The Café Spice Cookbook: 84 Quick and Easy Indian Recipes for Everyday Meals Read Free

turn red as they age. The Indian dried red chilies are similar to most common types such as the cayenne and chile de arbol.

    Cinnamon This highly fragrant spice is the dried inner bark of the laurel tree. An important ingredient in Indian cooking, it imparts a pleasant aroma to foods. It is sold in powder and stick forms. The whole sticks are used to flavor meats, curry dishes, and rice dishes as well as teas.

    Cloves These are the dried, unopened buds of a tropical tree. Deep reddish-brown cloves add a strong fragrance to rice and grain recipes and are an important ingredient in garam masala. They are lightly fried in hot oil, which perfumes the food cooked in it.

    Coconut Milk, Coconut Meat, Shredded Coconut In my recipes I use coconut milk, coconut meat, and shredded coconut. Coconut milk is produced by crushing the thick, white coconut meat and mixing it with water. The result is then drained, and the soaked coconut meat squeezed to extract the liquid. As the milk sits, the fat rises to the surface. This fat is skimmed off and sold separately as coconut cream. The cream is much richer and thicker than the milk. Coconut milk and coconut cream are both sold in cans. When using coconut milk for savory recipes, make sure it is not sweetened. Sweetened milk or cream is used in making pastries and cocktails. I prefer to use full-fat coconut milk rather than the “lite” version that is not as flavorful or creamy. Before opening a can of coconut milk, make sure to shake it well as the cream will have risen to the top; shaking the can incorporates the cream into the thinner milk-like liquid to create a smooth, even consistency. Once the can is opened make sure you store it in the refrigerator, covered, and use it within 2–3 days since it spoils quickly.
    Packaged, shredded coconut (sometimes labeled “grated”) is available frozen, which is the next best option to freshly grated and dried or “desiccated.” For the recipes in this book, be sure to purchase unsweetened shredded coconut. While dried unsweetened coconut is easy to find in most supermarkets or health food stores, frozen shredded coconut is available only in Southeast Asian or Indian grocery stores. The dried shredded coconut, however, has significantly less flavor than the frozen or fresh forms and does not give the creamy texture that is desired in Indian curries and stews. If you only have access to dried unsweetened shredded coconut, soak ½ cup (50 g) of the dried coconut in ½ cup (125 ml) of boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain the excess water before use. Note that ½ cup of dried coconut is comparable to 1 cup of freshly shredded or frozen shredded coconut.
    Freshly shredded or grated coconut will provide the best flavor and texture in Indian dishes. This requires purchasing a coconut and cracking it apart at home. Here is how to grate fresh coconut at home: Start with a clean looking coconut without cracks or any overpowering or rancid smell. It should feel heavy and full of water. You can shake the coconut to hear the water swish. Place the coconut on a clean, heavy wooden cutting board or a clean concrete block. Holding the coconut in one hand, tap the coconut lightly on all sides with a hammer to dislodge the insides from the hard brown shell. Then carefully but forcefully hit the shell with the hammer to break it open. Now most of the hard shell should separate from the coconut. Carefully pry off the meat from the brown outer shell with the tip of a well-rounded, blunt knife. Grate the coconut meat using a handheld grater.

    Coriander Leaves, Fresh Also known as cilantro, this annual in the parsley family is one of the most commonly used herbs in Indian cuisine. It is generally used uncooked for garnishes, marinades, and chutneys. Many dishes also incorporate fresh coriander leaves at various stages of cooking, a process that softens the sharp flavor and aroma of the herb. Fresh coriander leaves are highly perishable and prone to wilting.