An unusual spice used in many foods in South India is asafetida, the dried resin from a member of the family of plants that includes carrot, dill and cumin. Sold either as a powder or in small blocks, asafetida has a strong, somewhat unpleasant smell when raw. The smell is so strong, that it needs to be kept in a tightly sealed container to prevent it from overwhelming the kitchen. But when asafetida is sizzled in hot oil, the smell and flavor transform into something distinctive and delicious that is somewhat reminiscent of onions or garlic. In fact, some purists who do not eat onions for religious reasons, use asafetida as a substitute.
Another unusual spice that is ubiquitous in Tamil cuisine is the curry leaf. The curry leaf tree is native to South India and its shiny green leaves are a crucial component of many dishes. The smell and flavor is not really like anything else. Typically the leaves are sizzled in hot oil at the beginning of cooking to perfume the oil, but curry leaves can also be torn up and added to a dish part way through cooking. In some regions, curry leaves are ground and used as the basis of a thick intense sauce – a curry leaf curry.
A green leaf that is probably familiar to most fans of Indian food is cilantro – also used extensively in South and Central America. A few sprigs of cilantro are often thrown into a dish just before serving to add a bright note.
An unusual feature of South Indian food is that some lentils are used both in the conventional fashion as a starchy base for soups and stews, but also as a spice. Two kinds of dal, chana dal and urad dal are often sizzled in hot oil to perfume the oil. These crunchy little pieces of fried dal can be found in many Tamil snack foods.
Finally, all of these spices can be combined in almost infinite variety to make spice mixes or “curry powders.” Traditionally all spices would have been ground fresh for each days cooking and this yields much more intense flavors. But as a time-saving measure, many cooks now use pre-ground mixtures, either purchased from a shop or prepared at home. Certain spice combinations are used so frequently that there are mixtures especially for making them such as Sambar powder.
If you are interested in Indian cooking join Markley and I next March on a Spiritual Adventure in Food and Photography in Northern India. This luxurious spiritual adventure takes you off the beaten path, providing unending photographic opportunities, a culinary experience to dazzle your taste buds, and culminates in India’s most colorful festival – Holi! Join us in March 2015 on one of our most spectacular spiritual adventures yet. Excited? Check out our itinerary.
Tamil Nadu, the land of the Tamils, was dominated by the Dravidian culture for 2500 years. The cuisine is distinctly different from that of the north, and is based primarily on rice rather than wheat and an abundant use of coconut. With a largely vegetarian population like much of India, Tamil Na...Read More
Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple in South India, Hinduism’s grandest citadel to the goddess, is a sacred place of pilgrimage for Hindus the world over and one of the most famous temples in India. This temple, centuries old and hand carved out of granite, covers an area of 16.5 acres. In Mad...Read More
An invitation to join Jasmine Grace on a Vedic Adventure in South India from Nov 29 to Dec 10, 2017. “On my upcoming fifth trip to India, I feel it is a deep honor to guide beautiful beings through the soul-stirring and beautiful land of India. In true Dandapani style, this is no ordinary yoga&he...Read More
Every year I conduct a retreat in Asia which is open to the public. These journeys are opportunities for people to get away from their daily routines, study with me in a deeper way and embark on a journey of self-transformation. In February of 2017 I’ll be guiding a group of individuals on ...Read More