Spice Variation in Our Kitchens

 Indian cuisine is vast and complex apart from base matter like vegetables, meat, and cooking oil, a large chunk of space is taken by spices.  In the forefront are the most common masalas which are used daily, while some rare spices also find storage in the cupboard. 

In India, as you travel across the country the flavors change for the same particular dish. You must note that even spices across the country change subtly in flavor. This is called regional variation. The regional variation makes the same recipe pan India different. It is these regional variations among the spices that change food dynamics in India.

Desi Masalas

Chefs and even housewives are known to make special efforts to procure these spices preserve them in their pantries, and use them when required. These rare spices vary from region to region take for example chilis (red pepper). Some masalas like saffron, Jaiphal, or nutmeg and mace are not rare, but nevertheless, they are used rarely in special dishes. Both spices are used in conjunction with others usually in a recipe masala.  

Mind Boggling Varieties

There are mindboggling varieties of chillis in the country, and this applies to almost all common spices. Bhoot Jhalokia chili and Guntur chilies are supposed to be very hot, and highly pungent. When you enter a friend's kitchen you will realize the difference in the aroma that permeates the house. This indicates that a special variation of common spices is being used. Well, this is not always the case, even the cooking style makes a difference not to speak of the base materials being used. Due to variations, the top note or the base note may change. But the variation is very subtle hence a pav bhaji will taste like a pav bhaji only a little different. Yum!      

For the uninitiated, the Indian cuisine mainstay is the masalas, and they are used vigorously in all the kitchens pan India. Perhaps the extensive use of masalas is limited only to the Indian subcontinent and nowhere else.

In a masala, several spices are used in varied proportions. Coming back to variation, the percentage addition of each masala changes the taste subtly. Hence many factors influence the taste, aroma, and flavor of Indian recipes.

One more variation arises from how the masalas are preserved and used traditionally. Using a mix of whole spices makes a major difference in Indian cuisine. Unlike the overheated adulterated powdered spices, in this case, you can see and feel the masalas. Living Beyond sells whole spices in India in attractive packing. You have to open the packet, roast, grind them and add them as per the recipe.    

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.

 

Type of Chilis in India

Often associated with heat and a sharp biting taste that makes people sweat chili powder nevertheless is used in each Indian recipe.  The taste and impact described here manifest themselves only when over-the-limit quantity is used. In most, Indian Cuisine chili powder is used in very subtle amounts and that imparts a certain tanginess to the dish and nothing more. The seasoning is used as powder, dried form, and after deep frying. The latter after being fried loses its sharp bitter taste and this is the way it is consumed mostly in India.

There are several types of chilis consumed in the country some of them are like an electric current and very few people use them as seasoning. Many varieties like Kashmiri chili is mild and ends up imparting color. While in most the cuisine raw green ones are added sliced and they can hit you if it is of a hot variety. Red chili powder is mostly used to sprinkle over dishes and the people of this country cannot do away without the sprinkle.

Incidentally, this seasoning was introduced by Portuguese Vasco Da Gama in the 16th Century.   Although the country is not the original home of this seasoning it produces around 25% of the world's production.

Some Types of chilies are:

• ·         Bhut Jolokia is one of the hottest in the country. It is grown in the North East. It has been certified as the hottest seasoning in the World.
• ·         Kashmiri variety is extensively used in India and used for the color it imparts to the dishes as well as a mild taste.
• ·         Jwala is grown in Gujarat and is very hot and pungent. It is also known as finger hot pepper.
• ·         Kanthari variety is white but imparts a pungent and hot flavor.
• ·         Byadagi is used for color and pungency and is popular in South India and Maharastra.

While most of the varieties are used locally where they are grown Kashmiri Chili is widely used all over the country. Most green chilis turn red after they are dried but some grow red from the shoots. Available in loose form the market is being taken over by branded powder available in packets.  

As per a new trend, chilis are being sold as whole spices in packets to maintain the freshness and authenticity of the product. Living beyond sells chili as whole spices and also in premixed masalas each dedicated to popular recipes. Popular recipes like mutton and chicken curries, bottled or east Indian masala, sambar, pav bhaji, rasam, and rajma to name a few.