Go handy with Masalas!

Dear visitors, Iam back! The long gap was not just because i was busy with my work at home and office, but the truth is (must confess) that i have become the laziest person on Earth!

Now, Iam here after my dear ones request on not to bring my blog to Extinction.

To make this re-entry an interesting one, iam gona share recipes of magic creators that would make your dish mesmerising. Yes, this come-back post is for Masalas!

Though iam a contemporary cook, i would love to go the traditional way by making & using my own masalas. Blending the spices and making masalas at home is not only economical and presevative-free, at the same time it is a best way to carry your tradition.

Presenting you a variety of selective, tried and in-use Masalas and Spice Pastes that will make your recipes delightful and would remain close to your heart forever!


Madras Masala

Ingredients:

1 tsp black mustard seeds

2 sprigs of curry leaves

2 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp dried chillies

3cm length ginger, grated

Method:

1. Add a little oil to a large pan or wok and fry the mustard seeds until they begin to splutter and crack then stir-in the curry leaves, ginger and the chillies. Allow to cool for few minutes then tip into a spice blender

2. Dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds until they become aromatic then combine with the spices already in the blender

3. Blend the spices to a fine powder then add all the remaining spices

4. Store in an air-tight container


Madras Curry Paste

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons coriander seeds

4 tablespoons cumin seeds

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

11 tablespoons ground turmeric

4 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon salt

8 garlic cloves, crushed

3 inches piece fresh ginger, peeled and shredded

cider vinegar for mixing

3/4 cup oil (sunflower/mustard)

Method:

1. Heat up wok and dry stir-fry the coriander, cumin, and peppercorns for 1-2 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring constantly

2. Add the black mustard seeds and toss constantly until they start to pop (Do not allow the spices get too dark or burnt)

3. Transfer the spices to cool on a plate

4. Grind the cooled spices into a fine powder

5. Add the turmeric, chili powder, crushed garlic, shredded ginger and salt

6. Stir in enough vinegar to make a paste

7. Heat the oil in a frying pan at medium heat, fry the paste, stirring constantly until the oil begins to separate

8. Remove the pan from heat and allow the paste to cool completely

9. Store the paste in a clean airtight container, in refrigerator and use it within 3 weeks

(Note: Vinegar is not part of any authentic Madras recipes. Traditionaly tamarind juice was used for the sour taste or tanginess, and the usage of vinegar is just a contemporary version.

This paste is very aromatic and spicy. Use about a tablespoon of this paste for each 500 g (1 lb) of meat, fish or poultry.)


Andhra - Kobbari Karam Podi

Ingredients:

1 tsp oil/ghee

1/2 cup black gram dal

1/2 cup bengal gram dal

8-10 dried red chillies, tear into two and de-seed (adjust as per your spice level)

half coconut (dried)

8-10 garlic cloves

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Grate or slice the dried coconut into thin pieces

2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and roast the dals  and fry till light brown

3. Now, add the red chillis and fry till done

4. Remove from flame and allow to cool

5. In the same vessel add the grated coconut and roast (on low flame) for 3-4 minutes (Do not add any more oil to roast the coconut pieces)

6. Now, when all items are cooled, grind them along with garlic cloves and salt (Grind to crumbly consistency)

7. Store in an air tight containerThis will be a great option for flavoring your brinjal fry, potato fry, Okra (Bendi) fry, Karela fry and more! Or, simply serve with idlis, dosas with generous ghee or oil.


Simple Garam Masala

Ingredients:

Cummin seeds – 5 teaspoon

Fennel seeds – 3 teaspoon

Black peppercorns – 3 teaspoon

Cloves - 15

Cardomom pods – 6, deseeded

Cinnamon sticks – 4 inch piece, made into smaller pieces

Oil – 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Fry spices in oil on low heat

2. Do not let them turn brown

3. When cooled, grind at high speed to a fine powder

4. Store in an air-tight container


Punjabi Garam Masala

Ingredients:

15 gms cinnamon

20 gms cloves

75 gms cardamom

100 gms cumin seeds/jeera

65 gms peppercorn

35 gms coriander seeds/dhania

35 gms fennel seeds

20 gms mace

20 gms shahjeera/caraway seeds

15 gms bay leaves

3 nutmeg

15 gms ginger powder

Method

1. Dry roast all the spices except ginger powder

2. Grind them to powder in a mixer grinder

3. Now you can add the ginger powder to this and mix well

4. Store in an air-tight container

Enjoy for your Punjabi recipes!


Malabari Biriyani Masala

Ingredients:

2gm cinnamon

1 gm cardamom

1 gm cloves

1/4 nutmeg

half tsp fennel seed

half tsp cumin seed

half tsp shah jeera/cake seed

2 gm mace

Method:

1. Fry spices in oil on low heat

2. Do not let them turn brown

3. When cooled, grind at high speed to a fine powder

4. Store in an air-tight container


Omani spice paste

Ingredients:

2 cloves of garlic

1 Tablespoon of cumin seeds (15 ml)

1 Tablespoon of coriander seeds

1 Tablespoon of cardamom

2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of turmeric

2 Tablespoons of vinegar

Method:

1. Place all the spices in a blender and process until a thick paste is formed, adding more vinegar if needed

2. Store in a air-tight container in the fridge for two weeks

Karamani (Black-Eyed-Beans) Kozhumbu

I know its been a real long time since i posted any Madras Recipes...heres one!

The difference between other Karaikozhumbu and Authentic-Madras-Karakozhumbu is, we strictly do not use sambar podi, roasted kadali parupu powder and any other aromatic spices cinnamon/clove/fennel) or their masala (garam masala) for our kozhumbu. Also, our karakozhumbu is much spicier and will have a thick consistency compared to the other avatars of the same family.

If you visit any house (bearing nativity) in Chennai, you will not be surprised to see a traditional-thick-black-wok full of freshly-prepared or a day or couple of days older karakozhumbu...yes, it is always there for the simple reasons:

* It goes well with any thing (rice/idly/dosai)

* Stays for longer days (without refrigerating...but requires reheating twice a day...and yes it becomes more thicker and tastes like honey)

* Is economical! compared to sambar that needs dal, which many of our people cannot afford.

Each time I prepare this, I try to keep up my mom's and paati's (Vembuli paati) taste...Am still trying!

Here i go!

You Need:

Karamani/Black-Eyed-Beans - 1 1/2 cups (soaked in water for 3-4 hrs), Pressure cooked for 3-4 whistles
Small Lemon Sized Tamarind - soaked in 1/2 cup water
Sesame oil - adequate
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 6 seeds
Onion - 1 (medium sized, finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (medium sized, finely chopped)
Garlic - 6-7 (crushed)
Curry leaves - a bunch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 2 tsp
Asfoetida - a pinch
Salt - as per your taste
Water - 1 1/2 cups

Method:

1. Heat oil, fry mustard, channa dal, fenugreek seeds, and when done add the onions

2. Meantime, extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind without using much water (keep in mind it should be thick, so use only 2 cups of water for the entire recipe). Now, to the extracted tamarind water add turmeric powder, chilli powder, corriander powder, asofetida and little curry leaves, mix well and keep aside

3. Now when onions are nicely fried, add the tomatoes and garlic, close the lid and cook till the tomatoes are finely cooked without being watery

4. When tomatoes are done, add the cooked karamani (if you wish to use vegetables, you can add them at this step) cook for 2 minutes (or till the vegetables are fried enough)

5. Now, add the tamarind-masala water, mix well, add salt and close the lid

6. Cook till the oil is left separately (this will take app. 10 - 15 minutes)

7. Now, add the remaining curry leaves and sprinkle over the cumin seeds powder and pepper powder, (without stirring) cook for 2 more minutes and it is done

8. Keep the lid closed for sometime...when opened, the aroma is sure to float around your kitchen!

This Kozhumbu has no limitations for the choice of vegetable to be used...you can use any vegetable (brinjal, potato, pumpkin, drumstick, yam), or any dry seed/sprout (karamani, mochai, kondakadalai), or even karuvadu (dry fish)...its your creativity & taste!

Aatu Kaal Paya (Madras Style)

Aatu Kaal Paya is a very delicious curry made from goat/lamb legs. Paya curry is believed to have its origin in the asian culinary tradition. This spicy-scrumptious 100% non-vegetarian dish is my all time favourite (dad's too!), and no wonder i always insist my mom to make it. Even during my recent visit to mom's place...i had it three times!

I'm not sure how the name paya originated, but heard Paya means the feet of Lamb. It is considered a delicacy for breakfast in Southern Part of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. During olden days when wood or coal was used as a cooking fuel, it is believed that women would start this dish at night and slow cook it in until the morning.

Recipes for this dish vary slightly from region to region. In madras we usually eat it with appam, iddiappam, idly, dosa, kal dosa and similar varieties for breakfast, other avatars of paya can be had with naan, roti, phulka...

Mom usually makes paya during the winter months, as it is believed that consumption of peppered paya removes phlegm/sputum from the chest and heats the body. If you love to discover something new on your table, then it's time to try this dish. It is a much enjoyed side dish, but still if you are not comfortable in eating the skin or chewing the bones, you can still enjoy the taste by eating only the curry!

Here I have given the recipe of Aatu Kaal Paya (Madras Style).

Ingredients:

Paya: (Lamb's/Goat's Legs) - a dozen
Onions: 4
Tomato: 1
Oil: 2 tbsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste: 5 tsp
Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp
Green Chilly: 3
Poppy Seeds: 1 tsp
Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds: 2 tsp
Bay Leaves: 1 or 2
Cinnamon: 1
Cloves: 4-5
Garam Masala: 2 tsp
Coconut Milk: 1 cup
Curry Leaves: handfull
Freshly Ground Pepper Powder: 1 tsp
Salt to Taste

Method:
1. Clean, wash and pressure cook the washed Lamb Legs with little turermic powder and water on simmer flame for about an 1 hour (usually takes more time to cook. So my mom pressure cooks it the previous night and would reheat the cooker the next day morning and would use the cooked legs for the next day morning's breakfast)

2. For the masala: grind Sauted onions and tomato, ginger-garlic paste, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala

3. Now heat oil in a pan, fry Bay Leaves, Cinnamon and Cloves...Now add the grounded masala and cook for a while

4. Now add the cooked Lamb legs to this mixture, mix it well and add required amount of water and close the pan, allow it to cook for atleast 10 min on low flame

5. At this stage add the pepper powder, sliced green chillis and salt to taste and cook for another 5 minutes

6. Sprinkling curry leaves is the last step before switching off the flame

7. Now you can relish this wonderful curry with appam, idly, dosa or anything of your choice.

Spicy Madras Mutton Sukha (dry)

Facts About Mutton..

Mutton is a common red meat, which is not only delicious in biryani, kurma and kebab but also has a high nutritional value and is a good source of easily absorbed zinc and iron.

It has unsaturated fat, which is good for our body and Palmitoleic acid, a 16-carbon monounsaturated fatty acid that possesses strong antimicrobial properties. My mommy always insists that taking them at least once a week would strengthen our bones and infact the whole body.

Mutton enables tissue repair, formation of red blood cells and a healthy immune system. Lamb is rich in B vitamins, especially B12. One serving can provide 74-100% of the daily requirement for Vitamin B12, which is essential for the body's metabolic reactions. Lamb is also nature's best source for an amino acid called carnitine, which is needed to generate energy from fatty acids.

Trace elements such as copper, manganese, and selenium are also found in this meat, and it contains a rich supply of high quality protein.

The diet conscious ones need not worry about putting extra pounds, as these days there are low fat Lamb too!

Ready to Cook..

As the name suggests, this is one of our traditional dish made from fresh mutton. Think of the name, my mouth starts watering! Learnt this recipe from Udaya akka (my mama's wife), who is one of the best cooks in our family. Though everyone compliments my Mutton Sukha, but i really feel this is not the best like how akka makes. I know...only practice makes one perfect!

You Need:

Boneless Mutton: 250g (chopped into tiny pieces)

Onion & Tomato finely chopped

Ginger (as desired), Garlic (4-5 cloves), 3 green chilies, 3 tsp Cumin Seeds and 2 tsp fennel seeds: Grounded into a paste

Turmeric powder, pepper powder (3 tsp), garam masala (1 tsp) and salt to taste

Cashew nuts: 8-10

Curry leaves: Handful

Method:

1. Pressure cook the mutton along with turmeric powder, chopped onion, chopped tomato, grounded paste, 1 tsp garam masala and sufficient water (for the mutton to be cooked)

2. Close the cooker lid and allow it to cook for 6 – 8 whistles (depending upon the mutton texture) and keep aside

3. Now take a non-stick pan, heat 4 tsp oil in it. (keep the pan in simmer till the end of the process)

4. Now pick only the mutton pieces from the cooker (keep the stock aside), put the pieces into the pan and keep tossing

5. Now add 3-4 tsp (or as desired) freshly ground black pepper powder, salt and 3 tsp stock from the cooker, and allow it to cook for 3 minutes

6. At the end of the 3rd minute, again add another 3 tsp of stock and keep tossing. (Repeat this 3 times, after every 3 minutes)

7. Now add the curry leaves and cashew nuts, and keep tossing for another 10 minutes or until the mutton pieces become very dry after absorbing all the poured stock. (Total cooking time in pan will be 20-25 minutes)

Serve with plain rice, roti or as a snack (tastes best with rasam rice).

This tastes just as good even after a week (refrigerated).

Madras Filter Coffee/Degree Kaapee

"Madras Filter Coffee" also known as "Degree Kaapee" is made from first decoction.

Most of the Madrasis are coffee lovers, each day is started only with the cup of a filter coffee. The aroma of traditional-authentic "Madras Filter Coffee" is magical and will take you to the heaven!

My akka is an avid coffee lover who would never compromise her first cup of coffee for anything, and believes that her day is incomplete without coffee. For many people like my akka coffee means everything for them and feel time is no barrier for having it.

The traditional Degree Kaapee is brewed using a metal coffee filter that has two containers, the upper container with perforated bottom and lower container to hold the decoction.

Serve: 2 cups

All you need is:

1. Filter Coffee powder - 3 tbsp

2. Water - 3/4 cup

3. Milk - 1 - 1/2 cup

4. Sugar - as desired

How to make it?
1.Add the coffee powder to the upper container

2.Boil water and pour it slowly on top of coffee powder in the upper container till it is 3/4th

3.Allow decoction to drip in lower conatiner (a slow process

that would take around 20 to 30 mins, then allow it to cool down to room temperature)

4.Boil milk and Mix 1/3 cup of dripped coffee decoction with 2/3 cup of boiled milk and sugar as desired

5.The mixed coffee is traditionally served in stainless steel tumbler and cup called the dabarah set

6.Now, pour coffee back and forth between the dabarah and the tumbler in arc-like motion to make the froth

7.Once the required froth is formed, Serve hot and enjoy each sip

Points to remember:
1. Preparing decoction is a technique which is perfected only by practice

2. Vivekanandha/Narasus coffee powder are good choices for the original taste

3. customise your coffee powder by choosing the right proportion (i like my Filter Coffee powder to be in the proportion 70% coffee + 30% chicory...coz i don't like much caffeine)

4. Do not boil after mixing, or reheat the coffee (as the aroma and taste will be lost when reheated)