GARAM MASALA
Provided by Aarti Sequeira
Time 10m
Yield 1/2 cup
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Shell the cardamom: Gently crack open the green and black cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle (or crush them on a cutting board using a heavy pan). Remove the seeds and discard the husks.
- Grind the spices: Finely grind the cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a spice or coffee grinder. Store in an airtight container away from direct sunlight for up to 1 year.
GARAM MASALA
Steps:
- Dry roast the spices, except mace, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until it extrudes a spicy aroma and turns several shades darker. Let cool completely and then grind with mace to a fine powder. Store in an air tight container up to 3 months.;
SAAG PANEER
Eat homemade Indian food tonight with Aarti Sequeira's Saag Paneer: Spinach with Indian Cheese recipe from Aarti Party on Food Network.
Provided by Aarti Sequeira
Time 1h20m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons oil. Gently, drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss, taking care not to break the cubes if you're using the homemade kind. Let the cubes marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.
- Thaw the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, 5 minutes on high, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Alternatively, you can chop it up very finely with your knife.
- Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the paneer as the pan warms. In a couple of minutes give the pan a toss; each piece of paneer should be browned on one side. Fry another minute or so, and then remove the paneer from the pan onto a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile. Now here's the important part: saute the mixture until it's evenly toffee-coloured, which should take about 15 minutes. Don't skip this step - this is the foundation of the dish! If you feel like the mixture is drying out and burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
- Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin. If you haven't already, sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the raw scent of the spices cook out, and it all smells a bit more melodious, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about 5 minutes with the lid off.
- Turn the heat off. Add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed into the spinach, add the paneer. Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve.
- Line a large colander with a large double layer of cheesecloth, and set it in your sink.
- In a large wide pot, bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning the bottom (a nonstick pot works really well for this purpose). This will take a little while so be patient!
- Add the lemon juice and turn the heat down to low. Stirring gently, you should almost immediately see the curds (white milk solids) and whey (the greenish liquid) separate. Don't fret, this is perfect!
- Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the contents into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Gently rinse with cool water to get rid of the lemon flavor. At this point, you could squeeze out some of the liquid, and serve with some honey and some nuts, almost like a fresh ricotta!
- Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey. Tie the cheesecloth to your kitchen faucet and allow the cheese to drain for about 5 minutes.
- Twisting the ball to compact the cheese into a block, place it on a plate with the twisted part of the cheesecloth on the side (this will ensure your block of cheese is nice and smooth!) and set another plate on top. Weigh the second plate down with cans of beans or a heavy pot. Move to the refrigerator and let it sit about 20 minutes.
- Combine the cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom seeds, black cardamom seeds, if using into a spice grinder or coffee grinder and grind until fine. Store the spice mix in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.
EASY GARAM MASALA
This is a quick Garam Masala (Indian spice) mix. Garam Masala is better when made with whole spices that have been roasted and ground, but this is a quick and easy substitute that's pretty good.
Provided by KitchenBarbarian
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Asian Indian
Time 5m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Mix cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl. Place mix in an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 5.8 calories, Carbohydrate 1 g, Fat 0.2 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 0.2 g, Sodium 1.3 mg, Sugar 0.1 g
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What is Garam Masala?
Garam masala is a blend of ground spices commonly used in Indian, South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. The spices used in making garam masala may vary, but the common ingredients include peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, and coriander. The spices are roasted and then ground to make the perfect blend of flavors.Benefits of Making Homemade Garam Masala
There are several benefits of making homemade garam masala. Firstly, making your spice blend allows you to control the ingredients used, giving you assurance that the spices are pure and fresh. Secondly, by preparing your garam masala, you can tailor the blend to your taste, making it more or less spicy as per preference.Aarti's Hot Not Heavy Homemade Garam Masala Recipes
Aarti's hot not heavy homemade garam masala recipes are a unique and flavorful blend of spices. The recipe combines traditional spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom with other equally exciting ingredients like fennel seeds, cloves, and nutmeg.Ingredients
The ingredients used in Aarti's hot not heavy homemade garam masala recipes are simple and readily available in most Indian grocery stores. The spices used are as follows:- Cumin seeds
- Coriander seeds
- Fennel seeds
- Green cardamom pods
- Cinnamon stick
- Whole cloves
- Bay leaves
- Nutmeg
- Black peppercorns
Method
To make Aarti's hot not heavy homemade garam masala recipes, the following method should be followed:- Heat a skillet or pan over medium heat.
- Add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds to the pan and toast until fragrant and lightly browned. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- Next, add the green cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, bay leaves, and black peppercorns to the pan.
- To roast the spices evenly, stir continuously, and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until all the spices have released their aroma.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Once the spices have cooled down, grind the roasted spices in a coffee grinder or blender until you get a fine powder.
- Add freshly grated nutmeg to the powdered spice mix and combine.
- Your hot not heavy homemade garam masala spice blend is ready to use. Store in an airtight container for up to six months for optimal flavor.