Help with making authentic south indian food
Greetings,
As I love cooking, and indian food is my favourite cuisine, I usually cook a "curry" about once a week for my family. And, of cource, it will be vegetarian, as the whole of my family is, and I am vegan.
I usually make a lentil dahl, vegetable sambhar type thing, with rice, bread and papads.
However, this week I thought I would do something a little different. I will do a coconut milk vegetable curry, dosa made with red lentils instead of black, and a banana curry.
The problem is with the spices and flavourings. I hate using ready-made curry powder as it is usually generic and boring, but I never know what spices to put in. My internet searches and cookery books tell me that the curries I want to make are south indian style - so, what spices should I put in?
I really hope that someone here can help. Indian food is an absolute delight!
Wilfred
Re: Help with making authentic south indian food
wcrow: Get to an Indian store. Ask for curry leaves. They may not have them. That will add to the authenticity.
Common spices are coriander (ground) , turmeric, mustard seeds, cumin (seeds or ground) , chili powder, and for a mixture garam masala. Some stores sell premixed sambar spices. You can fry all this stuff first with a little ghee, or oil, and onions or garlic if you eat that. Then you can add whatever vegetables you wish, and you'll get it fairly authentic. Fry it until the mustard seeds start popping.
if you like it really hot, but those small green chillies, and put some of those in there too.
Curry powder is not curry. Its some strange concoction the British invented or something.
I'm sure you can find demonstrative videos on line.
Have a great meal.
Aum Namasivaya
Re: Help with making authentic south indian food
Re: Help with making authentic south indian food
Thanks, both of you. I found a really good coconut curry recipe on one of the websites you reccommended, saidevo.
