Always hungry :))

 

 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@Bhukhhad, I am SO ignorant when it comes to Indian food. I have nothing at all to add, except that I am very happy to see you sharing your knowledge of Indian cuisine. I have access to a vegetarian Indian restaurant and an Indian grocer that only carries vegetarian products, and am eager to learn more and begin cooking more dishes in this area.

 

I would be interested in your opinion of the only masala recipe I have, which is from my copy of "The Joy of Cooking". I found it online here, to save me from transcribing it.  Scroll down a little.

 

 

[Lisa Shock]

A few years back, I purchased 15 of the MDH spice blends and put them in glass jars to help keep them fresh while I experimented. Kitchen King is definitely a good all-purpose blend. I will have to try the brand you recommend. My big favorite though was an MDH blend designed for use with kidney beans.

 

That said, I have been mixing my own blends for a while. I went on the spending spree to see how mine compare to real ones from India. The biggest lesson I have learned is to take notes. There's nothing like making a killer masala blend then not being able to replicate it.

[Okanagancook]

The Joy of Cooking masala blend is a 'classic' aromatic masala. Composed of spices that 'create heat in the body':  cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and cardamon.  My understanding is that this masala is used mostly with meat dishes and sometimes with poultry and rice.  Sprinkled on the dish after cooking.  Not used with fish or vegetables because it's aroma is considered too strong. 

[Bhukhhad]

On August 11, 2016 at 9:27 PM, Thanks for the Crepes said:

@Bhukhhad, I am SO ignorant when it comes to Indian food. I have nothing at all to add, except that I am very happy to see you sharing your knowledge of Indian cuisine. I have access to a vegetarian Indian restaurant and an Indian grocer that only carries vegetarian products, and am eager to learn more and begin cooking more dishes in this area.

 

I would be interested in your opinion of the only masala recipe I have, which is from my copy of "The Joy of Cooking". I found it online here, to save me from transcribing it.  Scroll down a little.

 

 

Dear 'Thanks for the Crepes', 

How nice to read your response! Well here is my take on your question: 

I believe the 'Joy of cooking ' recipe is fine and can be tweeked further by individual taste. For example with the addition of all the fresh spices mentioned ginger garlic onion green chilies curry leaves, some adjust ment to their amounts and the addition of red chili powder, or asafoetida would add to the taste. 

Or as cumin, mustard and nigella or kalonji have been added, an addition of fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds would make the blend a 'panch foran' or five spice blend from east India. 

But the main thing that stands out for me in the 'twice fried' aspect. Starting with oil and tempering with oil again. 

This is unnecessary. 

If you begin with presoaked chana dal that you cook separately in water either using a pressure cooker, stove or microwave, you can add the tadka with all the ingredients and simmer the dal for five minutes! Only one set of oil will allow All the spices to get fried one after another. 

 

Finally the garam masala blend. I will have to try it I cant tell just with these quantities. But the comment about adding coriander is incorrect. Garam masala is only warming spices like cloves, cinnamon, large cardamom plus small green cardamom, star anise, mace, black peppercorn, and other things. 

While Dhaniya Jeera powder has cardamom and cumin roasted and powdered!! 

But overall, the recipe would be tasty! It needs Lemon Juice though! And fresh cilantro to garnish. 

I am very sorry if Joy of Cooking is your much loved book. There is no need to tweek the recipe if you and your family like it this way! 

Enjoy! 

 

 

 

[Bhukhhad]

On August 12, 2016 at 2:52 PM, Okanagancook said:

The Joy of Cooking masala blend is a 'classic' aromatic masala. Composed of spices that 'create heat in the body':  cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and cardamon.  My understanding is that this masala is used mostly with meat dishes and sometimes with poultry and rice.  Sprinkled on the dish after cooking.  Not used with fish or vegetables because it's aroma is considered too strong. 

Yes this is correct! You add the garam masala as a 'finishing spice' rather than at the time of sauteing. This preserves their taste in the dish as the end note

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Thanks for your reply @Bhukhhad,

 

I do like "The Joy of Cooking" quite a bit, but even by their own admission, they are far from experts on the subject of Indian cuisine. I was actually expecting a more harsh critique. I'm just glad you did not think it was terrible.  I am sure there are many better guides for learning to cook dishes from India. Joy is a mostly American cookbook, but I like it partly because it does branch a bit into other cuisines of the world and provides interesting history for many of its dishes. You have to start somewhere.

 

It's interesting that coriander seeds are not used, but the leaf of the same plant, cilantro, also sometimes called coriander, is. I am not arguing or questioning tradition, just trying to learn. I appreciate your help.

[Bhukhhad]

I understand what you are saying. Well the same for the seeds of the cilantro plant are coriander that is true. However I was referring to a comment by one of the readers on that post, who said Coriander was not mentioned in the Joy of Cooking list. 

To that my comment was that Garam Masala does not have Coriander, that is the main ingredient in Dhaniy jeera powder being the Dhaniya in that duo.