Читать книгу Indian Cooking For Dummies - Monisha Bharadwaj - Страница 57

A blender is the secret to many curries. You’ll want a blender for pureeing curry base sauces and smaller appliances or utensils for crushing small amounts of spices. Here’s what to look for:

 Blender: A blender is a must-have in the Indian kitchen. In the days before blenders, people used grinding stones that produced concentrated curry pastes, but they required a lot of elbow grease. Choose a blender that can puree rather than a food processor that chops very finely. You’ll want a powerful one with a high wattage, so it gets everything smooth. Some blenders have attachments for wet and dry blending or compact jars for smaller quantities. Washing your blender thoroughly is important. Check to see if the base comes apart from the jar and undo it each time you clean it.

 Spice mill or grinder: You may think that spices need to be crushed every time you begin cooking a curry, but that isn’t true. It’s perfectly acceptable to use ready-bought spices, although some, such as ground coriander or garam masala, lose their flavor very quickly so either use them up soon or grind them at home. Investing in a small electric spice or coffee grinder will make crushing those seeds, bark, and nuts feel like child’s play, and your kitchen will smell heavenly, too! I suggest not blitzing coffee and spices in the same mill (excuse me waiter, there’s a coriander seed in my coffee). And remember to wipe out the mill after each use.

 Mortar and pestle: A good mortar and pestle is essential in your Indian kitchen because you’ll use it a lot. Look for a heavy one (for example, one made of granite) that’s hard enough to crush tough spice seeds. I find that a ceramic mortar and pestle is too delicate for robust spice crushing. Wash your mortar and pestle after each use to keep the flavors of different blends distinct.

 Peppermill: You’ve probably already got a peppermill at home that you use for crushing peppercorns. Buy another one and fill it with toasted spice seeds (try cumin). A few turns over curry will give an instant top note of fresh spice flavor.