Mustard has a pungent, biting flavor. It is a warming spice. Jesus immortalized mustard when he compared the power of faith, even if only as tiny as a mustard seed.
In India mustard is cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal & Punjab. Unlike most aromatic spices, ground mustard has no aroma when dry. It must be moistened for about 10 minutes to develop its sharp, hot, tangy flavor.
1/2 cup red gram dal, 3 tomatoes-chopped roughly, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, a marble sized ball of turmeric, a small piece of jaggery, 1/4 tsp Choice Asafoetida Powder, 3 tsp Choice Rasam Powder, salt to taste, coriander leaves to garnish.
Method :
* Pressure-cook the dal with 3 cups of water to give 3 whistles. Mash lightly when the pressure drops.
* Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup water. Boil,Cool and extract juice. Mix together the tamarind juice tomato pieces, turmeric, salt, and jaggery with the cooked dal. Simmer for 10 minutes.
* Add Choice Rasam Powder and Choice Asafetida powder. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from fire.
* Garnish with coriander leaves.
* Serve hot by adding 1 tsp ghee, if u like the flavor of ghee. Serve with rice.
The brilliant red, lacy, net-like membrane covering the nutmeg, is the spice called mace. It’s a warming spice. Nutmeg has a piney, sweet-bitter taste. The flavor of mace is similar but more delicate.
Until the 18th century, the world’s only source of nutmeg was Indonesia. The British introduced the spice into India towards the end of the 19th century, though the spice finds mention in Indian Vedic literature. In India, Kerala and Karnataka are the main producers.
1 cup thick curd, salt, 1 tsp. roasted besan, 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste,1/2 tsp. Himadri Garam Masala, 1 tsp. red chilly powder, 1 tsp. Kasuri methi roasted & crushed, a pinch of turmeric & nutmeg powder. 250 g. 1″ x 1″ big pieces of Paneer.
Method :
* Mix 1 cup thick curd, salt, 1 tsp. roasted besan, 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tsp. Himadri Garam Masala, 1 tsp. red chilli powder, 1 tsp. Kasuri methi roasted & crushed, a pinch of turmeric & nutmeg powder, 250 g. 1″ x 1″ big pieces of Paneer.
* Make a paste of 1 tomato, 4 cloves garlic, 2 green chilies tsp. each cashew and poppy seeds. Heat 2 tsp. oil and fry 1 chopped onion till pink and add paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes, add red chilli, turmeric, 2 tsp Himadri Kitchen Magic Masala & 1 tsp. roasted crushed kasuri methi, salt and 1 cup hot water. Add paneer pieces, cook for 4-5 minutes and serve immediately.
200 grams whole green moong (lentils), 2-3 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, a pinch of Choice asafoetida powder, 1-2 boiled potatoes, sweet chutney, pungent chutney, puris, 100 grams bundi, Choice Pani Puri Masala.
Method :
* Add 4 tsp of Choice Pani Puri Masala in 1 liter water. The Pani for the Pani puri is ready.
* Put water soaked whole green moong in a vessel and boil till soft.
* Cut boiled potatoes into small pieces. Make holes in several puris in the centre and place them in a dish. Put bundi, peeled potatoes, boiled green moong, sweet & pungent chutney in it and serve along with Pani Puri water, which is taken in a separate bowl.
Pepper has a sharp, hot, and biting taste. It’s a warming spice. It is one of the oldest and most important spices in the world. So important, that in ancient times it was used to pay taxes. In 410 A.D, when the Huns lay siege of Rome, 3000 pounds of pepper was demanded as ransom.
India holds a supreme position in the production of pepper. Two of its celebrated varieties are `Malabar Garbled’ and `Tellichery Extra Bold’. The finest Indian pepper is grown in the monsoon forests of the Malabar coast in Kerala.
Saffron has a pleasantly bitter flavor. It’s a cooling spice. It is one of the most expensive spices in the world. 225,000 stigmas of the crocus flower go to make one pound of saffron. The Greeks and Romans used saffron to perfume their baths. Saffron is also useful as a dye.
Found in the Mediterranean area, Spain is the main exporter. Indian saffron is cultivated chiefly in the Jammu & Kashmir valley. Moderate climate, organic-rich soil, and excellent drainage in the valley make Indian saffron superior to its foreign counterparts.
2 cups rice, 1/2 cup oil, 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 8 black peppercorns, 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, 8 red Kashmiri chillies, 4 tsp Himadri Shahi Biryani Masala, 1/4 cup tamarind, 1/4 cup jaggery, 1/2 cup grated coconut, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 cup peanuts, a few curry leaves.
Method :
* In a teaspoonful of oil, fry the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds and chillies until brown. Pound into a fine powder.
* Cook rice till each grain is separate. Allow to cool. Dissolve the tamarind and jaggery in a cup of water. Place the above mixture on flame. When thick, remove from the gas. Extract liquid. Mix with pounded spices, cooled rice, Himadri Shahi Biryani Masala and grated coconut. Mix everything well.
* In a separate pan, heat the remaining oil. Add mustard seeds. When they stop spluttering, add peanuts and curry leaves. Cook for a few minutes, add the spiced rice and keep on low flame for about 15 minutes.
