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Weights and Measures
Both metric and imperial measurements have been given in this book
with metric measures being rounded up or down to the nearest unit.
Remember to use one or the other and not to combine imperial and
metric in one recipe.
All spoon measurements throughout the book are slightly rounded
spoonfuls unless specified as being level.
One cupful equals one teacup size which is approximately a quarter
pint or five fluid ounces. The important thing is to use the same
measure throughout one recipe.
Spices And Herbs
The curries in this book require quantities of the following spices
and herbs, so it is essential to get these together and to prepare
them as suggested before you begin cooking. I think it is safe to
say that most supermarkets and grocers now stock these items with
perhaps the exception of the black cardamoms. Ethnic grocers will
certainly have supplies of both fresh and dry ingredients available
all year round.
Other than for rice dishes, restaurants do not generally use spices
in their whole form. However, they will buy them whole and grind
small quantities at a time for the best flavour. I suggest in
general that you follow this example. An electric coffee grinder is
ideal for the grinding as it grinds the spices to the fineness
required for the restaurant curries. (Alternatively, you could use
a pestle and mortar.) This degree of fineness is not of particular
importance for home cooking, but a restaurant chef is meticulous in
this requirement and will test the ground spices between forefinger
and thumb, being satisfied only when the mixture feels perfectly
smooth. This is quite a task with the amounts used for a busy
restaurant, but easy enough when grinding a few tablespoons at
home. When storing the ground ingredients, use glass or plastic
containers with tight fitting lids and keep in a cool dry place
away from strong light. Whole spices will keep their flavour for
months when stored this way. Remember to label all your containers
clearly as it is extremely difficult to tell which spice is which
after they have been ground.
For those of you who are new to Indian cooking, the following
descriptions should be helpful when buying the spices and herbs you
will need.
Ambchoor.
This is a powder made form dried green mangoes and has a unique sweet
and sour taste. Buy small quantities and you will require
relatively little of this ingredient.
Bay leaves.
These will be familiar to cooks as they are used for flavouring all
sorts of dishes of many different origins. In Indian cooking we use
them whole for rice dishes and grind them with other ingredients to
make garam masala.
Cardamoms (green).
Small, whitish green pods full of dark, sweetly aromatic seeds. Used
in sweet and savoury dishes.
Cardamoms (black).
Larger than their green counterparts, these are dark brown in colour
with stronger flavour and aroma. They are an important ingredient
in garam masala. Chillies (green).
They vary in length from about one inch to about four inches, have
dark green flesh and flat, round white seeds. Generally speaking,
the small chillies have a tendency to be hotter than the larger
ones, so they will work out more economical. Besides providing the
heat in Indian foods, green chillies impart a special flavour not
found with the dried red chillies. Store whole and unwashed in
paper, and place in the salad compartment of the refrigerator.
For freezing, grind in a blender or food processor with a little
water and freeze in ice-cube trays. Fresh green chillies are past
their best after a week or so, so this is a good idea if you cook
Indian food infrequently. Handle chillies with care as the
irritant in them will cause a burning sensation on contact with
skin. Always wash your hands before touching your face. Chillies
(red powder).
Chilli powder adds colour to Indian curries as well as heat and
flavour. Unlike other dry ingredients which are best bought whole,
I recommend that you buy these ready ground as chilli powder. The
reason for this is that grinding red chillies requires particular
care as the fine powder will escape to irritate eyes, nose, and
throat causing terrible bouts of sneezing and runny eyes.
Cinnamon.
Buy sticks, as pieces of cinnamon are used in rice dishes. It is
ground with other spices in garam masala.
Cloves.
These are used for their flavour and aroma, whole in rice dishes and
ground for garam masala. Coriander (fresh green). This is easily
the most wonderful, versatile, and widely used herb of all in Indian
cooking, both at home and in the restaurant. Commercially grown
coriander is taller ? growing to some ten inches or so ? than the
home grown variety and is readily available from ethnic grocers and
greengrocers. The flavour and aroma of this lovely herb makes it a
vital ingredient for turning a good Indian dish into an excellent
one, whether stirred into a curry or sprinkled onto hot food as a
garnish.
Use leaves and stems and chop finely (discarding any tough pieces)
and add to food right at the end of cooking as the delicate flavour
is easily lost. Fresh coriander will keep for a week or so if you
immerse the stems in water as you would a bunch of flowers.
Coriander seeds.
As delicate in flavour as the plant from which they come, these seeds
are small, round, and beige in colour. In the restaurant, coriander
is ground and used as a spice in its own right as well as in garam
masala. Cummin seeds. These look like caraway seeds, have quite a
strong flavour, and are used in the restaurant mostly in their
ground form. Cummin seeds (black).
Finer and darker than regular cummin this spice is also more
expensive. It is unlikely that you will find black cummin in
supermarkets, so you may have to go to an Indian or Pakistani
grocer. Fenugreek (dry leaves). Not to be confused with
fenugreek seeds, this is a dark green leafy plant similar in height
to coriander. The flavour is not as subtle as that of coriander
and becomes more concentrated when the plant is dried. Known as
'methi' it is available from Asian grocers in both its fresh and
dry form. It is the dried ingredient that is used in restaurant
cooking and although methi is not perhaps an essential herb for
restaurant curries, it certainly add that 'extra something' so it
is worth trying if you can get it. To prepare for use, pick out
and discard any straw-like pieces. Grind in a coffee grinder,
sieve, and store in a glass jar. Do not forget to label. Garlic.
A familiar and popular herb, garlic is particularly necessary for the
flavour of restaurant curries where it is used in generous amounts.
Buy bulbs that have firm, plump cloves, and store in a cool dry
place as you would onions.
Ginger (fresh). This looks like a knobbly root. Scraping away the
pale brown skin reveals a creamy yellow, slightly fibrous interior.
The fresher the ginger the less fibrous it tends to be, so to
ensure freshness, look for plump pieces with a taut skin. To
store, keep in a cool dry airy place as you would other vegetables.
Freezing.
Peel and grind into a paste with a little water and freeze in
ice-cube trays. You can then take out a cube or two as you require
it. Nutmeg. Nutmegs can be bought from the supermarket as well
as from the Asian grocers. Buy whole, and break into pieces by
hitting lightly with a hammer or rolling pin before grinding.
Paprika. A personal favourite, paprika is excellent for adding
colour and a very slightly tangy/sweet flavour to curries. It can
be bought in small tins with tight fitting plastic lids which is an
ideal way of storing this spice. If buying in polythene bags,
transfer to a glass jar and label, as it is difficult to
distinguish between paprika and chilli powder without tasting.
Turmeric. This spice is used in Asian cooking mainly for its yellow
colour although it also aids the digestion and has a mild, earthy
flavour. Buy turmeric that is a bright yellow colour and handle
carefully as it will stain hands and clothes. Garam Masala
The 'garam' means hot and the 'masala' a mixture of spices, so this
is a hot spice mixture. The heat however is not a heat you would
taste as with chillies, but one that affects the body. This theory
originates from the Hindu concept of medicine and diet called
tridosha, which teaches that some foods have a warming effect on
the body while others have a cooling one. Spices such as cloves,
cinnamon, black cardamoms, and nutmeg are garam constituents of
this aromatic mixture. The garam masala should be put in foods
towards the end of cooking and is sometimes also sprinkled onto
cooked meat, vegetables, and yoghurts as a garnish.
How to Make Garam Masala This makes about three tablespoons. 1
tablespoon coriander seeds 1 tablespoon cummin 1 teaspoon green
cardamoms
1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 2 sticks of
cinnamon, approx two inches in length
2 bay leaves
1/2 small nutmeg
4 black cardamoms
Place all ingredients into an electric coffee grinder and grind for
one minute. Carefully remove lid and test by rubbing a little of
the mixture between forefinger and thumb. Finely ground spices
should not feel gritty. If necessary, switch on the machine for
another few seconds. Put the garam masala into a small airtight
container, preferably made of glass or plastic, and label.
There are various other mixtures and condiments used in this book
which I feel may require explanation.
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