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Re: Indian cooking
Tumeric and Berbere are the spices most used in Ethiopian food. They also use garlic and lots of other common seasonings. Their food is very well seasoned. I included a recipe for Injera and Berbere
Injera
1 3/4 c Flour; unbleached white
1/2 c Self-rising flour
1/4 c Whole wheat bread flour
1 pk Dry yeast
2 1/2 c Water; warm
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
Combine the flours and yeast in a ceramic or glass bowl. Add the warm water and mix into a fairly thin, smooth batter. Let the mixture sit for three full days at room temperature. Stir the mixture once a day. It will bubble and rise.
When you are ready to make the injera, add the baking soda and salt and let the batter sit for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a small, nonstick 9-inch skillet. When a drop of water bounces on the pan's surface, take about 1/3 cup of the batter and pour it in the skillet quickly, all at once. Swirl the pan so that the entire bottom is evenly coated, then return to heat.
The injera is cooked only on one side and the bottom should not brown. When the moisture has evaporated and lots of "eyes" appear on the surface, remove the injera. Let each injera cool and then stack them as you go along.
If the first injera is undercooked, try using less of the mixture, perhaps 1/4 cup, and maybe cook it a bit longer. Be sure not to overcook it. Injera should be soft and pliable so that it can be rolled or folded, like a crepe.
Berbere
2 tsp Cumin seeds
4 Whole cloves
3/4 tsp Cardamom seeds
1/2 tsp Whole black peppercorns
1/4 tsp Whole allspice
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
8 To 10 small dried red chiles
1/2 tsp Grated fresh ginger root OR
(1 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Salt
2 1/2 tb Sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Ground cloves
In a small frying pan, on medium-low heat, toast the cumin, whole cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek, and coriander for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
Discard the stems from the chiles. In a spice grinder or with a morter and pestle, finely grind together the toasted spices and the chiles. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
Store Berebere refrigerated in a well-sealed jar or a tightly closed plastic bag.
Tumeric and Berbere are the spices most used in Ethiopian food. They also use garlic and lots of other common seasonings. Their food is very well seasoned. I included a recipe for Injera and Berbere
Injera
1 3/4 c Flour; unbleached white
1/2 c Self-rising flour
1/4 c Whole wheat bread flour
1 pk Dry yeast
2 1/2 c Water; warm
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
Combine the flours and yeast in a ceramic or glass bowl. Add the warm water and mix into a fairly thin, smooth batter. Let the mixture sit for three full days at room temperature. Stir the mixture once a day. It will bubble and rise.
When you are ready to make the injera, add the baking soda and salt and let the batter sit for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a small, nonstick 9-inch skillet. When a drop of water bounces on the pan's surface, take about 1/3 cup of the batter and pour it in the skillet quickly, all at once. Swirl the pan so that the entire bottom is evenly coated, then return to heat.
The injera is cooked only on one side and the bottom should not brown. When the moisture has evaporated and lots of "eyes" appear on the surface, remove the injera. Let each injera cool and then stack them as you go along.
If the first injera is undercooked, try using less of the mixture, perhaps 1/4 cup, and maybe cook it a bit longer. Be sure not to overcook it. Injera should be soft and pliable so that it can be rolled or folded, like a crepe.
Berbere
2 tsp Cumin seeds
4 Whole cloves
3/4 tsp Cardamom seeds
1/2 tsp Whole black peppercorns
1/4 tsp Whole allspice
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
8 To 10 small dried red chiles
1/2 tsp Grated fresh ginger root OR
(1 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Salt
2 1/2 tb Sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Ground cloves
In a small frying pan, on medium-low heat, toast the cumin, whole cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek, and coriander for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
Discard the stems from the chiles. In a spice grinder or with a morter and pestle, finely grind together the toasted spices and the chiles. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
Store Berebere refrigerated in a well-sealed jar or a tightly closed plastic bag.
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