This Month’s Films: Shakespeare Wallah & The Namesake
Cuisine: Indian

Stocking an Indian pantry can be quite an adventure, both in the rich variety of spices and other ingredients, as well as tracking them down in specialty markets. If you are fortunate enough to live in a cosmopolitan city, you may have local access to an Indian or Asian market. Other possibilities include Cost Plus World Market and Trader Joe’s, both of which may carry some of the spices and condiments you seek. There is also a wonderful website called ishopindian.com that supplies an amazing number of basic ingredients at modest prices.

The most common spices used in Indian food are corriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron, mustard seed, poppy seeds, cardamom, cloves, anise, fenugreek, fennel, tamarind, chili, ginger, garlic, and asafetida, a musky, gummy paste made from a variety of plant resins. Starches include several varieties of rice such as basmati and jasmine, as well as beans, chickpeas and lentils, and nuts such as almonds, cashews and peanuts. Dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese, curds and a clarified butter called ghee play an important role in Indian cuisine, along with nearly every type of meat, poultry and seafood.

The ubiquitous chutneys that accompany traditional Indian meals may be made from nearly every type of vegetable and lush tropical fruits such as mangoes, guava, papaya, pomegranates, bananas, and coconuts. As with any cuisine, the magic is in the way the various ingredients are combined.

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