Culinary riches
British-style Indian takeaways may be cheerfully cheap, but the price of using ready-made pastes, as many places do, can mean that authenticity takes a knock in favour of a one-size-fits-all approach to cooking.
The real thing
For a taste of the real thing, check out home-style dishes. Most are made with a minimum of fuss, and use very little oil - a world away from average restaurant offerings. Making an Indian meal is often thought of as a culinary challenge, cloaked in an aura of mysterious eastern promise. The truth is, it's actually a simple affair. Most supermarkets stock the main ingredients and once you've grasped the main cooking techniques, you'll soon be making signature curries from scratch.
Getting started
A beginner's spice box
Essentials
Cardamom
Cardamom pods are usually green in colour, but they're sometimes bleached white, although the flavour remains the same. You may also come across brown or black 'cardamom', which are slightly larger and have a different flavour and aroma. They add a smoky note to cooked foods and are more frequently used with meat than with vegetable dishes. Cardamom has a wonderful aroma and an enticing warm, spicy-sweet flavour. It's widely used in Indian cooking and in Scandinavian baking.
Cardamom can be bought in the pod, as seeds or ground but, as the ground seeds soon lose their flavour, it's preferable to use the pods, either removing the seeds and grinding them or grinding the whole pod - quickly done with a pestle and mortar. If you're using cardamom to flavour dishes such as stews and curries, lightly crush the whole pod and add it to the mixture: the shell can be removed after cooking. Cardamom also has an affinity with chocolate. A little cardamom goes a long way, though, so use it sparingly.
Chilli
The seeds and flesh of the chilli can both be eaten; removing the seeds reduces the heat of the chilli. It's very important to avoid contact with the eyes or any sensitive skin - even washing your hands after preparing chillies may not be enough to remove all the capsaicin, the volatile oil in the fruit that gives it its hot taste.
There's an official heat scale for chillies known as the Scoville scale, developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912. To give you an idea of the range of heat in various chillies, a sweet pepper scores 0 on the scale, Jalapeño and chipotle chillies score anything between 2,500 to 10,000 and habanero and Scotch Bonnet score 80,000 to 300,000 plus!
Types of chilli you should be able to find quite easily include: bird's-eye, which is frequently used in Asian cooking - it's hot but usually bearable for most tastes;habanero, small and blow-your-head-off hot; Jalapeño, which has a smoked, dried version called chipotle; and Scotch Bonnet which is yellow, green or red and lethally hot.
You can buy chillies fresh, dried (whole chilli flakes or chillies ground into powder), preserved in oil or made into condiments such as Tabasco. Fresh chillies sold in packets in supermarkets usually have a heat scale on them which is helpful. Mild chillies can be stuffed in the same way you would a sweet pepper. Poblano chillies are used in the Mexican speciality 'chiles rellenos' - stuffed with cheese and fried.
Chillies are an essential part of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, North African cooking (harissa is a thick, fiery paste made from chillies and spices) and many Asian dishes. They're the basis of a good salsa and can be combined with herbs and other spices to form a dry rub for meat or fish.You can find out more about chillies here.
Cumin
Cumin seeds can be used whole or ground into a powder. They're frequently used in Indian cooking and are a regular component of curry powder, as well as being used in the Indian spice mix garam masala.
Cumin is also used in Mexican cooking; in Europe, it's used to flavour some cheeses and is sometimes used in baking. There's also a smaller, darker variety of cumin, called black cumin, which is usually used whole in dishes, where it adds a smoky note.
Buy fresh cumin seeds and grind them yourself after dry roasting them lightly. Replace your stock frequently - like other dried spices, cumin quickly loses its pungency. You can read more about Indian cooking here.
Garam masala
Mustard
The familiar hot taste of mustard is released when the crushed seeds are mixed with a liquid. The crushed seeds are usually steeped in water, wine, vinegar and must (the unfermented juice of grapes) before being mashed to a paste with various flavourings.
Different blends of mustard include English, American and French varieties. Available in jars, tubes and cans, they keep indefinitely. English mustards are stronger in flavour than most, and are based on a blend of brown and white seeds, flour and turmeric for colour.
The hot, pungent flavour is excellent with cold meats, steak, roast beef, gammon or sizzling sausages. The uses of mustard are so various that it's worth keeping a few different types in the cupboard. French mustards such as the creamy, slightly hot Dijon; Meaux, which is made from mixed mustard seeds; and the thick, dark brown Bordeaux, best known as French mustard, together with English mustard, are widely used as condiments but can be used to add piquancy to sauces, dressings or marinades.
Simply stirring a spoonful of mustard into mayonnaise or crème fraîche transforms it into a tasty sauce to accompany almost anything!
Turmeric
Turmeric also gives chutneys and pickles (such as piccalilli) their distinctive yellow tinge. It has a slight peppery aroma and a musky taste and is sometimes substituted for the more expensive saffron because it produces the same bright yellow colour, but it has a very different flavour.
Handy spices
Black pepper
Peppercorns can be used whole, or crushed or ground to add heat and flavour to cooking. Used whole, they can be added loose to stews and soups or used as part of a bouquet garni. You'll often find whole peppercorns spicing up salamis or sausages.
Freshly ground peppercorns have much more flavour than ready-ground pepper, so buy fresh whole peppercorns and invest in a pepper grinder. Freshly ground or crushed black pepper adds a flavour of its own to dishes, as well as enhancing the taste of other ingredients. Lightly crushed or cracked peppercorns can be used to spice up creamy sauces or to coat fillet steaks or chicken breasts.
The light crushing releases the fragrant spiciness; using ground pepper in this way would just release too much heat. Try grinding fresh black pepper over a bowl of strawberries and see how it enhances the flavour of the fruit, releasing a very subtle pepper flavour.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is sold dry as sticks and as a powder. You can try to grind your own cinnamon from the bark but it's difficult to get it fine enough. It's best to buy ground cinnamon in small quantities because the freshness and flavour quickly disappear.
The warm, sweet flavour of cinnamon is an essential ingredient in many sweet dishes, but it's also used in savoury dishes. It's gorgeous in baked goods, used to flavour buns, cakes, sweet pastries and puddings. Baked apples or apple pies wouldn't be the same without the flavour of cinnamon.
Mexicans used cinnamon to flavour chocolate in cooking and in drinks. Cinnamon bark is used to flavour meat, poultry and vegetable stews and it can be added to spicy marinades or to spice up rice dishes. Break a stick in half and add to a poaching syrup for fruits such as pears, plums and bananas or use it to infuse wine or punch. You canread more about cinnamon and other spices in our Cook's Guide.
Cloves
Coriander
Coriander tends to be associated most with Asian and Central and South American cooking. Both the fresh leaves and the berries - which are dried and called coriander seeds - are used for cooking. The herb has a fresh, citrus taste and is best added to dishes just before serving in order to get maximum flavour.
The seeds can be bought whole or in powdered form. Ground coriander is a component of many different spice mixtures including garam masala and harissa. It's good added to savoury pickles, chutneys or casseroles, and the crushed seeds are delicious for flavouring homemade burgers. Ground coriander can also be used in cakes and other baked goodies.
Fennel seeds
Fenugreek
The leaves from the plant (often sold by the Hindi name, methi) can be used in salads and both fresh and dried leaves are used in Indian cookery. The seeds and the leaves have a strong aroma.
Nigella seeds
Nutmeg
Chilli
The seeds and flesh of the chilli can both be eaten; removing the seeds reduces the heat of the chilli. It's very important to avoid contact with the eyes or any sensitive skin - even washing your hands after preparing chillies may not be enough to remove all the capsaicin, the volatile oil in the fruit that gives it its hot taste.
There's an official heat scale for chillies known as the Scoville scale, developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912. To give you an idea of the range of heat in various chillies, a sweet pepper scores 0 on the scale, Jalapeño and chipotle chillies score anything between 2,500 to 10,000 and habanero and Scotch Bonnet score 80,000 to 300,000 plus!
Types of chilli you should be able to find quite easily include: bird's-eye, which is frequently used in Asian cooking - it's hot but usually bearable for most tastes;habanero, small and blow-your-head-off hot; Jalapeño, which has a smoked, dried version called chipotle; and Scotch Bonnet which is yellow, green or red and lethally hot.
You can buy chillies fresh, dried (whole chilli flakes or chillies ground into powder), preserved in oil or made into condiments such as Tabasco. Fresh chillies sold in packets in supermarkets usually have a heat scale on them which is helpful. Mild chillies can be stuffed in the same way you would a sweet pepper. Poblano chillies are used in the Mexican speciality 'chiles rellenos' - stuffed with cheese and fried.
Chillies are an essential part of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, North African cooking (harissa is a thick, fiery paste made from chillies and spices) and many Asian dishes. They're the basis of a good salsa and can be combined with herbs and other spices to form a dry rub for meat or fish.You can find out more about chillies here.
Buying and storing spices
Cooking with spices
Toasting whole spices before grinding them intensifies the flavours. To toast, or dry-fry, heat a griddle over a moderate heat, add the spices, and shake the pan until you catch a warm, nutty aroma - it doesn't take long, about 30 seconds. Similarly, dropping whole spices into a spoon of hot oil also releases essential oils. And, if you like the sharpness of chillies, but can't take fiery heat, remove the seeds and white pith before use.
Key ingredients
Every region has its favourite ingredients. South Indian cooking celebrates the versatility of rice, coconut and curry leaves. These three ingredients pop up in various tasteful guises in almost every meal. Dishes from this part of India tend to be made with wettish spice pastes, moistened with water, while north Indian dishes are more often based on dry spice additions.
North India
A cook from north India stakes his or her reputation on stacks of flatbreads such as chappatis and parathas. Earthy, creamy lentils, vegetables made with onion-ginger-garlic combinations, and yogurt-based marinades for meaty kebabs are other winners.
Vegetarians have their own set of dietary requirements. Many don't cook with onions, garlic and eggs, but their pickles and relishes are packed with flavour and are famed throughout India.
West India
Gujarati cooking, from India's west coast, has its own distinctive character. Jaggery is often added to sweeten spicy staples such as chilli-flecked lentils and to add a sweet-sour tang to vegetable preparations.
- Coconut - Used grated or ground, mainly in south Indian dishes. Coconut milk and cream are available in cans and cartons from supermarkets.
- Coriander leaves - Coriander leaves and seeds have very little similarity in taste. The citrus-like fresh flavour of fresh leaves makes them an invaluable garnish and flavour enhancer. When ground to a paste with mint leaves, it's used as a popular base for fresh relishes.
- Curry leaves - Aromatic leaves used mainly in south Indian dishes. Available from ethnic grocers. They freeze well.
- Fresh ginger - Although dried ground ginger is used in a few north Indian dishes, it's more usual to cook with fresh ginger root. When buying, look for unwrinkled roots.
- Ghee - Used across the Indian subcontinent, ghee is clarified butter, which can be heated to a high temperature without burning. It's often used at special celebrations such as wedding feasts and prayer meetings. Because it's so indulgent, vegetable oil is the preferred cooking medium for everyday meals, and is a healthier option.
- Gram flour - Chickpea flour, used for bhajis, yoghurt-based curries and sweetmeats.
- Jaggery - Sweetening agent made from cooked-down sugar cane juice. Muscovado sugar works well as an alternative.
- Saffron - Dried stigmas of crocus flowers, noted for its deep auburn colour and sweet flavour. Used in biryanis. Soak in water before use.
- Tamarind - A tart fruit used as a souring agent. Available in pods, blocks, or as a concentrate.
- Yoghurt - A cooling contrast to spicy dishes, and a palate cleanser.
Expert advice
- Flour is rarely used as a thickening agent in India. Many dishes depend on pastes such as cashew nuts, onions and coconut to thicken sauces.
- Practise toasting spices. You can't miss the acrid aroma of spices as they catch and burn on a griddle. If this happens, best to dump them and start again. Similarly, if spices are not cooked enough before grinding, you'll miss out on their full-bodied, almost nutty-tasting flavours.
- When making a paste, grind ingredients such as onion, ginger and garlic with a dash of water. This ensures a silky-smooth finish.
- For lighter curries, swap the cream for whipped Greek yogurt or crème fraîche. Instead of ghee, use groundnut oil for cooking.
- If you like a smooth-textured dhal, blend plain-cooked lentils in a liquidiser before returning to the pan.
Browned onion paste, added at the end of cooking to thicken and add depth of flavour, is a cook's best pal. To make it, finely slice a couple of onions, lightly salt, and leave on one side for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry with kitchen paper. Deep fry in hot oil until russet brown, before draining. Tip into a food processor, moisten with hot water, and process until smooth. Freeze in ice cube trays and use from frozen when making dishes such as kormas.
Recipes
There is no single 'right' way to cook all Indian dishes, nor is there a single 'proper' way to serve an Indian meal. The recipes below are made using a variety of techniques - experimentation and practice are the keys to success. (Serving suggestions can also be found below.)
- Mango curry by Madhur Jaffrey
- Spicy coconut potato shakuti by Reshma Martin
- Sweet and sour red lentils by Madhur Jaffrey
- Vegetable pullao by Madhur Jaffrey
- Cabbage with mustard seeds by Roopa Gulati
- Goan coconut chutney by Madhur Jaffrey
- Quick chicken korma by Madhur Jaffrey
- Tandoori-style chicken (video recipe) by Madhur Jaffrey from Get Cooking
- Boatman's Curry by Madhur Jaffrey
- Pork with vinegar and garlic (video recipe) by Madhur Jaffrey from Get Cooking
- Creamy chicken korma with almonds (video recipe) by Madhur Jaffrey from Get Cooking
- Spicy lamb by Madhur Jaffrey
Feasting Indian-style
Britain may be a nation of tikka masala lovers, but the finer points of cooking and serving Indian dishes elude many of us. Here are a few pointers on how to put together an Indian meal and some recipe ideas to get you started.
In India, a well-made biryani would be accompanied with nothing more than yoghurt and a fresh, crisp salad. Serving it with a vegetable curry, as is often done in the UK, doesn't do it any favours.
Having said that, there are no hard and fast rules about serving Indian food, but by following a few guidelines, such as the pointers below, you can plan your Indian-inspired feast to perfection.
How to put together an Indian meal
In the Indian subcontinent, most dishes are served at the same time, and brought to the table in large bowls. Each person then helps themselves to individual portions. Soupy lentils or sauced items go into small bowls, and dry-cooked accompaniments are placed directly on the plate.
'Thalis' - steel plates, with smaller dishes arranged around the rim, are a good way of ensuring a balance of flavours, colours and textures. Thalis may be lavish or simple everyday affairs. In traditional homes, thalis often include a steel dish filled with a milk-based dessert, such as a cardamom-scented rice pudding.
If you're eating with your hands, best to try to eat with your right hand, and leave the left one free to pick up the water glass without leaving 'masala smudges' on the glass.
In pricey restaurants, wines are carefully chosen to complement and contrast dishes. This is a new phenomenon in India, where chilled water remains the most usual choice. Lassi (churned yoghurt) is rarely ordered with a full meal.
Desserts aren't often served with everyday meals - they're usually reserved for special occasions. Most people prefer to have seasonal fruit instead.
How to choose your dishes
Dishes are chosen for variety and contrast. At its most basic, a traditional meal is usually made up of the following:
- Dhal, a dish of lentils cooked until tender with spices
- Dry-cooked vegetable dish
- Yoghurt, often plain low-fat yoghurt, or a raita
- Rice and/or breads such as chappatis, naans, parathas, puris, plain-boiled rice, pullao
- Salad, such as diced cucumber, red onions and tomatoes, dressed in lime juice and toasted cumin powder
- Pickles and relishes
Shop-bought pickles that you can buy in India are much sharper in flavour than British equivalents. The most popular varieties are mango, lemon, and mixed vegetable pickles. They're usually preserved in smoked mustard oil, and flavoured with chillies, ginger, and regional spices.
Home cooks also often like to serve a dab of own-made fresh mint and coriander chutney on the side of a thali. Some ethnic shops sell these chutneys ready-frozen.
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