Common Seasoning Combinations To Indian Cooking
- 22
- September
- 2013
For an authentic Indian touch, you can’t go wrong with seasoning spices. India is a home for many aromatic spices. And, its a country with more diverse cuisines, as many as 36 distinct cuisines. However, what binds this vast culinary diversity is quite simple…the insignificant quantity of the spices used in our everyday cooking. Every region has their own favorite combination of spices…either it be a fresh raw whole spices, fine blends, coarsely pounded, wet-ground paste, toasted dry spices or some burnt dust. Its still a mystery, who likes what! In fact, every ethnic group to family has their own standard protocol and norms to use their spices. And, that’s India.
Indian culture derives from 5000 years of time line, and the spices are mandatory for our traditional medicines and quintessential to our cooking. From sweet smelling fragrant cardamom to the world’s hottest chili peppers; you name it…we use it. Whether it be a smoky cumin seeds or the downright pungent fenugreek seeds, we never shy away that easily! Our love affair with bold-aromatic cloves to the pleasant smelling cinnamon is undivided. Spices, not only imparts flavor, color, character to the dishes we make…it has definitely touched our hearts.
Well, but working with spice combination could be quite daunting for any novice cooks! A tiny speck of an extra cloves could make your gums go numb for several days, a little bit less-mint can completely ruin the rice dish you fixed! So, many find it very challenging to understand the nature of the spices and to deal with the exact measurements for the particular recipe. The key to success is interestingly quite simple though! Just try to study the character of the spices you use. Its almost like a musical notes, no one has the correct combination yet, but anyone can bring forth the warmth out of it.
Before even deciding on the menu or recipes, one needs to know the proper usage of the spices. Whether it be some whole spices dropped fresh into the stew pot or adding only a blended version at the end of the cooking! Some recipes calls for wet-ground paste, yet another dish requires only a tad pinch to be sneaked-in secretly! There are some ingredients that has to be toasted and smoked before blending, and few should be popped in the hot-oil directly! Wow, the seasoning could go endless like this. I recall, how my Mommy was so particular that, I should add only the coarsely stone-pounded peppercorns to certain dishes and how she insisted to use fine dust to some of the recipes! Boy, she was a terrific cook. Yep, every little spice has their own unique nature that needs to bombarded by the cook, depending on the dish he /she is making. All these skills would certainly release the natural flavors and would add essence to your otherwise bland food. It not only intensifies the aroma and makes the food rich, it would most definitely add character to your cooking style. That would be highly appreciated in near future.
Common Indian Seasoning Combinations – The Complete Idiot’s Guide
Seasoning & Combinations
|
Suitable Dishes (Tentative) |
Method & Description |
|
|
Works well on cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli. | Its easy to fix, I generally opt this for stir-frying the veggies. | |
|
South Indian style vegetable stir-fry. Examples: Poriyal, Kura, Thoran. | Temper these spices in hot oil, wait till it crackles and add desired vegetables and stir-fry. | |
|
North Indian style vegetables stir-fry. Examples: Subzi, Salan, Curries. | First make a tadka (temper) the whole spices in oil and then add vegetables plus following powdered spices | |
|
Chutneys. Yogurts based pachadis or raithas. | Temper these spices mentioned in hot oil and wait till it crackles and lentils reddens. Add them to chutneys and pachadis. | |
|
Variety rice items, like Lemon rice, Tamarind Rice, Curd Rice and Tomato rice. | Heat oil in a shallow pan and temper these spices and wait till it pop and splutters and run this seasoning over the rice prepared. | |
|
Add this to South Indian style ‘Keerai Masiyal’. (Green leafy vegetables curry) | Its the same procedure, you temper the spices in hot oil, additionally you are adding fresh red onions…fry them real good until brown before adding it to greens. | |
|
Madras Kara kuzhambu andTamil Nadu special Vegetables Sambar | The additional ‘Thallippu Vadagam’ is a home-made spice mixture. This ingredient alone can heighten your sense of smell and crave for the dish. | |
|
Iyer and Iyengar style Vatha Kuzhambu & Puli Kuzhambu or Pulusu or any other Tamarind based sauces. | I also use the same procedure to season other tamarind based vegetable curries. | |
|
Andhra style Vepudu, best suited for bitter tasting vegetables and greens. | This is one of my favorite combo and keep making it all the time, I occasionally treat the gourds and melons with the same seasoning, works well. | |
|
For many Indo-Chinese style cooking. Best suited for fried rice and sauces. | Its my kitchen essential. I cannot go straight without my dose of Chinese food for two weeks. | |
|
For Thai-style fried rice. | More or less similar to Chinese ingredients, but pay attention to the particular recipe in question each time. They significantly vary each time. | |
|
Thai style curries and sauces | This is a basic idea behind the recipe, but every dish has its own recipe and it may call for some more ingredients. | |
|
Korma or Qormas | Well, I have earned lot of pats on my back for my qorma recipes. Honestly I don’t do anything unusual, just this seasoning. It works all the time. | |
|
Tamil Nadu and Andra style Pickling spices. | Pickling spices differ from from region to region, so check out the recipe before you intend to cook. | |
|
North Indian style pickles | The mustard oil alone can give a deep impact to North Indian style pickles, but if you haven’t tasted it before, it may take time to acquire and appreciate this distinct flavor. | |
|
Andhra style meat and chicken pickles | The very idea of these spices aroma can kindle one’s senses. |
© 2010 Malar Gandhi, All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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