HKC 1.1: SPICES

Spices determine the taste of a preparation, and they are the jewels of cooking for Krsna. Foodstuffs are spiced in three different ways.

Massala is prepared by heating ghee in a pan, adding spices, and cooking them until they become fragrant; then the vegetable is added to the ghee and spices. Most of the vegetable recipes are cooked in massala. Chaunche is prepared by heating a small amount of ghee in a small pot. Spices are added and cooked until fragrant, and the contents of the pot are added to an already cooked preparation, such as dahl or chutney. The third process is to add certain uncooked spices to a preparation. This is usually done in savories such as samosa or kachori filling because they will be deep-fried. Using uncooked spices keeps the taste fresher after the deep-frying. Adding or omitting a spice varies the taste quite a bit. Crushed or whole chilis or ground cayenne pepper have no taste; they provide the heat sensation. After preparing certain dishes several times, you will become familiar with the spices and be able to make up your own massala or chaunche.

Hot and spicy preparations should not be mixed with unspiced preparations. Salt should never be put into milk or butter. Salt may be added to yoghurt, however. Some spices are sweet, and some are pungent. For instance, luglu would never be made with asafoetida. In preparing prasadam it is a good policy to stick to parampara (disciplic succession) and not experiment too much on one's own.

The spices that are mentioned here also have a role other than taste. They serve certain functions for maintaining good health. Turmeric is a blood purifier, chili peppers aid digestion, asafoetida is an anti-convulsant, ginger controls the intestines, etc. If possible, spices should be bought whole and ground at home in small quantities. The taste of freshly ground spices is incomparable.

Some of the common spices used in prasadam preparations are listed below:

ground allspice, asafoetida, whole anise seed, ground black pepper whole caraway seeds, whole cardamom pods, cayenne, crushed chilis, ground cinnamon, whole cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, whole cloves, ground coriander, ground cumin seeds, whole cumin seeds, fresh ginger, ground ginger, dried mango powder, ground nutmeg, whole peppercorn, rose water, saffron, whole sesame seeds, ground turmeric.

Most of these spices are available at supermarkets and spice shops, but some will have to be purchased at Indian specialty stores. If there are none in your area, you can probably have these spices shipped to you. Asafoetida and mango powder will have to be purchased from a specialty store, and ginger root may only be available in a Chinese food store.