Fresh spice blends, pastes and sauces are an essential element in many Indian dishes. The longer I immerse myself into the art of Indian cooking, the more I find myself making my own preparations. A complexity is imparted to the food that simply cannot be recreated by using ready-made versions produced outside of the kitchen of the cook looking to add a unique touch. And for the most part, the effort involved is minimal.
This recipe does come with a warning. The spicier the better is my motto, but even I was gulping water and spooning some cooling yogurt into my mouth to ease the heat after tasting a scant 1/2 teaspoon of this pungent, fiery paste on its own. When incorporated into curries and their accompaniments, however, the heat is a necessary and sufficient condition. This potent paste has the advantage of lasting for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator, and can be stored in the freezer too.
, a beautiful cookbook featuring some jewels from South India. Pongal is a dish consisting of rice, lentils and spices. Rather moist in consistency, it's balanced enough to be served as a meal by itself, perhaps with some flat breads, or you can serve it as part of a larger meal with another legume dish, and some vegetables.