Tag: cloves
Iced Spice Tea
A close friend from college is taking a hiatus from work and so I have been spending a lot of time with her. She and I are both into food so we try out lots of restaurants in the area or go to our favorites. We have been meeting for lunch almost daily if not a few times a week. Our favorite places are mostly in Edison- the Indian area- we tend to eat the street foods we miss so much that tend to assault the palette- spicy, sweet and savory, all at once. Recently we went to an Ethiopian restaurant in the area and had a fabulous lunch! We ordered some vegetables and a spicy salmon dish- it was really good. It was a warm day and we saw something called spice tea on the menu- served hot or cold. The person taking our order recommended the cold version. I was a little skeptical especially because I make the hot version at home all the time! Well, I was pleasantly surprised! It was absolutely delicious- very refreshing indeed. It was sweet yet extremely flavorful- the aroma of cinnamon came through very clear without being overpowering. I asked the gentlemen for the recipe and he gave it to us- well he gave us the ingredients. I decided to replicate the drink and serve as a refreshment for the cooking class I had a few days ago. I think I was able to duplicate the flavor successfully. I foresee enjoying the spice tea this summer- well, when I am not indulging in the sangria!!!
- 3 cups water
- 2 black tea bags
- 1 4-5 inches cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves, crushed
- 3 cardamom pods, crushed
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 cup ice
In a small saucepan bring the water, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods to a boil. Add the tea bags and steep for a minute. Take the bags out and turn the heat off. Let the spices steep in the tea for an hour. Strain the liquid and pour into pitcher. Add the honey and mix till dissolved. Add ice and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Kashimiri Koftas (Indian Style Meatballs in a Yogurt Gravy)
My mom has been making these meatballs ever since I can remember. A friend from Kashmir taught her these a long time ago. Since then the dish has been tweaked to perfection. Technically speaking- it is not a typical Kashmiri dish. My mom has changed it over the years by adding more onions to the gravy, etc- she has made it her own.
I had never made these before. I would usually wait for my Mom to visit and make this delicious dish. I finally decided to write down the recipe and try it on my own. It is a bit laborious- but definitely worth all the work.
It is a bit different than the rest of Indian dishes I have posted- the dish does not have any tomatoes or garlic. The main flavorings in the meat are ground fennel and ginger powder. The gravy includes whole cinnamon and cloves. The most interesting flavor comes from asafetida. It has a very distinct flavor. If you can’t find it, no worries- just eliminate it. The dish will be good even without this spice.
Serve it with naans or rotis. I would highly recommend this dish- try it and it will part of your repertoire…
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Achari Gosht- Pickled Goat Meat
My Mom has been making this dish as long as I can remember. I particularly remember eating this goat dish when we went for picnics or a train ride to visit my cousins. It was cooked for those occasions since it was essentially ‘pickled’. It doesn’t go bad and can be kept outside for a long time. We would eat it room temperature and it was delicious.
It has a strong flavor of cooked onions with the tomato paste and is cooked for a while to cook off any water coming out of the vegetables. It is a concentrated flavor and so a little goes a long way. Typically Indian pickles consist of onion seeds, fennel seeds, etc. This dish has those flavors. Vinegar is added to finish the dish.
This dish can be made with any kind of stew meat. You can make it with dark meat chicken as well. To me, the goat tastes the best- I guess since I grew up eating it- that is what I like.
Looking at the list of ingredients, it may seem like a complicated dish- it isn’t. It does take a while to make it but it is totally worth it. It keeps for a while in the fridge so it is great to make a big batch and eat it once in a while. It is perfect for when there is nothing to eat and you don’t have time to cook anything. Take some pickled mutton out and eat it with a naan- yum!!!
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Chicken Chettinad- South Indian Style Spiced Chicken
This is one of my favorite dishes to eat. I usually order the chicken curry at restaurants and always thought it would be too complicated to make it at home.
I finally got super curious and decided to make this on my own. I did a lot of research online and finally came up with this recipe- plus I think I made it simple as well.
To start with I marinated chicken thighs in lime juice and salt. While the chicken sat, I roasted coriander, cumin and fennel seeds. Dried red chilies, cinnamon, cloves and dried coconut were added as well and ground into a coarse powder. The next step was to saute onions, ginger and garlic with tomato sauce. Of course before I added the aromatics, I added my favorite ingredient- curry leaves. I like everything with curry leaves..
This dish does have a few steps but the end result is definitely worth all the work. Everyone loved it- especially my husband who loves South Indian food. You should definitely make this one- it is a winner…
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Dal Keema (Ground Turkey with Yellow Gram Lentils)
This is a very simple and delicious dish to make. If you have never made an Indian dish before and are a little overwhelmed- this maybe the one to try. Don’t let the list of spices scare you- if you can’t find any one of them, just eliminate them.
Keema is essentially ground meat. Typically it is either goat or lamb keema cooked with a vegetable- either peas, cauliflower, potatoes or spinach. I use turkey to create a healthier dish for my family.
I made this dish a bit different and paired it with lentils. I cooked the lentils separately in a pressure cooker. You don’t need to have one- just follow the same instructions but cook the lentils on the stove. It will take longer and a bit more liquid but you will get the same results.
The rest is quite simple, I sauteed some spices, onions and garlic. I added the ground turkey meat and cooked it for a while and then added the meat. To make the dish creamy, I added some Greek yogurt.
It was a delicious dish I served with fresh rotis and a spinach salad.
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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.
An Easy Indian Recipe: Chicken with Green Beans
My Mom has been making this chicken dish for a very long time. She usually cuts up a whole chicken and uses all the parts- which is the right way to make a chicken curry of any sort… all the pieces in there are from the same chicken- what a concept?? We don’t do that any more… I end up buying a pack of chicken thighs or chicken breast to use for me daily cooking. I am not happy with the idea of using a bunch of different chickens in one dish- I guess I will start buying whole chickens – soon…
I had a pack of chicken thighs which I decided to cook with green beans. Its a one pot meal concept which I like so much. I started off with whole, skinless, boneless thighs which I shredded after they were cooked. I am not really sure why I did that- somehow it seemed like a good idea at the time. I guess my point is that you can do it either way- serve the thighs or breasts whole or shred them.
If you are using breast- I would suggest browning them in the beginning of the cooking process and then removing them to the side till the beans are almost done. Add the breast pieces at the very end and cook them for a few minutes and they will be perfectly tender.
This was a delicious meal with fresh, homemade rotis- yum! Nothing else was needed- thats right we didn’t have any wine with this meal. I had a small serving of a very spicy chili pickle- delicious!
This is a great dish to make for a crowd as well, enjoy!
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ pound green beans, chopped into an inch pieces
- Salt
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
- ½ cup cilantro
Process the onion, garlic, ginger and cilantro into a smooth paste.
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt
- 1 cup chicken broth
In a wide saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces, sprinkle with salt. Brown the pieces on both sides for 5-6 minutes each on high heat. Lower the heat to medium and add the cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick. Saute for a minute and add the processed onion mixture. Saute on medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, coriander powder, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cover with lid. Lower the heat and cook for 13-15 minutes or till chicken pieces are cooked. Take the lid off and add the green beans. Place the lid back on the saucepan and cook for another 7-8 minutes, till beans are tender. Take the lid off and increase the heat. Cook the chicken and beans on high till the excess water has evaporated, about 3-4 minutes. Check for seasonings and serve.