How to make curries ?

Many people have asked me whether "curry" is a westernized dish that does not exist in India or Asia ?. I have to say that hardly any Indian meal is complete without a curry.

There are many type of curries in India. Let me explain them in the following:

In southern India, curries are based on blend of coconut and tamarind. While in north, it is made from range of mild spices. There is no such thing as Madras curry or even Madras curry powder as the term "curry" refers to hundreds of variations.

A good curry made with vegetables or meat should be fairly thick. A thin curry will not support a blend of spices where as too thick will not moisten the accompanying rice or bread sufficiently.

Curries are colorful and use turmeric, red chili pepper, tamarind, cumin and coriander as ingredients. These spices add flavor and aroma in any preparation.

Generally, curries can have white (yogurt based), red, yellow and green color. The curries from southern India are green while from northern and central India are white, red or yellow. The oil used also varies from region to region giving each curry a unique taste and fragrance.

Peanut and coconut oil is used in many parts of southern India. Coconut is widely grown in southern Indian coastal regions. Mustard oil is used in Bengal region. Clarified butter or ghee is used over most of the country.

A good curry preparation requires time and patience. In north, a basic curry starts with heating the oil or Ghee. Seed spices (cumin, coriander, red chili pepper, mustard, fenugreek, fennel) are added to the heated oil for releasing their aromatic oils.

Onion, Garlic, Ginger and tomatoes are added in the second step for moisture.
Powdered spices are added in the third step so that they don't get burnt. Main ingredient (vegetable or lentil or meat) and salt with little water are added next to obtain the right consistency.

Controlled heat and an eye for right texture and color are equally important for delicious curry.
Thus curries are made in steps and almost like building blocks. Think of curries as toy building blocks where they can be moved around and re-arranged in countless ways.

Curry recipes can be never ending as every one has their way of preparation. You can have your own recipe for many curry preparations if you follow the basic steps mentioned above. Beware, curries are addicting and once your taste buds are exposed, it is very hard to go back !. Are you ready ?.

Cardamom - Queen of Spices

Cardamom(Elettaria) is the "queen of spices", second only to black pepper, the "king of spices". It is one of the most valued spice in the world. Cardamom belongs to the same family as ginger and turmeric. Cardamom pods are the fruits of the plant that has large lush green leaves and has beautiful white flowers. Cardamom fruits are harvested and then dried. Indus Cardamom is green in color since it is not dried in sun. Cardamom is native to India and it is grown in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Sumatra & Guatemala. In India, it is harvested once a year where as in Guatemala it is harvested at least twice in the year. Taste and aroma of Indian cardamom is very different from Guatemala counterpart. Cardamom is grown in regions of heavy rain fall . It can not be grown in Europe, Africa or US.

Cardamom has pleasant aroma and slightly pungent taste. It is used as a breath freshener in India and other countries. It is used as a key ingredient in masala Chai and has gained more market in the US. Cardamom is used in curries, cakes, bread, flavored rice and confectionery.


Cardamom is essential oil is used in pharmaceuticals, perfumes, flavoring liqueurs, and as a stimulant. Cardamom is used to reduce the impotency and pre-mature ejaculation by many people. A pinch of cardamom boiled in milk and sweetened with honey every night would result excellent results. In India, green cardamom is broadly used to treat infections in teeth and Gum, to prevent and treat throat troubles, congestion of the lungs and pulmonary tuberculosis, inflammation of eyelids and also digestive disorders. It is also reportedly used as an antidote for both snake and scorpion venom.

Product usage are not tested and approved by USFDA. Products are suggestions by natural health practitioner, please consult your doctor.

Why Spices Should be Organic ?

Lot of people ask me about spices and herbs. Main question they ask, I use small amount of spices - why do I care about organic?. It seems right at first glance. However, there is a main reason that people often forget. For example, 1 lb of organic garlic powder is produced from 10 lbs of raw garlic bulbs. Similarly, 1 lb of organic cayenne pepper is produced from 8-10 lbs of fresh cayenne pepper. Therefore, potency of spices are much higher than fresh product. If we are using several spices, amount of chemical intake is substantial in our food. Dried spices and herbs have different drying & processing ratio associated with fresh products. There is an additional purity factor that is associated with stems and outer skin of the product.

Why spices are more expensive than Rice ?
Most spices are harvested once a year in a season. Amount of produce per acre is much smaller than other commodities like rice and wheat. After harvesting, post processing of cleaning, drying, powdering etc. is required. Most of spices have loss associated with drying. This ratio can be from 5 to 10, depending on the spice. Therefore, cost of spice produce is higher than other commodities.