Spice Blends from around the world and a Giveaway!

I am a great one for themes, my articles here are usually the result of a theme I find in the current happenings in my life. And amidst all the excitement of last two weeks, with the Tadka workshops, Men’s cooking classes (on that note our new class schedule for October and November is up) and the many events that have excited my palate (Cointreau and Coffee tastings) and finally filing my manuscript and finishing with the writing of it completely, spices have played a central theme. More specifically Spice Mix Powders. 

Spice Shop in Istanbul's Spice Market.

My Mother brought me a box of Turkish spice mixes from my friend Selin of Turkish Flavours culinary trails, featuring exotica such as an Ottoman spice blend, Chinese five spice my friend Nikhil aka the Nonchalant Gourmand brought back for me from his eatfest in Penang. Srilankan spice mixes Snigdha of Life on a Simmer brought me from her trip to Sri Lanka where she went to train as a Tea Sommelier. It the last few busy weeks, each of them helped me put together quick and delicious meals that offered variety for my son’s adventurous palate.  have all been seducing me and scenting my kitchen.  

 

Spice shop in my favourite Grant Rd. Mkt. with lots of ready spice mixes.

And every cuisine I have ever cooked has an all-important signature spice blend that often can even defines a cuisine (think Panch Phoron, Bottle Masala, Malvani Masalla, Chinese five spice). India being the spice box of the world, nobody uses spices as prolifically as us. And every region and cuisine that is cooked from Kashmir to Kanyakumari has its own signature spice blend that is responsible for lending characteristic flavour to that cuisine. Growing up, I remember my grandmother grinding and storing spices to use through the coming year, the basics for the Gujarati kitchen; Turmeric, Chilli and roasted Cumin powder, Dhanajeera (coriander and cumin blend) and Garam Masalla. From Ver, the spice pellets that Kashmiri cuisine depends on for the right balance of flavours to the many Podis of South India, wherever you go in India, you will find a local spice mix to bring back the flavours of that place.  

Take stock of my Spice Cupboard and you will find, Ver, Maharashtrian Goda Masalla made by Gangu Bai the lady who looked after me growing up (she still drops of a batch when she makes it), Malvani Garam Masalla (which I prefer to regular garam masalla and source from Achar Galli in Lalbaug or Malvani food festivals aroung Mumbai), Sambhar and Rassam Masalla from Matunga for my South Indian meals, Rechiedo Masalla from my Aunty Savia in Goa, East Indian Bottle Masalla from my friend Bessy inVasai (awesome stuff this, I use it in everything).  But side by side you iwill also find Spice blends from around the world. That I regularly coerce hapless friends and family into carrying back spice blends from their travels, which is how I have been able to get my hands on some awesome blends.

Noori Masallawaley, an 80 year old shop, thats a one stop shop for spice blends. It has on offer ready packages of mixed spice or mounds of individual open spices that can be combined into custom blends.

Zahtar a popular spice mix to top Pita with.

These Masalchi's or spice blenders are a rare breed in India today but  their spice blends are legendary. Just like the Ras el hanout,  which is perhaps the most renowned ingredient from Morocco is a spice blend that can contain upwards of 30 ingredients. (I am told it is a point of honour for Moroccan spice merchants to have the most sought after versions in the souk (market). Legendary variations have included ingredients as bizarre as hashish and the notorious Spanish fly! My considerably less exotic version boasts cubeb pepper, long pepper, lavender and rose buds and was is like a spice blend for a curry, with a spicy kick (not chilli hot) uplifted by floral notes.

Baharat at a spice shop in Istanbuls Spice Market. (note the yellow Salat Baharat!)

Baharat is the name given to a spice blend popular accross Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Jordan. I even saw it in Turkey. Meaning spice in Arabic, traditional Baharat mixtures incorporate cassia, nutmeg, cumin and coriander rounded off with black pepper and it is used much like Indian cooks use garam masala; either sprinkled over the cooked dish as the final flavour booster or added to the pan with a little butter before starting to cook. Baharat is often used to season lamb but is also an all-purpose flavour enhancer useful for dishes of seafood, poultry, beef, tomato sauces, soups and even makes a great addition to lentil dishes and pilafs. Baharat varies as one travels around the countries in which it is used. Turkish Baharat is similar to the Arabic versions save for the distinctive addition of mint, although like other parts, cooks in Turkey use it as an all-purpose seasoning for meat dishes such as kofte (koftas), grain pilafs, and vegetable dishes and as a rub for lamb prior to grilling, but it is superlative with eggplant.  There are also other Baharats like Salat Baharat that are meant for specific dishes. 

South African cuisine has evolved from indigenous hunting and gathering to farming and an amalgamation of cooking styles including immigrant Indian cuisine. As a result South African cuisine has a number of spice blends to call its own; Potjiekos spice blends are used to flavour traditional Potjiekos or stews of meat and vegetables slow cooked over coals in cast iron three legged pots and Braai spice blends are used as meat rubs grilled on the braai or the South African Barbeque.

Chinese Five spice blend is a staple of Chinese cooking, often used in a technique called "flavour potting", where meat is steeped in a rich sauce and cooked for long hours. Made of star anise, cloves and cinnamon and fennel seeds spiked with the bite of Szechwan pepper, the combination is popular in many Asian recipes since its sweet tangy flavours lend well to greasy meats like pork and duck. But it also enhances dishes like stir-fried vegetables a and chicken dishes.

 

Isn’t it fascinating that somewhere in their culinary evolution, humans began combining  herbs and spices to flavour their foods? And that as cuisines and recipes evolved, so did the use of combinations of spices and spice blends used to cook and flavour food. And today the defining factor in most cuisines around the world is the all-important Spice Powder, a small amount of a spice blend that when stirred into a dish gives it a distinct flavour of that cuisine. A small amount of one of these added at the right moment can contribute characteristic flavor to the dish and make it distinctly Thai, Indian, Japanese, Chinese Mexican! 

Jyotika's raves about her Dad's speciality - Layya channa.

Receiving spice blends from various parts of the world over the last two weeks reminded me of the week of cooking I did with that “Papa’s Magic Masala’ recently. My friend and fellow food blogger Jyotika of the blog Follow My Recipe gave me some of her fathers  ‘Papa’s magic Masala.’ A signature masala her father , Ashok Kumar Purwar makes to a secret recipe with spices sourced from his generations old family spice shop in Allahabad. It is a wonderful, blend drawing out the flavous of anything from the simplest cachumber (salad) to the most elaborate curries and has travelled all over the world to his daughters friends. Papa's Magic masala is not a traditional blend but one that Ashok uncle has perfected with years of research and trial. He even recomends sprinkling some on a halved lemon and licking it, to fix upset tummies.

  

The making of my Anna Rascalla Masala

Ashok Uncles magic masala is a classic example of how we needn’t stop at traditional spice mixes. Indian cuisine is vast and keeps growing and new ingredients keep arriving into our country. There is so much to play with! I keep mixing and matching spices into new blends like the Anna Rascalla Masala I recently came up with or the Citrus Tzar. My Anna Rascalla Masala was inspired by the ingredients that are traditionally used to temper a South Indian Sambhar; with a predominantly curry leaf flavour laced with fenugreek and chillies. The CitrusTzar on the other hand is a wonderfully aromatic blend of Orange zest, chillies and Coriander seed. 

Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway! 

So tell me what your favourite Spice blend is ? Or the most unforgettable Spice blend you have ever come across? Where do you get it from? Do you make it? Leave a comment on this blogpost before 15 Oct and the 10 best comments will get packets of my Anna Rascalla and Citrus Tzar spice blends!

And here is a recipe while you are thinking about it. 

Spicy Pan Fried Chicken

This is what I call a template recipe. Living the Mumbai life as I do, juggling many roles, spice blends bring convenient variety to my kitchen. Often, just adding a different spice blend to a regular dish can result in new flavours.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken breasts, cleaned and flattened

1 tbsp ginger, grated

1 tbsp Garlic, chopped

2 tbsp oil or butter

½ - 1 tbsp Spice blend of your choice depending on how strong it is

Salt and Pepper/Chilli to taste

To Serve:

2 onions sliced thick

2 tomatoes halved

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

The first step to cooking chicken breasts is to trim the fat. Very often the breasts have some fat and connective tissue still attached. And occasionally a piece of bone may also still be connected, too. Use a boning knife, which looks similar to a fillet knife, to remove the nasty bits. If you prefer to leave the fat on, that is fine. After you have finished trimming the chicken breasts, dry them with a disposable paper towel. Place between two layers of clingwrap and flatten fatter side down a little with a rolling pin and a meat mallet. Either cut into pieces or cook whole pieces. Sprinkle salt and pepper over chicken, and rub in a little. Leave for 5 minutes. Then rub in the spice blend of your choice. Heat up a heavy-bottomed frying pan or cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add oil or butter and warm it. Once hot quickly add the chicken top side down. Allow to cook undisturbed for at least 5 minutes. (The longer you leave it on each side, the deeper the heat is penetrating). Also, the chicken needs to form a crust so that it doesn't stick to your pan. After 5 minutes flip the chicken over and see how the first side is looking. Leave it on the second side for 7 minutes before flipping it again. The pan isn't as hot as it was, so it will take longer on the second side. When the chicken turns opaque and starts browning at the edges, it is done.

 Gyan and links 

Blogs mentioned in this post - Nonchalant Gourmand, Follow My Recipe,

Turkish Flavours

Where to buy Masalas (Spice blends) in Mumbai

Maharashtrian Masalas - Vijay Lakshmi Masalle or Jai Maharashtra Masalle (New Lalbaug Market, Shri Ganesh Nagar, Mumbai 400 022).

Rajasthani Masalas - Rajasthani Mahila Mandal Gruh Udyog  - 12, 5^th Floor, Krantiveer Vasantrao, Near Sai Baba Mandir, Gowalia Tank,Naik Crosslane Forjett Street

Parsi and Gujarati Masalas - M Motilal Masalawala – 405, Opp. Novelty Cinema, Grant Road.
Goan and Mangalorean Masalas - Quality Mangalore Store – Joanadom Apartment, Shop No. 6, Opp. Orlem Market, Malad. Mangalore General Stores – Sai Bazar Shopping Center, Opp. Railway Station, 1^st Gavtham Lane, Santacruz (W). Mahalaxmi Mangalore Stores – JB Nagar, Andheri. Nayak Mangalore Store – 95, Laxmi Niwas, Near Rosary Church, MG Road, Goregaon (W).

South Indian Masala - Garden fresh, Idli House and other shops in Matunga

Spice blends from around the World - Godrej Nature's Basket (Zahtar, Ras El Hanout, Dukkah, Mexican spice blends Chinese, Italian, Japanese spice blends, Jerk and other seasonings.)