Thandai Powder

Today is the festival of colors also called 'Holi' in India. It is a festival to welcome spring and all its colors. People color each other with different colors and use water to play around. Significance of water is actually to cool down. 

As always food plays a vital role in any festival and Holi is not far behind either. My mother used to make Puran Polis (I need to update the picture here). But there are so many other sweets and snacks that form part of the festival.
Thandai is a drink that is served during this festival. Its a milk beverage infused with mild aromatic spices and dried fruits and rose petals.
People do add bhang (marijuana) to make it an intoxicating adult beverage too. 

We visited friends who had arranged a Holi party at their beautiful home. I volunteered to make thandai along with something else. It was an amazing feeling to see how much everyone loved the drink. 

Ingredients

1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup pistachios
1/4 cup almonds
2 tablespoons poppy seeds/khuskhus
2 tablespoons melon seeds
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black pepper
10 green cardamoms
2 tablespoons dried rose petals (optional)
a few strands of saffron
1 cup sugar

Method

Take all the ingredients and using a very dry grinder, grind it to a powder. Sieve and grind the coarse leftover powder again. Repeat this process till its fully done.
The above ingredients should yield roughly about 2 cups of thandai powder.

I use whole milk to make thandai. For one cup whole milk (boiled and completely cooled), use about 5 to 6 ice cubes and 2 tablespoons of 'Khus Sherbat' and 1 tablespoon of thandai powder. Blend it all together in a blender/mixer. You can serve it in tall glasses. Straining it is optional.

Notes

• Using the Khus Sherbat  is optional - I like it as this adds a nice green hue and some extra sweetness.
• When you are blending the thandai, you can adjust the amount of sugar as per your like - more or less does not matter.  

Biryani Masala Powder

We are a biryani loving family. Chicken biryani, mutton biryani, shrimp biryani, fish biryani, paneer biryani, veg biryani.............. well, you name it and we eat it. We also cook it at home. 

We have been making our own masalas at home for as long as I can remember. My mother and grandmothers made their own masalas and I guess that legacy is continued at 'merakitchen'.

I generally make these masalas in small batches which last about 4 to 6 months. I keep them in the freezer to retain their aromas.

Follow the link 'some-spices-used-in-indian-desi-kitchens' to get a picture of the spices used here. This is not an exhaustive list. 

Ingredients

Cloves / Lavang - 30 pieces
Black cardamom / Badi elaichi - 5 pieces
Green cardamom / Choti elaichi - 25 pieces
Cinnamon / Dalchini -5 (big)
Nutmeg / Jaiphal- 1/4 piece
Cumin seeds / Jeera - 5 tablespoons
Black cumin / Shahi jeera - 4 teaspoons
Mace / Javitri - 7 pieces
Stone flower / Dagad phool - 10 pieces
Star anise / Chara phool - 8 pieces
Fennel Seeds / Saunf - 4 tablespoons
Coriander seeds / Akkha Dhania - 1/2 Cup
Black pepper / Kali mirch - 3 tablespoons
Bay leaf / Tej patta - 7
Fenugreek seeds / Methi dana - 1/8 teaspoon

Method

Dry Roast all the ingredients one at a time and let them cool in a plate. Once they are at room temperature, grind the entire batch into a powder. I do not sieve the ground spices, but you may do so if you please.
Let it sit on a plate to let go of any heat it may have generated in the grinding process. Store it in a glass jar with a tight cap and keep it in the freezer. This way you keep the aromas intact.
Makes about 2 cups of masala powder. And it has a life of 1 year in the freezer. But, if you are a biryani lover like us................ this will be over in no time.

Rasam Powder

Ingredients

15 dried kashmiri red chilis
15 curry leaves
1/4 cup tuvar dal/split pigeon peas
1/4 cup masoor dal/split lentils
2 tablespoons urad dal/split black gram
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds/methi seeds
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida/hing
1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Method

Dry roast all the ingredients one by one except the asafoetida and the turmeric powder - till a nice aroma comes by. Mix all the ingredients together including the asafoetida and the turmeric powder and run it through a mixer/blender/grinder to get a nice powder.
Rasam powder is ready. Store in a airtight container. Lasts for a good year.
Use it to make Rasams of your choice.

Vangi Bhaat Masala Powder

Vaangi bhaat is nothing but brinjal(eggplant) rice. It is a very yummy and tangy and spicy rice preperation pretty famous in Karnataka state of India. Makes a wonderful one pot meal which is filling and also has a good serving of vegetables (her its eggplant).
The masala used in vaangi bhaat is made and generally stored for a few months making it easy to prepare a meal in a jiffy.
I made this masala based on the bhaaji masala and the kholamba masala that I had made a few months ago. It may not be the most authentic one but these are the basic ingredients used in everyday cooking in southern India. I have a bottle of it and now vaangi bhaat is enjoyed by us without having to worry about grinding the masala everytime.

Ingredients

1 cup coriander seeds
1/4 cup cumin seeds
1 cup bengal gram/chana dal
1 cup split black gram/urad dal
2 cups curry leaves
1/8 cup cloves
1/8 cup green cardamom
2 tablespoons fenugreek seeds
1 cup sesame seeds
30 dried red kashmiri chilis
30 dried red byadgi chilis
1 cup dried coconut slices/kopra slices

Method

In a large karahi or frying pan - dry roast each ingredient individually till they release a nice aroma. Be careful to do this on a medium flame as you do not want to burn any spices. Should take anywhere from 5 minutes to 10 minutes depending on the size of the ingredient.
Once all of the ingredients are roasted - add them to a dry grinder and make a fine powder. Store in a dry bottle - in a cool and dry place. This stays good for about 3 months.
I generally store mine in the freezer and it stays good for 6 months to a year.

Use it to make the traditional vaangi bhaat. But, I change the veggies now and then. I make tendli (ivy gourd), bell pepper, cabbage, cauliflower, beans bhaat (rice)

Bhaji Masala

I like to cook bhaji's (dry vegetables) with the minimum of masalas - however, still keeping intact the Indian aromas and taste. My Mom had given me a bhaji masala few years ago when I was moving to the US - we used to cook beans and tindora and even plain potatoes in this masala and loved the aroma in the whole house. 

Well - I had to make this masala on my own as my stock got over. So, I remembered what my mom had used and made this. I am happy to say that this tastes just like my Mom's masala powder.

Ingredients

1 cup whole coriander seeds
1/4 cup mustard seeds
1/4 cup cumin seeds
1/2 cup split urad dal (black lentils)
1/2 cup split chana dal (bengal gram)
1/8 cup fenugreek seeds
4 tablespoons asafoetida (hing)
4 tablespoon turmeric powder
15 nos byadgi mirchi/chilli (dried)
15 nos kashmiri mirchi/chilli (dried)
2 tablespoons oil

Method

In a karahi dry roast the corinader seeds and remove them into a plate. Now dry roast the cumin and the fenugreek separately and remove them into a plate. Now add the dried chillies and dry roast them and remove them into the same plate which has the coriander seeds. In the same karahi, add the oil, when it gets hot add the bengal gram and roast it till it gets nice and golden, remove it into the same plate as all the other ingredients. Now add the urad dal to the same oil and fry till it gets a nice golden color, remove it into the same plate as all the other ingredients. Now add the mustard seeds to the remaining oil and let it splutter. Remove the mustard and the oil into the same plate as all other ingredients. Let it all stand together and cool. Now add the asafoetida and the turmeric powder to this mixture and grind it to a fine powder.
Mix the powder very well and let it get cold at room temperature. Store it in an airtight container and keep it in the freezer door. This stays for over a year.

Kholamba (Konkani Sambar) Masala

Kholamba - well the easiest way to describe it is 'konkani sambar'. Its a staple in konkani households and I remember the first time I had it at my Atya's place long time ago when I was about 10 years old. I am sure I had tasted it earlier too - but, somehow I remember the first taste of Kholamba at her place in Karwar, Karnataka.

Ever since I have been a fan of this dish. Mom makes amazing Kholamba too along with all the other yummy food. She gifted me the Konkani Saraswat cook book called 'Rasachandrika' - and boy, what an amazing book it is!

I made this masala following the recipe in the book. I still remember the aroma in the entire house when I was preparing this masala. its aromatic and fun to make!

Ingredients

500 grams coriander seeds
250  grams  red chillis (I used Byadgi Mirchi)
20  grams  turmeric powder
40  grams  udad dal (black gram dal)
40  grams  chana dal (Bengal gram dal)
20  grams black pepper corns
40  grams  fenugreek seeds
20  grams asafoetida
50  grams  mustard seeds
50  grams  cumin seeds
2 hand-fulls curry leaves
2 tablespoons oil

Method

Pour a tablespoon oil in a karahi and add the mustard seeds and fry for 2 to 3 minutes and hear them splutter. Be careful to so this on medium heat and do not burn. Then add the cumin and fry for another 2 minutes. Remove and let it sit in a plate. Now add the other tablespoon oil and add the udad dal and chana dal and fry till they turn a nice golden color. Remove in the same place as mustard and cumin.
Now in the same karahi - dry roast the other ingredients one by one separately till a nice golden color - except for the turmeric.
Blend the masala in a mixture to a fine powder and store in an airtight container.

I generally keep all my masalas in the freezer for a longer life.