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
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.
Quote from: davina61 on December 08, 2017, 03:57:01 PM
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
Love Indian food, but it's hard to get right.
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Quote from: Gertrude on December 08, 2017, 07:19:56 PM
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
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.
Quote from: Thea on December 09, 2017, 07:32:29 AM
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
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
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.
Quote from: davina61 on December 09, 2017, 03:40:31 PM
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?😀
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
Quote from: broage on December 09, 2017, 03:25:27 PM
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.
Quote from: broage on December 08, 2017, 08:27:27 PM
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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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 .
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
(https://i.imgur.com/xUDyZSB.jpg)
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
Quote from: davina61 on December 10, 2017, 02:29:36 PM
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 .
Quote from: Laurie on December 10, 2017, 03:21:56 PM
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
(https://i.imgur.com/xUDyZSB.jpg)
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 😊
Quote from: Gertrude on December 10, 2017, 07:29:07 AM
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 😳
Found a new cookbook so my mum has bought it for my Christmas present, its got a lot of how tos and tips
Quote from: davina61 on December 11, 2017, 03:46:56 PM
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.
A lot of the Indian recipes I've read seem to use ghee (clarified butter). I'm never too keen on the high fat content but whenever I substitute it for something like olive oil, I definitely lose on the taste. Has anyone found an alternative that still tastes good and keeps it tasting authentic?
Quote from: Charlotte F on December 11, 2017, 04:49:51 PM
A lot of the Indian recipes I've read seem to use ghee (clarified butter). I'm never too keen on the high fat content but whenever I substitute it for something like olive oil, I definitely lose on the taste. Has anyone found an alternative that still tastes good and keeps it tasting authentic?
Ghee or coconut oil ,for some. Olive oil doesn't work well. You can use butter. All these fats are good for you. The ones to avoid are the ones containing trans fats, oils like canola, sunflowers not too good I think, they work flavour wise but for health, not so.
I love indian curries.
Tonight I am making a chickpea masala.
Quote from: Sol on December 11, 2017, 08:39:57 PM
I love indian curries.
Tonight I am making a chickpea masala.
Haha, me too, I just had one for breakfast 😊
The place I get online supplies from list vegetable gee . As most recipes only need a few table spoons I make my own by melting butter (unsalted) skim of foam and drain off leaving any solids behind. If given the choice then veg cooking oil instead.
Quote from: broage on December 11, 2017, 08:22:05 PM
Ghee or coconut oil ,for some. Olive oil doesn't work well. You can use butter. All these fats are good for you. The ones to avoid are the ones containing trans fats, oils like canola, sunflowers not too good I think, they work flavour wise but for health, not so.
I haven't heard anything bad about canola oil, but fats get somewhat of a bad rap. Plenty people pack on pounds with fat free food. What was an eye opener for me was doing ketogenic diet. I eat plenty of fat and my blood chemistry is the best it's ever been.
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Quote from: Gertrude on December 12, 2017, 06:41:53 AM
I haven't heard anything bad about canola oil, but fats get somewhat of a bad rap. Plenty people pack on pounds with fat free food. What was an eye opener for me was doing ketogenic diet. I eat plenty of fat and my blood chemistry is the best it's ever been.
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Hi Gertrude, Yes, I was on the ketogenic diet for three years on the advice of my doctor and all my blood markers improved, lost ten kilos and routinely had double cream with nuts and some berries for breakfast. I've been mostLy paleo for the last two but still have the odd month where I revisit.
I love Indian food and am always looking for a fun recipe. I like trying to make foods that I didn't grow up eating at home because then my home cooking feels more exciting and it keeps me from spending on restaurants. I find that watching videos really helps me to understand better than reading recipes, especially for things like what texture should roti dough be. Most often I just search on YouTube for the dish I want to make and look at a couple recipes. Much of the Indian food available in the US is North Indian food (saag paneer, chana masala, chicken tikka masala, naan bread), but in my town we have a large South Indian community and their food is different but also very delicious (dosa, sambar, idli, most things are vegetarian and many of the S Indian restaurants are vegetarian only). Try some South Indian dishes if you are looking to explore more. I also love Indo-Chinese food, which is basically Chinese recipes adapted to Indian tastes (much like American Chinese food, which differs from traditional Chinese recipes). Also, there is a fun show on Netflix (American version at least) about Indian cuisine called Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan that will make you crazy hungry--my hubby refuses to watch because it's so appetizing!
Have a new cook book for Christmas its The Indian Cookery Course by Monisha Bharadwaj, trained in India and runs an Indian cookery school in London. Not just recipes but a lot of how to's , how spices work and how to make spice mixes
Quote from: davina61 on December 26, 2017, 08:27:16 AM
Have a new cook book for Christmas its The Indian Cookery Course by Monisha Bharadwaj, trained in India and runs an Indian cookery school in London. Not just recipes but a lot of how to's , how spices work and how to make spice mixes
Hi Davina, hope your Christmas was great! That sounds like a handy book to have around,that was the book from your mother?.
Siobhan x
Spotted it when she came Christmas shopping with me so she bought it for my present , used the Gee method from it today and its less fiddle than the other ways I have found. Needed it for the spicy flat breads to go with the duck Jelfraize and aubergine and tomato rice. Reheated the rice , not made me ill yet (you have to be careful due to the bacteria on rice)
Quote from: davina61 on December 26, 2017, 04:11:08 PM
Spotted it when she came Christmas shopping with me so she bought it for my present , used the Gee method from it today and its less fiddle than the other ways I have found. Needed it for the spicy flat breads to go with the duck Jelfraize and aubergine and tomato rice. Reheated the rice , not made me ill yet (you have to be careful due to the bacteria on rice)
Davina, I'm completely starving now, I must find breakfast and it needs to be spicy!
Thanks for the post, I'll track that book down😀