Tag: cardamom seeds
Top Ten Indian Spices In My Pantry
This post is for all of my friends and acquaintances who have taken a cooking class at my house and have been very curious about all the spices in my cabinet, especially when we cook Indian food.
I buy most of my spices in Edison, NJ. I try to buy them whole and grind them myself- a little at a time. I buy in bulk and store them in one of my two freezers in the basement.
The picture you see is of a wooden box my Mom had custom made for me. I love this box- it looks weathered yet it is very practical. It has a top that slides securely to keep the spices covered.
It didn’t take me very long to come up with this list- since I use these spices all the time.
My list is as follows:
- Salt- kind of an obvious choice. You can’t make anything taste good without salt. I once heard someone say, “the difference between a good cook and a great cook is the amount of salt they use”.
- Garam Masala- this spice personalizes a dish. Each household in India has their own recipe or a mixture of spices they use to make garam masala. It is a mixture of whole spices ground up together. Garam masala is used as a spice while cooking a dish or as a garnish on top. I make my own- I find the store versions are not flavorful and full of cumin. I make mine in bulk and store it in the freezer. Next Friday I will post the recipe for those of you interested in making your own. Once you make your own- you will never go back to the store bought one.
- Cumin Seeds- I love cumin seeds- it brings a nice smoky flavor to all the dishes. I keep it whole and grind it as needed. I also roast a bit and keep it in a small bottle. Ground roast cumin is a delicious garnish for raita.
- Coriander Seeds- I buy seeds and grind a small amount for my spice box. I find a huge difference in flavor compared to the store bought ground coriander.
- Cayenne Pepper- Even if you don’t like things too spicy, cayenne pepper brings out the flavor and is definitely a must in a well stocked pantry.
- Turmeric- Besides providing a nice color to Indian dishes, turmeric is an anti-inflammatory. It makes sense why all the Indian dishes have a dash of turmeric.
- Mustard Seeds- I love using mustard seeds- brown to be precise. Regular markets have yellow mustard seeds which have a similar flavor but definitely not as nutty as their brown counterpart.
- Cardamom Seeds- This spice is one of my favorites. It is extremely versatile yet can take over a dish if too much of it is added. It is great in sweet and savory dishes alike. Look for a vibrant green color when shopping for cardamom.
- Cloves- A little goes a long way. I love using cloves in my rice. It has very flowery, earthy flavor. If you ever have a tooth ache- press down on a clove between your teeth and you will feel immediate relief.
- Cinnamon Sticks- I use whole cinnamon sticks for all my Indian cooking. A small stick is enough to flavor a meat or a rice dish. This spice is also great with sweet and savory dishes.
Cardamom and Ginger Chicken
I was cooking for a book club meeting. We were discussing ‘The Space Between Us‘ and since it is a book based in Mumbai, India- Indian food was requested.
I thought of making appetizers or finger foods. One of my friends suggested I make chicken tikkas. That was a good idea- but I wanted to change it up a bit.
After giving it a few thoughts I decided to use cardamom as the primary flavor. I love using cardamoms- I have a huge bag my Mom got from India. I store them in one of my two freezers- yes I have two additional freezers in my basement. What do I have in them, you ask? Well, one of them is full of extra spices, flour and rice- mostly all Indian groceries. The other one has spare breads, some meat, frozen vegetables and lots of other things I don’t have room for in my kitchen freezer which by the way is huge as well. As usual, I digress- I love the floral flavor and use it in sweet and savory dishes. Most of all, I use it in masala tea.
I also decided to use ginger in the chicken to simply ground the taste a bit. The rest of the ingredients are pretty much the same as the other chicken tikkas I have made in the past.
It is great to have in the fridge- my daughter loves the chicken and I like to usually make it on the weekends so I can use it through the week especially for her lunch.
Give the cardamom and ginger chicken a try- you won’t regret it…
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