Masalas

[Suvir Saran]

Roger,

I forgot to add above, that a masalchi is the word for one that works with spices (masalas). And so, Panditji would be the Executive Chef, and the sous chef he was training with spices, would be the Masalchi.

[Roger McShane]

That's a great story Suvir - it gets to the heart of what it means to do great cooking.

I was fascinated by the bit about learning about the temperature each of the spices need to be heated to. This seems to be absolutely essential for getting the perfect flavour. It also was interesting to read about how to cool the spices before grinding.

I was in a hurry a few weeks ago and didn't allow the spices to cool properly before grinding them. As a result there was too much volatile oil present and they wouldn't grind cleanly and the resultant texture was unpleasant.

Thanks for sharing thos eideas with us!

[Suvir Saran]

I was in a hurry a few weeks ago and didn't allow the spices to cool properly before grinding them. As a result there was too much volatile oil present and they wouldn't grind cleanly and the resultant texture was unpleasant.

Exactly why spices need to be cooled before grinding and after roasting.

Thanks for your encouraging words Roger.

[Monica Bhide]

Hi Suvir

I constantly survey your threads looking for little gems and pearls that are dropped here. The masala discussion has been most interesting and I will add some comments concerning the proportions of spice that I like to use at a later time.

However, the sentence that fascinated me was your throw-away line about the honorific of 'maslachi' or spice blender. Is this the equivalent in coffee-speak of being a barrista? Are there different levels? Is this an India-wide term or specific to particular regions?  How does one become a maslachi? Is it peer recognition?

Hope you can enlighten us.

Roger,

I know maharaj's/pandits/thakur/misrani (all are honorifics for a homes chef) were more common in days of the past. There are still many homes where you can find a cook of that stature. But they are now far lower in number.

My cooking follows in the tradition of my families cook, Panditji. Born a Brahman, his family has worked for hours for generations. He came to my grandmothers home as a kid. And by working as a sous chef alongside his elders, he was trained in the art of Indian cooking.

There have been cooks that were hired in my parents home, they were interviewed by my parents, and if they seemed promising, they would be interviewed by Panditji. The first thing he trained them at was how to choose spices at a grocery store. How to look for them, which ones to buy whole, which ones to buy powdered, which ones to powder at home and which ones to avoid. They would then be trained about the history, lore, and medicinal uses of spices. This would educate the cook to understand why certain spices are added to a recipe, and why certain others are added in small portions as ingredients that balance another without giving leaving much of a flavor into a dish.

Once they had learned enough about spices (masalas), they graduated to the next stage, this was the stage where Panditji would measure out certain spices and teach them on how to roast these spices to bring out their essential flavors and then how to cool them and grind them into powders. In doing so, they would be taught the art of balancing spices and understanding how spices react to heat. This was also a way of showing them how to understand the many subtle ways in which spices can alter flavors. This was a critical step in understanding Indian cooking. As they learned the art of roasting spices, they were also taught how each spice reacts differently to heat. And so there is a sequence that needs to be followed when roasting a melange of spices.

Once they had learned the art of measuring and roasting spices, they were taught the art of grinding spices. Some spices were ground finely, others to a coarse texture that could range from medium to chunky coarseness. This taught the apprentice the use of spices as more than just a flavor additive. Certain spices are used as thickening agents, some to give texture and some to give flavor without being noticed.

An apprentice had to do this under Panditjis tutelage for a very long time. Years. And most often, they would tire away and ask my parents to give them another responsibility. The couple that lasted, have learned the wisdom behind masalas. And hopefully can now cook as Panditji does, with great respect for a tradition, but also a keen understanding of what to do depending on the mood, season, ingredients and occasion.

I hope this gives you some insight into what a masalchi does. If you have any particular question that I may not have touched, please ask..and I shall do my best to share with you whatever I know.

You write beautifully Suvir