The Spice Mix

[Vikas Khanna]

It is true that the Spice Mixture have a certian recipe. They are different in different regions of India. But frankly speaking, I have been making my own mixtures from day 1. I just pick up my favorite spices from the pantry and blend them. Over the years I feel that the important steps are

1. Never add salt or cayenne pepper

2. Dry roast the spices in a pre heated oven for 10 mins at 250 F before grinding. This process helps in releasing the oils.

3. Make in small batches as they do have a shelf life.

4. Try using them in marination of meats or for curries add them during the end of the cooking process. This helps is retaining the exotic flavors.

5. Use a coffee grinder.

Vikas Khanna

[Pan]

Why never add cayenne pepper?

[Episure]

I'll second Pan's question too.

And why 'cayenne' pepper in the first place?

Do you cool the spices before grinding?

[BBhasin]

do you cool the spices before grinding?

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you are the best episure! my question too.

Also how do you standardise your spice mixes? or is it different every time ?

[BBhasin]

for curries add them during the end of the cooking process. This helps is retaining the exotic flavors.

Vikas Khanna

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might it not be better to add them in two stages,

at the start for flavor and

towards the end for aroma

[CharityCase]

for curries add them during the end of the cooking process. This helps is retaining the exotic flavors.

Vikas Khanna

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might it not be better to add them in two stages,

at the start for flavor and

towards the end for aroma

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My South Indian friends never added anything at the end except a bit of ghee, and perhaps a few curry leaves. Perhaps in the North it's more acceptable to add your masala just before serving?

Couldn't agree more strongly with the idea of grinding a little at a time though.

[Vikas Khanna]

We never try to add cayenne pepper in the Spice blends because of the strong flavor. Garam Masala or the Spice mix helps in making a dish more aromatic and flavorful. Sometimes when we have cayenne pepper in the mix, it could really spoil the flavor for the person who does not eat Spicy food.

[Pan]

We never try to add cayenne pepper in the Spice blends because of the strong flavor. Garam Masala or the Spice mix helps in making a dish more aromatic and flavorful. Sometimes when we have cayenne pepper in the mix, it could really spoil the flavor for the person who does not eat Spicy food.

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Wow, your customers are real wimps! Even a little chili turns them off?

[BBhasin]

dried red chillies, mustard seeds, curry leaves etc tempered in hot oil added to numerous southern dishes at the end

for curries add them during the end of the cooking process. This helps is retaining the exotic flavors.

Vikas Khanna

←

might it not be better to add them in two stages,

at the start for flavor and

towards the end for aroma

←

My South Indian friends never added anything at the end except a bit of ghee, and perhaps a few curry leaves. Perhaps in the North it's more acceptable to add your masala just before serving?

Couldn't agree more strongly with the idea of grinding a little at a time though.

←

[BBhasin]

We never try to add cayenne pepper in the Spice blends because of the strong flavor. Garam Masala or the Spice mix helps in making a dish more aromatic and flavorful. Sometimes when we have cayenne pepper in the mix, it could really spoil the flavor for the person who does not eat Spicy food.

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Question for you Vikas,

All these chat masallas, Meat masallas, Sambhar masallas etc. etc.... our Indian stores are full of them, as per your classificaion, are they spice blends ?

They all contain cayenne in varying degrees of heat. The sambhar masalla/powder/mix/blend can sometimes be pretty hot.

[tokyogurumegal]

What is the shelf life of spices? I was going to make my own mix of garam masala and was thinking of keeping the rest I don't use in a tight jar.

[Edward]

What is the shelf life of spices?  I was going to make my own mix of garam masala and was thinking of keeping the rest I don't use in a tight jar.

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A ground blend like garam masala will be fine for about 3 months if you keep it in an airtight jar. It will fade in its intensity as time passes, but that is not always a bad thing. When I make my garam masala I find that it is too intense the day I make it. The fragrances of each spice are still standng out on their own sort of competing for the palate's attention. I like it best a day or so later after it has had time to "mature"and the fragrances mellow and merge into something new. The sum is more than the parts I guess you could say....

Most whole spices, with the exception of cardamom, will keep up to a year. Some like ajwain for instance, may last even longer.

Edward

Edited April 7, 2005 by Edward (log)