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Blended Spices (Masala):
Unlike western cooking wherein the emphasis is on retaining the original flavor of the meat, fish or vegetables in a dish, in Indian traditional cuisine, it is the aroma, taste, and color of a spice mix or "masala" that dominates most dishes.
Masalas (Spices) are prepared by blending a number of pure spices like chili, turmeric, coriander, pepper, cardamom, cumin, clove, etc in precise proportions to give a blend (called a "masala") that imparts a distinct color, aroma, and taste to a dish. Blending masala is both, a science and an art. It has to achieve a taste that meets the taste demanded by consumers.
Spices known for their coloring, thickening, souring, and pungency properties are often added to achieve masala blends that are specific to specific tastes of communities from various regions and ethnic groups. Further, many herbs, Pulses and fresh spices are also added for their "cooling" and "nutritive" properties to masalas.
It is this complex blending of many spices that distinguishes Indian cuisine from others.
The most basic form of an Indian masala is "Garam Masala". The word "Garam" means hot or pungent in Hindi language. This is a blend of Cinnamon, Pepper, Clove, and Cardamom.