The Science of Spice

South Asia 45

From the cardamom hills of Kerala to Sri Lanka’s

cinnamon plantations and Andhra Pradesh’s renowned

chilli harvest, this region’s culinary traditions come

from centuries of trading in spices. Influences from

the Portuguese, French, Dutch, Southeast Asians, and

British have been adapted to suit local tastes, but it’s

the stalwarts of sambhar (tart lentils with vegetables),

rice in all its guises, and sour fish masalas that

give distinction to this region’s cuisine.

LOCAL SPICE BLEND

Gunpowder

Sprinkle this distinctly southern condiment over

rice dishes, dosa (lentil and rice pancakes), and

idli (steamed rice cakes). When moistened with

a little oil, it makes a robustly spiced dip.

SPICE

PALETTE

25g (scant 1oz) chana dhal

or split yellow lentils

25g (scant 1oz) split urad

dhal or black gram lentils

25g (scant 1oz) fresh or

desiccated coconut

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

2 tbsp curry leaves (about 20)

6–8 red chillies, mild or hot

according to taste

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

(^1) ⁄ 4 tsp asafoetida
2 tsp jaggery or date
palm sugar
Toast the lentils in a dry pan over low heat for 7–10 minutes,
stirring continuously, until coloured. Transfer to a bowl and
leave to cool. Toast the coconut for 3–4 minutes in the same
way. When it turns pale golden, add the sesame seeds,
curry leaves, and chillies, and continue cooking until the
chillies have darkened.
Stir in the tamarind pulp and asafoetida, and toast for
1 minute before adding the sugar. Turn off the heat and
stir until the sugar has melted. Scrape all these ingredients
into the lentils and leave to cool, before grinding to a coarse
powder. Spread on a tray to dry for 1 hour.
Kokum is the dried
rind of a fruit in
the mangosteen
family, used like
tamarind to impart
a sour flavour.
SOUTH INDIA
AND SRI LANKA
Fresh | Zesty | Robust
Signature
Tamarind, mustard, fenugreek,
cumin, cardamom, ginger,
garlic, curry leaf, chilli
Dishes are characterized
as mild and mellow or
bold and fiery depending
on whether the spices have
been dry-roasted, fried,
pounded, or left whole.
Supporting
Cassia, cinnamon, black
pepper, nutmeg, asafoetida
Cassia is stronger and
harsher in flavour than
cinnamon, and lends itself
to boldly seasoned masalas.
Both spices work well with
the warmth of peppercorns,
nutmeg, and chillies.
Supplementary
Sesame, star anise, mace
It’s likely that star anise was
introduced to this region by
Chinese traders, since very
little is grown in South Asia.
Its fennel-like sweetness
is well matched with the
nuttiness of toasted sesame
seeds and aromatic mace.
tam
arind
ca
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