foodlovers

Tandoori paste

Tandoori paste is a mixture of spices including coriander, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, with paprika giving it the typical orange colour.

Turmeric

Other name - Indian Saffron.

Turmeric complements - curries, vegetables, rice, fish, eggs, pickles, chutneys, cream sauces.

Turmeric is the thick, cylindrical rhizome or underground stem of a tropical plant belonging to the iris family and was originally grown in India and the Far East. It adds a brilliant yellow colour and an earthy flavour to foods such as Indian curries, rice and vegetarian dishes.

Use Turmeric wherever a dish will be enhanced by a brighter yellow colouring such as eggs, relishes, mustard or cream sauces, soups and flavoured butter.

Piccalilli is probably the best known commercial product for the use of Turmeric.

Indian Brahmin vegetarian dishes are flavoured with sambhar powder - a hot spicy mix using Turmeric and asafoetida, which balances the ‘windy’ properties of beans and pulses.

Vanilla

Vanilla complements - cakes, puddings, cream, ice-cream, rice puddings, pancakes, custard.

Vanilla is the long, slender, black seed pod of a perennial creeper or vine belonging to the orchid family. It is native to the tropical forests of Central America and Mexico. Its sweet, slightly smokey, aroma and taste has made it one of the world’s most popular flavourings for sweet dishes.

For cakes, puddings and sweets keep a Vanilla Pod in a jar of sugar to be used for baking. Top up with more sugar and the same pod will perfume the added sugar for up to a year.

For sauces, custards and ice-cream, infuse the milk with a Vanilla Pod. Afterwards the pod can be rinsed, dried and returned to an airtight container. The same method can be used for syrups and poached fruit.