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, black pepper along with an optional herb, (bay leaf or curry leaf). Add it to chopped ginger and garlic, and you're off and running. This basic mixture needs to be tweaked to your taste with sesame or mustard seed, mint leaves, nutmeg or mace, chilis, but if you are going to cook Indian food, it should be a flavor that is familiar, aromatic and one that makes you smile. This is a go-to mixture. Add as much or as little as you see fit whenever a recipe calls for it or whenever your taste demands it.

So now when you approach a recipe. you have a base from which to explore the spectacular world of herbs and spices available to you. India is an enourmous country with over a billion people in it. The various regions are each unique in ingredients and cooking styles. It can be a lifetime of exploration and experimentation with this cuisine and the rewards of discovery are endless. Here are just a few:

Punjab

I won't spend much time her. Punjab is in the North. It encompasses both Eastern Pakistan and Northwest India. What you need to know is that for many years, the only Indian dishes you would heve heard of, much less enjoyed, came from this region. Butter Chicken, Rogan Josh, Tikka, Keema, Saag, Paratha, Biryani are all Punjabi dishes.

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.