Array of required spices can make Indian recipe prices spiral
From
| September 16, 2009
In Kitchen Basics
We love Indian food. But in an attempt to stretch the family budget we’ve been cutting back on restaurant dining, and this limits our access to the curries, pilafs and other exotic fare we enjoy at our favorite Indian eateries. So we started to wonder if cooking Indian food at home could fit into our busy weeknight schedules.
Preparation time, it turns out, wasn’t the obstacle. Surprisingly, it was the same issue we faced when eating out: Expense. Based on a survey of three mainstream Indian cookbooks, the average recipe uses between six and 10 herbs and spices (either fresh or dried). Unless you already have a well-stocked spice cabinet, purchasing them will quickly add up.
If you plan to cook Indian food often, this might not be a problem in that many recipes rely on the same seasonings. If you just want to experiment, our best solution is to find a store that sells spices in bulk, and buy only the amount you need for the recipe. (There’s no need to pay $4.50 for a jar of turmeric when you only need a quarter-teaspoon!) Many upscale specialty markets sell spices in bulk, as do some larger supermarkets.
Anyone else have ideas for managing spice-intensive recipes?
Comments
From Beverly Mills - September 16, 2009
Great idea Samina! I’m going to look to see if there is an Indian grocery near my home!
From Joan Garneau - September 17, 2009
I have a book, 5 Spices, 50 Dishes, Simple Indian Recipes Using Five Common Spices. I have tried several of the recipes which are fairly easy. The spices are coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, ground cayenne and ground turmeric. The book is by Ruta Kahate. Also, another place to buy cheap spices is at a health foods store which has them in bulk. I bought 50 cents worth of fennel seeds in the health food store which would have cost about $4.00 in the grocery store. I absolutely love Penzey’s spices, but from now on, I’m going to check out the health food store for spices first.
From Beverly Mills - September 17, 2009
This sounds great Joan! I will definitely check out this book, as I love Indian food. Also, I too adore Penzey’s and miss it greatly from my time in Minneapolis!
From anna - October 08, 2009
If you command the basic skills in Indian cooking, it is actually not too difficult to manage any spice intensive recipe.
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From Samina - September 16, 2009
Although Indian spices are expensive, I find that they’re MUCH cheaper at Indian groceries than at most regular supermarkets. I’d suggest buying them there.