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Indian spice MUST HAVES

Nova

Nova

Hey guys, seeing as though there is no Indian grocer locally that i can buy from i will most probably have to travel to distant lands to obtain specialty indian spices/mixes.

I want to know what i SHOULD NOT leave the store without, starting with Garam Masala.

Thankyou!
 
Yeah it's just that it would be a waste to go all the way to an indian grocer and not get a few items at least.

You are more than welcome to throw in thai or indonesian suggestion as well though!
 
Here ya goes Nova, this might help;

http://asiarecipe.com/ingredients.html
http://www.templeofthai.com/

Heres what I have at home at the moment;

fish sauce
oyster sauce
sweet chilli sauce
shrimp paste
thai curry paste, green yellow, red, panang, musaman
coconut milk
fresh coriander
fresh thai basil
ginger
soy bean paste
fresh Thai chilliies
jasmine rice
thai sticky rice
fresh lemon grass
palm sugar
tamarind paste
tumeric root
kaffir lime leaf
galangal root
fresh lime
kechap manis
pad thai noodles

I also have a heap of different asian plant seeds if ya interested???
 
All these ingredients make me hungry. Daughter in law brought over nearly 25 pounds of jasmine rice the other day because they weren't using it up fast enough. I divided it up in bags and into the freezer it went...prevents those little mealy bugs that love grain in the winter. Anyway now I have to find some recipes to use it.
 
Nova, along with the garam masala, definitely tumeric and galangal.
Much of the other essentials like cumin, coriander etc are available elsewhere, but fresh is better obviously.
I use ginger and some mango sometimes too. Love Indian curries, and can't stand Thai curries that have coconut milk. It's an evil ingredient (like beetroot and celery). :lol:

What's your experience with superhots in Indian curry? Any preferences? I mentioned ginger and mango, but it's mainly to mask some of the stronger flavoured chillis that kill that true curry taste. The habs are my fave flavour-wise.
 
I haven't really messed with superhots in curries, i mainly go for a vindaloo or just a homemade curry with heaps o chilli chucked in.

I must add galangal to the list, i already have heaps of tumeric ;)
:cheers:
 
Why do you need to go all the way to a distant store to get the goods?????

I really think you under estimate woolworths.......Yeah yeah, i know, but don't dismiss it so quickly!!!!!!!

I have made a number of different curries and 99% of the spices needed are found at woolworths.

You get can all the spices needed to make a great madras or vindaloo from woolworths.

whole cloves
Whole Cinnamon sticks
star anise
Cardamon Pods (my favorite taste ever - great cooked with plain rice)
Bay leaves
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds
Garam Masala
Tumeric
Fresh Coconuts or tin coconut milk

Hell they even have ready made Pappadams that you just deep fry for a few seconds....
 
Add coriander seeds to the list.

What you should do is take three very different Indian dishes (ones you like of course), look up the recipes, and go shopping. Then you should have most of what you need.

Or wait for NJA to post ;)

Make sure to buy basmati rice, it ain't the same without it!
 
"AND STAY OUT OF WOOLWORTHS"

quote from Oh Brother, Where Art Thou....one of my all time favorite movies...

back on track for me...

I have never cooked any indian quisine but I suppose I should start since the wife and I love spicy food...
 
thehotpepper.com said:
Add coriander seeds to the list.

What you should do is take three very different Indian dishes (ones you like of course), look up the recipes, and go shopping. Then you should have most of what you need.

Or wait for NJA to post ;)

Make sure to buy basmati rice, it ain't the same without it!
Click to expand...

THP,

Thanks. I thought no one is going to remember this ol'Goat and that too Indian to the core. Added to that a cook.
(Enough of self praise).

If you don't want to step out of Indian grocer without the best possible items, I need to know what are your favs in Indian curries and then I will decide what you need to buy.

GARAM MASALA is a very broad thingy. There are specific Garam Masala for specific foods. There are broad spectrum Garam Masala but again it has its limitation where it can be used.

Once I get your feedback, I will suggest you what to buy and what not to buy.

NJA

(Am an Indian since last 7 births)
 
thehotpepper.com said:
Add coriander seeds to the list.
Click to expand...

For sure!!!!

I love corriander seeds and always have a bottle of them in the pantry.

Nova make sure you also have a good heavy mortar and pestle...
 
coriander seeds are one of the staples in my cupboards, also cumin seeds, as well as turmeric, fenugreek leaf, coriander leaf (cilantro) & spices too numerous to mention.
garam masala indeed varies from kitchen to kitchen,& region to region.
i love Indian cuisine, as i do Thai, Vietamese, Malaysian, etc etc, in fact anything spicy...or witn chillies, & just google for spicy recipes, or search ebay for good curry mixes.i've had some fantastic curry spice mixes from there, & i'd expect there to be more for those in the north american sphere.
 
Ok.......Ever since nova posted this thread I have been looking for a site I found years ago when it was just starting out, and now it is pretty large and has a massive seletion of herbs and spices.....I have finally found it!!

http://www.herbies.com.au/

It is a one stop shop for dried Indian and asian herbs and spices......I am looking to make a nice sized order pretty soon......and the prices and pretty good as well!!
 
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