comes out more when they are roasted and ground. I use ground coriander and the whole seeds, both of which are available in the spice section of grocery stores. You may grind whole seeds as needed for a fresher and stronger flavor but to make things easy, I simply use pre-ground coriander. Whole roasted coriander seeds are one of the main spices in my mother-in-law’s Garam Masala (page 36). (See "Roasting and Grinding Whole Spices," page 16.)
Cumin seeds(jeera) These tiny brown-colored oval seeds are a must-have in my spice box. Cumin flavors rice and many other dishes amazingly well. To release their flavor, cumin seeds are often added to heated oil and incorporated directly into a dish or they are dry-roasted and then ground. When they’re added to heated oil, they will quickly darken. To keep the seeds from burning and turning black, you must quickly add the next ingredient. Luckily, since cumin seeds are usually introduced in the first steps of cooking a dish, if you do burn them you can just discard them along with the oil and try again. This spice provides a whole different level of flavor when it is dry-roasted and ground. It can be added to meat marinades as well as to Three Vegetable Raita (page 29). (See "Roasting and Grinding Whole Spices," page 16.)
Curry leaves(kari patta) Fresh curry leaves have a distinct fragrance and are frequently used in southern Indian cooking. Though adding curry leaves to a dish will add another level of exotic flavor, the recipes in this book are still delicious without them. Because curry leaves are typically only found in ethnic grocery stores, I have made them an optional ingredient in my recipes. Many Indians who cook with curry leaves have a curry plant in their garden so fresh fragrant leaves are always on hand! Curry leaves can be left in the cooked dish and may be eaten, if desired. If you do buy fresh curry leaves, put them in a plastic bag and refrigerate them for up to one week, or until they start to dry up, whichever comes first. Wash and pat them dry before adding to hot oil to prevent splatters.
Essences, rose and pandanus(gulab and kewra) Essences are concentrated liquid extracts derived from various foods or plants that add magic to desserts and can be thought of as flavorful, edible perfumes for food. They are similar to other common extracts such as almond or vanilla. When using an essence, it is important not to add too much of it because you do not want it to overpower the dish or make it bitter. Some essences are more potent than others but usually, just two or three drops sprinkled over the dish or mixed in with the sugar syrup, or milky syrup used in a dessert, will do the trick. I use rose essence (more concentrated than rose water) and pandanus essence, which is commonly labeled with its Hindi name, kewra. Rose essence is extracted from fragrant rose petals and is clear in color. Pandanus essence is made from pandanus leaves and is light yellow to clear in color. Essences are found in small glass bottles in ethnic markets or the international section of some grocery stores. If you don’t have an essence for a dessert recipe, the dessert will still be excellent. I’ve stored my essence bottles in the refrigerator for two years, but they can be stored indefinitely in a cool dark place, or until their potency lessens.
Fennel seeds(saunf) Fennel seeds are small light green seeds that come from the fennel plant. Sometimes the use and name of fennel seeds is incorrectly interchanged with anise seeds, which have a somewhat similar flavor and appearance. A common way to use fennel seeds is as a breath freshener: It is chewed thoroughly and then swallowed. You may notice that in many Indian restaurants, near the door, there is a bowl with fennel seeds mixed with sugar to sweeten and freshen your mouth. I use fennel seeds to flavor Sweet Tamarind Chutney (page 31). On my summer trips to India as a child, one of my maternal aunts, Kamlesh Aunty, would always put together little plastic baggies of fennel candy, which was fennel seeds coated in a brightly colored, hardened sugar coating. I loved to visit her because she would always have the baggies ready to hand out to all of us cousins.
Garam Masala This aromatic spice mix is made from select whole spices that are dry-roasted to bring out their flavors, and then ground into a fine powder. Garam masala is commonly used in cooking throughout India. Although this spice mix is usually available in most grocery stores, each brand will have a slightly different flavor because there is really no set proportion or combination of spices to use. In general, most garam masala mixes will contain coriander seeds, cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves, cumin seeds and cinnamon but some brands of spice mixes may leave out or add certain spices, such as bay leaves, nutmeg and black cardamoms. For convenience, you can use the pre-blended mixes available in stores but for the best flavor, I recommend you make your own homemade batch with freshly roasted and ground spices. (See "Garam Masala," page 36.)
Garlic(lasan) The assertive flavor of garlic makes it one of my favorite cooking ingredients. Garlic bulbs are the underground root part of the plant and are made up of several cloves (small wedges of garlic) that are held together by a flaky skin that can be white, purple or pink (I use the white-skinned variety). Though mincing garlic may seem tedious, it’s definitely worth it for the flavor it adds to a dish. (See "Peeling and Chopping or Mincing Garlic," page 17.) I have found that pre-minced bottled garlic doesn’t come close to the strong aroma and flavor of fresh garlic, so do try to avoid using the pre-minced garlic. Garlic should be stored loosely covered (a paper bag is ideal) in a cool, dark place away from direct sun or heat. I like to keep mine no longer than three to four weeks but you can store it longer (just discard it when it has started to dry out). You can store the unused peeled cloves in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Don’t forget to chew on some fennel seeds after eating a dish that has a lot of garlic in it!
Ghee Ghee, a cooking fat made from clarifying butter, is used in traditional Indian kitchens. To make ghee, butter is melted to remove the water and separate off the milk solids, leaving pure butterfat. Once cow or buffalo milk is churned to make butter, the butter is then separated by slowly melting and simmering it until the milk solids settle at the bottom, the water boils off and golden liquid floats on top. The golden liquid may be collected and heated again so any remaining water boils off, resulting in pure, creamy clarified butterfat. As it cools, ghee will solidify and become smooth and creamy. Because the water and moisture are removed, ghee can be kept much longer than butter—up to at least six months in an airtight jar in your refrigerator or pantry. Today, health-conscious people avoid the use of ghee in daily cooking, but it is still used in Indian cooking and especially to make rich desserts. Ghee does have a unique smell and taste to it that may not be pleasant to some. To make things quick, easy and relatively healthy, I suggest sticking to vegetable or canola oil when cooking Indian food. Although if you would like to use melted ghee, it can substituted in equal amounts for oil or butter throughout the recipes in this book.
Ginger(adrak) Ginger is a root with a unique flavor and aroma, and is a must-have in my mother’s refrigerator. It is sold in the fresh produce section of grocery stores. If the root pieces are too big, you can snap off the desired size you want to buy. (See "Peeling and Grating Ginger," page 17.) Ginger keeps for two to three weeks when put in a paper bag and stored in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. The exposed cut end of a partially used piece of ginger root should be tightly wrapped with plastic wrap before placing it back
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