We do love our Indian cuisine here at El Gusto, but for many cooks who haven’t unlocked the spicy secrets, curry consumption is limited to the take-out across town. If you’re always up for a good vindaloo but not sure where to start, join us on a journey to the Fabled Land – from your own kitchen!
The first destination is the pantry, to get to know your ingredients. Of course, that includes spices, and we do not mean curry powder! Curry powder is the powdered skim milk of spices – a poor substitute at best. Our spice shelf is generally well stocked with garam masala, turmeric, coriander (seeds and ground), red chilli powder, cayenne pepper, cumin (both whole and ground), cinnamon, mustard seeds, and cardamom. If you’re feeling very adventurous, you can also hunt down mace and fenugreek. Keeping some fresh ginger and garlic on hand is a good idea, as well as cilantro aka coriander, and bay leaves. And of course, you’ll need basmati rice – which you can find in bulk at most Indian stores or ethnic supermarkets.
As far as cooking tools and utensils, you probably already have everything you need. As long as you have a wok, a set of saucepans, a pressure cooker and a steamer, you can cook pretty much any Indian dish.
Next stop is understanding the basic methodology. Don’t know a dal from a biryani? We don’t blame you! Indian cooking uses a lot of special terms; however, most recipes follow a few essential steps. You often begin by heating some kind of oil in a pan. In the hot pan, whole spices such as cardamom, cloves or cinnamon stick are sautéed, a process known as ‘tempering’. Now you’re ready for the vegetables – usually onions, followed by tomatoes. After this, more powdered spices are added to taste. The next step is to create a base by incorporating liquid – water for curries, dairy for a dish like butter chicken, or even combining the mixture with lentils to create dal. The whole dish is then cooked until the flavours are balanced and any protein or vegetables are done. Of course, these steps are generalised and can vary, but this is the standard process for a lot of Indian dishes from butter chicken to chicken tikka masala.
Okay. You’ve got a handle on some of the basics; your spice cabinet is loaded and ready to fire, you’ve got your wok heating and vegetables prepped. Now it’s time to get some practice down. Remember though, you will make mistakes. You won’t believe just how bitter a korma can be until you have made a bad one! Indian food is an art that takes a long time to master. But with just a bit of rehearsal, the right recipes, and the proper spices and cooking techniques, you can easily start to cook simple Indian dishes at home. Every time you practise, you will improve, your palate will develop, and you will soon be turning your nose up at the take-out from across town.
