Kashmiri Masala Recipes

Steps:

• Heat a small skillet over medium heat; add cumin, bay leaves. cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, fennel seed, mace, and cinnamon sticks and dry roast until fragrant, 6 to 10 minutes.
• Allow to cool; add nutmeg. Grind the spices into a fine powder using a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• For the chicken marinade: Whisk together the yogurt, ginger, salt, chili powder, garam masala, pepper, turmeric and garlic in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the spiced yogurt marinade until evenly coated. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24. (Overnight works best.)
• For the sauce: Melt the ghee in a large Dutch oven or wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and serrano, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and beginning to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and the ginger starts to turn golden and sticks to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves, garam masala, chili powder and paprika and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half and the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Let the hot sauce cool for about 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. (If your blender is small, you may need to work in batches.) Remove the center cap from the lid and place it on the blender. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream and puree until creamy. Pour into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.
• Meanwhile, position a rack directly under the broiler and preheat to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside.
• Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the rack. Broil until the chicken starts to brown in spots, 3 to 6 minutes per side (it will not be cooked through). Remove from the broiler. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Top the chicken and sauce with cilantro. Serve with rice and naan.

Steps:

• Heat a small, heavy-based frying pan over medium-hot heat.
• Separately dry roast each spice, except nutmeg, until each one starts to give out a beautiful, fragrant aroma. Remove from pan and leave to cool.
• Combine all roasted spices (not nutmeg) in a blender and grind to a fine powder.
• Add nutmeg and store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Place red chiles, green chiles, cumin seeds, garam masala, ginger, garlic, grated coconut, and tomatoes into a blender; pulse several times to chop, then blend into a smooth paste.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Stir the spice paste into the onion and cook and stir until the oil separates from the mixture, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in lamb pieces and salt. Cook, stirring frequently over medium-high heat, until the lamb pieces are browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
• Mix in yogurt, saffron, and blanched almonds until well combined.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the meat is tender and the gravy is thick, about 1 hour.
• Garnish the curry with chopped cilantro before serving.

Steps:

• Dry roast all ingredients in a heavy bottomed pan, on medium heat, until a nice, spicy aroma rises. This should take about 6-8 minutes.
• Allow to cool and then grind together in to a fine powder.
• Store in an airtight container.