10 ZEST Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Cover story
THE PRESS, Christchurch
Cover story
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 ZEST 11
Add your own personality to any masala by including more of your favourite spices and herbs, writes Jane Strode.
Some like it hot
asalas are blended
spices that come in
two forms. The
powdery version
uses different dried
spices, while the
paste combines dry spices with
fresh ingredients such as onion,
ginger and fresh herbs.
The flavours can vary from
mild and fragrant to hot and spicy,
depending on the type of masala,
the dish it is used in and personal
preference. These spice mixes are
a cornerstone of cooking in India,
as well as in Pakistan and
Bangladesh.
Here, the most commonly
known example of a dry masala is
garam masala. ‘‘Garam’’ means
hot or warm. Garam masala is sold
in supermarkets and food stores,
but it’s worth making from scratch
at home. The result is a far
superior product.
Add your own personality to
any masala by including more of
your favourite spices and herbs.
Garam masala is traditionally
sprinkled over a finished dish, but
can also be added at the start.
Chaat is a snack served in India
by food hawkers on the street and
can be made of papaya, guava,
apples and, as in the following
recipe, bananas.
Chaat masala is the spicy
mixture used to season the fruit.
Yoghurt adds a creamy, soothing
element to this somewhat tart dish.
Green masala is a fabulous
example of a fresh paste masala.
Use your imagination and
personal taste for this recipe when
choosing spices.
M
Chaat masala
Serve as a snack, as part of a banquet
or as a simple dessert.
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp *dried pomegranate seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp *mango powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
1⁄2 tsp garam masala, optional
4 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup natural yoghurt
Dry-fry the peppercorns, celery and
cumin seeds until fragrant, for about
five minutes. Place in a spice grinder
with the pomegranate, salt, mango
powder, cayenne and garam masala (if
using) and grind to a fine powder. Mix
banana and yoghurt together and
sprinkle over desired amount of spice.
Serves 4 as a snack.
* See shopping list below for stockists.
Green masala
This is a versatile and vibrant paste to
have on hand in the fridge. Cover the
top with a small amount of vegetable
oil to prevent oxidisation. It can be
kept for up to four weeks.
20 cardamom pods
3 cloves
1 tsp ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves
1 small knob ginger, peeled, sliced
100g mint leaves
50g coriander leaves
4 long green chilli, chopped
200ml vegetable oil
Salt
Juice of 1⁄2 lime
Use a stick or bar blender to blend all
ingredients to a smooth paste. Serve
with seafood, poultry, lamb or pork.
Makes about 500ml.
Garam masala and
red lentil dhal
Red lentils cook quickly and are a great
colour, but you can substitute with
your favourite lentils in this recipe. I
like French-style puy lentils that hold
their shape. Add some coconut cream
for extra richness. Store garam masala
in an airtight container for two weeks.
Serves 4-6.
3 Tbsp coriander seeds
3 Tbsp fennel seeds
3 Tbsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp white peppercorns
15 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick, broken up
5 cloves
4 dried bay leaves
1⁄2 tsp ground mace
300g red lentils, rinsed
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 litre water
100g butter
1 medium brown onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp chilli flakes
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
Salt
1 cup coriander leaves, washed
To make the garam masala, place the
coriander, fennel, cumin, peppercorns,
cardamom, cinnamon and cloves in a
frypan and place over a medium heat.
Gently dry-fry for five minutes, moving
the spices around until they are
fragrant and refreshed. Place in a spice
grinder with bay leaves and mace and
grind to a fine powder. Sieve if
necessary. Reserve. To make the dhal,
place the lentils, turmeric and water in
a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Cook until lentils are just soft. In a
frypan, melt butter and fry onion, garlic
and chilli flakes until soft and starting
to colour. Add tomatoes to onion mix
then stir the mix through the lentils.
Season with salt. Serve with fresh
coriander and a sprinkle of garam
masala on top.
Fairfax
Green masala: Served here
with salmon.
Chat masala: A snack
served by hawkers in
the streets of India.
Mace
shopping list ...................
Garam masala: Served here over a red lentil dhal.
Photos: FAIRFAX AUSTRALIA
❏ An extensive range of whole spices is imported
and packaged by Christchurch business The Spice
Trader. The spices are packed in small clear boxes
and are available in most supermarkets and many
specialist food stores. Ph 343 0755 for stockists.
❏ Dried pomegranate seeds are sometimes
available at Moshim’s Indian supermarket in
Durham St. Powdered pomegranate seeds are
currently in stock.
❏ Mango powder (amchur) is at Moshim’s and the
Middle Eastern Food Company 24B Acheron Dr
behind Blenheim Sq off Blenheim Rd.
❏ Other spice specialists include:
Mediterranean Foods, 322 Tuam St.
Aji International Grocer, 47 Shakespeare Rd,
Waltham.
Mercato, 100 Fitzgerald Ave
Rare Fare, 39 Main North Road Papanui
❏ Ground spice brands Greggs and MasterFood
are widely available.
❏ Recommended reading Miss Masala by Mallika
KATE FRASER
Basu HarperCollins $39.99