Lamb mince cooked with marrow-bone As shared in The Guardian newspaper – ‘How to make the perfect Keema’ How to make the perfect keema – recipe | Food | The Guardian Hadiwala Keema was the only way my dad would eat Keema. He totally appreciated the gravy that was created from the marrow bone of…
Category: The Spice Box
Indian spices
Red Chilli Powder
Red Chilli Powder is basically a spice blend consisting of one or two types of dried red chillies that are ground and pulverized into a fine powder. It is generally used to add spice to otherwise bland foods. There are many type of Red Chillies available on the market – they range from Mild to Hot. You can…
Dried Curry Leaf – Sukka Kari Patta
Dried Curry Leaves must be kept in an airtight container. They are less flavourful than the fresh variety and you may need to use more of them to compensate for the loss of flavour.
Kashmiri Chilli – Deghi Mirch
Kashmiri chilli powder is the name given to a powdered chilli pepper. It is very mildly hot, yet has quite a distinct flavour, it adds a bright red color to food. It adds a great red colour to Tandoori Style Chicken and I use it in a variety of vegetables and meat dishes just to give it that additional oomph….
Make your own Garam Masala
I love making my own Garam Masala and tailor it to the dish I am creating. It’s not difficult and you will be very nicely surprised at the difference to one you make yourself and the shop bought variety which is usually pretty standard. The video below is helpful for those of you that would…
Dry your own Methi – Fenugreek
Make your own home-made dried Fenugreek Growing your own herbs and vegetables is a great idea if you have a garden. Methi (Fenugreek) is one my husband grows in our garden every year. It’s great when cooked fresh with Chicken or Potatoes, and as I use so much of it in my every day cooking,…
Mustard seeds – Rai de bhij
Mustard seeds can be black, brown or yellow in colour and are used extensively in Indian cooking. The full potential of their flavour is released when they are ground down or cooked in oil. In Indian dishes, they are used as more of a seasoning than a base flavour – they really perk up a lentil or rice dish…
Fresh Curry leaf – Kari Patha
When purchasing fresh curry leaves, make sure they are still on their stem and are a deep green in colour. They will last 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. If you don’t plan to use them quickly,wash and dry them using kitchen paper and freeze them in a ziplock bag. https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/authentic_punjabee_cooking
Pomegranate powder – Anardana powder
Pomegranate powder is the dried seeds of the pomegranate fruit that have been ground into powder form. Popular in Indian cooking it provides a delicate sweet & sour flavour. The powder is great for adding a slightly sour flavour that is expected from some Indian chutneys and I use the seeds when making Alu Paratha as they are a great explosion…
Nigella Seeds – Kalonji
In the Punjab, Nigella seeds are used for flavouring Dal, stir-fried vegetables, (Sabji) and even snacks and savouries such as samosas. Tempering the seeds alongside cumin (jeera) or fennel seeds (saunf) before they are thrown over a rice dish can give the rice a whole new lease of life. It has a peppery taste and…