A tip I got from an Indian lady in the supermarket, as I wondered aloud what on Earth we would do with the huge pile of curry leaves we weren’t about to use in that particular recipe: they freeze quite well. Same for fresh fenugreek.
Check out Manjula’s Kitchen, she does a great job showing very basic concepts. I especially like the way she mixes her spices with a bit of water to keep them from burning
I also wouldn’t worry too much about being “authentic.” I spent a few months in India trying to learn authentic but very little of it translated to US grocery stores, although if you can find an Indian market that will help.
The one tip from my Goan mother in law–ketchup. Just a squirt. Adds a bit of tomato, vinegar, sugar, salt.
Eva, I’ve tried freezing them but they can’t be frozen for long. I was wondering putting them in water before freezing might help prevent freezer burn.
chiroptera, a tree growing in the kitchen is exactly what I’m after. But now I need to wait until spring to order another tree from a different vendor (the first one bent the tree trunk to fit it in the box, which caused too much damage for the tree to recover).
No need to cut or crush the leaves. Throw them into the hot oil whole. They will crackle and spatter because of the moisture in the leaf but that is also the flavor coming out into the oil. Do not remove the leaves, they are perfectly edible.
I am currently eating the spicy potatoes recipe from that site for dinner.
Verdict: fucking excellent. Even without the cilantro.
Thanks for the link! I saved it.
They mean either Kashmiri Red Chili or hot chili, for which you can sub cayenne.
You have to hoard them because in cold climates they have a pot life about 5 to 7 years. So Indian women are always fostering their “starter” plant while one is in maturation and one is dying.
I get a regular supply of Saakthi brand chili powder, which is way way hot to my tastebuds, but it loses its heat when stored much more quickly than cayenne does.
When I get it, I put just a touch of it in lots of dishes to brighten the flavor. But after three months or so, the punch goes out of it and I go back to using chilies from the Americas.
TriPolar, I agree with you about the chili flavor. American ones seem to have more complex flavors. But the Asian ones do a great job of bringing out other flavors in a dish.
Now I really want a curry tree.
Well, I hit the local spice store and bought:
Coriander seed
Cumin seed
Black mustard seed
Asafoetida
Ground turmeric
Fennel seed
Japone peppers (dried)
Garam masala
Stick cinnamon
Mango powder
Probably a couple of others I’m forgetting.
So far, I’ve made several types of dal, and tonight had an outstanding dish called mughlai chicken, a lovely thing made with yogurt, onion, garlic, ginger and spices; served over basmati rice.
Thanks to Johanna’s patience and kindness, I now have a jar full of ghee sitting on my counter, and more recipes to try. I could live on this cuisine.
My favorite dish is chana masala. I haven’t ventured far into cooking Indian for myself, but I like this dish so much I learned it so I can make vats of it and not have to drop $10 regularly on the restaurant version. I do a vegan version, but it’s also good with chicken or lamb added to simmer. I also do a “cheat” dish with potatoes, just boiled with onion and put in a bowl with yellow curry and coconut milk. Nom nom.
Fun!
Asafoetida… be careful. But DO use it in mixes. Adds a deep note/ back of tongue flavor. Never, ever solo.
Grind your own Everything if possible. Make your own Tamarind Paste if Possible. Chop your own Nuts with a saute pan & towels.
Dry toast spices before mixing together… bloom them before completing.
Try Roasted Salt … ?
Indian breads are easier than you think, as is Paneer.
*Get a nice High fat yoghurt, strain overnight w/cheesecloth in a chinois mousseline in a bain marie in the fridge… when thick, puree with peeled/sliced/seeded english cukes, onion seed, mustard seed, salt, wee bit fennel seed. Only time i’ll EVER use these ‘spices’. This is a good Heat Soothing Raita. Do you know what i mean- or do you need exactitude?
o, edible gold leaf is a nice garnish, too, for this type of cuisine.
have fun with garnishes… try grilling some mango, papaya, and colorful fruits… flowers & edible leaves are great, too.
Enjoy.
MANY asian spices/pantry items come in handy- as you begin to improvise.
I’m also a big fan of Madhur Jaffrey, and Julie Sahni’s Classic Indian Cooking is one of our go-to cookbooks. I’ve found that any cubed-lamb recipe does really well with cubed venison and an extra hour of simmering. Her version of Rogan Josh is one of our all-time favorites [my comments in brackets]:
Lamb in Fragrant Garlic Cream Sauce
(Rogan Josh)
Serves 8
For Marinade:
4 medium onions, peeled and quartered
2 T finely chopped fresh ginger root
2 T ground coriander
3/4 t red pepper, or to taste
2-1/2 c plain yogurt
1/2 c sour cream
1/3 c melted ghee or 1/2 c melted butter
3 # lean boneless lamb, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes [we’ve also used beef and venison]
4 T ghee, or 2 T butter mixed with 2 T light vegetable oil
1 T minced garlic
1 T black cumin seeds, crushed, or 2 t ground cumin
2 t ground cardamom
1 t garam masala
1 c heavy cream [we use evaporated 2% milk so it’s not so heavy]
milk or water if needed
- Put all the ingredients of the marinade except for the ghee into a blender or food processor and puree.
- Place the lamb/beef/venison in a large bowl and pour the marinade and melted ghee over it. Mix thoroughly and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or 2 hours in the fridge (but remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking).
- Transfer meat and marinade into a heavy-bottomed pan and place over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the meat is very tender, 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally. If the fat separates too much for your liking, add milk or water a tablespoon at a time and stir until everything re-emulsifies.
- Heat the 4 T ghee in a small frying pan over high heat. When it’s very hot, add garlic and fry for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Immediately add cumin, cardamom, and garam masala. As soon as the spices begin to sizzle and release their fragrance (3-5 sec), turn off the heat and pour the spiced butter over the meat. Add the cream/evaporated milk and stir to distribute. Let the meat rest at room temp for 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, reheat and check for salt.
Like many stews or braises, this dish is better the next day after the flavors have time to meld. It’s good with basmati rice or naan. And lots of veggies, since it’s very rich. 
A Fun bit of trivia, Or So The Legend Goes:
Upon Returning to London from India, a Gentlemen missed his favorite Condiment and Procured the Recipe, commissioning a Saucier to recreate it:
Worcestershire sauce was originally an Indian recipe, brought back to Britain by Lord Marcus Sandys, ex-Governor of Bengal. One day in 1835 he appeared in the prospering chemist’s emporium of John Lea and William Perrins in Broad Street, Worcester, and asked them to make up a batch of sauce from his recipe. This was done, but the resulting fiery mixture nearly blew the heads off Messrs Lea and Perrins, and a barrel they had made up for themselves was consigned to the cellars. Much later, in the midst of a spring clean, they came across the barrel and decided to taste it again before throwing it out. Wonder of wonders, the mixture had mellowed into a superlative sauce! The recipe was hastily bought from Lord Sandys and in 1838 Britain’s most famous commercial sauce was launched.
Lea and Perrins successfully branched out by convincing stewards on British passenger ships to include it on their dining table set-ups. It soon became a British staple, primarily as a steak sauce, and further emigrated worldwide. The guarded recipe basically remains the same. However, the advertising no longer purports to “make your hair grow beautiful.”
*Most Consumers probably don’t know they’re eating a Fermented Fish Sauce with Tamarind & Spices…