Spices Powdered and Whole Spices

The spices or masala inventory is an indispensable part of Indian kitchens these include powdered spices, fresh and dried herbs, and whole spices. Some spices are kept stored as whole spices since they are easier to store, easy to preserve, and remain stable for a long time. In comparison, preground spices are vulnerable to weather and moisture in storage rooms.

As compared to preground spices whole spices retain flavor for a long time as less surface area is exposed. The preground spices lose their flavor much faster. While being grounded they are subject to heat which further impacts their flavor. Thus, cooks all over the World prefer whole spices to powdered spices for precisely the reasons mentioned here.            

Nowadays many spice companies are marketing whole spices and premixed whole spices as they can be authenticated for freshness, and quality.  Coriander, cinnamon, chilis, clove, mustard, and cumin are used whole during blooming. The spices are best bloomed in ghee or clarified butter or mustard oil and lightly fried for the taste and flavor to mix with the rest of the ingredients.  Blooming is carried out for a few seconds so that the flavors and fragrances come out without causing the masala to get burned. Some of the herbs used as a whole are sacred Basil or tulsi, coriander, mint, and curry leaves.   

Some popular Indian spices are available in whole form as well. Many a lightly roasted and ground before adding them to recipes.

Asafoetida: is extremely fragrant and exudes an acrid pungent smell. But asafoetida is indispensable in many vegetarian recipes. Those unfamiliar with the spice may find it overwhelming but its fragrance which gels well with vegetarians adds much to the flavor and aroma of the dish. The spice is preserved in containers that are tightly closed else the smell will linger for a long in the kitchen.

Black Peppercorns: Black peppercorns are used both ways as whole or in powdered forms. In many recipes, most of the spices are added in whole form and black peppercorn is one of them.

Cardamom Pods are used in both nonvegetarians as well in vegetarian recipes. Cardamom pods with seeds inside create a sweet aroma and gel well with the masala mix while being cooked.  

Chilis are used in dried form and added during blooming. They are also cut into small pieces and added to recipes that impart pungency. But remember for most of the Indians who love spicey food chilis are indispensable. 

Coriander is stored dried and added directly to the recipes as well in powdered form. It is more used in powdered form.

Cinnamon finds its place in meat or rice dishes in Indian cuisine. Whole cinnamon sticks are usually added.

Cloves are also stored as a whole and added directly to the recipes. They impart a pungent, hot, and strong fragrance and cannot be consumed directly.

Using whole spices in Indian recipes is common practice all over the country. Whole spices are now widely available in attractive packing in India. Living Beyond a spice company in India sells wholesome spices in pure form as well as premix recipes for popular dishes.

 

Indian Masala Coffee

 Masala Coffee

Coffee originated outside India and is not indigenous It originated somewhere in Africa. The first notable account of coffee as a stimulant originated in Ethiopia when it was noted to stimulate animals. The record of coffee drunk as a beverage is from Yemen.

Coffee in India 

Coffee in India was introduced by Baba Burdan a Muslim saint who brought the beans from Africa. This was in the year 1670 when he planted the seeds in India brought from a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Coffee is now grown in four states of India Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Cultivation is taking place in many other states but total production is hardly 5 % of the global production. Total production in India stands at 262000 tonnes.  Consumption in India is limited and hence more than 70% of coffee is exported to the EU. Most of the coffee consumption in India is limited to Southern India where it is grown. The rest of the Indians consume coffee occasionally but the trend is growing.

Indian filter coffee is a mix of dark coffee beans and chicory, sugar is added in small amounts to sweeten the beverage.  The consumption of filter coffee is limited to Southern India where in some quarters it is very popular. Filter coffee in India is also available in Indian coffee houses and Southern food stalls and cafes.

Masala Coffee

Indian coffee drinkers prefer plain coffee with milk or without. There are few takers of spices coffee but the trend is changing. Living Beyond is a Mumbai-based company that produces masala coffee with the choicest masala whole spice mix. It is called Kerala Magic Manthan. It is a vegetarian unadulterated chemical-free version with pure whole spices. It is creating a storm among coffee drinkers and attracting those new to coffee. The company makes varied recipe masalas and is becoming very popular in India and abroad.    

From Plain Chai to Masala Chai

Chai is a universal word in Northern India. Believed to have originated in  China first as a medicine and then as a beverage, the plant was then brought to Assam in India.  Or was it already growing in the northeast is a mystery shrouded in an ancient era? Well, one thing we are sure, the beverage as it evolved became famous all over the World but more so in Asia. In many countries, tea is consumed ceremonially during the high tea sessions,  but it is a brew of daily habits.   

Chai

In India black leaf tea is very common and it turns into chai whence milk is added. People invariably add milk to their brew, and this is a pan India.  Though the beverage is also had without milk it is less common. You will have to instruct the hosts of the waiter or seller not to add milk and sugar. Yes, sugar is added generously to Chai. Most of the flavor is due to the leaf, and since there are thousands of varieties the taste, aroma, and flavor change from region to region depending upon the leaf they have used. Predominantly the plant thrives in Assam and South India in the Nilgiri Hills.

Assam chai is most preferred, especially the Darjeeling leaf which is highly aromatic and flavorful.  But many superior varieties are growing in Assam. But as per the trend, the chai leaf we get is a blend of many varieties blended by the best blenders and tea tasters. Most of the packaged tea sold usually in jars and cartons are blends of the finest full-leaf varieties usually called CTC meaning Cut Turned and Curled in the tea factories. The result is small pellets. If we look carefully at the black leaf we find the leaf turned into pellets.

Though most of the chai is drunk without any spices consumers do add masalas to the brew. Ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon are the most popular. Nowadays a lot of Chai Masalas have come up as the trend increases the demand.

But without going into the nitty gritty, Living Beyond based in Mumbai sells the finest
chai masala in attractive packing. They pack whole spices that are mixed in the right proportion to deliver a tongue-tingling taste. The difference is carefully chosen masala packed whole for you to judge and authenticate. No mixing cheap powder mind you.