Cuisine • Jun 14th '23

The Art of Spicing

Y ou are cooking for yourself and/or your family and friends. When you decide on tackling an indian recipe, it becomes daunting when you are confronted with the long list of herbs and spices that go into virtually every one of them. How can this recipe insure that a teaspoon of this and an eigth of a pinch of that will make this dish delicious for you and your guests? Bad News is that it can't. And the Good News is that it can't. You are free. Free to taste and test to your heart's content. Until the dish bring a smile to your lips and a tingle to your taste buds, it is a work in progress.

So where do you start with the spices? Which are essential? The easy way is to start with garam masala, which usually has a combination of spices that most Indians use on a daily basis; Corianader, Cumin, Cardomom, Pepper. Add it to chopped ginger and garlic and you're off and running. This basic mixture needs to be tweaked to your taste, but if you are going to cook Indian food, it's a flavor that is familiar, aromatic and will make you smile.

The sweets on India are varied and spectacular in color, shape and flavor. If you're reading this, you've heard of gulab jamun (mini donuts in syrup) and kheer (rice pudding) and perhaps gajar ka halwa (the scrumptious carrot cake), but they aren't a scratch on the surface. An online search turns of lists of "35 best" out of so many. Ladoo and Burfee, Kalakand, Jalebi just to start and then explore away.Whole Foods to offer a solid performer.

I won't give you a recipe here. I feel this dish has such a strong need for personal preference that i can only give general instruction. So it will be up to you.

Marinade

Garlic and ginger paste is essential. You should always consider this to begin any marinade. The spices can be any combination of coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili. To these you can add clove, cardomom, even garam masala (although this could very well be redundant depending on the spices in the mix), and I like fenugreek, it's unique aroma and flavor are perfect for this dish. (by the way, I have never smelled or tasted maple syrup in using fenugreek these past many years) It is best to use seeds and pods lightly toasted in a skillet, and ground fresh. A splash of lemon juice or mustard oil will distribute the spices more eveny. Ground laurel (bay leaf) and fresh cilantro round out the marinade beatifully. I don't normally marinate for more than two hours and often for just one hour. Again, preference.

Since the Tandoori Oven is the standard for cooking marinated meats in Indian cuisine, baking is the preferred method. Not by me. Sauté in a cast iron pan on high to sear the meat and seal in the juices. If you are adept, you'll get a nice char to add that mokey flavor. Don't cook completely because it will finish in the sauce.

AThe sauce is yours, but the spicing should mimic your marinade. Onions, no onions, puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, heavy cream or just a touch of cream with cashews, peppery heat or mild. Isn't it wonderful to have choices?

Somewhere around 1992 I promoted a restaurant with a cooking demonstration at Bloomingdale's. There was a fair crowd and the chef (cook, really) used a wooden spoon to add the spices and adjust them during the cooking. Three people argued with me to provide precise measurements. I couldn't. I had to explain that each cook is seasoning to taste, his taste, probably his approximation of his mother's taste. So, have fun with it.