Instant Curry Powder

tandblekningar strips Life has become quite hectic and there is no time to ensure the flavors in the curry are sealed and intact. More than the flavors we want to just ensure we have a tasty curry as the end product. I think gone are those days when my mother used to work hard to get the combination of aromas and the taste in her dishes right. I remember when my mother used to cook rasam, (which by the way was the typical Iyer rasam according to her). Kootu another of my favorites that she cooked was so tasty, that I still remember the taste and their aromas so clearly in my mind. Her combination of rasam and a simple eggplant curry was a fare enough for me to go gaga over her cooking as well as enjoy my meal thoroughly. Another favorite food I loved made by my mother, was vatha/vatral kozhambu. A simple tamarind water mixed with spices and garnished with mustard seeds and dried red chillies was enough to make my day. I used to love it when my mother used to make parrippu saadam (plain boiled daal and rice mixed with ghee and a pinch of salt) and add teeny weeny bit of vatha kozhambu to it. The tantalising aroma of ghee and the subtle aroma of the spices in the kozhambu was more than enough to live on for all three meals. I have always been fond of spices like cumin, asafoetida, sesame seed oil, dry red chillies and fenugreek seeds. Even today, after leaving India for over two decades, I still use these spices in my meals in some form or the other. Reason being, I do not cook south Indian food everyday. My home is a bit of a corrupted Iyer home, because we cook meat including chicken, lamb and fish at home. My son loves his meat and seafood dishes. My better half travels throughout the year. He is a carnivore too. I am sure my son will remember my meat and chicken preparations fondly just like I remember the rasam, kootu and other foods cooked by my mother in her kitchen for us. I would like to share a small recipe of home made spice mix I make and use on a daily basis. In a hot wok add two tbsppons of cumin two tbspoons of coriander two dry red chillies one tspoon of peppercorn and grind this in a dry grinder and store it in an air tight container. This mix is useful in dry curries, gravy anything and everything. I love the fresh flavors it brings in/add to the meal. Ranga Rajah