Weave a Thousand Flavors

Indian Pantry Essential ~ Homemade Garam Masala

Garam masala is used extensively in North Indian and Pakistan cuisine is a spice blend that is as organic as it is singular. Garam masala ~  garam (hot) and masala (spices) is a blend of whole spices that are roasted and ground to a powder.

A spice blend that is fragrant and pungent and hence the term 'garam' here refers not to heat i.e. capsaicin content but rather to the intensity of the spices as they come together.

I consider it organic because it is a recipe that has evolved with each family.

Though varied in composition of spices and each family uses its own signature recipe its foundation remains intact. It is not unheard of that in some family recipe as many as 36 whole spices are used to blend their garam masala.

In mine we tend to stay with the masala in its classic form - coriander seeds, cumin seeds, whole cardamom pods, whole dried kashmiri red chillies, cinnamon sticks, cloves & black pepper corns.

I do add a bit of fennel seeds in mine though my mother does not and I know others who substitute it with nutmeg.

Tweak to your heart's content but know this, store bought garam masala can never come close to homemade and since it can last fragrant for up to a year if refrigerated in an airtight container, now there's simply no excuse to grind up some of your own.

And don't forget - a little goes a long way!

'A whole lotta less' Spinach & Ricotta Spanakopita Pie

I am not often fond of words such as 'challenging' because when used in reference to things such as exercise for example, they denote a greater level of commitment that I am usually willing to give.

However, when the same word is used in reference to out of town guests with food restrictions, the word 'challenging' is one I welcome because it means putting on my creative hat and finding a way to make the meal a memorable one for all at the dinner table.

The guests we had to dinner early last week were about as challenging as one could get for a cook such as me who thrives on carnivorous meals. Not only were my guests devout vegetarians they also did not eat onions, garlic, eggs or any root vegetables.

I know what you're thinking "What on earth do these people really eat?" You will be surprised to know that these sect of Indians from Gujarat are known as Jains and have been so for about 3000 years and they also eat some of the most delicious foods. I should know - my grand mother is one.

So the easiest thing I could have done was to pull out my Nani's recipes and we could have had a wonderful traditional Gujarati dinner. But no! I decided I wanted to do a dinner with dishes from around the world all adapted to Jain cooking.

Fortunately, providence was on my side because when I came across Kat's recipe for spanakopita on her wonderful blog Food Advokat, I was quick to shoot her a couple of emails asking if I could substitute this for that - all to make the dish completely Jain friendly.

After that I went on my very own tweaking spree. The result a delicious egg-free, onion free spinach & ricotta spanakopita! See for yourself -