Question : I make Indian and Mediterranean dishes from time to time. I can’t seem to get the spices just right (comes out a bit bland). Is there a certain curry powder that I should use or is there a spice that I should with the curry?

Kuntal Answers : Curry powder is a generic term for a mixture of spices put together to flavour the Indian dishes, including the eponymous curries from various parts of India. It will mostly constitute cumin, coriander, turmeric, red chilli, fennel, hot spices like cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Some of the special curry powders are special blends of more than fifty different spices in which many of them are not easily found with our neighbouring grocers. The most commonly found curry powder on the shelf is Madras curry powder which is on the spicier side.

While most of the curries are explained in detail with their recipes in the e-book available with us, I will give a simple recipe to make your own curry powder even though its usage will be limited to north Indian curries only.

Curry Powder Recipe

2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, toasted until just aromatic
2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, toasted
1/4 cup turmeric powder
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder (alternatively cayenne)

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a dry air tight container and shake well to mix everything together. Use as required but use only dry spoon. It is advisable to make them at frequent intervals because the aromas do not last long.

Chef’s tip: sprinkle small pinch of hot spice powder alongwith with chopped coriander (cilantro) after finishing the dish for extra flavour.

Tags: curries, paneer, bhatura, gosht, dal, indian curry, roti, handi, kebab, palak

One surprising aspect of coriander plant is that almost every part of it is edible and full of flavour. While their usage will vary from cuisine to cuisine but it has found acceptance in almost all the kitchen including the much reluctant French chefs,  The leaves have got different name across the globe like “Dhania” in India, “cilantro” in US, “coriander” in UK, “Chinese parsley” in China and so on, but one thing has not changed; the taste and the aroma which reminds of the citrus overtones.

The leaves have actually found their role in Vietnamese kitchen, Indian kitchen, Mexican salsa and guacamole etc. Chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such as Dal (Indian lentil preparation) and many curries. As heat diminishes their flavour quickly, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish right before serving.

The dried fruits of the plant are known as coriander seeds which can be either used whole, preferably roasted or powdered. They are used extensively in staple curries found in Indian home. It is also a key spice in hot spice powder.

Modern therapeutics recommend coriander fruits as adjuvant in: anorexia, dyspepsia, intestinal worms, dysfunctions of the mammal glands and abdominal pains.

Coriander chutney (helps in salivation and is good digestive)

1 big handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped
3 green chilies, roughly chopped (remove seeds to avoid extra heat)
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped (optional)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp lime/ lemon juice
1 tsp brown sugar (use plain as alternative)

Method:

Place all the ingredients but salt and sugar in a blender along with 4-5 tbsp of water and blend until the mixture become a coarse paste. Alternatively, use a pestle and mortar. Add seasoning and taste. This chutney can be stored in an airtight, non-metallic container for up to four days in the refrigerator.

Aromatically yours,

Kuntal Kumar.

Tags: desi, roti, bhatura, karahi, naan, bhatura, tandoori, chana, handi, chicken

Question : When making curry and adding coconut milk, should you heat the milk till it separates?

Kuntal Answers….

While some of the recipes require to cook the coconut milk longer along with the paste which act as a natural emulsifier for the milk and does not allow it to separate easily. It is quite common to see the fat from the coconut milk flowing on top of Thai curries and soups. In the Indian cuisine especially in the South India cuisine, most of the curries are thin; hence thick coconut milk is preferred. Reduce the heat to low after adding the milk and stir for a while to form an emulsion with the rest of the ingredients, allow the curry to simmer only to avoid the distasteful split which develops if one cooks on a high heat after the coconut milk is added.

Seasonal vegetable in coconut milk
Ingredients:

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into an inch
• 12-15 broad beans stringed, halved and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup green peas, shelled
• 1/4 flower cauliflower cut into medium florets
• 2 medium carrot peeled and diced into an inch
• 100 gm red pumpkin, peeled and diced into an inch
• 1 ½ cup freshly scraped coconut flesh, (white part only)
• 2 tbsp tamarind  pulp
• 3 tbsp groundnut  oil (olive oil optional)
• 4 red chilies whole
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 8-10 garlic cloves,  peeled
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• salt  to taste
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp black gram split
• 8-10 curry leaves

Method:
1.Add warm water to one cup of scraped coconut and extract the first pressing using a muslin cloth. Next blend the contents of the muslin with half a cup of water until smooth and strain again using the same muslin/ cheesecloth. Keep aside. Dissolve tamarind pulp in half cup of water.

2.Heat a little oil and sauté 2 whole red chillies, cumin, coriander, garlic and the remaining half cup of scraped coconut until aromatic. Grind into a fine paste using little water.

3.Simmer the vegetables in the thin coconut milk adding the hard vegetables first in descending order with turmeric powder, tamarind extract and salt until three-fourth done. Add the ground masala and cook for 10 minutes.

4.Heat a little oil separately and add the remaining red chillies broken into two, mustard seeds and Black gram split. Add curry leaves and add this to the vegetables.

5.Continue cooking the vegetables till done. Then add the thick coconut milk and simmer for two to three minutes. Serve hot with boiled rice.

Bon Appetit !

Tags: handi, dal, bhatura, dosa, tikka masala, gosht, paneer, balti, kulfi, curries

Ques : Need some help with pressure cooking in my UK made Prestige unit. I have seen a lot of recipies using pressure cooking mentioning ‘one whistle’, ‘two whistles’ and so on as an indicator of cooking needed. Mine has a single weight. Sort of clicks into position at the steam outlet on top of the lid. There is no whistle feature on it. Have to cool and open the lid to check doneness of the food. Sometimes a good number of times, until I get what I want. I do not use it on a regular basis, so timing is always chancy, requiring frequent lid removal to check. A little too late and foods such as lentils turn to mash, and meats cooked to shreds. I wish to know if there is an add-on adapter for the whistle. Can you help ?

Kuntal Answers… : Most first-generation pressure cookers most use a single pressure which may be lower than the standard of 15psi. If the operating pressure is lower than 15 pounds, you will not realize as much time or energy savings, and you will always be adjusting recipes to fit. For safety and to ensure quality results, read the manufacturers manual completely before starting to cook with your pressure cooker. If you have lost the original owners manual that came with your cooker, you can go back to them and request for a new user manual. The brand  that you are referring to is at the forefront of misleading advertisements because they mainly cook at low pressure, the others being “Cooks Essential”, “T-Fal”, “Turbo Cooke” etc. There are pressure cookers which cannot even reach the standard 15psi pressure. Pressure cookers that do not meet the accepted standard of 15psi means you will have to adjust pressure cooker recipes which are designed for 15psi.
I can pass you some useful tips for the use of pressure cooker. However, there is no alternative to reproduce the results of a good pressure cooker through conventional cooking method because the closest equivalent cooking process; boiling will take the temperature of the food to only about 212* while a good cooker will take the temperature beyond 240*F and cook through steam thus reducing the cooking time.

1)The pressure cooker must never be filled more than 2/3 full, the unused space is needed to produce pressure. When cooking dried beans or other foods that may foam or froth, or liquids such as broth or stock, do not fill the cooker more than 1/2 full.
2)All pressure cookers have the same principles of operation. Heat produces steam in an a closed container which raises the boiling point to cook foods faster. A pressure cooker cooks food in superheated steam, it is not a boiler so there is no reason to submerge foods in water.
3) Begin timing after lowering the heat, and ALWAYS use a  timer when using a pressure cooker. Initially you may have to hit upon trial and error method and it requires patience to define the cooking regime with the kind of cooker you are using at this point of time. Do not overcook, a couple of extra minutes could turn your recipe into mushy baby food. When the cooking time is up, remove the pressure cooker from the heat source.

You can actually do a lot using your pressure cooker in case you decide to use it regularly. Buy a Stainless Steel model with a triple wall bottom (SS-aluminum core-SS, or copper), it will minimize burned foods, heats faster and retains heat longer, which translates to improved energy efficiency and a saves a little money on fuel bills over time. You can use a SS P/C on any heat source from gas to electric, camp stoves, BBQ grills, charcoal, wood fires (done that) and even solar stoves. SS will last at least 25 years, your kids will inherit it.
Avoid aluminium cooker or cooker with non-stick interiors despite the best of the claims made by the manufacturers. Also check that it reaches the pressure of 15psi (pound per square inch).

I hope this helps.

Tags: sambhar, balti, paneer, tandoori, chicken, dal, bhatura, indian food, kebab, indian curry

Like ginger, garlic also has a long association with Indian cuisine and has long been considered a herbal “wonder drug”, with a reputation in folklore for preventing everything from the common cold and flu to the Plague! Some of the usage of garlic ranges from treating mild acne to managing high cholesterol level and even to repel the ever nasty mosquitoes in Indian houses and locality. Modern science, through its studies, has shown us that garlic is a strong antibiotic in general ways and its benefits continue over a period of time.

As a matter of fact, the stronger the character of garlic, the higher the sulphur content will be, which entails greater health benefits. Off late, people have turned towards using the organically grown garlic which not only tastes better but also devoid of harmful chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Some people have even gone to the extent of taking the garlic supplements to avoid bad breath and pungent taste.

Relevance of Garlic in Indian cuisine

Garlic, otherwise known as Lahsun or lassan, is considered hot by some perspective and does not find favour with people eating “Jain/Aesthetic” food but most of the Indian curries or preparations are not complete without it. It is staple in ginger-garlic paste which is the most widely used paste in the Indian kitchen.

Besides garlic bulb, it’s also popular as dehydrated, powdered or oil form and is exported to many parts of the world.

Garlic chutney

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• Half a bunch of coriander leaves, cleaned and chopped coarsely
• 1 green tomato, chopped
• 2 green chilli, chopped
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Method:
Place garlic, coriander leaves, tomato, green chili and adequate water in a blender. Blend, first on low speed and then on high speed until the mixture is smooth and paste consistency. Add mustard oil and salt and stir well. Rest in the refrigerator for 30minutes. Eat with bread, pakodas (Indian fritters) or samosas.

- Kuntal

Tags: palak, kulfi, lentil, idli, chicken, roti, dosa, dal, bhatura, sambhar

Indian Cuisine - The Nutritional aspects by Kuntal Kumar

Traditionally India has never been so conscious about the nutritional breakdown but with general awareness level going up, most of the Indian dishes are coming under nutritional scrutiny. There has been effort by the Indian chefs to provide even the calorific breakdown of the Indian dishes in some of the restaurants. The meals have become not only light but also far more adaptable keeping in mind the preference of the diners who demand no less than the customized preparations of the dishes they order.

The western concept of segmenting the food as three main macronutrients as carbohydrate, protein and fat have ever present in the Indian meal known as Thali without much realization or analysis.

Indian Thali

India has a long tradition of regional “Thalis” which is like a combo platter (made of either, silver, stainless steel or iron) with small bowls which contain small amounts of various local dishes. Let’s do a close evaluation of an Indian Thali and see how it performs vis-s-vis western approach.

Carbohydrate- Most of the Indian Thalis comprises of Indian bread such as rotis, chapati, poori etc. and rice preparation like steamed rice, lemon rice, jeera (cumin) rice etc. and the meal is centered around them.

Protein- You may find around two to three preparation along with dal (Indian lentil preparation) which provides the bulk of vegetable protein. Some of the thalis may also contain meat or fish as well.

Fat: Some of the vegetables also contain fat apart from the cooking medium used for various delicacies for the Thali. Most of the Indian sweets also contain good amount of fat.

Besides, adequate fiber, vitamins and minerals are also present; hence tomorrow we can be sure of the nutritional balance of the Indian meal provided they are prepared in a healthy manner.

Tags: kebab, lentil, tikka masala, bhatura, vindaloo, balti, gosht, kulfi, dal, dosa

Some of the herbs and spices are almost synonymous with Indian cuisine and ginger is one of them and much so for the medicinal properties it exhibits. There has been a long tradition to the use of ginger which is well amplified by the practitioners of Ayurveda where it was used as a mild cure for flatulence, nausea and vomiting. Ayurvedic “trikatu” powder where dried ginger is used to strengthen the digestive tract.

Right from the eponymous curries to morning non caffeine tea, ginger is in vogue everywhere either in young, mature or dry form. Ginger and garlic paste finds its way into most of the North Indian curries and so is the chopped and julienned ginger. Ginger lemon and honey drink is a very good morning refresher and supposed to fight diabetes if taken early morning besides fighting cold and flu symptoms. Secondly it also helps getting rid of the empty stomach bed tea habit which is damaging to the intestinal lining.

Read more »

Tags: lentil, vindaloo, chana, curries, idli, kebab, naan, desi, bhatura, paneer