Traditional Indian Spices

Cooking and recipes offer an interesting look into the cultures of people around the world.  The foods that people eat come from generations of history, normally related to the types of ingredients and special safety needs that impacted the culture.  For example, in the northern parts of the world, people tend to eat more types of foods that are pickled or salted.  I believe that much of the preference for these foods comes from a time when food was not transported around the world.  So, in cold areas like Scandinavia and Russia, there is very little fresh plant food available for a large portion of the year, so chefs pickled much of their food for use in the cold and dark months in order to maintain proper vitamin consumption throughout the year.

I am constantly searching for information around spices and herbs that can be added to both create flavor, but also to provide additional benefit to our meals – whether it’s in the form of sneaky vitamins, anti-inflammatory benefits or other positive impacts.  I’ve recently been learning and playing with the spices and herbs in Indian food as I am trying to re-create some of their incredibly flavorful sauces.  As I’ve been testing these recipes out, I learned something fascinating about the culture of spice in Indian and thought I’d share what I’ve learned so far.

First, let me share the Spice Box that is my new favorite way to organize my spices.  So far, I’ve only created one for the traditional Indian spices, but I may have to go buy a few more and create one for other cultures like Italian, Chinese, etc.  Simply opening this box is a pleasure with all the exotic smells that jump out of it.  The box was designed so that the cook has all the key ingredients nearby to minimize any potential over-cooking.  In Indian food, timing matters quite a bit.  Oil has to be at the right temperature for the mustard seeds to pop and for the cumin to sizzle but not so hot that the turmeric burns too quickly.

Evidently, the box has many different combinations, depending on which part of India you are visiting and can vary even from one neighbor to the next.  The ‘starter’ list of spices according to Sena Desai Gopal are:  Mustard and cumin seeds, turmeric and chili powder, ground coriander, garam masala and whole red chilis.  Mine contains a variation of these ingredients, primarily as I wanted to include the spices that are most beneficial to Derek’s diabetes:  Cumin seeds, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, garam masala, ginger and paprika.

Of all of the spices in this box, one of my favorite spices to play with is the cumin seeds.  As the flavor is a bit nutty and peppery that is fragrantly released as I smash it in the mortar and pestle.  Plus, it seems to have one of the best effects on Derek’s blood sugar.  I did a bit of research on this and along with cinnamon, turmeric, coriander and cloves seem to have a significant amount of inflammation calming polyphenols.  When I add at least a teaspoon of these spices in the recipes I make, Derek seems to have much lower blood sugar levels than when I make the same foods, without the spices.

Check out the recipes in the Sauces section for my latest version of a Butternut Squash Curry that is delicious on chicken, pork or simply served over roasted chickpeas for a vegetarian dish that is incredibly satisfying.

Verona Blue

I like mid-century architecture, impractical footwear, shiny jewellery, plastic faces, unnatural hair, tailored clothes and tiny dogs. I live in LA.