Rhodes Across India
Getting started with spices
Spices are to Indian cooking what stocks are to making western dishes. Many whole spices don't have much of an aroma, but when dropped into hot oil, or toasted on a griddle, they take on an appealing aromatic character.
Top tips for Indian cooking
At first glance the sheer number of spices can be daunting, but the good news is that for everyday cooking, half a dozen spices should set you up. Start with cumin seeds, green cardamom, cloves, turmeric, mustard seeds, and chillies. Other useful spices include cinnamon, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, nutmeg, nigella seeds, black peppercorns and saffron.
Buy whole spices when you can, they have a longer shelf life, keeping for 3-4 months in a tightly lidded jar. They also freeze well in an airtight bag. Once ground, spices lose their flavour within weeks so chances are that by the time you open the packet, they'll be past their best. It's okay to buy chilli powder and ground turmeric though - grinding these ones can be quite strenuous. It's best to buy them in small quantities, preferably from Asian grocers rather than supermarkets - the quality is much better and the spices are a sight fresher.
Most families have a favourite recipe for garam masala. Some cooks even have four different garam masalas on the go at the same time: pounded mace and cardamom seeds for biryani, and a mix of fennel seeds, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds for pickles, are just two signature spice blends.
Spices are used to flavour rice, bread, beans and pulses as well as meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. Lentil dishes can be transformed with a pinch of carom seed, and kidney beans (also known as rajma) with asafoetida, chilli powder, and ginger among other spices.
More on Indian cuisine...
Buy whole spices when you can, they have a longer shelf life, keeping for 3-4 months in a tightly lidded jar. They also freeze well in an airtight bag. Once ground, spices lose their flavour within weeks so chances are that by the time you open the packet, they'll be past their best. It's okay to buy chilli powder and ground turmeric though - grinding these ones can be quite strenuous. It's best to buy them in small quantities, preferably from Asian grocers rather than supermarkets - the quality is much better and the spices are a sight fresher.
Most families have a favourite recipe for garam masala. Some cooks even have four different garam masalas on the go at the same time: pounded mace and cardamom seeds for biryani, and a mix of fennel seeds, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds for pickles, are just two signature spice blends.
Spices are used to flavour rice, bread, beans and pulses as well as meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. Lentil dishes can be transformed with a pinch of carom seed, and kidney beans (also known as rajma) with asafoetida, chilli powder, and ginger among other spices.
More on Indian cuisine...
