Topic: Pat Chapman's Balti Masala Mix

[JerryM]

Chris,

I roast each spice individually and then grind

this is a seriously good idea. i little while ago i had realised that the bigger denser seeds need more time to heat up and so had started the roasting with those first. it then becomes tricky timing wise to decide when to progressively add the smaller seeds and leaves etc (to avoid burning).

adding individually removes the guess work and amazingly i had not thought of it myself.

just for a bit more of a lol. i went to get the lovage seeds yesterday to make your spice mix. the shop assistants were good in explaining they are in fact cloves (which i have already of course)

[Cory Ander]

i went to get the lovage seeds yesterday to make your spice mix. the shop assistants were good in explaining they are in fact cloves (which i have already of course)

No JerryM, lovage seeds are lovage seeds, they are not cloves.  Lovage seeds are often mistaken for Ajwain seeds...if I'm not mistaken myself 

[Jethro]

i went to get the lovage seeds yesterday to make your spice mix. the shop assistants were good in explaining they are in fact cloves (which i have already of course)

No JerryM, lovage seeds are lovage seeds, they are not cloves.  Lovage seeds are often mistaken for Ajwain seeds...if I'm not mistaken myself 

Yep totally different spices and dont even look alike:

Cloves


Lovage

[Chris303]

My Ajwain seeds said Lovage seeds in brackets - This is the East End brand so it seems quite an oversight for a large company if Ajwain is actually different from Lovage in reality.

Never the less for the purposes of this recipe. No other Lovage seeds were available except the ones labeled as Ajwain in the asian food store so I would just use these.

[Secret Santa]

I must say I've never eaten genuine lovage fruit (it's a fruit not a seed) but one thing is certain, lovage and ajwain are from different plants and they are not interchangeable. If your "lovage" smells and tastes like thyme then it is in fact ajwain. The genuine lovage fruit apparently gets mixed in and sold as celery seed so that's the flavour I would expect it to have. You have to wonder if the author of the recipe was actually using ajowain and not lovage, as the genuine lovage fruit(seed) is hard to obtain.

It's not helped by the major spice manufacturers labelling it incorrectly: http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-TRS-Lovage-Seeds-Ajwain.html

[Chris303]

Yeah I imagine Pat Chapman was using Ajwain as well.

[SnS]

Some Indian recipes, books, etc refer to Ajowan (carom) seeds as Lovage. This mistake is quite common, but nevertheless it is INCORRECT.

As SS says, Ajowan seeds are thyme-like (also caraway). In fact they are often used as a substitute for thyme. Native to South India, the ajowan plant looks like wild parsley and is used only for it's seeds.

Lovage (a herb) is totally different to Ajowan.

The plant "Levisticum Officinale" from the Mediterranean (but grows well in UK), is a sturdy perennial with cluster of green-yellow flowers in early Summer which change into ribbed seeds.
Either the plant or the seeds can be used as they both have the same flavour (seeds a little sweeter). Seeds (tastes like celery) are used to flavour liqueurs and as a basic ingredient in the perfume industry. In the kitchen seeds are mainly used to spice up soups, salads, rice and potatoes.

Both Ajowan seeds and Lovage seeds have stripes.

SnS  ;D

[JerryM]

Chris,

used the spice mix (except for lovage and wild onion which i could not find) and was surprised that the "real" whole cloves blended in very well (without becoming a garam masala).

i was comparing it with the development curry masala (14 spices v 12 in yours).

i can't really comment as i botched the cooking with too coarse a garlic/ginger paste and inconsistent measuring of the same. i am thinking a combination of the 2 is possibly where i want to be. i also need to add in the ajowan.
 
for info only - a few personal preferences came to mind when i was just tasting the powder these being to reduce the cumin by 1/2 and add star anise (1 tsp).

i intend to try it out for real on your madras thread though which i am looking fwd to.

[Chris303]

Remember the powdered spices as well as following in the full masala mix given by Chapman.

Also... it takes a few days for the smells to really develop in it

[JerryM]

yep,

clean missed the powder spices which i think will improve result quite a bit. i think i would still reduce the cumin qty though. i will back add to what i've got left to give me an idea of the change just for info.

Nb have made the Madras Masala and - wow i like it a lot (only tasted powder so far).