Maria Nasir
I find it a lot more fun to assemble these Edible Gifts In Jars in the comfort of my own kitchen than roaming around in shopping malls in search of appropriate gifts.
The whole ritual of cleaning the jars, measuring the ingredients, decorating with pretty ribbons and writing little recipe cards, makes the whole house glow with the spirit of sharing and caring.
This holiday season I’m filling my gift jars with Dry Spice Mix, Spiced Mixed Nuts and Lentils Soup Mix…the possibilities are infinite, just give free rein to your imagination !
Garam Masala – Dry Spice Mix
When it comes to blending dry herbs and spices together…the combinations are infinite ! Garam Masala is a dry spice mix that is mentioned a lot in context with Indian food. The word ‘garam’ means ‘hot’ and ‘masala’ refers to a mix of spices. The heat element is from the intensity of spices and is not at all like the heat from chillies. It adds aroma, warmth and richness to food.
There is no fixed or authentic proportion of mixing different spices for garam masala…you can include or exclude any according to personal preference. Nothing can beat the freshly roasted, ground spices !
For Garam Masala :
For a jar of 2+1/2 cups capacity
1 cup cumin seeds
1/2 cup coriander seeds
4 black cardamoms
3 tablespoons green cardamom seeds
2 tablespoons cloves
4 large sticks cinnamon
4 tablespoons black peppercorn
1 nutmeg
1 star anise
5-6 bay leaves
This Is What You Do :
Heat a heavy skillet on medium heat. Add all the spices, roast for 3-4 minutes. Keep stirring, don’t let them burn. When the spices are cool enough, blitz them in an electric grinder/dry mill till they are powdered. Can be stored in an airtight container for months !
For Spiced Mixed Nuts and Mixed Lentil Soup check out these links on the blog
http://www.foodaholic.biz/mixed-lentils-soup-edible-gifts-in-jars/