Homemade Garam Masala Recipe

Garam Masala is almost always the secret magic ingredient that imparts most of the flavor to Indian food, and there's nothing like a homemade garam masala recipe! There are several recipes for curry powders, but this one is the most widely-used. A mix of several spices lightly roasted and ground into a fine powder, Garam Masala is much like all-spice, except with different flavors. This fragrant spice is best made fresh just before you begin cooking, but since most of us do not have the luxury of time, it works in our favor that Garam Masala can be stored for 3-4 months without losing its flavor and aroma! It is indeed very easy to make, and just adding a pinch will go a long way to give a lasting impression to your recipes. Every household has its own recipe, and here I share my mom's garam masala recipe, hoping that it will win you more accolades as a cook, just as it has done to me!

Garam Masala, which literally means "Hot and Spicy" is undoubtedly the heart of most Indian Cuisine, especially north indian and mughlai dishes. And almost every one has a "mom's garam masala recipe" to share. It is basically just a combination of different spices, and you can modify the basic recipe shown below to suit your taste by adding or omitting spices as required. It is best to add this spice towards the end of cooking your meal; and don't worry, unlike its name, this spice powder is more aromatic than spicy!

Ingredients
Makes about 4 tbsp of Spice Powder

1 tbsp cardamom seeds
1 2" long cinnamon stick
1 tsp black cumin (shahjeera)
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 nutmeg
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp dried coriander seeds
1/2 tsp mace powder (javantari)
1 piece star anise
1 long bay leaf

Method
Roast all the aboe spices lightly on low-flame for about 2 mins. Now powder them in a clean, dry spice grinder until smooth. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

This Garam Masala can be added to any gravies or curries, and not just indian! The aromatic spices in this recipe add a subtle flavor to your dish. But remember to use this very sparingly, as it is very powerful in taste. Freshly ground garam masala can be stored for upto 3 months in an air-tight container in a cool, dry and dark place.

My mother has been my biggest inspiration in cooking, now surpassed by my husband. Upto this day, she deligently makes her signature garam masala and parcels it to me all the way from India, just so I wouldn't have to compromise on the taste of freshly-ground spices. If that doesn't convey love, what does?! So this post is dedicated to my mom, and I hope her recipe adds more "spice" to your life, just like it did to mine!:)

More Basic Recipes:
How To Make Paneer
Homemade Recipe for Marinara Sauce
Restaurant-Style Recipe for Indian Gravies

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Dhokla Sandwich (Savoury & Steamed)

There are times when I get a huge urge of eating something attractive and delicious, but also something that does not come with loads of calories! Sandwich Dhokla, a delicacy originated from Gujarat, is one such low-fat recipe that is not only beautiful to look at, but tastes great too. With 2 kinds of dhoklas (savory steamed cake) layered one on top of the other, sandwiching a spicy cilantro sauce in between, serve to be perfect finger food served with your choice of dipping sauce. The color of the dish is pleasing to the eye, and with hardly any calories or fat content, these savory sandwich dhoklas are a healthy alternative to other fried appetizer choices. Not only that, as you can see in the picture, the Tri-colored Sandwich Dhoklas look great on a plate too!

Ingredients

Yellow Dhokla

1 cup Besan (Chickpea flour/gram flour)
2 tbsp Rava (Sooji)
1/2 tsp Citric acid crystals (or Eno Fruit salt)
Salt - to taste
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Baking soda

Green Dhokla

2 cups Rava (semolina)
1/2 cup sour curd or buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1 tsp soda bicarb
2 tbsp oil
3-4 green chillies - chopped
salt - to taste
2 cups water (use only 1 1/2 cup if you have used buttermilk instead of curd)

Method
Mix all the ingredients for the Yellow Dhokla except the baking soda. Add about 3/4 cup of water. The batter should be about the consistancy of dosa batter. Add little more water if required. Cover the batter and keep it aside, allowing it to ferment for at least an hour or two if possible (this makes softer dhoklas).

Take the chopped coriander and green chillies, and blend to form a smooth paste with about 2 tbsp water. Repeat the same procedure as above by mixing all the ingredients for the Green Dhokla, except the soda bicarb and keep aside.

Steaming the Dhoklas
Apply some oil to a deep, flat bottomed stainless steel vessel (like a cake pan) that fits into your pressure cooker. Pour some water into the cooker and let it boil.

Once the water boils, add the baking soda to both the batters and mix it up. You should see the batter froth up a little.

Pour it into the prepared vessel to half the height, leaving ample space for the steamed batter to rise up and expand. If you are going to do this in batches, add the baking soda to the divided batter each time before steaming rather than adding it to the whole mixture. This ensures that the dhokla will become soft and fluffy.

Place it into the cooker and let it steam for about 10 minutes. Do not put the whistle on the cooker (just like idlis) Insert a toothpick in the center to see if its cooked through, then remove from the cooker and allow to cool a little.

Repeat this process for both the batters.

Layering and Assembling the Sandwich Dhokla
Cut squares (or other shapes) for both types of steamed cakes. Take the yellow dhokla pieces and apply some green cilantro chutney liberally on top of it. Now layer the green dhokla slices on top of it like a sandwich.

You can use any other desired spread for the sandwich, like salsa or cheese. Then add a dollop of ketchup on the top.

Serve the Sandwich Dhokla with your favorite dip as an attractive and healthy appetizer!

Related Recipes:
Soft & Fluffy Khaman Dhokla
Methi-Palak na Muthiya(Steamed Dumplings)
Chana-Masala Sandwich-Indian Bruschetta

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Cilantro and Walnut Pesto

Many people have a misconception that "Pesto" can only be made with Basil. But actually, the name pesto comes from the same Latin root of "pestle," which means a sauce made by crushing a few key ingredients together. Basil, parmesan and pine nuts have been primary for the basic italian Basil Pesto, but lately, parsely and cilantro have become favored alternatives to the traditional recipe. I used cilantro, sweet-corn, parmesan cheese and walnuts for my Cilantro-Walnut Pesto, and added some jalapenos for the spicy kick. This pesto has a smooth texture, and serves to be a great dipping sauce with chips or any other finger food.

Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cup fresh cilantro - washed and chopped
1/4 cup sweet corn kernels
1/3 cup walnuts
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
6-8 tbsp olive oil
2-3 jalapeno rings (or serrano chillies, adjust to spice level)
1 tbsp lime juice
salt - to taste

Method
Take half of the cilantro and the sweet corn kernels and grind in a mixer with 2 tbsp oil. When properly blended, add the remaining ingredients and pulse. With the food processor running, slowly keep adding olive oil as you blend to form a smooth paste. It should resemble a smooth dipping sauce as shown in the picture.

You can refriferate this Cilantro-Walnut pesto and preserve for upto a week. For longer use, freeze it and store. Thaw to room temperature before using. Serve with your favorite veggie platters of finger food! We enjoyed ours with some gluten-free savoury pancakes!

I'm sending this to Anh who's hosting this week's edition of Kalyn's WHB event.

Similar Recipes:
Cilantro and Cucumber Dip
Roasted Tomato & Peanut Sauce

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