Q: Is it necessary to bloom curry, chile and other powders for cold foods such as salads and sandwiches, or does the acid in mayo do the trick? If blooming in hot fat is recommended, how do you advise doing it?
A: According to Michael Ruhlman's handy guide The Elements of Cooking, in the kitchen, the word bloom has several meanings.
Bloom can mean to hydrate gelatin in water before adding it to what you are thickening. Bloom can also refer to the chalky white coating that appears on improperly stored chocolate, where cocoa butter has separated out and set on the surface.
Soft cheeses such as Brie are said to be bloom ripened because of the light, white coating that forms on the rind as the cheese ages.
Bloom can also refer to the beneficial flora that grow on some vegetables and fruits, such as grapes.
Ruhlman says another meaning of the word is when chefs put spices or aromatics in oil so that they "bloom" and release their flavour into it.
Kate, of course, is looking for information on that definition.
The technique is most often used in hot preparations, such as an Indian curry, where spices are heated in oil to help develop and release their flavours.
The blooming of spices can be done separately in the oil or other fat, such as ghee (clarified butter). It can also be done when other ingredients are being cooked, such as sprinkling a ground spice in the pan when ingredients, such as onions and garlic, are frying.
According to Harold McGee's book On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, heating a mix of spices in this way allows the different chemicals to react to each other so that the flavours become more integrated. I used the technique in today's spicerich lentil dal, a soup bursting with flavour.
When using ground spices or spice blends in cold preparations such as salads and sandwich fillings, in most cases I find there's no need to bloom them in hot oil before mixing them in.
Store-bought ground spices are finely ground and the moment they come in contact with a wet ingredient, such as mayonnaise or vinaigrette, their flavour begins to bloom. If you allow the spices in the dressing for that salad or sandwich filling to steep and develop a short while, they'll do a fine job flavouring your creation.
That's certainly how I felt after digging into today's recipe for curried shrimp-stuffed papaya. The mayonnaise-based shrimp filling chills and melds in the refrigerator an hour before being spooned into the papaya, giving it plenty of time to develop flavour.
However, in some salads that I'll serve right away, such as a Singapore noodle salad, I will "bloom" the curry powder used in oil first. I do this by pouring the required amount of oil in a small skillet and set it over medium-high heat.
When hot, I'll add the curry powder and stir and cook about 30 seconds. Once cooled, I'll toss into it the noodles with the other ingredients.
Kate, I have limited space to write about this subject here, so I highly suggest you pick up a copy of Harold McGee's book noted above, whether you buy it or get it from the library. There's an interesting chapter called the Chemistry and Qualities of Herbs and Spices that provides some great information on getting the maximum flavour out of them.
Curried Shrimp-Stuffed Papaya
This recipe is based on one that appears in my book Everyone Can Cook Midweek Meals. This dish will make a deluxe lunch you could serve with a simple green salad.
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: None Makes: 2 servings
1 cup small cooked salad shrimp, patted dry (about 150 grams)
3 Tbsp mayonnaise, or to taste
1/2 tsp mild curry powder
2 Tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper
2 Tbsp finely chopped celery
1-2 green onions, thinly sliced
to taste salt
1 small to medium ripe papaya, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
2 lime wedges
Combine all ingredients, except papaya and lime, in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate mixture one hour to allow flavours to meld.
Trim a little from the bottom of each papaya half so they'll sit flat and then set, cavity side up, on plates.
Divide and mound the shrimp mixture into the cavity of each papaya half. Garnish with lime wedges and enjoy.
Lentil Dal with Yogurt and Cilantro
Make a light lunch or dinner of this Indian-style soup by serving it with warm slices of naan or pita bread. This soup freezes well. To do so, after preparing, cool to room temperature, pack in suitably sized containers, label, date and freeze.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About 30 minutes
Makes: 4 to 6 servings
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1/2 tsp turmeric 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 (14 oz/400 mL) can coconut milk 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
and white pepper to taste salt
- thick yogurt and chopped fresh
cilantro to taste (see Note)
Place the oil in a tall, medium-sized pot set over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and heat and stir until they begin to crackle slightly and some begin to pop. At that point, remove from the heat and carefully stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper.
Let the mixture stand 5 minutes, and then stir in the lentils, onion, carrot, garlic and ginger. Set back over medium heat and cook and stir 4 minutes more.
Add the coconut milk and stock, bring to a simmer, and gently simmer 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, top with a dollop of yogurt, sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
Note: If you don't care for cilantro, you could substitute chopped fresh parsley or mint in this recipe.
Eric Akis is the author of the bestselling Everyone Can Cook series of cookbooks.