1,000 Indian Recipes (52 page)

¹
⁄
₄
cup dried curry leaves

1 tablespoon white poppy seeds

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

4 star anise, broken

10 bay leaves, coarsely broken

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons ground black cardamom seeds

2 teaspoons ground green cardamom seeds

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground mace

1.
In a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet, roast together the coriander, cumin, black cumin, peppercorns, fenugreek, and chile peppers, stirring and shaking the pan over medium heat until the mixture is a few shades darker, about 2 minutes. Mix in the curry leaves, poppy seeds, mustard seeds, anise, and bay leaves and roast another minute. Remove from heat.

2.
Let cool, then grind in a spice or coffee grinder to make a fine powder. Mix in the cinnamon, cloves, black and green cardamom seeds, nutmeg, and mace. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, about 1 month at room temperature or about 1 year in the refrigerator.

Bengali 5-Spices

Panch-Phoran

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

A distinctive east Indian blend,
panch-phoran
(which literally means 5 spices) is a mixture of highly fragrant whole spices that adds incredible flavor to food. This mixture is also popular in the north, where it is more often used as a pickling mixture, or
achaarimasala
(
achaar
is Hindi for pickle), for an array of pickles—especially raw green mangoes, which is a staple in Indian kitchens. This blend is also used in selected chutneys, as well as some vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries and side dishes.

²
⁄
₃
cup cumin seeds

¹
⁄
₃
cup fennel seeds

¹
⁄
₄
cup black mustard seeds

3 tablespoons kalonji seeds

2 tablespoons fenugreek seeds

In a medium cast-iron or nonstick wok or skillet, roast all the ingredients together, shaking and stirring the pan over medium-high heat, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, 1 month at room temperature or about 1 year in the refrigerator.

Variation:
For a Punjabi version, mix the spices and grind them in a spice or coffee grinder until coarsely ground.

Meat Masala with Cumin and Peanuts

Gosht ka Masala

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₄
cups

Use this
masala
in conjunction with any of the
basic curry pastes
to customize your meat curries. Or simply sprinkle a spoonful or two over cooked dishes as a last-minute garnish—it is especially delicious over steamed
basmati
rice.

¹
⁄
₄
cup shelled raw peanuts, with papery red skin removed

10 to 15 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken

2 tablespoons dried yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds

1
¹
⁄
₂
tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon white poppy seeds

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

1.
In a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet, roast the peanuts, stirring and shaking the pan over medium heat until the mixture is a few shades darker, about 1 minute.

2.
Add the chile peppers, dal, cumin seeds, and fenugreek seeds and roast until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the sesame, coriander, poppy, and mustard seeds and continue to roast until a few shades darker, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool, then grind in a spice or coffee grinder to make a fine powder. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, about 1 week at room temperature or about 1 year in the refrigerator.

Goan Vindaloo Powder

Vindaloo ka Masala

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

This
masala
reflects the Portuguese influence in the western state of Goa, which was under Portuguese rule from 1510 to 1961. It is primarily used in a unique Goan curry called
vindaloo
, meaning "with vinegar." The vinegar is not part of this dry mixture of spices, but is an essential, separate ingredient that gives vindaloo curries a unique taste, distinguishing them from other curries.

4 to 6 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, broken

³
⁄
₄
cup coriander seeds

¹
⁄
₄
cup cumin seeds

2 tablespoons black cumin seeds

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground black cardamom seeds

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1.
In a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet, roast together the red chile peppers, coriander, cumin, black cumin, peppercorns, fenugreek, and mustard seeds, stirring and shaking the pan over medium heat until a few shades darker, about 2 minutes.

2.
Let cool, then grind in a spice or coffee grinder to make a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the turmeric, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, about 1 month at room temperature or about 1 year in the refrigerator.

Special South Indian Blends

South Indian Sambar Powder

Sambar Podi

Makes about 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups

Sambars
are soupy
toordal
(split pigeon pea) preparations made throughout the southern states of India. All
sambars
are flavored with a version of
sambar
powder, and are usually served with steamed rice, or with
dosas
(
crispy rice and lentil crepes
),
iddlis
(
steamed rice and lentil cakes
), and
vadai
(
deep-fried legume croquettes
). Packaged
sambar
powders are very hot, because the bulk of the blend's weight comes from red chile peppers. At home, you can control the heat of the
sambar
powder you make.Use as a dry-rub, in curries, or as a last-minute flavor enhancer.