Recipes using Eastern Indian Spices?
When DD#2 was tea shopping for me at the health food store, she found a whole spice blend labeled “Indian Spice”. I would love to use it somehow, but I don’t know what to do with it. This is not garam masala. I have some of that and I enjoy it, but this is different. I have checked out the LDL Indian style recipes by Little Mary and BookGuy. I probably need to research this through Madhur Jaffrey online.
The Indian Spice is a blend of seven spices: fennel, clove, anise, black peppercorn, dried ginger, and cinnamon bark. There is another seed that I can’t identify. It’s very tiny (slightly larger than an anise seed), cylindrical, brownish black and has a slightly scaly exterior like a tiny pinecone might look. It’s crunchy and bursts with a floral fragrance when you bite it. I tasted a couple of them before noticing that they look a little like black larvae of some kind (gross). Does anyone know what that seed is? I’m fairly certain they are not black mustard or cumin seeds.
I tried brewing the spice blend into a tea and drinking it, and cooking lentils and dark brown rice with it. I ground it as a spice for chickpeas and as a rub on grilled chicken. I know I’m missing something, but don’t have a clue what that is.
Ideas, anyone?
Recipes using Eastern Indian Spices?
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- Master Member
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- Joined: February 5th, 2008, 7:50 am
- Location: Oklahoma
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- Master Member
- Posts: 2776
- Joined: February 5th, 2008, 7:50 am
- Location: Oklahoma
Re: Recipes using Eastern Indian Spices?
You are probably right. I remember from my 7th grade Home Ec class that cardamom pods have to be cracked open, but I didn't remember what the insides looked like. They do look like mouse droppings. Not that I would have any way of knowing what those look like ...
I don't have the pods, just the tiny seeds dispersed throughout the spice blend. I have become fascinated with this mystery. I actually sorted out all the little bits & tasted them. That's how I knew it has seven ingredients.
So how and what do I cook with this particular Indian Spice blend? Same things as with the garam masala? Right now I'm using it as a sachet in my kitchen towel drawer! I used to put the garam masala in couscous and have since used it in your curry recipes where it is suggested.
I don't have the pods, just the tiny seeds dispersed throughout the spice blend. I have become fascinated with this mystery. I actually sorted out all the little bits & tasted them. That's how I knew it has seven ingredients.
So how and what do I cook with this particular Indian Spice blend? Same things as with the garam masala? Right now I'm using it as a sachet in my kitchen towel drawer! I used to put the garam masala in couscous and have since used it in your curry recipes where it is suggested.