Hi,

I want to get a good spice grinder. I've found that the ones with spinning blades don't give a fine enough grind. I think I need to get a burr grinder, possibly electric powered. Anybody got any recommendations?

Regards,

Martin

Hello Martin

I have always used a coffee grinder that I keep just for spices. the makes have changed over the years. They last years.

Mine has a fine, medium and coarse settings. I can't say that I have been disappointed. Any good grinder will do.

This is a subject that repeatedly comes up! Ironically my moulinex has finally "ground" to a halt (sorry!)

See threads such as:

http://www.mamtaskitchen.com/board/showthread.php?thread_id=10687

I'll certainly be going for another moulinex (it has served me well despite working very hard.) I will be looking on amazon for a coffee grinder (as my last one) of course using the link on the 'Shop' tab at the head of this page!

Winton

I can back that up about the Moulinex spice grinders. The one I have is about 15 years old and has served me well. I have now noticed that the blade has a split in it. It's still working at the moment, but I don't know how long it will continue to do so. Every time I make a batch of garam masala I think we will be saying our final goodbyes. Even when it does finally depart and go to spice grinder heaven I will keep it on top of my spice cupboard as a shrine.

That one is in our Local Museum sid, not kidding!

LOL yeah. I will take a picture of it later with my webcam, and just remember that this is no ordinary spice grinder, it's probably THE longest living spice grinder in the world.

I know it's by no means traditional, but this evening I made a vegetarian rogan josh. I fried some rotan jot (alkanet root) in hot oil to start with and that gave the dish a really deep red colour. I used tomato paste, half a tin of tomatoes and obviously some yoghurt. I was really pleased with how it turned out!

I served it with some coriander/cilantro rice. The recipe for the rice is one I found on you tube this morning. I improvised slightly and I used brown rice instead of white (when I cook for myself I only use brown rice). I pur?ed about a cup of fresh coriander leaves, three cloves of garlic and four green chillies with a little water. I fried some cumin seeds and a small onion, and to that I added two heaped teaspoons of home made sambhar masala (except I don't add any urid dal because I don't like it and I normally add fresh curry leaves instead of using dried leaves in the spice blend), fried the spices for a minute or two and then I added the coriander paste, brown rice and water. I cook brown rice in a cast iron pot on a low heat for 45-50 minutes using 1-1/2 the amount of water to rice and it always turns out well.

In Indian terms would you call my dinner north meets south? :o)

Sounds lovely sid :-)

Mamta

I was watching an recipe video on youtube and watched the lady fry her whole garam masala in a little oil and then grind it up into a brown paste with a little water.

I can't use my spice grinder to do this because it says no liquids and I'm afraid it may damage the blades in my small food processor. The video was from India, the bowl for the grinder was metal and not seethrough. Maybe this type of grinder that can grind hard spices and liquids is only available in India? Does anyone know where I can get one?

On the subject of grinders, mine finally went to grinder heaven yesterday. I was blending some garam masala and the blade just snapped. I knew it would eventually happen because there has been a split in the blade for some time. I think it was from either grinding annatto seeds or whole dried turmeric (my money is on the turmeric). I had to finish grinding the garam masala in batches using the pestle and mortar, and it was quite hard to do!

My mum used to have a cast iron mortar and pestle, which my younger brother's wife may still have, something like this one;

www.fotosearch.com/CLT001/ks4194/

I hope you have a strong one, the ordinary stone one will not last long for grinding/powdering hard things like cinnamon, dry turmeric etc.

the ones I saw in Bangalore supermarkets contained three round stones on axles with bearings, and revolved slowly in a stone well. They would accommodate liquids, like dosa mix.

The pestle and mortar I have is a thick marble one and quite heavy. It is perfectly okay for grinding cassia and the likes, it's just my arms that suffer. I wonder how many people would resort to shop bought garam masala if there were no such thing as electric coffee grinders? The garam masala home workout with a twist. At the end of the six week plan you have one arm muscle bigger than the other.

Lol.. are you bringing it out on video ?...

Steve

Only if there is a market for it, but somehow I just can't see it catching on! Beverly Callard meets Sid's Garam Masala workout just doesn't have that ring to it, if you know what I mean ;o)

I don't know why she had to pack up on me like this, I really don't. Come back, baby, all is forgiven. Why am I experiencing this? I can't take it anymore... I promised I'd clean her.... And there she sits in awe with a broken blade, and me with a broken heart :o(

On a slightly different and a more serious note, hats off to those who do grind their own garam masala with a pestle and mortar, it really is hard work!