The Science of Spice

40 World of Spice

From no-frills rustic cooking in Punjabi homes, to

the refined flavours of Mughal palace kitchens, and

kebabs and hearty dhals finished with sizzling cumin

at roadside cafés, this food is as widely travelled

as the spices that have earned it such international

acclaim. During the heyday of princely Maharajas

and Nawabs, royal chefs created flamboyant spice

blends for sophisticated dishes, many of which

featured a dozen or more aromatic seasonings.

Home cooks also draw on a versatile spice box,

preferring the warming nature of garam masalas

over brute chilli heat.

LOCAL SPICE BLEND

Garam masala

Many households have

their own variation of this

warming spice blend, which

is used in the same way as

you would a seasoning.

25g (scant 1oz) black

cardamom seeds

25g (scant 1oz) cassia,

broken into pieces

25g (scant 1oz) black peppercorns

10g (^1 ⁄ 4 oz) black cumin seeds

2 blades mace

10g (^1 ⁄ 4 oz) cloves

(^1) ⁄ 8 nutmeg, chopped
Grind all the spices to a fine powder
and sieve to remove any fibres.
Chickpea curry
spiced with
garam masala,
see p211.
Signature
Cumin, turmeric, chilli,
ginger, garlic
The foundation of essential
masala mixes and pastes,
these versatile spices are
often used together and
provide an obliging base
for main ingredients.
Supporting
Cassia, clove, cardamom,
Indian bay, fennel
These sweet spices bring
warmth and fragrance. Indian
bay is from the same family
as cinnamon, and tastes like
a mix of cloves, cinnamon,
and allspice.
Supplementary
Black cumin, anardana,
peppercorn, saffron
Smoky, tart, warming, and
sweet, these spices grab the
senses with their distinctive
personalities, and perform
well as solo seasonings or
as part of a blend.
SPICE
PALETTE
tur
me
ri
c
chi
lli
cumin
NORTH INDIA
Complex | Earthy | Fragrant
040-041_Northwest_Himalayan.indd 40 04/06/2018 15:54