There are experiences that we never
forget in our lives like first day in school, first love and the list
just keeps getting lengthier. Among these first experiences one
experience would always remain in our memory, the day when we first
cooked something. Whether you remember the day with pride or
embarrassment that is another issue, the important thing here is it
was our first introduction to cooking. From then on began the journey
of memorizing recipes, learning tricks and tips, knowing the spices.
Each cuisine comes with its set of intricacies, Indian cuisine has
its own. It is the number of spice combinations that we have to
remember for each recipe, that indeed is the toughest job. Seasoning
plays a significant role in this cuisine, and if you don't get the
seasoning right then you could consider the dish as
ruined.
Seasoning is vital for us. It is about creating the right flavor that the preparation is going to absorb. Basically for almost all preparations we have a particular seasoning. An unique combination of spices is used for each recipe. The spice combination keeps changing from dish to dish. Usually after heating the oil the seasoning is added. You have to be careful at this stage. You should not burn the spices or fry them too much, that would simply spoil the taste of the food. Sometimes a special seasoning is added at the end of the preparation.
Some spices that are used in seasoning are cumin seeds, mustard seeds, whole dried red chillies, onion seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, fenugreek seeds and there are more. Sometimes tiny pieces of ginger too are added to spice up a preparation. Let us check out some of the unique seasonings.
Paanch phoron is a unique combination of five spices, this is particularly used in Bengali cuisine. It consists of black mustard seeds, onion seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds. Vegetable curries, pulses are prepared with paanch phoron.
Curry leaves and mustard seeds have a grand presence in the preparations of the south. These two are accompanied by other spices too. Dried red chillies are also added to this combination.
Seasoning is vital for us. It is about creating the right flavor that the preparation is going to absorb. Basically for almost all preparations we have a particular seasoning. An unique combination of spices is used for each recipe. The spice combination keeps changing from dish to dish. Usually after heating the oil the seasoning is added. You have to be careful at this stage. You should not burn the spices or fry them too much, that would simply spoil the taste of the food. Sometimes a special seasoning is added at the end of the preparation.
Some spices that are used in seasoning are cumin seeds, mustard seeds, whole dried red chillies, onion seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, fenugreek seeds and there are more. Sometimes tiny pieces of ginger too are added to spice up a preparation. Let us check out some of the unique seasonings.
Paanch phoron is a unique combination of five spices, this is particularly used in Bengali cuisine. It consists of black mustard seeds, onion seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds. Vegetable curries, pulses are prepared with paanch phoron.
Curry leaves and mustard seeds have a grand presence in the preparations of the south. These two are accompanied by other spices too. Dried red chillies are also added to this combination.
Bay leaves are used in the seasoning as
well, this adds a mild yet nice touch to a dish.
Cumin seeds are used to flavor both veg as well as non veg curries this spice is used in widely in Indian cuisine, when you add the seeds to the oil you have to wait till the seeds start to crackle, never ever keep frying them for long. Care has to be taken while adding fenugreek seeds in the seasoning too. Fenugreek seeds have to be dealt with in the most delicate manner possible or else, these would add a bitter taste to the whole curry.
When cooking something really special we use cinnamon, clove, cardamom, black pepper sometimes in a combo. This gives a royal flavor to the whole dish.
Sometimes while cooking pulses, the seasoning is added in the end. You just boil the pulses adding salt and turmeric and any other spice. At the and you fry some spice together in oil for one or two minutes and add that entire combination in the pulses and cook for few more minutes. The pulse absorbs the flavor.
The seasoning is the most difficult stage in cooking but if you could do this right you would be able to create the most heavenly taste possible.
Cumin seeds are used to flavor both veg as well as non veg curries this spice is used in widely in Indian cuisine, when you add the seeds to the oil you have to wait till the seeds start to crackle, never ever keep frying them for long. Care has to be taken while adding fenugreek seeds in the seasoning too. Fenugreek seeds have to be dealt with in the most delicate manner possible or else, these would add a bitter taste to the whole curry.
When cooking something really special we use cinnamon, clove, cardamom, black pepper sometimes in a combo. This gives a royal flavor to the whole dish.
Sometimes while cooking pulses, the seasoning is added in the end. You just boil the pulses adding salt and turmeric and any other spice. At the and you fry some spice together in oil for one or two minutes and add that entire combination in the pulses and cook for few more minutes. The pulse absorbs the flavor.
The seasoning is the most difficult stage in cooking but if you could do this right you would be able to create the most heavenly taste possible.
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