? about Indian food
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
The recipe I make from India do not add GM at the end. It's added earlier so it can cook with the other ingredients.
There are foods that naturally contain MSG. If you use the foods in a recipe, the addition of more MSG isn't necessary.
There are foods that naturally contain MSG. If you use the foods in a recipe, the addition of more MSG isn't necessary.
OP
OP
SEEING-TO-BELIEVE
Head Chef
from what ive seen it is added at the end a lot of the time.
karadekoolaid
Head Chef
True Indian food uses a mixture of spices, rather than curry powder, which is a "Western" thing.
A dish prepared with a mixture of spices (there might just be two or three, or there might be a dozen) is often referred to as "(ingredient) masala"; for example, there´s a dish I prepare called brinjal masala which is simply "eggplants with spices" or "eggplants in a spicy sauce".
Masala means spices, or a sauce with spices, and you may have a prepared mixture for a specific dish. The one that comes to mind is chaat masala which is a slightly tart mixture, including black salt, which is used to sprinkle on fruit.
Garam masala means "hot" spices. In its simplest form, it could be equal parts of cardamom seeds, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, but other spices may be added, according to each region, state or family.
Adding garam masala at the end of the dish adds an extra layer of flavour to the dish. This is called "tempering".
If you add garam masala at the beginning of the preparation, the flavours mix together with the other spices and create a rich, complex "masala" sauce.
If you add garam masala at the end of the dish, you accent the flavours of the spice mixture and add a new layer of taste.
A dish prepared with a mixture of spices (there might just be two or three, or there might be a dozen) is often referred to as "(ingredient) masala"; for example, there´s a dish I prepare called brinjal masala which is simply "eggplants with spices" or "eggplants in a spicy sauce".
Masala means spices, or a sauce with spices, and you may have a prepared mixture for a specific dish. The one that comes to mind is chaat masala which is a slightly tart mixture, including black salt, which is used to sprinkle on fruit.
Garam masala means "hot" spices. In its simplest form, it could be equal parts of cardamom seeds, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, but other spices may be added, according to each region, state or family.
Adding garam masala at the end of the dish adds an extra layer of flavour to the dish. This is called "tempering".
If you add garam masala at the beginning of the preparation, the flavours mix together with the other spices and create a rich, complex "masala" sauce.
If you add garam masala at the end of the dish, you accent the flavours of the spice mixture and add a new layer of taste.
karadekoolaid
Head Chef
I almost forgot: MSG is not, to my knowledge, used in Indian cuisine. Chinese, Japanese, yes.
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
You're right, STB - most garam masala is added at the end, in relatively small amounts, and this is to preserve those aromatic flavors, many of which are more or less driven off by heat. Think about all those aromas in the kitchen when we are cooking! However, you will see a lot of recipes with larger amounts of garam masala added early in the dish, but many of these are designed in other countries, much like using curry powder, making it easier than using a number of spices, some whole and some ground, some toasted, some not toasted, etc. But by using a lot of it as the main spices in the dish, and maybe more at the end, after a while dishes will begin to taste more or less the same - much like using curry powder. Unless you make up several types of garam masala to use!
I haven't seen MSG in any of the Indian books I have. And not that many ingredients in their foods high in glutamates. But then, I have no idea about restaurants, but I haven't heard about them using MSG.
I haven't seen MSG in any of the Indian books I have. And not that many ingredients in their foods high in glutamates. But then, I have no idea about restaurants, but I haven't heard about them using MSG.
OP
OP
SEEING-TO-BELIEVE
Head Chef
thank you people once again
i think that ultimately it could be a nice thing to add msg to indian foods..
i do that
i also think that adding garam masala at the beginning can give a darker color than if added at the end, and darker color is often not desirable
what was the last indian food that you have made?
i think that ultimately it could be a nice thing to add msg to indian foods..
i do that
i also think that adding garam masala at the beginning can give a darker color than if added at the end, and darker color is often not desirable
what was the last indian food that you have made?
karadekoolaid
Head Chef
On your first point, there are dishes which require them to be dark - for example, black Maharashtrian Masala. Adding the masala first simply changes the flavour, and I don´t think that the darker colour makes any difference as long as the food tastes good.
Last Indian food I made was a Murch Makhani (butter chicken), Aloo saag, (Potatoes and spinach) and a Hyderabadi Baingan ka Salaan.
OP
OP
SEEING-TO-BELIEVE
Head Chef
nice
where is your indian cooking knowledge from?
are you an indian?
with which chicken part did you made the butter chicken?
where is your indian cooking knowledge from?
are you an indian?
with which chicken part did you made the butter chicken?
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I live in an area with a very large Indian, especially Punjabi, population. Many of my friends are Indian and they've shared their recipes with me. There are many Indian grocery stores here, so it's easy to get all the spices, mustard oil, pickles, Indian vegetables, etc.
I make my own style of garam masala for basic curry sauces, and change it up as necessary. I use whole coriander, cumin, black cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, toast the seeds, grind them and it's called Garam Masala. Garam actually means "Warm", and masala is a mix. GM isn't hot, it's warm and aromatic. Heat in the dish comes from added chilies.
There are as many types of GM as there are families in Indian, but the important thing is that GM must be tempered in oil.
Tempering is the process of heating the gound spices in hot oil or ghee before the mixture is added to a dish
You could also temper a small amount of the spices to add at the end of cooking. My Indian friend called that a Tarka, it's a mix with onions etc., and she makes and freezes it in batches. Very flavourful. It is also called Tadka.
I'll add other spices to the dish along with the GM, such as fenugreek seeds, amchur (powdered dry mango), tumeric, kashmiri chili, cardamom, asafoetida, etc., etc.
indian dishes I've made lately are Chickpea curry (Chana masala), Chicken curry, biriyani with chicken, Halibut curry - basically, curry is a sauce for anything.
Butter Chicken isn't actually Indian, you can use thighs or whatever you want. People usually prefer thighs because they don't dry out as quickly.
Indian cooks keep the chicken on the bone, and usually, remove the bones/skin after cooking.
I make my own style of garam masala for basic curry sauces, and change it up as necessary. I use whole coriander, cumin, black cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, toast the seeds, grind them and it's called Garam Masala. Garam actually means "Warm", and masala is a mix. GM isn't hot, it's warm and aromatic. Heat in the dish comes from added chilies.
There are as many types of GM as there are families in Indian, but the important thing is that GM must be tempered in oil.
Tempering is the process of heating the gound spices in hot oil or ghee before the mixture is added to a dish
You could also temper a small amount of the spices to add at the end of cooking. My Indian friend called that a Tarka, it's a mix with onions etc., and she makes and freezes it in batches. Very flavourful. It is also called Tadka.
I'll add other spices to the dish along with the GM, such as fenugreek seeds, amchur (powdered dry mango), tumeric, kashmiri chili, cardamom, asafoetida, etc., etc.
indian dishes I've made lately are Chickpea curry (Chana masala), Chicken curry, biriyani with chicken, Halibut curry - basically, curry is a sauce for anything.
Butter Chicken isn't actually Indian, you can use thighs or whatever you want. People usually prefer thighs because they don't dry out as quickly.
Indian cooks keep the chicken on the bone, and usually, remove the bones/skin after cooking.
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karadekoolaid
Head Chef
exr
Back in 2011, I was invited to cook for the Indian community in Caracas. That included the 1st secretary of the Embassy. In one of the conversations we had, I asked him about the "myth" that butter chicken (Murgh Makhani) was invented in the UK.
He told me it was invented in Delhi, in the 1950s, in a restaurant called Moti Mahal and was definitely NOT an English invention - even though it has now been adopted as Britain´s favourite dish!
I use chicken breast, because it looks nicer. I think you can prepare it with whichever part of the chicken you enjoy most.
Back in 2011, I was invited to cook for the Indian community in Caracas. That included the 1st secretary of the Embassy. In one of the conversations we had, I asked him about the "myth" that butter chicken (Murgh Makhani) was invented in the UK.
He told me it was invented in Delhi, in the 1950s, in a restaurant called Moti Mahal and was definitely NOT an English invention - even though it has now been adopted as Britain´s favourite dish!
I use chicken breast, because it looks nicer. I think you can prepare it with whichever part of the chicken you enjoy most.
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OP
OP
SEEING-TO-BELIEVE
Head Chef
i see
i also thought that it was a BRITISH invention
when the INDIAN prime minister came to israel it was Reena Pushkarna who cooked for him..
i think it is not only the moisture in thighs that are appealing to many but also the texture and taste
ive already asked about 'tempering' spices and i got an answer saying that it is possible to toast them if i want to keep the oil for later in some indian dishes..
but i still add oil at the beginning
i also thought that it was a BRITISH invention
when the INDIAN prime minister came to israel it was Reena Pushkarna who cooked for him..
i think it is not only the moisture in thighs that are appealing to many but also the texture and taste
ive already asked about 'tempering' spices and i got an answer saying that it is possible to toast them if i want to keep the oil for later in some indian dishes..
but i still add oil at the beginning
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Garam masala is a blend of spices used in Indian cooking that provides a unique flavor and aroma. It is often added to dishes at the end of the cooking process to bring out the flavors of the spices. The combination of spices varies depending on the region and the individual cook, but typically includes cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and pepper. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is not usually used in Indian cooking, as a preference for natural ingredients is preferred.
HeyItsSara
Sous Chef
i never add msg to anything. ever.
