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Garam Masala the Classic Indian Spice Blend
Known in India as the "hot spice", because of the warming qualities that it produces in the body when consumed, Garam Masala has many variations. It can be made with just a few spices or with as many as 30 or more.
In this post I cover the following points:
- the toasting of the spices which is done in a dry saute pan
- grinding the toasted spices in a coffee grinder and then sifting through a sieve to yield a finely ground blend
- the technique of using the spice blend first in the cooking process to fully release its flavors and then as a finishing spice to accent the dish along with fresh herbs and toasted pine nuts
- the rice pilaf technique, which is the technique/recipe that is done by browning the rice with the other ingredients, adding a hot stock and then baking the rice in the oven. This technique is used in many rice dishes from Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, North Africa and India.
Republished - Save Money on Food Cost 2.0
Now it is more important than ever to learn new ways to save money on food costs. Check out one of my previous posts with 12 chef proven ways on saving money at home or in a professional kitchen. Here are two ways included in the post:
Portion control- Pay attention to the proper size of portions when cooking at home. In kitchens we always weigh meats and fish and other items to make sure to be consistent and not make large cuts that will increase the food cost of the meal. An example at home would be to make sure to cut proteins in appropriate sizes of 4 to 6 ounces and to offset with larger vegetable portions and sides to cut the cost or start with a salad prior to the entrée this will also increase vegetable consumption, much needed in most Americans diet.
Use underutilized cuts in creative ways- Learning to use the less well-known cuts from beef, pork and lamb can save you in food costs. The chuck eye of beef instead of the ribeye is one example of a more affordable steak. Learn creative ways to cook with tougher yet flavorful options from the leg, shoulder, shank etc. Braising/slow cooking then serving over tasty vegetables and starches such as cheese grits, mashed starchy vegetables such as celeriac, cauliflower and potato puree for example.
Plate Up!
Taste is king and presentation is queen, is a concept that I tell my students. Because of this, clean precise plating is extremely important for the food to look enticing when served. However, the plate design must not be overly complicated otherwise it will take too much time to plate up at service. This would create customer dissatisfaction due to long wait times. In a fast-paced busy restaurant the dishes need to be plated quickly and efficiently.
In this post I will illustrate some of my latest demonstration plates from two of my spring semester classes- Fabrication, and Soup and Sauces. These styles of plating food can be done quickly and efficiently while still portraying elegance when served.
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