Indian food lovers

[Siobhan Amanda]

Just the best garam masala.
Since moving to Australia, I've struggled to find good Indian food. Coming from the uk, where Indian food is said to be the nations favourite and is as far as I'm concerned.
Early on I worked part time leading scuba divers around a purposefully sunk shipwreck and four out of five of us were from the uk. We started going out once a week , different restaurant each time in the hope of finding the holy grail... incredible India became inedible India( now closed) , one place we went to served only partially cooked chicken. It actually started to be a health risk. I love cooking so I started trying to get to grips with what I thought of as a really hard style of Cooking. Anyway this is the best garam masala I've had and it's not hard to make.
15ml cumin seeds
15ml cardamom pods
15ml black peppercorns
5ml(1tsp) cloves
5cm cinnamon stick
2 star anise
4dried bay leaves
A tsp of dried mint leaves.
Ok so you need to dry roast the whole spices to enrich ,Don't burn them though or you'll have to start again. You just need a thick based saucepan or frying pan, a thin one may be fine too. Heat up add the spices and stir , you should after a minute or so start to smell the oils. You'll smell if they get burnt so keep on the side of caution. I also keep out the dried bay leaves and dried mint these and things like that don't seem to benefit from roasting.
When done, let cool( not in the pan) and mix everything and grind, I've been using a clean coffee grinder as I don't have a mortar thingie. Have a smell... compare to the brownish powder store bought(that may be a little crusty) and decide for yourself. It's at it's best for 3ish months but 6 months out it's still brilliant.
If anyone try's and likes I'll try and find the book it came out of and post the number as their is some other good bits in it and garam masala is only a start.
Siobhan

[davina61]

Have a couple of recipes for Garam Masala in my books but use shop bought, did make a (cant remember the area) different one for a fish curry.

[Siobhan Amanda]

Have a couple of recipes for Garam Masala in my books but use shop bought, did make a (cant remember the area) different one for a fish curry.

hi Davina, if you can remember it I'll be interested in trying the fish curry one😊
Siobhan

[Gertrude]

Love Indian food, but it's hard to get right.


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[Siobhan Amanda]

Love Indian food, but it's hard to get right.


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hi Gertrude, you're so right and that put me off  trying for years. What's your favourite dish?
Siobhan

[Thea]

As far as I know, I love Indian food. I live in Flagstaff, a small city in Northern Arizona. There are three Indian restaurants but I don't know how authentic the food really is. Do they modify their recipes for local tastes? I really don't know.

Around here, if you say "Indian food," half of the people are thinking Navajo fry-bread and mutton stew.

I would love to try cooking Indian but don't really know where to start. My skills and spice rack are geared more towards Sonoran/Southwestern cuisine.

[Siobhan Amanda]

As far as I know, I love Indian food. I live in Flagstaff, a small city in Northern Arizona. There are three Indian restaurants but I don't know how authentic the food really is. Do they modify their recipes for local tastes? I really don't know.

Around here, if you say "Indian food," half of the people are thinking Navajo fry-bread and mutton stew.

I would love to try cooking Indian but don't really know where to start. My skills and spice rack are geared more towards Sonoran/Southwestern cuisine.
Hi Thea, I'll dig that book out, it's a great starting point. I'll get onto it our tomorrow.
Siobhan

[Siobhan Amanda]

I'm not home yet but I've found it on eBay, it's called Balti, the complete cookbook by Lynette Baxter, I found it a kinda holy grail when first cooking. I felt I needed to add salt to the recipes to sweeten them but that may be a personal thing.
Siobhan

[davina61]

there's salt in all my recipes, got through a packet in 6 mths  . when I get a chance will put the fish curry on here.

[Siobhan Amanda]

there's salt in all my recipes, got through a packet in 6 mths  . when I get a chance will put the fish curry on here.

Good! When can I come for dinner?😀

[big kim]

Been a curry fan for nearly 40 years. At first I had the hottest ones but as I get older I'm more into mild now. Like them with king prawns best though I do like fish curry. Had very nice king prawn passanda & makhani recently. I have a brace on my teeth & find eating rather uncomfortable

[Thea]

I'm not home yet but I've found it on eBay, it's called Balti, the complete cookbook by Lynette Baxter, I found it a kinda holy grail when first cooking. I felt I needed to add salt to the recipes to sweeten them but that may be a personal thing.
Siobhan

Thank you! I'll see if I can find it.

[Gertrude]

hi Gertrude, you're so right and that put me off  trying for years. What's your favourite dish?
Siobhan

I like Gobi aloo, daal and mint chutney.


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[davina61]

Kolhapuri Masala----2 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp freshly   ground cardamom seeds
4 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 dried red chillies
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
dry fry all but the last2 ingredients for 1 min or when fragrant put all in a spice grinder and make a powder.



Goan seafood curry
3 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. blackmustard seeds
12 curry leaves
6 shallots finely chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4-1/2 tsp chilli powder
140 g creamed coconut dissolved in 300ml boiling water
500g white fish cut into large chunks
450g large raw prawns
juice and grated rind 1 lime
salt
Heat oil at high heat in a wok or large pan add mustard seeds and stir until they pop then add curry leaves
Add the shallots and garlic stir fry until golden. stir in turmeric, ground coriander, and chilli powder and fry 30 secs. Add creamed coconut, bring to boil then reduce heat to medium stir for 2 mins. reduce heat to low add fish and simmer for 1 min spooning sauce over fish. Add prawns and simmer 4 to 5 mins until fish flakes and prawns turn pink. Add lime juice and salt to taste sprinkle with rind.
This is what I cooked for Kendra .

[Laurie]

 Davina Sent me a recipe book that she thinks is helpful for amature cooks like myself to learn curry cooking.
I haven't tried any of the recipes yet as I am still reading it. It has some good information in it about curries.

It is called : 50 great curries of india by camellia panjabi



It says at the bottom: "This book will delight, educate and inspire anyone who longs to make authentic curries at home" Nigel Slater, The Observer

[Siobhan Amanda]

Kolhapuri Masala----2 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp freshly   ground cardamom seeds
4 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 dried red chillies
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
dry fry all but the last2 ingredients for 1 min or when fragrant put all in a spice grinder and make a powder.
😂 what are you doing to me? I'm starving now and it's just after breakfast!.
Thanks Davina that sounds wonderful 😊



Goan seafood curry
3 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. blackmustard seeds
12 curry leaves
6 shallots finely chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4-1/2 tsp chilli powder
140 g creamed coconut dissolved in 300ml boiling water
500g white fish cut into large chunks
450g large raw prawns
juice and grated rind 1 lime
salt
Heat oil at high heat in a wok or large pan add mustard seeds and stir until they pop then add curry leaves
Add the shallots and garlic stir fry until golden. stir in turmeric, ground coriander, and chilli powder and fry 30 secs. Add creamed coconut, bring to boil then reduce heat to medium stir for 2 mins. reduce heat to low add fish and simmer for 1 min spooning sauce over fish. Add prawns and simmer 4 to 5 mins until fish flakes and prawns turn pink. Add lime juice and salt to taste sprinkle with rind.
This is what I cooked for Kendra .

[Siobhan Amanda]

Davina Sent me a recipe book that she thinks is helpful for amature cooks like myself to learn curry cooking.
I haven't tried any of the recipes yet as I am still reading it. It has some good information in it about curries.

It is called : 50 great curries of india by camellia panjabi



It says at the bottom: "This book will delight, educate and inspire anyone who longs to make authentic curries at home" Nigel Slater, The Observer

I'm not sure, I might have that one, I shall look and if not I'll find a copy, thanks Laurie 😊

[Siobhan Amanda]

I like Gobi aloo, daal and mint chutney.


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Good call Gertrude, I like a good daal too, though lately I've been vindalooing, spicy spinach dishes too. Hrt? Maybe, I have chilli paste with my breakfast at the moment 😳

[davina61]

Found a new cookbook so my mum has bought it for my Christmas present, its got a lot of how tos and tips

[Siobhan Amanda]

Found a new cookbook so my mum has bought it for my Christmas present, its got a lot of how tos and tips

That sounds exciting, I get more than a few ideas online but nothing beats having a good book on the shelves.