<p>We have an Indian grocery in town so sometime I use their spice blends, but for the most part I prefer to start with whole seeds and grind them. I make a garam masala more or less like this:</p>
<p>Toast everything in a frying pan till they are a little darker and smell good (about 10 minutes over medium heat.) Then grind it up. It keeps about three months. </p>
<p>I’ve been known to use powders too. I don’t mind making a British style soupy curry from time to time. I make it with lots of bottled curry powder and put cut up bananas, chopped peanuts, bits of mango, and chutney on the top. Reminds me of my childhood in Africa. </p>
<p>I’ve never tried Thai curry from powder. I use the pastes and they taste pretty authentic to me. </p>
<p>When I am lazy I get the Patak jars (our regular grocery doesn’t carry paste). Korma is very mild, Tikka Masala is pretty mild. Vindaloo is very spicy hot and a little vinegary.</p>
<p>Most packages of curry power sold in your nearest Asian market are far superior to anything you will find at your local mega-chain supermarket. Also, people have preferences for Jamaican, Madras (Indian) or Thai curry powder. Each has its own great aroma and taste. One more thing, the Anglo-Indian chef Julie (can’t think of her last name) has written extensively on the use of curry. Last year she was visited by Ruth Riechl (formerly of Gourmet Magazine) on Riechl’s PBS TV show.</p>
<p>I do a lot of Indian and Thai cooking. (And Chinese, French, Italian, Hungarian… ) I don’t use prepared spice mixes or sauces. I make my own Thai red curry paste and Massaman curry paste and freeze it, for example.</p>
<p>I would strongly suggest checking out the cookbooks of Madhur Jaffrey. She has authentic recipes with authentic ingredients, but realistically adapted to a Western kitchen. (As in she doesn’t assume that you have a tandoor oven or a servant who comes in every morning and grinds spice pastes in a mortar and pestle. ) In addition to her various Indian books, I particularly recommend her “Far Eastern Cookery.” One of its virtues is that it has a big section in the back with photos of authentic ingredients, that enables one to go to a store with non-English speaking staff and buy the right things. Another is that it has dishes from multiple countries. Jaffrey recently came out with an Indian book that has simplified versions of her recipes. It’s called “At Home with Madhur Jaffrey.” It might be a good place to start for someone who wants more authentic-tasting Indian food but isn’t prepared to jump in all the way. </p>
<p>Another book I like is “600 Curries” by Raghavan Iyer. He actually has a “Madras Curry Powder” that is a great-tasting version of the British “curry powder.” In a departure from my usual practice, I’ve been making it and keeping a jar around. His book includes a lot of recipes that are not the kind of “curry” than consists of something in a sauce, but are really just good Indian dishes.</p>
<p>JUST an FYI: in some parts of the world, the Coriander plant (both seeds and leaves are called by just that name) The word Cilantro is Spanish for Coriander leaves.
[Coriander</a> - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander]Coriander”>Coriander - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Cilantro is a name for leaves of the coriander plant that produces coriander seeds (which can be used whole or ground). Very different tastes- I like coriander but not the leaves. Curry is a British invention (see my first post). </p>
<p>Garam masala means a mixture of hot spices (there is tea masala for tea/chai)- I have my preferred brand to use based on the constituent spices. “Curry” powders will likewise consist of spice mixtures- choose the one you want.</p>
<p>My M-in-law gave me a metal (steel) container with 5 or 7 (I don’t use it) little containers for spices that fit inside it. An Indian cook will put their favorites in them as use a small spoon that comes with to “measure” the spices. An example would be to include red (chili) pepper, turmeric, coriander, ground cumin, black mustard seeds, cumin seeds and ginger for a Gujarati cook. Salt and garlic are also common. Add asafoetida (hing), cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds and perhaps black pepper, plus garam masala. I substitute dried parsley for the cilantro. There’s my Indian cooking spice cabinet. </p>
<p>North Indians are more likely to eat rice only once per day and use wheat products instead compared to south Indians. Likewise coconuts are from the south and used there. Remember that rice has amino acids that complement the legumes’ amino acids (each lacks some needed by humans) to give the needed ones that are found in all animal proteins. The reason rice and beans go together- generations ago the survivors ate both.</p>
<p>Neelam Batra’s “1,000 Indian Recipes” is a large comprehensive cookbook with recipes and explanations of Indian foods/spices from various regions I bought as a comprehensive reference a few years ago. A worthwhile book to peruse. Most Indian cooks didn’t/don’t use recipes- daughters learned by cooking with their mothers. They also don’t measure- I had my M-in-law measure for a family favorite once so i could reproduce it (a “handful” for her is much, much smaller than mine!). I had to have quantification of spice amounts until I used Indian cookbooks- was “some” a 1/4 tsp, a tsp or a Tbs??? I also use less red pepper than usually called for to be able to tolerate dishes I make. Indians don’t have salt and (black) pepper on the table to alter flavors- the cook is supposed to get it right. Yogurt (and other milk products) work to tone down the burn from chilis- I add it to foods when H anS will add the Kadhi (spicy yogurt curry/sauce).</p>
<p>A Punjabi friend once was delighted when I was going to serve a dish- she heard an “a” at he end instead of the “i” I meant- entirely different Guj. foods. She liked the one I made. I have learned so much over decades.</p>
<p>Corollary- to me Chinese and Italian represent single types of food just as Indian does to most people. When you explore you learn about regional differences within countries.</p>
<p>My favorite quick dish from my husband who is a wonderful cook who just throws spices together and it’s always good:
Channa Masala (Indian-Style Chick Peas)</p>
<p>This easy recipe uses mainly canned food and staples like onions and garlic, so it’s good to make when you don’t
want to go to the store.</p>
<p>Two 16 oz. cans of chick peas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed
½ can of chicken or vegetable broth
1 small (9 oz.) can of V-8 juice (or a bit of tomato paste mixed in additional broth)
1-2 teaspoons oil or butter for frying
1 medium-large onion, minced or diced
1 heaping tablespoon pressed or minced garlic (4-5 cloves)
1 heaping tablespoon grated or minced ginger
1 cinnamon stick (or ½ teaspoon powdered cinnamon)
2 teaspoons turmeric
½ teaspoon cumin
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon lemon (or lime) juice or vinegar
chopped cilantro (optional)
chopped fresh tomatoes (optional)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Sautee the onion in some oil or butter in a deep pan or shallow pot on medium heat. When onions
are translucent, add the rinsed chickpeas, garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, turmeric, cumin and salt.</p></li>
<li><p>Sauté over medium heat for three or four minutes, then add half a can of broth plus the can of V-8
(or a similar amount of broth into which you’ve mixed a couple of tablespoons tomato paste). Cover the pan
and simmer on low heat for ten minutes.</p></li>
<li><p>Just before serving, dribble a bit of lemon juice or vinegar if you get a chance. Garnish generously
with cilantro and serve with rice, accompanied by chopped tomatoes and additional cilantro.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Ginger is another favorite. I add lots, much more than a tablespoon to my salad. I always have fresh ginger in my fridge.
And garlic is added to every veggie that I ever put on a skillet. I do not like to follow any recipe, so sorry do not have any. However, if you add ton of olive oil, italian seasonning, lots of freshly grinded black papper and freshly minced garlic to any veggie, not only you will have an awesome side dish, your house will smell heavenly (however, some people do not like the smell of garlic, IMO it is better than smell of cookies).</p>
<p>Thanks for the ginger suggestion…never thought to do that for a salad!</p>
<p>I do the olive oil, garlic, seasonings on veggies and yes, the smell is divine.</p>
<p>GTalum…I will definitely try that! (and I’m jealous that you have an H that not only cooks, but cooks well! In the nearly 29 years that I’ve known H, he’s only cooked one thing…rice…and he didn’t cook it long enough and it was crunchy. lol )</p>
<p>No, I do not really cook. Throwing veggie on skillet for few minutes is not cooking. My D. is saying that my disrespect for any recipes does not qualify my fixing of some dishes as cooking. I do not like any chores at home and avoid them at any cost, but I even hate it more to go out, so a bit of some other food between constant munching on fruits consumption is almost a must.</p>
<p>My favorite curry of all time was a Maple Lamb and Eggplant Curry which was in an issue of the Sunday NY times about 20 years ago I think. It has pumpkin in it- it is all highly improbable, but fantastic. It was from a restaurant in Bristol Vermont. Google it and you will not be disappointed. I make it about once/year now and it is always special.</p>
<p>As an aside, trying to decide what to bring as a wine to dinner at a friend’s… she is serving a ‘mild lamb curry.’ Ideas???</p>
[Welcome</a> to Julie Sahni Cooking](<a href=“
) In addition to her various Indian books, I particularly recommend her “Far Eastern Cookery.” One of its virtues is that it has a big section in the back with photos of authentic ingredients, that enables one to go to a store with non-English speaking staff and buy the right things.