Coronavirus WFH — No better time to start cooking
A quick guide to basic Indian cooking
With the quarantine and maids on leave, many of us are starting to cook at home for the first time, while, some of us who cooked on the weekends are becoming regular. We’ve always known that cooking at home makes food more nutritious and economical. Right now, not only is there a higher risk of infections with home deliveries and takeout, but we also might not even have these options in the near future (temporarily of course). So now is the time to embrace the kitchen and get your hands dirty.
I have created a graphical representation of the key steps involved in cooking basic Indian (mostly North) cuisine. Bhuna Masala, which is mentioned in the graphic has been a savior for me during these times. Believe me, this will save you a lot of time and more importantly the mental frustration. So do give it a try.
Here is the post by Charu Verma that covers Bhuna Masala —
Some steps have more explanation. Those have been provided at the end of the article.
7-step guide for making basic Indian curries
** from the graphic explained further —
Step 1 — Add whole spices (optional)
Always add the whole spices only in hot oil and wait for them to give out their fragrance, which can take about 10–15 seconds.
There are tons of combinations that can be used. Obviously, this list is NOT exhaustive and is far from an introductory guide to using Indian spices. However, here are some combinations that work for me (translation provided later):
- Jeera (A)— Simplest of all, works just fine for most dishes
- Jeera +Rai (B) — For dal. It can be used for dishes that have curd in them as well. You can also add dried red chilies here.
- Jeera + Laung + Tej Patta (C )— Laung increases the heat as well as the Tej Patta, which is also more fragrant. Use moderately (1–2 initially to understand) as both of them have very strong flavors.
- Jeera + Laung + Tej Patta + Elaichi + Dalchini (D)— Along with the heat, this adds a slightly sweet taste from the Cinnamon and cardamom. Cardamom is more for fragrance in the food and you can be generous with it if you like. Use cinnamon with caution as it is a strong spice that can make things too sweet.
- Panch Phoron — Rai+Methi+Sauf+Jeera+Kalaunji (E)— This mix is used in Bengali cuisine. Works very well with vegetables, chicken, and fish especially used in combination with Mustard oil and yogurt. It can be combined with C, D.
- Badi Elaichi (F) — Gives a very rich feel to the gravy. It is stronger than regular cardamom in taste but less sweet. Use only 1 piece at a time. Can be combined with C, D, E
- Sukhi Lal Mirch (G) — Good additions for Dal and Mutton preparation. Goes very well with E and can be combined with C and D too.
Translation: Jeera = Cumin seeds, Rai = Mustard seeds, Methi = Fenugreek seeds, Sauf = Fennel seeds, Kalaunji = Onion seeds, Tej Patta =Bay leaf, Elaichi = Cardamom, Dalchini = Cinnamon, Badi Elaichi = Black Cardamom, Sukhi Lal Mirch = Dried Red Chili
Step 2 — Add Bhuna Masala
Prepare Bhuna Masala as covered in this post.
Step 3 — Add powdered spices
- Turmeric — You can add this to most Indian dishes. If adding, this has to be the first spice you add.
- Jeera and Dhaniya (coriander) powder — These add body to the gravy. This should be added after Turmeric. Add in 1:3 ratio.
- Garam Masala — You can make your own or use the store-bought one. Add with caution as this can increase the heat level too much. You can skip if you’ve already added a lot of whole spices.
Make sure whatever powder you add, it gets cooked and loses its raw fragrance. This may take about 30 seconds or so of dry roasting before you add water or any wet ingredients. You can add some of these spices while making your Bhuna Masala as well and then skip adding them here.
Apart from these, there are tons of spice mixes that you can find in the market and can prepare at home too. Some might be specific to your region. For me, being a Maharashtrian, I use a lot of Lal chutney from Kolhapur and Goda Masala from Nagpur.
This guide does not talk much about the quantities or proportions. You will be able to figure it out as you cook more and more. The key is to keep tasting the food at every step. It is never possible to weigh ingredients to the gram or give out any exact measurements. Let your tastebuds guide you.
