Description
Sweet, warming spices with a little heat meant to liven up just about any dish. This can be added at any point in the cooking process, including sprinkling on your food at the table.
Ingredients
Scale
1/2 cup coriander seeds
1/4 cup green cardamom pods, husks removed
1/4 cup cumin seeds
3 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks, broken up
2 tablespoons whole cloves
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
4 dried hot chiles, broken up
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pan over low heat, toast (don’t add oil or butter) all the spices except the nutmeg until they are a nice toasted color and fragrance. Stir frequently so you don’t burn them. Just a little warning, too – the chiles might be more fragrant than you can handle. If you want, leave them out in a bowl and then when the other spices are done cooking, pour them over the chiles. Either way, when the spices are done transfer them to a different bowl and allow them to cool to room temperature.
- Once cool, use a spice/coffee grinder or a processor to grind them to a powder. Return them to the bowl and mix in the ground nutmeg. Transfer to a jar for storage up to six months.
Notes
Dried hot chiles can be found in grocery stores that carry Mexican options. If you have an Indian grocer near you, that’s the best place as they will have the right kind of chiles.
Keywords: seasoning, spice, Indian food, masala
