Garam Masala - Congruence of Spices to Pep Up Your Cooking - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Garam Masala - Congruence of Spices to Pep Up Your Cooking

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Keep your Garam Masala in an airtight container away from heat and sunlight. If you are an infrequent user, you could store the masala powder in the refrigerator, tightly sealed to protect from moisture. – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Garam Masala - Congruence of Spices to Pep Up Your Cooking


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While waiting for a taxi to pick me up at the
Chhatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj Terminus,I stood
marvelling at the mix of architectural styles of
the Grand Old Dame of Mumbai a mix of
Victorian, Italianate, Gothic, Revivalist AND
Mughal styles. I was surrounded by the hustle and
bustle of the vibrant crowd milling around me
synthetic saris, colourful salwar-kameez and
precariously low rise jeans vied with one and
other for attention. Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati,
English and Hinglish (Indian English)
conversations and exclamations flew fast and
furious. This, I said to myself happily is
India! India is a vast and colourful patchwork
of different cultures, languages and religions.
What was really indigenous to this region of
Asia? It is difficult to tell. Invasions,
occupations and colonialism have all left their
mark on every facet of Indian life.The ancient
mixes freely with the modern. And here we stand
now in all the glory of a rich mixture of
cultures which have influenced how we speak,
dress and eat, the very roti, kapada and makaan
of our lives.
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It would be difficult to describe any one
culinary style as being Indian. Boiled beef and
greens and Shepherds Pie might be illustrative
of English cooking, but Indian cuisine is too
vast and varied to be slotted in any single
way. Why is this so? Differing climate means
different cuisines India is a land of varied
climates and soil types. This affects the crops
grown in different areas which in turn influence
culinary practices and preferences. For instance,
in the northern colder Punjab region wheat is the
staple and sarson ka tel (mustard oil) a popular
cooking medium because the soil and climate are
suitable to these crops. But, in the peninsular
south, rice, fish and coconut abound in many
kitchens this is because of the plentiful
monsoon rains, the hot climate and the long
coastline.
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The religion of food Indian cuisine is also
heavily influenced by religious choices. Religion
plays a big part in influencing all cultural
aspects of ethnic groups and this includes the
food that is cooked. There is no other country in
the world where vegetarianism is a way of life to
such a large extent no other culture which
offers such a vast and varied vegetarian platter.
The traditional caste system also dictates what
is to be put on the plate. Congregation of
cultures Middle Eastern and Central Asian
culinary influences are more evident in North
Indian cuisine from the Mughal rule which was
mainly quartered in this region of India. The
British brought with them their own culinary
expertise and the Brown sahibs took these
practices further into Indian cuisine. Can you
imagine going for 3 consecutive days without
cooking a potato? This all pervasive tuber was
brought to India by the Portuguese who also
introduced chillies. Can you imagine Indian
cooking without these two foreign particles
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Spice, Spice, Baby! The Spice trade between India
and Europe opened the doors to further cultures
and, thus, cuisines. Kerala was referred to as
The Spice Garden of India and was the light
that beckoned the likes of Christopher Columbus
and Vasco da Gama. The spice route not only
introduced new culinary experiences to Indian
palettes but spread Indian culinary influences to
different countries along the Spice Route. The
warming spice Translation Garam Masala. This
ubiquitous powder actually originated in Northern
India where winters are cold. It is a blend of
ground spices, sometimes roasted before grinding
to release their bouquet peppercorns, cinnamon,
cardamom, cloves and cumin. Before I hear
protesting voices and cries of thats not all!,
let me clarify that this is the very basic
avatar. Some people add star anise, mace or bay
leaf, some or all of these. There are yet others
who enhance the masala with dagadphool (stone
flower) and kababchini (tailed pepper). The
spices could be blended carefully to achieve a
balanced effect or maybe a single flavour could
rule the taste buds.
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Hot or not? The garam in the masala is hot in
the Ayurvedic sense. In the Ayurvedic system of
medicine, there are foods which are hot in that
they are believed to elevate body heat or
pitta. Pitta is what enables the normal
metabolic functions of the body in the Ayurvedic
tradition. Garam Masala is actually more pungent
than hot in the sense of red chilli powder. Not
just taste Whatever be the additions to the basic
recipe for Garam Masala, cloves and cumin are
irreplaceable ingredients. Cloves give Garam
Masala the punch it carries and cumin adds to the
tantalising aroma. But this duo is not all about
just taste and flavour.Cumin stimulates
digestion, is good for lactating mothers, boosts
the immune system, eases respiratory problems,
protects kidneys and fights anaemia.Cloves dont
lag far behind in boosting health. They too are
good for the immune system. They aid heart
health, help fight against cancer and keep the
liver fighting fit among other benefits.
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North , South, East, West Garam Masala might
have its origins in the North of India, but it is
a popular and essential ingredient in Indian
cuisine throughout the length and breadth of this
diverse land. Its wonderful aroma and spicy
flavour add the correct amount of zest to many a
dish. The smell of Garam Masala wafting from the
kitchen is comforting and mouth watering at the
same time. How to store Keep your Garam Masala in
an airtight container away from heat and
sunlight. If you are an infrequent user, you
could store the masala powder in the
refrigerator, tightly sealed to protect from
moisture. I have read somewhere that Indian
cuisine has shaped the history of international
relations via the Spice Trade. Well, Garam Masala
is no less. In a country which has so many
different culinary practices and boasts of such a
variety of tantalising cuisines, Garam Masala is
a big binding factor, the common thread that runs
through the fabric of Indian culinary art.
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Thank You....
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