Topic: Dealing with black cardamom (kala elachi)

[Peripatetic Phil]

Noticing that the Ham's base included black cardamom, which I had recently bought for the first time, I tried adding one to a curry but could not really discern what difference, if any, it made.  So today I am planning to add another, but this time I am thinking of either giving it a gentle whack with the side or back of the cleaver, or perhaps a /very/ short spin in the spice grinder.  The idea, of course, is to encourage it to give up more flavour to the sauce.

Ham, in your "Base Sauce Ingredients" page, you write of adding both black and green cardamom, but make no mention of doing anything to them prior to adding them to the sauce.  Would you (and others) recommend gently breaking them up first, or are they best left whole ?

** Phil.

[Stephen Lindsay]

Interesting one this, and maybe only ham can truly answer the question regarding his own base. On a similar note, I recall some discussions about the use of whole cinnammon in the Ashoka bunjarra (onion paste) recipe and Panpot confirmed that the intention was to remove it after the frying of the onions was completed. However I also recall that one member made the bunjarra and blitzed the cinnammon with onions to his satisfaction. Can't remember who is was am thinking it might have been Ray but I may be wrong about that also.

When using cardamoms and other aromatic spices such as cloves and star anise I have tended to follow the home cookery method or leaving them whole and fishing them out at the end.

In my first endeavours to replicate BIR dishes I eventually discovered that it was the almost "perfumy" aroma/flavour of things like cardamom and cinnamon that were unintentionally leading me away from the BIR approach and so I have pretty much stopped using them unless a particular recipe calls for it.

I know this doesn't answer your question Phil, but just thought my take on it might be helpful.

Steve

[PaulP]

Hi Phil,

I've got a jar of the black cardamom pods but have so far not used them. I thought in the KD1 book her recipe for garam masala included these?

Like Stephen said I don't normally use the heavily aromatic spices for BIR cooking. I do use green cardamom, clove, cinnamon etc. in my traditional keema peas curry but although that is nice it doesn't taste very BIR.

Let us know how you get on with them.

Paul

[Razor]

Hi Phil,

I have used green cardamoms when I used to make the Kushi Balti base but, there was no need to crack them or anything, as the opened slightly during the prolonged cooking.  I'm guessing the same thing would happen with the black ones?

Hi Stephen,

I think if I recall, when I had a go at PP's bunjara, I used ground cinnamon?

I fancy giving Hams base a go tonight but I'm gonna have another read of it and see if there's anything needs answering first.

Ray

[moonster]

Ray,

dont forget to use less salt mate, if you are doing Hams base tonight.

regards

Alan ;D

[Razor]

Hi Al,

How much salt would you suggest mate.  The recipe only asks for 3 tsp (1 tbs)

Don't think i'll get round to it tonight now.

Ray

[gazman1976]

Hi Stephen it was myself who blended the cinnamon stick in once cooked - was lovely

Garry

[moonster]

Ray,

I honestly wouldnt put more in than 1.5 tsp mate.
 i mentioned before that it produces the same quantity as your base recipe( i was wrong) when i measured it out it only produces just over half the base sauce of your recipe.

regards

Alan ;D
 

[Razor]

Hi Al,

when i measured it out it only produces just over half the base sauce of your recipe.

Yeah, sounds about right.  That's what worries me, if I double up on the quantities.  I'd have to use at least 10 - 12 black cardamoms and 16 green ones.  That frightens the life out of me   Surely the 1 inch piece of cinnamon would get lost in all that cardamom.

Dunno

Ray

[moonster]

I would probably stick to Hams quants for your first go Ray.

like you say just doubling up doesnt always work!!

regards

Alan ;D