Description:
Indian cookery depends wholly on using the right blend of spices. That is why traditional combinations of spices are home-ground and kept ready for use. The term for these mixtures is "masala". Each region of India has its own special blend depending on availability, climate and methods of cooking. In the North, where the winters are cold, a blend called 'Garam Masala', meaning hot spices, is preferred to chillies which cool the body by promoting perspiration. Several spices go into the making of garam masala and Description:
Indian cookery depends wholly on using the right blend of spices. That is why traditional combinations of spices are home ground and kept ready for use. The term for these mixtures is "masala". Each region of India has its own special blend depending on availability, climate and methods of cooking. In the North, where the winters are cold, a blend called 'Garam Masala', meaning hot spices, is preferred to chillies which cool the body by promoting perspiration. Several spices go into the making of garam masala and there are as many recipes for it as there are households in India. Depending on individual taste, the proportions of the various ingredients can be adjusted.
How to select:
Garam Masala is used whole or ground depending on what is cooking. The basic blend includes cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, bay leaf, mace, cumin and coriander seeds. When ground, the powder is slightly coarse and tobacco brown in colour. Garam Masala has a rich, warm fragrance and tastes spicy and aromatic. Commercially produced garam masala is not as aromatic as the homemade blend.
Use:
Indian cooking uses garam masala in small amounts. It can be added at different stages of cookery for different degrees of flavour. Whole garam masala can be dropped into hot oil to give a spicy, fried taste, added along with the main ingredient to create an aromatic warmth or sprinkled on top of prepared dishes for a gentle hint of spicy flavour.
How to store:
Store the Garam Masala in an airtight container. As long as the container is tightly closed after each use, it should last for a long time.
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