EAST INDIAN FLAVORING
Indian cooking is about BOLD flavors achieved
by using a variety of spices, all used together. Curry and Garum Masala are two
ofthe most popular blends.
While each Indian
Chef or housewives may have their own recipes for these spice mixtures
depending on their palates, the region of India in which they live or a variety
of other factors, I present a recipe for one of each of these blends below, which
may be modified in any way that your taste directs.
GARUM MASALA, known as Indian “sweet “
spice because it contains cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices which Western cooks
think of as “sweet”, as well as savory spices e.g., cumin and coriander.
Because some of these ingredients turn “bitter” after prolonged cooking, Garum
Masala is added at the end of cooking time or even when the food is taken off the
burner.
RECIPE
5 parts whole coriander seeds
4 parts whole cumin seeds
2 parts, each, black peppercorns and cardamom
pods
1 part, each, whole cloves and nutmeg (freshly
grated or powdered)
Except for the nutmeg, toast all whole
spices in a skillet under medium – low heat until fragrant and a few start to
darken. Remove from heat, cool, and grind using a spice grinder or coffee
grinder, used exclusively for grinding spices.
Add nutmeg and store in an air
tight container.
CURRY POWDER, like Garum Masala, contains
both whole and powdered spices, but it has a yellowish - orange color due to the
use of turmeric in the blend. Curry is added during the early stages of cooking
to prevent bitterness. It frequently is added to the oil used for sauteing aromatics, such as onion and garlic, at the beginning of the cooking process and
is cooked for a few minutes, to ‘bloom’ the flavors, before the next
ingredients are added.
RECIPE
6 parts, each, dried chili peppers, fennel
seed and coriander seed
2 parts cumin seed
Dry toast the spices in a pan on medium heat
until some of the seeds start to pop, about three minutes. Remove and cool.
Grind the blend in a coffee/ spice grinder
with:
2 parts white peppercorns
2 parts mace
1 part ground turmeric
Store in an air tight container and use
within one week.
