Let’s Go Chutney and Pickle Hunting

Get ready to be dazzled by colorful, tangy, spicy, and sweet chutney and pickle condiments; each one is a mouthwatering bite worth tasting.

Red onions are pickled in a pickling base made with spice infused water, balsamic and cider vinegar, and sweetness from brown sugar. Often seen at ethnic restaurants, this tangy onion add an amazing flavor bite to any meal, and are a great accompaniment to sandwiches and wraps, kebabs and curries.

India is predominantly a tea-drinking nation, and also the second-largest tea producer in the world. The popular hot beverage Chai is part of the country’s urban and rural landscape. It is common to see people from all walks of life, and all strata of society, stand side-by-side at roadside tea stalls.

Enjoy my recipe for Ginger Spiced Masala Chai

While pre-packaged Garam Masala is available at specialty ethnic stores, it’s also equally simple to make this essential Indian blend in your own kitchen. And like all things homemade, you get to customize the blend to your family’s tastes. So, here’s a crash course on making this spice blend along with my personal recipe for a homemade Garam Masala.

It’s really quite simple to make healthy mangoes a part of your meal; and a taste of my 2-step raw mango pickle will show you just how to do it.

One weekend, on a whim, I decided to test my spice tolerance with ‘Bhut Jolokia’, one of the spiciest chili peppers in the world; adding it to vegetables and vindaloos, and a homemade hot sauce for long-term use.

Feeling the slow burn of too much capsaicin left me with one thought from the Bhut Jolokia experiment, “Sometimes, the way to chili pepper wisdom must come through the spiciest route”.

We (by which I mean my ancestors) came to India from Persia around the 8th Century CE. Parsi Zoroastrians follow the teachings of Prophet Zarathustra/Zoroaster and his ancient religion of Zoroastrianism. (Wikipedia offers detailed information on Parsis in India.) Most settled on the west coast of India and adopted Indian food habits and culture. Over the past 1300 years thanks to our love for food, Parsi cuisine has grown into a unique west coast Indian cuisine which still retains some food flavors and techniques from ancient Persia.

It’s like a slice of history on your plate…and here’s why:

Many Indian recipes start with a basic process of pan roasting the 'fresh aromatics' namely onion, garlic, and ginger, along with whole spices in hot oil. While convenience is a good reason to have this versatile ginger-garlic paste on hand, one cannot ignore the sheer health benefits of this aromatic blend. I’ve added my simple two-ingredient recipe for making this essential ingredient in your own home, along with tips for storing the paste.

From grilled lamb chops and boti kebab, to the well-known chicken tikka and versatile vegetarian aloo tikki or paneer tikka, the Indian cuisine can offer great choices, old wisdom and delicious flavors to your summer grilling.

Indian desserts are different from traditional western desserts in their creation and taste, at times requiring a level of expertise which can be a deterrent to making them at home. For beginners to Indian cooking, looking to make Indian desserts at home, I would suggest starting with simpler recipes like rice kheer-pudding and gajjar (carrot) halwa.

If you learning how to make Indian food at home, it’s worth starting with Indian flatbread like chapati and naan. An Indian home kitchen is always stocked with generous quantities of three grains, ready to go at a moment’s notice: rice, lentils and whole wheat ‘Atta’ flour.

Cooking good rice is like everything else, the more often you make it, the better you will be at it. While practice makes perfect, standard units of measure and an understanding of basic techniques will make the process much simpler. Use this step-by-step guide to cook the perfect fluffy aromatic Basmati rice at home.

Spices are the cornerstone of most Indian recipes, and learning how to cook Indian food starts with a basic understanding of spices and the role they play in this cuisine. Used moderately in the right balance, Indian spices can turn an ordinary meal into a smorgasbord of flavors on your palate. It’s time to wake up the taste buds.

This is the first post on Peri’s Spice Ladle, published in January 2012.