Not-so-Mahkiani

Last night I had every intention of making one of my favorite Indian dishes, Chicken Mahkiani, complimented with Naan (Indian flatbread that is literally to die for if it's made correctly) and Saffron infused Basmati rice. Clearly, it didn't happen. Our air went out and my wonderful fiance told me not to worry about making it. Our apartment is on the third floor so if our air goes out, it gets insufferably hot, to the point my kitchen gets to be like a million degrees and I get super grumpy and start making mistakes. The thing about Indian food is precision or you don't get the color and texture you should. It can be very time consuming as well so the last thing you want to do is mess up. So since I didn't get to make murgh makhani I decided I would talk about Indian spices. There are a few key spices that you will need if you ever choose to make Indian food. Seeing as my fiance loves, and I mean LOVES, Indian, I keep most of these spices on hand.

An Indian Spice Market

1. Garam Masala - This goes in literally EVERY Indian dish out there, except for maybe Naan. I make my own, after doing a lot of research and reading but it does tend to take a while just like everything in Indian cooking. It is a blend of spices, almost like Herbs de Provence in French cooking, or that Poultry Blend you've seen your mom use when she's making chicken. Here is an easy way to get a delicious Garam blend from one of my favorite stores ever: The Spice House - Garam Masala They carry it pre-ground or you can grind it yourself.
2. Cardamom - It comes three different ways, with three very distinct flavors. White, Green and Black. I keep all three in my kitchen. You can also use it in cookies and cakes. I use all three often, but in reality, you probably only need one. Keep in mind though that white cardamom kinda disappears into your food and if you bite into the pod, that's all you'll taste for a good minute. This is the third most expensive spice in the world, following only behind raw vanilla and saffron, which we talk about later in this post. The Spice House - Cardamom
3. Cayenne Pepper - If you have ever eaten Indian then you know that most dishes are pretty spicy, curry this and curried that, so there are a few different peppers to keep on hand. This one is a biggy. Most people keep Cayenne in their spice racks due to the fact that it's very versatile and is used in many cuisines around the world to add that little kick of spice. The Spice House - Cayenne Pepper
4. Coriander - It kinda has a citrus taste to it, and I have found that a lot of recipes call for coriander in the marinade. You can use this to substitute lemon juice to a point. I also use a lot of coriander in curry dishes, so I think it makes the list, although it is not necessarily a must have. This is another spice that is commonly used in cookies and breads. Fun Fact: Coriander comes from the same plant as Cilantro which mean that this plant produces a spice and an herb.The Spice House - Coriander
5. Cilantro - Ok, so this is not a spice, it's an herb but still I have found that this is one of those things you really need to have on hand. I always use fresh Cilantro, but you can buy it dried just in case you can't make it to the store and you really want some curry lamb. Again, this is mostly used in marinades and adds a nice pop of color. If you choose to keep dried Cilantro on hand, keep in mind you will have to use more since herbs lose some of their flavor when dried. It is the world's most commonly used herb and is used worldwide for many many dishes. The Spice House - Dried Cilantro
6. Cumin - This is an absolute must have for Indian cooking or any kind of curry. It is the one I run out of most frequently to the point I buy it in bulk from a local Indian market. I have whole cumin as well as ground in my vast collection of spices and I do recommend having both but you only really need ground cumin if you aren't into grinding spices yourself. The Spice House - Cumin
7. Curry Powder - Now this one gets a little complicated. There are many different kinds of curry powder based on what you are making. Do you want hot curry? Then you should look for Madras Curry Powder. Want a lighter, almost sweeter flavor? Look for a sweet curry powder. This goes back to Garam Masala. it is a blend of spices used frequently in Indian and Thai food and you should keep your favorite on hand. I keep 4 different kinds of curry powder in my pantry, but the one I use most often is the common kind you can find at nearly every grocer I was corrected on this by the lovely and annoyingly right all the time future sis-in-law, you can find it at SOME grocery stores; red curry powder. This is one spice that is completely preference. I am going to include a link, it's for the Spice House's box set of curry. Curry Lover's Box Set - It also includes the Garam Masala and Tandoori spices (which is it's own post in and of itself.) and this is the other curry they carry which includes Saffron and has a delicious rich flavor Maharajah Style Curry Powder 
8. Saffron - Yes, one of the most expensive spices out there, but essential to the Indian Kitchen. Saffron only blooms during one week every year and it takes almost 75,000 flowers to make one pound of saffron. The great thing about saffron, a little goes a long way. My beautiful future Mother-In-Law had the opportunity to go to Egypt and brought me home saffron so I'm stocked up for a little while. Saffron has a heavenly aroma and a flavor you simply cannot substitute. The Spice House - Saffron
9. Turmeric - Part of the Ginger family, it used a lot for color as well as flavor. Turmeric can replace the golden color with which saffron graces foods, but not saffron's distinctive flavor. it has an almost musty flavor is works well in a lot of Indian foods. The Spice House - Turmeric
10. Ginger - Yes, you need to keep ginger on hand. It is used all the time in a lot of Asian cuisine. I keep Ginger powder and fresh ginger root in my fridge at all times. I have also found that you can buy ginger paste which works great if you are short on time and simply don't have the time to pull out your micro-plane grater and do it yourself. The Spice House - Ground and Whole Dried Ginger]
11. Garlic - It seems like no matter what kind cuisine you cook, garlic always pops up. Indian cooking uses a lot of garlic. I typically use jarred minced garlic that you just buy at the super market but I keep Garlic powder on hand as well just in case I want a faint garlic flavor or if I don't want to bite into tiny chucks of garlic. You can also use dried minced garlic, but I prefer the kind in a jar. it has a stronger flavor and you can use the oil stuff in the jar for a little added oomph. Minced Garlic
12. Ginger-Garlic Paste - Now this stuff is hard to find. I found it by an off chance at my local Indian Grocery store and you can find it online. it just makes certain recipes easier. it is not necessary but it is useful. Ginger Garlic Paste
13. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - Another key ingredient to add that heat we all have learned to love. Whether you put it on your pizza like my future hubby, or you use it for cooking, we all probably have some stuck in our pantry. The Spice House - Crushed Red Pepper



Garam Masala

14. Red Chile Paste - I have found this in my local Kroger in the Asian food section. Weird, I know, but that's where I found it. It is used to add heat and to add color. Any kind of red chile paste will work, you can find tubes of it at Wal*Mart in the refrigerated produce section, Just look for the "Red Chile" in a tube.

This is really all I can think of right now. These are the main things I have found that you need in order to cook that delicious Indian food you devour at the buffets. There are some others but they aren't necessary. I keep Chile de Arbol, Fenugreek Seeds and Powder, Amchoor Powder, and Fennel on hand but they aren't used as frequently.