Saturday, December 20, 2014

Spicy food!


The newest Ken PD Snydecast features some talk about SPICY foods.

Ken doesn't like 'em. He thinks of them as a little flavor plus pain.

Dana likes it. He ate Indian food before the show.


Indian food is often very spicy.


From THIS SITE: Turmeric is an Indian spice, bright yellow in color and is used in both south and north Indian cooking. It is derived from a plant native of India that is part of the ginger family. It is made from the boiled, dried, cleaned and polished roots of the turmeric plant. In medieval Europe it became known as Indian saffron and was far more expensive in its day than the saffron spice of today. Turmeric is used primarily in Kashmiri dishes. Used for flavor and color, it is a principal element in curry powder.

Coriander powder, known in India as ‘Dhaniya’ is purchased as whole seeds or in powder form in both south and north Indian cooking. Fresh coriander is also known as ‘cilantro’ to many. The seeds are often used as a condiment with or without roasting. It is a herb with a delicate sweet aroma and it is an essential spice in every Indian household. It is used in Indian Dals (dried legumes and pulses), Rasam, Sambar, soups and curries. The fresh coriander leaves are generally used as garnish on top of finished dishes. Native of the Mediterranean, coriander is produced in India and in many other countries. The oil is used in seasonings for sausages and other meat products.

Cumin, known as ‘Jeera’ in India, can be purchased as whole seeds or in powder form and comes from a dried, white fruit on an annual herb that is a tropical plant grown in many parts of the world. The seeds are bitter and have an aromatic odor. It is indigenous to northern Egypt, Syria, the Mediterranean region, Iran and India. It is also grown in Mexico, China, Sicily and Malta. Cumin is used in Indian cooking as a flavoring agent in things like curry powders, seasonings of breads, cakes and cheese, and as a condiment. It is also used in many native dishes of Central and South America. Used in small quantities in most dishes it merely enhances the dish further. It is found to date from the second millennium B.C. All Indian curries and dals include it in small quantities. Often the cumin seeds are heated and roasted which gives off its robust flavor and aroma. Cumin can be used in powder form but is best used with the seeds.


This photo is irrelevant.

No comments: