Fresh spice blends, pastes and sauces are an essential element in many Indian dishes. The longer I immerse myself into the art of Indian cooking, the more I find myself making my own preparations. A complexity is imparted to the food that simply cannot be recreated by using ready made versions produced outside of the kitchen of the cook looking to add a unique touch. And for the most part, the effort involved is minimal. This recipe does come with a warning. The spicier the better is my motto, but even I was gulping water and spooning some cooling yogurt into my mouth to ease the heat after tasting a scant 1/2 teaspoon of this pungent, fiery paste on its own. When incorporated into curries and their accompaniments however, the heat is a necessary and sufficient condition.
I made a small batch in preparation for Scalloped Potatoes with Coconut Milk and Chilies and also added a spoonful to Scrambled Chickpea Flour. All three recipes are inspired by Raghavan Iyer's gloriously indispensable 660 Curries. Honestly, I can't recommend this collection highly enough.
Red Chili and Vinegar Paste (Balchao Masala)More essentials:
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of tamarind
1 cup of dried hot red chilies (remove stems)
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon of whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric
10 cloves of garlic, cut in half
1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into chunks
1 6 inch long piece of cinnamon stick, broken into bits
Begin by pouring the vinegar into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and puree until you have a thick paste. Scrap down the sides of the blender jar as necessary. Store in a sterilized jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or you can freeze the paste.
Chana Masala Powder
Garam Masala
Tamarind Chutney
Hot Green Chili Sauce
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