Hi all,

Thanks for the website it looks really great. I want to try the basic curry sauce recipe, and according to your notes, want to add the whole spices along with the cumin seeds at the start. I just wanted to confirm that if I do this I don't want to add the garam masala at the end..?

Thanks very much!

Aaron

I am glad you like our website Aaron.

You can still add garam masala at the end for that extra kick. But you don't have to, if you don't have it. Garam Masala is easy to make by the way.

Hi

Thanks very much for your advice, will try it both ways and see how I get on. Thanks again.

I wouldn't buy pre-ground garam masala, or indeed any pre-ground spices. As Mamta says, garam masala is easy to make, so it's best to do it fresh each time. Personally, I don't like to add garam masala at the end, otherwise many different dishes taste much the same. But I make an exception with Mamta's delicious chicken jalfrezi recipe, which is a big hit with my wife.

There's a ton of interesting stuff to be learned from this site: you can go on expanding your repertoire almost indefinitely.

Phil

Hi Phil

Thanks for the tip. I will definitely look into making my own garam masala. I have a decent mortar and pestle, and a good mini blender so perhaps I can use one of those.

I haev another question though regarding this recipe. What intrigues me is the adding the tsp of water then allowing the oil to separate again. Can anyone enlighten me as to what is happening here/what effect this has?

thanks very much

Aaron

Hi Aaron

To grind spices, a blender can work, but a coffee grinder is a good idea. Make sure that the descending blades go close to the bottom of the grounder, otherwise smaller whole spices will escape the blades: not all coffee grinders are like that, because coffee beans are quite big, relative to, say, cumin seeds.

Best not to use the same grinder for coffee and spices.

As to your other query: it's an interesting question which has been discussed here before, but I'll let the experts answer it.

Happy cooking!

Phil

Thanks again for your reply Phil.

A bit of creative googling got me to another thread on this board where the tsps of water is discussed briefly. For anybody else interested here is the link: http://www.mamtaskitchen.com/board/showthread.php?thread_id=4897

Having some great results with this curry sauce by the way am very happy - thanks again all.

Oh, thanks, Aaron! I missed that! (I sometimes go for long periods without consulting this forum, so I miss stuff).

Interesting point re the tablespoon of water, and also the point re not putting coriander and cumin in garam masala. I also cut right down on cloves: I love them, but, if you put in as many as Madhur Jaffrey suggests, they dominate the other spices, I find.

Phil

I don't know which recipe you are refering to, but adding water will cool the pan contents, so lessens the possibiity of burning. The oil is necessary to extract the flavour chemicals, though. This technique, in Indian cooking, is bhuno'ing (various spellings), and is often performed to extract all the flavour from the spices, some of which can burn rather quickly, like coriander and cumin. Heat is necessary to develop the roasted/nutty flavours of these spices, but if heated in oil, only, would tend burn.

First dry roast whole spices (nothing wet like green chillies or ginger-garlic), grind dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients, including coconut. Fry onions, add ground masala and roast on low heat so it doesn't burn. When the oil seeps out of masala, it's ready. When making curry, add meat at this point, saute well, season, and always cool. Curry is best after it is cooled and reheated, allowing flavours to 'marry'.