Notes on cooking Indian food

1. Several recipes call for cooking with spices, then removing the spices before serving. The best way to do this is to use a spice bag, a small cheesecloth pouch into which you can put all the spices, and which you can remove from the pan when it's time to remove the spices. You can click here for an example of how to make a spice bag.


2. Some spices are rather exotic, and may not be readily available. Omit these, or find a reasonable substitute if you can.


3. You will need a grinder for several of the dishes, to grind spices or nuts for example. I use an electric coffee grinder, but be careful when grinding nuts as they can make a moist paste which will clog the blades. If the grinder won't turn, it's probably because it's overloaded or the blades are gummed with nut paste. Clean it out, check it works and continue on.


4. Some recipes call for chili peppers. Mexican jalapeno peppers have a different taste from Indian or Thai peppers. Try to avoid using jalapenos. For a milder dish, add the peppers whole and remove them before the end of the cooking time; the longer a pepper stays in the dish, the hotter it will be. Deseeding peppers also helps reduce their heat.


5. Vegetable oil and ghee are interchangeable for cooking. Ghee is a nutty form of clarified butter, which keeps well and won't burn at high temperatures. To make your own, melt 8oz of unsalted butter over a low-medium heat until all the water has evaporated. The ghee will be nuttier-flavored the longer it remains on the heat. Separate the solids from the clear liquid and discard them. The remaining golden liquid is ghee. It is best just before it begins to darken to a brownish color. If it does turn brown, it is still good. You can use ghee or regular butter for spreading on naan bread, chapatis etc.


6. Real basmati rice is expensive, but lasts a long time, as only a little is used to go a long way. For example, the basmati rice with peas dish uses 1 cup of rice to serve 6 people. Soak and rinse the rice before use to remove excess starch.


7. Plain yogurt is used a lot in Indian cooking. It adds a creamy texture to curries. Always lightly whisk yogurt before use to smooth out its consistency as it has a tendency to separate when unused for a while. Yogurt will curdle quickly when heated, and needs to be stirred in well when added to a dish to prevent this. You can thicken the yogurt for a creamier result by draining it before use. Place a coffee filter or a piece of cheesecloth in a sieve, add the yogurt and let it drip into a bowl. Place in the refrigerator to drain overnight.