How to Build an Indian Spice Cabinet
Indian cooking can seem complicated and confusing to people who are not initially familiar with it; all this grinding of various pastes with spices – a drop of that, a little of that. But the truth is, once you master a few basic spices, Indian cuisine is as simple as any other cuisine.
However, there is one point of caution, and it is this: the spices – after the bags are opened and the freshness lids are torn off – do not last forever . So if turmeric has been in your kitchen cabinet for months, my advice is to throw it away, as you can also sprinkle tasteless yellow dust on your food. The maximum time to open a spice bag is one month, so I buy my spices in small quantities and store them in airtight containers. This means I buy them more often, but I get the most out of the spices I buy when I only buy what I need.
Condiments are not only fresh but must be dry-roasted to reveal their great taste. Some spices, like cardamom, need to be opened and then dry-roasted for them to work. While you may have seen TV chefs lightheartedly toss covered cardamom pods or cloves into food without roasting them first, this is not something you should try at home. In fact, you can skip the spices entirely if you don’t intend to fry them first. Now that we’ve covered these issues, let’s take a look at some of the most common Indian spices, what they are and what they are used for.
Cardamom
Cardamom is one of the most commonly used spices in Indian cooking and is used in both savory and sweet dishes such as lada . Buy green cardamom pods and crush them lightly to open the pods before lightly sautéing. Their aromatic and slightly citrusy notes work well for baked goods with nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and other similar spices.
Carnation
You may have noticed that the carnation looks like little flowers. This is because they are . Most of the oil is squeezed out to make clove oil – which you may have heard of if you’ve ever had a toothache – and then the flowers are dried. Slow-roast cloves release aroma and oil. Cloves are very spicy and slightly medicinal in taste, but when used sparingly in spice mixes and in dishes such as biriyani (a flavorful rice dish that contains meat and vegetables), they are priceless.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a root that is indispensable in Indian cooking. It imparts a characteristic bright yellow color and subtle zesty earthy flavor to everything it touches and can be used fresh or dried. It can be used as part of a cold remedy, and in Indian cuisine it is added to almost everything from gravies to curries and sauces. My grandmother never measured anything; she instinctively knew how much to use, but you can use measuring spoons.
Mustard seeds
Mustard seeds are varied – there are black, brown and yellow mustard seeds – and their uses in Indian cooking are varied as well. To get a spicy flavor, mustard seeds need to be fried in oil until they burst. As soon as they appear – don’t worry, you will hear this – they can be added to savory dishes. Mustard oil is widely used in the north and northeast of India for cooking. You can use it to make mustard or pickling liquids, or you can temper the seeds in hot oil before adding it along with other spices like turmeric and red chili to cooked vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and beans.
Black peppercorns
Black pepper is the fruit of a flowering vine that is dried, packaged and sold as a spice. It is a fairly common spice in Indian cuisine, although it tends to be expensive. This is because it is very difficult to grow and each pepper contains only one seed. There are also green and white peppercorns, which are used in some dishes such as kara kulambu (hot sauce), tamarind curry, and rasam (pepper water). Peppers have a characteristic heat that you can feel in the back of your throat when you eat, and their spicy, earthy taste means they can be used in cooking instead of chili peppers.
Caraway
One of my favorite spices, cumin, is a very important addition to spice mixes. The spicy, almost nutty-tasting seeds can be added to meals whole or ground into a paste. Its uses are varied, and its smoky taste with a slight bitter undertone is different. When you dry the cumin, make sure you do it over very low heat and don’t let it burn (it burns easily). The burnt cumin will have to be thrown away, and it will be a terrible waste. Cumin is a vital ingredient in many spice blends such as curry powder and garam masala.
Ginger and garlic
Ginger and garlic are pretty obvious additions to this list. You can use them fresh, grind them into a paste, or in powder form. I prefer fresh; Freshly ground ginger and garlic have depth and intensity that are lacking when used in powder form. However, this is a personal preference and the dried material can be used with excellent results.
Cinnamon
Although I called it “cinnamon”, Indian cuisine actually uses cassia bark or Chinese cinnamon. It’s slightly less intense than the cinnamon you’re used to – also called “real cinnamon,” although the sweet, earthy taste is very similar. Cassia can be used whole or ground and is used in savory dishes like tandoori chicken and aloo gobi, as well as sweet dishes like payasam.
Saffron
I left the most expensive spice until the very end. Saffron is not included in everyday meals; it is a spice for special occasions. Subtle floral notes of saffron elevate any dish to which it is added and is often used in aromatic rice as well as in desserts. Saffron is very difficult to grow and is harvested by hand, so it costs more than its weight than gold. To get the most out of saffron, it is soaked in warm water or warm milk. The soaking liquid is then added to dishes such as saffron chicken, kesari bhat, and rasmalai.
You don’t have to run out and buy it all at once – you can experience the water by taking everything you need for a given recipe first – but the options above should offer you a solid starting point to get started. experimenting. And if you have any questions about spices, feel free to ask me in the comments!