Blog Post 18 — Spices (Part 4)
This is Part 4 in a 5 Part series about various spices in Indian cuisine.
Part 1 (Cumin and Mustard Seeds)
Part 2 (Turmeric and Chili Powder)
Part 3 (Black Pepper and Coriander Powder)
Spice №7: Garam Masala
Garam masala (garam meaning hot in Hindi) is a hybrid masala often used to create a complex flavor profile without needing to put in individual spices. It has become a very important part of Indian cuisine due to the ease of which it can be used. Generally, garam masala contains fennel (saunf), cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, black/white peppercorns, and nutmeg. These spices are sometimes toasted to release flavor and then ground up to create the homogenous masala. However, the grinding process varies on the flavor profile that you eventually want to get — some people will add liquids, or other spices, such as asafoetida and star anise.
Masala is an umbrella term describing any proportion of spice mixes, which can be dry or a paste, depending on its usage. As a result, there are various other masalas, such as chaat masala, vindaloo masala, curry powder, vadouvan, and more — all of which are different spice blends using different spices and processes of making — these will provide different flavors to the dish complementing their respective ingredients.
In Ayurveda, garam masala is believed to have many different abilities, due to it being a combination of many different spices. Some benefits include detoxification and improvements of the digestive system, along with being an effective weight loss remover and pain reliever. Any specific ayurvedic qualities that its components may include are thought to also apply to garam masala.
Spice №8: Asafoetida
Asafoetida, also known as hing, is a spice that many people have most likely not heard of before, but it is an integral component of Indian cooking. It is the dried latex of the ferula asafoetida plant, which is native to Afghanistan and Iran, which are still the main producers of it today. It was exported throughout the rest of the world and serves as an alternative to silphium — a now-extinct North African plant that was used similarly for cooking. It is mentioned many times in Jewish literature and was described often by Arabic physicists and chefs, before making its way to Europe. Nowadays, European cooking no longer uses asafoetida, making this spice native to Indian cuisine.
Asafoetida is known for having an extremely strong smell similar to sulfur and a taste reminiscent of onions or leeks. As a result, it is often paired with turmeric to flavor lentil-based dishes known as dal (dal is used in India to refer to the lentils, with specific names given to different types of dals). In addition, it is used in tadka or tops a dish due to its ability to bring all of these different flavor profiles together easily. It is also used in vegetable dishes to improve the flavor that they bring out and can be combined with salt and be used as a topping for salad.
Asafoetida, like many other spices present on this list, has many different abilities under Ayurveda, including the common solving of digestive problems and respiratory ailments. In fact, it is referred to in Iran and Afghanistan as badian, which means “that of gas and wind”- a reference to its usage to help clear stomach gas. In Europe, it was almost exclusively used as a medicine, as it was thought to spoil cooking, due to its extremely putrid smell. However, it is also eaten to prevent guinea worm infections, can prevent various skin issues that one might face, contains antioxidants that fight against cancer, and can help with problems involving the reproductive system.
