Seasonings & Spice mixtures

[warda]

In Luxor it's hard to find good spice mixtures so I have started to do some myself. Here we buy spices directly from market and only after good cleaning and "dusting" I store them. This is a good recipe for Garam Masala.

Garam Masala
50 g coriander seeds
25 g cumin seeds
12 g cinnamon
15 g black cardamom pods
10 g cloves
15 g whole black peppercorns
Lightly roast all the ingredients.
Powder the lightly roasted ingredients in a grinder.
Store in a bottle and use as and when desired.
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[warda]

Dukka (Mid East Spice)
125 g (4 oz) sesame seeds
75 g (3 oz) hazelnuts or roasted chick peas
50 g (2 oz) coriander seeds
25 g (1 oz) cumin (jeeraa)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp dried thyme or mint

This blend of spices with ground hazelnuts or roasted chick peas comes from Egypt. Serve with bread: dip this in olive oil and then into the dukka.

Dry roast the sesame seeds until lightly browned. Remove from the pan. Roast the hazelnuts for about 5 minutes and remove their skins (chick peas do not need roasting further), then roast the coriander and cumin seeds until they darken. When everything has cooled, combine all the ingredients and pound or process to a coarse powder. The mixture will keep for 3 months stored in an airtight jar in a cool place.

[Countessa]

Oh yum, thanks for those Warda!! You don't have a meaty curry recipe to hand by any chance????

[HEPZIBAH]

[face=Comic Sans MS]Warda - garam masala is one of my favourites. I've mixed the ready grounded spices myself before but I've never done it from scratch so will have to have a go some time.[/face]

[dab19]

Thanks Warda...usually buy the GM....now will have a go. Will try to remember to look out a general purpose curry mixture...courtesy of Pink Floyd.....the one who is always p.....ed. O....sorry, Keith Floyd!!!

(hee hee)

[warda]

Here some more

Homemade Curry Powder
4 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (or 1/2 to 1)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or 1/2 to 1)
1/2 teaspoon cardamom, whole,without pods
1/2 inch cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
In a blender container, place all.

Cover and grind for 1 to 2 minutes or till mixture is a fine powder.
Store spice mixture in airtight container in cool dry place.

You can also toast spices in a dry skillet before grinding them.
This is quite mild but you can add more peppercorns and red pepper if you like it hot
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[warda]

Dab, I love Keith Floyd

[Mimimay]

Thanks for the mix for Dukha warda, we love it and always bring some back with us but have never made it myself.Now I can

[HEPZIBAH]

[face=Comic Sans MS]I love the sound of the Dukka and really must get round to having a go at some of these things.[/face]