What Makes it Indian?

What Makes it Indian?
February 1996 -- Flavor Prints

  What sets one country's foods apart from those of its neighbors? To a great degree, the difference is in the spicing - the ones most frequently used and the combinations utilized with different foods. We call these habits characterizing a nation's cuisine its "flavor prints." In their way, they provide identification much like fingerprints do for humans. In this series, developed in cooperation with the American Spice Trade Association, Food Product Design explores nations' flavor prints as a guide and inspiration for food product designers.

  The following is a very general overview of the importance of spices in Indian cooking. India is a vast country and food varies from region to region, as strongly influenced by religion and custom as by geography. India's regional cooking is also influenced by the staple food of the area.

  The heart of all Indian cooking is masala, the combination of spices which gives each dish its individuality. It may be mild and delicate or so strong and sharp that it brings tears to the eyes. Masalas may be either wet or dry. Wet masalas, which must be used immediately, are ground with vinegar, water or coconut milk and form the base of all dishes cooked in the coastal areas of south India. Dry masalas, which don't have to be ground every day, are more commonly used in the north.

  The combination of spices is endless and each cook follows his own taste and regional preference. There is only one proviso: the end product - the curry, korma or raan - must be a perfect blend of all the spices, with no single spice so strong as to dominate the dish, unless, of course, that it's the cook's intention.

  Recently, curry has become popular, undergoing all manner of adjustment for foreign palates. Traditionally, curry powder is a combination of many spices - up to 50 in the extreme. Most commercially packaged curry mixtures are a combination of about 15 to 20 spices. Some of the spices likely to be found in curry seasonings are coriander, cumin seed, chili or red peppers, fenugreek, ginger, mustard seed, white and black pepper, turmeric, allspice, cloves, paprika, poppy seeds, saffron, sage, garlic, nutmeg, anise and cardamom.

  What makes it Indian? Over a hundred spices are know to Indian cooking, but the basic spices are turmeric for color and flavor, a generous hand with red pepper, fresh chilies, and cumin and coriander seeds. Also fresh cilantro, mint, curry leaves and sweet basil; fragrant garlic, mustard, fenugreek, turmeric and dill weed. And there are the spices used both in sweet and savory dishes such as saffron, mint, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, anise seeds, cloves, mace, cardamom and sesame seeds. Sweets often are full of the flavors of coconut, almond, pistachio and kewra, a perfumed flower essence. Yogurt is important, often used in raitas, the cooling companion to fiery foods, which combines yogurt with raw or cooked vegetables or fruits.

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