XACUTI MASALA ( Goa)

Ingredients:

Dry red chillies .... 6 ( to get nice red colour use 3 Kashmiri chillies and 3 hot red chillies)

Poppy seeds ......... 1 tbsp

Sesame seeds ....... 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds .... 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds .......... 1 tsp

Fenugreek/methi seeds ... 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds .............. 1/2 tsp

Black pepper corns ...... 1 tsp

Aniseeds/fennel/saunf.. . 1 tsp

Ajwain/carom seeds ....... 1/2 tsp

Green cardamoms...... 6

Black cardamom....... 1

Cloves ....................... 6-7

Cinnamon .............. 1 small piece

Method:

Dry roast all the above and grind. Store it in a clean, sterilized bottle. If you want to make it in a large quantity and store it add sea salt while grinding. This increases the shelf life. But remember to add less salt while making the curry.

This powder can be used for chicken, mutton, pork, egg, sea food and also vegetarian Goan Xacuti currys.

CHAI KA MASALA

Nothing like using home made masalas and I have made this Chai ka Masala using ginger skins/peels for the event organised by Nithu Bala - BEST OUT OF WASTE.

Usually we end up throwing the peels when we grind ginger paste.

Ingredients:

Green cardamoms ...... handful

Cloves .................. 3-4

Cinnamon stick .... 1 small piece

Black pepper corns... 10-12

Aniseed/fennelseed/saunf... 1 tbsp.

Ginger peels ....... 1/2 cup

Tulsi leaves ........ 10-15.

Method:

1. Wash and wipe the ginger well before peeling. Peel out the skins, spread them on a paper towel and dry them in the microwave for 1 minute first. Open and mix them and repeat doing this 3-4 times until they are crisp.(If the peels are thick then crush them in a pestle and mortar before drying them)

2. Repeat the same process with Tulsi leaves.But Tulsi takes lesser time.

3. Put all the other dry spices in a bowl and microwave for half a second.

4. Grind everything together and store in an air-tight container.

GARAM MASALA

Green Cardamoms.... 20 gms.

pepper corns ............. 20 gms.

Cloves ......................... 10 gms.

Brown Cardamoms....10 gms.

Caraway seeds ........... 5 gms.

Cumin seeds ............... 5 gms.

Cinnamon .................... 20 gms.

Aniseeds ...................... 5 gms.

Bay leaves ................... 4-5

Roast without oil and dry grind.

TEA MASALA

Cardamoms ..... 1/4 cup

Dry ginger ........ 2 tbsps.

Pepper corns .... 1 tsp.

Cinnamon .......... 1 small piece
Aniseeds ............. 1 tsp.

Grind all the ingredients and store.

AMBOTIC SPICE PASTE ( from Goa )

Dry red chillies ....... 10

Cumin seeds ........... 1/2 tsp.

Cloves ...................... 5

Cinnamon ............... 1 inch piece

Black pepper .......... 1 tsp.

Ginger ...................... 2 inch piece

Garlic ....................... 10 cloves

Salt ........................... 1 tsp.

Malt vinegar ........... 1/2 cup

Dry roast and grind to a paste using vinegar.

Store this paste in the refrigerator.

Vinegar helps it to last for months.

KOLHAPURI MASALA

Cloves ............... 12

Cinnamon ........ 2 inch piece

Black pepper .... 1/2 tsp.

Mace .................. 1 full piece

Coriander seeds ..1 tsp.

Bay leaf ............... 1

Poppy seeds.......... 2 tsp. (Khus khus)

Cumin seeds .......... 1/4 tsp.

Fennel seeds .......... 1/2 tsp. (saunf)

Star anise ................ 1 piece

Cardamoms ............ 2-3

Dry red chillies ........ 7-8

Dry coconut ............. 1 tbsp. (Dessicated)

Oil to roast ............ 1tsp.

Roast and dry grind to a coarse powder.

This is a closer version of the Kolhapuri masala. The original one has few more spices, which are difficult to get outside Maharashtra. However this spice blend is equally good for Kolhapuri dishes.

BISI BELLA BATH MASALA (Sambar Rice)

Dessicated coconut .......... 1/4 cup
Coriander seeds................. 1 tbsp.
Black pepper ..................... 1 tsp.
Cummin seeds ................... 1/2 tbsp.
Methi seeds ...................... 1 tsp.
Dry red chillies ................. 4-5
Asafoetida (hing)............... 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves...................... 2 sprigs
Cloves .............................. 5
Cinnamon ....................... 1 inch stick
Cardamom .................. 4-5
Oil for roasting .............. 1 tsp.

Roast and dry grind the above ingredients.

RASAM POWDER

Coriander seeds...1 tbsp.

Black pepper ........ 1 tsp.

Cummin seeds ..... 1/2 tbsp.

Dry red chillies .....3

Curry leaves.......... 1 sprig

Oil ........................... 1 tsp.

Roast and dry grind all the above ingredients.

SAMBAR POWDER

Coriander seeds ..... 1/4 cup.

Cumin seeds ........... 1 tbsp.

Chana dal ................ 1 tbsp.

Toor dal .................. 1 tbsp.

Methi seeds ............ 1 tsp.

Red chillies (dry)..... 6

Curry leaves ........... 8

Cloves ...................... 5

Turmeric powder...1 tsp.

Dry coconut ........... 1 tbsp (dessicated)

Oil ............................2 tsp.

Roast all the above ingredients.

Dry grind into a coarse powder.

TANDOORI MASALA POWDER

Coriander powder ..... 4 tsps.

Cumin powder ............ 3 tsps.

Garlic powder ............. 4 tsps.

Red chilli powder ........ 2 tsps.

Ginger powder ............ 2 tsps.

Mango powder ............ 2 tsps.

Dried mint .................... 1 tsp.

Red colour ..................... 1 tsp.

Rock salt ....................... 1 tsp.