Garam masala.....the Bengali version

What goes in the Garam masala? a common question I face from my readers. The word 'Garam' means hot and Masala means spices, though the hot does not imply the heat of chili but the powerful exquisite flavor of the spices. Garam Masala is a blend of different spices. It is extensively used in Indian cuisine, but the composition of Garam Masala differs from one region to the other. So I thought I would rather explain these various different combinations of Garam Masala for the interested readers. I will start with the Eastern part, specifically Bengal. Today I would like to focus on the simplest form of the garam masala, the Bengali version.

This above image is my contribution to edition #92 of Black and White Wednesday -  A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now managed by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Simona of Briciole. This is an image of the three basic ingredients of Garam Masala, cinnamon, green cardamom and cloves. The original Image I took was a color image I converted it to a black and white image using Photoshop.
On this page you can find who is hosting the current and future editions of this event.

A regular Bengali Garam Masala contains the basic three ingredients, Cinnamon, Cardamom (green) and Cloves. And that's the reason I also call them the 3'C' garam masala. Mix them in equal quantities and ground to powder and you are ready with your Bengali version of garam masala. I have seen my grand mother, aunts and mom to use not a powder but a paste. They use a flat stone to crush the hard spices then grind it with little water. They do this fresh everytime while cooking. Sometimes coarsely ground or lightly pounded garam masala are also used to hot oil as tempering (phoron) to the dish.

Cinnamon has it own delicate, slightly sweet fragrance. This spice is native to Srilanka and the oldest known spices. In European countries the use of cinnamon is mostly limited to sweets. In the Middle-East and Sub-continent cinnamon is extensively used in meat curries as well as in vegetarian curries and rice preparations. I like the flavor of cinnamon in my meat and fish curries. Personally I like to increase the amount of cinnamon while making a meat dish.

Cardamom is a spice of great antiquity, used for ages by the Egyptian, Greeks and Romans. It is extensively used in India and Middle-East. It is the third most expensive spice after saffron and vanilla. The plant grows profusely on the Malabar coast of India. The small green capsule contains several minute black seeds. Green cardamom is both used along with the green cover and without the cover, depending on the requirements. Black cardamom is also a related variety, but not used in the regular Bengali Garam Masala mix.

Cloves are dried unopened flower buds, named after the Latin word clavus, meaning nail. Clove has its own strong, sometimes bitter flavor. It is must while making pulao in Bengali household. I remember my grandmother used to make a rice flavored with cloves, named lobongo-bhat, an aromatic rice I love. But make sure you discard the small round part at the top of the clove before adding it to any dish.

So this is the easy simple Bengali style garam masala. Take equal quantity of cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves and ground them to powder. The powder can be stored in an air-tight container for 2-3 weeks. You can use this powder in dishes like Malaikari, bengali chicken or mutton curries, fish kaliya etc and etc.

Soon I will write about other different variations of Garam Masala used in different regions in India, till then keep rocking in your kitchen.

If you like to get regular updates from me go to my Facebook page and click on the Like button. You can also follow my blog on NetworkBlogs. Thank you..!!!

Chicken curry...ma's special recipe

In this hot sizzling summer, we all prefer to have something simple and light. The curries I make during summer is less oily and spicy. So last Sunday when the kid and the man asked to have a simple chicken curry for lunch I went for my Ma's special chicken curry recipe.

The curry my Ma makes is very simple, chicken on bone slow cooked along with onion, garlic and other few common spices. I have tried to recreate this curry so many times, but unable to achieve the exact flavor like my Ma does. May be mothers have magic in their hand, that makes something simple to be very special.

For few reasons I never ask recipes from my mother. Either she will say it is too simple why you need a recipe? or in between the narration of a recipe she will ask me whether she uses that particular spice or the other!!! So better stand quietly next to her while she is cooking that particular dish, ignoring all her attempt to send you back to your own room and watch precisely what's going on actually. What I have learnt from these observations is that you may know what spices go in which curry but you should know when to add them and how much to add. And I learnt this chicken curry that way, by watching her.

The lightly spiced thin curry with chicken and potato is simple yet delectable. A chicken curry that used to be our Sunday special lunch, along with some Gondhoraj lebu (an aromatic Lime) and steamed white rice. I still remember how we used to enjoy the leftover curry for dinner with freshly made ruti (whole wheat flat bread). And this curry is still a part of my regular menu, specially when we are in a mood for something simple. Though I know it is not possible to replicate the same taste as ma's, but after trial and error for 10 years it's somewhere very close. And to my outright pleasure my daughter loves this curry too.

Things needed to make Ma's Special Chicken Curry:

• Chicken (on bone): 700 gm (cut into 12 pieces)
• Potato: 5-6 small or 2 large cut into quarters
• Red Onion or shallots (finely chopped): 1/2 cup
• Garlic (crushed): 2 tbsp
• Ginger (grated): 1 tbsp
• Tomato (grated): 1 large
• Cumin powder: 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
• Red chili powder: 1-2 tsp
• Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder: 1 tsp
• Cinnamon stick: 1
• Green cardamom: 4-5
• Cloves: 5-6
• Green chilies: 5-6
• Mustard oil: 3-4 tbsp*
• Vinegar: 2 tbsp
• Sugar: 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

*Mustard oil is a must ingredient for this dish.

Steps of making Ma's Special Chicken Curry:

1. Clean the chicken pieces, pat them dry. Marinate the chicken pieces with vinegar and red chili powder. Peel the potatoes, if you are using large potatoes then cut them into quarters. I prefer to use small potatoes and keep them whole.

2. Heat mustard oil in a pan, fry the potatoes till nicely brown from all sides. Keep aside.

3. Add more oil to the same pan, when the oil is hot, reduce heat and add a teaspoon full sugar. Add crushed garlic. Cook for 1 min, or till the garlic starts to change red, add the whole spices cinnamon, green cardamom and cloves. Cook for 1-2 min.

4. Add finely chopped onion and cook till nicely brown. Add grated ginger, mix well and cook for 2 min. Add grated tomato (discard the seeds), mix well and cover the pan, cook over medium flame for 2-3 min.

5. Add the dry spices, turmeric powder, cumin powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, along with a spoon full of water, mix well. Cook over low heat for 3 min, keep stirring. Add the chicken pieces. Discard any excess vinegar. Add salt and mix well. For the first 5-6 min cook over high heat and keep stirring continuously. Reduce heat to medium and cover the pan and cook for 10 min. The chicken will release a considerable amount of water. Uncover and cook till oil separates from the spices. At this point there will be very less water, so be careful not to burn the meat pieces.

6. Add 1.5 cups of hot water. Let it boil. Add the fried potatoes, cover the pan and cook till the potatoes are done. Check seasoning and adjust accordingly. Add garam masala powder, green chilies (use whole, this to impart a distinct flavor), switch off the heat. Cover the pan and let it rest for 10 min. Serve hot with steaming hot rice.

If you like to get regular updates from me go to my Facebook page and click on the Like button. You can also follow my blog on NetworkBlogs. Thank you..!!!

Chingri macher malaikari...a signature Bengali dish

Chingri macher malaikari...prawn in creamy coconut gravy is always close to every Bengali's heart. If you are talking about a typical Bong spread then malaikari is a must on that.

There is a big debate  though about the origin of this dish. Some say it derives the name from the creamy coconut gravy, malai means cream, hence called malaikari or malaicurry. The other opinion is, it has originated in the land of Malay...

But frankly, I do not want to scratch my head pondering about the origin of the dish, whatever may be the origin, the dish is always a show stopper and my all time favorite. And my 5yr old too agrees with me. I have seen my grandma and my mother to cook this dish several times. And I also follow the same.

This is my entry to BWW#89 of Black and White Wednesday- a culinary photography event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now managed by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted by Lynne Daley of Cafe Lynnylu.

Back to the Malaikari Recipe, it's here...

Things needed to make Chingri Malaikari:

• Large prawns: 6
• Onion(grated): 2tbsp
• Garlic paste: 1/2tsp
• Ginger paste: 1tbsp
• Cinnamon: 2-3(1inch stick)
• Cardamom(crushed): 3-4
• Cloves: 4-5
• Bay leaf: 1-2
• Dry red chili: 2-3
• Shah jeera/black cumin: 1/2tsp
• Turmeric powder:1tsp
• Red chili powder: 1/2tsp
• Cumin powder: 1/2tsp
• Garam masala powder:1/4tsp
• Thick coconut milk: 1cup
• Ghee/clarified butter: 1tsp
• Oil
• Salt to taste
• Sugar to taste

The steps of making Chingri Malaikari:

1. Wash, clean and devein the prawns. Peel the prawns but keep the shell on head and on tail. Smear salt and turmeric powder on prawns and keep aside for 20-30min.

2. In a pan or kadai add oil, any vegetable oil is good. When the oil is hot add the prawns. Cook for 2-3min on high heat or as they change color to red. Do not overcook the prawns, or they will turn chewy and hard. Keep the fried prawns aside.

3. In the same pan or kadai add some more oil. do not discard the oil from fried prawns. As the oil heats up, add bay leaf, whole garam masala(cinnamon, cardamom, cloves), shah jeera/black cumin, dry red chilies. Cook till the spices release nice aroma, add the garlic paste and cook for 1min. Sometimes I have seen my mother add slices of garlic to the oil, and cook the garlic till red, then she discards the garlic slices from the oil. This way the garlic does not dominate the curry but leaves a mild aroma. I do both way, even sometimes without garlic. It is entirely on your choice which one you prefer.

4. As the garlic is done, add the onion paste. Cook on medium heat for 3min.Add the ginger paste and mix well. Cook for 2-3min on medium flame. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and cumin powder, mix well. Cook for 2min then add the coconut milk. I used canned coconut milk, those are readily available in any grocery stores. If you like you can make fresh coconut milk. For that scrape  the coconut and keep soaked in hot water. Make a fine paste of the coconut and strain it, your coconut milk is ready.

5. As the gravy boils, add the fried prawns. Cover and cook on low-medium flame for 3-4min. do not overcook the prawns. Check seasoning, accordingly add salt and sugar. Switch off the heat. Add ghee and garam masala powder, close the lid immediately. Let it stand for 10min. Serve with steamed hot rice.

Coconut milk is the key ingredient of this dish. Aromatic garam masala with creamy coconut milk blended with flavorsome prawns makes this dish a topper. There are many who do not add any garlic and onion to their malaikari, even there are recipe that totally rejects usage of turmeric powder. But at the end it's individual's choice. I sometimes make my malaikari without any garlic, sometimes with cumin and without....but adding mustard paste or tomato or fennel paste to malaikari is a big no for me.

If you like to get regular updates from me go to my Facebook page and click on the Like button. You can also follow my blog on NetworkBlogs. Thank you..!!!