Entice With Spice. Shubhra Ramineni
come close to the strong aroma and flavor of fresh garlic, so do try to avoid using the pre-minced garlic. Garlic should be stored loosely covered (a paper bag is ideal) in a cool, dark place away from direct sun or heat. I like to keep mine no longer than three to four weeks but you can store it longer (just discard it when it has started to dry out). You can store the unused peeled cloves in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Don’t forget to chew on some fennel seeds after eating a dish that has a lot of garlic in it!
Ghee Ghee, a cooking fat made from clarifying butter, is used in traditional Indian kitchens. To make ghee, butter is melted to remove the water and separate off the milk solids, leaving pure butterfat. Once cow or buffalo milk is churned to make butter, the butter is then separated by slowly melting and simmering it until the milk solids settle at the bottom, the water boils off and golden liquid floats on top. The golden liquid may be collected and heated again so any remaining water boils off, resulting in pure, creamy clarified butterfat. As it cools, ghee will solidify and become smooth and creamy. Because the water and moisture are removed, ghee can be kept much longer than butter—up to at least six months in an airtight jar in your refrigerator or pantry. Today, health-conscious people avoid the use of ghee in daily cooking, but it is still used in Indian cooking and especially to make rich desserts. Ghee does have a unique smell and taste to it that may not be pleasant to some. To make things quick, easy and relatively healthy, I suggest sticking to vegetable or canola oil when cooking Indian food. Although if you would like to use melted ghee, it can substituted in equal amounts for oil or butter throughout the recipes in this book.
Ginger
Gram flour (besan) Gram flour, also known as chickpea flour, is made from a dried, split and skinned legume called Bengal gram. Bengal gram is a small dark brown chickpea (kala chana). The small dark brown chickpea is different from the bigger cream-colored chickpea known as the “garbanzo.” When Bengal gram is split and skinned, a yellow lentil called chana dal is revealed. This is crushed to make gram flour, which is pale yellow in color. You may find this flour in the international section of grocery stores or you may find it at an organic store. I use gram flour to make the batter for Vegetable Pakora Fritters (page 49) and also to make Gram Flour and Onion Roti (page 61). You can also use gram flour to make a natural face mask as my mother has recommended to me. If you have oily skin, mix gram flour with water until you get a pasty consistency; if you have dry skin, use milk instead of water. Spread the paste on your face and let the mask dry. When it is dry, wash off to reveal beautiful skin! You can make and use the face mask as often as you like. Store gram flour in an airtight jar in your pantry for up to three months, or up to six months in your freezer.
Ground red pepper (cayenne) (lal mirch) In Indian cooking, ground red pepper is practically a must-have. This spice adds fire to a dish. If you feel a dish is too spicy or not spicy enough based on the amount of ground red pepper indicated in one of my recipes, you can simply add more or less to meet your personal preference. Ground red pepper is made from various red chili peppers, such as bird’s-eye chili pepper, that have been dried and ground. You can find ground red pepper of different varieties and heat intensities in ethnic markets but you can also use ground cayenne pepper, which is readily available in the spice section of grocery stores. Ground cayenne pepper is a blend of various tropical chili peppers, including the cayenne chili. If you happen to get any of it on your hands, be sure to thoroughly wash them so you do not touch your lips, nose, or rub your eyes and cause irritation.
Lentils (whole and skinned/split) (sabut and dhuli dal) Lentils, called dal in Hindi, are a type of legume which are various bean or pea plants that have seed pods. When the seeds are removed from the pods and dried, they are called lentils or pulses. Lentils are either whole (sabut) or hulled (skin/shell removed) and split (dhuli). Sometimes lentils are split with the skin still on. When whole lentils are skinned and split, they reveal a different color and taste. Lentils can be kept for three months in an airtight jar in your pantry. Lentils should be picked over and washed before being used. (See "How to Wash Rice and Dried Legumes," page 15.)
Chana dal
Chana dal (skinned/split) When the tiny dark brown chickpea (kala chana), also known as “Bengal gram,” is skinned and split, a bright yellow lentil is revealed, which is called chana dal in Hindi. This lentil is tempered in oil to provide flavor and crunch to a dish such as Tamarind Rice (page 74). This lentil is also ground into gram flour (besan) to use in breads and the batter to make Vegetable Pakora Fritters (page 49). Note: Chana dal is neither the same as skinned and split yellow peas (field peas), which can be easily found in American stores, nor is it the same as skinned and split pigeon peas (toor dal), although all three varieties look similar.
Whole masoor dal
Skinned/split Masoor dal
Masoor dal (whole and skinned/split) Whole red lentils (sabut masoor dal) are disc-shaped with a flat base and reddish tan to light brown in color. In the United States, whole red lentils are commonly used to make lentil soup and can be readily found in American grocery stores. I have noticed that the ones in American stores are slightly larger and lighter in color and more tan whereas the ones at the Indian stores are the smaller and redder Indian variety but either will do fine. When these lentils are skinned and split (dhuli masoor dal), a beautiful orange color comes through and surprisingly, when they are cooked, they turn yellow.
Whole moong dal
Skinned/split Moong dal
Moong dal (whole and skinned/split), Whole green lentils (sabut moong dal) look like tiny dark green ovals. In addition to cooking these lentils, they may also be sprouted and tossed with fresh vegetables to make a lovely salad such as Fresh Lentil Sprout Salad (page 85). When these lentils are skinned and split (dhuli moong dal), they reveal a yellow color and can quickly be made into my favorite lentil dish, Green Lentil Dal Stew (page 89)! The split and skinned lentils are also used to make Creamy Mulligatawny Soup (page 81).
Toor dal
Toor dal (skinned/split pigeon peas) Whole greenish tan-colored pigeon peas reveal a yellow interior (toor dal) when they are skinned and split. Toor dal is used to make sambar, Split Pea and Vegetable Sambar Stew (page 82). In Indian grocery stores, you might also see toor dal that is oiled but I use the matte ones. The peas are sometimes oiled to increase shelf life, especially before exporting, but people usually wash the oil off in hot water before using. Toor dal resembles chana