South Asian Cooking Basics: Garam Masala

Garam Masala means "hot spice" in Hindi & Urdu. Hot being because the spices are actually roasted before they are ground together.

Garam Masala is a very basic spice mix. It is so easy to make and is very versatile. You can add this spice to almost any Indian/Pakistani dish. A little bit goes a long way.



Garam Masala
yield- 1/4 cup Time:15 minutes

-1 Tb Cumin seeds
-1/2 Stick Cinnamon (broken into tiny pieces)
-1Tb whole black Peppercorn
-1Tb Coriander seeds
-1/4 teaspoon ground Ginger


1.) Measure first 4 ingredients into a skillet.
2.) Turn heat to medium, and roast spices for 5-7 minutes. They will turn a golden-brown color.
3.) Let spices cool.
4.) Add the roasted spices to your spice grinder. Add the ginger and grind all the spices together into a fine powder.
5.) Voila, you have your mix. You can store this in a container, in a cool and dark place. I store mine in a cabinet on the bottom shelf. This should last you about 3 months.

Enjoy!

Aisha

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South Asian Cooking Basics: Equipment

Wok
Photo Credit: cwf

Here's a basic list of equipment in every South Asian's kitchen:

• Wok, or deep frying pan
• Skillet, small and large
• Pressure Cooker
• Food processor, small
• Blender
• Basic Stock Pot
  
• Coffee grinder, for grinding spices
• Mortar & Pestle

Aisha

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South Asian Cooking Basics: Pantry & Fridge

Here's a basic list of items found in a South Asian's pantry:

• Basmati Rice
• Atta, Indian bread flour
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Garlic
• Chickpeas, canned

Here's a basic list of items found in a South Asian's fridge:

• Yogurt
• Ginger
• Fresh Mint Leaves
• Garlic-Ginger paste, just a simple combination of garlic and ginger, blended until soft
• Tomatoes
  

Aisha

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South Asian Cooking Basics: Spices

Photo Credit: jo-h
Clockwise from the top: Coriander, Mustard Seed, Cinnamon, Cayenne, Ginger, Turmeric, Cumin(in the middle)

My husband always likes to joke that his ancestors traveled around an entire Continent in order to obtain spices from my ancestors. And what do we know, the world of cooking was changed forever.

Spices are a big part of South Asian cooking. Almost every dish has some sort of spice that adds a whole new element to the overall taste. Here is a basic list of spices in every South Asian household:

• Cumin, ground or seeds
• Coriander, ground or seeds
• Cinnamon, usually sticks
• Turmeric, powder
  
• Cayenne pepper, powder
• Ginger, powder
• Bay leaf,- never eaten
• Cloves, whole-never eaten
  
• Cardamom,green, in pods or ground
• Mustard Seeds, whole
• Fennel Seeds, whole
• Peppercorn, black, whole

Many South Asians also make a spice blend called Garam Masala (Hot Spice). I will post a recipe of this mix, later this week.



Aisha

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