Cumin in My Spice Cupboard

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Cumin, can be added to many curries as a seed or ground into a powder. In fact, one of the popular spices in most curries IS cumin, believe it or not.

Cumin Seeds

Cumin Seeds

Cumin Seeds

Cumin seeds are slightly crescent shaped with ridges appearing lengthwise around them.  Don’t let the seeds fool you, they may look dry and dusty but the magic is all inside.  In seed form they taste earthy with pungent undertones.

Cumin seeds are used either at the initial stage of cooking a curry or they are popped in hot oil and sprinkled at the end as a garnish.  The hot oil enhances the deep and nutty aroma of the spice. The flavor of the cumin really kicks in when it is cooked.

The most dramatic of techniques, to intensify its flavor, would be to fry it in a little oil or ghee, at a really high temperature until it starts popping. Becareful not to burn them at this stage. If you do, it is best to throw it out and restart with some fresh oil. Continue reading →

Turmeric in My Spice Cupboard

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Raw Turmeric - member of the Rhizome Family

Raw Turmeric – member of the Rhizome Family

Turmeric, turmeric, turmeric (haldi or hadur)… all the rage now! Everyone wants to talk about turmeric. And why not, there have been loads of evidence-based research that turmeric contains curcumin (not cumin) believed to be a cancer-fighting component.  And it is a powerful anti-inflammatory too, amongst others. Continue reading →

Introducing My Spice Cupboard

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Masala Dabha - Spice tray with whole spices

Masala Dabha – Spice tray with Several whole spices

 

Spices, Spices, Spices…. So many, so little time.

It has been sometime now that the ‘wheels have been turning’ and about time I say!  I’ve been working on adding a separate page to my blog describing the spices I use in my kitchen.  On this page, called My Spice Cupboard, I’d like to incorporate a list of spices, as well as a description of each spice, one spice post at a time.  Therefore building My Spice Cupboard (not yet up) over a period of time.

Anyway this is how My Spice Cupboard came into being… Continue reading →

Indian Spices 101 Cooking Class

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Recently, I was fortunate enough to teach a class on Indian Spices to a bunch of very enthusiastic participants!  It was such a fun class to teach.  After sharing my knowledge of the various Indian spices with everyone, they made a curry in class and were confident enough to experiment with the spices at home too.

Here’s a couple of photos from the class.  Some photos are courtesy of the participants.

 

Masala table

A sample of spices

Continue reading →

Masala Eggplant in Jersey City

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Conjuring up this dish brings back fond memories of living in a highrise apartment in Jersey City, right along the Hudson River. The whiff of the nigella seeds toasting in oil, reminds me of floating blocks of ice gliding across the river in front of me as I peered out of the large windows framing the Manhattan skyline.

Masala Eggplant Close up

Usually in the evening, with my pots simmering away in my awesome little kitchen – I’d sit near the window and gaze across the river into the city, waiting patiently for my husband to come home. Now, now, don’t get carried away with your imagination, it was not like an Indian movie…and I was surely not wearing a sari. Well not on that day anyway 😉 Continue reading →